A Message from Mrs. Perrault, Principal
Dear Families,
Happy New Year! Our second semester is off to a great start, albeit rather slowly because of the unplanned time away from each other. Deciding on whether to call a Snow Day or not is never an easy call for local superintendents. Our superintendent for Omaha Catholic Schools, Vickie Kauffold, conferences with other district superintendents, keeps Catholic school principals informed and then shares final decisions once made. I then email you as soon as I know. I truly appreciate your understanding as district superintendents try to make the best decision to prioritize the safety of children, school families, teachers & staff.
Over the next week, our staff and Home & School volunteers will finalize plans for our school's Open House & Catholic Schools Week. The week, dedicated to celebrating the gift of Catholic education and sharing our wonderful school with new families, brings me such joy every year. Details are included below and I invite and encourage you to join in the celebration! We will need lots of extra hands to help give tours. If you love our school, please consider sharing your time.
The forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning doesn't look great. I'll be in touch should it impact tomorrow's school day. Stay warm and safe during these cold days to come!
United In Christ,
Mrs. Perrault
In this issue of Martyr Messenger:
- Admin Updates: Upcoming Re-Enrollment, Incidental Billing Schedule Change, First Semester Honor Roll, Open House - Volunteers Needed, Catholic Schools Week Poster Contest, Catholic Schools Week, 8th Grade Fundraiser
- Home & School Updates: Seeking Home & School President Applicants, Musical Registration, Home & School Meeting, Adult Night Out, EPS Penny War
- Sports Club: Track & Field Registration & Late Soccer Registration
- Parish Updates: Trivia Night, 40 Hours of Devotion, Live Lent Together Small Group Leader Training, Respect Life Activities
- Community Updates: SSM Students on High School Honor Rolls, Music in Catholic Schools Benefit Dance, Spring Math+ Program
Administration Updates
Re-Enrollment for the 2024-2025 School Year
Re-enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year will begin Sunday, January 28th. Re-enrollment packets will be emailed to each currently enrolled student, except those with delinquent FACTS financial accounts. All FACTS account delinquencies for the 23-24 school year including tuition, incidentals, lunch & Kidzone must be paid before an enrollment packet will be sent for your student.
Enrollment packets and the $200/student enrollment fee must be paid by February 23rd to reserve your child's spot in our school for the 2024-2025 school year. Concerns with meeting this deadline should be directed to our office staff.
We have several grades that are near capacity, so please do not delay re-enrolling and reserving your child's spot! Additional details and re-enrollment guides will be shared in the next Martyr Messenger.
Reminder: Incidental Billing Schedule Change
As communicated last semester, in January we changed our Incidental Billing Schedule. Kidzone and school lunch incidental billing will now be invoiced twice a month. This billing schedule replaces our past monthly billing process.
This change is to help families budget their expenses throughout the month and improve internal processes. All invoices will continue to be auto-deducted from your designated EFT account. Please contact the school office if you have any questions.
Congratulations to our Middle School Honor Roll Students!
Students on the Gold Honor Roll achieved an average of 93% or above in their daily “core classes". Students on the Red Honor Roll achieved an average between 86% and 92% in their daily “core classes”.
Open House: Sunday, January 28th
We are excited to welcome prospective families to tour our school, meet our early childhood and kindergarten staff members, and meet fellow parents! Here's how you can help:
- Invite your family and friends to attend the event: You and your children are our best ambassadors! Please share our social media posts with your friends and please extend a personal invitation to anyone you may know who is considering enrollment in a new school next year. They can visit school.stephen.org/openhouse to reserve a tour at our Open House.
- Volunteer at the event: We anticipate giving over 70 tours in just three hours! We cannot do this without your help. We will give you all the information you need to show prospective families our school. The only skills you need are a welcoming demeanor and a love for St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School! Sign up using the button below.
Catholic Schools Week Poster Contest!
Reminder: Catholic Schools Week Poster Submissions are due tomorrow, January 12th! They can be turned in to Mr. Wenzl in Room 111. For complete details on this contest, view the PDF below.
Catholic Schools Week: Jan. 28th - Feb. 3rd
Catholic Schools Week is almost here! We'll have complete details in our next Martyr Messenger. If you'd like a sneak peek at the fun to come, visit our website at school.stephen.org/csw or click the button below!
Show Your Support for Our 8th Grade Students Traveling to Washington D.C. Next Spring!
Tickets may be purchased in advance from 8th graders or at the door.
Home & School Updates
It's Not Too Late to Register for the Musical!
Rehearsals started this week, but it's not too late for 1st-5th graders or students interested in being on the tech or stage crews to register. Don't delay - get registered today!
