A Message from Mrs. Perrault, Principal
Dear Families,
As we prepare for the Thanksgiving break, I want to reflect on a few of the reasons I am so thankful. I am so blessed to have our students who come to St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School every day ready to learn. They are a daily reminder of what the joy of learning truly means.
I am so grateful for the support of the parents and our school community. You trust us to care for and guide your most treasured gifts–your children. I appreciate the sacrifices you make so your children can attend SSM, and I am so grateful for your partnership and trust.
I am also so grateful for our teachers, teacher assistants, priests, office staff, and all of our support staff who care so much about our students’ success both academically and emotionally. They love and teach as Jesus did. They are wonderful examples of being Christ-like every day. I see dedicated and hard-working individuals going above and beyond to make sure that great things happen in our school. They make a huge difference, and our students benefit from those efforts.
I am so blessed to be a part of this community, and I thank God every day for the gift of St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School.
I would like to wish all of you and your families a healthy, relaxing and prayerful Thanksgiving break!
United in Christ,
Mrs. Perrault
In this issue of Martyr Messenger:
- Admin Updates: Thanksgiving Food Drive, Winter Book Fair, K-2 Christmas Music Program, Progress Reports, GaGa Ball Overview, Uniform Shirt & Hair Reminders, Cold Weather Recess Reminders
- Home & School Updates: Breakfast in Bethlehem, Santa Shoppe, St. Nicholas Cookie & Ornament Exchange, Christmas Gift Program, Teacher Wish Lists, Musical Registrations, Faith At Home
- Parish Updates: Trivia Night, Thanksgiving at St. Stephen the Martyr, St. Stephen the Martyr Dinner & Auction Black Friday & Cyber Monday Shopping, Angel Tree Project, We're Hiring: Gym Supervisor & Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry & Hearts Open Wide Youth Service Opportunities
- Community Updates: Skutt Catholic Wrestling PreK-8th, Upcoming Events at Mercy High School, SSM Alumni on High School Honor Rolls
Administration Updates
Reminder: Thanksgiving Food Drive Ends Tuesday!
On Tuesday the donations will be taken to the Gonderinger Parish Center to be sorted and distributed by our parish Food Pantry volunteers. This is a wonderful way for our students to help those in need. Listed below are the food items for your child’s grade. Thank you for your help with this project!
- 2-Day & 3-Day Preschool: Cereal
- 3-Day & 5-Day PreK: Pancake Mix or Syrup
- TK: Peanut Butter or Jelly
- Kindergarten: Brownie Mix, Cake Mix or Frosting
- 1st Grade: Hamburger Helper (any flavor)
- 2nd Grade: Spaghetti or Pasta Sauce
- 3rd Grade: Canned Tuna or Chicken Breast
- 4th Grade: Toilet Tissue (4-pack)
- 5th Grade: Ready-to-Serve Soup
- 6th Grade: Boxed Potatoes or Boxed Rice
- 7th Grade: Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Deodorant or Body Wash
- 8th Grade: Canned Chili or Baked Beans
Save the Date: Winter Book Fair is Dec. 12th-16th
Get ready! This winter's Book Fair is going to be epic! We've turned up the volume with more fun, more choices and more excitement, so kids will arrive curious and leave more excited about reading than ever before. Here's what you need to know about our upcoming fair:
- Every dollar you spend will benefit our school directly.
- Our Fair is CASHLESS: Credit/Debit cards, ApplePay, and eWallet only
- You can sign up for Book Fair eWallet, a convenient digital payment account, so your child can shop the Fair cash-free. Grandparents, friends, and others can contribute to the eWallet to help build your home library.
- We are adding a cashless school shopping day this year on Thursday, December 15 for any students who cannot shop before/after school with a parent. Students may attend and spend from their pre-established eWallet.
- You can order online and have books shipped to your home.
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade Music Program: Dec. 15
What Should Christmas Mean to Me?
Dear SSM Families,
Our K-2 music program is Thursday, December 15 at 2 PM and 6 PM.
Students are required to be at both performances. If for some reason your child is not able to attend both performances please send a written note or email me at s.smith@stephen.org. You and your guests are welcome to attend either or both performances. The 2 PM performance will have the 3rd-8th grade students in attendance. For the evening performance, your child will need to report to his/her classroom at 5:45 PM. We are asking that you not arrive at school any earlier than 5:45 as that is the time your child's teacher will be in the homeroom classroom. Please have your child wear comfortable clothing: Boys must wear dress pants/khakis and a nice shirt. Girls must wear dresses/skirts or nice pants/shirt. No jeans, please! Remember they get pretty warm standing so close together - please keep this in mind when choosing an outfit. They will be in school uniforms for the 2 PM program.
