St. Stephen Catholic School
March 13, 2025
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
March Madness Spirit Raffle
Yearbook Pages Due March 14th
Volunteer Opportunities
Scholarship Renewal Begins February 1st
Summer Reading Program
Summer Camps
Principal's Points
Good Afternoon St. Stephen Families!
Whooah, we're half way there.... That's what I started singing this morning as I checked our progress with the Spirit Raffle. Tomorrow we draw our second name so be sure to get your raffle tickets soon so your name is included.
Our PTCO has done a great job this year with events and raising money for the school. If you would like to be a part of this next year and bring your talents and ideas to the group, we would love for you to throw you name in the hat. Below is more information regarding the positions and the election process.
Please remember that there are only two more months left to get in your twenty volunteer hours. Below are many opportunities to fulfill that obligation.
I wish you all a fabulous Spring Break. Enjoy this time with friends and family! Also, enjoy the pictures of our students learning about fire safety today.
Peace,
Linda Umoh
2025-26 SCHOOL YEAR DATES
First Day of School August 11 Spring Break March 16-20
Thanksgiving Break Nov. 24-28 Easter April 3-6
Christmas Break Dec. 22 - Jan. 2 Last Day of School May 28
Upcoming Events
March 14 - Green Shirt and Jean Day
March 15 - Confirmation 10am
March 17-21 - NO SCHOOL Lenten Pause
March 25 - Spring Pictures
March 27 - Dads vs Varsity Basketball Game 3pm
March 28 - Marvelous Mustangs
March 31-April 7 - SVDP Food Drive
April 2-4 - Natures Classroom 7th Grade
April 10 - Field Day
April 11 - Book Exchange
April 11 - Rice Bowls Due
In Sacred Scripture, the number 40 is often associated with transformation, testing, and the generation of new life.
The correct answer is D - All of the above.
Marketing Toolkit
Pictures to post to Social Media
March Madness Video Click on the Picture below
Spring Pictures
Vernon Photography will be taking Spring pictures on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Every student will be photographed.
We are re-introducing ONLINE PREPAY.
- This is the least expensive way to order
- See & Choose your BACKGROUND
- Choose your PACKAGE
Go to: www.VernonPhoto.com/SpringPrepay (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
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PICTURE DAY:
Students will wear their Sunday best clothes. Grades 4th and 8th will bring in their PE uniforms to change into. All other grades will not bring in their PE uniform to change into.
Or Scan This Code
Joke of the Week!
Where can you always find “gold,” but there’s no gold at all?
YEARBOOK - Custom Pages and Recognition Ads
GoGuardian Training for Middle School Parents
Mrs. Dieringer will be providing training for middle school parents in GoGuardian to help you monitor your child's activity on the internet. There will also be the opportunity to ask for help with other parental controls and software.
When: Wednesday, March 26
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Where: Media Center
An Act of Kindness
The St. Vincent de Paul Ministry needs our help to care for those in need in our community. Angels Outreach will be collecting canned food donations from each class through April 7. Please allow your student(s) to select one or two cans of food to donate.
"Go to the poor: you will find God” St. Vincent de Paul
"Go to the poor: you will find God” St. Vincent de Paul
Rice Bowls
Rice Bowls
As students continue their Lenten journey, hopefully they are reminded to practice almsgiving, prayer, and fasting (from things like sweets and electronics). They can practice almsgiving by donating part of their allowance or money earned from chores to the Catholic Relief Services rice bowls they brought home on Ash Wednesday.
Rice bowls are due back at school by April 11.
Thank you for encouraging your child to live our faith.
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
School Year 25-26
Step Up for Students applications for renewal and new students will be available on Saturday, February 1. EVERYONE MUST REAPPLY!
Here is some helpful information to be aware of, including a new step that families will need to complete this year:
- Application checklist: For a list of documents that may be needed when a family applies, please click here.
- Priority deadline: To ensure renewing students receive priority for the Private School Scholarship and the Unique Abilities Scholarship, families must submit their application by Wednesday, April 30. After this date, all students will be processed as "new students" due to legislative changes for this year.
- New step for families: Once a student is found eligible, the family will be asked to "Accept" or "Decline" the scholarship. Once accepted, the student's status will be updated to "Awarded." Please monitor your email for future updates about enrollment.
- Once you receive your AWARD ID Number, please send the number(s) to Gail Leung at gleung@sscsfl.org.
Make sure to keep an eye on your email and Step Ups social media for updates. If you haven't followed Step Up, please do so now so you can have the latest news.
BrainTracks Presentation and Wednesday Presentations
In case you missed last weeks Wednesday BrainTracks Presentation, you can access it here, Presentation. Then use this Passcode W%6JfVQf when opening it up.
Or you can join Wednesdays Presentation, below describes the presentation and the link for the Wednesday Presentations.
