Welcome to St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School

We are united in Christ to ignite the joy of faith, community, and learning.

The below FAQ can help answer a lot of your questions about our school and community. If you can’t find the answer to your question, please get in touch with our Home & School Association or School Office.

Teacher/Class Lists are announced the week before school starts – until then, know your students will find classmates and teachers they love! All of our teachers are listed on our contact us webpage.

School supplies list can be found at: school.stephen.org/school-supplies

Your child will have a great first day! We will focus on activities to help them get the feel for our classroom and their classmates.

2026/2027 School Year Important Dates:

  • Email: There are many ways we communicate with our SSM school community, but email is our primary communication channel. All important notifications from your student’s teacher & Administration, including school closings, will be disseminated via email. Please keep your FACTS Family Portal updated with your correct email. Enrolled families are required to have one adult designated to receive correspondence emails. If you have questions on how to update your information in FACTS, please contact the school office at: school@stephen.org or (402) 896-0754.
  • Martyr Messenger: The Martyr Messenger is a bi-monthly newsletter, distributed through email, intended to communicate school information and activities with parents and students. After email distribution, it is posted in our school app and online at school.stephen.org/martyr-messenger. The communications department coordinates publication in collaboration with the school office.
  • SSM School App: We strongly encourage families to download our school app. It includes easy access to Announcements, the Lunch Menu, Martyr Messenger, our Google Family Calendar, Student Grades & Behavior, Volunteer & Sports Club sign-ups, FACTS Financial, etc. The app is FREE (thanks to generous funding from St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School Home & School Association) and available to download in the Apple & Google Play stores. To download, visit your app store and search “SSM School”.
  • SSM Google Family Calendar: Contains all scheduled school activities and parties as well as Martyr Mondays and Dress Down Days. Located here: school.stephen.org/google-calendar or add the calendar to your phone or computer by following the directions found on this web page.
  • Teacher emails and classroom sites: How frequently you’ll hear from your child’s teacher(s) will be discussed at Curriculum Night. You can always reach out to your child’s teacher directly via email.
  • Friday Folders: Teachers send home forms and flyers parents will need to review and possibly send back
  • Social Media:

Most of the below information is pulled from our Family Handbook. Please refer to the Family Handbook for complete school policies and procedures. The Family Handbook is posted in our school app and on our website at school.stephen.org/parents.

All school uniform, dress code and purchasing information can be found here: school.stephen.org/uniforms.

Morning Drop-off & Afternoon Pick-up information is listed on our Drop-off & Pick-up Procedures webpage.

For absences, tardiness or early departures, parents should call 402-896-9675 or e-mail school@stephen.org and their teacher. The below information is an excerpt from the Family Handbook. Please refer to the Family Handbook for complete policies.

Absences & Tardiness
So that K-8 students are in their classrooms by 8 AM when school begins, the doors unlock at 7:50 AM for students to report to their classrooms. Students are tardy if they arrive after 8:00 AM. For absences and tardiness, parents can email the School Office at school@stephen.org or call the office at 402-896-0754. Any student arriving after 8 AM but before 8:05 AM will report to the classroom. The teacher will record the tardy. After 8:05 AM, students will report to the office for a tardy pass. A tardy student will not be allowed into the classroom without the tardy pass after 8:05 AM. An absence of 2.5 hours or more in length shall be recorded as a half-day absence. We understand weather and/or traffic back-ups can sometimes cause our morning drop-off lines to take longer than usual. Our office staff and teachers take these situations into consideration and offer a 5-minute grace period when necessary. 

Dismissal During the School Day
SSM is a closed campus, meaning once a student has arrived on school grounds, he/she may not leave until dismissal except with permission of the Principal. Those who have doctor and dental appointments or who must go home for some reason must have a written note or verbal communication from the parent. If a parent finds it necessary to withdraw a student before dismissal, then the parent or adult identified in advance by the parent must report to the School Office before taking the student. All students must be signed out at the office prior to being allowed to leave. The Safe Environment provision for the care of minors is thus transferred directly to the care of the guardian/parent at that time. 

Upon return to school, parents are asked to accompany their students to the school office to sign in and receive an admittance slip to class. This procedure helps maintain accurate attendance and guards for the safekeeping of all students.

2026/2027 Curriculum Night is scheduled for Thursday, September 10th. More details will be announced as we get closer to this date.

This event informs parents of the curriculum that used and covered in our classrooms. We will have tips on how you can support your student’s learning at home. Our teachers are also available to answer any questions you may have. Students do not attend curriculum night – just parents/guardians.

Read more about Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Schools Curriculum Standards. 

Read more about Curriculum at St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic School. 

Students in grades TK-8 can choose between bringing their own lunch or paying for our hot lunch program. The menu changes daily and is provided by Westside Public Schools Catering. You can view a sample lunch menu but pressing the “What’s For Lunch” button on our homepage, school.stephen.org.

