Principal’s Desk News & Information Upcoming Dates High School Counseling

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Every story has three parts — the beginning, the middle and the end. The story of the 11th Archbishop of Milwaukee is no different.

It began with a surprise — a relatively-unknown bishop from the western part of Wisconsin who was appointed the Archbishop of Milwaukee replacing the popular now-Cardinal Timothy Dolan. The archdiocese was going through some challenging times. As that newly named Archbishop, I knew little of the archdiocese and the archdiocese knew little of me. Thrown together, we both entered a period of, like the song says, “getting to know you.” I quickly understood the extreme competence of the staff that work at the archdiocesan central offices. Their dedication to the Church and deep level of faith mirrored what I found in the faithful of the archdiocese.

Many asked how I managed those very tense first few years. I quickly responded with a sense of confidence because of the love of the Church and the deep faith of the clergy and people of the archdiocese. I knew that if we just followed the Church’s teachings and trusted God, we would be OK. Early in the bankruptcy proceeding filed one year after I arrived, we held a synod (2014). We polled Catholics of archdiocese on their vision for our local Church for the next 10 to 15 years. The enthusiasm of the synod representatives and the vision they created engendered a level of spirituality that I have rarely seen in any diocesan gatherings. Empowered by the confidence of our faithful, I stated we will do the work God has entrusted us to do whether we have 10 cents or $10 billion. It fixed our eyes on the mission, and we were a different Church from that moment on.

The middle part of our story took us through adjustments post- bankruptcy and then confronted with COVID-19. We battled to stay abreast of all the governmental regulations and demanded our constitutional right to practice our faith. We fought to open our worship spaces which had impositions placed on their practices while bars and entertainment facilities had few restrictions. It was important for us to fight for our rights and the greatest of our rights is the right to worship — “the first freedom.”

We did the same for our schools and we were among the first in the nation to return to in-class, face-to-face learning. Our schools consist not only of parish entities but systems, one of which has achieved national recognition, Seton Catholic Schools. The Seton model will assist Catholic schools throughout our nation. The results of our efforts during COVID-19 are evident today in the superior testing of our Catholic school students.

We also needed to support our parishes and launched the $150 million Love One Another Capital Campaign. This funding will help us remain financially stable for the next decade, assisting not only the parishes but the seminary, the schools, Catholic Charities and the offices which serve our entire archdiocese.

We close the final chapters of our story by looking to the future. Our seminary has initiated a capital campaign for $65 million. The beautiful pre-Civil War buildings are in tremendous need of updating. St. Francis de Sales is one of the most successful seminaries in the country. We need to continue to support this heroic effort. The Catholics of southeastern Wisconsin have created a vocation rich environment. We must not let this moment pass. Likewise, we have launched an effort to raise the consciousness of women interested in religious life. This has been a specially needed area of growth. Finding educational avenues for the development of lay professional ministers continues to be a priority and will only enhance the Church’s mission.

Our story has been blessed. We have some creative aspects. The great bishops, clergy, religious, deacons and lay faithful have formed the substance of the spiritual strength of our archdiocese, attending to every aspect and need. In addition, our archdiocesan Mission Office and sister parish of La Sagrada Familia open our eyes to the needs of the larger Church. Our archdiocesan religious Community of St. Paul serves many countries and represents us to the larger Church. The Archdiocesan Order of Catechists designated those to consciously use their faith in every area of ministry. ASIC (Archdiocesan Synod Implementation Committee) kept us focused on our responsibilities to the priorities of the 2014 Synod. The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council brought creative ideas and energy from the parishes which initiated some wonderful gathering, concern for the youth, evangelization and others.

Our story begins and ends in “Mystery.” We have accomplished much over the past 15 years only because we surrendered ourselves to God’s will and He used us to strengthen His Church and proclaim His Son. I know that incoming Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob will begin his story with confidence that God will be guiding his every step supported by the clergy, religious and faithful that I have grown to love and appreciate. So, I say to you, my loyal LOA readers, not goodbye but Vaya con Dios, “Go with God,” and always LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Sincerely,

Most Reverend Jerome E. Listecki
Archbishop of Milwaukee
January 14, 2025

Though some MPTC classes conclude sooner, the official ending of J-Term is Friday, January 24th. Like last year, parents and guardians can expect to see a J-Term Survey in the weeks ahead. Dedicated to continuous improvement, your feedback to the experience of J-Term on the Ledge will be very important to future planning. Students and teachers will also be completing surveys throughout J-Term. We look forward to sharing survey results with you as we anticipate growing this initiative into the future.

Monday, January 27th will be the first day of Semester II. At that time, all students return to learning in-person on the Ledge.

Our Lady of the Ledge, pray for us!

Eamonn O’Keeffe
Principal, High School

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Your support makes a BIG impact! The Ledgerfest Silent Auction’s success is thanks to amazing contributions like Class Baskets, one of our top fundraisers! Your donation could TRIPLE its value, directly benefiting SMSA and your student.

Donate HERE, or send cash/check (attention: Ashley Lane/LF25). Don’t forget to include your child’s grade with your donation. Thank you!

Below are two important resources provided by the Fond du Lac County Health Department with information on Norovirus. With the rise in Norovirus cases in Fond du Lac County and surrounding areas, please read these resources to learn more about Norovirus and ways to clean and disinfect .

Norovirus

Clean-Up and Bleach Disinfect for Norovirus

As SMSA’s winter sports begin, please click on the links below to sign up to help with admission and concession stands at both the boys’ and girls’ home basketball games.

Boys Hoops Sign Up

Girls Hoops Sign Up

HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS ARE FOR SALE

High school yearbooks are available to purchase online at the SMSA website for $55. Prices go up on March 31, 2025 to $65. Get yours by clicking here!

Are you wanting to get more involved in our Parent Connectors Group? If so, look for the Parent Connectors volunteer form in your packet you will be receiving at the supply drop off day (3K-5th Grade). If your youngest child is in 6th grade or above, you won’t be receiving a form to fill out but can email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net, to share that you are interested in being a part of our group. Every year a new email group gets created so please submit your form even if you have done so in the past years. Also, only one form per family is needed to be filled out. Throughout the year, our group has various school family events as well shows our amazing SMSA Staff how appreciative we are for them. By being a part of our group, you will receive emails that shares ways you can help with these events through volunteering and donating. Our group wouldn’t be a successful without all of the wonderful people involved in it. Thank you so much! If you have any questions, please email Andrea Nuss, alnuss@charter.net.

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January 24, 2025 – J-Term Ends

January 27, 2025 – Semester II Begins

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SMSA is proud to participate in another year of Trade Tours through the Fond du Lac R.O.C.K. program, which stands for Retention, Opportunity, Community, and Knowledge. This program aimed at working specifically with high school seniors and juniors who are piecing together their plans post high school graduation. This program provides career exploration through business tours and job shadows. Fond du Lac R.O.C.K. is a program of Envision Greater Fond du Lac. Please let counseling know if your student would be interested in joining a future tour.

2024-25 Trade Tour Schedule:
January 21st, 2025 — CD Smith
February 4th, 2025 — Integrity Saw and Tool, Inc.
February 18th, 2025 — MEC Manufacturing Facilities
March 4th, 2025 — Kondex
April 8th, 2025 — City of FDL Construction & Maintenance
April 22nd, 2025 — JF Ahern & Co.

Please refer to the information provided at the link below, for local and state scholarships that SMSA seniors can apply for. This list is always subject to change and may not be all-inclusive.

Local scholarship opportunities (Fond du Lac area) are listed first, followed by opportunities for residents of the state of Wisconsin.

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