St. Stephen Catholic School
April 24, 2025
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
Art Show
Middle School Social
Talent Show Auditions
Volunteer Opportunities
Spirit Nights
Cereal Drive
Scholarship Renewal Begins February 1st
Spring Concert May 9
Summer Reading Program
Summer Sport Camps
Summer Camps
Principal's Points
Good Afternoon St. Stephen Families!
Welcome back! I hope you all had a joyful Easter break, filled with the hope and renewal that this season brings. Easter reminds us of the triumph of life over death, of light breaking through darkness, and of the boundless love God has for each of us. I pray that your time with family and friends was meaningful and refreshing.
As we return, however, we do so with heavy hearts. We were saddened to learn of the passing of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis. His life was a testament to compassion, humility, and unwavering service to God and to the world. His loss is deeply felt, not only within the Catholic Church but across the globe.
In this time of mourning, I ask that we come together in prayer for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul, and for the Cardinals who will soon gather to elect his successor. May the Holy Spirit guide them to choose a shepherd who will continue to lead the Church in truth, mercy, and love, faithfully carrying on Jesus' mission here on earth.
Let us remain united in faith, and may this Easter season continue to strengthen our hope in the resurrection and the promise of new life.
Peace,
Mary Gurley
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
April 25 - Jean Day
April 25 - Student Council Primary Election
May 1 - Art Show
May 2 - Student Council Election
May 2 - Middle School Social 6:30pm
May 5-9 - Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
May 5-6 - Spring IXL Testing(MATH)
May 7 - May Crowning
May 9 - Marvelous Mustang (Apr/May)
May 9 - Spring Concert 6:30pm
May 10-11 - Holy Card Uniform Weekend
May 12 - Holy Card Free Dress
May 12-13 - Spring i-Ready Testing (READING)
May 14-15 - Math Final Exams (Gr.8)
May 19-20 - St. Augustine Trip (Gr.8)
May 21-22 - Math Finals (Gr. 6-7)
May 21 - Graduation Practice 1pm
May 21 - Sports Awards Evening Event
May 22 - 8th Grade Brunch 9:30am
Joke of the Week!
What did one April Shower say to the other?
🤠 Middle School Social 🤠
Yeehaw! Saddle Up for a Wild Night!
📅 Date: Friday, May 2nd
📍 Location: FLC (Family Life Center)
⏰ Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
💸 Cost: FREE!
🌵 Theme: Wild West!
Come dressed in your best cowboy or cowgirl gear!
🍕 Food and Drinks will be provided!
🎉 Competitions include:
🏆 Best Dressed Cow Folk
🐎 Wooden Horse Barrel Race
🎯 Pin the Tail on the Donkey
🤠 Don’t miss out on this rootin’-tootin’ good time! Bring your friends and get ready to wrangle up some fun!
Talent Show Auditions
The SSCS Talent Show will be held this year in the FLC on Wednesday, May 28th at 1:00 PM . Auditions for the Talent Show will be held on Monday, May 5th, after school in Mrs. Stanley's classroom until 4:30 pm. If you would like to audition, please fill out the Google Form and submit it to Mrs. Stanley by Friday, May 2nd. Pick up after auditions will be at the Angel's Wing gate at 4:30. Any students left at 4:35 will be taken to Extended Day. Parents do not attend the auditions. Please bring any props or music you need to the audition or email your music to Mrs. Stanley at hstanley@sscsfl.org. I will need a digital copy of your music for you to perform. We have Amazon Music, so anything that can be found on Amazon Music can be easily pulled up and used. Thank you and we look forward to a successful talent show! Please email Mrs. Stanley if you have any questions.
Link to Google Form
Link to Google Form
Thank you for the Rice Bowl Collections!
Thank you for participating in this year's Catholic Relief Services Lenten Rice Bowl collection. Through your generosity, SSCS was able to send a check for $851.61 to CRS to bring hope to those in third world countries. Thank you for guiding your child to practice the prayerful act of almsgiving and completing a work of mercy.
When Catholics follow the Church's teachings on social justice, their faith matures, needs are met, and God is honored. Our Spring Concert this year will present music that our music teacher, Jeff Daignault, and our classes wrote or developed to express this idea, and we hope that all the families and friends of St. Stephen will come to enjoy and be inspired by the work our children have done to be ready for this evening.
PLEASE JOIN The Middle School St Francis House Students in Welcoming Mercy Full Project on May 1 after school in the breezeway. The Mercy Full Project organization finds foster homes and families wanting to adopt dogs and cats that need a place to call HOME.
