Ian is Coming!

No, not Ian Fleming or Ian Anderson, but a different, unwelcome Ian.  Hopefully, you all took time this weekend preparing (not buying 14 cases of water, just preparing).  As the cone of uncertainty is very wide and keeps changing, most likely decisions will not be made until Tuesday or Wednesday.  Remember, we do NOT follow Hillsborough County closures.  At times, public schools close a day early to prepare because they are used as evacuation shelters.  I will keep you all up-to-date as the week progresses.  

Here are some reminders for this week:

Monday - For teachers - Subject area PLC (directions to follow on Monday)

Thursday - Encore teacher PLC at 2:15 (meet in the art room)

Friday - Marvelous Mustang and PK/K Trike-a-thon

If you have chosen your Marvelous Mustang with the reason why, please do so by Monday morning so that we have time to print out the certificates.  

Finally, Book Fair was a GREAT SUCCESS!  Thank you to Nicki and Yesenia and all the PTCO members and parent volunteers for helping to make this happen.  Our gross sales were over $15,000 and everyone had a great time!

Have a wonderful week!

I Love Rock and Roll

 Whether it's Chuck Berry singing "Let me hear some of that Rock and Roll" or Led Zeppelin singing "It's been a long time since I rock and rolled," I Love Rock and Roll, and maybe you do too.  So make sure you make like a Rolling Stone and find some Satisfaction at the Book Fair this week.  Teacher preview is Monday morning at 7am with breakfast treats provided by PTCO.  It's going to be a crazy week so please be sure you have read all the emails.  If you have any question about Friday, please come see me.  

Saturday was the SVDP Ladies Tea and some of our students were the entertainment.  Bree and Mallory in grade 4 sang, Nina and Alli in grade 7 played piano, and Leah in grade 7 sang a solo that was beautiful.  We have some amazing talent in our school and I was so proud of our students.  

Teachers have two professional development workshops this week, i-Ready on Monday at 3:30 in the Media Center for all homeroom teachers grades K-8, Lisa, Amanda, Barbara, and Melissa.  For Friday's professional development, please refer to my emails.  

In case you missed it, I put lockdown magnets on all the doors.  All classroom doors should remain locked at all times.  The magnet will allow the door to stay open.  In the event of a lockdown or shelter in place, just remove the magnet and the door will be secure.  

Have a great week!

Remember

 ... to say a prayer for those we lost on 9/11/01 and especially those who gave their life to help others.

I hope everyone is enjoying a break from the rain today, at least for now.  We have a fairly quiet week coming up before our exciting book fair week.  Teachers, please be sure you have read everything related to the book fair so that you are prepared for next week (Sept. 19-23).  

Our faculty meeting tomorrow will be time to work on CIPA.  The schedule says, "Review benchmarks and discuss the evidence needed and create a plan to collect evidence." Chairpersons should reach out to their committee and let them know where you will meet at 3:30.

Please be sure you are promoting our SVDP food drive. The last day to bring in canned/dry food is Thursday.

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Labor Day

 Good afternoon to all.  I hope you all found some rest from your labors this weekend.  There is not much happening this week. Please remind your students to wear their uniform to Mass this coming weekend for a free dress on Monday.  Mary will be attending a CE Tracker training Thursday morning and I will be at a principal's meeting on Friday.  

For those of you who were here in 2014, I want you to be aware of a trial involving the HCSO that is starting in Tampa the week of Sept. 12.  Andrew Joseph was an 8th grade student at St. Stephen the year he met with a tragic accident after attending the state fair.  The trial centers around the circumstances that led to his death.  Should anyone form the news media approach you as a representative of St. Stephen, your reply is no comment and you may direct them to me.  Please keep the Joseph family in your prayers.

Have a wonderful 4-day week!

Celebrating the Birth of Mary

 Thank you to those who have already turned in their Faith Development Plan.  Please be sure to turn those in to my mailbox by Friday, Sept. 2.  I can see how you were inspired by Fr. Anthony at the retreat in completing your plans.  Many have incorporated the idea of the 3X5 daily prayer and that peace comes from knowing God.  A couple of you have mentioned the book Set the World on Fire.  I would suggest sharing that you are reading the book and possibly meet a few times for a book study/reflection.  I did this one year with a few teachers (until Covid stopped us short), and found it helped me keep on track with my plan.  Many also mentioned having check-ins to stay on track with your plan.  I will incorporate that into my blog a few times throughout the year and also ask the priests to join us at meetings throughout the year to continue to inspire us.  

