St. Stephen Catholic School
March 26, 2026
Important updates in this week's Tidbits
Re-enrollment Documents
25th Anniversary Parade
Spirit Night
Volunteer Opportunities
Principal's Points
Good afternoon, St. Stephen Families.
I hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable Spring Break!
I hope you can join us tomorrow for our final Fish Fry and for the presentation of the Stations of the Cross by our 7th graders. This prayerful reenactment is always a meaningful experience and a powerful way for our students to reflect on Christ’s journey and sacrifice.
As we look ahead, next week is Holy Week—a sacred and central time in our Church year as we prepare for the joy of Easter. Holy Week invites us to walk closely with Jesus, beginning with His triumphant entry on Palm Sunday, continuing through the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, His Passion and death on Good Friday, and culminating in the celebration of His Resurrection on Easter Sunday. It is a time for prayer, reflection, and gratitude, as we remember the depth of God’s love and the gift of salvation.
Here at school, our students will participate in a retreat on Holy Thursday, providing them with a dedicated opportunity to step away from their usual routine and enter more deeply into prayer and reflection. We hope this experience helps them deepen their understanding of faith and the true meaning of this holy season.
As a community, may we all take time during this week to slow down, reflect, and draw closer to Christ.
Wishing all of our families a blessed and joyful Easter.
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
The Google Calendar has been updated for next year. All school events for 2026-27 have been added.
Upcoming Events
March 27 Living Stations 7pm
March 29 Palm SundayApril 2 Holy Thursday
April 2 NOON Dismissal
April 2 NO EXTENDED DAY
April 3 Good Friday
April 3-6 NO SCHOOL
April 7 Classes Resume
April 9 Marvelous Mustang(March) 8am
April 10 PK/K Trike-a-thon
April 11-12 Holy Card Uniform Weekend
April 13 Holy Card Free Dress
April 13-17 Spring Book Fair
April 16 Field Day
April 21 PTCO General Mtg.
April 24 Jean Day
NO AFTERNOON EXTENDED DAY APRIL 2, 2026
Called to Share Bread for Life
Holy Week, the heart of the liturgical year, invites us to journey with Christ through his Passion, Death and Resurrection. As we witness the Last Supper and Jesus’ Gift of the Eucharist, we are reminded to be bread broken for others. Let us draw strength from the Bread of Life and dedicate ourselves to serving our sisters and brothers who bear heavy crosses, bringing hope and resurrection to the world.
Rice Bowl donations due at school on March 30
Visit https://www.crsricebowl.org/reflections/holy-week to read this week’s Story of Hope
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
School Year 26-27
Step Up for Students applications for renewal and new students is available.
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!
Once your Awarded please send Gail Leung the Award ID Number to gleung@sscsfl.org.
How to find your Award ID Number?
Go to your Dashboard in EMA and scroll down and the Award ID number will be there. This number is needed to enroll your student in the St. Stephen Catholic School Scholarship enrollment. Thank you!
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!
What musical instrument would you find in a bathroom?
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.
Mustang Sports
Girls Track: The girls track team had their first meet of the season on Tuesday with the field events at Christ the King. All of the girls did a great job. The Mustangs have their first running and relay meet on Saturday, at Tampa Catholic, from 8:00-11:30 am. The team and individual results for the field events and running and relay meets will be posted next week.
Boys Flag Football: The team is wrapping up their last week of just practice, with games starting next week. The Mustangs play on Tuesday against Mother Teresa, at Mother Teresa, at 4:15 pm, and on Wednesday, against Christ the King, here at St. Stephen at 4:15 pm.
Field Day 2026 is Thursday, April 16. Volunteers are needed for both the AM and PM sessions. Two service hours can be earned per session. See the Field Day flyer and Sign Up Genius link above for more info, and to register to volunteer. Four volunteers are needed per class for both sessions.
The St. Stephen Summer Sports Camps dates have been finalized. There is basketball, volleyball, and two weeks of soccer camp available. See the camp info sheets, and registration links to get signed up as soon as possible for another great summer of St. Stephen sports camps.
GO MUSTANGS!
Coach Green
Friends of the Poor Walk: Family Fun to Support Neighbors in Need
The first annual St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk will raise much needed financial assistance for families in the Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Gibsonton, and Ruskin areas. The walk takes place Saturday, March 28, 2026, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Riverview. Families and friends of all ages are welcome to register to participate in the walk to show their support for people in need. In addition to the walk, the event will include games, raffles, and food vendors.The non-profit organization raises and distributes aid that alleviates suffering, including financial assistance for rent and utilities, food pantries, thrift stores, and personal attention as volunteers meet with and listen to neighbors to help guide them.
Last year over 2,000 families were helped with shelter, utilities, and critical household needs with the organization distributing over $620,000.
While the event takes place on the campus of St. Stephen, the Friends of the Poor Walk supports an even wider footprint of the community. The St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) East Hillsborough County District is made up of volunteers from SVdP conferences located at St.Anne, Prince of Peace, St. Stephen and Nativity Catholic Churches. All conferences are run entirely by volunteers who promote the dignity of their neighbors, serving everyone regardless of creed, color or national origin.
“We are looking forward to this being a family fun event that will grow for future years to come,” said Denise Essex, president of the SVdP St. Stephen Conference, adding, “All money raised from walker registration, donations and sponsorships will go back into the community to help our neighbors.”
Learn more about the event and register to walk or sponsor at svdpfopwalkehd.org. Sponsors and food vendors wishing to support the event onsite can email fopwalkehd@gmail.com.
***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!
A tuba toothpaste
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.