Epiphany

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord.  The Church proclaims "The Lord and ruler is coming; kingship is his, and government and power."  With these words, this feast brings to fulfillment of our preparations during Advent.

I hope everyone had a good weekend and is ready for five full days of learning.  This week all students K-8 should be completing the Winter Mustan Writes and the following week we will have i-Ready testing.  Also this week, the student council will be pre-selling Smencils for Valentine's Day during lunch.  I will be at the Pastoral Center for part of Tuesday learning about what is required to build an extension on the school for the Middle School.  If all goes well, the hope is that it will be open by the 2025-26 school year.  I will be back at the Pastoral Center on Friday for a principal's meeting.  

Monday's faculty meeting is a business meeting and all teachers should attend.  We will finalize plans for Catholic School's Week / Spirit Week.  Julie and Connor will be presenting.  

Have a great week!

Happy New Year!

 Happy New Year everyone!  I hope you all had a great Christmas and I wish everyone many blessings in the new year.

January is filled with MANY events.  Mary and I will be following up with teachers this week to finalize details of upcoming events such as:

• Smencil Sales
• Middle School Social
• Middle School Service Project Day
• Kennedy Space Center trip
• Mustang Writes and i-Ready Testing
• Catholic Schools Week (we need a flyer soon for the bulletin)

In addition, the office staff will be busy with re-enrollment and next year's budget (can you believe it's time to start talking about next year??!!) 

Thank you all for a great first half of the year and let's keep the momentum going for Part 2!

Have a great 3-day week!

Merry Christmas

 Thank you to everyone for making the Christmas program and Polar Express a success.  It was a great night for all and I heard MANY compliments about the program.  On my way out of the church, a grandmother stopped me and asked if I was the principal.  She is a retired principal and she asked me to pass along her congrats and feeling of awe at how well the teachers got the children on and off the "stage."  She loved the show but was also very impressed by how smoothly it ran.  Hats off to everyone!

This is a very short week but also a time to remember how important keeping to rules and procedures is this week when students have an eye on the upcoming break.  Do not be surprised if a number of students are absent, but continue with your lessons with the expectation all work will be made up when they return.  

Teachers, please be sure that your rooms are clean and well-organized when you leave on Wednesday and I look forward to celebrating the season with everyone on Wednesday.  Be sure to bring your gift if you are coming so you can play my infamous Left/Right game!  I suggest carpooling to Three Bulls on Wednesday as the parking lot is not that big.  

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!  Feliz Navidad!

What Were They Thinking?

 This is the title of this year's drama production of the Nativity.  When Heather told me the title, in my head I thought she meant it like, "What were they thinking, are they crazy?!" Then I realized it was an insight into what people were thinking when they heard the Messiah had arrived.  If we pause and think about it, what must it have been like to be a witness to this event?   It truly is hard to imagine and I'm sure they needed great faith to believe that the event foretold in the Bible was actually happening.  I can't wait to hear the insight that the students will share with us Friday night.  The students have also been working hard preparing to sing for us and I know it will be an amazing night.  Please join us in the FLC after the concert to see the magical wonderland of the Polar Express that the PTCO is creating. 

Patty will be back on Monday for the second round of observations.  Please refer to the previously shared schedule.  All math teachers will meet in the media center after carline for a brief wrap-up and discussion of the next PD and remaining observation.  All other teachers may work on CIPA and math teachers will join you as soon as we are done.  Friday afternoon is the next opportunity to work on CIPA.  Please refer to the timeline to be sure you are staying on task.  Mary and Heather will do check-ins with each group on Friday.  

Hats off to Marianne for helping students create outstanding science fair projects.  Last week we were all very impressed with the 7th-grade projects and I am looking forward to seeing how the 6th grade did this week.  

Friday morning we will head over to the church to practice for the Christmas concert.  Please look for an email from Denet with instructions.  

On a final note, Mary is sending home an email regarding uniforms and Christmas break being an opportunity to check uniforms at home and see if it is time for a new size.  However, this will only be meaningful if everyone is doing their part.  I see uniform violations every day and nothing will change unless violations are documented and students receive the consequence of no jean day.  I would expect that MANY students will not have jean day on the last day of school because they are continually out of uniform.  The greatest number of violations are related to the length of skorts for girls and the length of PE shorts for both boys and girls.  After 3rd grade, no one should be wearing cotton shorts.  They should be wearing mesh shorts, which are longer when purchasing the correct size.  Please check every day and follow up with parents.  I am also asking that you remind students to either wear their sweatshirts or put them away.  Students may NOT wear the sweatshirt around their waist.  Thank you for your support in helping with this ongoing issue.  

