SMCS Elementary Family Newsletter

Content in this newsletter is relevant for all three of our elementary campuses. Information that is specific to one building can be found at the links below. We hope this makes important information easier to find for our families.

Click here for St. Gabriel Elementary News

Click here for St. Mary Elementary News

Click here for St. Margaret Mary News

You can always visit the news page on our website for past newsletters.

Preparing and inspiring students to lead meaningful lives, rooted in the teachings of Christ and our Catholic tradition.

Dear SMCS families,

Our Lenten journey began last Wednesday with the distribution of ashes. Our students and staff will continue to observe Lent through Stations of the Cross and many other activities in the classroom. We will also discover how we can become closer to Jesus through fasting, prayer, and almsgiving. It is my hope that our Lenten journey together strengthens us as we remain united in faith, hope, and love.

Prayer for Lent

Loving God,

During this season of Lent, send your Holy Spirit upon us and renew our faith in you. We thank you for the gift of your son Jesus and remember his death and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins. Through our Lenten promises, help us grow to be the people you call us to be - letting go of selfishness, growing in generosity, forgiving those who have hurt us, giving quality time to our families, and spending time in quiet prayer. Help us grow united in faith, hope, and love. Amen.

God bless you,

Mrs. Anna Cihlar

Principal ~ St. Gabriel, St. Margaret Mary, St. Mary

Plans are underway for Zephyrfest 2023, held at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center on April 29.

To register to attend, click here.

Sweepstakes information is available here.

To learn more about sponsorship, click here.

This Saturday (3/4) from 11:00am – 2:00pm in the St Gabriel Art room will be a St Patrick’s Day themed Stained-Glass Course. Students will get to learn the process of creating a stained-glass window, with the finished product going home with them at the end of the course (mockup of the project attached). A parent must be present for entirety of the class for safety purposes.

Registration closes Midnight Tonighr (3/1).

Register here now: https://smcatholicschools.ejoinme.org/Enrichment

The young ladies of SMCS and their fathers / father figures had a blast dancing the afternoon away last Saturday at the Sweetheart Ball!

March 7 - Zephyr Spirit Day

March 16 - wear green (no school on March 17)

There is no school for students on Friday, March 17 due to a staff development day.

Our spring break will be March 20-24. We wish you all a very blessed week off!

The end of quarter three is Thursday, March 16. Due to spring break, report cards will be sent home Friday, March 31. Reminder that music/art/technology/PE provide grades at semester only (quarters two and four)

Students in grades 3-5 will participate in Forward testing during the testing window of March 20-April 18. Your child's classroom teacher will communicate specific days that testing will occur. Parents can help prepare children in the following ways:

• Help your child get a good night sleep before testing
• Provide a nutritious breakfast
• Try not to schedule appointments on testing days
• Encourage your child to do their best on this test and reassure them it is not a reason to be anxious

Please click here for more information for parents on Forward testing from the Wisconsin DPI.

Registration

Existing students do not need to do anything to register for next year. The non-refundable $75 registration fee will appear on existing tuition accounts in March.

New Students: If you have a new student entering the system in 2023-2024, you can begin the registration process here. Please feel free to share that link with anyone looking to learn whether SMCS is the right choice for their family.

Tuition

Tuition rates for 2023-2024 have been announced. Click here to view the rate sheet. Tuition assistance is available. Click here for the application.

You can read more about this year's Cost to Educate invitation in this email sent recently.

WPCP

SMCS participates in the state of Wisconsin Parental Choice Program (WPCP). The state application period runs from February 1 to April 20. Please review eligibility requirements at: dpi.wi.gov/choice or contact Shelley Wautlet in the Business Office for more information. Being awarded the WPCP grant can mean free tuition for your child grades 4K-12 at SMCS!

Parents may claim the tuition payments for 5-year-old kindergarten through grade 12 on the state of WI Schedule PS tax form. To access payments made from 1/1/22 to 12/31/22, log in to Blackbaud/Tuition Management: https://parent.smarttuition.com/ and select Family Year End Statement at the right. Please consult a tax professional to inquire about claiming payments on P3/4K tuition. For Part 1 on the PS Form you will enter: St. Mary Catholic Schools, 1050 Zephyr Drive, Neenah, WI 54956. The federal ID will print on your statement as the School Tax ID. Contact Shelley Wautlet if you need help with logging in to your tuition account. swautlet@smcatholicschools.org

Save the date for 5th grade recognition:

St. Gabriel: 5/24/23

St. Margaret Mary: 5/25/23

St. Mary: 5/26/23

Click on flyer below to register!

