From the desk of Mr. Rehder...
REMINDER: There is NO BUSING offered from Anoka-Hennepin TODAY, Friday, May 1. Please arrange transportation to and from school for your child.
Dear St. Stephen’s Families,
I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely soaking up this early spring weather for all it’s worth. Give me these crisp mornings and afternoon temperatures in the 50s and 60s over the summer heat and humidity any day of the week! Even the spring rain feels like a welcome bit of renewal. There is something so restorative about this time of year, and I hope you are all finding a few moments to step outside, breathe in that cool air, and appreciate the changing season.
On a professional note, I spent the first half of this week—Monday through Wednesday—serving on an official Catholic School Accreditation Visit at St. Anastasia Catholic School in Hutchinson. It was truly a blessing to step into another community and provide support, offering guidance on areas for growth while giving well-deserved praise for their areas of strength. It is a unique privilege to collaborate with fellow Catholic educators, and I’m already looking forward to discussing and implementing some of the wonderful ideas I observed there right here at our own school.
While I was away for the start of the week, our middle school students and staff certainly took advantage of the fresh air yesterday as they headed out for the Twins game! Whether the scoreboard landed in our favor or not, it’s always such a joy to see our students and teachers spending time together outside of the traditional classroom setting. These outings are about so much more than just a game; they are about building the kind of community and camaraderie that makes St. Stephen’s such a special place to grow up.
I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely soaking up this early spring weather for all it’s worth. Give me these crisp mornings and afternoon temperatures in the 50s and 60s over the summer heat and humidity any day of the week! Even the spring rain feels like a welcome bit of renewal. There is something so restorative about this time of year, and I hope you are all finding a few moments to step outside, breathe in that cool air, and appreciate the changing season.
On a professional note, I spent the first half of this week—Monday through Wednesday—serving on an official Catholic School Accreditation Visit at St. Anastasia Catholic School in Hutchinson. It was truly a blessing to step into another community and provide support, offering guidance on areas for growth while giving well-deserved praise for their areas of strength. It is a unique privilege to collaborate with fellow Catholic educators, and I’m already looking forward to discussing and implementing some of the wonderful ideas I observed there right here at our own school.
While I was away for the start of the week, our middle school students and staff certainly took advantage of the fresh air yesterday as they headed out for the Twins game! Whether the scoreboard landed in our favor or not, it’s always such a joy to see our students and teachers spending time together outside of the traditional classroom setting. These outings are about so much more than just a game; they are about building the kind of community and camaraderie that makes St. Stephen’s such a special place to grow up.
Looking ahead to this coming Wednesday, we have a very special morning planned:
As always, I am filled with gratitude for your continued support and for the faith that binds us together as a school and parish family. Have a wonderful, restorative week.
Blessings,
Mr. Rehder, Principal
- Volunteer Appreciation: During our normal school Mass, we will be taking time to honor the incredible school volunteers who have poured their time and hearts into supporting us this past year.
- May Crowning: Immediately following the school Mass, we will transition into our annual Crowning of Mary ceremony. This beautiful tradition will be led by our second-grade students and their team.
- Family Rosary: This will include a family Rosary led by our Student Council. We invite any family members who are able to join our entire school community in prayer for this special tribute to our Blessed Mother.
As always, I am filled with gratitude for your continued support and for the faith that binds us together as a school and parish family. Have a wonderful, restorative week.
Blessings,
Mr. Rehder, Principal
TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Teacher Appreciation Week is next week, running from May 4th through May 8th. Our teaching staff pours so much love and dedication into our students every day, and we can’t wait to honor them. Members of our TAG (Teacher Appreciation Group), in association with our SAC (School Advisory Council), have been working on some fantastic arrangements to celebrate our staff.
How You Can Help: To help us fund the special luncheons, treats, and surprises planned for our teachers, we are inviting families to contribute to our Teacher Appreciation Fund. If you would like to donate, please see the note below. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity in helping us make our teachers feel truly seen and celebrated!
How You Can Help: To help us fund the special luncheons, treats, and surprises planned for our teachers, we are inviting families to contribute to our Teacher Appreciation Fund. If you would like to donate, please see the note below. Thank you, in advance, for your generosity in helping us make our teachers feel truly seen and celebrated!
There are 3 ways to donate:
- Donate to our Vanco site on our school website by clicking: DONATE HERE
- Donate directly to the Teacher Appreciation Group via Trish Haro's Venmo, by clicking on the QR code to the right.
