A Message from Mrs. Perrault, Principal
Dear Families,
What a fun time our students had this week celebrating Halloween! The costumes were top-notch as always. I hope your children had a wonderful time Trick-or-Treating and are enjoying their 5-day weekend!
Thank you to everyone for attending Fall conferences yesterday. Partnering with you in your child's education is so important, and we greatly value and appreciate your time to meet and discuss your child's progress. I encourage you to continue communicating with your child's teacher(s) throughout the school year.
Over the past month, we hosted the metro area Catholic high schools for recruitment visits. Our seventh and eighth graders enjoy learning about the different schools. After recruitment visits, we like to follow up with administrators to see how our SSM alums are doing with the high school transition. We ask specific questions about their high school preparedness and whether there is an area where we, as educators, need to focus more during their grade school years. We also discuss how our alumni compare to students coming from other metro Catholic schools. We greatly appreciate the time and effort they took in responding with feedback from their teachers, counselors, coaches, and advisors. Their responses were unanimous, sharing that students coming from SSM are not only prepared academically, but they are also exemplary in their faith and their service to others.
We are grateful to receive this feedback and wanted to share it with you. While we do our very best at school to get them ready for high school, we know your efforts at home are of equal importance. The positive feedback is indicative of the partnership we have with each of you, and a testament to the wonderful children you are raising. We are so privileged to have your children at St. Stephen the Martyr. Thank you for entrusting their education to us.
Blessings,
Mrs. Perrault
In this issue of Martyr Messenger:
- Admin Updates: Church Door Notice, Veteran’s Day Assembly, School Reconciliation, Picture Retake Day, October Saint of Month Honorees, Thanksgiving Food Drive, Spirit Wear Re-order, Inclement Weather Policy, Cold Weather Recess Reminders, MCS Beginning Band Olympics, Safe Environment Training
- Home & School Updates: Art to Remember
- Parish Updates: Community for All, Angel Tree Project, Hiring: Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry
- Community Updates: Skutt Dance Clinic, High School Honor Rolls, Gross Open House
Administration Updates
October Saint of the Month Award Recipients
On Tuesday, our students were awarded the October Saint of the Month Award! These students were selected by their teachers for living lives like St. Therese of Lisieux, showing kindness and love in small ways. Please pray for these children and all of the children at St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School whose souls are entrusted to us.
Early Childhood Honorees (L-R):
- Selene (TK-Ferrante)
- Elliana (TK-Foster)
- Blake (Preschool-Gentile)
- Maximus (PreK-Tabaka)
K-8 Honorees:
- Front Row (L-R): Leo (1B-Heidrick), Oliver (1A-Fitch), Romann (1C-Keller), Gracelynn (KB-Rezac), Saige (KC-Schrage), Emmy (KA-Hoff)
- Second Row (L-R): Elin (3B-Lowry), Gianna (3A-Mancilla), CJ (3C-Niehaus), Joe (2A-Gill), Parker (2C-Schweers), Marley (2B-O'Leary)
- Third Row (L-R): Christian (5B-Jonas), Maci (5A-Freeman), Caroline (4A-Roche), Jacob (4B-Haack)
- Back Row (L-R): Alexis (8A-Brown), Callie (8C-Berry), Jrake (8B-Harvey), JT (7B-Mullen), Dominic (6B-Bolton), Maria (6A-Pestel), Cayla (6C-Mabeus)
- Not Pictured: Ellie (5C-Keating), Miles (7A-Peetz), Caitlyn (4C-Hermann)
Thanksgiving Food Drive: Nov. 9th-21st
Students may bring their designated item to their classroom from November 9th-21st. The food will be blessed at the All School Mass on November 21st. In addition to stocking our St. Stephen Food Pantry, surplus items will be shared with the Juan Diego Center. This is a wonderful way for our students to help those in need, “to feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty”. Mathew 25
Spirit Wear Re-Orders: Due Nov. 10th, Delivered in time for Christmas!
Spirit wear re-orders are here with a new winter item! All proceeds support the 8th grade Washington, D.C., trip. Orders are due Nov. 10 and will be delivered before the holiday break. In addition to the items that were for sale in the first order, you can grab a special ski patrol hoodie for Christmas!
Questions? Please contact Frannie Schneider at frannieschneider@gmail.com, Tina Cockerill at tina.cockerill@arc-holdings.com, or Erin McCartney at emccartney5@gmail.com. This is the last spirit wear sale for the 2023-2024 school year.