Mustang Sports
MUSTANG SPORTS:
Girls Flag Football: CORRECTION: Coach Green inaccurately reported the score from the Mother Teresa game last week of the regular season. The score was 6-2, not 26-2. The girls beat local rival Nativity, 13-0, to finish the regular season with a record of 4 wins and 2 losses, and the third seed for the playoffs. The Mustang touchdowns were scored on a run from QB Morgan C., and a reception by Amelia B. from Morgan C. The defensive shutout was led by Natalie D. with an interception. The Mustangs opened the playoffs with a quarterfinal matchup with St. Lawrence and they won, 28-0. The Mustangs scored on two rushing touchdowns by QB Morgan C., and Amelia B. and Alannah M. each with a touchdown catch. Natalie M. had another interception to lead the defensive shutout. The Mustangs played Christ the King in the semifinals and lost 6-0. Despite the tough loss the Mustangs played great, and were led on defense by Morgan C. and Amelia B. with interceptions. Thank You to parent volunteer Pat McRae, for coaching the girls this season and for the past 7 seasons here at St. Stephen. His hard work and commitment to the girls is greatly appreciated.
Boys Basketball: The varsity lost to Christ the King, 47-15, and they were led in scoring by Jameson D. with 6 points. The varsity finished the regular season with a record of 3 wins and 5 losses and the 6th seed for the playoffs. They played Nativity in the quarterfinals and lost 63-22. The Mustangs were led in scoring by Nathan T. with 17 points. The JV basketball team lost to Christ the King, 39-13, to finish the season with a record of 2 wins and 5 losses, and the 6th seed for the playoffs. They played Villa Madonna in the quarterfinals and lost, 41-9. The Mustangs were led in scoring by John R. with 4 points. Thank you to parent volunteer coach, Alan Daoud, for coaching and mentoring the JV boys this season.
Girls JV and varsity track, and boys varsity flag football, are the final school sports of the year.
Girls in 5th-8th grade are eligible to participate on the track team. Practice starts Tuesday, March 25, Wednesday, March 26, and Thursday, March 27, from 3:00-4:30 pm. Girls interested in participating should sign up with Coach Green at PE or lunch by Monday, March 24. The girls track season runs from the start of practice until May 3.
Boys in grades 6th-8th grade are eligible to try out for boys varsity flag football. Boys interested in trying out should sign up with Coach Green by Monday, March 24. Tryouts are Tuesday, March 25, and Wednesday, March 26, from 3:00-5:00 pm. Boys trying out should plan on attending both days of tryouts.
Field Day 2025 is Thursday, April 10. Grades K-4th will participate in the morning, and 5th-8th will attend in the afternoon. Students will participate at different activity stations as well as have fun on an obstacle course bounce house. Parent volunteers are needed to help supervise classes in the AM session, and for helping run activity stations and class supervision for the PM session. Coach Green will have a SignUp Genius for volunteers to register for volunteer opportunities. Please check Tidbits the week we return from the Lenten Pause for the sign up genius link for Field Day 2025.
St Stephen Basketball Summer Camp is the week of July 14-18, from 9:00 am-3:00 pm in the FLC. St Stephen Volleyball Camp is July 21-25, from 9:00 am -1:00 pm in the FLC. Basketball and volleyball camp is for students in grades 3rd-8th for the 2025-26 school year.
Registration info and sign up link coming soon.
Soccer camp details and dates are still being finalized with Coach Heaberlin and the parish. More information is coming soon in Tidbits.
GO MUSTANGS!
Coach Green
PK3 Needs
PK3 Needs large clean prescription bottles again. Please bring them to the office.
KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS COUNCIL 14084
Knights of Columbus Council 14084 invite all men of St. Stephen parish to Cor meetings. The name “Cor” is inspired by Saint John Henry Newman’s words, “Consume my heart (“cor”) with that burning fire with which Your Heart is ever inflamed.”
COR offers an opportunity for parish men to increase their heart to heart relationship with Jesus Christ through a brotherhood committed to prayer, formation, fraternity and the mission of evangelization for their families and communities. All meetings include prayer and open discussion while exploring and embracing the rich teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church.
Meetings are held every third Wednesday of the month from 7:15 to 8:30 PM in the Saint Stephens Room inside the Church.
Summer Reading Skills Program
The University of South Florida Office of Corporate Training and Professional Education will be offering a series of summer reading skills programs taught by instructors from the Institute of Reading Development. The programs start for 4-year-olds entering Kindergarten and go up to students entering the 12th grade and College. Families can choose between classes offered in Brandon at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church or on campus at the University of South Florida in Tampa.
Students entering Middle School, this program will expand vocabulary and learn note-taking, test-taking strategies, leading to better exam scores and higher grades.
For more information,call 1-800-499-8557 or visit https://readingprograms.org/usf. Click HERE for the Flyer or the flyer can also be found outside the school office.
Answer to the Joke!
In the dictionary.
Homeroom Mom Emails
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!
You can join our Mustang News team each morning at 7:50 as we stream live on YouTube to begin the day with prayers, the pledge of allegiance, and news. Subscribe to our channel here.
Like Us on Facebook and
Follow Us on Instagram
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.