This year, our first St. Vincent de Paul collection will take place from Sept. 8 - 16.  The organization has struggled to meet the needs of the community and Fr. Dermot has asked Faith Formation and the School to do a collection early in the year.  Sept. 8 is the Feast of the Nativity of Mary.  As we celebrate her birth, we will remember to ask her intercession for those in need.  I would like us to pray the Memorare each morning on the Morning Show Sept. 8-16 and have the students include petitions that the needs of those who are struggling will be met by our generosity.  I will put it in Tidbits this Thursday and I ask that you promote this with your students.  The theme of the Collection will be Help Feed the Children of Mary. Mary was a lowly handmaid but, by the grace of God, her soul magnifies the Lord, and she became the Mother of God and our mother too.  It is our responsibility to honor our Heavenly Father and our spiritual mother.  What better way to honor our mother but to help her children who are struggling at this moment in their lives.  

For those who are new to St. Stephen, the St. Vincent de Paul Society provides food to the community.  People are able to come every Friday to pick up bags of food.  You probably see them in their golf carts on Friday between the FLC and portable.  

Friday is a noon dismissal and teachers will meet in the Media Center at 1:00 pm.  Our Professional Development will be i-Ready and GoGuardian.  More details to follow.

Have a wonderful week!  

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help or sought your intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not my petitions, but, in your mercy, hear and answer me.  Amen.

Grand Opening!

 This will be an exciting week for our school.  As you saw in Tidbits, we will be having our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for our reimagined Media Center on Tuesday at 8:00 am with the Riverview Chamber of Commerce in attendance.  We have also invited those who helped make this dream a reality.  Yesenia will video tape it and we can play the actual ribbon cutting and blessing on the morning show on Thursday for everyone to watch.

This is the week the students should be completing their Mustang Writes.  Next Monday's faculty meeting (Aug. 29) will be the time to score their work.  Some teachers will be doing this and some will be in a zoom meeting with me to go over the CIPA self-study process.  This will be attended by committee chairs and the steering committee (Heather, Maria, Galy, Susana, Mary, Lisa and me).  Tomorrow's meeting will be a grade level PLC.  I have already sent an email to the Early Childhood teachers and the Encore teachers regarding tomorrow's faculty meeting.  More information will be shared tomorrow.  

Final reminder that Wednesday is the All Parish Retreat at the Franciscan Center.  I'm looking forward to a peaceful day led by Fr. Anthony.  

Have a wonderful week!

Who's Ready? I - Ready!

 Ok, maybe that was corny.  I hope you all had a great first week and a restful weekend.  I can tell you all this, I heard SO many good things about our first week of school and about our teachers.  THIS was the best first week ever!!  If you haven't seen our Facebook posts (Thank you Yesenia!), check them out and you will see why this was a great week.

Our second week will focus on i-Ready testing for grades 1-8.  I sent out the schedule for this week and Amanda added the small group support to it.  Barbara sent passwords today, Yesenia made sure the technology is good to go, and Mary helped pull it all together.  Way to go Mustangs!  Barbara will follow up with K to schedule their testing and 1st grade to finish the week of Aug. 22.  

For teachers, we will have a regular faculty meeting on Monday and the topics for discussion will be Student Support Plans and Services.  Please bring any questions you still may have on any topic.

Just a reminder that our All Parish Retreat is Wednesday, August 24, at the Franciscan Center in Tampa. This event is mandatory for all employees. The location is 21 miles from the school, therefore, we will not reimburse for mileage and I do recommend carpooling as there is limited parking.  If you are a part time employee, you may put in for 6 hours that day even if it puts you over 29.5 for the week.  Our start time is 9:00 am with a continental breakfast and we will end at 3:00 pm.  Lunch will be included.  Here is the address:  3010 N Perry Ave., Tampa.  

I will be out this Friday at the Bethany Center for an Administrator's Meeting.  Mary will be here and I will be available by text and email.  

Thank you for a great start to this new year!