You Are Appreciated!

 Happy Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week! I want to extend my gratitude for everything you do each day to nurture, guide, and inspire our students. Your dedication, compassion, and faith-filled example make our school special. You are the heart of our mission, and this week, we celebrate YOU!

In case you missed PTCO's email, they have planned a week full of treats and surprises just for you:

🍽 Monday – Enjoy a Chicken and Steak Taco Bar from Chipotle!
🍿 Tuesday – Customize your own snack gift bag from our Wild Things Snack Bar!
🍕 Wednesday – Grab some Papa John’s pizza and a hearty salad bar to keep you going.
🥓 Thursday – Start the day right with a hot/cold breakfast buffet (featuring Chick-fil-A chicken minis), served starting at 7:00 AM.
🍪 Friday – Pick and pack your favorites from our family-donated cookie bar to create your own bakery box to take home.

🎁 And don’t forget to stop by the teacher lounge each day for a special gift prepared just for you!

For lunches, they will be available at the start of the first lunch period.  If your lunch time is prior to 11:10, see what you can work out or let Mary or I know and we will help you find a time to have lunch.  

This is a busy week.  Here's the play list:

Mon-Tues  IXL Math diagnostic

Wednesday   May Crowning and 2nd grade Communion celebration hosted by 3rd grade.  Also, please come support family night at the Talking Pint from 6-9 pm.  20% of the proceeds to go the school.  

Thursday  I will be out but working from home in the afternoon.  

Friday is Marvelous Mustang, Concert practice, and finally the Spring Concert.  Whew!

Thank you again for your tireless efforts, your joyful spirits, and the many ways you reflect Christ’s love to our students and one another.  Have a wonderful week!

Five more weeks, but who's counting?

 Yes, it is almost May, with all its many activities and events, as we ensure students are ready for the next grade. Please be sure you are reviewing the remaining standards to teach, and if they seem too much, then focus on the Power Standards.  They are there for a reason.  

Mary will be out again on Monday, so please contact me if you need anything.  I will be gone on Tuesday with Connor, Melissa, and the 8th grade at the Ringling Museum, but Mary will return.  I will also be out on Friday at a principal's meeting (last one of the year!).  

Once again, this week's morning show will be a little longer than usual, with election speeches and voting on Friday. Finally, the Art Show is taking place after school on Thursday. Moms will be around this week, hanging up the artwork. Please take some time that day to visit all the masterpieces our students have created. We will also have classroom pickup on that day.  

If you wish to discuss the Pope's funeral and what comes next, here is one video of the funeral https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EozhjyuLZmY.  I would not suggest watching all of it, but for older students, seeing the massive number of people in St. Peter's Square is impressive.  Once the conclave begins, we will say a special prayer each morning to select a new pope.  The date has not been announced, but it should take place 15-20 days after the death of the pope.  Here is a resource to help explain the purpose of the Conclave https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/scripture-and-tradition/church-leadership/what-is-a-papal-conclave-and-frequently-asked-questions-about-the-pope/  

Have a wonderful week!

Field Day

 noun: a day devoted to athletic contests or other sporting events.  

Teacher definition: one less day I have to make lesson plans.  Thank you, George!

Here's what's happening this week...

• Mary will be out on Monday, so please ensure everyone behaves.
• Field Day is on Thursday
• PK/K are having their annual Trike-a-thon on Friday.  
• 6th and 7th grade will attend Reconciliation this week.  
• Rice bowls are due on Friday, which is also our last hot-lunch day this year

On a sad note, Kenny is no longer employed at St. Stephen.  He needed to resign effective immediately on Friday due to personal reasons.  We will miss him.  Continue to use School Dude to submit any maintenance requests.

Have a great week!

2025-26 Already?

 Yes, it's time to think about 2025-26 already (even though some of us have been planning that for months now).  What we need to focus on now is the calendar.  As you saw, a copy of the calendar was attached to the email with the blog link.  Please look over it and see if there is anything you need to add to it (Field Day, Penny Wars, Art Show, Nature's Classroom, final math exams, St. Augustine, etc.) and let me know.  Gail will start putting these events in School Dude which needs to happen ASAP so that our events take priority.  If you have any questions about the calendar, please come see me.

This week 4th and 5th grade have reconciliation and 7th grade is off to Nature's Classroom (Wed-Fri).  I will be at an administrator's meeting on Friday and Mary will only be in for the morning.  

That's all for today.  Take the time to look at the calendar.

Spring has Sprung

 The grass is riz. I wonder where the warm weather is.  Yes, I changed the words a bit, AND it does look like the warm weather is finally here to stay.  I hope you all had a fabulous week and did something amazing, even if it was waking up late and reading a book in the peace and quiet of the morning.  I'm sure there will be many sleepy children tomorrow, but they won't take long to get back into their routines.  

Tuesday will be a bit chaotic with Spring Pictures, but otherwise, it's a quiet week.  I hope many of you will join us Thursday after school in the FLC for the Dads vs. Students basketball game.  It will start at approximately 3:15. This will be a classroom pick-up day, allowing parents to collect their children and head over to the game.  

Friday is Marvelous Mustang.  Please be sure you have added yours to the spreadsheet and informed the parents to join us.  

Have a wonderful week, and stay strong; Easter is only a few weeks away :) 

Almost there

 to our Lenten Pause, aka - Spring Break!  I'm unsure who ultimately decided we needed this break rather than wait until Easter, but they are brilliant.  I imagine you all agree.  Take this time to relax and recharge so you are ready to breeze through the few months of school.  

Here are the things to know for this week:

• Laura is back!  Yay!!
• The Holy Card given out this weekend was St. Patrick.  Be sure that is the card students show you.
• 8th grade has Reconciliation on Wednesday
• Friday is Green shirt and jeans/PE shorts day.  Please remind students of the dress code for jean day.
• 8th graders will receive Confirmation on Saturday. 

Have a great week!

May the ashes on your forehead...

 be a reminder of God's love and forgiveness.  Welcome (almost) to the start of Lent.  Please be sure you are talking to your students in religion class about ashes and the purpose of Lent.  Melissa and I have sent you lots of resources. Most importantly, be sure the rice bowls go home on Wednesday.  We will begin our Lent reconciliation schedule a little early to allow 8th graders to receive the sacrament right before Confirmation.  Here is the schedule: (classes will stay after Mass for confession)

• March 12 - 8th grade
• March 26 - 2nd and 3rd grades
• April 2 - 4th and 5th grades
• April 9 - 6th and 7th grades

Melissa will provide more details and reminders. 

Friday will be our first Lent lunch.  Gail will provide the lists of the students receiving lunch on Thursday.  It will be the same students for all 5 weeks.  I will be out on Friday at the Bethany Center but hope to make it back for the first Fish Fry and I hope to see many of you there.  

Have a great week!