Middle School News - 2/7/24
SMCS MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
February 7, 2024
Catholic Corner
Rise Against Hunger
How will your Lenten prayer, fasting, and almsgiving make a difference to our brothers and sisters who face hunger? Find out with our Rise Against Hunger campaign! Please be sure to get your Rise Against Hunger envelope and flyer as you leave church on Ash Wednesday. Contributions can be placed in the envelopes and returned at Easter or made via the QR code on the flyer.
Rise Against Hunger - a high energy event to package 50,000 nutritious meals - is a shared effort of our 5 Catholic parishes of Neenah-Menasha and St. Mary Catholic Schools. The event will take place at St.Gabriel on Saturday, May 4th. It costs just 40 cents per meal, so with your help, we plan to raise $20,000 during Lent. Note that Rise Against Hunger replaces the CRS Rice Bowls this year. Change lives as you PRAY, FAST and GIVE this Lent. Thank you!
Time to Check Supplies!
We are over halfway through the school year already! Now is the time to check with your student to ensure they have enough supplies to finish out the school year. Are their binders and accordion files still in working order? Do they have enough pens and pencils?
Don't forget to ask if they have a calculator and headphones. Thank you!
Conferences
Parent/student/teacher conferences are scheduled for the evening of Thursday, February 15, and the morning of Friday, February 16. A signup email was sent out last week. You can also click here to signup for an open time slot.
A couple of parents have offered to create a SignUpGenius to provide meals to staff during conferences (Thank you very much!). Please watch Facebook for the signup link.
Heart Challenge with AHA - LAST CALL!
We are currently participating in the Heart Challenge through the American Heart Association (AHA). The fundraiser goes thru Friday, February 9, with a goal of $5,000! For every $500 our school raises, one teacher at the middle school will be slimed in front of the entire student body.
Cash or check (payable to American Heart Association) can be brought in through Friday at noon. There are only 2 days left to raise money for AHA and get some more teachers covered in slime!
Spring Sports Registration - DEADLINE IS FRIDAY!
Interested in softball, tennis, or track?
Registration for Middle School Spring Sports closes on February 9. No late registrations will be accepted. Please refer to the January 22 email from Matt Schoultz (Athletic Director) for details.
Zephyrs Gold Raffle
The Zephyrs Gold Raffle tickets will go home with students during the week of February 11. An email notification will be sent out on the day tickets are distributed.
Any questions regarding the Zephyrs Gold Raffle can be directed to Kathleen McCurdy, Director of Advancement at kmccurdy@smcatholicschools.org
Builder's Club Project
Middle School Family Skate Night
Adoration at the Middle School
We are excited to bring our students to adoration on a monthly basis, but we need your help! Are you able to take an hour to spend with Jesus on Thursday, February 15? Sign up here.
Ski & Snowboard Club
The next Ski & Snowboard Club trip to Ski Brule is on Saturday, February 17. Cost ranges from $95-105, depending on rental needs.
An info sheet, permission slip, and rental waiver is available in the office for all interested students. Completed documents are due back by Thursday, February 15.
Volunteer Opportunities
The 2024 St. Gabriel Fish Fry starts this week! This is the largest annual food, fun, and fellowship event for St. Gabriel Parish and we cannot do it without your help.
Students 10 years old and up can volunteer for the dine-in assistance positions.
We are asking for kids to be 14 years old to be in the kitchen (or have a parent volunteer with them if younger).
Mystery Night Lock-In
Servant Sunday
St. Gabriel Parish has Servant Sunday on the second Sunday of each month at the 10:00 AM Mass. We honor a different grade of students and ask them to participate. In February, we are doing a combined effort of Kindergarten students as well as Grades 7-8. Father Bob will bless the students and their families at the end of Mass. Coffee and donuts to follow.
Specifically, we would like Grade 7-8 students to be the Commentator, Reader 1, Reader 2, and Petitions.
SMCS Middle School students may contact Sara VanFrachen (svanfrachen@smcatholicschools.org) to sign up.
Tubing Rescheduled!
We had to reschedule this, due to the freezing temperatures we had recently.
Our new date is February 18!!! Sign up to join us!
STEM Conference for Girls
AAUW will host a Tech Savvy STEM Conference designed for 6-9th grade girls and their parents Saturday, March 9, 2024, at the Fox Cities UW Oshkosh Campus.
The conference includes hands-on activities led by women in STEM careers, interactive sessions with college recruiters as well as girl empowerment and leadership sessions. This STEM Conference is based on American Association of University Women research.
The registration window opens on January 12, 2023. Information and registration link https://appleton-wi.aauw.net/. Contact information: apposhtechsavvy@gmail.com
Summer 2024 Missions
Registration is OPEN for all three of the traveling trips, and the deadline to sign up is February 1, sign up today! Here is the link to register for ALL the summer opportunities:
FVTC Summer Camps
Fox Valley Technical College is pleased to announce that summer camps will once again be available this year. Summer camps are a great way for students to engage in career exploration experiences while having a great time. Registration opens February 1. Summer Camp enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis. Students are encouraged to sign up for the waitlist in the event their camp of interest fills.
Camp information and registration will be available by February 1 at https://www.fvtc.edu/community/summer-camps.
Summer Baseball for Middle School
Over the last couple of years, Zephyrs Baseball has been steering future SMC baseball players to play through the Neenah Baseball organization. NBI has agreed to place all SMC students in 5/6 & 7/8 grades on the same team so they can start to form good relationships with their future High School teammates. Please see the information below to get involved with Neenah Baseball.
Neenah Soccer Club
Neenah SC is committed to providing high-quality training and learning opportunities in a safe and positive environment for players at all levels to develop as individuals, teammates and leaders who leave a positive impact on their community. Click here for more information.
After School Care
After School Care services are available for our middle school students. If your child is still awaiting pick up at 3:30 PM, they will be placed in our After School Care program, which costs $5.50 per hour per child.
Please use this link if your middle school child needs after school care, available 3:30-5:30.
Lunch Volunteers
We are in need of 1-2 volunteers for lunch duty each day. No previous experience needed, must be Virtus trained. New this year: your first visit (and every third visit after that) earns an out of dress code pass for a student/staff member of your choice!
Sign up here! There are tabs across the top of this linked page that allow sign ups thru the end of the school year.
Important Dates...
Wednesday, February 7: Builder's Club Blanket Project
Friday, February 9: Heart Challenge Slime Time
Tuesday, February 13: Middle School Family Skate Night
Wednesday, February 14: Ash Wednesday Mass
Thursday, February 15: Adoration at the Middle School, Evening Conferences
Friday, February 16: No School, Daytime Conferences
Monday, February 19: No School
Thursday, March 21: Adoration at the Middle School
Friday, March 22: No School
Friday, March 29: No School
Wednesday, June 5: Last Day for 6th & 7th Grades
Thursday, June 6: 8th Grade Recognition & Mass at 9:00am
Helpful Links
- Attendance Email: smcmsattendance@smcatholicschools.org
- Virtus Training: Volunteer Hub
- Teacher Wish Lists - donate here!
- Big East Calendar
- SMCS Systemwide Calendar
- SMCS Staff & Teacher Directory
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/smcatholicschools
Instagram: www.instagram.com/smcszephyrs
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Zephyr_Sports