St. Teresa Catholic School
May 14, 2025
Tuition
While far from my favorite topic, it is an issue without which we would not exist as a school, so well worth addressing. A few key points:
• First and most importantly – I am sorry we are taking so long to get tuition statements to you. I realize you need to plan and our tardiness in getting the statements to you makes that challenging for you.
• First and most importantly – I am sorry we are taking so long to get tuition statements to you. I realize you need to plan and our tardiness in getting the statements to you makes that challenging for you.
• The reason for the delay is good (for many anyway). The tail end of the two tax credit initiatives of recent years have caused a delay. That means some of you are on the recipient end of the funds adding challenge to the tuition statement process.
• Let me itemize the columns on the tuition statement that will be coming home very soon.
1. Cost to educate a child here for a year $7,600 (average in NE is $17,194 [National Center for Education Statistics])
2. LB 1402 – recipients received half for tuition for 2023-4 and half for 2024-5.
3. OSN – We worked hard to gather tax credits dedicated to our school. The granting organization was able to add additional funding making this a significant contribution for our families. The funding amounts came to us in late April.
4. Parish Support – Our parish funds half of our cost per pupil for all St Teresa children. $3800 per child
5. Good Shepherd Scholarship (GSS)– here is where the fun began. Some families received sufficient funding to not need a full Good Shepherd Scholarship, even though they qualified for one. So if your GSS line has funding but not $1800, it means you did not need the rest, which was returned to GSS to enable funding further into the future.
6. Parish Scholarships – for those who did not need GSS, they also did not need a parish scholarship, enabling St. Teresa School to dip less deeply into our local funding. So once again, when you get your tuition statement and see that you qualified for a scholarship that may not be listed, that would be only because you did not need it.
7. SCRIP Rebates – one family paid 75% of a child’s tuition with SCRIP rebates. Many others made contributions toward their tuition through SCRIP. See Staci Cunningham if you wonder what this is about. Email: staci.cunningham@gmail.com
8. Final Column Family Payment – It is our school policy that all families pay the $440 Diocesan Fee per child, regardless of how much scholarship funding is accrued. So the smallest total possible is $440 (less your SCRIP Rebate).
Thanks to Father Kipper for all of the back and forth necessary to get where we are today. Due to your applications, and the contributions of our friends, we benefitted in a big way from the programs available. Thank you, Lord for helping us use the programs available to benefit our families as we build Your Kingdom.
Sister Mary Michael, C.K.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, May 15
- Spring Concert dress rehearsal 2 p.m.
- Spring Concert 7:00 p.m.
Friday, May 16
- St. Teresa alumni--Senior Class of 2025 at 8:15 Mass
Monday, May 19
- 5th grade field trip
- 8th grade graduation 7 p.m.
Tuesday, May 20
- 6th grade Orpheus play 10:30 a.m. (K-Hall)
Wednesday, May 21
- Jayhawk Showcase 2 p.m.
Thursday, May 22--Last day of school!
- Jayhawk Olympics
Tuition Agreements Coming Home Today!
Check your child's backpack for tuition agreements coming home with oldest/only students! Please contact Mary Schmit with any questions. mary-schmit@cdolinc.net
Student of the Month
Peter Cunningham has been chosen as the Student of the Month for the month of May. Peter was chosen for his energetic personality, his responsible leadership, and his ability to make all encounters and situations just a little more fun with his positive attitude! Peter exhibits responsibility both inside and outside the classroom. He balances his schoolwork with his many extra-curriculars. Peter is involved in junior high choir, chess club, student council, band, and strings. He balances his work very well, always works hard to do his very best and has frequently made it as a member of the honor roll.
Peter is a reader and altar server at Mass. He enjoys being a member of the Math Counts team, the St. Teresa’s bowling and cross-country team, and also participates in tennis at Woods.
Peter demonstrates his work ethic and efforts by achieving the top prize in the most recent Science Fair. When he isn’t busy with school work or extra-curriculars, he enjoys volunteering at Knights of Columbus fish fries, drawing, playing Pokemon and board games, and just spending time with friends and family.
Peter can always be seen with a smile. He takes on any task with enthusiasm and leads others with his terrific example. He is well deserving of the student of the month for May.
Peter is a reader and altar server at Mass. He enjoys being a member of the Math Counts team, the St. Teresa’s bowling and cross-country team, and also participates in tennis at Woods.
Peter demonstrates his work ethic and efforts by achieving the top prize in the most recent Science Fair. When he isn’t busy with school work or extra-curriculars, he enjoys volunteering at Knights of Columbus fish fries, drawing, playing Pokemon and board games, and just spending time with friends and family.
Peter can always be seen with a smile. He takes on any task with enthusiasm and leads others with his terrific example. He is well deserving of the student of the month for May.
Student Council 2025-2026
Congratulations to our student council for this coming school year!
*=New Member
Ciaran Fitzpatrick*
Noah Zimmer*
Ben Schinstock*
Luke Johnson*
Oliver Cunningham
Peter Casady
Vince Schilmoeller
Madelyn Nagengast
Violet Cunningham
Camilla Rutledge
Mass for Pope Leo XIV
Bishop Conley will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving for Pope Leo XIV on Monday, May 19th at 5:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Risen Christ. This will be the day after he is formally inaugurated as Pope. All are welcome to attend.
