You're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM, 97.5 FM.
I'm Melissa Kaye, bringing you news in our community.
During this interview, I'm talking with Matt Sakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools on Friday, July 10th.
Thank you for joining me, Matt, to bring the community an update from Assumption.
Thanks for having me here, Melissa.
Always fantastic.
Allow me to talk about Assumption Catholic Schools.
especially in the summer
too.
And you have an exciting event coming up here soon.
It's the 38th annual Royal Golf Scramble that's taking place on July 17th.
It'll be here before we know it.
Let's dive in.
Absolutely.
Well, first of all, like I said, Melissa, previously, it's the summer, but there's still a lot going on.
And one of the big things that's going on is, as you mentioned, our golf tournament.
So our annual Royal Golf Scramble, it is a significant
fundraise an event for the athletic department.
And it's organized by Joe and Bob Burkhauser.
They have it down to a T, everything.
Many years doing it.
But always a challenge for them to be able to have a tournament that is high quality, a lot of fun.
So they take it, work very hard, take it very seriously.
And they do a phenomenal job.
And it's so important because there is a cost for doing athletics.
Very simple things that people probably don't even recognize.
Costs of transportation, when kids go to an away game, bus is not cheap.
No.
The pay for the officials.
So those are just some of the costs that the funds for this event goes towards.
But it is a week from today.
From
this recording.
Yeah.
So it's July 17 at the ridges golf course.
There's a morning and afternoon session.
And Joe won me to really emphasize to the viewing audience when they listen, not too late to register.
You can register the day before.
Nice.
And we'll find room for you.
But here's some really cool stuff.
You know, the Regis do such a great job providing the dinner, which takes place after the afternoon session.
Beef, medallion, chicken, Oscar dinner.
I hope I pronounced this right.
I think you got
it.
But they
been very people have really responded positively to our dinner there.
There's live music and the patio at the register from eight to midnight.
Bob and Joe are limiting the afternoon session to 36 groups.
But again, they'll take individuals and place them on foursome.
We'll take new foursome.
You know, I've helped out with this since I've been at Assumption and it is, it is really a happy event.
You recognize the people that
come back year after year.
And they love it.
And a lot of fellowship.
And we look forward to it.
So again, the just sometimes the afternoon, the morning session, I don't have the times written on here.
But I know I got to be there early.
I
got
to be there at 615.
So I
think
I believe the morning session starts at eight in the morning.
So there's afternoon at one, then dinner afterwards.
Sure.
And if I miss, if I'm not seeing the right information, Joe and Bob will have BOTAR and feather me,
but that's all right.
But you can contact them at 715-422-0915 to get all the correct information.
Yes, indeed.
So again, the great fundraiser for the athletic department, high quality event, the Ridges golf course, one of the gems here in this area.
So what is there not to like about this?
And you can reserve your spot with Joe and ask any questions that you may have.
The individual AM session is at $105, the foresums 420.
For the PM session, individuals 115, and a foresum is 460.
And it looks like you can even purchase extra banquet tickets for 40 bucks.
Yes.
Again, the meal itself is worth enough going there, being parked.
That's why we have that because it's it's really well received, Melissa.
So first class event, well organized, you're supporting our athletic department.
So just if you're available on this on July 17, we sure love to see you.
And another thing you have coming up here this summer, open enrollment with your your school system is open now.
But the let's talk about this a little bit.
So what this is, Melissa, it's the Wisconsin.
parental choice program choice.
And for July to able to enroll in this, you have until July 20.
What the choice program is, you have to qualify to receive financial assistance to be able to afford the tuition at assumption.
So it's really for families that can need the assistance to be able to go to our organization.
And it is huge because a lot of our families depend on choice.
I think the percentage of families that benefit from this well over 50%.
So we really need that.
And Carrie Klein is the person.
She's our enrollment director.
Her line 715-422-0901.
She'll take care of you and answer any questions you have.
or you can go on our website.
But we can't I can't emphasize enough how important this program is and that people are aware of it.
Hey, I can't afford going to assumption while there's there's a way that can help you.
And this is it.
You just have to find some information and be motivated to get that information.
And it's right there.
So that is really huge.
Yes.
And it is the voucher program.
So these are taxpayer dollars that are being
that go to schools for parents who qualify and who choose which school they want to send their children to.
That is
correct.
