St. Stephen Mission Statement: St. Stephen School seeks to educate the whole child in mind, body, and spirit as we provide a faith-based community that assists children in developing a Christian conscience and attitude along with an understanding of the Catholic faith, centered in the teachings of Jesus Christ.

Dear St. Stephen Families,

Our K-8 Teaching Team had the privilege of attending the Michigan Association for Non-Public Schools (MANS) Conference this past Thursday and Friday. We joined thousands of educators across the state to attend numerous sessions that worked to elevate and enliven our educational practices.

One of the keynote speakers, Ted Neitzke, shared how the buffalo gives us insight on how to behave as leaders. This animal, when faced with a storm, will turn toward the inevitable bad weather and run toward it. Buffalo know that the quickest way to weather a storm is to go through it.

Mr. Neitzke contrasted the buffalo's behavior with that of a cow. Cows will walk away from the storm until they reach their fence. Not only that, but also cows will push other cows into the fence and have been known to do so with such force that the fence will break. The cows closest to the fence have gotten caught, tangled, or collapsed-- causing them to get trampled.

Will we run to our storms like the buffalo? Or will we mosey away from the storm with a crowd, push the fence, and not consider others like the cow?

October is dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary. I would like to continue to challenge our families at 3 levels the remainder of the month.

Level 1: Praying 1 Hail Mary daily as a family,

Level 2: Praying 1 Decade of the Rosary as a family.

Level 3: Praying the Rosary as a family.

Meeting this challenge at different levels should give access to our families who have varied daily and weekly schedules. While one day meeting the challenge at Level 2 is best, maybe the next day there's time to meet Level 3; perhaps the following day there's only time for Level 1. Meeting the challenge is the goal at each of our own family situations. I look forward to seeing our families rise to the challenge this month dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.

Please see the visual below to support your family's prayer of the Rosary-- whether this family prayer is new or habitual.

Many blessings.

In Christ,

Bradley J. Stalder

Principal

Reminder: 14 Hours of Service are an obligation for school families.

Forms to record and sign-off for the service hours can be picked up in the front office OR downloaded below ⏬

Please see the Full-Day Pre-K4 Interest form for the '25-'26 School Year. This program would be in addition to our current half-day program. Please share with friends and neighbors.

We are excited to announce that MS Teacher Ms. Rachel Hutcherson has been selected as one of two MANS Faith-Filled Teacher Award Winners.

From the award letter:

This award is conferred to an educator who exemplifies the very best in faith-based educaton. Your nominator, and the peer review team, noted that you have been a dedicated educator demonstrating unwavering commitment to both the academic and spiritual growth of students. Your award includes a complimentary registration to the 2024 MANS Education Conference and Expo in Detroit, Michigan. You will be recognized before your peers during the morning welcome on October 18th.

Congratulations on being recognized for your commitment to guiding the intellectual and spiritual formation of the St. Stephen Catholic School students you teach every day. We join the St. Stephen Catholic School community in thanking you for your service to Christ through your service to students.

This is a well-deserved recognition for Ms. Hutcherson. Please extend your congratulations as you see her during school.

For:

- The Parent Support Group

- The Special Intentions of the Stalder Family

- Fr. John Hedges

- For Sterling as she recovers from her surgery and outcome

To add your prayers/ intercessions, fill out the form below ⏬

The Parent Support Group (PSG) October Newsletter is linked here.

PSG Sponsored Trunk or Treat will be hosted at St. Stephen on Monday October 28th at 5 PM. Guidance for car designs will be provided soon.

During the Month of October, the "Sign of the Cross" in Latin will be included in our morning school prayer. I encourage you to also pray this simple prayer at home with your child.

Dear parents,

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Don’t forget to order your FREE Digital SmileSafe card!

More about the Smilesafe program here.

We will be celebrating All Saints Day on Friday November 1st. Students are strongly encouraged to dress as a Saint that they wish to honor or is meaningful to them/their family on Friday November 1st. More Details will be coming soon.

10/24 - Sorrowful Mother Field Trip

10/28 - Trunk or Treat 5 PM

10/28 - End of Q1

10/30 - Jeans Day

10/31 - Halloween - Parade @ Approx. 10 AM

11/1 - All Saints Day - Saint Dress Encouraged

11/5 - Picture Re-Take Day

11/7 - End of Q1 Pep Rally (Honors Assembly)

11/7 - Parent-Teacher Conferences - 12 Noon Dismissal

11/8 - No School

11/27-11/29 Thanksgiving Break

12/2 - Q2 Progress Reports

12/17 - Advent/Christmas Music Program - 230 PM

12/23-1/5 Christmas Break

1/6 - Return to Classes

1/14 - End of Q2

1/23 - End of Semester 2 Pep Rally (Honors Assembly)

1/24 - St. Stephen School Art Show - 5-6PM

1/26 - Open House & Begin Catholic Schools Week

Our school will be in session during Halloween. In the past, students have been permitted to dress in costume. Please consider the following guidance regarding costumes: refrain from costumes containing or referencing blood/gore, masks, swords/weapons (including play versions), devil/demon/witches, etc. We want to honor the fun of this holiday while also ensuring appropriate attire for a Catholic school.

