Remember that you'll see news from St. Mary Catholic Schools every other Wednesday, except holiday weeks when school is not in session. (So the next edition will be Wednesday, December 4.)

Please take time to discover our system-wide news in this email. You'll find important dates, links, and upcoming events. Then click the photo below for news and information from your child(ren)'s specific campus. If there is something you can't find, please let us know, and please "follow" and "like" SMCS social media. It's a great way to stay current on all the good news from our schools!

Find specific news for each campus by clicking on the photo below.

Preparing and inspiring students to lead meaningful lives,

rooted in the teachings of Christ and our Catholic tradition.

Sometimes habits and social customs can make us forget the power of gratitude. We say "thanks" when a person holds the door for us, for example, and we don't think much about the encounter. Of course it's good to be polite when someone does something nice for you. And hopefully we look for a chance to return the favor - maybe even by holding the next door. Yet Thanksgiving is a time to go a little deeper, to reflect on the ultimate source of all our blessings.

God - unlike us - is not about transactions, or the back-and-forth of our daily social interactions. At Thanksgiving, we recall countless blessings that are undeserved and unearned. "What return can I make to the Lord for all his goodness to me?" (Psalm 116:12) With the Lord, no repayment is possible, because God's very nature is endless goodness and love. If ever we think we are somehow entitled to our many gifts, we risk turning a relationship with God into a set of contractual obligations.

Our humble "thanksgiving" doesn't change God. Rather it changes us, because a grateful heart recognizes the generosity of the giver. Giving thanks makes us more generous, helping us in turn be a blessing to others. May this season of Thanksgiving be celebrated by overflowing hearts in the St. Mary Catholic Schools community, as we express profound gratitude to God and neighbor.

How about a day to dress down? You can still get Out of Dress Code passes for students until Friday, November 15th, limit 2 per child. They are $25 each, and can be used for up to five days (not Liturgy / Mass days). You can also DONATE an Out of Dress Code pass for another family or teacher!

For Out of Dress Code Passes, please click this link!

Here's the best part of All Aboard... the party continues! You can still join in any or all of the six different events that are being hosted by fellow SMCS families. Ask any of our long-time school parents - these become some of the most fun and memorable ways to grow friendships with other parents and students! These "Event Boards" are a fantastic Zephyrs tradition - they are a ton of fun, and they are not fundraisers... just great parties with great people! Be sure to sign up soon, because space is limited.

To join any or all of the events, please click this link! Not sure you know anyone? Reach out to some friends and sign up together!

Neenah Pool Party - $50 per family - one adult per family required to attend - Date TBD (Summer 2025)

Back to School Backyard Bash - $55 per person - adults only - September 5, 2025

Movie Night at the Middle School - $25 per family - March 1, 2025

March Madness Party - $50 per person - adults only - April 5, 2025

Turkey Bowling - $40 per person - adults only - January 25, 2025

Bay Beach Bash - $40 per family - Date TBD

Neenah Pool Party

Date: TBD

$50 per family, limit 40 families (one adult per family must attend)

Enjoy exclusive access to the Neenah Pool and all its amenities (water slides, sand play area, volleyball court, tether ball, outdoor ping pong table, etc.) as well as an allowance for concessions and an opportunity to win prizes by participating in contests.

Brought to you by:

Englebert Family

Krueger Family

Osland Family

Scott Family

Teeling Family

Back to School Backyard Band Bash

Date: Friday, Sept. 5th, 2025 (Zephyr football game is on Thursday)

$55 per person, adults only, 100 people max

Live Band, Pig Roast, and a Keg in a beautiful backyard - what more could you want on a Friday night?!? Kick off the school year in style with a Backyard Band Bash that will get all parents excited for the new school year!

Brought to you by:

Jennifer & Ryan Valentine

Heather & David Voss

Amber & Tim Post

Liza & David DeWitt

Sarah & Ryan Stoltenow

Tracey & Max Ogden

Christina & Tom Klinkhammer

Erica & John Pendergast

Melissa & John Mislinski

Ann & Kevin Huelsbeck

Movie Night at the Middle School

Date: March 1, 2025 from 6:30 - 9pm (6:30 check in, 7pm Movie start time)

$25/family, no limit

Enjoy a fun night out with fellow SMCS families while taking in the movie experience in the SMCMS Commons! Home Alone (or other PG movie) is sure to bring lots of laughs and excitement for the whole family. There will also be plenty of popcorn, treats, and drinks for the whole family.

