Weekly Parent Newsletter

Dear STEM Community,

Thank you for taking the time to engage in your child’s growth and success at STEM. We ask that you continue to engage with their learning by reading our newsletters, communicating with your child’s teachers, and attending school events whenever possible. Our community will continue to thrive when we are all involved.

Click the button below to read more about the following topics:

SpartMart

2025-26 Academic Calendar Survey

We have some very exciting news to share with all of you. We had special visitors from the Colorado Department of Education and the DCSD School District today to recognize Tera Johnson-Swartz as one of seven finalists for the Colorado Teacher of the Year award.

CDE Commissioner Susan Cordova, along with Rebecca McClellan (Chair of the State Board of Education), Tiffany Anderson (Boettcher Foundation, Vice President of Grants and Awards), Erin Kane (DCSD Superintendent), Danny Winsor (DCSD Assistant Superintendent) and Gordon Mosher (DCSD Director of Choice Programming) joined STEM Executive Director LynAnn Kovalesky and STEM High School Director Ryan Alsup to share the news with her.

This year, CDE had more than 1,000 nominations and nearly 100 applicants, and Ms. Johnson-Swartz was one of the seven who represent the very best of teaching and learning here in our state.

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, Sept. 10, from 5:30-7 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
  
• STEM PTO Monthly Meeting - September 11
• Third Grade Picnic - September 13
• SAC Monthly Meeting - September 18
• STEM PTO Blast Off - September 19
• No School - PD Day - September 20
• News ad Updates
• Hands free announcing with PikMyKid

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

• A message from Mrs. Ridder, Middle School Director
• Upcoming Events
  
• KOSON/STEM Board Meeting - Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 5:30-7 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
  
• PTO Monthly Meeting - September 11
• SAC Monthly Meeting - September 18
• PTO Blast Off - September 19
• No School - PD Day - September 20
• News ad Updates
• Secondary Yearbook Information
• PSAT/MNSQT Questionnaire/ Student Search Service Info
  

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

• A message from Mr. Alsup, High School Director
• Upcoming Events
  
• KOSON/STEM Board Meeting - Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 5:30-7 p.m. (KOSON/P-TECH Building & Zoom)
  
• PTO Monthly Meeting - September 11
• SAC Monthly Meeting - September 18
• PTO Blast Off - September 19
• No School - PD Day - September 20
• News ad Updates
• College and Career Newsletter
• DC Youth Congress Registration
  
• IMPORTANT! Secondary Yearbook Information
  
• PSAT/MNSQT Questionnaire/ Student Search Service Info
• National Security Agency - High School Work Study Program
  
• NASA Virtual Internship - Control System Hardware

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.

Each week, our Athletic Director Mrs. Jones puts together important news and updates for families to read about as it pertains to Secondary Athletics (6-12). Click the button below to read more.

Click here to view the Athletics Calendar to see all of the upcoming athletic events.

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.

Hey STEM Parents! High School Student Government is hosting its first-ever Homecoming Tailgating Party, and we need your help! The party will be held after school from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, outside of the Athletics entrance. We are looking both for food/material donations and also volunteers to help grill BBQ and supervise both food and game tables!

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:

• 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!