J-Term Comes to The Ledge!

We are delighted to announce an exciting new academic innovation at St. Mary’s Springs Academy for our high school students that will begin during the 2023-24 school year! In January 2024, SMSA will initiate January Term  (sometimes known as “Winterim” or “Interim” in some colleges and high schools) - more commonly referred to as “J-Term!”  This initiative has been in research and development for more than a year.  The J-Term Work Team, composed of a dozen SMSA educators, have forwarded programming recommendations which have been fully reviewed and approved by the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Directors. 

Just like with Semester I & II, J-Term is a required academic term and included in the cost of annual tuition.  Instead of registering for six or seven courses like with Semester I & II, in the 13 day J-Term, students shall register for a singular course that will meet daily for four hours each morning.  The learning time designated to J-Term classes is necessary to fulfill the DPI and Archdiocesan instructional minute requirements for SMSA.  Given these total instructional minutes, J-Term courses shall earn the same academic credit value as a full semester course (0.5 credit)!  Lunch shall be served daily during the 13 day term as normal.  During each afternoon of J-Term, students will be organized to engage with required community service experiences, college and career readiness planning, and /or social emotional learning programs.  Our Campus Ministry, Counseling Office and Pupil Services teams are very excited to systematically integrate these value-added formation services for our Ledgers during J-Term!

Perhaps J-Term may best be described by it’s approved vision:

J-Term at St. Mary's Springs Academy shall spark student interest in learning through a variety of non-traditional courses. Enhancing SMSA's regular curriculum through innovative styles of teaching and enrichment, J-term courses will provide opportunities for project-based learning, interdisciplinary explorations, community connections, and  service-learning, along with time to focus on social-emotional development and college and career planning. J-Term will highlight our school’s distinctive vision of student growth that is aligned with discernment of personal interests and gifts.

In addition to the many positive impacts on learning, the installation of J-Term at SMSA shall affect how the annual school calendar is organized in the high school.  Adding January Term will enable balanced instructional days in Semester I & II, with the added benefit of concluding Semester I before Christmas vacation each year.  As such, the approved high school calendar for 2023-24 shall be organized as follows:

• Semester I: August 22-December 22 (82 days of instruction, A-B Day Block rotations)

• J-Term: January 3-19 (13 days of instruction, same DAILY schedule for 13 days)

• Semester II: January 23-May 29 (82 days of instruction, A-B Day Block rotations)

Please view the calendar for the upcoming 2023-2024 Academic Year to see how the dates above will fit together. 

As we move forward, a J-Term course curriculum guide will be finalized and made available to students and parents in October.  Students will register for their J-Term classes in fall of each year. Students will identify a first, second and third option of courses when they register for J-Term each year.

A sample daily schedule for the J-Term can be viewed here.

Here are some additional facts about J-Term at SMSA:

• J-Term courses will be a graduation requirement beginning in 2023-24.  All Ledgers shall be required to register for a single January Term course each school year in which they are enrolled at SMSA. 

• During the 13 school days of J-Term, students in grades 9-11 will attend school for full days (through 3:15pm).  All seniors will be engaged in capstone community service projects at various partner locations throughout Fond du Lac County to be determined and chosen by students.

• Traditional letter grades will be used to assess student learning during J-Term.

• Each J-Term course will earn 0.5 academic credits.

• J-Term courses shall be designed with student interests and teacher passions at the forefront.  Students will complete annual interest surveys for faculty that will help inform J-Term course offerings.

• Many courses shall be interdisciplinary in their content focus (i.e. a course combining principles of music with principles of visual arts; or a course combining theology with science…)

• Some courses shall be taught by more than one teacher in a collaborative team approach. 

• Students will engage with project-based and experiential learning on-and-off campus.  Field trips may be included with some courses without any added costs passed along to families.

• Some courses will reflect a collaboration with Moraine Park Technical College at no additional cost to students. MPTC credit may also be earned.

Our high school team of educators is very excited to begin offering J-Term on the Ledge!  Our planning for this initiative has been interesting and inspirational.  J-Term planning has been focused firmly on providing value added and mission driven educational experiences for our Ledgers.  We believe that this new academic term will positively differentiate St. Mary’s Springs Academy in the region.  We will be the only high school in the Archdiocese and the Flyway Conference to offer J-Term!

As we continue to strive for improvement and ways to advance learning at SMSA, we are confident that J-Term will be a treasured and distinguishing feature of the Ledger experience.  We look forward to revealing the finalized initial course curriculum next fall, and launching J-Term next January!  Until then, please pray that our SMSA planning process will continue successfully to fulfill the vision of J-Term on the Ledge.

Fr. Edward Sippel Scholarship

In honor of Father Edward Sippel and his lifelong dedication of service to the Catholic Church and the Fond du Lac area, Holy Family Catholic Community will award two $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school students who, along with their parent(s), have been registered members of Holy Family Catholic Community for at least one year prior to applying for the scholarship. 

Students must also have received the Sacrament of Confirmation to be eligible to apply. 

Application and materials are due on Friday, May 26th. For more information, please visit hffdl.org/scholarship.

Dance Team Tryouts

The high school dance team will be having tryouts for the 2023-24 season on Sunday, May 21st from 5:30-7:30 P.M. All students trying out should meet in the Lobby by the S couch. The team has a Google Classroom with more information. The Classroom code is wehsbwe

This is open to all high school students and 8th graders who are registered for SMSA in the fall semester. Dance season is a winter season, but the team will have meetings in summer and fall to learn choreography and attend a summer camp. 