The school calendar has changed slightly from earlier this summer. The St. Stephen mid-winter break is now better aligned with Huron School District’s break. Please see the updated school calendar linked here.

Picture Re-Take Day is November 5th.

The Fall pilgrimage for 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to Sorrowful Mother Shrine in Bellevue, OH is scheduled for Thursday, October 24th.

The Fall pilgrimage for the Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders to the Solanus Casey Center will be Friday, November 22nd. More Details and permission slips will be going out soon.

Our next Jeans Day Wednesday October 30th and then the last Thursday of the month moving forward. Thursday October 31st is the last Thursday in October, and we will be celebrating Halloween. Per the handbook, “Jeans must be blue denim and loose fitting. Gym shoes are to be worn with jeans. Money collected on this day is put into the Technology Fund.”

All parents/guardians volunteering in any capacity for St. Stephen are REQUIRED to complete Protecting God’s Children. This includes volunteer drivers. Please read the information here. Use the following link to register here.

Any parent planning to drive for field trips will need to complete the form linked here and submit the required driving information to the front office.

Additionally, volunteers who have not already completed a background check this year should complete this form and return it to the front office OR e-mail to schooloffice@ststephennb.education

We need a few more bowlers (at least 2 JV 4th-6th, and one Varsity 7th/8th). Contact AD@ststephennb.education with questions/interest

8th Graders are also invited to University of Detroit Jesuit High School’s Open House Sunday October 27th. Details are linked here.

St. Mary’s Catholic Central High School is inviting our community to their Open House Sunday November 3rd. Please see the flier linked here.

Gabriel Richard Catholic High School is also hosting a Pioneer Exploration Day Friday October 25th. The student will experience what it's like to be a student at GR by attending interactive "mini" classes and workshops. They will be escorted by our Student Ambassadors and have an opportunity to ask about our academic, athletic, and extra-curricular activities. We also provide free lunch and a t-shirt. E-Mail Mr. Lamb at lambs@gabrielrichard.org to confirm attendance. Notify Ms. Hutcherson if your child plans to attend.

Senate Bill 280 was signed into law in December 2023. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, the parent/guardian, who registered a child for the first time in kindergarten or first grade in a school in Michigan, must comply with the following:

Have a dentist or dental hygienist conduct a dental oral assessment on the child not earlier than six months before the date of the child’s registration with the school and obtain from the dentist or dental hygienist a written statement certifying that the child has received the dental oral assessment.

Please utilize the form linked here for all kindergarten and first grade students.

Please see the information regarding concussion awareness linked here and the AOD policy here. Please sign the following concussion material acknowledgment linked here and bring it to the front office or e-mail to schooloffice@ststephennb.education.

Please contact the St. Stephen school office if you wish to find out more information about Huron District provided bussing– even if your family utilized district bussing in previous years.

St. Stephen Parish's Mary Conference will be Saturday, October 26. The information about the conference is linked here. RSVP to Audrey 734.753.4171 by Oct 20.

Thank you to all those who helped made the Parish raffle such an amazing success! The parish sold $52,950 worth of raffle tickets and made a profit of $39,950. The entirety of the profit goes toward the parish subsidy of the school. I have tremendous gratitude for the support our parish has for our students. Congratulations to the winners and thank you for making the raffle such a profitable success!

One of our parents is looking for immediate babysitting support. Please see this link for details.

All are invited to attend the All Souls’ Day Mass Sunday, November 3rd, 2023 at 2:00 pm in the Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum at Michigan Memorial Cemetery. Seating is limited.

Join St Stephen Parish for our 3rd annual All Souls Day Eucharistic Procession to St Stephens Cemetery while we pray for all the faithful departed. We will begin with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Thursday, November 7th at 5pm. Immediately after, we will begin the Eucharistic Procession to the cemetery. There is limited seating available for those unable to make the 2 mile walk. After the procession, transportation will be available for everyone back to your vehicles. Any Questions‐ Contact Joe VanAssche (734) 732‐6235

Thanksgiving and Christmas time are right around the corner, and now more than ever, with the rise of inflation, Christian Services is reaching out to our generous parishioners to help provide for those in need. The items in need are as follows: gift cards, donations to buy gift cards, stuffing, cranberry sauce, canned vegetables, canned fruit, any type of box desserts, potatoes, gravy canned or, powdered, cereal, chips, dehydrated onions, Macaroni, and cheese, and baked beans.

Sunday November 10th 8:00 am – 11:00 am at the St. Stephen Activity Center the Knights of Columbus will be serving their delicious breakfast, with ALL proceeds going towards the Coats for Kids program.

Plymouth Right to Life is sponsoring a Jr. High Oratory Contest. $100 to 1st Place, $50 to 2nd Place, $25 to 3rd Place.

If St. Stephen has the highest number of participants, Plymouth RTL will award our school $500 toward pro-life efforts.

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