🩵💜 Teacher Appreciation Week 💜🩵
What a beautiful week it has been, celebrating the incredible educators who make St. Stephen’s such a special place. From thoughtful notes and flowers to shared meals and small moments of gratitude, our teachers felt the love all week long.
Thank you to our families for showing up in so many meaningful ways, and to our teachers for the care, patience, creativity, and dedication you bring to your classrooms every single day. The impact you have on our students reaches far beyond what we see—and we are so grateful.
We are lucky to learn and grow alongside you
Help Shape Our Parent Community
St. Stephen’s is partnering with a group of parent volunteers, the Parent Engagement Working Group, to better understand how our families want to connect, communicate, and engage in the year ahead.
We’ve created a short survey (3–5 minutes), and your input will directly shape parent communication, community events, and volunteer opportunities for 2026–2027.
We are hoping to hear from all families—your perspective matters.
Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/rNpokLgvj9XufYSC8
Deadline: May 11
Thank you for helping build a stronger, more connected community.
Upcoming Events
A Fun Way to Celebrate the End of the Year Together
Monday: The Future Is Bright Day
Wear neon, bright colors, or sunglasses
Tuesday: Tropical Tuesday
Tropical prints, florals, and beach vibes
Wednesday: Dapper Day (Baccalaureate Attire)
Collared shirts, dresses, and nice shoes
Thursday: Pajama Day
A Schoolwide Celebration of Growth
Our Baccalaureate and Moving Up Service will take place at 8:30 AM in The Nave and is one of our most meaningful school traditions. This special service is a time to reflect, give thanks, celebrate growth at all levels, and honor our 8th-grade graduates. It also recognizes all students as they move forward into the next level.
Students should dress nicely for the occasion (slacks, dresses, skirts, or button-ups are perfect), and they are welcome to bring a change of clothes for later in the day.
Final Conferences of the Year
Our final round of conferences will take place on Friday, May 15. Teachers will send out sign-up links approximately one week in advance so you can select a time that works best for your family. As a reminder, students in 1st grade and above are expected to attend their conference alongside a parent or guardian. We look forward to this important time to reflect on each student’s growth and celebrate the year together.
8th Grade Graduation
We invite our entire community to join us on Friday, May 15, at 6:00 PM in The Nave as we celebrate our 8th-grade graduates and this important milestone in their journey. This special evening honors their growth, accomplishments, and the leadership they have brought to our school community. It is both a celebration and a meaningful moment of reflection as they prepare to take their next steps beyond St. Stephen’s. All families are welcome to attend, and students in 6th and 7th grade are strongly encouraged to attend to support and celebrate their peers.
Our School's Talent Show
Join us at 6pm on Tuesday, May 19th in The Nave. A long-standing SSESH tradition, Coffee House is our annual student talent show and a joyful celebration of creativity and confidence. Students may perform solo or in groups—singing, playing an instrument, dancing, telling jokes, performing magic, or sharing another talent—all in a relaxed, supportive, coffeehouse-style atmosphere. It is always a highlight of the year for both performers and audience members. To sign up for a performance slot, please use this form: https://ssesh.org/2026-coffee-house/
Invention Fair
The Lower Elementary Invention Fair will take place on Wednesday, May 20 at 9:00 AM in the Havens Center. This exciting event, a collaboration between classrooms and the Da Vinci Lab, showcases students as they identify real-world problems, design creative solutions, and build prototypes and presentations to share their thinking and innovation.
Maker Faire
The Upper Elementary Maker Faire will take place at 1:00 PM in the Havens Center and will showcase student innovation from the Da Vinci Lab. This hands-on event highlights engineering and design thinking through student-driven exploration, with a variety of creative projects on display.
Student Art Showcase
Our Kindergarten–8th Grade Art Show will be on display in the front of the Havens Center from Wednesday, May 20, through Thursday, May 21, showcasing the incredible creativity and hard work of our students. Families are welcome to stop by during the Lower Elementary Invention Fair, Upper Elementary Maker Faire, or before or after the Spanish and Music performances to enjoy the exhibit. Please check in at the front office upon arrival so we can let you in.
Spanish & Music Show
Join us on Thursday, May 21 from 10:00–11:00 AM in The Nave for a joyful performance featuring students from Primary through 8th Grade. This special event will showcase student learning and talent in both music and Spanish, highlighting their growth, confidence, and creativity throughout the year.
Field Day
Field Day will take place on Friday, May 22 as a half-day, student-only event on campus, filled with fun, active, and community-building experiences to celebrate the end of the year. Students should wear tennis shoes and their SSESH t-shirt and come ready to participate.
Happy Summer
The last day of school is Friday, May 22. It is a half day with no aftercare.
Orientation and Primary will dismiss at 11:30 AM.
Elementary and Middle Years will dismiss at 12:00 PM.
Campus will be closed the following week (the week of May 25). Summer camp begins the week of June 1.
Enjoy your summer, stay safe, and keep in touch!
Looking Ahead: 26/27 At-A-Glance Calendar
Bulldog Compliments
At St. Stephen’s, we have 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!