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, August 14th.
Thank you for joining me, Matt, to bring the community an update from Assumption.
Well, it's always a pleasure being with you in this format and really appreciate the...
the opportunity always to talk about Ascension Catholic Schools to the viewing audience or listening audience.
Yeah.
Well, I really appreciate you being flexible today, Matt, and doing this over the phone.
I know it's a different format, but we'll try to make it sound as usual business as possible.
I'm not going to change it all, Melissa.
I'm
just going to
still just call like a call like I see it here.
And and but yeah, it is.
a little bit different than what we do, but change is good, too.
Oh, yes.
Well, and some of those changes are coming to your fall athletic program.
Let's dive in because I know you have a lot to share about what's going on with football at Assumption.
Let's just dive right in.
You know, Melissa, our football program here at Assumption, we have just a proud, rich history.
We've had a lot of great athletes.
If you look in our Hall of Fame,
Athletic Hall fame on our first floor, you'll see a lot of inductees that were part of the football program.
But as you mentioned, there are some changes.
And there are some changes with our program heading into this season.
And the biggest change is really two.
One is we are now playing eight aside football.
So what that is, is usually in football.
on the offense and defense side, you have 11 players on the field.
Oh,
okay.
And I know that 11 because when Aaron Rodgers was playing with the Packers, he was a master, it always created an offsides in the defense.
There's 12 men on the field.
And that's, you can't have 12 men.
It's 11.
That's standard.
Now, what we're doing this year is we're going with eight players aside, eight players aside on offense and defense.
So that really changes somewhat the dynamic of the game itself.
It's more of a, at least offensively, more option, passing, running.
And a big thing with this is the dimensions of the field are shorter than a regular football field.
So it's not as wide, not as long.
So I know Port Edwards High School had switched to Adeside a couple of years ago.
And they have been transitioned really successfully, and we're expecting the same thing with our program.
One big reason for it, Melissa, is we just don't have as many kids going out.
Well, football is a really contact sport.
So I imagine that there are some kids or maybe parents who are choosing to do a different sport for their kids.
Absolutely.
That's a great point.
with all the awareness of head injuries.
You know, the last couple of years, I've just known that, or just being here at Assumption, that is concerned with parents.
Head injuries for their son.
And that's a legitimate concern.
So you have that, but I think primarily our numbers aren't as great, which really kind of prompted us to go to this.
this new style of football.
Now, with that being said, another new thing that we have is we're a part of a different conference for football.
In the past, we were always part of what we call the Marrow Wood Conference.
Now, the new conference that we're in, because we're in a conference with schools at half age side, is now the North Central Conference East.
That's our conference.
Now, our other sports, besides football, are still part of the Marrow Wood.
OK.
But just football is part of this new conference.
And that's because of the number of player change.
You can play with other
eyes.
Correct.
Because I think there are more teams still playing the 11th side in our old conference.
So Joe Berkhauser, our athletic director, has really navigated through all these changes just beautifully.
And so we're ready to go.
And Jeff Sullivan is our head coach.
Jeff's been with us for a number of years.
Um, dedicated, great guy.
And as always, Melissa, we play our games at the, our home games at the Southwood County stadium here in Wisconsin Rapids, located on 16th street.
Our games primarily on Friday evening.
So, you know, everyone in the listening audience, if you're, uh, even if you don't have any ties, your assumption, Catholic schools,
I can't think of a better way to spend a crisp fall evening, Friday evening
watching high school football.
I mean,
class.
So our games are on Friday, our home games are on Friday evenings, primarily starting at 7 p.m.
Some of the teams in our conference are Rauchal.
I hope I'm pronouncing this correctly.
Rauchal, thanks, Melissa.
The Thorpe Cardinals, Alma Lincoln Hornets.
the Athens Blue Jays, the Owen with the Blackhawks, the Gilman Pirates, the Cornell Chiefs, and the Newman Fighting Cardinals.
