Secondary News and Updates (01/13/23)

Dear STEM School Highlands Ranch Community,

The KOSON/STEM Board of Directors was approached last year with an opportunity from the Douglas County Commissioners to enhance security at our flagship campus through a one-time funding grant to pilot the Evolv Security System.

Following many meetings, presentations and proposals, the DC Commissioners have approved the following pilot progoram:
A financial grant of over $961,000 to fund three Evolv Systems, and cover operational, logistical and staff needs.

The goal of piloting this system is to incorporate innovative technology into our campus to provide a safe and professional learning environment for students and staff. STEM School Highlands Ranch’s mission is to Never Stop Innovating and the KOSON/STEM Board of Directors believes that this pilot program will allow our school to be at the forefront of school security safely and innovatively.

The Evolv Express system is designed to provide fast and efficient screening of individuals to reduce any opportunities for potential threats.We encourage you to learn more by visiting their website.

As we launch this pilot program, we will begin with one system at our new Athletics Entrance that is expected to arrive by the end of January. Two additional systems will arrive this spring with the goal of full implementation to start the 2023-24 school year.

We will be working with a team to develop systems and processes using the first system to expand the system across our entrances effectively.

We would like to request the involvement of our students, parents and staff to join an Evolv Implementation Committee to assist us with determining goals, expectations and logistics of implementation. If you’re interested in being part of the Committee, please email karen.johnson@stemk12.org.

We understand that many in our community will have questions and we will be planning an information night in the coming weeks.

Thank you,

Kelly Reyna, KOSON/STEM BOD Chair
Karen Johnson, Interim CEO KOSON Schools

Dear Middle School Families,

Welcome to Spring Semester! I hope you all had a nice, restful winter break. It has been a successful first week back to school, and it truly filled me with joy to see and catch up with our middle schoolers.

This letter contains a lot of information, so I will get right to it.

Staff Changes

I sent out a separate communication; however, if you did not receive it, we have had a few changes in our middle school staff. Our current STEM Middle School math teacher, Greg Reichmuth, has accepted an offer to join our Engineering Team. Mr. Reichmuth brings valuable experience to the role, and he is excited to take on this position with our students. He started at STEM as a Middle School Math Teacher in August of 2022. Before STEM, he taught at Denver Public Schools from 2002-18 as a Secondary CTE Instructor and a STEM instructor.

Mr. Reichmuth earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Keller Graduate School of Management in Denver, Colo. He earned his Master of Information System Management (MISM), also at Keller Graduate School of Management, and he earned his Bachelor of Education (BA) in Secondary Education and History at Arizona State University.

We are excited to announce that Mary Van Cleave will join us as the new pre-algebra teacher. She brings a wealth of experience and education. Mary worked as an attorney for 30 years, a teacher for a couple of years, and most recently, a Youth Program Associate at the Denver Art Museum.

Ms. Van Cleave earned her B.A. from the University of Nebraska, her M.A. from Washington University in St. Louis, and her J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. She is certified in World Art History from the Smithsonian Institution and has earned her teacher certification in Math and Social Studies.

We hope you’ll join us in welcoming Ms. Van Cleave to our STEM Family and congratulating Mr. Reichmuth on his new role at STEM.

Tardies

Each morning, we check in over 100 tardy students to the middle school. Please understand that this is already taking its toll on our students and our staff. If your child is late to school, by the time he/she can check in, they are missing 15-20 minutes of instructional time. Additionally, it is stressful for students to arrive late to class. I am asking for each family’s support in helping to ensure that all students arrive at school with enough time to make it to their 7:50 a.m. class.

According to Attendance Works.org, Students should miss no more than nine days of school each year to stay engaged, successful, and on track to graduation.

• Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores.
• Missing 10%, or two days a month, over the course of the school year can affect a student’s academic success.

What can you do?

• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
• Help your teen maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and non-Covid-19 related medical appointments during the school day.
• Keep your student healthy
• If your teens must stay home because they are sick or in quarantine, make sure they have asked teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom. Help your teen stay engaged
• Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats.
• Make sure your teens are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution.
• Monitor your teen’s academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Encourage your teen to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs.
• Notice and support your students if they are showing signs of anxiety. Communicate with the school Visit Attendance Works at www.attendanceworks.org for free downloadable resources and tools!
• Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.
• Check on your teen’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up.
• Seek help from school staff, other parents or community agencies if you need support.

Laser Pointers

There have been a few incidents involving laser pointers. I have talked to several students who have possessed, aimed, or pointed one into a student or staff member’s eye. Please help us ensure that your child does NOT bring a Laser pointer to school. They are illegal in some states and can damage the eye. They are not allowed in middle school.

Computer Chargers

Our IT department has been graciously allowing students to charge their computers in their offices; however, lately, it has become overwhelming for them. We are asking all parents to help support their students in bringing their computers to school charged each day and ensuring that they bring a charger with them to school. Starting Tuesday, Jan. 17, students cannot charge their computers in the IT department.

As always, I truly appreciate your support. I am looking forward to another wonderful semester.

Have a lovely three-day weekend.

In partnership,

Maura Ridder, Middle School Director

Hello Spartan families,

Wow, it is hard to believe that we have completed the first semester of school. This is an exciting time of year. The freshmen have completed their first high school finals, the sophomores have finally settled into their daily routines, the juniors begin looking into the future, and the seniors are anxious for graduation and all that it entails. Over the past two months, we have hosted shadow days where students from other schools had an opportunity to come and spend a day with us. I would like to thank all of our high school students who volunteered to host. The prospective students really enjoyed their time, and many of them selected STEM for their future high school.

Now that January is here, it is time for the course selection process to begin. Next Wednesday, we will host a high school course selection night from 6-7 p.m. in the Middle School Cafeteria. This is a great opportunity for parents to be involved and learn more about our options before the students select their courses. We staff our courses based on student demand, so it is critical that our students sign up for courses that fit their academic needs. If you have any questions, contact your counselor to help determine the best courses for you. Both of our counselors will be available on the course selection night.

I would like to take the opportunity to introduce Caleb Holdeman, our new security officer. Caleb has a wealth of experience in various security fields and has already hit the ground running, and is making a positive impact on our school community. Brandon Bragg, our previous security officer, left us to take on a new opportunity that will allow him to advance in his career. While Brandon will be missed, he has already volunteered to work various after-school events, so he will be around.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Sincerely,

Ryan Alsup, High School Director/Athletics Director

Proud to be a Spartan!

Please take a moment to check the STEM All-Events Calendar on our website.

There are lots of events already scheduled so please take a moment to take a look at the calendar to familiarize yourself with some of the events at the start of school. This calendar will continue to be updated throughout the summer as we get closer to the start of school.

January 10-31 – Homeroom Teacher (Elementary)/6th-Period Teacher (Middle School)

STEM Shares is hosting one event every month to give back to our community after May 7th. For the month of January, STEM Shares is hosting a Clothing Drive. We will be collecting clothes from January 10-31. Donations should be in wearable condition and students can donate their clothes to either their homeroom teacher (ES Students) or 6th-period teacher (MS Students). All donations will be given to local homeless shelters.

The class with the most donations will win a pizza party! Please email any questions to studentadvisory@s.stemk12.org.

Tuesdays from 3-3:30 p.m., in Room 103 and on Google Meets

We are excited to announce that STEM’s Writing Center will be open to all Middle and High School students. Students looking for additional help on their English assignments can join us either in person (Room 103) or over Google Meets after school on Tuesdays from 3-3:30 p.m. Students can sign up for a 15-minute slot during which we can help them with any essay, assignment, or project.

We can’t wait to see you all!

