SMCS Elementary Family Newsletter
11.1.2023
SMCS ELEMENTARY FAMILY NEWSLETTER
November 1, 2023
In This Email
Click here for St. Gabriel Elementary News
Click here for St. Margaret Mary Elementary News
Click here for St. Mary Elementary News
You can always visit the news page on our website for past newsletters.
SMCS Mission
Preparing and inspiring students to lead meaningful lives, rooted in the teachings of Christ and our Catholic tradition.
Greetings from the Principal
Dear SMCS families,
We begin the month of November in celebration of All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2). We recognize the saints who have gone before us, our own calling to holiness and sainthood, and our loved ones who are in Heaven with our Lord. Let's pray together for God's blessing upon us all:
Loving God, you are the source of all that is good.
As we celebrate the Solemnity of All Saints this week,
may we be reminded of our call to holiness.
May we look to the saints for guidance, inspiration, and intercession,
as we seek to live lives that are holy and pleasing and worthy of you.
Please bless our loved ones who rest in eternal peace with you and
hold them in your loving embrace forever. Amen.
In peace,
Mrs. Anna Cihlar
Principal ~ St. Gabriel, St. Margaret Mary, St. Mary
Celebrate our Families! - LAST CALL
- Parent Name(s)
- Address(es)
- Phone number
- Email address
We would like as many families as possible to participate, but we do understand the need for privacy. If there is certain information you do not want included, please fill out this form. If you want to be included in the directory, DO NOT fill out the form, but do verify your information is up to date in PowerSchool.
All Aboard for Christmas
Please join us for All Abroad on November 11. All Aboard is an event to bring all schools and families together for a night of community and fun. Sign up for the event here.
Reminder to have your raffle tickets back to the school office by Monday, November 6. If you have unsold tickets, please return those as well.
Save-the-Date for Elementary Christmas Concerts
Upcoming Out-of-Dress-Code Days
- Nov. 2 - Zephyr Spirit Day (In support of the varsity girls volleyball and boys soccer teams)
- Nov. 7 - Zephyr Spirit Day
- Nov. 10 - Red/white/blue with uniform pants/bottoms in honor of Veteran's Day (Nov. 11)
Upcoming No-School Days
- Nov. 3 - Professional development day for teachers
- Nov. 20-24 - Thanksgiving break
Quarter 1 Progress Reports
- The end of quarter 1 is Nov. 2. K-5 Report cards will be sent home with students on Friday, Nov. 10. Parents, please sign and return the progress report envelope, but keep the report card. Please note, preschool, 4K, and specials (art, music, PE) progress reports are given at semester only (quarter 2 and quarter 4).
- STAR assessment results will be sent home with report cards on Friday, Nov. 10
Colder weather is here
Link to full SMCS Elementary Dress Code
Break for Books - Fall Family Reading Challenge
Elementary Breakfast & Lunch Menus
Elementary Band Update
We are in the process of interviewing candidates for the elementary band teacher position. Elementary band will begin as soon as we are able to fill this position. Updates will be shared with families as soon as possible.
State Championship Tickets
Our varsity boys soccer and girls volleyball teams both earned their way to the WIAA State Championship Tournament this weekend. See below for ticket information. Please note all adults/students/children will need a ticket.
Boys Soccer
Order your tickets HERE for Friday’s state semi-final game. All seating is general admission.
St. Mary Catholic will play Washburn/Bayfield at 4:30pm in the WIAA State Semi-Final at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee.
Girls Volleyball
Order your discounted tickets HERE for Friday’s state semi-final match. This is a discounted rate for SMC families and fans. Use this code to get the discount: S6GTEAM4. All seating is general admission.
St. Mary Catholic will play Howard's Grove at 11:30am in the WIAA Division 3 State Semi-Final at the Resch Center in Green Bay.
Send Off
We will be having a send off for the boy's soccer and girls volleyball teams on Thursday, November 2 at 9:20am in the high school gymnasium. All are welcome to attend and should enter through the commons doors in the back of the high school.
