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St. Teresa Catholic School

February 18, 2026

Ash Wednesday

Life in Abundance

On Tuesday we were blessed to have Olympian bronze medalist, wrestler Tervel Dlagnev speak to our student body. Sports are not Tervel's only priority. He is also a husband, father, and follower of Christ.

He had a chance to share with the students some of the lessons he's learned along the way. Some of them included: 1. Be honest, 2. Take ownership for your actions, 3. Be accountable, and 4. Find your identity in something that cannot be shaken--Jesus.

He shared that in our lives we will encounter things that will shake us up. Sports allow for an opportunity to encounter something difficult and get up and keep on going--practice for the big moments that will come.

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo, also recently wrote on the importance of sports, in honor of the XXV Winter Olympic Games presently taking place in Milan. I highly recommend reading it:

Letter of the Holy Father Leo XIV, “Life in Abundance”, on the value of Sport

How important it is to remember that we are both body and soul, and that we are called to take care of both, to live life to the full.

I remember loving sports when I was growing up. I wasn't ever the best on the team, but a coach once commented, "You always have a smile on your face as you dribble down the court." Sometimes we simply have a love of the game and the chance to use our bodies for the glory of God.

Another aspect of sport is competition. The essence of competition is a shared pursuit of excellence--maintaining a respect and acceptance of rules and a sense of community not only with one's own teammates, but also with the opponent.

Pope Leo wrote, "In this sense, sport offers valuable lessons that extend beyond the playing field. It teaches us that we can strive for the highest level without denying our own fragility; that we can win without humiliating others; and that we can lose without being defeated as individuals. Fair competition thus safeguards a deeply human and communal dimension. It does not divide, but brings people together; it does not focus solely on the result, but values the journey; it does not idolize performance, but recognizes the dignity of those who play."

Sister Mary Agnes, C.K.

Upcoming Events

Thursday, February 19: Adult Enrichment 7 p.m. in the school--Dr. Peter Morin on statistics and probability
Friday, February 20: Lenten Mission Collection at Mass; 2:45 p.m. Stations of the Cross
Saturday, February 21: JH Honor Band
Monday, February 23: 7th and 8th grade confessions
Wednesday, February 25: Preschool Preview 4 p.m.

25-26 School year Calendar

February Calendar

February Menu Calendar

Adult Enrichment

The next adult enrichment will be taught by Dr. Peter Morin. He will be teaching statistics and probability (focus on games of chance) on Thursday, February 19^th at 7:00 at school. The room number will be determined after RSVP's.

Please respond to jean-timmerman@cdolinc.net

MathCounts

The St. Teresa MathCounts team competed in the 2026 Southeast Nebraska Chapter MathCounts competition at UNL on February 14, 2026. Nine students participated in the competition —Rachel Cunningham, Joseph Oldenburg, Ben Schinstock, Jane Willis, Raymond Ruhl, Elliot Maxwell, David Bauman, Francis Cunningham, and Ambrose Pfeiffer. Thomas Schaefers was also on the team but absent from the competition due to illness. These mathletes have been working hard all year to improve their math and problem-solving skills and their hard work paid off. The St. Teresa team finished in 4^th place (even with no 8^th graders on their team!) and Joseph Oldenburg earned the top score for St. Teresa, placing 24^th overall.

2026-2027 Tuition Scholarships

All St. Teresa school families are encouraged to fill out a 2026-2027 FACTS Financial Aid Scholarship application for the next school year. The deadline to do so is March 31st. This application includes both the Diocesan Good Shepherd Scholarship and our St. Teresa Parish Scholarship. At the end of your application submission, please make sure to also upload the Required Tax Documents that your FACTS application indicates under your 'Application Summary > Required Documents'. Follow this link to apply!

https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/43N1Z

Science Fair Judges

The 7^th and 8^th grade Nature Studies students' science fair projects will be judged from 9:30-12:00 on Tuesday, March 24th. We are looking for volunteer judges to listen to and score student presentations. Some level of scientific background/experience is appreciated. Parents are welcome; you would not judge your child's category.

For any questions or to volunteer, contact Annie Timmerman: annie-timmerman@cdolinc.net

Walk the Little Way Fundraiser

Goal: $50,000 for school improvements!

If each family contributes $358, we will reach our goal. You can either donate this yourself OR reach out to the wider community!

Due TODAY, February 11th: Click HERE to complete the form in order to let us know what option you would like to select for your family.

Want to be a Corporate Sponsor? Contact one of the committee members!

Other dates to note: February 27: Letter-writing Campaign

April 23: 1:00 p.m. Walk the Little Way

The Committee: Elizabeth Long, Emilie Jones, Angela Henggeler, and Sarah Hain (sarahmariebridget@gmail.com)

First & Last Day of School for 2026-2027

First Day: August 18th, 2026 (1/2 day)

Last Day: May 25th, 2027 (full day)

Attention all parents and volunteers!

If you plan to volunteer for field trips throughout the year, or help at St. Teresa school, please make sure to complete the Safe Environment Training as soon as possible. Per diocese requirement, all those working with students must complete this training.

Please log on to https://cmgconnect.org/ and complete the 2026 training to avoid your account being archived. Thank you!

Hispanic Meal

Hispanic Families - We have a unique event planned for the next SFA meeting, Tuesday, March 24. Please contact Amparo Alas for details 402-310-6022 or amfesa@hotmail.com She will likely be calling you also. God bless.

Gardener of Flowers

We need someone with a green thumb for flowers to help us with a coordinated plan for some beauty. Funding for the goods is available.

Enrollment

Enrollment for the 2026-2027 school year is now open! Two steps to complete:

1. Go to this link to begin the process for returning students. Scroll down on the same page for new students. Start here for preschool enrollment: Preschool Enrollment

2. In order to enroll, please also set up a FACTS account, starting here.

Gerbil for the Weekend

Would you like to have a pet gerbil for a weekend? Sign up below to volunteer to care for Linus! Easy care, and I will send a few short instructions when you sign up. God bless!

Parents: Gerbil Care

Contact Sr. Mary Agnes at sr.mary-agnes@cdolinc.net with questions.

Girls' Basketball

Mr. Jeff Rutledge introduces his friend, Olympian bronze medalist, wrestler Tervel Dlagnev

Terry Keefe, mandolin/violin player presents to the K-4 students

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.