A Message from Mrs. Perrault, Principal
Dear Families,
We have had a fantastic Catholic Schools Week. I hope you have been able to see the posts on social media. Every day at St. Stephen the Martyr School is a good day, but these days during Catholic Schools Week are especially fun and faith-filled.
Thank you to all of our families who have enrolled for the 2022-2023 school year, and thanks for your patience as we have been trying to navigate a new system. I know there has been some confusion with the enrollment fee. I want to clarify that our SSM enrollment fee is $200 per student, but FACTS also charges a $10.00 enrollment fee/student. The extra $10.00 fee goes directly to FACTS and is not part of SSM tuition.
Please note: If your child is currently in grades 1 and 3 (will be 2nd and 4th graders next year) you will want to make sure you enroll before the March 1 deadline. These classes are almost full, and we have limited space for new students. The class will open to outside students on March 2. If you have a child you are hoping to enroll in the Transitional Kindergarten program, you will also want to enroll (or apply if this is their first time at SSM) before the deadline since these classes reach capacity very quickly. We look forward to a great 2022-2023 school year!
Conferences are Thursday, February 17 from 12:30-7 PM. We have an early dismissal that day. These conferences are optional. You will receive information for scheduling conferences from your child’s teacher. You will have the option of ZOOM or an in-person conference.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support.
Mrs. Perrault
In this issue of Martyr Messenger:
- Admin Updates: Re-Enrollment Open, Catholic Schools Week Finale, Progress Reports, Spelling Bee Results, Book Fair, Lunch Volunteers, Annual Sucker Sale and more!
- Home & School Updates: Valentine's Day Parties, BoxTops, Winter Social Event: Party at the Ski Lodge
- Sports Club Updates: Flames Classic Basketball Tournament, Soccer, Track and Football Registrations
- Community Updates: High School Alumni Achievements & Lil Jays Dance Clinic
COVID-19 Update
Administration Updates
Catholic Schools Week Finale
We've had a wonderful week celebrating Catholic Schools Week! We hope you will join us via live stream tomorrow for Mass. You can view Mass on our Church Facebook page or at stephen.org/live-stream.
Reminder: We have an early dismissal tomorrow (no school for PreK-Tabaka).
Dismissal Times:
- 10:45 AM - KidZone and TK
- 10:50 AM - Last names R-Z
- 10:55 AM - Last names A-H
- 11:00 AM - Last names I-P
Progress Reports
Your student’s progress report will be posted on Sycamore tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 4th. To access it follow these steps:
- Log in to your Sycamore account so that you are on your main page.
- On the right-hand side of your screen, you will see an area labeled 'My Students'.
- Click on your student and select documents. You should see a list of previous report cards, progress reports, and other reports as well as the current progress report.
- Click on the progress report to view your child’s current grades.
Re-Enrollment 2022/2023
Current students can now be re-enrolled for the 2022/2023 school year. Please do so via your FACTS Family Portal by March 1st. Failure to re-enroll by this date may result in your child's spot being given to a new applicant.
We have had a few glitches and we thank you for your patience as we sorted these out. Below are some common issues that have arisen. To resolve most of these, you will need to email Courtenay Swanstrom at c.swanstrom@stephen.org.
Common Issues/Questions:
- I never received an email to create a FACTS Family Portal and complete re-enrollment.
- Contact Courtenay and she will get an email sent.
- My student isn't listed on the re-enrollment page.
- Contact Courtenay and she will fix this issue.
- The system put my early childhood student into the wrong grade.
- This is a limitation of the system that we will adjust after you submit your enrollment packet. You will be prompted in the “Enrollee Information” section to select which program you would like to enroll your student. Select your desired program on this page and office staff will reassign your student to the correct grade level when their enrollment is approved.
- I would like to pay for tuition via check vs. FACTS payment plan, but I can't submit my packet without choosing a payment plan.
- Families still have the option to pay tuition by check, but we have to do some work on the backend for the system to recognize this payment option. You must pay your enrollment fee online when re-enrolling, it cannot be paid via check. Contact Courtenay so she can adjust your account and you can complete your re-enrollment packet(s).
- Do I have to complete multiple transactions to pay the enrollment fees?
- Yes. Unfortunately, you will have to pay the $200 SSM Enrollment fee + the $10 FACTS enrollment fee by separate transactions for each student. However, you will only set up a payment plan once. The $20 or $50 processing fee for the payment plan is per family/annually.
- If I select a payment plan, can I change it at a later date?
- You can change your payment plan up until Monday, May 9. You will need to contact Courtenay to do so.
- I'd like to use my FACTS Family Portal that I have through another school (i.e. Skutt Catholic) to complete SSM enrollment and financial payments.
- Unfortunately, this is not an option. You will have to have separate accounts.
Resources:
- Family Portal and Re-Enrollment Guide: This PDF outlines how to set up your FACTS Family Portal and complete re-enrollment for children that are currently enrolled at SSM. Please note: Preschool, PreK and TK students are considered current students and eligible for re-enrollment.
- New Applicant Guide: This PDF outlines how a new student applies for admission. This is only for students who have never been enrolled at SSM (early childhood-8th grade). It is very important you do not complete this application unless you have a student starting at SSM that previously went to another daycare/school or a student who will attend SSM as their first school experience.
- FACTS Rollout Letter: This letter contains important information regarding the benefits to both families and our school. It also gives you an overview of the tuition payment plans available through our new Tuition and Fees Processor, FACTS. For additional FACTS questions, please visit their website: https://factsmgt.com/parent-faqs/
- 2022/2023 Tuition Rates: This gives you the updated tuition rates, as well as, information on discounts available for families enrolling 3+ students in K-8 and information on Tuition Assistance.
