From the desk of Mr. Rehder...
Dear Parents,
Good afternoon! NWEA testing is underway, and our students are showing they’re ready to give it their best. Thank you for helping your children arrive on time and prepared to start their day strong!
Drop-off has been going great this week—thank you for walking your kids to the door and sending them off with a smile. For pick-up, please remember to come up to the orange cones to collect your child, no matter the grade. Safety is our number one priority, so once your child is picked up, we ask that they not play in the parking lot. Your support keeps pick-up smooth and safe every day.
This week we also kicked off our School Marathon with a pep-fest on Monday! In addition to our annual theme of “Prayers and Pledges,” we are also asking students to be “Superheroes for our School.” As your child asks family, friends, and community members for support, encourage them to gather both prayers and pledges while showing their superhero spirit! Prayers can be turned in with donations on Fridays, and we’ll offer them up during our daily morning announcements. Our School Marathon event on Sunday, October 5, after the 10:30 AM Mass.
Over the next three weeks, each week’s top fundraiser will win a $25 gift card, and the overall top student will receive a $250 Mall of America gift card! Our goal is to beat last year’s total of $40,000. Each classroom has a goal of $2,025, and if they reach it, they’ll celebrate with a movie party later this year.
A friendly reminder that Picture Day is tomorrow for all students (Tuesday/Thursday Preschool students will be in November). It’s a non-uniform day, so please follow our non-uniform policy in the handbook and remind your children to SMILE!
Finally, Grandparents Day Mass is coming up on Wednesday, October 1—see below for all the details.
Lastly, to all my Minnesota sports fans: Vikings fans, remember, the season is a Marathon, not a sprint! And as for the winningest professional franchise in Minnesota—LET’S GO LYNX!
Thank you for everything you do to support our school. We’re off to a fantastic start this year, and I can’t wait to see our students keep shining as the superheroes they are!
Warmly,
Mr. Rehder
Principal
Principal
WHY WE FUNDRAISE
Many families ask, “Where does the money we raise actually go?” The simple answer is: fundraising helps us close the gap between what it costs to educate each child and what we charge for tuition.
At St. Stephen’s, tuition for one student is $6,038, but the actual cost to educate each student is $10,365.54. That leaves a difference of $4,327.54 per child, which the parish covers. Fundraising allows us to support the parish in covering this gap and make a Catholic education affordable for all families.
In addition, fundraising helps us take care of larger expenses that tuition alone doesn’t cover, such as:
- Building needs – roofs, parking lots, heating/cooling systems, and classroom updates
- Safety and security – technology upgrades, cameras, secure doors, playground safety
- Learning resources – curriculum materials, classroom technology, and student support services
- Faith life – sacramental preparation, retreat opportunities, and Catholic identity programs
Every dollar raised makes a real difference—it helps us keep tuition at a level families can afford while still providing a safe, faith-filled, and excellent education for your children. Thank you for making this possible!
SWEATSHIRTS & T-SHIRTS
FOR SALE IN THE OFFICE
We have quite a few uniform sweatshirts for sale in the office for $30, AND t-shirts for sale for $21. If your child needs one, please stop by! We have many sizes, but not all. We can add fees to your TADS account, or you can pay in the office.
PUMPKIN FEST & HALLOWEEN PARADE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
On October 18, we will be celebrating Pumpkin Fest again this year! We will need many volunteers for this event to be successful. All volunteer opportunities are IN THE PORTALI! There are OVER 60 volunteer opportunities available! New families, please don't hesitate to reach out to Barb Novinska in the office with any questions.
We will also be having a float in the Halloween Grand Day Parade on October 25, 2026! This is such a FUN, community event!! Watch for volunteer opportunities to decorate and ride on the Halloween float. (Please note, children under 10 years of age MUST ride on the float).
We are also in need of candy for the float! When you purchase your Halloween candy this year, please consider buying an extra bag for our parade float! Thank you!!
HALLOWEEN BUTTONS FOR SALE
It's time once again for the Anoka Halloween Buttons! Anoka Halloween promotes family-friendly events in and around the Anoka area, and ALSO, donates to our media center. These buttons offer many local store discounts and entrance to several local events. The buttons may be purchased for $3, and Anoka Halloween will give back 50% to our school! Please read the attachments below, and send in money and orders beginning Monday, September 22 to the office.
VOLUNTEER NEWS
Good Afternoon SS Community -
I hope you are enjoying this very SUMMER like weather!
I hope you are enjoying this very SUMMER like weather!
We have many volunteer opportunities now loaded in the On Volunteer Portal for you to grab a spot or two! Currently, our daily needs include Breakfast, Lunch and Recess and Virtual Academy!
The Pumpkin Fest (Saturday, 10/18) volunteer opportunities are loaded in the portal, and there are over 60 spots to be filled! Please consider helping out at this awesome event!
Again this year, we are encouraging ALL families to volunteer at least 10 hours at school/and or church this year! We are so happy to continue our amazing partnership with our community!
If you are a new family and/or need to complete the Virtus Training and access your On Volunteer Portal, (NEW FAMILIES, your Password is Parent@SS2025) please click on the link below.
Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions! Thank you for ALL you do for our school community!
ANGEL AWARD WINNERS
LUNCHROOM NEWS
All K-8 students are eating for free this year. Preschool students will need to pay for their lunch. If your K-8 student orders an extra entree, or extra milk, the prices below will apply.
Lunch prices for 2025 are as follows:
Preschool students: $4.25
Adults: $5.00
Extras: $2.00
Milk: $.75
To ensure a consistent and safe environment for all our students, we will no longer permit the use of restaurant carry-out food for lunch, regardless of the reason. However, you are welcome to sign in at the office and join your child in the cafeteria to sit together, or purchase an adult lunch (please call the office in the morning to place your lunch order) to share the experience. Thank you for your understanding and support as we move forward with this change.
Reminder: Per the St. Stephen's Handbook, POP AND ENERGY DRINKS ARE NOT ALLOWED in the cafeteria. If they are brought into the cafeteria, they will be thrown away immediately.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEPTEMBER
19: 1st Marathon Turn-In Day
19: Picture Day
22-24: 6th Graders to Wolf Ridge
26: 2nd Marathon Turn-In Day
OCTOBER
1: Grandparents/Special Friends Day 8 AM
3-5: Marathon Weekend (see information above in newsletter)
13-15: Scholastic Book Fair in the library
16-19: No School, MEA
20: No School, Staff Professional Development Day/ Conferences
21: Evening Conferences
RECLAIMING SUNDAYS
Archbishop Hebda is encouraging our Catholic school communities to participate in the Archdiocese’s Reclaiming Sundays initiative to take meaningful steps to reorient the Lord’s Day toward peace, rest and leisure. Here are some ways to help your family reconnect on Sundays:
