Upcoming Events
See Seesaw for more information!
9/29/23 |
Early Dismissal Carpool will occur in front of Pecore Hall at 1800 Sul Ross as follows: + Orientation at 11:30 am + Primary at 11:45 am + Elementary and Middle Years Carpool at 12:00 pm |
9/29/23 |
Park Meet Up following Early Dismissal @ Levy Park |
10/1/23 |
Socktober Sock Hop – 4:30 – 6:00 PM @ Pecore Hall |
10/4/23 |
All School Chapel: Episcopal Schools Week |
10/6/23 |
HoS Coffee with Elementary and Middle Years – 8:30 AM @ Havens |
10/7/23 to 10/15/23 |
PTO’s Tea Collection Enter SDF23STEPHAN to receive 15% off your purchase on teacollection.com and Tea will donate 15% of product order value to the SSESH PTO. |
10/9/23 |
No School; Indigenous Peoples’ Day |
10/11/23 to 10/13/23 |
UE Outdoor Ed Trip: Nature’s Classroom |
10/14/23 |
Admissions Open House – 1 – 3 PM Invite a friend! Questions? Email admission@ssesh.org |
10/16/23 |
Launch of the Annual Fund |
10/16/23 to 10/18/23 |
Middle Years at Mo Ranch |
10/17/23 |
Campus Tour – 9 AM |
10/17/23 |
PTO Breakfast Club – 8:30 AM @ Brasil (2604 Dunlavy St) |
10/24/23 |
Campus Tour – 9 AM |
10/27/23 |
Halloween @ SSESH Students may wear Halloween costumes to school! No weapons of any kind are allowed. |
10/27/23 |
Early Dismissal; Teacher In-Service |
11/4/23 |
Campus Beautification Day – 8 – 11 AM |
A Message from the Head of School
Greetings,
Next week, October 1-7, is Episcopal Schools Celebration 2023. This annual event celebrates the ministry of over 800 Episcopal schools and early childhood education programs throughout the Episcopal Church. St. Stephen’s is proud to be one of those 800+ schools and programs, and I am honored to have been called to serve as its Head of School.
There are many reasons to be proud of this collection of schools, but one reason that deserves specific attention is the spirit of gratitude that I have witnessed and experienced working in Episcopal Schools. In a world of abundance, it is sometimes challenging to be truly grateful for the gifts and kindness shared with us by others. Gratitude recognizes our common desires to be happy and fulfilled. It flows from a sense of empathy, is selfless, and expects nothing in return. In other words, gratitude is transformative, not transactional.
As a school, we seek to deliver an excellent experience in all we do for students, families, and our colleagues. At St. Stephen’s, we draw inspiration from our grand purpose: to make the world kinder and smarter, and model basic principles such as Integrity, Grace, Respect, Optimism, and Wisdom. We do this with no expectation of reciprocation. Rather, we do it in the spirit of partnership and in the best interests of our students.
And…
We are also human. When our efforts are recognized and appreciated, we feel a deeper connection to the community.
As such, I am pleased to announce the launch of an easy way for anyone in the St. Stephen’s community to show their appreciation for a faculty, staff, or leadership team member. We call it sending a “Bulldog Compliment.” Here is how it works. Click the “Send A Bulldog Compliment” image and follow the prompts. It only takes a few clicks, and you are done. All compliments are anonymous and will be sent to the person (or persons) you choose to recognize. There is no limit to how many you can send, so be as generous as you wish!
Thank you very much for your continued support of our school.
With gratitude,
Troy P. Roddy, Ph.D.
Head of School
Chapel Eucharist
Chapel Eucharist begins Oct. 4
From week to week, each level gets dedicated time in chapel to wonder about God’s story and our stories. We learn new songs, light candles, breathe, and pray together – both traditional words from the Book of Common Prayer and the words and images the students have created for themselves. Once during each calendar month, we also gather for All-School Chapel. This is a unique time when our whole community is gathered together. We’re all in the same room, using our voices together, and taking part in something that is bigger than ourselves.
As we explore spirituality through our Episcopal identity and practices, one of the central elements is the celebration of the Eucharist (Holy Communion) at All-School Chapels. Our next All-School Chapel will be on Wednesday, Oct. 4 @ 8:30 AM as part of Episcopal Schools Week where we’ll also celebrate the Blessing of Animals and offer the Eucharist for the first time this school year. Our tradition calls this sacred meal a sacrament because we believe it is one of the special ways we experience God’s presence and promise with and within us. It connects us to ancestors, to each other, and to a shared hope for the world.
While all students attend chapel and all are welcome to participate in this part of chapel, we do not require that students receive the bread and wine of communion. We know our community is diverse in its faith and convictions and so each child and family should reflect on how they would like their student(s) to be a part of this aspect of chapel. Students can choose to receive the bread and dip it in the small cup of ritual wine, they can ask simply for a blessing, or they can remain seated during this time. If you have further questions about this, please contact Associate Rector, Rev. Ashley Dellagiacoma at adellagiacoma@ststephenshouston.org. If you’re curious about what this all looks like in practice, we would love for you to join us. Families are always welcome at any chapel time, but especially All-School Chapel. If you would like your student to abstain from this practice, please let Rev. Ashley and their teacher know prior to Oct. 2.
