SMCHS Newsletter
08.16.2023
SMCHS NEWSLETTER
October 3, 2023
Upcoming Events
Thursday, October 5: Mass @9:21am
Friday, October 6: First Friday Mass @7:25am | Adoration
Wednesday, October 11: Testing Day
Thursday, October 12: Sophomore Focus Event @ PAC
Monday, October 16: Mass @9:21am
Tuesday, October 17: Evening Parent Teacher Conferences
Friday, October 20: NO SCHOOL | Daytime Parent Teacher Conferences
October 11 - Testing Day- Early Dismissal
Grades 9-11 – students must arrive at 7:45am and go directly to their testing rooms. Students are dismissed following testing between 11:00am - 11:15am.
Grade 12 – seniors must arrive at 7:50am and go directly to the FAEC for a Financial Aid and Scholarship presentation. Parents are welcome to attend this segment. Starting at 9:00am, seniors will move to sessions on college applications and faith after high school. Seniors will have dedicated work time to complete applications for college and scholarships. Students should bring their laptops. Seniors will be released at 11:00.
Lunch – students received a link to pre-order a bagged lunch. Lunch accounts will be charged for all meals ordered.
International Students – are not testing and do not need to attend school on that day. Because it is excused, they may participate in afternoon/evening activities/sports.
Absence – If your child will not be in school on October 11, please email Allie Fields at afields@smcatholicschools.org in advance. Please refer to the SMCS Cocurricular Code of Conduct regarding sport participation and absences.
Other – Relaxed dress may be worn. Campus will be closed during testing. After testing, campus will be open until the usual time. Students are welcome to remain on campus to work.
Sophomore Focus Event - October 12
Student-Parent-Teacher Conferences
Conferences will be held on Tuesday, October 17 from 3:45pm - 6:30pm and Friday, October 20, from 8:00am - 11:00am in the SMCHS Commons. Parents and students are invited to meet with teachers to discuss grades and other classroom concerns. Appointments are not needed. The conferences are set up “cafeteria style,” where teachers are stationed at tables in the Commons and parents and students meet with them as they are available. If possible, please have your child's class schedule with you. We look forward to seeing you there!
Zephyrs Theater Fall Production
We look forward to seeing you there!
Fees and Credits Applied to Tuition Bills
Fine arts class fees have been added to the Blackbaud Tuition Management bills. Fee totals were split over the next three months. In October, Scrip credits earned for the last quarter (July, August and September) will be added. The scrip credits will be split over the following three months. In November, the high school blended education and CAPP class fees will be applied to bills. The fee will be on the November bill. Families can login to BBTM here: https://parent.blackbaud.school/. Feel free to email Shelley Wautlet at swautlet@smcatholicschools.org with questions on fees and credits.
Important for Families on Free/Reduced Lunch
For the first 30 school days of each year, free/reduced lunch benefits carry over from the previous year. This means that if your child received free/reduced lunch last school year, he or she has been receiving this benefit since the beginning of this school year. The carry-over benefit will expire October 11. If you have not heard that you qualify for this school year's free/reduced lunch program, you must submit an application and be approved for the benefit to continue. If an application is not received and approved, your child will be charged for breakfast and lunch beginning October 12. You can find the application here. Completed applications can be returned to your child's school office. Please contact Anne Greif at agreif@smcatholicschools if you have questions.
New Changes at SMC Middle/High School Facilities
With over a month of school under our belt, students and staff have settled back into the usual school routine. Activities are in full swing, and you may have noticed changes to some of the facilities on the high school/middle school campus.
Thanks to a generous donation, the STEM Center, currently located alongside Zephyrs Fields, will be reconstructed into locker and leadership training rooms for our students. The new STEM Center will be moved into what had been utilized as the Black Box/Forensics theater. Housing the STEM program in our high school building will enable VEX/Robotics students to now work on projects during the school day beginning this year.