Now, with schools and nicknames like that, what more can you ask for,
So it is, we're looking forward to it.
Our kids are fired up.
And a special game of note is our homecoming game.
which will take place on Friday, September 25th.
That's a home game now that it's an earlier start time for homecoming.
That's at 4 p.m.
You can always get our schedule on our website.
We can do that, Melissa, and I wanted to recognize a potential player on our team that could be very well playing beyond high school.
Maybe at Division 3 or 2.
And his name is Riley Wiley.
Cornwell.
I know this kid because he works out at the gym that I go to.
So you see
Yeah, I see him regularly and he, uh, great kid really gets after it with his workouts.
Now he is a lineback.
He plays, and the thing is what each side Melissa, the kids primarily will be playing on both sides of the ball.
play defense and offense because the numbers are so low.
So Riley is a linebacker on defense, and then on offense, he's kind of a Swiss Army knife.
He plays a combination of tight end, H-back.
I mean, I wouldn't even doubt the kid would be playing some quarterback as well.
So...
Well, that gives him a lot more experience in all the different positions in the football.
It does, you know, and obviously with that, we just got to make sure the kids are healthy.
Yes.
Abort injuries because it is, you know, eight games is a long season.
And, you know, we want to build on the success we had last year.
Last year, the kids were coming off, going into last year, some really lean years where they were, we didn't have as many wins, but last year we had three wins.
Nice.
And which was a really positive step forward for us.
So Jeff and his team is kind of fired up and ready to go.
And in fact, the season
kicks off tonight.
Yes, as listeners heard this next week, they will have already had their first scrimmage.
Yes, that's Friday, that's tonight, August 14th, and they're playing Newman.
All
right.
That's in the afternoon.
So we wish the Royals a successful season and we'd love to have everyone out there come on out on Friday night at the Southwood County Stadium and
see some great football.
Yeah, write that one down on your calendars, Friday, September 25th.
But there's also some more fall athletics in our last couple of minutes here, the first segment.
Let's talk about girls tennis.
Girls tennis.
I think that really sticks out for me with this team is the coach.
The coach is none other than Phil Hartley.
Ah, good old Phil.
Phil is a proprietor for quality plus printing.
Yes.
valuable friend and supporter of Assumption Catholic schools.
And he just makes, I know he makes that program.
The Girls' Pen is fun for the kids.
Always solid numbers.
Very involved in the community.
Very involved and always has the kids best interest at heart.
So that's the kids look forward to.
Once again, playing again, strong numbers on that team.
I think we have anywhere between 10 and 15.
Nice.
That's really nice.
So we have girls tennis headed up by Phil and then across country team.
Jim Dolan is our head coach for both boys and girls.
Our girls program been very successful.
Really have had a lot of success at the state meet in November that's held here at the ridges.
And I spoke with our athletic director, Joel, a little bit yesterday and he had mentioned the boys.
Look out for the boys this year.
They're going to have a really strong team.
And Jim's son, the coach's son, Melissa, you're going to kill.
I don't have his, I don't have his name, but his
think is a soft, he's going to be a sophomore and.
I think one state in the 1600 and he's an exceptional athlete.
So we're looking forward to seeing how the boys will do.
The girls will be solid as ever.
And then lastly, as far as the as the athletic segment, Melissa, we got to recognize the girls volleyball program, building in numbers, coached by Sean Kuzak and home games at our
gymnasium in the high school and good turnout for that too.
We have a good solid number so it's great to have just thriving girl sport programs and assumption.
Well that sounds like an excellent fall athletics
Overview overall, we're excited to see where these young athletes go, but let's just pause for a short moment here to hear from our sponsors.
I'm Melissa Kaye talking with Matt Sakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools, and you're listening to Perspective on 1320 AM, 975 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 Zakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools.
And where we left off, Matt, we were talking about fall athletics.
And that isn't the only thing that happens in the fall, obviously.
School is going to begin soon.
So let's talk about school beginning.