So it's just important to know and it's very nice to be able to talk about it and let everyone know.
Another event that we have, Melissa, if I could just jump right in.
Sure.
Right into this is we have a family night for our families at the Wisconsin Rapids Aquacenter that's Sunday, August 9th from 6 to 8.
That is just for our families.
So it's a private party.
It's free.
All our families need to do is notify me through email, Matthew dot Zikowski at ACSWR.org.
Let me know how many people from your family will be intending.
And we do this to let let the staff in the city know how many people we have intending.
just in case they need an extra lifeguard.
Sure.
They want to be staffed accordingly.
So this is our third year doing this.
It's been well received.
It's kind of a great way to end the summer and look forward to the upcoming school year because school starts just in two weeks.
Wow.
After that.
That's crazy.
So it's just if you haven't registered already for those families that are currently at assumption and for those that are that want to enroll, you are welcome to do this.
Love to see you.
August 9th.
Okay, and another August date that you have on here is our Lady Queen of Heaven parent meeting.
That's Thursday, August 20th from 5 to 6.
What happens at this parent meeting?
It gives the parents all the information they need to know.
Dates, what to bring at school, what the school day looks like, and just getting our families prepared for the school year.
Shelly Brully is our principal and
It just does a great job of keeping our families connected.
So that really is the first event to really kick off the school year.
And then on Monday, August 24th, Our Lady Queen of Heaven is doing what we call the Little Royals Roundup.
Now this is where actually the families and the kids, our students can stop by and meet the teachers and drop off through school supplies.
So you have the meeting on the 20th just for the parents.
And then on Monday, August 24th,
the students can come and meet their teachers.
And that's from four to six on Monday, August 24th.
And for those who don't know, Our Lady Queen of Heaven is what grades?
That goes from pre K through second grade.
Okay.
And really just a great start for our students at that school.
And you do a great job.
And if one thing I like to speak about when I was getting this information, Shelly had mentioned to me about something that
her and her staff take great pride in.
And our second graders always do what we call an Iowa test of basic skills.
The initials are ITBS.
And the test focuses on the following subjects, math, reading, science, social science.
the basic core of education.
And we've done very well in our testing the last five years.
Our second graders have tested well above the 50 percent percentile of what is the average.
And this is huge because it really number one, Shelley and her staff take great pride in educating our students.
They put a lot of work into this.
And for our students to be able to test as well as they do is really a great testimony of the effort.
that Shelley and her staff put into this.
And the viewing audience needs to understand, I'm not sure what the image is of our education, but our kids are getting a great education and assumption top notch in those in those core areas that we mentioned.
So very important, huge, we do a great job educating our kids, viewing a viewing audience, they help very helpful that they understand that.
So it's just
Our organization is just more than learning about the Catholic faith.
It's about being the best you can be on what matters at school.
Great stuff.
And we could talk more.
I love to have Shelly come here and talk more about this.
I'm trying to get her to do that.
She's a little shy about coming on on air, but to me, it's so important that
somebody
will do that.
I hope so.
One thing I would like to just mention with
with the assumption being a private school, you're not required to admit everybody that applies.
You have admission policies, and there's different.
What I'm getting to is special education students.
And when we look at test scores...
One thing that I have had multiple conversations with about my friends in the education system, a professor at UW-Stevens Point, that public schools are required to educate all students.
Correct.
Private schools have different set of rules.
Great, great point.
So I just, just to point out the comparison between test scores, it's not apples to apples.
We're talking apples to maybe green beans.
True.
That is a great, great point, Melissa.
I know one thing, and this is, you know, I've been at an assumption for two and a half years, and one of the first questions that I asked, this about our organization, do students that have challenges, do we have programs for them, like the public schools do, and we do have that, maybe not at the participation level as the public schools, but we do have programs where kids are challenged.
or more than welcome to come to Assumption Catholic School.
And I did notice that looking through your handbook that you do have a process to determine if ACS can accommodate them in their needs.
So it's good.
And I
do know we have that.
And that's important for the viewing audience to know as well.
So it's not just the public schools who do that do a phenomenal job of that.
And through the voucher program, there are special education funding also available.
Um, and that is mentioned in your handbook that that's also available for parents.
So those are all great points.
And again, these are, are be a great topic to really just focus on the next time we meet or sometime when we meet.
Yeah.
