A note from Mrs. Gunderson...
Dear Families,
NWEA TESTING IS UNDERWAY!
NWEA Testing Dates for St. Stephen’s are January 9-27. We are hoping to see an increase in the test scores of our students as compared to their fall test scores and as compared to their peers state and nationwide. One way you can help your child do well on the tests is to ensure they get plenty of sleep the night before taking a test and make sure they eat a healthy breakfast. In addition, I strongly encourage you to spend some time looking through the website linked below. It is a Family Took Kit for NWEA Testing: https://www.nwea.org/family-toolkit/
OUR ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE IS SUNDAY, JANUARY 29! COME ONE, COME ALL! ENTER YOUR FAMILY TO WIN AN AMAZING PRIZE
(SEE BELOW)
Please mark your calendars so that you are sure to start the day of our Open House by attending either the 8:30 or 10:30 am mass. Students, please wear your best-looking uniform and you will receive an out-of-uniform pass to use on a Friday. After mass, please bring your entire family over to the school and take a stroll through the building, through classrooms, visit this year’s and next year’s teachers, talk with teachers and staff, sign up for extra-curricular activities coming up this spring and enter for a chance to win tickets for your family to Nickelodeon Universe or Great Wolf Water Park at Mall of America. Delicious treats and refreshments will be served. You won’t want to miss this year’s Open House!
OPEN HOUSE TIMES:
(JANUARY 29, MARK YOUR CALENDAR!)
- 9:30-12 Noon Tours in English
- 12:30 - 2:30 PM Tours in Spanish
At our Open House we’ll show off the school building updates if you have not seen them yet. You are going to love our new maple cubbies throughout the first floor. You’ll be amazed at the new, ultra-contemporary middle school classroom furniture, our state-of-the-art sound system in the gym, our enormous new wrestling mat, and our beautiful new volleyball net, padding, and stand. Thanks to an anonymous and generous donor, the most recent update underway is in our boys’ and girls’ locker rooms!
God Bless!
Theresa Gunderson, Principal
Yard Signs
Yard signs are in and being distributed to any families willing to post one in the snowbank of their front yard. We are excited to showcase and promote St. Stephen's! Let's give a shout out to the community and grab a sign when you are are parent pick up or drop off. Signs cannot be sent home on the bus with our students, so please grab one if you can. Thank you!
2023-24 Tuition Agreements
Tuition Agreements have been sent out for next year. Please make sure you log into your TADS account and set up your Tuition Agreement NO LATER than January 29, to qualify for the early registration fee of $175 ($275 after January 29). Preschool parents, please make sure you call Heidi in the office and let her know what preschool schedule you would like for next year, so she can set up your Agreement.
CSCOE is offering a January Parent Webinar
“Parenting Exceptional Children” — January 18, 7 p.m.
Parenting children with educational and behavioral differences can be rewarding AND challenging. Even children who are gifted and talented present special challenges in parenting. In this session we will discuss parenting children who have diverse needs because of educational, behavioral, and mental health challenges, as well as those who may need more enrichment.
Fun in Preschool
“Mrs. Lieder’s preschoolers are doing a Building Study. Look at how creative they can be with every day boxes! They are learning what it takes to be an architect, construction worker and engineer!”
Catholic United Financial Raffle
It’s coming! Catholic United Fundraiser! St. Stephen’s School only REQUIRED Fundraiser – 1st day to sell is TOMORROW, Friday, 1/13/23!! All families are required to raise at least $125/per K-8 student and $50 for each preschool student.
Watch for packets coming home via your child (s) backpack tomorro!
Help us reach our goal of (your goal)! Every single dollar from ticket sales stays with our school. When you buy a $5.00 ticket, you’re entered for a chance to win some amazing prizes. You and a friend good win center stage floor tickets to see Shania Twain, have a relaxing spa day, enjoy some food on your new Green Egg Grill and so much more. Stay tuned for more information on prizes.
Angel Award Winners
Congratulations to this week's Angel Award Winners! Thank you Zoe, Kennedy and Bella for making our school a better place to be and showing respect to fellow students and adults. We appreciate you and are so proud of you!
Volunteer at St. Stephen's School
We are in GREAT need of volunteers! (links below)!
Do you want to make a difference in 2023? We have a spot for YOU.
Volunteering is a KEY to your student’s success, along with lots of fun! You can make that difference! Please prayerfully consider helping us out!
Lunchroom: Help out during lunch times with student needs i.e. open milk cartons, assist with silverware, etc. The lunchroom is in need of 3 volunteers EACH DAY. The link below gets you a 2 hour spot (10:30 - 12:30) on any day or days that work for you. You do not need to sign up for consecutive days or weeks.
Virtual Academy Support: Assist small groups of students with signing into computers, passwords, etc. Once students are logged in and tutoring, you may work on your laptop, read, knit, etc. There are several time slots available throughout the day.
Recess/Playground Supervision: We have a GREAT new volunteer spot we would LOVE to fill each day! Hello! Do you love fresh air? A nice brisk hour outside a day or two a week? We have a spot for YOU! We would love to give our teachers a bit of extra time each day! 2 shifts each day! We hope you will prayerfully consider!
Are you Virtus trained? This process is mandatory to volunteer at our school/church. Please access this link for procedure. Virtus Account Link
Thanks SO much for all you do for our school!
Barb Novinska
Administrative Assistant
763-421-3236
St. Stephen's Lunch Program
The lunch program is doing FABULOUS! Thank you, parents, for being aware of how much money is in your child's lunch account, and adding money when needed.
What is coming up...
January
14 - MLK Day - No School
29 - St. Stephen's All School Open House 9:30 - 12 (English Tours)
12:30 - 2 (Spanish Tours)
29 - Feb 3 - Catholic Schools Week
COVID Updates
COVID tests available for every family. Please stop in the office to pick yours up today!