St. Stephen Catholic School
May 1, 2025
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
Art Show Today
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!
Happy May 1st! As we journey into our final month, there are many activities happening at school. Please remember our second graders in your prayers this weekend as they receive the Eucharist for the first time. Next week, please join us on Wednesday, May 7 for Mass as the 2nd and 8th graders participate in the May Crowning of our Blessed Mother. May 7 is also the day that the Conclave is scheduled to begin the process of electing a new pope. We will be remembering all the Cardinals in our daily prayers throughout this process.
Next Wednesday, May 7, I hope to see many of you at the Talking Pint from 6-9 pm for a very special Spirit Night. If you join us for this family event (dine in or take out) your name will be entered into a raffle. All students who are present will receive a free dress pass and the class with the highest attendance will also receive a prize. Please be sure to check in with the PTCO representatives when you arrive. Please support this event as 20% of all receipts will go back to the school.
There are many service projects happening at school as we embrace the Bishop's challenge to complete 1 million acts of mercy. As you scroll through Tidbits you will see some of the work our students have accomplished. When you come to the Art Show today, please stop by the breezeway where the St. Francis House is selling dog treats to support the Mercy Full Project. Once again, we are supporting cereal for summer and I hope everyone is able to support this important project.
Finally, I had an amazing time on Tuesday with our 8th graders as the Ringling Museum of Art where they studied religious art and in particular Rubens Triumph of the Eucharist. They learned a lot and we enjoyed the day together. Below is a picture of the students sitting outside the Ca d'Zan, the former home of John and Mabel Ringling.
Have a blessed weekend and hope to see you all later 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
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 15 - NJHS Induction/School Council Inauguration 2 pm
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 the tree say to spring?
🤠 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!
“Feed my sheep” – John 21:17
Let our words, actions, and prayers bear fruit – that is, grow closer to God in faith! Through the support of the Catholic Ministry Appeal, we can nourish others in Christ’s name.
#CourageouslyLiving #DOSP #CatholicMinistryAppeal #CalltoConversion
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.
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
Caring for the Beauty of God's Creations
A big THANK YOU to everyone who helped make the 6th grade Service Project garden such a success! We are so proud of our amazing 6th grade students. They cleaned, laid mulch, placed rocks, and helped bring fresh energy to our garden. This was a big job, and they took it on with such enthusiasm. Each day, students will see the garden and be reminded of all the beauty God has created and the responsibility given to us to care for the earth and to act in ways that restore and protect the environment.
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.
Special Thanks For Supporting Angels 2025
Thanks to the Ross Family for the winning bid for the Nail and Massage Live Auction package at the Gala in February. The private party was donated by BB Nails and Spa in Brandon and Massages by Amy Rodriguez. Good Friends, Food and Wine made the evening complete!
Thanks to the Ross Family for the winning bid for the Nail and Massage Live Auction package at the Gala in February. The private party was donated by BB Nails and Spa in Brandon and Massages by Amy Rodriguez. Good Friends, Food and Wine made the evening complete!
PK3 Needs
PK3 Needs large clean prescription bottles again. Please bring them to the office.
Also clean Pringle Cans
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 Track: The girls track team has their final events of the season this week. The field events are today at Christ the King from 4:00-5:45 pm. The girls will be competing in the high jump, long jump, discus, and varsity shot put. The second running and relay meet is Saturday at Tampa Catholic from 8:00-11:30 am. The results from the second meet will be posted in next week's Mustang Sports.
Boys Flag Football: The Mustangs have lost their last three games. They lost to Nativity, 14-13, with the Mustang touchdowns coming on two passes from QB Kellan B., one to Robert V., and the other to Nathan C. The Mustangs lost to Villa Madonna, 33-19. Two touchdowns were scored on passes from QB Kellan B. to Nathan C., and Jameson D., and the other score came on a wide receiver pass from Jameson D. to Evan K. The Mustangs wrap up the regular season with a home game against Corpus Christi here at St. Stephen at 4:15 pm. The quarterfinal playoff game is next Tuesday, with the opponent and game site still to be determined.
The Sports Awards Night is Wednesday, May 21, from 5:00-7:00 pm in the FLC. All of the student-athletes and coaches will be recognized for their hard work and accomplishments during the 2024-25 sports year. Pizza, cake, and drinks, will be provided to the student athletes and their immediate families. A flyer and RSVP was emailed to all of the student athletes and their families. Please return the RSVP to the office by Friday, May 16. Thank you.
Coach Green
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!
What a re-leaf.
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 .
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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.