Spirit Stop Update
Thank you to all who have utilized the new Spirit Stop! We are continuing to add new designs, styles and sizes. Shop online here. The next deadline for orders to be filled is this Friday, November 3.
The first round of orders have been received and should be coming home with students. We are still waiting for our orders of all Twill designs. You will be notified once these orders have been received. Thank you for your patience.
Interested in Volunteering at SMCS?
We are so grateful for our volunteers and are always looking for new and returning faces to help out in our schools!
Please visit the Volunteer Hub on our website to learn more about how you can complete the required steps to volunteer with SMCS.
If you are already a volunteer with SMCS, please ensure you have completed all Safe Environment requirements through Virtus Online- background check, online Virtus annual retraining, and annual acknowledgment form.
If you have any questions on the Safe Environment process, please reach out to the Human Resources department: pfoulks@smcatholicschools.org and ckind@smcatholicschools.org.
Discipleship Digest
“A scholar of the Law tested Him by asking, ‘Teacher, which commandment in the Law is the greatest?’” In Matthew’s Gospel, this question is one in a whole series of traps laid for Jesus. Pharisees, Sadducees, politicians, and lawyers are looking for ways to trip Him up, undermine His credibility, and get Him into trouble with the religious and civil authorities. But in the midst of this testing, Jesus gives us not just words of wisdom, but the key to living the entire Gospel.
Love God. Love Neighbor.
The challenge to Gospel living is in the details. It’s easy, and maybe even a little comforting and therapeutic, to profess the Gospel in the abstract. Trust God. Be nice to others. Everything happens for a reason. We have dozens of platitudes that help us to feel better about the challenges of life. Yet these platitudes do not give witness to a revolutionary life in Christ!
Loving your neighbor as yourself is not done in the abstract. Loving your neighbor takes place in the concrete harsh realities of life, where people are hurting, where broken sinners say and do ugly things. Loving your neighbor comes at a cost. Loving your neighbor is stepping out on faith
in Jesus.
Let us pray earnestly for peace, and for the fruits of the hard work of peace-making – in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, in Yemen. Let us seek peace and love of neighbor in our own homes and hearts, and in all places where we experience conflict and division.
©Steve Pable, Director of Adult Discipleship Formation
Welcome – Worship – Witness
Tuition Discount Opportunity
Our After School Care Program is hiring! If you or someone you know is looking for a part-time job, join SMCS! The schedule will be Monday – Friday from 2:45 – 5/5:30 p.m.
This is a paid position that offers great benefits! If you have a child enrolled in our schools, you will receive 50% off their school tuition and while you work in the after school care program, you can bring your child with you for free!
If you are interested in learning more about the After School Care Provider position or would like to apply, please contact the Human Resources Department by calling 920-722-7796 and ask for HR or email pfoulks@smcatholicschools.org or ckind@smcatholicschools.org
A Look Ahead...
Nov. 2 - End of Q2
Nov. 3 - No school for students, professional development day for teachers
Nov. 7 - Zephyr Spirit Day
Nov. 10 - Q1 progress reports go home with students
Nov. 11 - All Aboard for Christmas
Nov. 20-24 - No school, Thanksgiving break
- Dec. 4 - SM Christmas concert @ church
- Dec. 5 - SMM Christmas concert @ church
- Dec. 7 - SG Christmas concert @ church
- Dec. 11 - Packers colors/apparel
- Dec. 22 - No school for students, professional development day for teachers
- Dec. 25-Jan. 1 - No school, Christmas break
- Jan. 2 - No school for students, professional development day for teachers
Helpful Links
Contact Information
St. Gabriel: 920-725-4161
St. Gabriel Associate Principal: Mrs. Giombetti, jgiombetti@smcatholicschools.org
St. Margaret Mary: 920-729-4565
St. Margaret Mary Associate Principal: Mrs. Lutz, jlutz@smcatholicschools.org
St. Mary: 920-725-5351
St. Mary Associate Principal: Mrs. Blahnik, cblahnik@smcatholicschools.org
Elementary Principal: Mrs. Cihlar, acihlar@smcatholicschools.org