High School News
October 27th, 2022
October 27th, 2022
In this week's High School eLedger
Mrs. Stavropoulos
This week's TEACHER FEATURE!
Mrs. Elizabeth Stavropoulos joined the SMSA faculty in August 2021. As a member of the World Languages Department, Mrs. Stavropoulos teaches Spanish 1 and 2 as well as an innovative survey course in Spanish culture which has been designed especially for SMSA 8th grade students. She also partners with Mrs. Sosinski as a sophomore homeroom moderator.
Colleagues and students have come to learn that Mrs. Stavropoulos is very proud of her Greek heritage and traditions - including the high value placed on education. Regarding her choice to be an educator, Mrs. Stavropoulos shared, “my interest in education comes from the countless teachers who not only taught me academically, but mentored me holistically as a human being.”
Mrs. Stavropoulos earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Marian University with a minor in Spanish education. While attending Marian, Mrs. Stavropoulos mentored young people through the Upward Bound Math and Science program and tutored college students through the Writing Center at the university. Her passion for languages, reading and writing have played a significant role in her life. While in college, Mrs. Stavropoulos was published in “The Dangling Modifier” an academic journal for writing tutors. She also served as a content writer for the Marian University Office of Marketing and Communications.
In addition to her love of writing and languages, Mrs. Stavropoulos also has a passion for her faith and music. She has served as a Sunday school teacher and youth group leader for Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Milwaukee and has been a part of the Marian Women’s Chorale. She also enjoys playing the cello. Rounding out her experiences at Marian, she served as vice president of the International Honors Society and a member of the Honors Program at Marian. Upon her graduation, Mrs. Stavropoulos received the prestigious “Spirit of Marian” award!
Mrs. Stavropoulos is grateful that “St. Mary’s Springs Academy presents me with the opportunity to build relationships with students and help them become active members of the community.”
END OF QUARTER 1
The final day of classes for Quarter I is Monday, October 31st. Quarter II begins immediately on Tuesday, November 1st. PLEASE NOTE: Skyward Parent & Student access will go "dark" from 3:00 PM on October 31 to 3:00 PM on November 2nd. After that time, Skyward access will be opened again so that parents, guardians and students may view and print Quarter 1 Report Cards.
Remember, while Quarter grades are an excellent guidepost of student academic progress, they are not “permanent” grades. That is to say, only Semester 1 and 2 grades are permanently recorded to a student’s official high school transcript - their permanent record.
PARENT & GUARDIAN - TEACHER CONFERENCES - NOVEMBER 2
On Wednesday, November 2nd, the high school is pleased to host Parent & Guardian-Teacher Conferences on campus. Conferences shall be in-person only, with teachers available in their classrooms from 4:00 - 6:30 PM. Reservations are not required.
While not required, Parent & Guardian Teacher Conferences are highly recommended. At SMSA, we place a high value on our parent-school partnership. Building a connection with your daughter or son’s teachers is a great way to build relationships that ultimately serves our common goal of student holistic growth and development. Teachers enjoy offering their insight and updates about student progress.
Here are some additional notes for November 2nd:
It is not possible or necessary for parents to schedule appointments with teachers in advance, as an “open house” format will be observed.
When arriving at North Hall, you will check-in and receive a paper copy of your son or daughter’s schedule, and a checklist of teachers and their classroom locations.
We recommend that each teacher conference last no longer than 10 minutes. If more time for discussion is desired, parents and guardians are asked to schedule another dedicated appointment with any teacher for a subsequent virtual or in-person meeting.
The Counseling Office will be open for business during Parent & Guardian - Teacher Conferences. Parents are invited to stop inside the North Hall Main Office suites to meet and greet Mrs. Taylor McCarthy and Mr. Jim Stamatakos while you are on campus. They are eager to meet the parents of Ledgers and to share information about Counseling Office's services and activities.
If November 2nd is not convenient for you, please don’t fret. Know that - in addition to tracking student progress via the Skyward parent portal at any time - parents can always reach out to teachers to schedule a phone or virtual conversation when questions arise, or simply to obtain added perspective on student progress.
RESPECT LIFE MONTH & CATHOLIC SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY - Final installment of a 4 part series:
During October, the Church in the United States celebrates Respect Life Month, a time in which all are invited to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life. In this spirit, I am sharing some excerpts from the Catholic Social Responsibility Guidebook of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
The previous three eLedger installments provided excerpted overviews of the challenges associated with: 1) ‘Racism’; 2)‘Culture’ ; and 3) ’Civic Participation for the Common Good.’ The fourth and final area of challenge is “Economics:”
“The dignity of the human person, realized in community with others, is the criterion against which all aspects of economic life is measured. The Church teaches that we all are responsible to one another, to our families, and to society at large and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. If all persons are to be recognized as members of the human community, then the community has an obligation to help fulfill those basic needs. As we are meant to love God with our whole being, which overflows into love of neighbor, Catholic schools should be accessible to students of all backgrounds, abilities, and academic goals. Catholic education shall reflect the Church’s preferential engagement with Christ, found always dwelling with society’s poor and underserved.” [Guidebook p. 14]
I urge parents and guardians to take a closer look at the Church’s theological response to cultural challenges, which is provided in the Guidebook. Here are links to further Catholic Social Responsibility resources intended for parents:
Catholic Social Responsibility Guidebook for Catholic Schools
Loving One Another Through Catholic Social Responsibility
Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us.