Anyone interested in trying out with questions can E-mail Coach Brusky at sbrusky@smsacademy.org.

Staff Appreciation Week is Coming!

Staff Appreciation Week is May 8th – 12th, and many fun activities are planned for our amazing staff! 

Our theme is all around games, “We’re not playing any 'games' when we say we appreciate you to pieces!”  We need your help to make this week extra special for our SMSA Staff!  Check out the links below to learn more about the various ways you can help:

• Staff Appreciation Week Donations: Due on Friday, May 5th

• Staff Appreciation Luncheon Donations: Due on Thursday Morning, May 11th

• Lunch/Recess Coverage for Thursday, May 11th: SEE Training is required to help with these duties.  You are welcome to sign up for one or multiple spots.  Please arrive 5-10 minutes prior to your scheduled time. More information will be set to you after you sign up.

Reminder E-mails will be sent out when the dates get close. 

Thank you so much to all the families who have contributed towards the catered Staff Luncheon!  We greatly appreciate your contributions! If you would like to contribute, you still have time.  Please either send in cash or a check (payable to Andrea Nuss) in a sealed envelope with Staff Appreciation Luncheon written on it to either office area or Venmo @Jeff-Nuss-3 (last four digits – 4355).  All donations are due by Tuesday, May 2nd.  Thank you!

Thank you so much for your help with making this week extra special! Our Staff Appreciation Committee greatly appreciates you!

Scholarship Information Needed from the Class of 2023

Mr. Stamatakos would like all seniors who’ve received scholarship money from any colleges/universities they’ve been admitted to to report that information to him. SMSA uses this information in our recognition of seniors at Seniors Honors Convocation in May. We list the schools that awarded our seniors scholarships (but not the award amounts of those scholarships) in the list of students’ accomplishments during that program. 

SMSA also has many important people, both within and outside the walls of SMSA, who like to see that information. That includes President Akey, the Board of Directors, Mrs. Tank in the Advancement Office, and potential donors and strategic partners. If we can say, for example, that the Class of 2023 was offered a total $15,000,000 in scholarship money over the next year four years from colleges/universities and community-based organizations that’s pretty impressive! 

To clarify: Mr. Stamatakos only wants information about scholarships earned. Grants (from schools, the state of Wisconsin, and/or the Federal Government) don’t count. Sometimes schools will throw in small “extras” like Visit Awards or Early FAFSA Filer Awards. Students can also report those to Mr. Stamatakos. 

Please use this online form to report all of the scholarship money earned:

http://bit.ly/43sOMcu 

Students may complete this form one of two ways:

1. Upload scanned copies or pictures of acceptance/award letters to this form and submit it. Students may upload up to ten files to this form at once.

2. List the names, sources, and amounts (per year) of any scholarships received individually and submit the form. You may provide information about up to ten awards using this form.

The deadline to complete and submit this form is Friday, May 12th. If you receive any scholarships after that deadline passes, please E-mail Mr. Stamatakos with that information or with questions...especially if you don’t know exactly what information you need to report! 

Use Your Scrip Credits for Continuing Education! 

Is your youngest SMSA student graduating this June?  If you answered "yes" we need to know where to apply your Scrip credits acquired this year.  That's right - your Scrip credits can be applied to education at a four-year college, a two-year college, or ANY other tuition-based school as long as we know where your student is headed!  

Click here to download and complete the required form and return it to the Scrip office by Wednesday, May 31st (the end of the Scrip fiscal year).  

Have an undecided student?  No worries, select "future use" on the form and receive your credit at the end of next fiscal year. 

AND... sending your youngest off to further their education doesn't mean you should stop using Scrip!  Continue to purchase Scrip, receive a check to apply to your student's school, and continue to support SMSA.  You can be a Ledger forever!

Summer SSM Health Volunteer Opportunity

SSM Health is accepting applications for summer volunteers. This is an excellent opportunity for students to get a foot in the door in a health care setting to learn more about the different career opportunities in this field. 

Interested students should complete an application at: https://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/ap?ap=1064972467

Students can also apply by: 

1. Going to ssmhealth.com/volunteer

2. Set location on the top of the page to Fond du Lac and click the “Apply Now” button halfway down the page.

For NEW (first time Volunteers) - Teens must be 16 by June 1st to apply:

1. Complete an online application

2. Once we receive the application a member of volunteer services will contact the student to perform a brief phone screening and interview

3. Volunteer orientation times are scheduled following the interview

For RETURNING Volunteers:

1. Email: Jason.Blonigen@ssmhealth.com

2. Please indicate that you are a returning student in the subject line

3. Please include your name and phone number in the email

4. You will receive a response with further information

Additional Information:

• Summer volunteering runs from June through Mid-to-Late August

• Proof of COVID vaccination is required (1 st and 2 nd dose of Pfizer and Moderna or 1 st dose of Johnson and Johnson) for all on-site volunteers and employees

• Volunteers 18 or older must submit to a caregiver background check

• All on-site volunteers/employees must complete employee health lab testing for tuberculosis before starting

Please contact the volunteer coordinator, Jason, if you have any questions at 920-926-4873 or Jason.Blonigen@ssmhealth.com