School is rapidly.
coming upon us Melissa.
It
literally really is and now we start the last week of August.
So we you know my office is located on the third floor of the high school and it's been fairly quiet most of the summer.
It's just been myself Larry and Liz and Jeremy who continue to work right up until the first day of school getting the classrooms ready.
Let's do a lot of painting.
In fact, when I came in this morning, she was, you know, touching up some piles on this staircase.
always
do.
She's just, yeah, she just works really hard.
We're blessed to have her, the home maintenance staff.
So they've been working hard.
The finance people, Destiny and Nikita have been here this summer and you are IT person and Deacon Michael, our president and myself now within the last week.
Rusty and more teachers getting ready, getting their classrooms ready, so you get sense
It's coming up
is.
We had our family night this past Sunday at the Wisconsin Rapids Aquatic Center.
You had a great turnout.
We had over 50 families, over 200 people, and these were primarily families.
Melissa had our grade schools at Our Lady Queen of Heaven.
and St.
Vincent de Paul.
It's always really a great way for the families and students to get together, celebrate the end of the summer, and getting ready for the school year, which is here.
Now, our seniors report just a senior class on Tuesday, August 25th, and then the day after, on Wednesday, August 26th, we have our pre-K through 12.
So that...
I'm sorry, through 11th.
So it is really, really, if you think about it, we just said one week and then the following week, the kids are back.
So currently right now, as of today, Melissa, we have 400 kids enrolled.
That's pre-K through 12th.
I spoke with Terry Klein, she's our enrollment director and we're still expecting hopefully a few more families that will be with us before school starts.
But we're really...
you know, hoping to increase that 400 number.
And again, if anyone out in the listening audience is interested or wants more information, go to our website and contact Carrie.
So we'll give you all the information you need to know.
And really one thing that is, or a big thing that's going on at our high school, middle school list is we're getting our front entryway, which is located right on Chestnut Street.
Get a huge makeover.
is significant because that entryway is the key.
That's where everyone enters to go to, for example, the girls volleyball games.
That's where people are.
That's where they enter.
That's where a lot of our students enter before school begins.
Well, the brick and motor by the front entrance was falling apart.
Oh, dear.
So this was a necessity that you get this fixed.
So right now we started this project last week.
In addition to replacing a lot of the bricks, we're going to have our new ratchet that the statue of Mary needs to be replaced in the entryway.
Right now it's down.
The area behind Mary was falling apart.
And a big thing with this is we had stairs.
We had a few steps leading to the doors.
We're going to remove the stairs and just make it a more handicapped accessible.
Oh, it's more like a ramp.
It's just going to be more like a ramp.
So a new covering.
It's hoping that we get this project done sometime in October.
So everyone that's part of our middle school and high school, there's a different way to enter the building right on Mead Street.
I know we've been in contact with the families and anyone that's listening in this show.
Be aware of that because it's just, you know, we just have to adjust.
So your regular part of the entryway is under construction for the first couple months of school here.
They'll have to enter on, you said Mead Street?
On Mead Street, correct.
So it'll be well worth it.
It'll be safe once it's completed.
It's just, I think it's just gonna, I think people like
it.
Well, in building
maintenance,
yes.
Building maintenance seems to never end.
There's always more projects to do and more things to fix.
But this one sounds like it was very necessary.
If the brick is crumbling, you definitely got to do something about that.
Well, it's exactly, it was about safety.
That's what it is.
So we have that going on.
And if I could, Melissa, one thing,
anyone listening out there knows someone or perhaps that person who's listening could possibly join us on our staff or teaching staff.
We're still looking for a new science teacher here at the high school.
Okay.
So interviewing and hoping to get that person in place before they start a school but it's coming upon
us.
It's getting here real fast.
Coming up quick and then as far as things at the high school, of course, I got to mention bingo kicks off on Sunday, September 20th in our gymnasium.
Oh, yes.
Everybody loves bingo.
It's just their oral parents are the ones who organize this and they're ready to go.
