A Message from Mrs. Perrault, Principal
Dear Families,
It was so wonderful to see so many of you last week! Curriculum Night was very well attended, and I hope you found it as beneficial as our teachers did. We greatly appreciate your partnership in educating your children. Our teachers are on your team and should you ever have any questions or concerns, please contact them. Please allow at least 24 hours for a reply, as they often aren’t near their computers during the school day. We all know how uplifting and motivating kind words of encouragement can be, so as their leader, I also ask that you share your appreciation with them when you feel called to do so!
Speaking of last week…I think we can all agree that not only did we SURVIVE Martyr Marathon, we thrived!! What an amazing event we had, and we were so blessed with the best weather. Each year I’m blown away by how you raise the bar, making each year better than the last. Thank you, thank you to the Martyr Marathon Committee for the countless hours you spent planning and executing the event, and for the hours you continue to spend, ensuring every penny is counted and every donor and volunteer is thanked. Thank you to our generous sponsors. These amazing companies have stepped up for Catholic Education and I encourage our school families to support them with your business. Thank you to our teachers, for the gift of their classroom time, their excitement and leadership with our students, and their overall support of this important event. Lastly, thank you to all of YOU: for your volunteer hours, for your fundraising asks to family and friends, and for your own financial contributions. We have the BEST school community. Please know of my gratitude for every one of you.
Blessings,
Mrs. Perrault
Mrs. Perrault
In this issue of Martyr Messenger:
- Admin Updates: Progress Reports, Thank You from Food Pantry, First Reconciliation Parent Meeting, Library Volunteer Sign-up, School Photos
- Home & School Updates: Fall Family Frolic & Trunk or Treat
- Men's Club Updates: Husker Watch Party
- Sports Club Updates: PAL Basketball Registration
- Parish Updates: RE Cookie Fundraiser & Children's Choir
- Community Updates: Music in Catholic Schools Trivia Night Fundraiser
Administration Updates
Progress Reports
You should have received an email today from Mrs. Courtenay Swanstrom with a link to your student's Progress Report. If you have any questions or concerns, please email your student's teacher(s).
Thank You from the SSM Food Pantry Staff
Thank you, students & families of St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School, for your generosity shown to the SSM Food Pantry during Martyr Marathon week! The Pantry families will be truly blessed! Please continue to pray for those in need. “Each of us will be a blessing to the other.” Romans 1:12
First Reconciliation Parent Meeting
Parents of 2nd graders who will be receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time in December will meet in the Worship Space on Sunday, October 15 at 4 PM. Please come to hear more about Reconciliation, and receive your Parent/Child packet and other information. Please contact Sandy Kimmey, Director of Religious Education,at s.kimmey@stephen.org with questions or visit our website at stephen.org/sacraments.
Important Dates:
- Nov. 29th - Reconciliation Packet Due
- Dec. 4th, 7 PM - First Reconciliation for 2A (Gill) & 2B (O'Leary)
- Dec. 5th, 7 PM - First Reconciliation for 2C (Schweers)
Are you looking for a fun way to volunteer?
Mrs. Tessari needs volunteers to help in the library with check-out times in grades K-2 and a few volunteers to shelf books. The check-out time slots are 30 minutes and the shelving slots are 45 minutes. Kids love seeing their parents or grandparents volunteering in the school!
Save the Date: School photos are October 16th
Home & School Updates
Join Us on October 10th for our Fall Family Frolic!
Join us at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch on Tuesday, October 10th from 11 – 4 PM for our annual Fall Family Frolic. Your family is responsible for admission at the door; no advanced ticket purchase is required. We have the Jack O’ Lantern Party Barn reserved for a SSM meet-up space and we’ll provide s’mores from 1 – 3 PM! Wear your SSM spirit or Martyr Marathon shirt, grab your friends and join us for lots of St. Stephen family fun!
Want to lend a hand? We could use s'more volunteers in the Jack O' Lantern Party Barn! Sign up using the button below.
We've got some exciting news: Trunk or Treat is back!
Join us for a night of Halloween fun!
Friday, October 27th |6-7:30 PM
St. Stephen the Martyr is hosting a SPOOKTACULAR night of Trunk-or-Treating, complete with a DJ, food truck and lots of family-friendly fun!
Event Details:
- Trunk-or-Treating for the kids!
- $100 Best Trunk Prize
- Free Hot Chocolate
- The Modern Waffle Food Truck will be selling Breakfast for Dinner (View Menu)
- DJ and Dancing
- Family-friendly, alcohol-free event
RSVP, please!
Please RSVP using the button below so we're able to plan for all of the kids attending and the food truck can plan for the crowd.
Please RSVP using the button below so we're able to plan for all of the kids attending and the food truck can plan for the crowd.
Adult & Youth Volunteers Needed!
We need many volunteers to help with set up and clean up, to serve hot chocolate, to issue voting tickets, donate candy, and of course, to bring your faBOOlously decorated trunks! To sign up to have a trunk space or to volunteer click the button below. If you'd like to donate candy so we have extra for the event, please drop it off at the Parish, School or Religious Education office. Thank you!
Trunk Details:
Decorate your car's trunk in any theme and come park in our south parking lot at 5 PM. The best trunk wins a $100 prize! Don't forget the treats! Trunk volunteers are asked to bring their own candy or non-food items (stickers, erasers, etc.) to distribute to the trunk-or-treaters from 6:00-7:30 PM. We also ask you to bring a container to collect "Best Trunk" votes/tickets for your trunk! Not sure how to decorate your trunk? Visit our webpage for a short video with some inspiration from past St. Stephen the Martyr Trunk or Treat events. Sign up using the button below!
Let's give 'em pumpkin to talk about!
Men's Club Updates
Sports Club Updates
Parish Updates
Help our RE Students Raise Some "Dough"
Join the Children's Choir
Please join us for our first practice tonight (Thursday, September 21st) from 6-6:45 PM in the Worship Space. Schedules will be available that night but also emailed to the families. Please fill out the information sheet below and bring it to the first practice. For more information, contact Linda Liesner at 330-904-3928 or Paula Bonkiewicz at p.bonkiewicz@stephen.org.
Community Updates
Music in Catholic School Fundraiser
Music in Catholic Schools is having a fundraiser on Friday, October 20th! It is sure to be a fun team trivia event! Put together your teams of up to 8 people and sign up at: signupgenius.com/go/10C0C49A8A629A2FCC16-music.
Important Upcoming Dates
- September 22: Progress Reports
- October 6: No School
- October 9: No School
- October 10:
- No School
- Home & School Fall Family Frolic event at Vala’s
- October 13: All School Rosary
- October 16: School Photos
- October 20: Quarter 1 Ends
- October 25:
- Report Cards
- 2 PM Dismissal (Staff Meeting)
- October 27: Trunk or Treat
- October 31: Halloween Parties