SMCHS Newsletter
SMCHS NEWSLETTER
February 21, 2024
Upcoming Events
Thursday, February 22: Mass @9:21am
Saturday, February 24: Forensics @SMCHS
Thursday, February 29: Mass @9:21am | German Speaking Contest
Friday, March 1: First Friday Mass @7:25am | Adoration | VEX State
Monday, March 4: Math Meet @Appleton West
Tuesday, March 5: Zephyrs Spirit Day
Thursday, March 7: Mass @9:21am
Monday, March 11: Sophomore Retreat
Zephyrs Co-Curriculars
STEM Club/VEX Robotics
Congratulations to all 6 teams for a great showing at the Fox Valley Lutheran Tournament on February 10.
- 1200A - Fantastic job winning the tournament with a brand new robot built in two weeks.
- 1200X - Fantastic job as tournament finalists and earning your way to State both with your finish and your skills score.
- 1200Z - You made it to the playoffs!
Ski Club - Save the Dates!
Saturday, March 9 - Marquette Mountain in Marquette, MI
Zephyrs Athletics
WIAA Basketball Playoffs
Girls Basketball
The SMCHS Girls Basketball team received the 1st seed in their regional bracket of the WIAA Tournament. SMC will host the winner of Manawa vs Weyauwega-Fremont on Friday, February 23 at 7:00pm in the WIAA Regional Semi-Final. The Girls Basketball Team is the Big East - North Conference Champion. They are currently 22-1 and finished conference play with a perfect 12-0 record. Congratulations to our Girls Basketball Program!
WIAA Girls Basketball Division 4 Playoff Bracket
Boys Basketball
The SMCHS Boys Basketball team received the #2 seed in their regional bracket of the WIAA Tournament. SMC will host the winner of Algoma vs Weyauwega-Fremont on Friday, March 1st at 7:00pm in the WIAA Regional Semi-Final. The Boys Basketball team finish the regular season off this Thursday, February 22 at Kohler. They are currently 16-7 overall and finished in 2nd place in the Big East - North with a record of 9-3 conference record.
WIAABoys Basketball Division 4 Playoff Bracket
Ticketing Information - Regionals
WIAA sets the ticketing policy for WIAA playoffs. All Regional Tickets are $6 per Adult/Child. Conference passes will not be accepted. All students/parents/fans will need to purchase a ticket at the gate.
Ticketing Information - Sectionals
WIAA sets the ticketing policy for WIAA playoffs. All Sectional Tickets are $7 per Adult/Child. Conference passes will not be accepted. All students/parents/fans will need to purchase a ticket at the gate.
Powerlifting
Congratulations to the following Powerlifters that have qualified for the WHSPA State Meet at the Fox Cities Convention Center on March 2-3.
Maria Marti
Gavin Post
Ashton Post
John Schultz
Dan Harness
Daniel Duvernay
Isidro Muniz
Marcos Muniz
Grace Dominowski
Cora Epping
Boys Hockey
The Fox Cities Stars Boys Hockey team played at West Bend West in the WIAA Regionals on Tuesday, February 13. Unfortnately the team lost 8-1. Congratulations Camden Collins and Elliot Reichenbacher a great season!
Girls Hockey
The Fox Cities Start Girls Hockey team played at Cedarburg in the WIAA Regionals on Friday, February 16. The team won 5-3 and will now play at DePere on Tuesday, February 20 at 8:00pm in the Sectional Semi-Final.
Volunteering for Athletic Events
Volunteering at our home high school athletic events is mandatory for families that have students participating in sports. Families are required to help fill five volunteer spots per student-athlete, per co-curricular athletic activity (to a maximum of 20 spots per family annually).
High School Winter Sport Volunteer Sign Up
EVERY high school student is also required to take one shift of volunteer time during the 2023-2024 school year. Students may sign up for more than one shift.
Coaching Opportunity!
SMCHS has an opening for a Head Varsity Golf Coach. Datails can be found here. Please have interested candidates contact Matt Schoultz at mschoultz@smcatholicschools.org.