It's a well oral machine.
So the first bingo game is Sunday, September 20th and you usually have about what, two a month?
Correct.
We usually have two a month, so we have just one in September, two in October, two in November, and one in December for this school year.
So just
go on your website.
They'll be on our website, correct.
Well, now we need to touch on something I'm excited about because it's theater.
You have a fun musical happening this year.
It's a very popular one.
Can you share with us what it is, Matt?
It is the official name of it.
Melissa is a Disney and Cameron Macintosh is Mary Poppins.
So we are doing Mary Poppins.
Ryan Husted is our musical director, theatrical director.
And we are coming off the success last year of Sister Act.
Now was the first Sister Act was the first musical we've done since 2019.
It's been that long.
So.
The thing with the musical, it is a significant fundraiser for our organization.
So a lot of the proceeds go towards our theatrical program, which is so crucial as far as developing self-esteem with our kids that are involved in our plays and all those great lessons that they learn.
And also the proceeds from this event will go towards what we call our funding need, which provides revenue.
or revenue streams for our schools, for any projects they need, maintenance-wise.
And there's always that.
So it is significant fundraiser for us.
We do have, in addition to the play, we have a raffle basket for each of the nights that we have to play.
Now, the play itself runs from November 12th through the 14th, highlighted a dinner spot on Thursday, November 12th.
that's
huge one that's really kicks the the musical off and then on friday we have a performance at seven p.m and then on saturday november 14th we have two shows we have a matinee at one p.m and an evening show at seven p.m musical takes place in our gymnasium in the high school
oh wow is that where the dinner is as well
the dinner the dinner show will be there in the high school gymnasium as well on that thursday so we uh
really looking forward to it.
And I know for a fact, Ryan cannot wait to speak with you, Melissa.
Now, I'm thinking he'll be doing this for sure in October, possibly November.
He's already asked me about it.
So he really gets after it, very enthusiastic.
We have a great group of kids that are part of the play.
And most importantly, this is a wonderful group of volunteers, primarily the parents of the students that are in the play that really dedicated and committed and do a heck of a lot of work to get this thing off the ground.
So that is our focus.
We have a lot of sponsorship.
We have corporate and individual sponsors that I'm working on to support this.
And do
you still welcome of those sponsorships available?
Yes, right up until...
The end of September, really until mid-October, we're accepting anyone that wants to support financially this play would be greatly appreciated.
And you could call me at 715-422-0914 or go on the website and look for my email.
But let me give you my email anyway.
It's matthew, my full name, .sekowski at acswr.org.
So if you want to be involved in this play,
rich me out those those contact numbers
well and pretty much I think at this point everybody knows that Mary Poppins in some form or another it's a wonderful story and it's a it's a great musical it's one of my favorites
you know I just think of I think of the the movie growing up with Dick Van Dyke
so yeah it's you know Ryan picked another winner another challenge in play but I think he's
They did such a great job last year at Sister
There was so much singing, as you know, Melissa, with that play, a lot of dancing.
yeah.
And we got, we didn't start till September last year.
And for them to do as well as they did, it was really something.
So here's another year for us, second year in a row.
I need to, we know what we're getting into.
So we're a little...
bit ahead of the planning curve and it'll just be that much better this year.
And as those of us involved in theater know, the royalties for musicals are more expensive, so I'm sure any corporate or individual sponsorships would be greatly appreciated to help out this musical performance of Mary Poppins.
Well, Matt, we have to wrap it up here.
It has been a wonderful conversation, as always, with you getting us up to date on what's happening at Assumption.
I'm Melissa K, speaking with Matt Zakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools.
Thank you again for taking the time today, Matt.
Thanks, thanks, Melissa.
Always appreciated it.
So long, everybody.
Melissa, look forward to us.
talking with you in September.
All right and thank you to listeners joining us for news in our community on perspective 13 20 a.m.
97 5 fm wfhr
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, August 14th.
