Dear parents, teachers, alumni, and friends of SSP School,

Happy Friday, welcome to May and the weekend.  It's a busy weekend for SSP students and teachers on many levels.  Our world-famous ROBOTICS team will show what they learned this year at the SLUH Clavius Project Jamboree on Saturday.   Thank you to Mary Ann Buschmann and Nancy Anglo for their mentorship!

Thank you also to Fr. Aaron and Stephanie Minor for preparing our second graders to receive the sacrament of the Eucharist. They will participate in their First Communion this Sunday at 2 pm.

Thank you to all who will affirm our dedicated and talented teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week next week.  Thank you in advance to the PTO for the spoiling and pampering that is about to transpire.

Late-breaking news: Congratulations to Oscar Chierek and Nina Nguyen on participating in the Judicial Learning Center Student Art Competition. Thank you to Ms. Marcy Meyer for allowing our 3-4-5 Social Studies students to participate. Oscar received an Honorable Mention. Nina placed third in her age bracket and earned a $50 check. SSP legend Mrs. Theresa Lueke delivered this good news in person.

As promised, I am sharing the COMMENDATIONS from our recent SIP Visit.

 The Visiting Team commends St. Stephen Protomartyr for:

Catholic Identity

• providing a vibrant and faith-filled experience at the celebration of the All School Mass that included beautiful student-led singing and playing the bells, violins, and other instruments, a highly engaged student body who participated fully, and where older students were paired with younger students.
• ensuring that Catholicism is embedded and evident in classroom activities and school culture, classroom displays, and student work that included 1st Communion cross projects, Easter bulletin boards, and artwork in the hallways.
• creating a strong partnership between the parish, school, and community at large, evidenced by long-standing volunteer musicians, dedicated alumni, and committed faculty, staff, and school families.
• having a Christ-like faculty, staff, and students who were warm and welcoming and who have shown deep love and support for a fellow student battling illness.
• posting the St. Stephen Protomartyr Mission throughout the building and in classrooms as a reminder to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors that walk through the halls.
• evangelizing the entire school community and welcoming and accompanying non-Catholic students and families into the Catholic faith.
• forming strong relationships where students are deeply known and loved by their teachers and the administration, which is reciprocated by the students.
• Committing to the social-emotional well-being of each student through the implementation of Friendzy’s faith-based SEL curriculum.

 God's Peace,

Greg Sturgill