St. Stephen Catholic School
August 8, 2024
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
School Supply List
Spirit T-Shirt
Fall Ice Cream Sign-Up
PTCO Orientation
Open House
Back to School Night / Kindness Assembly
Spirit Store
Fall Picture Day
Angel Outreach
Altar Server Training
Principal's Points
Good Afternoon St. Stephen Families!
The first day of school is almost here! I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow at our Open House beginning at 3:00 pm. Please read through all of Tidbits for important information about back-to-school events. Be sure to mark your calendars for August 22 at 5 pm for our Back-to-School Night. This year we will start the evening in the FLC with a presentation on the Kindness Starts With Me program that your children will learn more about on Aug. 23. You will receive useful information about how we can all work together to help our students build self-esteem, set goals, and create an environment of kindness. Please join us for this very important discussion.
During our pre-planning, teachers and staff watch a short video on what kindness truly means. We gained a better understanding of the difference between kindness and just being nice. Take a few minutes to watch this video to learn about the difference and how we are going to help the students understand what kindness is this year as we live our theme of Be Kind!
If you missed my Welcome Back letter in your email, you may access it here. I look forward to seeing everyone at Open House tomorrow, Friday, August 9!
Peace,
Linda Umoh
Upcoming Events
August 9 - New Families PTCO Orientation 2pm
August 9 - Open House 3pm
August 12 - First Day of School
August 12 - NOON Dismissal - PreK and K ONLY
August 20 - Picture Day
August 22 - Back to School Night 5pm
August 26-27 - Fall IXL Testing (MATH)
August 30 - Jean Day
September 2 - NO SCHOOL/LABOR DAY
September 3-4 - Fall i-Ready Testing (READING)
September 6 - NOON Dismissal
September 7-8 - Holy Card Uniform Weekend
September 9 - Holy Card Free Dress
Attention - School Supply List 2024-2025
Click HERE to see your school supply list for school year 2024-2025!
Spirit T-Shirt 24-25
Our theme this year is "Be Kind", and every child in the school will get a spirit t-shirt. We are preparing our order for this year and need to know your child's t-shirt size for their 24-25 spirit t-shirt. Please fill out one form for every child no later than August 9th.
Click HERE to complete the form.
Click HERE to complete the form.
All New Families join us for a PTCO Orientation
On Friday, August 9, 2024, from 2:00pm to 3pm (prior to Open House) at the SSCS Media Center. Please arrive promptly at 2:00pm in order to be admitted to the PTCO Orientation. After 2:05pm the school entrance will be closed and reopen at 3pm for the Open House.
OPEN HOUSE
Please join us on Friday, August 9 from 3-4 pm for our Open House! This is an opportunity to meet your children's teachers and drop off school supplies. We are looking forward to seeing all our SSCS Families again!
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Parents, please join us for our Back to School night on Thursday, August 22nd starting at 5 pm in the FLC. We will spend a portion of our time together enjoying a presentation by Amy Kraus, creator of Kindness Starts With Me. The mission of Kindness Starts With Me is to give elementary and middle school students, staff, and parents tools they can use on a daily basis that bolster self-esteem and remind them that they have the power within themselves to go out and attain the goals they put in place for themselves. Students will have their presentation the following day. After the presentation, parents will proceed to the classrooms for presentations from your child's teacher. Parents will have the opportunity to visit two classrooms if you have more than one child.
Spirit Wear Shop Opens
The link below will take you to the SSCS Spirit Wear Store.
The store will be open 8/5 at 8AM through 9/8 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 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. Delivery will be approximately one month after the close of the store. 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.
Link to Spirit Wear Click HERE
Fall Picture Day
Vernon Photography will be taking school pictures on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Every student will be photographed.To prepay online please go to: www.VernonPhoto.com/FallPrepay
(You do not need to send anything with your child on picture day if you prepay). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Vernon Photography directly at: Support@VernonPhoto.com
Joke of the week
What did the one pencil say to the other?
See below for the answer.