We'll see if we can twist our arm and get around here.
Maybe not an arm twisting.
Maybe we need to offer cookies or something.
She has a saw spot for that, I think we
saw.
Well, let's take a brief pause here to hear from our sponsors.
I'm Melissa K talking with Matsukowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools, and you're listening to Perspective on 13.20 a.m.
97.5 FM WFHR.
Welcome.
You're listening to Perspective on WFHR 1320 AM, 97.5 FM.
I'm Melissa Kaye, bringing you news in our community.
I'm speaking with Matt Sakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools.
And where we left off, we were talking about testing and the second graders doing such a phenomenal job over the last five years and their test scores.
And then we talked a bit about the difference between...
Private and public schools and and who they are required to educate or who they they do choose to educate But let's look ahead now to the beginning of next school year At the end of August.
I know we're still in July and we want to cling to summer But the school year will be here before we know it.
It's already mid-July And you're exactly right about that Melissa it'll go just like that
before you know
we'll be back at school so
our seniors report their first day is Tuesday, August 25th.
That's just for the senior class of 2027.
And then K through 11, their first day of schools the following day on Wednesday, August 26.
So that is just, again, it'll come before you know it.
Yeah, don't blink.
So yeah, I mean, right now, this is the summer is a is a is a season of rest.
especially for our teachers and our students.
But we'll be kicking it off very soon.
Very soon.
It's kind of cool that the seniors get the whole school to themselves for a day.
It is.
And it's always been that way.
So they are always the first ones to start and they're the first ones to have their last day.
Yeah.
Well, it makes sense.
It's very
fitting.
It makes sense.
That's what they work towards.
And this will be the senior class of 2027.
2027.
That's impressive.
But you also have another thing coming up.
I'm super excited about this.
Assumption theatricals present Mary Poppins, the musical November 12th through the 14th at the high school.
This is a big fundraiser for Assumption Catholic schools.
Let's talk about this a little bit.
You bet, Melissa.
So this is...
you know you had and mentioned that it's a it's a major fundraiser it is this has taken place of the auction we used to do an auction for 15 years and so we changed gears last year that instead of having the auction which served as a fundraising and again the fundraising for the auction and for the musical primarily is for the help our facilities make improvements
Um, with their buildings.
It's called fund in need.
Okay.
So maybe replace windows, um, put new security doors and all that stuff costs money.
Yeah.
But the musical also will go towards the proceeds go towards our theatrical program.
Now, Ryan Houston is our director.
Is he directing again this
year?
Passionate.
He's doing it again.
Nice.
Very talented.
It's impressed with them and
Oh, creative and organized he is.
And so part of the proceeds go towards his program as well.
Which is huge for our students.
There's so many great things about them being involved in the theatrical program.
So many great lessons they're learning.
But this is our second musical after
a long, sister act.
You did Sister
Act last year.
Tremendous success.
So
Mary Poppins is such a classic musical.
It is so much fun.
And there's roles for multiple ages in Mary Poppins.
You've got kids, you've got, and obviously your young adults will be playing the adults in the show.
But you also have a dinner theater.
Well, we have a lot going on.
It's November 12th through the 14th.
And the 12th is the dinner show?
The 12th
is a dinner show, which is a Thursday, and that is a...
That's a huge undertaking.
We have as many as 30 tables of eight.
We have a meal catered in by a caterer from the CUSA.
Okay, my apologies.
We're not knowing their name and recognizing them.
But they do a great job.
So we have that dinner show on Thursday.
And then we follow that up with shows on Friday at seven.
And then on Saturday, we have a matinee show at one and we have a conclude
Murray Poppins with a 7pm show on Saturday.
We
have raffle baskets throughout all the shows.
Nice.
That you know, we did did really well with that last year.
So we're excited about this.
I know Ryan will be here on definitely in October, probably November.
Sure.
Really trying to talk
about it.
And again, a major fundraiser.
And I guess for the viewing public.
This is showing up at one of the shows.
We'll have more information on our website as far as the cost of the tickets.
Where do the performances take place?
They take great question.
They take place in our gym, gymnasium.
Right there at assumption.
At assumption.
So all this takes place at our high school.
The raffle baskets, the show, the dinner show.
So it's a huge undertaking.
I like to recognize not only the great work Ryan does, but in the kids, but the volunteers.
primarily being the parents of kids that are in the musical, very passionate, a lot of work.