To ensure that we continue to serve and grow our Fine Arts program, enhanced rehearsal space will be constructed in our current Choir Room and Green Room. Alternately, our focus will be on creating programming in various spaces within our current facilities that allow our students the opportunity to engage in less structured performance opportunities. Our hope is that as our Fine Arts program continues to evolve, we create the right venue for future needs.
We celebrate that we have the ability to support our students in their various cocurricular activities. During this transition phase, many groups are adapting to their new spaces and making them their own. We appreciate your patience as we work towards the future together.
Thank you for your support of our cocurricular activities! We celebrate your creativity for how to continually improve how we serve our students. Your ideas, feedback and insights are always welcome.
Attendance & Appointments
Please let the school office know prior to the school day if your child has an appointment so a pass can be issued before school. Last minute notifications are difficult and interruptive to class. When possible, please make appointments before or after school or on school days off.
Kudos!
Congratulations to the Math Team for placing Second in the Small School Division at their first meet on October 2! Team members include Nicholas DeBraal, Alice Cole, Emily Vogel, Jacob Hall, Vivian Koski, Sean Osland, Breelyn Pauly and Maddie Weninger.
Congratulations to Adel Schneider, Audrey Wanless, Alice Cole, Erin Blaney, Emily Vogel, Kassadi Calmes, Nolie Anderson, Kaylee Sommerfeld, Nadia Alexander, Mackenzie Barmash-Turner
who qualified for the WIAA Sectional Tennis Match being held today! Go Zephyrs!!
Thank you to all students for blessing people in our community on September 30 with your acts of service!
Raising Digital Citizens
You are invited to a meeting of the "Raising Digital Citizens" group on Monday, October 9 from 6:00-7:00pm in the SMCHS Resource Center. The group is free and open to all parents of students at our school. To RSVP, email jplemon@smcatholicschools.org.
Celebrate our Families!
As mentioned in several newsletters, SMCS will be creating and printing a system-wide directory for all of our families and staff. 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 by October 20. 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. Thank you!
School PIctures
Retakes
If you would like your child's picture retaken, you must complete the retake form by Friday, October 6. Pictures will be retaken on Friday, October 13. Please contact Harman Studios at 1-800-236-8910 or customercare@harmann.com with any questions. Thank you.
Senior Portraits
All senior portraits must be submitted to our yearbook advisor, Ms. Sirstins, by Friday, October 6. Your photographer may send it directly to school. If you are sending it yourself, a digital copy (.jpg) is preferred for better quality yearbook production. If you do not have your senior portrait submitted by this date, Ms. Sirstins will schedule a time with you to have your portrait taken at school.
Zephyrs Athletics
Volunteering Requirements
Families of participants in every athletic activity 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 Fall Sport Volunteer Sign Up
Zephyrs Connect Volunteer Sign Up
EVERY high school student is required to take one shift of volunteer time during the 2023-2024 school year. Students may sign up for more than one shift.
Counseling News
College / Military Visits
Marian University - Fond du Lac - Friday, October 13 @1:30pm
Saint Norbert College - Tuesday, October 17 @1:30pm
Carroll University - Wednesday, October 18 @ 10:00am
Lawrence University - Tuesday, October 24 @1:30pm
University of Denver - Wednesday, October 25 @10:00am
Lakeland University - Tuesday, October 27 @1:30pm
Northern Michigan University - Tuesday, October 31 @9:50am
Wisconsin Army National Guard - Friday, November 10 @11:35am
Students can sign up for college visits in Naviance. The links become active the day before the representative arrives. Contact Mrs. Hall with any questions.
ACT Test Prep
ACT Test Prep Services, LLC offers a 4-day intensive class that includes one full-length practice exam with scoring, instruction in each test domain by certified teachers and additional review materials, practice tests, sample solutions and Q&A for each domain. All classes run from 4:00-7:15pm. Cost is $130 for class & materials/$160 for class with essay evaluation. Students must register here 2 weeks prior to each class date. Call Monica Jones at 920-475-6567 or email her at Mjones@act-testprep.com with any questions.
