Back to School SMM
Welcome to the 2022-23 School Year at SMCS
In this email
- A video welcome from St. Mary Associate Principal Jackie Lutz
- A message from SMCS Elementary Principal Anna Cihlar
- An introduction to our new staff
- Back to School information, including forms.
- Important dates for your calendar
A video welcome from St. Mary Associate Principal Jackie Lutz
A Message from SMCS Elementary Principal Anna Cihlar
Dear families of SMCS elementary students,
I pray you are enjoying a grace-filled summer and that you are as excited as I am to begin this new school year at the end of August! It is an honor to serve as principal of St. Gabriel, St. Mary, and St. Margaret Mary Elementary schools this year and I look forward to our classrooms and hallways being filled with children again soon!
As part of my new role, I will be looking for opportunities to create a sense of unity among our three campuses, while at the same time honoring the unique attributes that make each school special. Our SMCS motto this year is “United in Faith, Hope, & Love.” The source of inspiration for this motto comes from 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 - “And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” In a time filled with many changes in our SMCS community, I pray that we hold tight to what unites us all as Catholics - our faith in God’s goodness and providence, our love of Jesus as we dedicate ourselves to following Him, and our hope in the Holy Spirit as we open ourselves to allow Him to work within us. I am beyond excited to witness the amazing things we will accomplish together as one faith-filled community, united in faith, hope, and love.
Peace,
Mrs. Anna Cihlar
Principal - St. Gabriel, St. Margaret Mary, & St. Mary Elementary Schools
Welcome New Staff!
We are so excited to welcome new faces to the St. Margaret Mary Elementary family for the 2022-23 school year. Here's a quick rundown of who you'll be meeting in the coming weeks! We asked each of our new staff members to send a "summer selfie" to give us a face to go with the name.
Mrs. Cihlar, Elementary Principal
Fun facts about Mrs. Cihlar:
- Mom to 2 teenage boys who are Eagle Scouts (and started their Scouting journey at St. Margaret Mary!)
- Loves cycling, reading, traveling, and praying
- Member of St. Bernard Parish in Appleton
Mrs. Reyes, Preschool
Fun facts about Mrs. Reyes:
- She has three children.
- She also has 2 cats and a dog!
- This summer she traveled to Ecuador where her husband is from.
Welcome Mrs. Reyes!
Ms. Hinkley, Kindergarten
Fun facts about Ms. Hinkley:
- She's a Wisconsin native, grew up in Fond du Lac, and graduated from St. Norbert College.
- She loves to bake and try new recipes.
- This summer she went to Michigan for vacation.
Welcome Ms. Hinkley!
Miss Ebert, First Grade
Fun Facts about Miss Ebert:
- She's a Wisconsin native, and grew up in Greenville!
- This summer she went on vacation to visit family in Lake Mills.
Welcome Miss Ebert!
Ms. Kingsley, Fourth Grade
Fun Facts about Ms. Kingsley:
- She's the oldest of four siblings.
- She's originally from Central Wisconsin.
- She loves crafty things.
Welcome Ms. Kingsley!
Ms. Chier, Learning Support
Fun Facts about Ms. Chier:
- She's originally from Arkansas and moved to Wisconsin three years ago.
- Her family enjoys all the activities Wisconsin has to offer, including snow skiing!
- She's been working in education for 20 years.
Ms. Chier's photo reveals a highlight of her summer: a visit to Yellowstone! Welcome Ms. Chier!
Mrs. McCurdy, Art
Fun Facts about Mrs. McCurdy
- She's a Wisconsin native, but just moved back to Wisconsin after a year in Minnesota.
- She and her husband welcomed a baby boy this summer.
Welcome Mrs. McCurdy!
Mr. Dummer, Music
Fun Facts about Mr. Dummer:
- He started playing piano in early elementary school.
- He's been singing or playing piano in church for 14 years.
- Besides music, Mr. Dummer has a deep love for the Packers and the Brewers!
Mr. Dummer's summer selfie reveals a highlight of his summer vacation: a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando! Welcome Mr. Dummer!
Mrs. Splittgerber, Learning Specialist
Fun Facts about Mrs. Splittgerber:
- Her family loves camping, fishing, and exploring Wisconsin together.
- One highlight of her summer was having dinner with her family at Ishnala Supper Club (one of the top 5 Supper Clubs in Wisconsin) at Mirror Lake State Park.
Welcome Mrs. Splittgerber!
Mrs. Murray, Counselor
Fun Facts about Mrs. Murray:
- She's about to have a baby any day now, so we won't meet her until November.
- She loves diet coke, empanadas, dogs, live music, and hiking.
Mrs. Murray's picture is from a highlight of her summer: she took a trip to Texas, Utah, and Wyoming! Welcome Mrs. Murray!
Look for our next email on August 17th for more staff introductions!
Important Back to School Information
Student Orientation-For All Students and Parents Preschool-5th Grade
Monday, August 29th 8:00-11:00 a.m. or 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Orientation is a time for students to meet their teacher, drop off school supplies, and become familiar with their classroom and school. We look forward to seeing you then. Masks are optional at SMCS this school year.
Please click here for the school supply list.
2022-23 School Year Forms
All St. Mary School families must review the following forms. Please print, complete, and return at Orientation Day the forms highlighted below.