Our before and after school care program is called Kidzone. Learn more about Kidzone at: school.stephen.org/kidzone.

St. Stephen the Martyr School (SSM) follows the school closure decisions of Millard Public Schools (MPS) and/or Omaha Catholic Schools in cases of inclement weather.

School Closures: If either MPS or Omaha Catholic Schools cancel classes due to inclement weather, SSM will also be closed. When SSM is closed, Kidzone will be closed and all school-sponsored activities will be canceled. Please note: The SSM Sports Club will make its own decision about canceling evening practices.

Closure announcements will be communicated by 6:15 AM via email, using the “Correspondence” address(es) on file in FACTS.

Cold Weather Decisions: In cases where closures are considered due to extreme cold rather than
snow or ice, SSM typically will follow the decisions made by MPS or Omaha Catholic. Administration will always directly communicate with families and staff about the decision to close school or if school will be open.

Kidzone on Non-School Days:
If Kidzone is scheduled to be open on a day when SSM is not in session, but MPS or Omaha Catholic Schools close due to weather, Kidzone will be canceled.

Check student grades, attendance, class schedule, and more. For help accessing your FACTS Family Portal (which you created during enrollment) please contact the school office at (402) 896-0754. Reminder: Our district code is SSC-NE. Click here to login into your FACTS Family Portal.

As an enrichment to our daily school instruction and activities, we offer extracurricular activities for students. Other extracurricular experiences, not sponsored by the school, may be available. Visit: school.stephen.org/sports-activities

Scouting: Many grades start a scouting group. It just takes a few willing parents to get a group started! Parents from previous grades would be willing to help get you started.

Often parents will sign their kids up on the same basketball or t-ball teams through organization like the YMCA. Using your Class Facebook page is a great way to find out what activities your child’s classmates are participating in.

Parent involvement is key to creating and maintaining a strong SSM school and parish community. Our Home and School Association coordinates the many days, events and activities that support SSM. You can learn more about our current volunteer opportunities and sign up at: school.stephen.org/volunteer.

Learn more about our Home and School Association at: school.stephen.org/home-and-school. Contact H&S if you are interested in joining a committee or want more information on how to get involved.

All SSM volunteers are required to be Safe Environment Trained and Certified through the Archdiocese of Omaha. You can find a session that works for you on their website. Register here.

Our 1st-8th grade students attend mass two times/week. Kindergarten students attend weekly, beginning in October. Preschool, PreK & TK students do not attend Mass.

  • Tuesday: 1st – 4th grade
  • Wednesday: 5th – 8th grade
  • Friday – All School Mass (including Kindergarten, beginning in October)

Our Kinder classes sit with 5th-grade classes and each student is assigned a 5th-grade buddy. We do special activities with these buddies throughout the year.

Families are welcome to attend school Masses. Please note: Because the church building becomes an extension of the school when students are present, the church doors will be locked from 8:10 AM until appx. 9 AM to ensure the safety of our students. 

Treats are welcome, however, be sure to discuss with your child’s teacher prior to bringing in any treats as there may be children with specific allergies. Be sure to consult the Family Handbook prior to selecting birthday treats.

The Lost & Found is located in the South entry breezeway. Access to the breezeway is available 24/7. Labeling your child’s items is recommended for easy identification.

Regular recesses are scheduled for TK-5 students. Please make sure your child is appropriately dressed for the weather. When there is a wind chill below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or other weather concerns, students will have indoor recess.

Students are invited to bring snow bibs/pants & boots to play in the snow when weather permits. Please label all of items & send in separate bag for easy transportation to and from school.

During enrollment you selected a payment plan with FACTS. If you have questions about which payment plan you selected, please contact the school office.

You also were asked to provide a payment form for incidental charges. Incidental expenses are invoiced twice a month on the 15th (or the next closest business day) and the last day of the month. Incidentals include lunches, field trips, sacrament fees, etc. Please contact the school office with any questions.

St. Stephen the Martyr Catholic Church is a community for all people to encounter Christ, know Christ, and proclaim Christ. We are the largest Catholic parish in Nebraska serving over 700 students in our School (Preschool – 8th Grade), 623 youth in our Religious Education programs and over 3,600 households, plus many more through our Care and Outreach Ministries. Our community is always growing as we welcome new individuals and families. Here you’ll discover a spiritual family eager to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus. We offer many opportunities for you! Learn more at stephen.org.

If you have questions specific to your student and the school day, we recommend starting with your child’s teacher with an email. A full staff directory can be found at: school.stephen.org/contact-us.

The office and administration staff can help too. For general questions call 402-896-0754 or email school@stephen.org. Each of our administrative assistants will receive your email and respond accordingly.

Parents may also contact our administrators at 402-896-0754 or by email Mrs. Julie Perrault, Principal, or Mr. Greg Verraneault, Assistant Principal.

Get in touch

School Office: (402) 896-0754 or school@stephen.org

Home & School Association: ssmhomeandschool@gmail.com