NWTC Fall Open House
Wednesday, September 27, 2023: 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Details here.
University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Fall Preview Events
Oshkosh Campus
Wednesday, October 25 – Business Titan Preview
Friday, October 27 – Titan Preview (All Majors)
Tuesday, November 14 – Nursing Titan Preview
Friday, November 17 – Titan Preview (All Majors)
Friday, December 1 – Health Science Titan Preview
Fox Cities Campus
Wednesday, October 18 – Fox Cities Preview
Christian College Fair
The Chirstian College Fair will be held at Providence Academy on Tuesday, October 10 from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Details can be found using this link.
NHS Tutoring
SMC's National Honor Society students offer free tutoring for students in grades 9-12. Use this link to sign up.
Youth Apprenticeship Webinar
Discover the opportunities available through Youth Apprenticeship and how to get the process started on October 11 from 5:30-6:30pm. Register here to receive an email with a recording of the webinar to view at another time should the date and time conflict with other commitments.
University of Wisconsin System Updates
- Applications: Students may apply at apply.wisconsin.edu.
- FAFSA: Will not be available until December or January. More information can be found here.
- New Application Fees:
- UW-Eau Claire ($25), UW-La Crosse ($25), UW-Madison ($70)
- Other campuses - the first three are free. After that, $25 per application.
- UW-Stevens Point and UW-Whitewater - allow students to apply to both their main and branch campuses for one fee.
- More information for all UW system schools can be found here.
- UW System Admissions Panels: Registration is required.
- UW-La Crosse, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee and UW-Whitewater - Tuesday, October 17 at 4:30 PM - Register Here
- UW Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, and UW-Stevens Point - Thursday, October 19 at 4:30 PM - Register Here
- UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-River Falls, and UW-Stout - Tuesday, October 24 at 4:30 PM - Register Here
NACAC College Fairs
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) hosts in-person and virtual fairs with 175-400 representatives.
Discipleship Digest
When Jesus confronts the religious leaders of His day, He says “tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God” before them. These public sinners were regarded as completely irredeemable, which is why Jesus calls out the authorities for their self-righteous hypocrisy. The chief priests and the elders thought they could safely ignore John the Baptist’s call to repent; that was clearly for those other people wallowing in sin. So in a pointed parable, Jesus compares them to a son who pays lip service to his father’s wishes, but never gets around to doing what the father asks.
We Christians must guard against the same behavior. Do we put certain types of people outside the bounds of His compassion? Or are we eager to welcome the outcast and the sinner? Am I willing to pray and walk with someone who seems so different from me? Can I acknowledge that I don’t deserve God’s mercy, but that He loves me so much He gives it anyway?
We may think it’s unfair that God’s mercy is truly available to everyone. But mercy doesn’t come simply by saying the right words or showing up at church. It is the result of a surrendered heart. This is why St. Paul urges us to “humbly regard others as more important than yourselves…. Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus, Who…emptied Himself…” When we recognize our own shortcomings first, we’re better able to encourage others to seek God with humility.
Steve Pable, Director of Adult Discipleship Formation
Welcome – Worship – Witness
SMCS News
All Aboard for Christmas
Please join us for All Aboard on November 11 - an event which brings all schools and families together for a night of community and fun. This spirit of community can continue all year with your involvement in “Dinner Board” events.which are hosted by SMCS families. You can sign up to help host an event that is already planned or plan a unique event of your own. The dinner boards can be adult only events (wine tastings, March Madness party, Wild Game dinner, etc) or family inclusive (kickball, gingerbread house decorating, ice skating, etc.). When you attend All Aboard on November 11, you sign up and pay to join one of the planned events, which is a direct contribution to our schools.
We need families to host events which includes a financial contribution and commitment to planning the event. We have several events where planning is minimal. Please contact Meghan Healy Teeling (mhealy@direnzolaw.com or Kathleen Healy Osland (khealy@direnzolaw.com) for more details or to host a "Dinner Board".
Helpful Links
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Twitter: www.twitter.com/Zephyr_Sports