April 30 2026 | Volume 44, Issue 31

🌌 This Saturday: Blast Off at Our Galactic Gala! 🚀

The wait is over—our 33rd Annual Benefit Auction is happening THIS SATURDAY, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you!

✨ Suit Up for the Galaxy

This year, we’re encouraging all guests to join the fun with sci-fi themed attire! Whether you come as a space traveler, alien, or intergalactic adventurer, your creativity will help make the night unforgettable.

🏆 Costume Contest + Star Wars Trivia

For our avid costume enthusiasts, don’t miss the Costume Contest happening toward the end of the evening—plus a fun round of Star Wars trivia to test your galactic knowledge!



📍 New Location Alert

Please note that this year’s event will take place in the West Room. Be sure to refer to the event map to help guide your way.

🌟 Special Guests from the 501st Legion

As an added fundraiser we're thrilled to welcome members of the 501st Legion, a renowned Star Wars costuming organization. Guests can purchase tickets for a photo at $5.



🎟️ Final Call — We’ll See You There!

Get ready for an evening filled with fun, community, and purpose—all in support of Steppingstone School. We look forward to seeing you there!

MEET AT WATERFORD BEND, NOT SCHOOL,

FOR ROUGE RIVER TESTING DAY

9 am, Wed., May 6th, 2026 @ Hines Park

CLASSROOM and/or TEACHER: Whole school

ACTIVITIES & HOW THEY ENRICH THE CURRICULUM: Students will be participating in the testing of the Rouge River’s waters. They will test pH, temperature, current strength, and the number and availability of “critters” (a sign of healthy water).

DATE: Wednesday, May 6, 2026

ARRIVAL TIME: Arrive at Waterford Bend at 9 am (NO MORNING Extended Day)

DEPARTURE TIME: Pick-up at Waterford Bend at 4 pm, Extended Day students will be transported back to school.

ADDRESS: Hines Park Waterford Bend Recreation Area, at the intersection of 6 Mile Rd and Northville Rd., Northville MI 48168

CONTACT: Reef Morse

PHONE: 734-718-8952

APPAREL: Dress for the weather

MEAL ARRANGEMENTS: Brown Bag - please pack extra fluids and snacks as students are always hungry. Please label everything – especially water bottles.

OTHER NEEDS: Planner and assignments, sunscreen (apply prior to arrival), towel (optional) to sit on for Power Reading, raincoat (if rain is predicted), Power Reading books, sneakers (we will be hiking up and down the river), sweatshirt/coat. PHS should bring an extra set of clothes, shoes, socks if planning on entering water in waders. PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING.

PRE-TRIP ACTIVITIES: Pre-survey for Friends of the Rouge

TRIP ACTIVITIES: Chemical tests and water tests to establish health of river

POST-TRIP ACTIVITIES: Review results and analyze health of river, post-test for Friends of the Rouge

COME SAY "FAREWELL"

to Your Adoptees and Join Us

at the SALMON RELEASE

12 pm, Sat., May 9th

@ Belanger Park

Thank you to everyone who has adopted salmon this year! Funds raised will go towards our three tanks' upkeep: tortoise, saltwater, and salmon! Salmon release this year will be happening Saturday, May 9th, 12 PM at Belanger Park. If you are able to attend, please inform Mr. Liou.

ANCIENT ROMANS

This week in Social Studies, our Upper Elementary class continued their unit on Ancient Rome. We discussed how Rome grew from a republic to an empire. They conquered the Italian peninsula, fought in three Punic Wars against the Carthaginians, and finally constructed roads, public buildings, and aqueducts, of which many are still standing today.

Rome's leaders loved to build large columns to commemorate their accomplishments. These columns were built in layers called registers. Each register was carved in relief and depicted battles and other important events. 

Our students created a paper version depicting the three Punic Wars. Here, the group proudly displays their work.

Annual Giving 2025-2026

We would like to thank everyone who made an Annual Giving donation in the 2025-2026 school year.

$5,000 to $9,999

$1,000 to $4,999

Chong & Yong Son

Dorothea Coffin

Fran Eldis

Shuh Yuan Liou & Shau Ching Tang

Yong Pan

$500 to $999

David Liou

Hedy Zablocki

Michelle Belt

Stepping Stones Wellness Center

$100 to $499

Chris Isberg

Joanne Chang

Joyce Li

Liqun Yang

Minghung Hsu

Simon Margules

$50 to $99

James & Alicia Phillips

Kroger's

Up to $50

Jason Roder

In Memoriam of Max Roder, from Fran Eldis

In-Kind

Volunteers

Auction Chair

Barbara Malnar-Styke

Auction Acquisitions

Michelle Belt

Dena Nehme

Brad Styke

SMART Center Chair

Dr. Reef Morse

Marketing

Jorge Contreras

WISHLIST



A subscription to Highlights Children's Magazine

https://shop.highlights.com/

Donated by Barbara Malnar-Styke

OMAX 1.3MP USB 2.0 C-Mount Microscope Camrea for Windows, Mac OS, and Linux

https://omaxmicroscope.com/products/a3513u

Donated by the Schiff family



ADOPT-A-SALMON

Thank you to our Adopt-A-Salmon donors ($10 per adopted salmon):

Dorothy Linzell -- adopted Fin & Barb

Aliya -- adopted Summer & Aggro

Mrs. Coffin -- adopted Angela, Ray, Nick & George

Dr. & Mrs. Morse -- adopted Isabella, Harrison, Sawyer, Rory, Oliver, Jax, Colette, Nadia & Sophie

Jacob - adopted Waffles, Pom Pom, Blanket and Major Meowser

Francis - Delta, Ay Mi Gato, Captain Rex

Aurelia & Elijah - Amethyst & Emerald

Mr. Roder - Louis, Moses, Jerome, & Samuel

Fran Eldis - Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Zeta, Eta, Theta, Iota, Kappa

Hedy Zablocki - Thateusz, Grazyna, Jeronym, Jadzia, Zbigniew