Elementary News and Updates (07/23/21)

Please check Infinite Campus to make sure we have your current address. If you have a change of address please email Tiffany Klenke (tiffany.klenke@stemk12.org), K-12 Registrar, with a proof of residency. Douglas County School District and STEM School Highlands Ranch only accept the following legal documents as proof of residence:

• warranty deed
• deed of trust
• lease agreement
• tax notice
• county assessor
• notarized letter

As we prepare for the 2021-22 School Year, we’d like to remind our families on the important medical documents that will need to be completed. There have been some updates to the non-medical exemption forms. Please take a look at them in the Health Services section of our website.

You’re invited!

STEM PTO is inviting ALL students, families and STEM Staff to Pirates Cove (1225 W Belleview, Englewood, CO. 80120) on Wednesday, July 28 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This is a FREE event for everyone. Come hang out and get to know your STEM community. You’ll have access to pools and slides. The concession stands will be closed so be sure to bring some snacks. No registration is needed.

Mark Your Calendars!

STEM PTO is inviting ALL students, families and staff to the STEM Community Night at Civic Green Park on Tuesday, Aug. 3 from 5-8 p.m. Pack a picnic. Bring your frisbee or soccer ball. PTO will set up games and tents. The water features will be on so bring a towel. Meet your classmates and community. HipPop will be at the event selling their awesome handcrafted gelato pops!!

Get in the STEM Spartan Spirit by wearing your class colors:

• K- Blue
• 1- Red
• 2- Green
• 3- Yellow
• 4- Purple
• 5- Grey
• MS- Black
• HS – White or their Graduation year shirts

Welcome to the 2021-22 School Year

To help our new and returning families be as prepared as possible for the start of the new school year, we will be offering five Welcome Back to School – Parent Info Sessions the week of Monday, Aug. 2 through Friday, Aug. 6 from 12-1 p.m. each day. Each session will cover important topics, outlined below, that all families should know in order to start the school year off on the right foot. Following a brief presentation on each topic, we will allow families to ask questions related to that topic. Each session will be over Zoom. We will record each session so that it will be available on the stemk12.org website for those who couldn’t attend.

• Monday, Aug. 2 (12-1 p.m.) – Driveline Procedures & PikMyKid (Elementary Families) – Zoom Link (Passcode: 628475)
• Tuesday, Aug. 3 (12-1 p.m.) – Getting Informed (Attendance line, using IC, visiting STEM, Student/Parent Handbook, Fees, School Photos, etc.) – Zoom Link (Passcode: 628475)
• Wednesday, Aug. 4 (12-1 p.m.) – Getting Connected (Communications Pathways, who to contact when?, communications at STEM, etc.) – Zoom Link (Passcode: 628475)
• Thursday, Aug. 5 (12-1 p.m.) – Getting Involved (volunteering, donating, STEM PTO, STEM SAC, etc.) – Zoom Link (Passcode: 628475)
• Friday, Aug. 6 (12-1 p.m.) – The STEM Experience (Enrichment and Athletics) – Zoom Link (Passcode: 628475)

Reach out to communications@stemk12.org with any questions.

The Elementary School is looking for innovators to join the STEM Team. The positions that we have open to teach in our Elementary School include:

• Elementary Instructional Assistant (Full Time)
• Elementary Educational Assistant (Part-Time)

We also have positions to join the K-12 Staff.

• After-School Programming Assistant (Part-Time)

Visit our Employment page for more information and instructions on how to apply.

Elementary Yearbooks are ready for pick up!

Families can begin picking up their yearbooks from the Middle School Office on Wednesday, July 14, Wednesday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 28. Hours for pick up are from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. The students can also get their yearbook when school starts on Tuesday, Aug. 10 from the Elementary School Office. We have a few extras, so if you are interested in buying one click the button below.

All STEM kindergarten students are invited to spend an abbreviated school day at STEM to kick off the year. Students will meet all the teachers and staff, tour the school, engage in STEM activities, and be informally assessed for classroom placement.

We ask that all kindergarten students attend one session on either August 10 or August 11. An opportunity to sign-up for one of the sessions will be sent home sometime at the end of July.

Available session options will be:

August 10

• AM Session from 8:30 – 10 a.m.
• PM Session from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

August 11

• AM Session from 8:30 – 10 a.m.
• PM Session from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Parents will receive classroom and teacher notification on the afternoon of Wednesday, Aug.11. The first full day of kindergarten will be on Thursday, Aug. 12. In order to ease parents and students in the initial drop-off and the start of kindergarten classes, we ask that kindergarten students be dropped off at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday and Friday of that week only. Teachers will meet students in the gated sandbox area to the north of the Elementary School Entrance driveline drop-off area. Please be on the lookout for an email from our kindergarten team of teachers later this summer.

All new to STEM Elementary School students are invited to spend a portion of their day on Monday, Aug. 9 at STEM to kick off the year. Students will meet all the teachers and staff, tour the school, and engage in STEM activities.

Students in grades first and second will be invited to attend the morning session from 9-11 a.m. Students in grades third, fourth and fifth will be invited to attend the afternoon session from 12-2 p.m. More information will be shared in late July.

Access a free COVID vaccination clinic (for adults and children ages 12+) during our last summer meal walk-up event.

Friday, July 30 | 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Philip S. Miller Park, Castle Rock

Pre-registration is appreciated (not required) to ensure enough vaccine doses are available.

Additional COVID Vaccination Clinics

Our friends at PediaClinic are continuing to offer COVID vaccination clinics each week in Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch.