Welcome!

For the first time, it is my job to welcome all of you to a new and exciting school year. Many of you do not know me yet, but that is soon to change. 

I come to St. Mary’s Visitation after two years working as Assistant Principal at Notre Dame School of Milwaukee, on the city’s southside. While there, I wore many hats. I was the first contact for school discipline, but also for school spirit. I planned monthly events to celebrate good behavior, organized a daily afterschool program full of enriching opportunities for the students, and ran pep rallies to celebrate our many sports teams. I ran committees, worked with families, and still found time to step back into the classroom to teach 6th and 7th graders their theology. I even coached a championship-level 5th grade girls basketball team last year. Every student in the school knew my name, and I knew all of theirs. 

Before that, I spent fourteen years as a teacher in classrooms from Phoenix, AZ to Madison, WI and finally to Milwaukee. I taught Spanish to students as young as kindergarten, but spent my last year teaching Shakespeare and Ray Bradbury virtually to Milwaukee 7th graders. One of the top compliments I heard a number of times at conferences with parents is when they'd tell me their kids always talked about their day at home, like they could not wait to tell their parents about what happened at school that day. I like to think that is because as a teacher, I was able to teach in a way that was interesting and relevant, but also fun. 

I am excited to be at St. Mary’s because this, from the beginning, has appeared to be a community that puts faith first. The biggest challenge we face not only as Catholic educators but as a Catholic community, is how do we impart our faith to the next generation? Not just in some vain hope of keeping our social or cultural groups alive, but because of the most sincere reality that God is real, that he had a Son who died for us, and that living a life in relationship with these truths is the most important thing we can ever do because it paves the way to eternity. 

St. Mary’s Visitation is a place that gets this, and is a community working together -families, teachers, clergy, parishioners - all motivated and dedicated to bringing about God’s Kingdom in our world, but most importantly, in our children. 

This is the work, and SMV is the place. I cannot wait to get started!

Blessings,

Siegfried (Siggy) Spelter

Principal

Mr. Spelter soaking up the last of the summer sun with a special someone!

School Office Notes

Turning Back the Clock -

Time Change

On school days, students will be able to enter the building starting at 7:35am. While different from the past couple of years, it is a familiar blast from the past time for many.

The doors will open at 7:35am for students. Students should not be dropped off, unattended, prior to that time. Students are expected to be in their classrooms by 7:45am - the final bell.

New Absence Reporting Tools!

We now have a dedicated phone line and email for student absences and tardiness. Please make note of this!

Parents/Guardians must report all student absences using either of the following:

Email: attendance@stmaryeg.org

Phone #: 262-901-1800

In order for the student absence to be excused, notice from a parent or guardian must be received via either of these channels of communication by 8:00am on the day of absence. A mention or note to a teacher will not suffice. This attendance information is then communicated to all teachers daily.

Please ONLY use these channels for reporting absences. Thank you.

Important Form to Submit!

Here it is! Everyone's favorite Start of School form. It is critical that one form for each family be submitted by the start of the school year!

Here is the link to the 2023-24 Start of School Packet form:

This link is also being sent with the class list email. Don't delay! Fill this out today!

Questions: Contact Mrs. Nordstrom at jnordstrom@stmaryeg.org

Lunchtime Playground and Cafeteria Volunteers

Families completing a total of six (6) shifts during the lunchtime, either playground or cafeteria duty, will be credited their $200 deposit (collected with tuition).

**All volunteers must sign in at the office prior to shifts. Bring a photo ID.**

Please see the sign-ups for Playground and Cafeteria duty under the Permanent Links of this newsletter.

Do not sign up for more than six shifts at this time! Thank you.

Volunteering at SMV

Parents who would like to volunteer in any capacity (classroom, recess duty, coaching, etc...) MUST take a Safe Environment Training session, pass a background check and sign the Code of Ethical Standards before they may volunteer. Information can be found on the Milwaukee Archdiocese website:

https://www.archmil.org/Offices/Safe-Environment.htm

If you have any questions, please contact our Safeguarding Coordinator, Chris Kinzy - ckinzy@stmaryeg.org

Medications

If your child needs to have medication that is to be kept at school, please make sure to fill out the correct forms. Bring the form along with the medication to the School Office. The Prescription and Non-Prescription Authorization forms can be found under the Permanent Links Section.

Hot Lunch at SMV

We can't wait to tell you more about the new and improved lunch service at SMV! Ordering and payment details will be forthcoming.

Hot lunch is a service offered to all students (K3-8th grades). Milk service, with or without hot lunch purchase, will also be available.

Please Note: Hot Lunch service will start on Tuesday, September 5th.