- Bring check/cash to the school office, clearly marked Teacher Appreciation.
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION /
MAY CROWNING / FAMILY ROSARY
Please join us where we will appreciate our volunteers, students crown Mary and pray the rosary with our families on Wednesday, May 6 at 8 AM.
VOICE LESSONS
Mrs. Douglas will be teaching voice lessons over the summer to anyone in grades 5-8. If you are interested, please contact her at hdouglas@ststephenchurch.org for more details.
SUMMER TUTORING
Looking for academic support for your child over the summer? Look no further!
Ms. Furness is offering tutoring for students in Kindergarten-4th grade (during the 2025-2026 school year) in the areas of Reading and Math. Sessions will last for one hour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays.
Spots are limited—registration is open now through Friday, May 29th. Secure your child’s place and set them up for success this summer! Click on the link below to sign up:
After registration closes, a schedule will be created and communicated with you.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Furness directly: kfurness@ststephenchurch.org. I look forward to a summer learning adventure!
Ms. Furness is offering tutoring for students in Kindergarten-4th grade (during the 2025-2026 school year) in the areas of Reading and Math. Sessions will last for one hour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays.
Spots are limited—registration is open now through Friday, May 29th. Secure your child’s place and set them up for success this summer! Click on the link below to sign up:
After registration closes, a schedule will be created and communicated with you.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Furness directly: kfurness@ststephenchurch.org. I look forward to a summer learning adventure!
MAY WEBINAR FOR PARENTS & CAREGIVERS
Navigating Friendships, Social Skills, and Bullying
Coach your child to build healthy friendships
Understand the stages of friendship development and how to guide your child’s social life without micromanaging. Tools include Friendship Mapping, Role-Play Repair, and Three-Way Problem-Solving. You’ll leave with a Healthy Friendship Traits checklist and conversation starters.
May 14, 7 PM
https://calendly.com/drjulesnolan/navigating-friendships-social-skills-and-bullying
Coach your child to build healthy friendships
Understand the stages of friendship development and how to guide your child’s social life without micromanaging. Tools include Friendship Mapping, Role-Play Repair, and Three-Way Problem-Solving. You’ll leave with a Healthy Friendship Traits checklist and conversation starters.
May 14, 7 PM
https://calendly.com/drjulesnolan/navigating-friendships-social-skills-and-bullying
ANGEL AWARD WINNERS
Congratulations to this week's Angel Award Winners Harman W., Vivien K., Kendall M., Liam J., Rose E., and Amani N. have been rewarded with a Buffalo Wild Wings meal and an Out of Uniform Pass. Thank you, students, for making our school a better place to be!
BELIEVE AND READ
Moving to Multisyllabic Words
Once your student has moved from one syllable words into multi-syllable, we use a chopping motion when decoding these words instead of tapping. This helps to reduce the cognitive load making it easier to decode unfamiliar words. To decode a multi-syllable word, first find the vowels. Look in between the vowels at the consonants and divide them up. Here is a quick overview:
Chopping Multisyllabic Words
Once your student has moved from one syllable words into multi-syllable, we use a chopping motion when decoding these words instead of tapping. This helps to reduce the cognitive load making it easier to decode unfamiliar words. To decode a multi-syllable word, first find the vowels. Look in between the vowels at the consonants and divide them up. Here is a quick overview:
- One consonant between your vowels: V/CV pattern- this is the most common and will leave an open syllable at the beginning. (Ti-ger)
- One consonant between your vowels: VC/V pattern- this is the 2nd option and will close your 1st syllable to make a short sounded vowel. (Cam-el). (Even though an open syllable at the beginning of a word is the most common, in Believe and Read we teach students the closed syllable pattern first)
- Two consonants: VC/CV pattern: the most common pattern is to divide between your two consonants. (Ex-pand)
- Three or more consonants: VC/CCV pattern: keeping the consonant blends together, divide between single consonants and blends. (Con-flict)
Chopping Multisyllabic Words
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 2025/26 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
MAY
1: Grades K-3 Field Trip6: Volunteer Appreciation Mass / May Crowning / Family Rosary
7: Patrol Field Trip
8: CUF Raffle Reward - Ice Cream Truck
10: 8th Grade Confirmation at the St. Paul Cathedral
12: Preschool Field Trip
12: Grades 4-5 Field Trip
13: 3-5 Arts Festival after Mass / DARE Graduation
