St. Stephen School strives to teach the Good News, build a community deeply rooted in faith and foster in each student a compassionate awareness of the needs of others.

     Ever aware of making the world a better place the student is encouraged to seek academic excellence, to develop God-given talents and to be cognizant of the need for peace and justice in the world.

Our History

     Father Albert Taylor, first pastor of St. Stephen Church, founded St. Stephen School in September of 1964. Staffed by the Sisters of Mercy, the school served students from grades one to three from Hamden and neighboring towns. A grade was added each year until 1969 with the completion of eighth grade. 1970 marked the first graduation and the establishment of the Home School Association. Due to an area consolidation of Catholic schools in 1989, grades seven and eight were moved to a Catholic middle school and a kindergarten class was established. In 1990, an after school program was implemented, and a playground was constructed. Grades seven and eight were re-established at St. Stephen and a pre-kindergarten was initiated in 1992. This year also marked the formation of a coeducational sports program. Three years later, a School Board, Development Committee and computer center were established.

Our Present

     Through the dedicated efforts of the faculty and staff, Christian values are instilled in the students of St. Stephen as they pursue academic excellence. This values orientation serves as the foundation for the family atmosphere, well-rounded curriculum, and welcoming environment.

     The school offers a variety of co-curricular activities, music and foreign language programs. A modern computer center with Internet access provides the students with the knowledge and tools necessary to achieve in a rapidly advancing technologically oriented society.

    Members of the School Board and Development committee assist the Administration in meeting the present and anticipated school needs identified through an on-going long-range, strategic planning process.

     St. Stephen is committed to continuing its mission of providing the highest quality Catholic education for all of its students.

Our Future

      For the 2006-2007 school year, Saint Stephen School has begun a new all-day, five-day Pre-Kindergarten program for 4-year-olds and discontinued the 3-year-old program. Our new addition to the school provides space for an expanded computer lab, a larger school library/media center, and a remodeled gymnasium/auditorium. A Capital Campaign was initiated in the fall of 2000 to raise more than one million dollars for this project.

     Our concern is not just for the "brick and mortar" issues, but for the continued development of an excellent faculty and the accessibility of a Catholic education for every family who wishes their child(ren) to be a part of the St. Stephen tradition.

Description of School and Parish Community

     The Parish of St. Stephen was a Mission of St. Donato, New Haven, and later a Mission of St. Barnabas, North Haven. In 1953, it became a parish with Father Albert Taylor as its first pastor. The church and hall on Ridge Road were built in 1957 and the school was built in 1964.

     St. Stephen School Board began to fully function in June of 1995. It helped formulate a Tuition Agreement, agreed to the use of FACTS Tuition Management Program, participated in the self-study for our NEASC Accreditation visit and has been instrumental in our Capital Campaign. Membership on the Board is currently at ten, with three parents, three parishioners, and four people from the community or alumni/ae. The Board meets monthly with the exception of July and August.

     Organizations in the parish include a Finance Council, Liturgy Committee, Social Ministry Committee, Youth Ministry and a Parish Council.

     The faculty numbers nine full-time teachers, a full-time Pre-Kindergarten teacher, a Physical Education person shared with St. Francis School, New Haven, and St. Vincent de Paul School, East Haven. There are part-time aides in Grades Pre-K, K and 1, a part-time librarian, music teacher and a part-time nurse. There is a full time secretary-receptionist in the school, and finances are handled through the Administrative Assistant at the rectory.

     The school initiated an Annual Fund Drive eight years ago. Its average proceeds are between $20,000 and $30,000 per year, with half going for technology (computer software and hardware) and the other half going into an Endowment.

         The school currently has openings for a few more students. Through the useage of the FACTS Tuition Management Program we have had about 99% payment of tuition. We are able to invest the upfront payment of tuition in a money market fund with A.G. Edwards and have additional monies in Mutual Funds as well.

     Students come from 13 different parishes, primarily Hamden-North Haven, but also Cheshire, East Haven, West Haven, Woodbridge, Wallingford, Durham, New Haven and Northford. Only 23% of the students come from St. Stephen Parish, while 77% come from other parishes. The families are generally middle class. Racially the school population has 205 white children, 22 Afro-Americans, 4 Asians, 2 Hispanics, 1 Native American and 8 multiracial children.

     Student organizations include Student Council, coed soccer, boys' and girls' basketball, boys' baseball, girls' softball, cheerleading, "Creative Corner", a literary publication, and band.

     Programs for the school year include a school-wide, holiday music concert, a spring musical, a science fair, school Masses, a school-wide picnic in June, dances for Grades 6-8 and assorted field trips throughout the year.

     The classroom structure is self-contained in Grades K-5 and interdisciplinary for 6-8. Students in 4-8 have access to our new computer lab. The lower grades have two computers in every classroom with Internet connections as well as an internal hub connection. The faculty is very stable with the newest faculty member on staff for four years, while the faculty member with the longest tenure is 30 years, with most faculty members somewhere in between. What is most unique about St. Stephen School is that it is small with a healthy sense of intimacy.

ST. STEPHEN REGISTRATION

In September 2006, Saint Stephen School established a full-day (Monday-Friday) Pre-Kindergarten Program for four-year-olds in addition to the existing half-day program. Parents will have a choice of programs for their child. To register for our 5-day Pre-Kindergarten program (4-year-olds only) or for our all-day Kindergarten through Grade 8, please call Saint Stephen School at 203/288-6792 to make an appointment with Mrs. Maria Testa, Principal. You won't regret your investment in your child's future.