Weekly Parent Newsletter

It's that time of year! We're starting to prepare for the 2024-25 School Year (can you believe it?!?), and we need our CURRENT STEM Families to complete the Intent to Return/Not Return process.

This information will help our Leadership Team plan for the new school year regarding budgeting, facility use, staffing, and more. This process also helps us to know how many new students we will have openings for in the upcoming school year so that we can invite students during the Open Enrollment Window during the month of December.

Please complete a separate form for each of your CURRENTLY ATTENDING STEM students so that we know your student is either returning or not returning to STEM. Completing the form does not require your student to attend STEM for next year should you change your enrollment plans. The form allows you to update your submission should you change your mind over the next few months.

The annual election cycle will begin in Mid-April for the open Parent seat. If you'd like to be considered a candidate for the KOSON/STEM BOD Elections, please email stem.board@stemk12.org. One of our Board members will respond with opportunities for interested families to meet to ask questions about what the Board does.

A candidate interest form will be distributed in March for those who would like to be considered as a candidate. Information from that form will be used to create a Candidate Book to circulate amongst the STEM Community via the Weekly Newsletter to help inform our community of the candidates.

Click on the STEM Events Calendar to see everything that is happening at STEM. We've added Enrichment and Athletic Events to the calendar as well. Upcoming events include:

• Monday, Dec. 11 (6:30-7:15 p.m.) - 8th-Grade Boston Trip Information Meeting
• Monday, Dec. 11 (7-8:30 p.m.) - Elementary Choir Concert
• Tuesday, Dec. 12 (12-1 p.m.) - Parent Mastery Connect Meeting
  
• Tuesday, Dec. 12 (6-7:30 p.m.) - Boys' Basketball vs. Two Roads Charter
• Wednesday, Dec. 13 (6:30-8 p.m.) - STEM PTO Meeting
• Wednesday, Dec. 13 (7-9 p.m.) - Secondary Fall Music Concert
• Thursday, Dec. 14 (4:30-6 p.m. & 6-7:30 p.m.) - Boys' Basketball vs. Aurora West
• Friday, Dec. 15 (3:30-5:30 p.m.) - SNHS STEAM Day (K-12 Event)
• Saturday, Dec. 16 (7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.) - FLL Explore Festival

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

• An update from Mrs. McElroy, Elementary School Director
• Elementary Choir Concert - December 11
  
• STEM PTO Monthly Meeting
• STEAM Day - K-12
• ES Winter Spirit Week
• Kindergarten Winter Concert
• STEM PTO Cookie Exchange
• Please check the Lost and Found
• Reminder! Check your MySchoolBucks Account

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

• An update from Mrs. Ridder and Mr. Alsup
• Boston Trip Information Meeting (2024 Eighth Graders)
  
• Mastery Connect Parent Information Session
• Secondary Winter Concert
  
• STEM PTO Monthly Meeting
• STEAM Day - K-12
• STEM PTO Cookie Exchange
• Reminder! Please check your MySchoolBucks
  
• Mastery Connect Tutorial and Videos
• So Much More!
  

Want to see all the Good Things happening at STEM? Check out our Sharing Our Good News post. Each week we share photos, videos and information about the Good News that has happened that week.

Each week we'll share important Athletics News with our community. Updates are written by Athletics Director Susan Jones. In this week's update:

• Next Boys' Basketball Game: Tuesday, Dec. 12, from 6-7:30 p.m. & Thursday, Dec. 14, at 4:30 & 6 p.m.
• Basketball Tickets Being Sold Online
  
• New Athletics Website!
• Watch Spartans Live!

Enrichment at STEM is the place students can find all of the school’s after-school, summer, and other enrichment offerings.

• Donate to STEM's Enrichment Program
• Elementary, Middle and High School Club Registrations

Each week our very own DCSO School Resource Officer Deputy Gabe Uribe, writes a newsletter for our community about important topics as it relates to safety and security.

We ask that all families contribute 30 hours (or more) of volunteering to STEM. Families can give of their time or make a Volunteer-Hour Donation. See all the opportunities available:

• Volunteer sign ups in Raptor Volunteer Portal
• Lunchroom helper
• Driveline helper
• Theater Production Volunteer
• Click here to donate Candy Canes for Middle School Candy Cane Grams
• CyberPatriot Snack Donation Request
• Our Health Room needs donations - Click here for the Amazon Wishlist
  
• Donate snacks for Enrichment Clubs
  
• Staff's Amazon Wishlists
• Make a Volunteer-Hours Donation via MySchoolBucks

Volunteering is easy. Once you're approved in our Raptor System, browse the Upcoming Events in the Volunteer Portal and sign-up! Your Volunteer Hours will automatically be logged when you sign-in for the event.

Each week our STEM PTO puts together a newsletter for our community, sharing information about upcoming events and opportunities to get involved.