Thank you for joining me, Matt, to bring the community an update from Assumption.
Well, it's always a pleasure being with you in this format and really appreciate the...
the opportunity always to talk about Ascension Catholic Schools to the viewing audience or listening audience.
Yeah.
Well, I really appreciate you being flexible today, Matt, and doing this over the phone.
I know it's a different format, but we'll try to make it sound as usual business as possible.
I'm not going to change it all, Melissa.
I'm
just going to
still just call like a call like I see it here.
And and but yeah, it is.
a little bit different than what we do, but change is good, too.
Oh, yes.
Well, and some of those changes are coming to your fall athletic program.
Let's dive in because I know you have a lot to share about what's going on with football at Assumption.
Let's just dive right in.
You know, Melissa, our football program here at Assumption, we have just a proud, rich history.
We've had a lot of great athletes.
If you look in our Hall of Fame,
Athletic Hall fame on our first floor, you'll see a lot of inductees that were part of the football program.
But as you mentioned, there are some changes.
And there are some changes with our program heading into this season.
And the biggest change is really two.
One is we are now playing eight aside football.
So what that is, is usually in football.
on the offense and defense side, you have 11 players on the field.
Oh,
okay.
And I know that 11 because when Aaron Rodgers was playing with the Packers, he was a master, it always created an offsides in the defense.
There's 12 men on the field.
And that's, you can't have 12 men.
It's 11.
That's standard.
Now, what we're doing this year is we're going with eight players aside, eight players aside on offense and defense.
So that really changes somewhat the dynamic of the game itself.
It's more of a, at least offensively, more option, passing, running.
And a big thing with this is the dimensions of the field are shorter than a regular football field.
So it's not as wide, not as long.
So I know Port Edwards High School had switched to Adeside a couple of years ago.
And they have been transitioned really successfully, and we're expecting the same thing with our program.
One big reason for it, Melissa, is we just don't have as many kids going out.
Well, football is a really contact sport.
So I imagine that there are some kids or maybe parents who are choosing to do a different sport for their kids.
Absolutely.
That's a great point.
with all the awareness of head injuries.
You know, the last couple of years, I've just known that, or just being here at Assumption, that is concerned with parents.
Head injuries for their son.
And that's a legitimate concern.
So you have that, but I think primarily our numbers aren't as great, which really kind of prompted us to go to this.
this new style of football.
Now, with that being said, another new thing that we have is we're a part of a different conference for football.
In the past, we were always part of what we call the Marrow Wood Conference.
Now, the new conference that we're in, because we're in a conference with schools at half age side, is now the North Central Conference East.
That's our conference.
Now, our other sports, besides football, are still part of the Marrow Wood.
OK.
But just football is part of this new conference.
And that's because of the number of player change.
You can play with other
eyes.
Correct.
Because I think there are more teams still playing the 11th side in our old conference.
So Joe Berkhauser, our athletic director, has really navigated through all these changes just beautifully.
And so we're ready to go.
And Jeff Sullivan is our head coach.
Jeff's been with us for a number of years.
Um, dedicated, great guy.
And as always, Melissa, we play our games at the, our home games at the Southwood County stadium here in Wisconsin Rapids, located on 16th street.
Our games primarily on Friday evening.
So, you know, everyone in the listening audience, if you're, uh, even if you don't have any ties, your assumption, Catholic schools,
I can't think of a better way to spend a crisp fall evening, Friday evening
watching high school football.
I mean,
class.
So our games are on Friday, our home games are on Friday evenings, primarily starting at 7 p.m.
Some of the teams in our conference are Rauchal.
I hope I'm pronouncing this correctly.
Rauchal, thanks, Melissa.
The Thorpe Cardinals, Alma Lincoln Hornets.
the Athens Blue Jays, the Owen with the Blackhawks, the Gilman Pirates, the Cornell Chiefs, and the Newman Fighting Cardinals.
Now, with schools and nicknames like that, what more can you ask for,
So it is, we're looking forward to it.