Inclement Weather Policy
As we enter November, it is a good time to review our inclement weather policy. St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School (SSM) observes the school closing policies of the Millard Public Schools (MPS) and/or Omaha Catholic Schools (OCS). When school is canceled, SSM will send families an email (using the “Correspondence” email(s) the family has on file in FACTS). If either district calls off school due to inclement weather, SSM will be closed. SSM does not utilize late starts. If MPS or OCS calls a late start, SSM will be closed. If MPS or OCS announces a remote learning day in lieu of a snow day, SSM will not have remote school unless all allotted snow days are already used. The full policy can be found on page 26 of the Family Handbook.
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.
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.
2023 Music in Catholic Schools Beginning Band Olympics Awards
On Tuesday, October 17th several of our beginning band students participated in MCS's Band Olympics. We are excited to share that St. Stephen 5th-grade flutists Scarlett Atkinson & Eva Guthmann-Leany both brought home medals! Congratulations to Scarlett for placing first and receiving the gold medal & Eva for placing second and earning the silver medal! We are proud of all of our students who competed and look forward to their Christmas concert in December.
Upcoming Safe Environment Training
Home & School Updates
Announcing our 2024 Musical: Disney's Finding Nemo, Jr!
We are excited to announce that this year's musical will be Disney's Finding Nemo, Jr. The musical is open to all 1st through 8th graders!
Key Dates
Key Dates
- Registration begins Nov. 28th
- Auditions are for grades 6-8th only. All middle school students must register before auditioning. All 1st-5th grade students who would like to be in the musical will be given a role.
- Auditions are on the stage at 3:30 PM on Monday, Dec. 4th and Thursday, Dec. 7th
- Rehearsals start the week of Monday, Jan 8th
- Tech week is MANDATORY for all students (March 17th - 20th)
- School performance: Thursday, March 21st at 1:15 PM
- General Audience performances are Friday, March 22nd at 7:30 PM and Saturday, March 23rd, at 7 PM (presence is mandatory for all)
Art to Remember: Orders Due, Monday, Nov. 6th
Our school is participating in a fundraiser with Art to Remember. This program benefits our school and the products make great gifts for friends and family members! The deadline to order keepsake items customized with your child’s artwork is quickly approaching.
Click on the button below for our school’s custom webpage. You can also upload other art of your child's on the website. All orders benefit our school! Place your order by November 6th for free shipping to our school! Questions? Contact Chris VanDorn at cmblock@cox.net.
Parish Updates
A Community for All Campaign
Angel Tree Project - Nov. 4th - Dec. 3rd
Three Ways to Participate:
- Sign up to “adopt” a specific person(s): Sign-up sheets & details will be available in the Gathering Space after all Masses on Nov. 4th & 5th.
- Take an ornament from one of the trees and return the item(s) under the trees.
- Give Stamps, Gift Cards, Cash/Checks: Beginning Nov. 4th, you can donate books of stamps, $10 or $25 gift cards (Walmart or Target), cash or checks by placing them in the wooden drop box labeled “Angel Tree Project” in the Gathering Space. Checks should be made out to St. Stephen the Martyr Church.
Now Hiring: Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministry
St. Stephen the Martyr is seeking candidates for a Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Are you or someone you know interested? Click the button below to view the job description. For more information, contact Adam Ybarra, Director of Mission, at 402-861-4507 or a.ybarra@stephen.org.
Community Updates
Skutt Dance Team Clinic
Gross Catholic High School Open House
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-quarter honors roll students have been added to the website. Congratulations to all of our alumni!
Important Upcoming Dates
- November 7: School Reconciliation Grades 3-5
- November 8: School Reconciliation Grades 6-8
- November 9: Thanksgiving Food Drive Begins
- November 10: Veteran's Day Assembly
- November 15: Picture Retake Day
- November 20: H&S Teacher/Staff Christmas Fund Begins
- November 21:
- Thanksgiving Food Drive Ends.
- Progress Reports
- November 22-27: Thanksgiving Break
- November 28:
- Classes Resume
- Musical Registration Begins
- December 4:
- Musical Auditions for 6-8th Graders, 3:30 PM on Stage
- First Reconciliation: 2A & 2B
- December 5: First Reconciliation: 2C
- December 6: Advent Prayer Service
- December 7:
- Santa Shoppe - Day 1
- Musical Auditions for 6-8th Graders, 3:30 PM on Stage
- December 8: Santa Shoppe - Day 2