Fall 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 Fall Ice Cream Fridays. Please sign up on the link below no later than Monday,August 19, 2024 . There will be NO additions to the ice cream list after that date except for new students. The cost is $34 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.
Extended Day Care
If your student will be using Extended Day care for School Year 24-25 please fill out the following Google Form. Thank you!
PikMyKid
We use the PikMyKid App for school dismissal. Please click the link to view the PikMyKid 101 Flyer, which contains pertinent information on how to get setup in PMK and what to do when you arrive on campus for pickup, as well as important updates for all families.
Angels Among Us
has expanded its outreach in
Celebration of 25 years supporting
St Stephen Catholic School
We are excited to announce the development of Angels Outreach with service work beginning in the 2024-2025 school year. The focus and work of Angels Outreach will impact the SSCS Community and beyond as students and their families make a difference in the lives of many.
Angels Outreach Mission Statement - Guide students to intentionally live their faith through their everyday actions. Students learn how to be a good friend, utilize their talents to their full potential, keep a positive attitude, express gratitude, and practice their faith daily.
For more information, contact: angelsoutreach@sscsfl.org
For more information, contact: angelsoutreach@sscsfl.org
Mustang Sports
MUSTANG SPORTS:
Welcome back.
I hope everyone had a blessed and fun summer.I'm looking forward to a great 2024-25 Mustang sports year.
The first school sports of the year are girls JV and varsity volleyball and coed varsity soccer. Girls JV volleyball is for girls in fifth and sixth grade and varsity volleyball is for girls in 7th-8th grade. Coed varsity soccer is for boys and girls in 6th-8th grade.
Girls volleyball season runs from August 19-October 11. Parent volunteer, Victor Pistone, is coaching the varsity team and Coach Green is coaching JV. Participating on a volleyball team is a 3-5 day per week commitment.
The first school sports of the year are girls JV and varsity volleyball and coed varsity soccer. Girls JV volleyball is for girls in fifth and sixth grade and varsity volleyball is for girls in 7th-8th grade. Coed varsity soccer is for boys and girls in 6th-8th grade.
Girls volleyball season runs from August 19-October 11. Parent volunteer, Victor Pistone, is coaching the varsity team and Coach Green is coaching JV. Participating on a volleyball team is a 3-5 day per week commitment.
Girls Volleyball Tryout Information:
Varsity-Monday August 19 from 3:00-5:30 and JV-Tuesday August 20 from 3:00-5:30. Girls interested in trying out should sign up with Coach Green at PE/Health or lunch by Friday, August 16.
Varsity-Monday August 19 from 3:00-5:30 and JV-Tuesday August 20 from 3:00-5:30. Girls interested in trying out should sign up with Coach Green at PE/Health or lunch by Friday, August 16.
There is a girls varsity volleyball open gym on Wednesday, August 14, from 3:00-5:30, in the FLC. This is for girls in 7th or 8th grade planning on trying out, and for those that want to figure out if they want to try out.
Coed soccer season runs from August 20-October 11. Parent volunteer coach, Sean Heaberlin, is coaching the team again this season. This is his second year coaching the Mustang soccer team. Boys and girls in 6th-8th grade are eligible to try out. Participating on the soccer team is a 3-4 day per week commitment.
Coed Soccer Tryout Information:
Tuesday, August 20, Wednesday, August 21, and Thursday, August 22, from 3:00-4:30 each day. Students should plan to attend all three days of tryouts. Students interested in trying out should sign up with Coach Green at PE/Health or lunch by Friday, August 16.
All student-athletes must complete and turn in to the office the Diocesan and school required sports forms before being eligible to play in the games/matches. Student-athletes can practice without the forms being completed and turned in. The physical form must be completed in full, dated, and signed by a Doctor/Physician. The version of the FHSAA sports physical form on the school website must be used. The 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 core class grades and at least a 3 for ATL 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 Hillsborough 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 2024 girls volleyball and coed soccer schedules will be posted on the Athletics webpage as soon as they are finalized by the sports league.
GO MUSTANGS
Coach Green
Coach Green
ANSWER to the Joke of the Week:
Don’t we look sharp today!
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.