Dates:
1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14, 2/21, 2/28, 3,7, 3/21, 3/28, 4/4, 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2, 5/9, 5/16

Tuesday, Jan. 17,  from 8-9 a.m. – Elementary School Cafeteria

Join us on Tuesday, Jan. 17, from 8-9 a.m., in the Elementary School Cafeteria for our monthly Parent Coffee with Administration event. This is our community’s opportunity to meet the team, ask questions and meet with parents. We hope you can join us.

Tuesday, Jan. 17 and Wednesday, Jan. 18,  from 3-5:30 p.m. – Theater Room

STEM Theater Department and STEM Thespians are presenting Little Mermaid Jr. this year. Auditions will be Tuesday, Jan. 17 and Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 3-5:30 in the Theater Room. Hopefully, this gives everyone time to check out the roles to the right, get familiar, not memorized, with the audition scripts (sides), and work on your one-minute musical audition. We may have a short choreography portion to the audition as well.

For the acting audition: We will use the sides listed below under each character.

For the singing audition: Please prepare a one-minute song. We highly encourage you to choose a song from the show for the character(s) you audition for. You may also bring in ANY other song you like that you feel shows us how you shine!!! 🙂

Performance dates: May 4, 5, 6.

Rehearsals: Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-5 p.m. starting February 13.

We will also have optional (encouraged) meetings Tuesday afternoons, from 3-3:45 p.m. between casting and rehearsals, to work on music and character and you will be expected to show up to your first rehearsals having worked on your songs and being familiar with your script.

Fees: $200 for main characters, $150 for the ensemble.

Please respond to the form via the button below the role(s) you are interested in, and please browse for LOTS of information on characters, audition sides (scripts), and music. After filling out the form, you will get a link to all of this info so you can browse these resources and prepare over break.

Ariel
Character Breakdown: View
Sides: View
Score: View

Prince Eric
Character Breakdown: View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Sebastian
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides: View
Score:  View

Flounder
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

King Triton
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  N/A

Mersisters
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Ursula
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Flotsam
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Jetsam
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Scuttle
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Gulls
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:  N/A
Score:  View

Grimsby
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   View
Score:  View

Chef Louis
Character Breakdown:  View
Sides:   N/A
Score:  View

The show also has LOTS of ensemble opportunities. 

January 17-31 – Sixth-Period Classes

From January 17-31, SteMed will be hosting a fundraiser between Middle and High School classes for an up-and-coming cancer hospital in Karachi, Pakistan– Shaukat Khanum Karachi.

Students can bring monetary donations to their 6th-period classes to help support this wonderful cause. The most funds donated from both middle and high school classes will win a pizza party on February 3!

Contact stemed@s.stemk12.org with any questions.

Wednesday, Jan. 18,  from 3-4:30 p.m. – Room 233

The Math Honor Society will host a Math competition on Wednesday, Jan. 18, from 3-4:30 p.m. in Room 233.

This competition features three events, a speed competition, a difficulty competition, and a Special Moore vs. Rubin event. The difficulty and speed event will feature both Middle and High school breakdowns. There will also be a $25 prize for each High School event.

This event is for Middle and High School students to participate. Parents can attend to watch.

Contact Andrew Hathaway (andrew.hathaway@s.stemk12.org) with any questions.

Wednesday, Jan. 18,  from 3:30-6 p.m. – ES Gym

20 students will compete to be crowned STEM’s Spelling Bee champion for the 2022-23 school year. These students will face challenging words on stage for their family, friends, and peers, come to support our school’s elite spellers!

Wednesday, Jan. 18, at 5:30-7:30 p.m. – Mechatronics Lab of P-TECH/KOSON Building

The meeting will also be available to watch via Zoom as a trial. In-person participation is strongly encouraged to help build engagement. Additionally, those who would like to participate in Public Comment must do so in person.

