St. Stephen Catholic School
December 21, 2023
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
Spring Ice Cream Friday Sign Up
Spirit Nights for January
Volunteer Opportunities
Angels Invitation/Babysitting Information/Other Angel News
Principal's Points
Hello St. Stephen Families!
What can I say about that Christmas Concert? I was so impressed by the energy and enthusiasm of the students. Thank you, Mrs. Santana, for working so diligently to prepare the students to sing those beautiful songs. And thank you, Mrs. Stanley, for getting the Drama students ready for their performance. I think we all left truly feeling the joy and peace of the Christmas Season.
Thank you to the PTCO and Mrs. Ross for organizing the post-concert Jingle and Mingle event. I saw nothing but smiles and it was beautiful to see our community come together for this exciting event.
We were honored with the presence of Bishop Parkes yesterday, who celebrated Mass with the students and then was able to visit a few classrooms. He brought bracelets and a Blessed Carlo Acutis prayer card for all the students and spoke about him during his Homily. Be sure to ask your children what they remember about this young man on his way to Sainthood.
Lastly, we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Stephen on December 26th. Though we won't be together, I encourage you all to say a family prayer to celebrate our beloved St. Stephen!
A few reminders for tomorrow...we have a jean day and Christmas shirts, a noon dismissal, and NO EXTENDED AFTERNOON DAY CARE. We will be back in school on Monday, January 8th.
As we wrap things up tomorrow and prepare for the break, I extend my warmest wishes to each of you. May this Christmas bring an abundance of joy, harmony, and cherished moments with your loved ones.
As always, we are so thankful that you entrust us with the education and well-being of your children. On behalf of the entire faculty and staff, I wish you a Merry Christmas and many blessings in the New Year!
Peace,
Mary Gurley
Upcoming Events
December 22 - Christmas Shirt and Jean Day
December 22 - Middle School Brunch
December 22 - Noon Dismissal (12pm)/NO AFTERNOON EXTENDED DAY CARE
December 24 - Fourth Sunday of Advent/Christmas Eve
December 25 - Christmas Day
December 25-January 5 - Christmas Holiday Break/NO SCHOOL
January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
January 6 - Epiphany
January 8 - Students Return to School
January 13-14 - Holy Card Uniform Weekend
January 15 - No School
January 16 - Holy Card Free Dress
January 16-19 - Mustang Writes
NO AFTERNOON EXTENDED DAY CARE on DECEMBER 22,2023
Spring Ice Cream Fridays
I scream, you scream, Ice Cream Fridays!!! If you have not filled out the form that was sent by email then please use the link below if you wish for your student(s) to participate in Spring Ice Cream Fridays. Please sign up on the link no later than Friday, January 12, 2024 . There will be NO additions to the ice cream list after that date except for new students. The cost is $36 for the semester which will be billed through your FACTS account.
Note: For early dismissal Fridays or when there is no school, ice cream is given on Thursday.
Sign Up Link
Second grade spreading Christmas cheer at a local nursing home
All Enjoyed Mingle and Jingle
The after concert event was lively and fun for all who attended. Children enjoyed decorating sugar cookies, writing letters to Santa, face painting,
music, and so much more. Many hours of preparation by PTCO and parent volunteers made for a Holiday event to remember. Santa and his elf stopped in to ask the children their Christmas wish and take that special Holiday family photo. Special thanks to Rachel and John, Vickie, Mandy, Vylam, and Cindy for the countless hours preparing for the event. The efforts of many caring parent volunteers as well as the support and cooperation of the church maintenance staff helped make Mingle and Jingle a special Christmas experience for so many.
Student Christmas Newsletter
Eight students from 5 thru 8 grades selected "Newspaper" for their elective this semester. They unanimously agreed the theme should be the Christmas Season and explored various ways to express their Holiday ideas. The students considered how to use their creativity and skills to create something of interest for their fellow students to read. The end result is a Christmas newsletter that includes interviews, sports forecasts, puzzles, technology advice and a heart warming story.
Although technology is great and we cannot live without it, we still love reading books, magazines and news from paper every once in a while. Attached below is a copy of the newsletter for your enjoyment. Print or read digitally!
Click Here for the Newspaper
We Need You!!!
Thank You Parents!
The Angel basket donations are being received and Room Moms are doing a terrific job making the donations look amazing. Completed baskets have already been received from PreK-4, 3rd, 4th and 6th grades.
Thank you to all parents who donated and to the very creative Room Moms who made the donations look beautiful! The baskets will be at the Angels Gala on 2/10 and will go home with the highest bidder.
Thank you to all parents who donated and to the very creative Room Moms who made the donations look beautiful! The baskets will be at the Angels Gala on 2/10 and will go home with the highest bidder.
