St. Stephen Catholic School
February 19, 2026
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
Re-enrollment Documents
Mustang Spirit Raffle
Spirit Nights
Volunteer Opportunities
Principal's Points
Good Afternoon St. Stephen Families.
Thank you to everyone who played a part in bringing the Angels Among Us Gala to life. We are deeply grateful to all who attended and helped create such a joyful and memorable evening. Most especially, thank you to those who generously bid on our baskets and live auction items and to those who contributed to the building extension. Your support makes a lasting impact on our school community. It was truly a wonderful night, and we sincerely appreciate the time, talent, and generosity that made it such a tremendous success.
Tomorrow is the end of Trimester II, and report cards will be sent out next Thursday. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you wish to meet on conference day next Friday, or reply to the sign-ups they have sent out or will send shortly.
Next Friday is a half-day, and it is the day we will kick off the second PTCO fundraiser. This is your last opportunity to raise funds to meet your $250 fundraising obligation. It's always better to have others pay this money, so please share the raffle information with friends and family after the kickoff.
Below are the key calendar dates for the next school year. As soon as our calendar is approved, all the dates will be available on the Google Calendar on our website. Next year, since Easter is early, we will have Easter break again rather than Spring Break.
Please continue to read Tidbits for more information and have a fantastic rest of your week.
Peace,
Linda Umoh
Re-enrollment Information for the
2026-27 School Year
Key Calendar Dates for 2026-27
August 10 First Day of School Mar. 25-Apr. 2 Easter Break
Nov. 23-27 Thanksgiving Break May 26 Last Day of School
Dec. 21-Jan. 1 Christmas Break
Upcoming Events
Feb 17- Mar 6 Terra Nova Testing
February 20 End of Trimester II
February 22 First Sunday of Lent
February 26 Report Card
February 27 Spirit Raffle Kick Off
Feb 27- Mar 13 Spirit Raffle
February 27 Marvelous Mustang @8am
February 27 NOON Dismissal
March 1 Second Sunday of Lent
March 7-8 Holy Card Uniform Weekend
March 8 Third Sunday of Lent
March 9 Holy Card Free Dress
March 11 6th Grade Science Fair
March 12 7th Grade Science Fair
March 13 Green Shirt and Jeans Day
Thank you for Sailing With Us
Voyage of the Heart
Angels Among Us 2026
Lent: A Time of Preparation
CRS Rice Bowl brings Catholics across the United States together each Lent to respond to global hunger and poverty through prayer, fasting and almsgiving. During this holy season, let us recommit to sharing bread for life with our global family so that all people can reach their God-given potential. Your child(ren) brought home a rice bowl Wednesday, February 18 which they will use to collect alms for needy families until March 30.
Visit https://www.crsricebowl.org/stories-of-hope/week-1 to read this week’s Story of Hope
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
School Year 26-27
Mark you calendars for Feb. 1. Step Up for Students applications for renewal and new students will be available on Sunday, February 1.
There are important changes to the documents required for all families applying for a 2026-27 scholarship.
- Proof of Residency must now include TWO different document types and be provided by either the primary or secondary guardian.
For a complete list of documents families may need when applying for their student(s), click here.
EVERYONE MUST REAPPLY!
Spanish/English Dictionaries Needed
Mrs. Cordoba is asking if you have any gentle used Spanish/ English dictionary at home that is not being used if you could donate it for our Spanish class, we will really appreciate it.
Cleaned Prescription Bottles Needed
PK3 Needs cleaned prescription bottles. Please bring them to the office if you have some.
Joke of the Week!
Why are elevator jokes so good?
See answer way below.
The FACTS Grant and Aid application setup for the 2026-2027 school year is complete. Applications and documents received after May 1, 2026 are considered late for initial consideration.
All Diocesan High Schools utilize the FACTS Grant & Aid Application in the determination of in-house tuition assistance and the Catholic School Tuition Aid Grant (CSTAG). Additionally, all elementary/middle school families are required to submit their financial documents via the FACTS Grant & Aid Application.
Note: Pricing for the 2026-2027 FACTS Grant & Aid Application Fee will remain the same at $38.00.
Resource for Families:
Diocesan aid is limited. Applications received after the initial consideration deadline of May 1, 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year will be subject to a reduced rate, provided that funds are still available. Appeals are to be made directly to the school.
Did I hear FREE DRESS? If you made it this far in Tidbits, your child may have a free dress day on Friday, Feb. 20, in celebration of our FIRST FISH FRY of Lent. If your child is in Kindergarten, they may have a semi-free dress day. Kinder must still wear their PE shirt since they are going on a field trip for safety reasons. All they need to do is come to school and tell their teacher, "my (mom, dad, aunt, sister, grandma, etc.) read Tidbits." The one exception I also encourage everyone to come out tomorrow night and enjoy some great food. Come early, because the first fish fry is popular!
Mustang Sports
Boys Basketball: The varsity lost to Villa Madonna, 64-4, and they were led in scoring by Robert V. with 4 points. The JV lost to Villa Madonna, 33-7, and they were led in scoring by Wyatt G. with 4 points. The Mustangs are back on the court today with a home game against Corpus Christi here in the FLC. The varsity plays at 4:15 pm, and the JV at 5:15 pm. Today's games are the last home games of the season. The playoffs start Tuesday with the quarterfinals. The varsity and JV opponents and game sites are still to be determined.
Girls track practice starts on Monday. Girls in 5th-8th grade interested in participating should sign up with Coach Green by tomorrow.
The season runs until April 18. There are two running and relay meets and two field event meets.
The dates for the meets are as follows-
Running and Relay Meets-Saturdays, March 28 and April 18, at Tampa Catholic from 8:00-11:30 am.
Field Event Meets-Tuesdays, March 24 and April 14, at Christ the King from 4:00-5:45 pm.
Practice will usually be Monday-Thursday from 3:00-4:30 pm. Practice next week will be Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 3:00-4:30 pm.
Girls in 5th-6th can participate on JV and girls in 7th-8th participate on varsity.
Parent volunteer, Jenn Daoud, will be coaching the team again this season.
Practice next week will be Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 3:00-4:30 pm.
Field Day is Thursday, April 16. There will be two sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Parent volunteer opportunities will be available. More info coming soon.
GO MUSTANGS!
Coach Green
1st Annual Friends of the Poor Walk
Society of St Vincent De Paul East Hillsborough County District
March 28, 2026
10 AM – 2 PM
Event will include Friends of the Poor Walk around the athletic field, games, raffles, food vendors and fun for everyone to enjoy!
Click the link below for registration, sponsorship/donations, and more information.
Catholic married and engaged couples are invited to the third annual Together in Holiness conference on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz! Take a break from the busyness of everyday life to spend quality time with your spouse, hear from dynamic speakers like Renzo and Monica Ortega, and rejuvenate your marriage through the Sacraments. For more information or to register, visit togetherinholiness.org/stpetersburg.
***Restrictions apply. The offer is valid on all new student enrollments at ALL Dance Quest locations when using Promo Code 2026DEAL. The $35 Registration Fee and $75 Performance Costume Deposit are due at the time of registration. The DQIStore.com Promotional code will be emailed after the promotion period has ended. The promotion code may not be exchanged for cash. Withdrawal from class may result in forfeiture of the promotion.***
Kiddos Lunches
Homeroom Moms
Homeroom moms now have dedicated email addresses. Add them to your contact list and check your junk mailboxes to be sure you do not miss any important classroom information!
Emails for HomeRoom Moms
Answer to the Joke!
They work on many levels!
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.