The purpose of the SAC is to inform, encourage and provide opportunities for parent and community members to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the school’s instructional program and quality improvement processes. The SAC makes recommendations concerning the School’s performance, improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan, and meets to discuss the implementation of the School’s plan and other progress pertinent to STEM’s accreditation contract with the Board of Education. The SAC makes recommendations to the director for prioritizing the spending of school money.

Thursday, Jan. 19,  from 6:30-7:30 p.m. – MS Cafeteria

This event is for students and their families in grades 8-11 to learn more information about how to prepare for selecting courses for the 2023-24 School Year. The Student Support Services Team will be in hand to present how the process works and answer any questions about course offerings.

Students will be registering for classes for the new school year during the week of January 23. The counselors will also meet with students during that week to complete schedule requests and answer any questions.

Contact Jistine.Harrison@stemk12.org with any questions. The session will be available via a Zoom webinar for those who cannot attend in person.

Families should park in the Elementary School Parking Lot and enter through the Middle School Cafeteria Doors.

Thursday, Jan. 19,  from 6-7 p.m. – MS Cafeteria

This event is for students and their families in grades 5-7 to learn more information about how to prepare for selecting courses for the 2023-24 School Year. The Student Support Services Team will be in hand to present how the process works and answer any questions about course offerings.

Students will be registering for classes for the new school year during the week of January 23. The counselors will also meet with students during that week to complete schedule requests and answer any questions.

Contact Jistine.Harrison@stemk12.org with any questions. The session will be available via a Zoom webinar for those who cannot attend in person.

Families should park in the Elementary School Parking Lot and enter through the Middle School Cafeteria Doors.

Friday, Jan. 27,  from 3:30-5 p.m. – Elementary School Gym

Join the S.N.H.S. (Science National Honors Society) for a Craft Fair on Friday, Jan. 27, from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Elementary School Gym. It is a Winter-Themed event that encourages students to show their creativity in various arts and crafts. This includes snowflake origami, decorated pine cones, food crafts, and much more! If you want to donate, click the button below to sign-up for donations.

Wednesday, Jan. 25 & Thursday, Jan 26, from 3-6 p.m. – Room 149

Our 11th annual STEM’s Got Talent Show will occur on March 2, 2023. We are looking for 20 incredible acts. The night will also feature the STEM Staff Annual Lip Sync Performance!

Auditions will take place on January 25 and 26. It is open to all students K-12. To audition for the show, you need to do three things:

1. Sign up for a time slot here
2. Prepare your act.
3. Complete this audition form for the day of your audition.

Welcome Back! I hope that everyone had a great break and is ready to start 2023 off right!

I wanted to provide an update on Standards Based Learning and some expectations for the second semester.

For Elementary Parents

You can review your student’s progress on MasteryConnect by following the link that was emailed to you in September. The trackers are designed to keep the student data from the first semester so that we can track growth. You should be able to see the progress that your child is making in each subject area.

You can switch from subject to subject to see your student’s mastery and to determine areas for growth. These are great conversation starters for you and your child. Most elementary school classrooms have students set goals using their MasteryTracker. Be sure to ask your student to share their progress with you.

For Secondary Parents

This week teachers will be sharing second-semester expectations with students regarding SBL through a canvas announcement. Although these expectations were in place at the beginning of the year, teachers provided students with support and scaffolds as there was a natural learning curve with SBL.

Expectations:

• Learning Opportunities – If a student does not do well on a Demonstration of Knowledge assignment, they will need to complete the learning opportunities before having the opportunity for a retake. It is in the best interest of the student to complete the learning opportunities when assigned so that they do not have to go back and complete them to have a retake.
• Deadline – teachers will communicate unit deadlines to students via a Canvas announcement. Most deadlines will be two weeks after the end of the unit so that students have opportunities for retakes or resubmissions. Once the deadline has passed, the student will not be able to submit an assignment or retake the demonstration of knowledge unless they have permission from the teacher.
• Observer in Canvas – You must become an observer in Canvas to receive email notifications when teachers post announcements. This will let you know when the unit deadline is and how your student can make sure they have their work submitted.