HR Phone Numbers
You may now call the following individuals directly:
- Chelsey Kind, SMCS Director of Human Resources: 920-215-7444
- Patty Foulks, Human Resources Coordinator: 920-215-7446
Counseling News
College/Military Visits
Marian University - Thursday, March 7 @1:30pm
WI Army National Guard - Friday, March 8 @11:35am
U.S. Air Force - Tuesday, March 12 @11:35am
Marquette University - Tuesday, March 12 @1:30pm
US Air Force ROTC Scholarships
Full-ride scholarships are available through Air Force ROTC. This program is available at 1,200+ colleges and universities across the nation. While in college, students simultaneously train to become Air Force Officers and after graduation, have a guaranteed job in the Air Force with the rank of Second Lieutenant. This program offers an opportunity to earn a bachelor's, masters and PhD with zero debt. A representative will be in the Commons during both lunch periods on Tuesday, March 12 for students who would like more information.
Pioneering Platteville Engineering Event
UW-Platteville is hosting the Pioneering Platteville Engineering Event at the UW-Platteville Engineering Partnership Building on the UW-Oshkosh Fox Cities Campus. This will be a great opportunity to learn about UW-Platteville Engineering without having to travel to Platteville!
When: Tuesday, April 9, 5:30-7:30pm
Where: UW-Platteville Engineering Partnership Building, 1655 University Drive, Menasha, WI 5495
Register here.
To learn more about the UW-Platteville Engineering Partnership prior to the event, click here
Women in the Pipe Trades
Bring your girlfriends and parents to explore exciting careers in plumbing, pipe fitting, pipe fabrication, welding and HVAC. Meet four successful women working in the industry, take a tour of the UA 400 training facility, view demonstrations and meet contractors. The event runs from 4:00-6:30pm on March 6 at the UA Local 400 Training Facility, 2700 Northridge Drive, Kaukauna.
UW Application Status
Students applying to University of Wisconsin schools may check the campus-specific portals for a status regarding applications and what materials might still need to be submitted here.
Virtual College Fairs
Registration is open for the Spring National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC) Virtual College Fairs. These are great opportunities to connect with hundreds of colleges and universities from the comfort of your home. Register here. At the time of registration, students will select the attributes that are most important to them in a college. They will receive an email that best matches them to specific colleges and universities based on the criteria they provided. Fairs will be held from 1:00pm - 6:00pm ET on:
- Sunday, March 24
- Sunday, April 21
U.S. Naval Academy Admissions Information Forum
The U.S. Naval Academy will be hosting an Admissions Forum in Chicago, IL on Saturday, March 2 from 10:00am - 12:00pm. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the Naval Academy, including summer program offerings, student experience, and the admissions process. Attendees will also be able to meet their Regional Director of Admissions, Admissions Counselor, Blue & Gold Officers, ROTC Recruitment Coordinator, and Congressional Staff members. Register here.
U.S. Naval Academy Students:
- receive a full scholarship...yes, FREE TUITION (including room, board, and health insurance)
- are guaranteed employment upon graduating as officers in the Navy or Marine Corps
- receive a Bachelor of Science degree from the #1 public school in the nation (according to U.S. News & World Report)
Bellin Summer Healthcare Camps
Bellin College has the following opportunities to see if healthcare is a good career fit and what a day in the life in these career fields would look like. Register here.
- Nursing (June 25 - 26, and July 23 - 24)
- Allied Health Camp July 31
FVTC Spring Open House
Tuesday, February 27 from 3:00 - 6:00pm. Application fee is waived for students who apply that day.
Click here for details.
Sophomore Conferences & Career Expo
- On February 1 Mrs. Castagna began meeting individually with sophomores and their parents to discuss Pre-ACT scores, course planning, information for junior and senior year, and post-secondary opportunities. Parents may schedule an appointment using this link. If you know you will be unable to attend, please let us know and Mrs. Castagna will meet with your child and send materials home for your review.
- Sophomores will be attending the Fox Cities Career Expo during the school day on Wednesday, April 10.
FVTC Express Admissions Day!
Express Admission Days are walk-in based between the hours of 8:00am - 6:00pm. One will be held on Thursday, May 9. Bring a copy of your transcript and ACT or SAT scores. The $30 application fee is waived if you apply at the event.
UW Journey App Demo
Learn how students can use UW Journey app to determine which UW campuses are their best fit based on their interests and preferences. Registration is required.
- Friday, February 23 at 3:30 PM - Register Here
Additional ACT Test Prep Resources
- Booklets outside School Counseling Office
- Public Library
- Free Resources are available through the WI Department of Public Instruction.
- Free - study guide, online events, and practice tests can be found here.