Brought to you by:

Lizzy Bergstrom

Jake & Bridgid Bergstrom

Chris & Liesl Britzke

David Voss III & Heather Voss

AJ & Kristin Billings

Travis & Sarah-Beth Jannsen

March Madness Party

Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025 from 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Limit 50 people, adults only, $50/person

Let the MADNESS begin!! Kickoff the Final Four with dinner, drinks and a dominating number of TVs in downtown Neenah. Impress the sports fans by wearing your team spirit and bring your basketball knowledge (or luck) to destroy the competition in onsite games! Need not be a basketball fan to attend, but must be ready for a fun night!

Brought to you by:

Ken & Sarah Champa

Josh Blomberg & Amber Abraham

Chad & Jessica Trinkner

James & Shena Straka

Matthew Swanson & Jethe Abraham

George & Drea Carberry

Blake & Jennifer Hildahl

Turkey Bowling Bonanza

Date: Saturday, January 26, 2025, 1 p.m.

Limit 60 people, adults only, $40/person

Get ready for some kid-free fun on the ice at Payne's Point Hook and Spear Club in Neenah! Bundle up and get ready to throw some frozen fowl on our turkey bowling ice lanes! Arrive at the Clubhouse at 1pm, and bowling will start promptly at 1:30.

Bowling is optional, cheering is required! Warm up in between matches in the cozy Clubhouse where there will be plenty of appetizers and drinks available. When darkness hits, the fun doesn't end! Head inside for dinner, games and entertainment.

Brought to you by:

Chris & Kristen Bergstrom

Erik & Caela Brenn

Todd & Hesper Swanlund

Gretchen & Jeff Cogswell

Peter & Kali Sawyer

Jeff & Maria Virlee

Paynes Point Hook and Spear Club

Bay Beach Bash 2025

Date: TBD, 4-7 p.m.

Limit 65 families. $40/family

Enjoy a "kick off to summer" party with friends and family. Who doesn’t love the Scrambler, Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Zippin' Pippin!?! Families receive 40 ride tickets and a cookout dinner with drinks in a private pavilion at the park.

Brought to you by:

Lauren & Chad Moder
Deborah and Bob Scott
Cathy & Eric Linsmeier
Christina & Tom Klinkhammer
Elaine & Jimmy Lewis
Andrea & Neil Atanasoff
Ashley & Greg Sokol

All New Zephyrs Webstore

IMPORTANT NOTE - if you are just adding lunch money for the first time to your child's account, you need to access the webstore through PowerSchool. This will ensure that your family record stays together for PowerSchool and lunch.

All other transactions can be done directly by clicking on the new Zephyrs Webstore! It is your one stop shopping site for Athletics registrations, Enrichment Program registrations, putting money on your child's lunch account, visiting our online clothing store, and for making additional payments for events throughout the year. The first time you use the Webstore you will have to make your own account but rest assured that it is simple and easy. Click on the link below to see the Zephyrs Webstore! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Terry Frase in the Advancement Office at tfrase@smcatholicschools.org

You can still put money in your child's lunch account through the school office with cash or check.

Questions about Free & Reduced meals? (Breakfast and Lunch) Please see the forms below.

Tuition payments are still made via Blackbaud.

First, a couple of seasonal SCHEDULE NOTES on RaiseRight / Scrip

No Scrip the week of Thanksgiving:

Order your Thanksgiving scrip by 9:00am Monday, November 18. There will be no scrip processed the week of November 25th. Online eGift cards and reloads will be available if paid online. SMCS Scrip processing resumes December 2.

Scrip Bonuses during "Raise Days":

Login to your RaiseRight app and shop, shop, shop those extra bonuses! This year RaiseRight has 2 Raise Days dates: Nov. 14-15 and Nov. 21-22. This is a great time to stock up on some of your favorite eGift cards or to send an eGift card to a friend or family member.

Now is the time to start thinking about your Thanksgiving and Christmas Scrip opportunities! Check out the Holiday Gift Guide 2024 for scrip-inspiration! Explore the pages for shopping tips and review the list of scrip retailers that will make everyone on your gift list happy! Whether you love to hit the stores or prefer to shop online, think SCRIP for your holiday gifts, groceries, services and travel!

Are you new to RaiseRight? Here's how it works!

Last quarter 175 SMCS families earned $23,000 off tuition! If you aren’t using RaiseRight (Scrip), it’s not too late to start earning tuition credit. It is a year-long fundraiser that directly benefits YOU and there is no max to amount you can earn!