Thank you,
Mrs. Susan Smith, Pre-K-2 Music
Students are required to be at both performances. If for some reason your child is not able to attend both performances please send a written note or email me at s.smith@stephen.org. You and your guests are welcome to attend either or both performances. The 2 PM performance will have the 3rd-8th grade students in attendance. For the evening performance, your child will need to report to his/her classroom at 5:45 PM. We are asking that you not arrive at school any earlier than 5:45 as that is the time your child's teacher will be in the homeroom classroom. Please have your child wear comfortable clothing: Boys must wear dress pants/khakis and a nice shirt. Girls must wear dresses/skirts or nice pants/shirt. No jeans, please! Remember they get pretty warm standing so close together - please keep this in mind when choosing an outfit. They will be in school uniforms for the 2 PM program.
Thank you,
Mrs. Susan Smith, Pre-K-2 Music
Progress Reports
You will receive a link to your student's Progress Report from Mrs. Courtenay Swanstrom on Tuesday, November 22nd. You can also view the reports by logging into your FACTS Family Portal and following these directions:
- Click "Student" from the menu
- Then click "Grades"
- Select Mid Term Progress Report (at the top). These will be an alpha grade and not numeric.
- If you want to view a more detailed report with your student's percentage or numeric grade you can select the "Grade Book Report" option and then sort through what class you want more details on.
GaGa Ball Overview
By now, many of you have heard from our social media channels (or your students!) that the St. Stephen Sports Club is funding the addition of a GaGa Pit to our school playground. Many of you may not know what GaGa Ball is. Some of you are still probably thinking Lady Gaga is coming to the Pit. Where can I get tickets?!
The cement has been poured and now we are just awaiting the shipment of the pit. Once installed and ready to go, like anything new, it will be extremely popular on the playground! Our pit will be on concrete and we have rubber flooring on top of that for the playable surface. We have shared the below videos & rules with our teachers and have asked them to share them with their students. Additionally, Mrs. Verraneault and Mrs. Johnson have introduced GaGa Ball to the students in PE. It is best for us all (teachers, staff, students & families) to be on the same page with basic rules and expectations!
The cement has been poured and now we are just awaiting the shipment of the pit. Once installed and ready to go, like anything new, it will be extremely popular on the playground! Our pit will be on concrete and we have rubber flooring on top of that for the playable surface. We have shared the below videos & rules with our teachers and have asked them to share them with their students. Additionally, Mrs. Verraneault and Mrs. Johnson have introduced GaGa Ball to the students in PE. It is best for us all (teachers, staff, students & families) to be on the same page with basic rules and expectations!
GaGa Ball Pit Resources:
- GaGa Ball Video to play for older students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YNP2Pas2sY
- GaGa Ball Video to play for younger students: (Pease note, this video states punching is ok. We will stick with open-hand hitting.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAXQv8_EnjY - Below are also written out rules. Our competitive friends will need reinforced reminders to have good sportsmanship :)
Uniform Reminders
Students MUST wear a uniform-approved shirt under sweatshirts.
- Boys' uniform shirts should be gray (must be the color sold for SSM at Dennis or Digiorgios) or white knit shirts (short or long-sleeved), the SSM logo is optional.
- Girls' uniform shirts should be white or gray knit (long or short-sleeved) with/without banded bottoms or white blouses with a pointed, button-down, or peter pan collar (SSM logo optional).
Hair Guidelines
Hairstyles must be kept neat and trimmed. Hair must be out of the student’s face. Other extremes in dress and hairstyles such as mohawks, shaved lettering, tails, etc. are prohibited. Extreme hair color variations will not be allowed. Boys' hair length must be no longer than the top of their shirt collar.
Hairstyles must be kept neat and trimmed. Hair must be out of the student’s face. Other extremes in dress and hairstyles such as mohawks, shaved lettering, tails, etc. are prohibited. Extreme hair color variations will not be allowed. Boys' hair length must be no longer than the top of their shirt collar.
Cold Weather Recess Reminders
Please ensure your student is appropriately dressed for the weather. We will have outdoor recess as long as the actual or the "feels like" wind chill temperature is 10 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Please send students to school with labeled jackets, hats, gloves/mittens, etc.
When there is snow to play in, students may bring snow pants/bibs and boots, but they must wear shoes while inside. Please make sure these items are labeled. Sending them in a labeled plastic bag can be helpful for keeping their items together and provide easy storage should they get wet at recess.
Home and School Updates
Join Us December 4th for...
Come celebrate the beginning of Advent and the Feast of St. Nicholas with a morning filled with the Knights of Columbus’ famous pancake breakfast and Home & School hosted St. Nicholas festivities including a Jo-On-The-Go specialty coffee cart, hot cocoa bar, fun activities for the kids, and a visit from St. Nicholas himself.
RSVP using the link below so St. Nicholas can be prepared for all of the children attending!