- Free Online Practice Tests at Khan Academy Test Prep and Quizlet
- ACT Online Prep™ Interactive program developed by the makers of the ACT Test
- Fox Valley ACT Test Prep Seminar Four day intensive classes
- UW Oshkosh ACT Prep - In-Person or Online
- UW Oshkosh SAT/ACT Online Test Prep
- ZAPS ACT Test Prep Seminar
Senior Activities - Save the Dates
Senior Awards - May 8 evening
Senior Retreat - May 22
Baccalaureate Mass - May 23 daytime
Graduation - May 24 evening
FAFSA
The 2024–2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available. Changes include expanded eligibility for federal student aid and a more streamlined process. More information can be found here.
Free Help Completing the FAFSA
Scholarships
Naviance > Colleges > Scholarship Search lists multiple scholarships available to students in grades 9-12. Contact Mrs. Hall at chall@smcatholicschools.org or Mrs. Castagna at jcastagna@smcatholicschools.org with any questions.
NHS Tutoring
SMC's National Honor Society students offer free tutoring for students in grades 9-12. Use this link to sign up.
University of Wisconsin System Updates
- Applications: Students may apply at apply.wisconsin.edu.
- Application fees for all UW system schools can be found here.
SMCS News
Board of Trustees- Call for New Board Members
Call for New Board Members: Looking to share your skills? Consider joining the SMCS Board of Trustees (BOT). The BOT helps to enhance SMCS with leadership, guidance, decision-making, financial support, and public relations. Each year we look for individuals with business, marketing, legal, Human Resources, or financial backgrounds; but most importantly, you must be ready to help our Catholic schools grow. We are seeking Catholic individuals who are alumni, parents, parish members, or anyone with a connection to our school system. Trustees are elected to one three-year term of office and may serve a subsequent term.
We are currently accepting candidates for consideration. Please contact Paul Seveska at paulpsev@aol.com if you are interested.
SMCS Parent & Student Directories
The 2023/24 SMCS Parent & Student Directory will be sent home Friday of this week with the youngest member of each family.
Discipleship Digest
Do I approach Lent with anticipation? Truth be told, we should expect each Lent to be more meaningful than the last. We only get so many Lents, after all – we should make them count! So the Church lays out these shared penitential practices of Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving. You probably know the details of what they are, but do we remember why?
First, they are SHARED – Working out with a team makes you more accountable. In the same way, entering Lent with a communal focus, undertaking our prayer and fasting together, helps us stay on track. And when it comes to giving, imagine the difference we can make collectively in something like Rise Against Hunger!
Second, they are PENITENTIAL – News Flash: fasting and “giving something up”, or even increased prayer or generosity, doesn’t take away our sin. Jesus has already done that! “Beloved: Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God.” (1 Pet. 3:18) But two thousand years’ experience tells us that these disciplines help us make room for God, so we can re-focus from self to others. They work!
Finally, they are PRACTICES – we don’t get things right all the time! So give yourself and others some grace and room to grow. Jesus isn’t here to smite you when you fall short! He’s here to open your heart, making it ever more ready to receive Him. Let’s have a beautiful Lent. Together.
Steve Pable, Director of Adult Discipleship Formation
Welcome – Worship – Witness
Lenten Rise Against Hunger Campaign
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! 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 4.
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. Watch for posters and social media with details about how you can donate and participate in our Rise Against Hunger campaign. Change lives as you PRAY, FAST and GIVE this Lent. Thank you!
Help for the Homeless Hygiene Drive
The Family Radio Network, Inc. invites you to help stock the shelves of local crisis programs in our community. Collection boxes are in the front and rear entrances to SMCHS through March 3. Most needed items include:
- Bathroom Tissue
- Cleaning Supplies
- Dental Care
- DeoDiapers/Baby Care
- Face/Bath Soap
- Feminine Care
- Hair Care
- Laundry Detergent
- Paper Towels
- Razors
- Trash Bags
Click here for more details and items needed. Financial donations can be made here.
St. Gabriel Fish Frys - Volunteers Needed!
Volunteers are needed for the largest annual food, fun and fellowship events for St. Gabriel Parish on February 23, March 1 and 8. Students 10 years old and older can volunteer for the dine-in assistance positions. Students must be 14 years old to be in the kitchen (or have a parent volunteer with them if younger). Sign up to volunteer here.
Helpful Links
Follow us on social media!
Facebook: www.facebook.com/smcatholicschools
Instagram: www.instagram.com/smcszephyrs
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Zephyr_Sports