Click here to see a video on how easy it is to get started. You'll find additional tutorial videos here. (Scroll down the page for the "Participant Videos".)

It's easy to purchase electronic or physical cards for all your necessities - groceries, gas, restaurants, home goods, travel, and so much more!

~ You can purchase physical gift cards by placing your orders online or on the RaiseRight app before 9am Monday mornings for Thursday availability.

~ Purchase e-cards on the RaiseRight app for immediate access; right from the checkout line or while shopping online day or night!

RaiseRight Scrip offers a wide range of cards from both local businesses, such as Weather Vane, Globe Coffee & The Plaza, Gunderson Cleaners and Krueger True Value Hardware.

Kwik Trip has always been our biggest seller. Did you know Kwik Trip offers a Grocery Only card, with a higher 15% rebate back to you? Get all your favorite goodies inside, while you earn even more money back towards tuition. And don't forget the Kwik Trip Ultimate Car Wash Card. Purchase this card for $36 and you will receive 5 ultimate car washes and earn 44.44%, that’s $16 in tuition credit per car wash card! Happy Scripping!

Facebook

Instagram

SMCS Athletics

SMCS Fine Arts

SMCS Alumni

YouTube for Livestream Events

Like & Follow St. Mary Catholic Schools on social media... and please help elevate our profile in the community by reacting to and sharing posts often!

***Keep in mind that your specific campus may also have a parent group for Facebook that can be a helpful resource. Contact your school office for more information.***

November 15-17 - High School Play - "My Brother's Gift"

November 16 - VEX Robotics - Lomira Tournament

Monday, Nov. 25 - Friday, Nov. 29 - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, November 26 - Boys Basketball vs. Wautoma

Monday, December 2 - Girls Basketball vs. Lourdes Academy

Tuesday, December 3 - Boys Basketball vs. Bonduel

Saturday, May 3 - Save the Date for Zephyrfest!

Come see the talented and dedicated Zephyr actors bring a powerful story to life on stage!

"Based on the remarkable true story of Heinz Geiringer -- neighbor and friend of Anne Frank -- we follow the story of a young artist and loving brother living in unconscionable circumstances. A trained musician at only 15 and now forced to live in hiding and silence, Heinz turns to painting and poetry to express his everyday terror but hope of the future. Through Heinz's inspired paintings, nostalgic love of life, and his sister Eva's remembrances, we are shown the power of art to offer hope and healing."

https://www.onthestage.tickets/st-mary-catholic-schools

The Spirit Stop is located at the St. Mary Catholic High School Commons, adjacent to the Ralph "Cyclone" McClone Gymnasium. The Spirit Stop will also have hours of availability during the school year, and that schedule will be released shortly. The Spirit Stop has a variety of adult-sized clothing, as well as baseball caps, winter beanies, and blankets available for sale. Unfortunately, we do not carry small kids clothing in stock in the store, but we do have several options online. For this and more, be sure to check out our online store here: St. Mary Catholic Schools Online Store | Silly Toast Designs | powered by OrderMyGear (itemorder.com)

Visit the online store frequently, as we will be adding new styles throughout the different seasons. We can't wait to see you sporting your Zephyrs pride!

We are in search of our next Elementary Music Teacher to join the St. Margaret Mary and St. Mary campuses! Reach out to Human Resources at HR@smcatholicschools.org if you know someone that could be a great fit. We are growing, and looking for amazing people who believe in our mission of "Preparing and inspiring students to lead meaningful lives, rooted in the teachings of Christ and our Catholic tradition." Click here to view this and any other current employment opportunities for St. Mary Catholic Schools.

We are excited to welcome a couple of additional students to attend St. Mary Catholic High School for the second semester on our exchange program. Becoming a host family for an international student for St. Mary Catholic Schools makes the world smaller and your heart bigger! You get the joy of sharing culture, traditions, and everyday life with a young person from another country. You'll develop relationships that last a lifetime, and your hospitality creates a welcoming environment for a student to absorb the American experience beyond the classroom! To help support room and board, the ABC Education exchange program offers a stipend of $600 per month for a host family, and in addition, you can receive a $1,000 tuition credit for St. Mary Catholic Schools for your own child for making this one semester commitment. To learn more, contact Kelly Beisenstein-Weiss at kbweiss@smcatholicschools.org

• SMCS 2024-25 systemwide calendar
• SMCS Staff & Teacher Directory

*** If you have changes to your email address or other updates, please click on "Contact" at the very bottom of this newsletter, but ALSO be sure to update any changes in your PowerSchool account!