St. Stephen Catholic School
August 17, 2023
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
Techie Kids
Spirit Wear Shop
Middle School Youth Group Welcome Bash
Save the Date Book Fair
Cub Scout Meeting/Information
Ladies Tea
Principal's Points
Hello St. Stephen Families!
Thank you for your patience this first week as we navigate through carline with more students enrolled and especially more students in the Angel's Wing. Please drive slow, be cautious, and be extra vigilant when driving on the property and on Boyette when entering and exiting. A few parents have reported that they have almost been hit at the entrance and most times by other parents. One of our teachers was also almost hit by a car while trying to direct traffic on our property during carline. The first week is always a challenge and the challenges continue to increase as the population in the area increase. Patience is the key.
We did make a change to the Middle School carline yesterday which went very well and we will continue with this new procedure. When entering the parking lot near the FLC, cars can now form two lines to pick up students on the side of the church. Yesterday we were able to load all cars with just three loads. It is important that students wait on the curb for directions to load and cars should wait until given the signal that all is clear before pulling away.
Thank you to those who came to back-to-school night. If you were unable to attend, your child's teacher will share the information with you by email.
We have received feedback from some of our new families and it's great to hear how happy they are at St. Stephen. Some of the comments have been:
- The kids had the most amazing first day! They were so happy after school and said that everyone is so nice. We agree - we also met so many nice parents today!
- Our daughter was so happy at school pick-up. She had a great day! The school was so welcoming this morning and we enjoyed seeing the priests greeting everyone this morning.
- Our son came home so happy and he enjoyed all the classes.
Our security officer has been connecting with the students while making everyone feel safe. At times he may be joined by his regional supervisor who will also most likely be the person who will fill in if Officer John is not able to be here. We are all grateful for his presence.
I would also like to personally invite everyone to attend Bingo Night next week. It is sponsored by the Community for Women and starts at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, August 22, in the Family Life Center. Doors open at 5:30 pm and food/drinks are available. This event is for adults only.
Have a wonderful rest of your week and a great weekend!
Peace,
Linda Umoh
Upcoming Events
August 17 - Student Fall Pictures
August 21-24 - Fall i-Ready Testing
August 25 - No School, Parish Retreat
August 28-31 - Fall Mustang Writes
September 1 - Jean Day
September 1 - Noon Dismissal
September 4 - No School, Labor Day
September 9-10 - Holy Card Uniform Weekend
September 11 - Holy Card Free Dress
Join us for a night of fun and fellowship on Tuesday, August 22 in the Family Life Center. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the fun begins at 6:30 pm. This event is sponsored by the Community for Women.
Classes are going to be held on Tuesdays from 3pm-4pm and will begin on August 22nd. Please click HERE to register.
STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BRICKS FOR KIDS.
Spirit Wear Shop Open
The link below will take you to the SSCS Spirit Wear Store.
The store will be open 7/30 at 8AM through 8/20 at midnight.. All proceeds will help the PTCO fund activities for the students during the school year. The Spirit Wear purchased through this link is for weekend wear and only allowed to be worn in school on specific school days. The clothing purchased through this link is not part of our school uniform but can be worn to school on days considered Free Dress Pass Days and Jean Days. The weekly school newsletter(Tidbits) sent out on Thursday and the school calendar will note when there is a Jean Day or a Free Dress Pass Day. The school handbook also provides info regarding uniforms and Spirit Wear.
The info you need regarding purchasing Spirit Wear should be included in the link. If you have any questions, please reach out to ngallagher@sscsfl.org.
Refreshing Our Outdoor Basketball Court
Special thanks to our amazing Dads, Bill Hallman and Tom Bosley, our students will soon see the completion of a clean and newly painted outdoor basketball court. Bill did the powerwashing and Tom is working on the painting and sealing. SSCS appreciates Bill and Tom and our supportive parents who are always available to offer a helping hand !
Mustang Sports
MUSTANG SPORTS:
Coed soccer and girls JV and varsity volleyball tryouts were this week and the teams have been selected. Practices start today.
All student athletes must complete and turn in to the office the Diocesan and school required sports forms to be eligible to play in the games/matches. Student athletes can practice and try out without the forms being turned in. This paperwork has to be renewed each school year and it's valid for the entire school. The FHSAA sports physical form has been updated for this year and MUST be the version completed in full and signed by a Doctor. The FHSAA sports physical form and the Diocesan consent form are available on the school website under Athletics>Forms. There is a $75 sports fee per sport.
There will be a parent meeting at the beginning of each sports season to discuss all of the team requirements and procedures.
Student-athletes have their eligibility checked every Monday morning during the season. Student-athletes must maintain a 70 or above for grades or ATL and conduct to be eligible to practice and/or play in games for that week of eligibility. Please see the parent-student handbook for the complete eligibility policy.
St Stephen participates in the Hillsborough Catholic Youth Sports League (HCYSL) with nine other Catholic schools from the county. Girls' sports are JV & varsity volleyball, JV & varsity basketball, varsity flag football, and JV & varsity track. Boys' sports are coed soccer, JV & varsity track, JV & varsity basketball, and varsity flag football. The time frame for each sport is listed under the tab for that sport on the Athletics webpage.
The complete 2023 girls volleyball and coed soccer schedules are posted on the Athletics webpage.
Go Mustangs!
Coach Green
You Too Can Be a Chair?
Thank you to the parents who offered to Chair a PTCO event or manage a PTCO activity. There still remain a few openings that we need parents to help with. Please consider sharing your talents and time with other SSCS parents and contact ngallagher@sscsfl.org to learn more about the opportunities still available. You will have the PTCO board members support your efforts and the time will count toward your 20 hours required volunteer time.
COVID 19 Decision Tree
Safe Environment Training and Fingerprints
Everyone needs updated safe environment training and fingerprints in order to volunteer in the school or to chaperone a field trip. Safe environment and fingerprints are good for 5 years. Attached here are the instructions on how to get your safe environment certificate and to have your fingerprints done. If you have any questions please contact Karen Biase at kbiase@sscsfl.org or call the front office at ext. 1100. Click the link for information here regarding fingerprints. Click for the live link here. For the safe environment click here for the live link .
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Mission Statement
St. Stephen Catholic School is devoted to inspiring students to achieve their full academic potential while demonstrating a desire to continue Jesus' mission by applying Catholic morals, beliefs, values, and practices in their everyday lives. We are committed to motivating students to sustain a lifelong love of learning.