The Knights of Columbus will donate proceeds from the breakfast to our SSM school teachers and will also be selling "Keep Christ in Christmas" magnets & raffle tickets to win a hand-carved olive wood nativity set made by Christians in the Holy Land. All proceeds from the raffle and magnet sales will be sent to Christian families in the Holy Land this Christmas.
Please note, the Knights will still serve their pancake breakfast after the 7:30 AM breakfast, but the St. Nicholas activities will only be after the 9 & 10:30 AM Masses.
We hope you will join us for this fun and faith-filled morning!
Ho! Ho! Ho!
Santa Shoppe is back and we're so excited to welcome you again! We can't make this event happen without your help. Please use the sign-up genius below to volunteer your time or to donate an item. Volunteers will be helping students shop, wrapping presents, facilitating activities for non-shoppers and helping set up and tear down the event. Set up and tear down are great opportunities for students to earn service hours. You're welcome to bring children to your volunteer slot. Please feel free to sign up for as many spots as you'd like and contact us with any questions!
St. Nicholas Cookie & Ornament Exchange
Our annual cookie & ornament exchange is back for another year of fun! Hosts from each grade level will be reaching out with the time and date for your grade's event. If you do not receive an invite by November 25th, please reach out to Sarah O'Leary at s.oleary@stephen.org.
Say Thank You to Teachers & Staff this Christmas
We are again offering all SSM school families the opportunity to participate in the annual Teacher/Staff Christmas Gift Program.
Consider the time and number of gifts it would take if you were to individually thank all the staff who interact with your children every day! This program saves you time and money during the holiday rush. This is an optional program; however, we ask that you give serious consideration to participating. The program has been a huge success in the past and it is our hope that the tradition continues. The money is used to give a gift to each of the St. Stephen teachers and school staff who share in the daily education and care of your children. Ways to Donate:
- Give Cash or Check sent to the school office (checks can be made to SSM Home & School)
- Give online via OSV: osvhub.com/stephen/forms/teacherchristmasgiftfund.
We will be accepting donations through Friday, December 9th.
You may have already given to this fund through your dues and contributions form. We've included a list below of who has already contributed. Do not hesitate to contact the Teacher Appreciation Committee with any questions.
- Teri Kearney: (402) 758-0751 or mtkearney@cox.net
- Mindy Jrecki: (402) 216-1364 or mjarecki@hotmail.com
- Lisa Bazis: (402) 210-6319 or lbazis@cox.net
Teacher Wish Lists
Another great way to show your appreciation for teachers during the holidays is by gifting them an item from their wish list. All teacher wish lists can be found on our website using the button below.
Musical Registration Begins Nov. 28th
We are excited to announce that this year's musical will be Disney's Newsies Jr. The musical is open to all 1st through 8th graders!
Key Dates
- Registration begins Nov. 28th, 2022
- Auditions are for grades 6-8th only. All middle school students must register prior to auditioning. All 1st-5th grade students that would like to be in the musical will be given a role.
- Auditions are Monday, Dec. 5th and 6th at 3:30 - 5:30 PM on Stage
- Rehearsals start Jan. 19th for middle school and Jan. 23rd for everyone else.
- Tech week is MANDATORY for all students (March 27 - 29th, 2023)
- School performance: March 30th at 1:15 PM
- General performances: March 31st and April 1st
Faith At Home
Christ the King
Even though in the United States we have presidents, there is still one king above all kings and he will come again to rule the world at the end of time. We celebrate his kingship on November 20, right before Advent. This is a signal to each of us that Jesus came once to the world in Bethlehem and he will come again in GLORY and SPLENDOR! Sound far-fetched? The Church even goes further by saying in the Catechism that the forces of evil will make one final stand against Jesus but he destroys them all! So when you're scared or think things aren't going well, ask Jesus to fight for you – He will bring all the power and might in all the heavens and on earth!
Gratitude: The Mother of Virtue
The pivotal act of lifting up your heart in gratitude for what God has done in your life is a virtue and a virtue that feeds all other virtues. You need gratitude to pray, work and love well. Having trouble loving your neighbor? Try first giving thanks for certain traits, and your love will grow. Having trouble praying? Start first by thanking God and see the conversation that God has with you about it. Having trouble at work? Gratitude can flip your attitude from negative to positive in a flash. As the great writer, GK Chesterton says: "When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?" This November, use gratitude as an antidote against the sorrow of this world.
Parish Updates
The 2023 Trivia Night will be on January 28, 2023! Registration opens tomorrow, November 18th, and tables will fill up fast! Get all the details and register by clicking the below button.
Thanksgiving at St. Stephen the Martyr
- Please join us for 8:15 AM Mass on Thanksgiving Day!
- We will host a Blessing of Food at the 8:15 AM Mass. You are encouraged to bring some of your Thanksgiving Dinner food to be blessed by Fr. Dave during Mass.