High School Principal
October 31 - End of Quarter 1
November 1 - All Saints Day - All System Mass at Holy Family (9:00 AM)
November 2 - High School Parent-Teacher Conferences (4:00-6:30 PM)
Parents of Performing Arts meeting dates for the 2022-2023 school year are:
November 16
December 21
January 18
February 15
March 22
April 19
May 16 (note the revised date)
All meetings will be held at 6:00 PM in the Lauby Lounge (first floor teacher lounge).
Contact Maggie Rose with any questions about PPA!
Your student is invited to participate in Red Ribbon Day on Monday, October 31st. The theme for Red Ribbon Day this year is Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free!
To apply this year's theme at SMSA students and teachers are invited to wear RED apparel with jeans (no holes please) or sweats to school on October 31st. The Red Ribbon Campaign is an organization that promotes substance abuse prevention education that focuses on teaching students to make safe and healthy choices.
Red Ribbon Resources for Students & Families:
Drugfree.org - Prevention tips for helping your teen make safe choices
NIDA for Teens - the National Institute on Drug Abuse provides information on teen brains and addiction
Just Think Twice - informative site that includes drug facts, common myths and possible consequences of drug use
Stop Underage Drinking - comprehensive research and resources to prevent underage drinking
It's been a long standing tradition for the High School students to bake pies for the Loaves and Fishes Thanksgiving dinner. In the past, this was an initiative of our Key Club and then picked up by the Student Council. As result of COVID-19 protocol over the past two years we were only allowed to collect pie ingredients and donate them to the Salvation Army food pantry.
This year pie baking is back!!!
High School students will be baking pies on Monday, November 21st, for the Holy Family Thanksgiving Dinner. We'll be holding a food drive to collect the ingredients for the pies from November 1st until November 11th.
Stay tuned! More info will be coming your way!!
This years NHS Fall Blood Drive will be held on November 9th, 2022. The Drive will be held in the High School's Hutter Gymnasium from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. If you have any questions please contact Lauren Liethen or Dr. Jeff Biessman.
Holy Family is taking a pilgrimage to Portugal for World Youth Day, taking place next summer from July 29th to August 7th, 2023. Because the pilgrimage is intended for young adults between ages 18-35, this would be an invitation meant for those who would be at least 18 by the date of the departure.
The deadline to register for this trip is Tuesday, November 1st, 2022. More information can be found here: https://versoministries.com/departures/holy-family-catholic-community-world-youth-day-pilgrimage-2023/.
Any further questions can be directed to Fr. Michael Malucha at michaelm@hffdl.org or 920-921-0580 ext. 602
The Fond du Lac Chapter of Wisconsin Right to Life is once again Sponsoring the Michael J. Wolfe Essay Contest. This contest is available to all high school students, freshman through seniors who are residents of Fond du Lac County. There will be cash prizes available for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.
The Essay Contest is in memory of Michael J. Wolfe. Michael was a Fond du Lac teenager who had a right-to-life belief that he put into action during his short time on earth. Michael was killed in an auto accident in 1999. He had written a pro-life essay shortly before his death, which prompted us to establish this Contest.
Contest winners will be chosen from essays submitted to us by December 1st, 2022. All pertinent information regarding the criteria and qualifications for the Contest are available on our website and Facebook page.
Yearbook is looking for your photos!
Yearbook Snap, Walsworth Yearbooks’ new mobile app version of Community Upload, allows you to share your photos with the yearbook staff! Yearbook Snap is available for iPhones and iPads in the App Store, and for Android phones in Google Play.
The app allows parents and students to take photos at games, dances, theatre performances, concerts, or your favorite hangout and upload them to the yearbook staff immediately using their mobile device.
The access code to share your photos with Walsworth and your yearbook staff is: SMSA2023.
Please submit your photos today!
2022-2023 high school yearbooks are now available to order from Walsworth!
Are you the parent of a SMSA Middle School or High School athlete? If so, please consider signing up below to help out ABC (Athletic Booster Club) by volunteering your time and talent to work in concessions or admissions at an upcoming sport event.
Booster Club is encouraging ALL parents of ALL athletes to embrace teamwork and help out at an event that fits for your schedule. For those that have already signed up and volunteered, ABC sincerely appreciates your help!
Use the links below to sign up through SignupGenius:
Winter sports will be added at a future date with a follow up email
As always, if you or your child become aware of a potentially dangerous situation that may threaten campus safety, we urge you to contact the Fond du Lac Police Department.
To report life threatening urgent matters, please dial 9-1-1. To report concerns that may not be urgent, please call 920-322-3700. You may also call the high school main office at 920-322-8062.
Created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety (OSS), the Speak Up, Speak Out Resource Center (SUSO) is a comprehensive, one-stop place to turn with important concerns currently offering: threat assessment consultation, critical incident response, and general school safety guidance.
Visit the SUSO website for additional information on these three services as well as resources on school safety best practices.
College visits are open to all juniors and seniors! Sign up for all visits in your SCOIR account!