Our kids are fired up.
And a special game of note is our homecoming game.
which will take place on Friday, September 25th.
That's a home game now that it's an earlier start time for homecoming.
That's at 4 p.m.
You can always get our schedule on our website.
We can do that, Melissa, and I wanted to recognize a potential player on our team that could be very well playing beyond high school.
Maybe at Division 3 or 2.
And his name is Riley Wiley.
Cornwell.
I know this kid because he works out at the gym that I go to.
So you see
Yeah, I see him regularly and he, uh, great kid really gets after it with his workouts.
Now he is a lineback.
He plays, and the thing is what each side Melissa, the kids primarily will be playing on both sides of the ball.
play defense and offense because the numbers are so low.
So Riley is a linebacker on defense, and then on offense, he's kind of a Swiss Army knife.
He plays a combination of tight end, H-back.
I mean, I wouldn't even doubt the kid would be playing some quarterback as well.
So...
Well, that gives him a lot more experience in all the different positions in the football.
It does, you know, and obviously with that, we just got to make sure the kids are healthy.
Yes.
Abort injuries because it is, you know, eight games is a long season.
And, you know, we want to build on the success we had last year.
Last year, the kids were coming off, going into last year, some really lean years where they were, we didn't have as many wins, but last year we had three wins.
Nice.
And which was a really positive step forward for us.
So Jeff and his team is kind of fired up and ready to go.
And in fact, the season
kicks off tonight.
Yes, as listeners heard this next week, they will have already had their first scrimmage.
Yes, that's Friday, that's tonight, August 14th, and they're playing Newman.
All
right.
That's in the afternoon.
So we wish the Royals a successful season and we'd love to have everyone out there come on out on Friday night at the Southwood County Stadium and
see some great football.
Yeah, write that one down on your calendars, Friday, September 25th.
But there's also some more fall athletics in our last couple of minutes here, the first segment.
Let's talk about girls tennis.
Girls tennis.
I think that really sticks out for me with this team is the coach.
The coach is none other than Phil Hartley.
Ah, good old Phil.
Phil is a proprietor for quality plus printing.
Yes.
valuable friend and supporter of Assumption Catholic schools.
And he just makes, I know he makes that program.
The Girls' Pen is fun for the kids.
Always solid numbers.
Very involved in the community.
Very involved and always has the kids best interest at heart.
So that's the kids look forward to.
Once again, playing again, strong numbers on that team.
I think we have anywhere between 10 and 15.
Nice.
That's really nice.
So we have girls tennis headed up by Phil and then across country team.
Jim Dolan is our head coach for both boys and girls.
Our girls program been very successful.
Really have had a lot of success at the state meet in November that's held here at the ridges.
And I spoke with our athletic director, Joel, a little bit yesterday and he had mentioned the boys.
Look out for the boys this year.
They're going to have a really strong team.
And Jim's son, the coach's son, Melissa, you're going to kill.
I don't have his, I don't have his name, but his
think is a soft, he's going to be a sophomore and.
I think one state in the 1600 and he's an exceptional athlete.
So we're looking forward to seeing how the boys will do.
The girls will be solid as ever.
And then lastly, as far as the as the athletic segment, Melissa, we got to recognize the girls volleyball program, building in numbers, coached by Sean Kuzak and home games at our
gymnasium in the high school and good turnout for that too.
We have a good solid number so it's great to have just thriving girl sport programs and assumption.
Well that sounds like an excellent fall athletics
Overview overall, we're excited to see where these young athletes go, but let's just pause for a short moment here to hear from our sponsors.
I'm Melissa Kaye talking with Matt Sakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools, and you're listening to Perspective on 1320 AM, 975 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 Zakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools.
And where we left off, Matt, we were talking about fall athletics.
And that isn't the only thing that happens in the fall, obviously.
School is going to begin soon.
So let's talk about school beginning.
School is rapidly.
coming upon us Melissa.