- There will be no 6:30 AM Mass on Thanksgiving Day.
- Parish offices will be closed on Thursday, November 24th & Friday, November 25th.
Calling all shoppers! Use Black Friday Purchases To Benefit Your Parish
Doing some early Black Friday Shopping? Help us stock our silent auction for the upcoming Back to the '90s Dinner & Auction! Any questions? Reach out to Susie Leuschen, Silent Auction Committee chair, at susieleuschen@gmail.com.
Shopping on Amazon? Be sure to use AmazonSmile when shopping and pick 'St. Stephen Church of Omaha' as your charity of choice. When you shop AmazonSmile, Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to your selected charity. So, whether you are shopping from our Wish List or shopping for those you love, we hope you'll choose 'St. Stephen of Church Omaha' as your designated beneficiary this holiday season...and all year long!
Give Back this Holiday Season
This holiday season, the St. Stephen the Martyr Social Justice Ministry will host our Annual Angel Tree Project! The Angel Trees in the gathering space will support Youth Emergency Services (YES). Parishioners are invited to choose an ornament from an Angel Tree and return the unwrapped item(s) to the boxes under the trees. Thank you for living out the Corporal Works of Mercy to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and shelter the homeless!
Now Hiring...
St. Stephen the Martyr is now hiring for a Gym Supervisor. The Salary is $3,000 (to be paid at the end of the basketball season in March). The job takes place on Saturdays between 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM and Sundays between 11:30 AM – 4:30 PM. December 10/11, 17/18 and January 7/8 through February 25/26. Eligible applicants must be age 19+.
Hearts Open Wide Service Opportunities
There are many opportunities for youth and their families to be the hands and feet of Jesus this holiday season.
Sandwich Donations for Society of St. Vincent de Paul:
Help is needed to provide sandwiches for the sack lunches for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul! Sandwiches can be made from home, and then dropped off in the Gonderinger Parish Center on Monday, November 21st between 6-9 PM. This is a GREAT opportunity to volunteer as a family and would count towards stewardship hours for our Confirmation candidates.
- Sign Up to Donate Sandwiches
- Sign up to Provide Supplemental Food Items (individual bags of chips, fruit cups, desserts, etc.)
Ringing Bells for Salvation Army:
We still have several slots to fill for bell ringers! Use the link below and sign up or log in. Then select "I'm ringing with a group" and use group code "HOW". (When entering the code, be sure to hit the blue Submit button, and not the large "Find My Group" button!)
Community Updates
Skutt Catholic Wrestling for PreK-8th Grade
Beginner/Novice Wrestling for the Skutt kid’s program
PreK to 8th grade
Begins November 28th, so register today!
Upcoming Events at Mercy High School
- Christmas at Mercy, Saturday, Dec. 3rd, 10 AM-Noon: Bring all the kiddos to celebrate Christmas at Mercy! Pictures with Santa, make reindeer food, an ornament, and more!
- 6-8th Grade Lunch & Learn for Parents, Wednesday, Dec. 7th, Noon-1 PM: Enjoy lunch and conversation with our president and principal to learn why more Omaha parents are choosing Mercy for their daughters.
- Cheer Clinic & Performance, Friday, Dec. 16th, 4:30 - 7:30 PM: Kindergarten-4th graders are invited to learn cheers from Mercy Cheer Team! Dinner & t-shirt included. The girls perform at halftime of the Varsity Game that night.
To register for any of these events and find out more details, go to https://www.mercyhigh.org/happenings/. For further questions, please contact Admissions, Director Anne McGill at mcgilla@mercyhigh.org
SSM Alumni on High School Honor Rolls
We are proud of all of our alumni who continue their academic success in high school! When we are notified by high schools, we will share the achievements on our webpage: school.stephen.org/alumni. First-semester honors roll students have been added to the website. Congratulations to all of our alumni!
Important Upcoming Dates
- November 22: Progress Reports & Last Day of Food Drive
- November 23-28: Thanksgiving Break
- November 29: Classes Resume
- December 5: First Reconciliation (2B & 2C)
- December 6: First Reconciliation (2A)
- December 8: Immaculate Conception of Mary (Holy Day)
- All School Mass at 8:15 AM
- Parish Reception in Dining Room after 5:30 PM Mass (all school families are invited)
- December 12-16: Book Fair
- December 12 & 13: Santa Shoppe
- December 13: Parish Reconciliation Service at 7 PM
- December 14: Early Dismissal at 2 PM
- December 15: Kindergarten - 2nd Grade Christmas Music Program (two shows; one at 2 PM
- December 20:
- Early Dismissal – 11 AM (begins Christmas Break)
- End of 2nd Quarter
- December 21-January 4: No School (Christmas Break)
- January 5: Classes Resume