Have a great week.... 8 more days to go! 

Gingerbread Man seen roaming the halls of St. Stephen.

 

In case you missed him, he's back and ready with his gifts for students to purchase.  All teachers have instructions and a schedule for this event which the children love.  

As promised, as we come to the end of the calendar year, things get busy.  Here are the events for this week:

Monday

• Gingerbread Shop - All week (see schedule)
• Patty from Catapult will be here doing teacher observations/discussions as part of our Math CQA professional development.  I may accompany Patty on some of the observations.
• Faculty Meeting - business meeting.  ALL teachers are expected to attend.  We will be discussing the Christmas concert (Denet, please let teachers know the expectations for that night), last day of school before break, CSW (Julie and friends, please be ready to talk), and more.  

Wednesday

• 7th/8th grade has Reconciliation at 9:15.  Please be on time.

Thursday

• All school Mass at 8:30.  This is a Holy Day of Obligation.  Encore teachers can meet with teachers if you want to try to move a class to another time or if you want your class for 20 min. on Thursday.
• Science Fair for 7th Grade

Friday

• Grades K-8 Adoration (follow the schedule previously provided and please be on time).
• Marvelous Mustang
• Remind students to wear their uniforms to Mass over the weekend for a Holy Card/free dress pass.  

The final amount for our Make a Difference walkathon was just over $27,000.  We are able to write a check to my Warriors Place for $2700 and they are super excited.  This also means that I was able to purchase 45 (yes, 45!!!) new iPads.  The 2nd grade will get a class set of the new iPads and the first grade will have a complete set.  The remaining iPads will be used in MakerSpace and will be available for checkout in groups of 5-6 for class projects.  More info to come when they arrive.  It will take some time to get them set up but hoping to be ready when we return after Christmas.  A BIG thank goes to our families for Making a Difference!  

Have a wonderful week.  

Thankful

For me, it's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost here.  With the hurricane days, it feels like we've had a number of long breaks already, but another one is just around the corner.  As you go through the week, remind students of all the things they have to be thankful for.  For me, I am thankful for the St. Stephen community and all the fabulous people I get to work with each day.  Thank you all for the time and effort you put into everything you do.  

At this time of year, it is very important that you pay attention to the calendar, blog, Tidbits, and emails in order to know what is happening.  Once we get back from Thanksgiving break, things move quickly and there is much going on.  With everything that is planned, it is important that teachers keep Mary and I informed of everything you are doing that might be different from normal schedules and activities as your change could impact others.  Please let us know if parents are invited in for activities (Karen appreciates knowing when to expect visitors), you change where you plan to eat lunch (this impacts maintenance and other classes), you are doing anything that requires a donation from parents (this MUST be pre-approved even if it is part of a service project), etc.  As stated during pre-planning, teachers may not ask for donations of anything (except recycled trash - shoe boxes, milk cartons, etc.) unless prior approval is given.  

Things to remember this week:

• Monday is a Holy Card Free Dress day
• Monday is also a CIPA faculty meeting.  Chairperson, please let your committee know where you will be meeting after school
• Friday is a jean day with a fall colored/themed shirt.  Any student with 3 or more uniform violations since the last jean day may not participate.  

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Honoring All Who Served

 This week we remember all those who served in our military and their commitment to our nation.  Friday morning, we will have a ceremony to honor veterans and 10% of the money raised that day will be donated to My Warrior's Place in Ruskin.  

Here is the plan for Friday.  When the bell rings at 7:50, proceed IMMEDIATELY to the FLC.  The ceremony will begin promptly at 8:00 am so that Fr. Izzie can get back to church for Mass.  I will be there before students arrive and will direct you where to go.  Students will sit on the floor.  The ceremony will include a prayer, pledge, song, flag folding demonstration by the Knights of Columbus, brief speech, student works and closing remarks.  It should last approx. 20 min.  Parents and parishioners were invited to join us.  

When the ceremony is over, PK, K and 1st grade will proceed to the soccer field for the Walkathon.  The other grades will come out during their scheduled time.  Students will wear their PE shorts and Make a Difference t-shirt.  Please remind them about that.  They may also add red, white, and blue accessories.  

Friday afternoon is parent/teacher conference time.  All teachers must follow their regular Friday schedule even if they do not have any conferences that day.  Please share your conference schedule with me so I know how long Karen should be here.  If you have a conference scheduled after 4 pm, you are responsible for letting the parents into the building.  The gate may stay propped open, but not doors.  Please do not tell parents to come in through the art room.  

Please keep our 6th graders in your prayers as they head off to Focus 11 on Thursday.  

Have a great week!