It
literally really is and now we start the last week of August.
So we you know my office is located on the third floor of the high school and it's been fairly quiet most of the summer.
It's just been myself Larry and Liz and Jeremy who continue to work right up until the first day of school getting the classrooms ready.
Let's do a lot of painting.
In fact, when I came in this morning, she was, you know, touching up some piles on this staircase.
always
do.
She's just, yeah, she just works really hard.
We're blessed to have her, the home maintenance staff.
So they've been working hard.
The finance people, Destiny and Nikita have been here this summer and you are IT person and Deacon Michael, our president and myself now within the last week.
Rusty and more teachers getting ready, getting their classrooms ready, so you get sense
It's coming up
is.
We had our family night this past Sunday at the Wisconsin Rapids Aquatic Center.
You had a great turnout.
We had over 50 families, over 200 people, and these were primarily families.
Melissa had our grade schools at Our Lady Queen of Heaven.
and St.
Vincent de Paul.
It's always really a great way for the families and students to get together, celebrate the end of the summer, and getting ready for the school year, which is here.
Now, our seniors report just a senior class on Tuesday, August 25th, and then the day after, on Wednesday, August 26th, we have our pre-K through 12.
So that...
I'm sorry, through 11th.
So it is really, really, if you think about it, we just said one week and then the following week, the kids are back.
So currently right now, as of today, Melissa, we have 400 kids enrolled.
That's pre-K through 12th.
I spoke with Terry Klein, she's our enrollment director and we're still expecting hopefully a few more families that will be with us before school starts.
But we're really...
you know, hoping to increase that 400 number.
And again, if anyone out in the listening audience is interested or wants more information, go to our website and contact Carrie.
So we'll give you all the information you need to know.
And really one thing that is, or a big thing that's going on at our high school, middle school list is we're getting our front entryway, which is located right on Chestnut Street.
Get a huge makeover.
is significant because that entryway is the key.
That's where everyone enters to go to, for example, the girls volleyball games.
That's where people are.
That's where they enter.
That's where a lot of our students enter before school begins.
Well, the brick and motor by the front entrance was falling apart.
Oh, dear.
So this was a necessity that you get this fixed.
So right now we started this project last week.
In addition to replacing a lot of the bricks, we're going to have our new ratchet that the statue of Mary needs to be replaced in the entryway.
Right now it's down.
The area behind Mary was falling apart.
And a big thing with this is we had stairs.
We had a few steps leading to the doors.
We're going to remove the stairs and just make it a more handicapped accessible.
Oh, it's more like a ramp.
It's just going to be more like a ramp.
So a new covering.
It's hoping that we get this project done sometime in October.
So everyone that's part of our middle school and high school, there's a different way to enter the building right on Mead Street.
I know we've been in contact with the families and anyone that's listening in this show.
Be aware of that because it's just, you know, we just have to adjust.
So your regular part of the entryway is under construction for the first couple months of school here.
They'll have to enter on, you said Mead Street?
On Mead Street, correct.
So it'll be well worth it.
It'll be safe once it's completed.
It's just, I think it's just gonna, I think people like
it.
Well, in building
maintenance,
yes.
Building maintenance seems to never end.
There's always more projects to do and more things to fix.
But this one sounds like it was very necessary.
If the brick is crumbling, you definitely got to do something about that.
Well, it's exactly, it was about safety.
That's what it is.
So we have that going on.
And if I could, Melissa, one thing,
anyone listening out there knows someone or perhaps that person who's listening could possibly join us on our staff or teaching staff.
We're still looking for a new science teacher here at the high school.
Okay.
So interviewing and hoping to get that person in place before they start a school but it's coming upon
us.
It's getting here real fast.
Coming up quick and then as far as things at the high school, of course, I got to mention bingo kicks off on Sunday, September 20th in our gymnasium.
Oh, yes.
Everybody loves bingo.
It's just their oral parents are the ones who organize this and they're ready to go.
