Weekly Parent Newsletter

FYI! Next Wednesday, June 12, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. is the final Summer Office Hours opportunity before the Front Offices go on summer break. The Front Offices will open again Wednesday, July 17, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and the again on July 24, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. In the meantime, if you have any questions throughout the summer, please email communications@stemk12.org.

Hello STEM Families,

I hope you are all enjoying the warmer weather and time with your children. While our students are on break, many of our staff work throughout the summer preparing for the next school year. Our building facilities and maintenance teams are busy repairing, cleaning, painting and carpeting. Teachers and counselors are creating Problem-Based Learning opportunities, assessments, and ACCESS lessons, and administrators and office staff are gearing up for the start of another successful year at STEM in August.

Review and Processing Feedback

At the conclusion of each year, we look to the feedback we have received and lessons learned to help us determine necessary improvements to better serve our students, families and staff. Thank you for your part in this process. We gather this information through surveys, meetings, and informal interactions with all our stakeholders.

Standards-Based Grading/Learning

As you know, we have been working hard to ensure that Standards-Based Grading and Learning is a good fit for our school. We believe that with some adjustments to our practices, SBL aligns well with our Problem-Based Learning model and efforts to provide our students and parents with the feedback they need to grow academically and socially. Please click here to read more about SBL Grading here.

Exciting News

This coming school year, we'll begin equipping sixth graders with school-owned and managed devices. This shift maximizes instructional time by enabling more targeted support during lessons. Remote software installation will further contribute to this goal. To prepare, parents of sixth graders will complete the necessary paperwork during Express Check-In. Laptop distribution will occur during Access classes on Wednesday, Aug. 7. If you have any questions, please contact our IT Department at support@stemk12.org.

Preparing for Express Check-In

Express Check-In will begin in mid-July, with an exact date to be announced soon. The purpose of Express Check-In is for families to have the opportunity to update/confirm their contact and important information, sign important documents and pay for student fees.

This year, student fees will increase by $50 to accommodate the increase in consumable expenses that we’ve seen increase over the past few years. We’ve been fortunate not to have raised student fees over the past several years, but for us to provide our students with the best possible educational experience, we have to implement this slight increase in fees this year.

During Express Check-In, you’ll be able to review the complete document of what the student fees pay for. However, to give you an idea, the student fees help cover the cost of instructional materials, supplies, and consumables. Items that are also covered by fees include helping to fund security, mental health support and Special Education costs.

Student fees do not cover AP test fees, AP books, field trips, yearbooks, computer devices, bus fees, optional locker rental, student parking fees, BASE, Enrichment fees, CHSAA fees and other individual costs.

Also, during Express Check-In, families will review and sign off on the Student-Parent Handbook, the Transportation Management Plan, the Technology Acceptable Use Policy and the STEM Approved Apps and Website Use Form.

Please see the Elementary News/Updates or the Secondary News/Updates section of the newsletter for information on how to prepare for Express Check-In.

I hope you have a great summer.

In partnership,

LynAnn Kovalesky, Executive Director

The STEM School Highlands Ranch Communications Team is looking to gather feedback from our community on a few key areas of communications for the school.

Please note that STEM Communications is not involved in any teacher-to-student or teacher-to-parent communications. If you'd like to provide feedback on how to improve that, please email the respective School Director with your feedback.

• Elementary - Amie.McElroy@stemk12.org
• Middle - Maura.Ridder@stemk12.org
• High - Ryan.Alsup@stemk12.org

Please take a moment to complete this survey and provide as much detail as possible. The Communications Team would like to incorporate any feedback that can help to improve how information is delivered to families.

This form will close on Friday, June 28.

Click the photo to learn more.

Want to connect with other families in your student's grade? Join your student’s class page on Facebook to connect with other parents, get class-specific info and more. Be sure to answer all required questions to join. Email communications@stemk12.org with any questions.

Click the photo to learn more.

The Free and reduced benefits expire in June and every family must apply for FRL benefits every year. VERY IMPORTANT: Families must elect to share their information with STEM, otherwise the school will not be able to see that you have been approved for waivers.

