SMCMS News 2.15.23

Hello families! I always find Advent and Lent to be times for reflection. Advent has always been a time for me to reflect on the joys of my life while Lent seems to be a time to reflect on what I have done to move away from God and my family. During discipleship for the 3rd quarter we have been praying with the story, “The Woman at the Well”. During our time together, I have touched on something that may be helpful to keep in mind as we progress through Lent. Jesus isn’t at the well by chance. He knows this woman is going to be at the well and He reveals himself to her, a sinner. Just like her, He is at the well for us. He is always willing to give us living water that is a “spring within us welling up to eternal life”.(Jn 4: 14) This is a time for us to sit down as a family and decide what it is we can do to align ourselves with Christ. Perhaps it is a dedication to family prayer. Perhaps it is sacrificing time alone for game night together. Whatever it is, know that we are not perfect and at times, we will fail. We are blessed to have a Lord that is always waiting for us at the well.

Message from Mrs. Kalaus

Registration for the 2023 FVTC Summer Camps opens on Wednesday, February 1st. Please see the attached flyer for a list of camp offerings this year and click here for registration information. If you have any questions, please contact: jennifer.vanthiel0312@fvtc.edu

Camp Tekakwitha postcards were sent home with your student this week. This is a camp run and owned by the Green Bay Diocese and is located outside Shawano. Registration for summer camps is now open. Please refer to the postcard or click here.

Advisory

We continue our Character Strong program with all students with the addition of Discipleship Fridays when students are in their small mixed-grade level groups for discussion and activities. This important program helps us to meet the social/emotional learning that all students need. If you have questions or would like more information, please call Mrs. Kalaus.

Career Lessons

Eighth graders will begin their annual career lessons next week. Mrs. Kalaus will go into core classrooms six times in the next nine weeks to discuss career exploration with students. Each eighth grader will receive log-in information for a site called NAVIANCE which will aid in this unit. On that site, students will take a personality survey as well as an interest inventory, both of which will match them to potential career areas of interest.

Protecting God’s Children

The mandated diocesan lessons for Virtus training and education of children is now complete. If you would like to review these lessons with your child you can access them here.

Thank you Builder's Club for organizing our Souper Bowl of Caring collection. Students collected 1600 items to donate to the food pantry at the Neenah St. Vincent de Paul Store. We will have our reward day on Friday February 24th.

It's hard to believe but our 3rd Quarter Service Hours are due in one month on Tuesday, March 14. Please contact Christine (6th grade) at ccorrigan@smcatholicschools.org or Maria (7th & 8th grade) at mschmitz@smcatholicschools.org with any questions.

Students have been invited to work towards the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Award. This challenge invites students to grow in their faith and make a gift of self to their community through prayer, active participation in liturgies, and service. The challenge runs from December 1 - April 30. Details on the steps needed to complete this challenge, along with the necessary forms, can be found on Google Classroom or on the school website here. Students do not need to be Catholic to complete this challenge. Please email Ms. Christine Corrigan (6th grade) or Miss Maria Schmitz (7th & 8th grade) with any questions at ccorrigan@smcatholicschools.org or mschmitz@smcatholicschools.org.

We are holding winter conferences on Thursday February 16th, from 3:30-6:30 and Friday February 17th, from 8:00-11:00. We still have a few spots available for our group conferences on Friday February 17th from 12:00-2:00. Please use this link to sign up for winter conferences.

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

Structured Nonsense is a new middle school program that began Saturday,February 11.

The purpose of Structured Nonsense is to give middle school students a place to be silly with their friends & to give parents a place they can feel good leaving them on a Saturday night. One Saturday each month through May, students can be dropped off at the Middle School Commons starting at 7:00pm. From 7:30pm-10:00 pm students will play theatre & comedy games. There will be soda and a snack for the students every month. All middle schoolers are welcome to come to any month they want; students are welcome to bring friends in middle school that do not attend St. Mary Catholic Middle School. There is a suggested donation of $3.00 for each student, but all students are welcome with or without a donation.

Structured Nonsense is happening a on March 11, April 1, and May 13. Come anytime that it works for your schedule and you want to be silly with your friends.

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.

“Registration is open for summer camp at Camp Tekakwitha! If you’re looking for an Catholic summer camp experience spent soaking up God’s great creation through outdoor adventure and community, Camp Tek is just the thing. Feel welcome to email camptekakwitha@gbdioc.org or visit camptekakwitha.org for questions and further information. Come join us!”

Mark your calendars for the Youth 2000 retreat at St. Mary in Menasha April 21-23. Led by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, this retreat helps young people deepen their love and understanding of the Catholic faith, and encounter the power and richness of God's love and mercy.​ Please join us for fellowship, fun, music and spiritual growth! Contact Bethany Doll (bdoll@smcatholicschools.org) for more information! Read more and sign up for the retreat at https://forms.gle/zbksEdN9u9iqMkudA.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0d4fadaf2ba6fdc34-janfeb#/

7th grade assignment sheet

6th grade assignment sheet

Middle School after school care is available. Please use this link to sign your child up for after school care. A great place to be with the changes in the fitness center hours.

Thursday February 16th: Evening conferences 3:30-6:30

Friday February 17th: No School, Day conferences 8-11, group conferences 12-2

Monday February 20th: No school

Wednesday February 22nd: Ash Wednesday, Liturgy 9:40

Friday February 24th: Reward Day for canned good collection, out of dress code day, chewing gum day, extra recess day.

Friday February 24th: After school social, ice skating at Tri-County Ice Area

View our monthly calendar here.

A printable system calendar is available here.