This time of year illness may keep your student from school, or weather might keep us from being able to safely open school for the day.

Here are some helpful reminders as we enter the winter season.

Weather Closures and Delays: SMCS utilizes a text message notification system for emergency notifications, weather-related closures and delays, and other information. If you are new to the SMCS system, or have not previously received our text messages, please enroll your phone number, at no cost, to the SMCS emergency alert system. To enroll your phone number, please text SMCS to (844) 947-5948. You will receive a confirmation text and a text indicating that when you want to opt out of this service you simply need to reply STOP. You may enroll multiple cell phone numbers using that same process.

With winter nearly here, a reminder that as soon as a weather-related delay or cancellation is determined for school day or activities, information is posted on the SMCS Facebook page, SMCS email, text notification mentioned above, and local TV and radio stations.

Absences from School: If your student will not be in attendance on a day school is in session, please call your school office as soon as possible to make staff aware, and please let the campus administrative assistant know the reason for the absence. It is required that students are fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are mostly resolved before returning to school.

Outerwear: Please send students with coats, snow pants, hat, waterproof mittens or gloves, and boots to play in the snow. If they do not have snow pants or boots, they must stay on the blacktop.

Snow: Students are encouraged to enjoy the snow. They can make snowmen, forts, snow angels, etc. Students will not be allowed to throw snow at each other or have snowball fights.

Indoor recess: If the "feels like" temperature is 0 degrees or colder, students will stay inside for recess.

Please click here to review the SMCS 2022-23 Covid protocol.

Girls from Kindergarten-8th grade are invited to a one day Softball Camp on March 4th. This fun camp is designed to teach the proper skills and fundamentals of the game of softball. Throwing, fielding, base running and hitting will be developed at this camp. The cost is $20 and you can register here.

Parents of 4th & 5th Grade Girls:

We are organizing our annual 4th & 5th grade volleyball program.

The intramural teams will be formed by combining a mix of students from our three SMCES campuses (St. Gabriel, St. Margaret Mary and St. Mary). This will allow us to balance the number of students on each team. Each student will receive a t-shirt for participating.

The program will begin on Tuesday, April 11 and will run through Thursday, May 18. The teams will practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays (6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.). All practices/games will take place at SMC Middle School Gym

There is a participation fee of $25.00. Please register online:

St. Mary Catholic 4th/5th Grade Girls Volleyball

Deadline is Friday, March 31. No late registrations!

Our After School Care Program is hiring! We have openings at our Elementary and Middle School Campuses. 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

We are so grateful to all our volunteers who contribute so much to our schools! If you are considering volunteering or chaperoning any school field trips or events, please complete Virtus training, a background check, and the code of conduct through the Diocese Green Bay. Please contact your schools' administrative assistant to get the process started. Thank you!

St. Gabriel contact Mrs. Richards, srichards@smcatholicschools.org

St. Margaret Mary contact Mrs. Schira, kschira@smcatholicschools.org

St. Mary contact Mrs. Barraza, dbarraza@smcatholicschools.org

• Mar. 7: Zephyrs Spirit Day

• Mar. 16: End of quarter 3

• Mar. 16: Wear green

• Mar. 17: No school (staff development day)

• Mar. 20-24: No school - spring break

• April 4: Zephyr Spirit day
  
• April 7: No school, Easter break
  
• April 10: No school, Easter break
  

• Lunch calendar
• SMCS systemwide calendar
• SMCS Elementary calendar
• SMCS Elementary Family Handbook
• SMCS Staff & Teacher Directory

St. Gabriel: 920-725-4161

St. Margaret Mary: 920-729-4565

St. Mary: 920-725-5351

Elementary Principal: Mrs. Cihlar, acihlar@smcatholicschools.org

St. Gabriel Associate Principal: Mrs. Giombetti, jgiombetti@smcatholicschools.org

St. Margaret Mary Associate Principal: Mrs. Lutz, jlutz@smcatholicschools.org

St. Mary Associate Principal: Mrs. Cendejas, acendejas-ruiz@smcatholicschools.org