Spelling Bee Results
On Tuesday our qualifying students participated in our school Spelling Bee. All of our participants did a wonderful job! Congratulations to our champion, 7th-grader, Olivia Pottebaum, and our runner-up, 4th-Grader, Sarah Fernandes! Olivia & Sarah will move on to compete in the Metro-wide Spelling Bee, representing St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School, on February 12th at St. Mary's in Bellevue. Congratulations, Olivia & Sarah! We will all be cheering for you!
Volunteer During Lunch
We could use some extra help in the Dining Room over the lunch hours! If you can lend a hand, please sign up here:
Annual Sucker Sale: February 10 & 11
Our annual Sucker Sale benefiting our sister school, Juan Pablo ll in Guatemala, will be next Thursday, Feb. 10 and Friday, Feb. 11 after school until 3:40 PM. Bags of 3 large suckers will be $5, and 5 small suckers will be $3. All proceeds will benefit our Juan Pablo ll in Guatemala. Thank you for supporting this cause!
Spring Book Fair: February 14-17
A few reminders about shopping at our Book Fair:
- All Students in PreK-5th grade must be supervised by an adult. Middle School students may attend before and after school without a parent and they may escort any younger siblings.
- Parents may set up an eWallet for students that are shopping alone or with Middle School siblings. This eliminates the need for cash or a card. Click HERE for more information.
- The online Book Fair is available February 11-24 by clicking HERE.
- SSM follows all city mask mandates. If a mandate is in place, masks will be required to enter the building. Thank you for your cooperation.
- Click HERE to volunteer to help at the Book Fair.
Spirit Catholic Radio Superstar Catholic Schools Contest - Vote For St. Stephen!
For 10 YEARS, Spirit Catholic Radio has been shining a spotlight on Catholic schools in our area. The competition is now open and lasts through Feb. 11. Winners will be announced on Feb. 14. Vote for St. Stephen using the button below!
Upcoming Event Hosted by SSM Boy Scouts
SSM Girl Scouts' Ties & Tiaras Daddy - Daughter Dance Rescheduled: Saturday, March 26th
Home and School Updates
Valentine's Day Parties
Valentine's Day Parties will be held on Monday, Feb. 14th. Your classroom teachers and coordinators will keep you in the loop on the fun to be had! Watch your e-mail for sign-ups to help contribute to the parties.
Join us on Feb. 26th for a Party at the Ski Lodge!
As parents, we do a lot to support our kids - let’s celebrate with an adult night to meet other SSM parents. At this new winter social event, Home & School will provide the venue and food and you'll get the chance to meet and mingle with other parents. Come join us and get to know fellow parents in our school community! Reservations are now being accepted for this NEW event. Tickets are limited to the first 150 registrants. Use the RSVP button below to register. Questions? Contact Malori at malorititman@gmail.com.
BoxTops for Education
The next Box Tops for education collection deadline is Friday, February 25. Please make sure to scan your box tops before then. If you aren’t quite sure how to scan them, please see the video below.
Faith at Home
St. Blaise: Healer of Throats
Ever wondered why once a year at Mass, you are invited to receive a blessing of your throat? Seems random right? But like anything that has existed for 2,000 years across all cultures, the Catholic Church has her reasons! St. Blaise was a physician who practiced around the year 300 in modern-day Turkey. He was known for his skill but soon dedicated his life to God as a priest. He became a Bishop and was known for his incredible combination of spiritual and physical healing. He was arrested in 326 for being a Christian, and on his way to jail, a woman threw her child, who was actively choking to death on a fish bone, at his feet. He stopped, healed the boy, and then continued on to jail and then martyrdom. St. Blaise is still known to heal physical and spiritual ailments, especially ailments of the throat. Today, place your physical ailments in the hands of St. Blaise, the healer and martyr.
St. Josephine Bakhita: God can heal trauma
Kidnapped by Arab traders, Josephine was sold into slavery when she was 7 years old. The trauma of this and other tortures inflicted by cruel owners caused her to forget the name her parents gave her. After multiple owners, she was finally sold to an Italian couple who treated her kindly, brought her to Italy and set her free. There, she met the Catholic faith and became a religious sister, saying “now my soul is free”. She was known throughout the town as a living saint and canonized in 2000. She is the patroness of human trafficking and all those who have experienced trauma in their lives.
Sports Club Updates
Open to 4th-8th grade girls and boys teams. Space is limited.
- PAL, Bronze, or Silver Level Club Teams Only
- Registration Fee $155
- 3 Game Guarantee
- Individual Awards for 1st & 2nd Place
- Games will be played at St. Stephen and Skutt Catholic – all games on a full-court
- Entry Deadline February 16th, 2022, 11:59 PM CST
For more information, email coreyguenther34@gmail.com.
From the Community
Important Upcoming Dates
- February 4: Progress Reports & Early Dismissal
- 10:45 AM - KidZone and TK
- 10:50 AM - Last names R-Z
- 10:55 AM - Last names A-H
- 11:00 AM - Last names I-P
- February 14: Valentine’s Day Parties
- February 17: Early Dismissal & Conferences
- 10:45 AM - KidZone and TK
- 10:50 AM - Last names R-Z
- 10:55 AM - Last names A-H
- 11:00 AM - Last names I-P
- 12:30 - 7 PM - Conferences
- February 18 & 21: No School
- February 26:
- Home & School Event – Party At the Lodge
- Boy Scouts' Mom Prom
- March 7-11: No School (Spring Break)