I mean, just with the costume stage set up, the music, I mean, it is a, it's a,
there's a lot that goes into a show.
Yeah,
for sure.
As you know, Melissa, it's a team effort.
So
we're looking forward to it.
Starting our fundraising for this already, and really hoping to do
even better than we did last year with
Sister Act, to build on that.
Sure.
Well, and Mary Poppins is very popular, especially there's been a resurgence with a recent remake of the movie in, I don't even remember how many years ago.
I think of the one with Dick Van Dyke.
Of course, of
course,
and
Julie Andrews.
And
Julie Andrews, that is the one that I'm kind of dating myself.
Well, me too, man.
You know what I did?
That's my
favorite.
I didn't even know there was a
remake.
There is, yep, there is a newer one that just came out recently.
Was it animated?
No, no, it was live action.
Ryan's play will be much better than that.
And you'll have local celebrities on the stage.
We have
some very talented
young people.
I'm
excited.
From what I saw at Sister Act, we have a lot of our actors and actresses coming back.
That's
great.
They're already rehearsing,
they're
already working, they're already ahead of the game.
Excellent.
So you build on what we did last year.
can't emphasize enough to everyone out there just come on out support this
well and another thing that everyone can they can be a star at your 26 27 bingo dates coming up
bingo is huge sponsored organized by the royal parents a committed group of parents that do a lot of work
mm-hmm
and care a lot about our organization and a big
thing on their plate is the bingo.
So, it takes place on Sundays.
If I can just go over the dates quickly.
Sure.
September 20th, October 1st and 25th, November 8th and 22nd, December 6th.
Two dates in January, that's on the 10th and 24th.
Two dates in February 7th and 21st.
One date only in March, March 7th.
Two dates in April, that's April 4th and 18th.
And we conclude things on May 2nd.
This is also a fundraising event.
So how this works is the rural parents offer all the dates and they offer it to grade levels, schools, athletic teams.
So whatever grade level or school or athletic team volunteering for one of these dates, they find some of the volunteers to help with the running of that.
And they get the proceeds.
Oh, nice.
So really
A lot of the proceeds go, for example, let's say if you have the third grade class at St.
Vincent de Paul, we'll want to do this September 20th.
They do all the work and they get the proceeds from that.
That commonly goes towards maybe a field trip that the student, that the school wants to go to.
Yeah, some extras for the
students.
Again, we, being a private organization, we do a lot of fundraising and we need all the help we can get.
And
Bingo does that.
And we have a Laurel group of the public that loves to come out.
It's on Sunday, doors open at noon, actual event starts at one, and we wrap things up at three.
And again, this is another thing I'd love to have some of the rural parents come on this show to delve more into the logistics.
some of the actual games itself.
Yeah, well, because these putting on these events is it sounds like, oh, let's go out and play bingo.
There's so much that happens behind the scenes to make these events happen.
Absolutely.
And, you know, one thing with on these bingo dates, there's concessions, just just
things.
And with the kids also helping with volunteering, that gives them some ownership and some pride and and raising that money for their classroom.
That's really neat.
People love bingo.
They certainly, and you go there sometimes seeing the same, and it's a good thing, same people come back are very Laurel.
So we love to see new people come out
and
support this.
Hats off to the Royal parents, you know, just all these dates, and they're there for every single one of them.
A lot of opportunities to play bingo at assumption.
Speaking of new faces, how are your staffing levels at assumption this year?
coming up for this next year.
I think we're set at Our Lady, Queen of Heaven and Saint Vincent de Paul.
I think there's a few vacancies at the middle and high school.
I could be incorrect in that, Melissa, but I know that putting this together, I did see that we're still in the process of interviewing and accepting applications for some of these teaching positions at the middle and high school.
So again, great question.
So anyone out there listening?
interested, contact Amber Fran.
She is our principal at the middle and high school.
Okay.
She'll love to hear from you.
Wonderful.
Well, I appreciate you taking the time today, Matt.
I'm Melissa Kaye, speaking with Matt Zikowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools.
Thank you for coming in, Matt.
Always great being here.
Thanks a lot, Melissa.
We'll see you in August.
All right.
And thank you to listeners joining us for news in our community.
On perspective, 1320 AM, 97.5 FM, WFHR.