It's a well oral machine.
So the first bingo game is Sunday, September 20th and you usually have about what, two a month?
Correct.
We usually have two a month, so we have just one in September, two in October, two in November, and one in December for this school year.
So just
go on your website.
They'll be on our website, correct.
Well, now we need to touch on something I'm excited about because it's theater.
You have a fun musical happening this year.
It's a very popular one.
Can you share with us what it is, Matt?
It is the official name of it.
Melissa is a Disney and Cameron Macintosh is Mary Poppins.
So we are doing Mary Poppins.
Ryan Husted is our musical director, theatrical director.
And we are coming off the success last year of Sister Act.
Now was the first Sister Act was the first musical we've done since 2019.
It's been that long.
So.
The thing with the musical, it is a significant fundraiser for our organization.
So a lot of the proceeds go towards our theatrical program, which is so crucial as far as developing self-esteem with our kids that are involved in our plays and all those great lessons that they learn.
And also the proceeds from this event will go towards what we call our funding need, which provides revenue.
or revenue streams for our schools, for any projects they need, maintenance-wise.
And there's always that.
So it is significant fundraiser for us.
We do have, in addition to the play, we have a raffle basket for each of the nights that we have to play.
Now, the play itself runs from November 12th through the 14th, highlighted a dinner spot on Thursday, November 12th.
that's
huge one that's really kicks the the musical off and then on friday we have a performance at seven p.m and then on saturday november 14th we have two shows we have a matinee at one p.m and an evening show at seven p.m musical takes place in our gymnasium in the high school
oh wow is that where the dinner is as well
the dinner the dinner show will be there in the high school gymnasium as well on that thursday so we uh
really looking forward to it.
And I know for a fact, Ryan cannot wait to speak with you, Melissa.
Now, I'm thinking he'll be doing this for sure in October, possibly November.
He's already asked me about it.
So he really gets after it, very enthusiastic.
We have a great group of kids that are part of the play.
And most importantly, this is a wonderful group of volunteers, primarily the parents of the students that are in the play that really dedicated and committed and do a heck of a lot of work to get this thing off the ground.
So that is our focus.
We have a lot of sponsorship.
We have corporate and individual sponsors that I'm working on to support this.
And do
you still welcome of those sponsorships available?
Yes, right up until...
The end of September, really until mid-October, we're accepting anyone that wants to support financially this play would be greatly appreciated.
And you could call me at 715-422-0914 or go on the website and look for my email.
But let me give you my email anyway.
It's matthew, my full name, .sekowski at acswr.org.
So if you want to be involved in this play,
rich me out those those contact numbers
well and pretty much I think at this point everybody knows that Mary Poppins in some form or another it's a wonderful story and it's a it's a great musical it's one of my favorites
you know I just think of I think of the the movie growing up with Dick Van Dyke
so yeah it's you know Ryan picked another winner another challenge in play but I think he's
They did such a great job last year at Sister
There was so much singing, as you know, Melissa, with that play, a lot of dancing.
yeah.
And we got, we didn't start till September last year.
And for them to do as well as they did, it was really something.
So here's another year for us, second year in a row.
I need to, we know what we're getting into.
So we're a little...
bit ahead of the planning curve and it'll just be that much better this year.
And as those of us involved in theater know, the royalties for musicals are more expensive, so I'm sure any corporate or individual sponsorships would be greatly appreciated to help out this musical performance of Mary Poppins.
Well, Matt, we have to wrap it up here.
It has been a wonderful conversation, as always, with you getting us up to date on what's happening at Assumption.
I'm Melissa K, speaking with Matt Zakowski, Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations with Assumption Catholic Schools.
Thank you again for taking the time today, Matt.
Thanks, thanks, Melissa.
Always appreciated it.
So long, everybody.
Melissa, look forward to us.
talking with you in September.
All right and thank you to listeners joining us for news in our community on perspective 13 20 a.m.
97 5 fm wfhr