Treats for your furry friends at home are being made by the SSCS Cooking Class to
raise donations for the animals at Mercy Full Project. The treats will be sold on May 1 for $3 a bag, cash only. All proceeds from sales will go to help the efforts of Mercy Full Project.
Treats for your furry friends at home are being made by the SSCS Cooking Class to
raise donations for the animals at Mercy Full Project. The treats will be sold on May 1 for $3 a bag, cash only. All proceeds from sales will go to help the efforts of Mercy Full Project.
Representatives will be available to tell you about their organization and the many pets that need a good home. Stop by and say hello. Help Mercy Full Project by considering fostering or adopting or buying treats for your family pet. Mercy Full Project needs donations of pet food, toys, leashes etc. Donations can be dropped off at the school office at any time on or before 5/1.
Thanks to the St Francis House Students, Mrs. MacLaren and Angels Outreach for
working together to offer school families the opportunity to show kindness to God’s
creations.
Opportunity to Show Kindness
Help Middle School St Francis House Students show kindness to homeless dogs and cats. One can of dog food, one small toy or any pet donation will make a difference! Drop off is school office or in the breezeway on 5/1 after school.
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.
Contact our office at: 813-935-0232
RSVP to: mpetrofsky@morningstartampa.org
Mustang Sports
MUSTANG SPORTS:
Boys Flag Football: The Mustangs are back on the field today against local rival Nativity at Nativity at 4:00 pm. They also have home games on Monday against Villa Madonna at 4:00 pm, and Tuesday against St. Lawrence at 4:15 pm.
Girls Track: The results from the first meet have been finalized. The varsity finished 4th overall. Here are the Mustangs that finished in the top 8 of their event and earned points for the team.
Alannah M.-1st 400 (1:09), 2nd 100 (13.18), 3rd Long Jump (11’1”), T-7th High Jump (3’10”)
Bella L.-3rd 400 (1:10), 2nd 800 (2:52)
Francine A.-4th High Jump (4'2"), 5th Long Jump (11'7")
Apple M.-5th Mile (7:51)
Ronette L-7th 100 (14.62)
Maddie T.-7th High Jump (3'10")
4x100 Relay (Team 1)-2nd (1:00), 4x100 Relay (Team 2)-8th (1:03)
Mile Relay (Team 1)-3rd (5:38), Mile Relay (Team 2)-5th (5:49)
4x200 Relay-6th (2:13)
The girls have a week of practice before the next events. The second field event meet is next Thursday, May 1, at Christ the King, 4:00-5:30 pm, and the second running and relay meet is Saturday, May 3, at Tampa Catholic from 8:00-11:30 am.
The Sports Awards Night is next month, on Wednesday, May 21, from 5:00-7:00 pm. This will be an evening to celebrate and recognize our student-athletes, coaches, and all of their accomplishments this year. More information will be coming next week. Families of student-athletes will receive an RSVP/invitation soon.
GO MUSTANGS!
Coach Green
Bella L.-3rd 400 (1:10), 2nd 800 (2:52)
Francine A.-4th High Jump (4'2"), 5th Long Jump (11'7")
Apple M.-5th Mile (7:51)
Ronette L-7th 100 (14.62)
Maddie T.-7th High Jump (3'10")
4x100 Relay (Team 1)-2nd (1:00), 4x100 Relay (Team 2)-8th (1:03)
Mile Relay (Team 1)-3rd (5:38), Mile Relay (Team 2)-5th (5:49)
4x200 Relay-6th (2:13)
The girls have a week of practice before the next events. The second field event meet is next Thursday, May 1, at Christ the King, 4:00-5:30 pm, and the second running and relay meet is Saturday, May 3, at Tampa Catholic from 8:00-11:30 am.
The Sports Awards Night is next month, on Wednesday, May 21, from 5:00-7:00 pm. This will be an evening to celebrate and recognize our student-athletes, coaches, and all of their accomplishments this year. More information will be coming next week. Families of student-athletes will receive an RSVP/invitation soon.
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.
Young Adult Ministry at SSCC
St. Stephen Parish Community welcomes young adults ages, 18-35 to participate in community, worship, and fellowship. This ministry invites young adults in the area to come together to pray, make connections, and grow in their faith with one another.
For more information about all Young Adult Ministry has to offer, please contact the Faith Formation Office at 813-671-4434 or Stephanie Gallegos at the Parish Office, 813-689-4900.
We offer a Young Adults Bible Study on Monday evenings beginning at 7:15 PM at the Faith Formation Office. To Register please contact Rene Bonetti at the Faith Formation Office at rene@ststephencatholic.org.
We are always looking for Adult Core Team members to minister to the youth of our parish! Do you feel called to help bring teens closer to Christ? Join Core Team!
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!
May Flowers
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.
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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.