H&S Meeting: Jan. 17th
Join us on Wednesday, Jan. 17th at 7:30 PM in the Parish Center! We will review upcoming second-semester events and discuss several areas where new volunteers can get involved during the 2024-2025 school year! Come learn more. All are welcome!
Join Us on February 3rd for an Adult Night Out!
Book your sitter and join us for a night out! Heavy appetizers will be provided...and so will the Photo Booth FUN!
Get Ready: The 3rd Annual Penny War Begins January 22nd!
This annual fundraiser for Essential Pregnancy Services (EPS) is a fun way for our school children to give back to our community and show support for mothers and children. The EPS Penny War will begin on January 22nd and run until 9 AM on Thursday, February 1st. Last year we raised $6,457.92 for EPS, almost doubling our 2022 total! How much money can we raise this year and who will be our 2024 winner?! Start saving those pennies and watch next week's Friday Folders for more details.
Sports Club Updates
Register for Track & Field for 5th-8th Graders!
Late CYSL Registration Still Being Accepted through End of Week
Parish Updates
Start Your New Year With Jesus: Join us for our 40 Hours Devotion!
Only 15 Tables Left! Don't Miss Your Chance for a Fun Night of Trivia
Live Lent Together Small Group Leader Training
Jesus started with a small group of 12 men and they changed the world! Today, you are called to step into the same mission given to the apostles. Please join others in our parish to gather in small groups this Lent. These small groups, like that first small group, will build community, and true friendship around the Word of God. Register for a Live Lent Together training for small group leaders. We will give you the tools and the confidence to take this small but bold step because small groups can still change the world!
Advocate for the Vulnerable This January
Opportunities to support human life at all stages:Join the St. Stephen Respect Life Ministry for their monthly meeting on Jan 16th, from 7-8:30 PM in the Parish Center. Come and learn how you can help promote a culture of life at St. Stephen and in our community! Here are additional opportunities this month:
- Jan. 16th-24th: Pray the Nine Days for Life Novena
- Jan. 20th & 21st: Contribute to the One Rose, One Life Second Collection
- Jan. 20th-Feb. 4th: Support the EPS Baby Bottle Campaign
- Jan. 22nd: Pray on the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
- Jan. 27th: Attend the Nebraska Walk for Life
Community Updates
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 honor roll students have been added to the website. Congratulations to all of our alumni!
Music In Catholic Schools Fundraiser
Spring Math+ Program in Omaha
This is Jake Moore, a Mathematics Instructor at Duchesne Academy. I have joined RedwoodPrep to teach an Advanced Mathematics class, Math+, this Spring for 6th to 8th grade students. This Spring’s course focuses on Logic and Proofs.
I strongly believe in Math+ and would encourage your family to participate. Each Math+ course explores 1 major idea included in Stanford University’s introductory math sequence. This is world-class content tailored to younger students. I continue to be impressed by how students get excited and passionate about math during Math+. We want students to be excited about math – and Math+ does a great job doing just that.
This season’s course will be taught at St. Thomas More on Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm starting on Thursday, January 11th for six weeks. The program will cost $250. Families can sign up at www.RedwoodPrep.com.
This Spring, the Math+ program will be focused on Logic and Proofs. In Mathematics, logic and proofs represent the most rigorous way to ‘solve’ a problem and form the backbone of advanced math. These critical skills have become increasingly tested in standardized exams with ~20% of SAT Math questions testing basic logic.
Most interested students can succeed in Math+. I find that students with a gift for math or a real desire to participate can succeed and learn a lot. Students interested in advanced math classes, high performance on standardized exams or general math ability will particularly benefit.
If you have any questions, please reach out. I hope to work with you and your family
on this exciting program.
Best,
Jake Moore
Mathematics Instructor – Duchesne Academy
Phone: 402.558.3800 ext. 1009
Email: jmoore@duchesneacademy.org
on this exciting program.
Best,
Jake Moore
Mathematics Instructor – Duchesne Academy
Phone: 402.558.3800 ext. 1009
Email: jmoore@duchesneacademy.org
Important Upcoming Dates
- January 12: Catholic Schools Week Posters Due
- January 13: 8th Grade Pasta Feed Fundraiser
- January 15: No School (Teacher In-service)
- January 22: EPS Penny War Begins
- January 17: Home & School Meeting
- January 20: Trivia Night
- January 28-February 2:
- January 28:
- Open House
- Re-Enrollment Begins
- January 29:
- Food Drive Begins
- Prayer Service, 9:30 AM
- January 30: Spelling Bee, 1:30 PM
- January 31: Talent Show, 1:30 PM
- February 1:
- Food Drive Ends
- EPS Penny War Ends
- 8th Grade Mass at Cathedral
- February 2:
- Special Friends Mass, 10 AM
- Early Dismissal, 11 AM
- Progress Reports
- January 28:
- February 3: Home & School Adult Night Out