Family Update - September 2, 2022

Dear SMG Catholic School Families,

On behalf of Fr. Scott Emerson and the faculty and staff of SMG Catholic School, I would like formally welcome you and your family to the 2022-2023 school year!

Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School, in supporting parents as the primary educators of their child(ren), strives to be a place of encountering God and His love and His truth.

As an apostolate of Saint Maria Goretti Parish, our school has Christ as its foundation. We are a community united with the Church and faithful to the Magisterium. We believe that our school can be an engine of evangelization for the Church and culture, nourishing the soul in truth, beauty, and goodness. We are seeking a deeper understanding of what the Church teaches about her schools, and we'll continue applying this learning to our daily lessons and practices.

Already we are off to an amazing start. It's easy to see that SMG Catholic School staff are driven to ensuring every student's academic, social-emotional, and spiritual needs are met. We love Jesus, and we thrive while doing what we do best - fostering wisdom and virtue in all our students.

As we head into this Labor Day Weekend, we pray for peace and joy among family and friends. Here's to a great weekend and a great school year.

All for Jesus, all through Mary,

Mr. Schell

Family Update - February 11, 2022

Dear Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Today as I made rounds through some classrooms, I noticed our teachers doing some amazing things with our students.

I noticed intentional and effective classroom management strategies. These are important because students thrive under predictable routines and procedures.

I noticed a teacher encouraging her students to take responsibility for their own space in the room, and wouldn't you know a classmate or two were helped by their neighbor. Our Cardinals know it takes TEAMwork to make the DREAM work!

I noticed intentionality in what was posted on the walls and on the bulletin boards. This is important because students are more independent when they can reference these "anchor charts" on their own.

I noticed that every student was busy working, because we all know that, "The one who learns is the one who does the work..."

In all of these spaces, regardless of the grade level or the activity... there was much more going on than learning. It's easy to see that our students are growing in wisdom and in virtue. They are learning and growing because their teacher cares about them and their success. Their classroom environment encourages risk taking and students are willing to be vulnerable because they feel safe.

These are some of the marks of a Catholic education.

These are some of the many things that make SMG the place it is today, and will be in the future.

These are all pleasing in God's eyes, because we're more fully human when we seek truth, beauty, and goodness.

All to Jesus, all through Mary.

Bob Schell, Principal

Family Update - December 3, 2021

Dear Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,

Today we share good tidings and a few updates.

'Tis the season for gratitude, generosity, and anticipation of the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ!

In gratitude, we are thankful for the many volunteers at Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School. From classrooms to lunchrooms to playgrounds to book fairs, our families are here in full force, breathing life into our school by their service to others. Thank you.

How BLESSED we are to have celebrated our first, all-school Mass together! Generosity is the virtue described as, "...giving without counting the cost." Today at our Gift Mass we witnessed Cardinal students and staff and families giving gifts through Saint Vincent de Paul to many local families in need. We appreciate the leadership of Mrs. Grochowski, Mrs. Fallon and Mr. Riese, and our eighth graders in making this year's Gift Mass special for all involved.

We read in Father Scott's message in the Parish Weekly Bulletin, this second Sunday of Advent, "John the Baptist plays a central role in our Advent liturgy, because this is the season during which the Church recalls Christ’s first coming, readies itself to welcome him at his new, spiritual coming this Christmas, and looks forward to his definitive, second coming at the end of history."

Through all our December activities, may we anticipate the coming of Jesus Christ, "O Come O come, Emmanuel!"

Many thanks, and Praised be Jesus Christ!

Bob Schell, Principal

Family Update - November 19, 2021

Dear Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,

This week we'd like to draw your attention to our SMG Catholic School Morning Announcements.

Over the past several weeks, our Cardinal eighth, seventh, sixth, and then fifth grade volunteers have been special guests on Morning Announcements. Please check out our amazing students as they share a "Fun Fact," some things "We'd Like to Mention," "Guest Teachers to SMG," "Morning Offering," and the "Pledge of Allegiance."

Excellent work with these amazing children, parents and guardians, and teachers and staff!

"Be a Saint, What Else is There!"

Bob Schell, Principal

From Our Principal - October 22, 2021

Dear Saint Maria Goretti Catholic School Families,

Today our SMG staff attended a Metanoia retreat at Holy Name Heights.

Metanoia is defined as, "a transformative change of heart; especially: a spiritual conversion."

Our morning sessions were facilitated by diocesan staff, including a video of encouragement from Bishop Hying and a series of videos from Formed called, "The Search." Staff also heard some life and faith experiences from diocesan staff member, Michelle Nilsson. Our day concluded with a talk from Dr. Enright of the National Forgiveness Institute.

Session 1 was titled, "What do you seek?" Something that really stood out was the fact that every tombstone has a start and end date, but it's the "dash" in between those dates that really matters; that's our life, right here and right now!

Session 2 was titled, " Who are you?" where we were reminded from C.S. Lewis that,

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

Session 3 was titled, "Why a God?" of which the presenter exclaimed, "Why God haven't you revealed yourself to us?" and God' possible response might be, "Haven't you seen EVERYTHING?!?!" All creation shouts to us the existence of God, and there is long-standing complementarity of Science AND Faith.

After Holy Mass and lunch, we welcomed a revision to our agenda that was specific to SMG and where we've been and where we're headed - we welcomed Dr. Enright, of the Department of Educational Psychology of UW-Madison and the founding member of the International Forgiveness Institute.

Here we learned about the virtues of Humility, Love, and Mercy. Dr. Enright encouraged us to consider some next steps:

1. First, do no (further) harm.
2. Unite with, and love Jesus, and out of love, unite our own suffering with Him and His cross.
3. Love and pray for each other, especially for those who hurt you.

Dr. Enright encourage our staff to consciously and deliberately proclaim that, "We are a forgiving school," and that we can work together to learn what that means to us and what we need to do to sustain it.

Saint Maria Goretti, Patron Saint of Forgiveness, pray for us!

We have gratitude for these learning opportunities and for you entrusting your child(ren) to our school and our staff.

All to Jesus, all through Mary.

Bob Schell, Principal