Track Results
Congratulations on a tremendous effort at Saturday's track meet! The St. Teresa Jayhawks placed well among the 167 athletes--not only in how they represented our school as competitors, but also in their behavior and sportsmanship! St. Teresa athletes who placed include:
Girls
Discus - Monica Schafers - 8th grade - 4th place
Discus - Maura Fitzpatrick - 8th grade - 6th place
Long Jump - Elise Suelter - 7th grade - 2nd place
Long Jump - Violet Cunningham - 7th grade - 3rd place
1600M - Violet Cunningham - 7th grade - 2nd place
1600M - Katie Nelson - 8th grade - 4th place
400M - Elise Suelter - 7th grade - 1st place
400M - Maura Fitzpatrick - 8th grade - 1st place
200M - Elise Suelter - 7th grade - 1st place
800M - Maura Fitzpatrick - 8th grade - 4th place
4x400 Relay Girls - Katie Nelson, Maura Fitzpatrick, Elise Suelter, Violet Cunningham (& alternate Monica Schafers) - 1st place
Boys
Shot Put - Oliver Cunningham - 7th grade - 5th place
Discus - Colin O'Grady - 7th grade - 6th place
Triple Jump - Vince Schilmoeller - 7th grade - 1st place
Triple Jump - Paxton Pfeiffer - 7th grade - 2nd place
Triple Jump - Paul Johnson - 8th grade - 1st place
100M Hurdles - Paxton Pfeiffer - 7th grade - 1st place
100M Hurdles - Oliver Cunningham - 7th grade - 2nd place
100M Hurdles - Peter Casady - 7th grade - 3rd place
100M Hurdles - Paul Johnson - 8th grade - 1st place
100M Hurdles - Blaise Beauclair - 8th grade - 4th place
1600M - Ciaran Fitzpatrick - 7th grade - 4th place
100M - Paxton Pfeiffer - 7th grade - 1st place
400M - Peter Casady - 7th grade - 2nd place
400M - Vince Schilmoeller - 7th grade - 4th place
200M - Oliver Cunningham - 7th grade - 2nd place
200M - Paul Johnson - 8th grade - 4th place
800M - Vince Schilmoeller - 7th grade - 3rd place
4x400 Relay Boys - Colin O'Grady, Blaise Beauclair, Vince Schilmoeller, Ciaran Fitzpatrick (& alternate Gus Willis) - 6th place
4x100 Relay Boys - Peter Casady, Oliver Cunningham, Paxton Pfeiffer, Paul Johnson - 1st place
St. Teresa Strings Summer Camp
See information below!
Measles?
There has been an influx of confirmed cases of measles across the country, and it is likely to arrive in Nebraska at some point. See the attached protocol regarding measles for your reference.
Weeping Water Bioblitz
Date: May 24, 2025
Location: Day Memorial Park--Weeping Water, NE
Questions? Contact Meghan.Thompson@Nebraska.gov
Gerbil Care over the Summer
If anyone is interested in adopting the gerbils over the summer, don't hesitate to sign up! If you have a family vacation planned, I know some families who could watch them for the time when you'll be gone.
We have 2 gerbils in the office (Linus and Cletus)! If you would like to help care for them over the weekends, please see sign-up below!
Contact Sister Mary Agnes with questions: sr.mary-agnes@cdolinc.net
Summer Food Service Program
The Nebraska Summer Food Service Program provides free summer meals to kids and teens (ages 1 – 18) available at select locations. The meals help ensure children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is out for the summer. There are numerous open summer meal sites throughout the state of Nebraska.
Call 2-1-1 or text FOOD to 877-877. Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids or http://www.education.ne.gov/NS/SFSP/index.html
Get updates via Twitter at #NESummerMeals and the Nebraska Department of Education-Nutrition Services’ Facebook page.
Call 2-1-1 or text FOOD to 877-877. Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids or http://www.education.ne.gov/NS/SFSP/index.html
Get updates via Twitter at #NESummerMeals and the Nebraska Department of Education-Nutrition Services’ Facebook page.
Summer STEM Camps
I am excited to announce that I will be hosting STEM Camps for 5th-8th grade students this summer! There are two Chemistry camps (yes indeed, with real labs, real glassware, safe chemicals, and experiments!) and one "Water: Above, Below, and Within Us" camp in conjunction with 4+ research teams on UNL's East Campus.
Registration closes May 21 for Session 1, and June 18 for Session 2. Session 3 details and registration coming soon. Please forward this invitation to families and students who may be interested (5th-8th grade next school year). I'm excited to dive into chemistry with these students and encourage them in their creativity, analysis, technique, and love of investigation.
Camp information and links for registration can be found in the links below. Please email me with any questions.
- Session 1: May 28-29, Chemistry Camp, St. Peter Catholic School
- Session 2: June 25-26, Chemistry Camp, St. Peter Catholic School
- Session 3: July 31-Aug 1, Water Above, Below, and Within Us, UNL East Campus, with activities and tours from Engineering Faculty (details and registration coming soon)
Should schedule and interest align, I look forward to working with your child(ren) this summer!
Thank you for fostering a love of learning and curiosity in your children!
Katy Dornbos
Franciscan Spirit Summer Camps for Girls
Join the Franciscan Sisters of the Holy Eucharist (Independence, MO) for three days of fun and faith! See flyers below or contact Sr. Collette Marie for more information!
Pictured from Left to Right: Paul Johnson, Elise Suelter, Maura Fitzpatrick, Gus Willis, Violet Cunningham, Blaise Beauclair, Monica Schafers, Oliver Cunningham, Zelie Beauclair, Peter Casady, Vince Schilmoeller, Colin O'Grady, Paxton Pfeiffer, Ciaran Fitzpatrick, Coach Morin
Not pictured: Katie Nelson, Jude Clark, Estella Heath, Roman Mabie, Max Rutledge, Ben Schinstock, Macy Switzer, Will Vacek
1st grade field trip
St. Teresa School Mission Statement
St. Teresa Catholic School, in partnership with parents, provides an education faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church. We nurture students’ natural sense of wonder and guide them to know and love truth, beauty, and goodness, and to live as virtuous disciples of Jesus Christ with their hearts set on true and lasting joy.