SMCS Elementary Handbook 2022-23 (Please read prior to attending Orientation Day, a consent signature will be required at Orientation Day)
Student Emergency Contact Information 2022-23 (Please fill out online, print, sign and bring to school on Orientation Day)
Medication Consent 2022-23 (Use this form if your child needs to take medication during the school day)
Media Opt-Out (Parents/guardians who do not wish to opt out need not complete a form.)
We will also need proof of all required immunizations on file. If your child had any immunizations over the summer, please send a copy of these so we can update our files
New this year: we're hosting an ALL SCHOOLS parent night. This will be a great night for parents to learn more about what is in store for the year ahead, ask questions, and get connected. We know this time of year is busy, but at least one parent should plan to attend.
Things to know for the year ahead
FACES-Faith and Community Enriching St. Margaret Mary School
Our parent group will hold meetings on the 1st Friday of each month at 8:00 a.m. All are welcome and encouraged to join. Sign in at the school office and meet in the school cafeteria.
Volunteer Opportunities:
The FACES executive team is excited to work with all of the parents to help make this a fabulous school year! We will need lots of volunteers this year to help with school events and teacher appreciation, as well as volunteers to welcome new families, help in the library and serve as room parents.
For more information or to sign up to help, please stop by the FACES table at orientation or parent info night, join us for the first FACES meeting (Friday, September 2nd at 8:00 am in the school cafeteria), or contact Sarah Champa, FACES President, at 314-503-7284.
Lunchroom Volunteer
Our school lunch program cannot run without the help of parent volunteers! We need two volunteers each day to help serve food and keep the cafeteria sparkling. This is a great opportunity to help at school and visit with your child too! Please contact Liesl Britzke at 920-740-5173 with questions about helping in the lunchroom, or sign up using this link: Lunchroom Serving Volunteer Sign Up
Lunchroom Updates
This school year the USDA Waiver Program that offered free lunch to all SMCS students last year is not offered this year. Hot lunch will not be free this year. This means that families will need to make sure that the students have money in their lunch accounts to purchase their hot meal, Super Lunch (a second portion of the main entreé) or just milk.
Virtus Training
All adults that would like to volunteer in the school in any capacity must complete this training, application, and background check prior to volunteering. Please click the link for more information. https://www.gbdioc.org/protecting-our-children/virtus
After School Care 3:00-5:30
If you intend to use after school care at any time during the school year, please fill out the pre-registration form. We will use sign up genius monthly to sign up your child for after school care. The August/September sign up genius will be forthcoming on August 19th. Space is limited in the ASC program to 40 students per day.
Students will be primarily using the gym and playground during this time. There will not be computer usage after school care and the after school care room will only be used at the 3 pm student dismissal time to give students a chance to eat a snack, and towards the end of the after school care session. Snacks are not provided, please consider sending a snack for your child. There will be no sharing of snacks. Students should dress for the weather as they will be going outside as much as possible.
After School Care Pre-registration Form *This form will need to be completed prior to your child’s participation in this program*
Preschool Extended Care 11:00-3:00
Students in our preschool and 4K program may participate in our extended school care program from 11 am - 3 pm (cost is $5.50 an hour). If you intend to use the Preschool Extended Care please complete the pre-registration form for Extended Care. As a reminder, if you need additional care from 3:00-5:30 p.m. you must sign up on the ASC sign up genius. Students will have to be registered ahead of time in order to participate (no drop ins available).
Pre-register for Extended Day Child Care *This form will need to be completed prior to your child’s participation in this program*
Enrichment Classes
We are excited for the return of our enrichment program! Classes will be offered for early childhood-5th grade once per week at each school. Registration will open soon and will include classes such as STEM, arts, Karate, and sports samplers. Please visit our website for more detailed information on the enrichment program. https://smcatholicschools.org/co-curriculars/enrichment-program/
Band
Band is an option for our 4th and 5th grade students. Detailed information about band will be sent to 4th and 5th grade families in the coming weeks. Please email the band director, Mr. Dave Sawall, at dsawall@smcatholicschools.org, with any questions.
Important Dates for your Calendar!
Friday, August 26th: Zephyr Dads tailgate before 1st Friday football game 5:30 p.m.
Monday, August 29th: Orientation 8:00-11:00 a.m. or 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 30th: First Day of School
Wednesday, August 31st: SMCS ALL SCHOOLS parent night (at least one parent should attend)
Thursday, September 1st: School Liturgy 8:00 a.m.
Friday, September 2nd: School Picture Day Out of Dress Code.
Monday, September 5th: No School - Labor Day
Tuesday, September 6th: SMCS Zephyrs Spirit Day-students can wear spirit wear
Friday, September 23rd: Zephyrs Connect 5K/Fun Run and Family Festival 3:30 p.m.
Friday, September 30th: NO SCHOOL-Parent Teacher Conferences
View our monthly calendar here.
A printable system calendar is available here.
Zephyrs Connect 09.23.22
This event is fun for the whole family. Whether you come to run, or to enjoy games, entertainment, and Friday night football, come join the Zephyrs family in supporting our schools!
All Aboard 10.15.22
Final Thoughts
Click here for more helpful information for St. Margaret Mary parents, including detailed information about return to school procedures.
I look forward to seeing all of our students and families on orientation day!
Blessings,
Mrs. Jackie Lutz