Please see all the details regarding the Gala including seat reservations, sponsorships and donations on the school website or contact Nicki Gallagher in the school office.
We will be placing digital and vinyl billboard ads on eight stands on major highways throughout the Diocese, including at least one in each of our five counties. Click here to view a Google map that indicates the billboard locations.
These billboards will be seen an average of 1,677,582 times weekly and over 4 weeks, 6,750,088 times. The campaign started November 27th and continues through December 24th. The ad directs people to visit MyCatholicMass.org where they can find a list of parishes and Mass Times. We will also be inviting people to Mass on Spirit FM 90.5 and via ads on Facebook and Instagram.
SSCS Alumna Publishes Second Book
Our very own Anna - Hoffmann Kelson and her husband just published their second book. Congratulations to Anna and her husband. It can be purchased through Amazon(see link below) and makes a great Christmas gift. Anna is the daughter of our much loved teacher, Maria Hoffmann. The star of the book, Bubba, is a sibling of an Angel Puppy that was donated by Anna a few years ago and found a good home with a guest that was at the gala.
Items Needed for PreK3
PreK3 needs large cleaned prescription bottles. If you have any please drop them off at the Office.
Mustang Sports
MUSTANG SPORTS:
Girls flag football and boys basketball tryouts were held the past week, and the teams have been selected. When we return from the Christmas break the teams will have a few weeks of practice before games start the week of January 29. The game schedules will be finalized this week and will be posted on the school webpage under Athletics.
Have a blessed and very Merry Christmas.
GO MUSTANGS
Coach Green
Have a blessed and very Merry Christmas.
GO MUSTANGS
Coach Green
Angels Among Us Invitation 2024
Need Babysitting for Angels?
Many parents have asked Angels to help with watching their children while they attend the Gala. We recently began offering the service with a nominal charge and it was very well received. We are happy to announce sitting will be available again this year. It will be available to all SSCS students while parents attend the Gala. The children will be watched in our school building.
The nominal charge of $25 for the first child and $10 for each additional child is to compensate the school employees who have agreed to attend to the children. The child can be brought to the school office between 5:15 pm and 5:45 pm on 2/11. The party begins at 5:30 pm. Please feel free to bring water, snacks, a pillow, blanket etc.
Notify ngallagher@sscsfl.org if you plan on using the service and send a check or cash to the front office in an envelope marked for sitting services.
Please come and enjoy the dinner, open bar, auction opportunities, music and dancing knowing your child is close by.
Seat Reservations and Sponsorships are NOW available on the school website.
Angels Among Us News
Coming February 10 to the FLC
Please watch for your invitation or check out all the info you need on the school website. Seat reservations, Sponsorships and Advertising Opportunities are available on the school website. Volunteer opportunities for the Gala weekend will soon be in Tidbits. If you need volunteer hours, you can donate wine(red or white) and you will receive one volunteer hour for wine valued at $40. Each bottle should have a value of no less than $15. There is no limit to how many bottles you can donate. Please drop off the bottles in the school office with your name clearly noted. We are also in need of donations of baskets for our auctions.
Please Click Here for the Angels 2024 Wish List for donated items. All donated items will be acknowledged at the Gala and used in auctions or as prizes to raise funds for our school projects. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact ngallagher@sscsfl.org or vylamli@hotmail.com."Welcome to the Jungle" will be full of surprises this year and you do not want to miss out on the fun!
Please Click Here for the attached answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the Gala.
Surprise Your Mustang with a Message Sign on "Own the Avenue"
Great for Birthdays, Congratulations, Job Well Done, Thank you, Proud of You
Easy to do.... use link below or call the school office with any questions
Own The Avenue is a year-round fundraiser for the PTCO and gives you a great way to give your child a shout out for the school community to see! Birthdays, achievements, any positive vibes and kudos are welcome, and they certainly make your student feel special!!
The sign is located on the corner of our school parking lot and will be viewed and celebrated for the entire week. A PTCO member will be responsible for putting up the sign and after the week is done, the sign will be sent home with your student for yours to keep or to reuse for a future week!
In a nutshell here’s how it works:
If you have an existing sign, the cost is $30 for the week. If we need to order a new sign, the cost is $50 for the week. Please make payments through the school’s front office. To sign up, please use the following link and more details will follow. Please note, new signs take up to 2 weeks to process and receive from our vendor. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Nicole Rodriguez at nicrodriguez0722@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your support!
IMPORTANT: Please note, this is a yearly fundraiser that is on a first come, first served basis (via SignUpGenius). For example, if you purchase a sign this year for a specific week 9-17-23 thru 9-23-23, that same week is not guaranteed to you for future years. It is required that you sign up each school year if you
wish to participate.
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 .
Check out our
Mustang News morning show!
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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.