In each unit, the teacher will determine which standard or standards they are assessing and then will provide feedback to students along the way. Teachers will collect assignments and assessments throughout the unit that demonstrate knowledge of the standard and enter them into the Canvas grade book. Students should monitor their grade book for feedback and to see their demonstration of knowledge grades.

Please have grace with our teachers while they are learning our new grading systems, as there might be a few hiccups along the way. We ask students to politely email their teachers with grading questions and clarification. If you have any questions about grading or Standards Based Learning, please click here.

Secondary MasteryConnect Update

We currently have 12 teachers in secondary who have begun piloting MasteryConnect. I will be reaching out to parents and students in those classes in the next few weeks to walk through what the pilot will look like. We will be gathering feedback from students and parents throughout this process to determine if MasteryConnect meets our needs moving forward.

In Partnership,

Michelle Gasser, Director of Professional Development

Our IT department has been graciously allowing students to charge their computers in their offices; however, lately, it has become overwhelming for them. We are asking all parents to help support their students in bringing their computers to school charged each day and ensuring that they bring a charger with them to school. Starting Tuesday, Jan. 17, students cannot charge their computers in the IT department.

Click the button below to read an important letter from CDPHE about immunizations. This information was also sent to all families via School Messenger.

Reminder!! If you haven’t yet, please log into your MySchoolBucks account to pay your student’s fees. We currently have approximately $30,000 in outstanding student fees, and we anticipate that is due to the technical issues at the start of the school year with Express Check-In. If you have questions about your student’s fees or want to get on a payment plan, please email ashley.westfall@stemk12.org.

Did you know that STEM has an affordable and safe option for your middle or high school student(s) when they need to remain on campus after school or after their club/activity? With the freezing winter temperatures upon us and Colorado’s often unpredictable weather, After Care is peace of mind that your student(s) is warm, able to access water and bathroom, and with a trusted adult in case of an emergency that can be utilized as needed. Drop-ins are welcome!

The After Care program is operated by STEM Enrichment in the Middle School Cafe and is available from 3-6 p.m. every day, school is in session throughout the school year. The cost is only $8/day.*

SmartCare allows parents to know that their student(s) are safe, as well as make easy payments online. Contact hiroko.ichijo@stemk12.org to get your student registered with After Care today.

*Students that receive FRL benefits can attend After Care at no cost to the parent. FRL contact ashley.westfall@stemk12.org.

Keep your car on ice on Winter Bike to Work Day!

With 300 days of sunshine a year, the Denver region is a great place to bike — even in winter months! Join thousands of commuters on Friday, Feb. 10, 2023, for Winter Bike to Work Day, and do your health a favor by pledging to swap a ride in your car for a ride on your bike.

Register to ride at BikeToWorkDay.co and be automatically entered to win prizes to keep you cozy during the chilly winter months. Working from home? You can still participate with folks across Colorado by rethinking how you get to the grocery store, the gym or the school drop-off line!

Hello STEM parents/guardians,

It’s that time of year to start planning our annual After Prom, and we need volunteers. We need help with all aspects, from planning to executing the night of. We have detailed notes from the previous year, and we already have a co-chair who worked on AP last year. So, no experience is needed, just many who want to help make this night safe and fun for our Juniors and Seniors. Family members are welcome to help as well, so grab mom/dad/aunt/uncle/brother/sister to lend a hand.

We can’t continue this STEM tradition without the generous support from our STEM community. Freshman and Sophomore parents/guardians, soon your student will be upperclassmen and getting ready for their prom, so it’s never too early to participate in this amazing event.

Sign up below if you are interested and want to find out more. The first meeting will be scheduled after Fall Break, so keep an eye out for that email.

STEM After Prom Committee

This school year will live forever in your yearbook. Buy a yearbook. It’s easy.

