Weekly Parent Newsletter

In this week's Elementary News, you can find information about:

• A message from Mrs. McElroy, Elementary School Director
• Upcoming Events
  
• KOSON/STEM Board Meeting - Tuesday, Aug. 20, from 5-7:30 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
  
• STEM School Accountability Committee (SAC) Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
• Skate City Sponsored by STEM PTO - Thursday, Aug. 22, from 5-7 p.m.
• News ad Updates
• Join STEM's Parent Facebook Pages
  

In this week's Secondary News, you can find information about:

• Upcoming Events
  
• KOSON/STEM Board Meeting - Tuesday, Aug. 20, from 5:30-7 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
  
• STEM SAC Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
• Skate City, Sponsored by PTO - Thursday, Aug. 22, from 5-7 p.m. (Skate City Littleton)
• News ad Updates
• CU Pre-Health Scholars Program - Apply Now
  
• Applications Open for Civic Academy
  
• IMPORTANT! Secondary Yearbook Information
  
• Concurrent Enrollment Information
  
• Spring Belize trip info meeting! Only a few spots left!
  
• Merrick & Company Apprenticeship Opportunity
  
• Senior Meeting Slides
  
• Concurrent Enrollment - IEP/ 504 Accommodation Requests
  
• NASA Virtual Internship

Young Innovator Anirudh Rao Wins International Young Eco-Hero Award for Tornado Early Warning System

Action For Nature (AFN), an international non-profit organization, is thrilled to announce 11-year-old Anirudh Rao from Colorado, USA as the 1st Place Winner in the 8-12 year-old category for the prestigious International Young Eco-Hero Award. Anirudh's groundbreaking invention, the Tornado Early Warning System, is set to revolutionize disaster preparedness and response for tornadoes. Anirudh's innovation, "Revere," is a cutting-edge combination of drone technology and advanced sensors designed to detect the early signs of tornado formation. This innovative system has the potential to increase tornado warning times significantly, offering precious additional minutes for individuals and communities to seek shelter and minimize casualties.

Beryl Kay, President of AFN, praised Anirudh's work, stating, “Anirudh's remarkable dedication and ingenuity exemplify the spirit of the Young Eco-Hero Award. His invention has the potential to save countless lives and inspire young people worldwide to make a positive impact on their environment."

Anirudh's commitment to environmental stewardship extends beyond his invention. He is actively engaged in raising awareness about tornadoes and climate change in his community and beyond. He has presented his work at various science festivals and educational institutions, reaching thousands of people with his message of preparedness and innovation.

In addition to his scientific pursuits, Anirudh is a dedicated volunteer for the Children's Kindness Network, further demonstrating his commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

Anirudh's story serves as an inspiration to young people everywhere, proving that age is no barrier to making a real difference in the world. His dedication to innovation and environmental stewardship exemplifies the values that the International Young Eco-Hero Award celebrates.

Enjoy the award ceremony LIVE August 24, at 10 AM PST: Virtual Eco-Hero Conference Event. https://actionfornature.org/events/2024-eco-hero-conference

We understand that the many parking lots around our campus look very inviting for families to park or wait for their student in the afternoon, or drop off in the morning. However, we've received numerous complaints from our neighbors that this is a nuisance to them, and it violates our Transportation Management Plan.

Please DO NOT park or wait in the surrounding business parking lots. This includes the hotel on the north side of campus, the office park on the Northeast side of campus, the medical office building on the southeast side of campus, and the office buildings on the southwest side of campus. Thank you so much for your cooperation.

As you may know, the Castle Pines Golf Club will host the BMW PGA Golf Championship later this month. The Douglas County School District has been alerted that the tournament is expected to have a major impact on traffic that will include road closures. If you drive or your child utilizes DCSD bus transportation in this area, please read below for important information we are providing as a courtesy to our staff and families.

The golf tournament is scheduled for August 20-25. This tournament showcases the top 50 players in the world as they compete in the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup Playoffs. In an effort to ease traffic issues at the Castle Pines Golf Club, a portion of Happy Canyon Road will have daily restricted access from 5:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. during championship week. Please note the following restrictions:

No through traffic will be permitted on Happy Canyon Road between Lagae Road and Santa Fe Drive (US-85).

There is no public/general parking available in the immediate vicinity of Castle Pines Golf Club. All vehicles on Happy Canyon Road must have the proper credentials.

The power of a charter school is in the ongoing community engagement with the school. Ready to make a difference in our community? We’re excited to announce the launch of a new volunteer management software.

This secure, volunteer - experience focused platform will streamline how you sign up and manage your volunteer activities. Click the button below to get started! Watch for new school-wide volunteer opportunities throughout the year. For more information, please visit our page on the website or contact us at volunteer@stemk12.org.

Fall High School Athletics Registrations

• HS Boys Soccer

• HS Girls Volleyball

• HS Boys Golf

• HS Speech and Debate (Coed) (Late Fall/Winter season)

• HS eSports (Coed)

• HS Cross Country (Coed)

Physicals are NOT required for Summer/Off Season Activities, eSports, or Speech & Debate.

To register for any or all of these please click here.

Middle School Athletics & Activities

• Registration will begin after MS Club Rush (Aug 15)
• Planned Offerings: MS Cross Country, MS eSports, MS Boys & Girls Basketball, MS Spirit/Cheer, MS Speech & Debate

Please address questions to: Athletics@stemk12.org

Enrichment at STEM is the place students can find all of the school’s after-school, summer, and other enrichment offerings. Because many of the offerings are as unique as our school is, we invite students from throughout the Denver metro area to participate in our Enrichment program. Through Enrichment at STEM, students can participate in a variety of amazing clubs and programs, in arts, athletics, robotics, technology, and a variety of special interests.

Our STEM PTO is awesome! Join an amazing team of parents who create engaging and exciting events to bring our community together. Click the button below to see their newsletter for this week.

Upcoming PTO Events:

• Skate City - Thursday, Aug. 22, from 5-7 p.m., at Skate City Littleton
• PTO Meet n' Greet - Thursday, Aug. 29, from 4-6 p.m. at Prost Brewery
• PTO Monthly Meeting - Wednesday, Sept. 11, from 6:30-8 p.m., in the Secondary Commons - In-Person

Niche.com is an online platform that helps connect families with their future schools in their neighborhoods. It is one of the top search platforms that families use when looking for a new school. If you love STEM and what we have to offer your student(s), please consider leaving us a review. Click the button below to visit our school's profile, where you can leave a review.

You can also leave us a review on our Google Business page. Click the button below to share why you love STEM School Highlands Ranch.

Thank you in advance!