Here are the directions to apply:

• Log onto DCSD MySchoolApps FRL Application.
• Select Begin Application Process
• Complete all information required
• Once approved they will receive a letter confirming the date and student name, ID, and School year (one letter per student)
• Forward all letters to Ashley.westfall@stemk12.org (not required if you checked yes to share your information)

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

• Elementary Supply List
• Locker Sign-Up for Rising Fifth Graders
• A Message from the IT Department
• Confirming your Information in IC/Parent Portal

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

• A message from the IT Department
• Confirming your information in IC/Parent Portal
• Middle School Locker Sign-Up Information
  
• Student Parking Pass Sign-Up information
• Senior Parking Spot Painting Information
• IMPORTANT - STEM to Provide 6th Graders with computers for 2024-25 School Year

Summer Camps

• July 8-11 - Boys' High School Volleyball Camp

• July 15-18 - Girls' High School Basketball Camp

• July 29-August 2 - Girls' High School Volleyball Camp

• July 29-August 2 - Boys' High School Basketball Camp

• July 29-August 2 - High School Open Gym/Weight Room

Fall High School Athletics Registrations

• Boys' High School Golf

• Boys' High School Soccer

• Girls' High School Volleyball

• Co-Ed High School Cross Country

• Co-Ed High School eSports

• Co-Ed High School Speach and Debate

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

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

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:

• Wednesday, June 12 (8 a.m.-12 p.m.) - Summer Office Hours (Open to the Public)
• Wednesday, June 12 (9 & 10 a.m.) Weekly Tours
• Friday, June 21 (All Day) Annual KOSON/STEM BOD Training
• Monday, June 24 (All Day) - FBLA Nationals (Orlando, Fla.)
• Tuesday, June 25 (All Day) - FBLA Nationals (Orlando, Fla.)
• Wednesday, June 26 (All Day) - FBLA Nationals (Orlando, Fla.)
• Wednesday, June 26 (All Day) - TSA National Conference
• Thursday, June 27 (All Day) - FBLA Nationals (Orlando, Fla.)
• Thursday, June 27 (All Day) - TSA National Conference
• Friday, June 28 (All Day) - TSA National Conference
• Saturday, June 29 (All Day) - TSA National Conference
• Sunday, June 30 (All Day) - TSA National Conference
• July 8-11 - Boys' High School Volleyball Camp
• July 15-18 - Girls' High School Basketball Camp
• Wednesday, July 17 (8 a.m.-12 p.m.) - Summer Office Hours (Open to the Public)
• Wednesday, July 17 (9 & 10 a.m.) - Weekly Tours
• Wednesday, July 24 (8 a.m.-12 p.m.) - Summer Office Hours (Open to the Public)
• Wednesday, July 24 (9 & 10 a.m.) - Weekly Tours
• July 29-August 2 - Girls' High School Volleyball Camp
• July 29-August 2 - Boys' High School Basketball Camp
• July 29-August 2 - High School Open Gym/Weight Room
• Wednesday, July 31 (9 & 10 a.m.) - Weekly Tours

Dear Community Members,

We are excited to announce that the Douglas County School District (DCSD) Nutrition Services will be offering a Free Summer Lunch Program for children 18 and under from May 28 to August 2, 2024. This program is available Monday through Friday at various locations in Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, and Parker.

Details:

• Dates: May 28 to August 2, 2024 (Monday through Friday)
• Locations: Castle Rock, Castle Pines, Highlands Ranch, and Parker
• Times: Vary by site (Please see the attached document for specific locations and times)
• Eligibility: Open to children 18 and under
• Important Notes:
  • Children must be present to receive a meal.
  • All meals must be consumed on-site.
  • No meal service will be available on June 19th and July 4th.

We encourage you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to ensure that our children have access to nutritious meals throughout the summer. For detailed information about the site locations and specific serving times, please refer to the attachment.

We look forward to serving our community and hope to see many of your families participating in this program.

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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!

We're recruiting for these positions for the 2024-25 School Year

• Health Assistant/Front Office Receptionist
  
• Long-Term French Sub
• School Nurse (Temporary)
• Learning Specialist (K-5)
• Elementary Music Teacher
• Kindergarten Teacher
• Secondary Digital Art Teacher
• Secondary Music Teacher (additional)
• SPED/Behavioral Specialist Educational Assistant
• Third-Grade Teacher
• Admissions Coordinator
• IEP and Assessments Specialist
• In-House Substitute Teacher
• K-12 School Psychologist