Yearbooks may be purchased at yearbookforever.com

Enter STEM School Highlands Ranch and click on Buy a Yearbook. Follow the directions online. Enter your name and credit card, debit card or PayPal information, and click
Submit.

Cost: $55 

If you want to personalize the book, name stamping starts at $6 extra and must be purchased before January 29, 2022.

Questions?

Contact Michelle Vitale, the STEM Secondary Yearbook Advisor at michelle.vitale@stemk12.org.

After purchase, you will be emailed a confirmation receipt. You may also verify your order at yearbookforever.com by entering your email in the “Find an Order” field.

We are happy to share that we will be offering students who are part of the Free and Reduced Lunch program the opportunity to get a Free Chromebook if the following parameters are met:

• Chromebook is signed out by a parent
• The student must remain enrolled at STEM for three years. (if the student leaves STEM during those three years, they will need to return the laptop)

Laptops can be kept over the summer. For more information, please email ashley.westfall@stemk12.org to confirm your Free and Reduced Lunch Program status. Not sure if you qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch? DCSD recommends that you apply regardless so that they can assist you further. Click the button below to access the application.

As the winter season approaches, we want to announce updates to the current Virtual School Day for Inclement Weather policy. Last spring, one of our STEM students presented a proposal and justification regarding changes to our current Virtual School Day policy. As a result, the administration and Board of Directors determined that a change is recommended to the Snow Day Policy. We appreciate the leadership and voice our STEM students display and are happy to announce that STEM will follow the DCSD Snow Day policy with a closure. STEM also reserves the right to modify the calendar, schedule, or this policy, due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather or construction that interrupts the required instructional minutes as set forth by the Colorado Department of Education. The following is a reminder of the current policies.

Late Start Schedule

STEM does not mimic the Late Start Policy and schedule put forth by DCSD. In the event that Douglas County calls for a Delayed Opening, STEM’s Virtual School Day Policy will take effect.

Virtual School Day for Inclement Weather

If DCSD determines that the district should follow the Delayed Opening protocol, STEM School Highlands Ranch will abide by its Virtual School Day Policy. When it snows, our school’s operation and instructional expectations will be determined by one of these three scenarios:

• Updated: Snow Day – Douglas County Schools calls a snow day – STEM is closed (check www.dcsdk12.org)
• Late Start Day – Douglas County Schools calls a Late Start day – STEM is closed and implements a Virtual School Day.
• All Schools Open – Douglas County Schools declare Highlands Ranch area schools open – STEM is open and operating to our regular schedule.

According to Attendance Works.org, Students should miss no more than nine days of school each year to stay engaged, successful, and on track to graduation.

• Frequent absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with a bully or facing some other difficulty.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores.
• Missing 10%, or two days a month, over the course of the school year can affect a student’s academic success.

What can you do?

• Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
• Help your teen maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and non-Covid-19 related medical appointments during the school day.
• Keep your student healthy
• If your teens must stay home because they are sick or in quarantine, make sure they have asked teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom. Help your teen stay engaged
• Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats.
• Make sure your teens are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution.
• Monitor your teen’s academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
• Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
• Encourage your teen to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs.
• Notice and support your students if they are showing signs of anxiety. Communicate with the school Visit Attendance Works at www.attendanceworks.org for free downloadable resources and tools!
• Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.
• Check on your teen’s attendance to be sure absences are not adding up.
• Seek help from school staff, other parents or community agencies if you need support.

Thank you for your patience and positivity during our first two weeks of school. Our students are genuinely excited to come to school, and it is absolutely wonderful to see their smiling faces each day.

This year, I am proud to report that most of our students are arriving at school and to their classes in a timely manner. Starting Monday (baring any impacts from weather), our new breezeway will connect the two buildings, resulting in shorter paths between classes. Now that students have a feel for the distance between their classes, our staff has been instructed to implement STEM’s Tardy Policy.