Secondary News and Updates (02/11/22)

Tuesday, Feb. 15, from 8-9 a.m – Elementary School Cafeteria

On Tuesday, Feb. 15 we will be holding a Coffee with Administration event from 8-9 a.m. at our Elementary School Cafeteria. We are asking our families to sign up in advance so that we can plan for coffee and light pastries.

Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 10-11 a.m – Secondary School Entrance

Each Wednesday, STEM opens up its doors from 10-11 a.m. for a building tour to interested families who would like to learn more about our school. We’d like to encourage our families to spread the word to anyone they know who might be interested in having their student(s) attend STEM. Interested tour participants should arrive 10 minutes early to get checked in and badged. They must bring a valid ID in order to get checked in.

Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 5-8 p.m. – Torchy’s and Gelato & Co.

YAY! Restaurant Night is coming up! Take the night off from cooking, grab some great dinner AND dessert and hang with your fellow Spartans. Wear your STEM gear. All proceeds go back to the school. Will you be there?

Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 5:30-7 p.m. – Room 101/Zoom

The monthly STEM School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb. 16 from 5:30-7 p.m. We will be conducting this month’s meeting in Room 101 in the Secondary Building. We will also be broadcasting the meeting via Zoom. 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. There will be no meeting in March due to Spring Break.

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 executive director for prioritizing the spending of school money.

Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 6-7 p.m. – Theatre Room 167

A hilarious improv and sketch comedy show put on by the genius minds of our STEM secondary performers. Open to students and families of Secondary Students. Cost is $5. Please enter through the Secondary Entrance and Park in the Secondary Parking Lot. Contact: rocki.sugrue@stemk12.org

Thursday, Feb. 17, from 3-6 p.m. – Room 149

Do you have talent? Do you sing? Dance? Play and instrument? Are you a comedian? Do you do improv? Please come audition for the 10th annual Stem’s Got Talent. Prepare an act that does not exceed 3-5 minutes. All students should come with their acts polished! No karaoke or sing-alongs. If you are singing to music, please bring the music with you. If your act is too complex to audition in person, contact Mrs. Ridder about submitting a video audition. Remember, this being our 10th year, the competition is heavy. We usually have about 100 – 150 acts audition, and can only place around 20 in the show.

We are also looking for 1-2 masters of ceremonies to host the show. If you would like to audition for that role, please prepare a one-minute monologue on how you would open the show.

If you cannot make the audition day, contact Mrs. Ridder at maura.ridder@stemk12.org for an alternative date.

Tuesday, Feb. 22, from 3-3:45 p.m. – High School Commons

The next Secondary Student Information Session will be on Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 3-3:45 p.m. in the High School Commons. The topic of this information session will be on Standards-Based Learning. Topics include:

• What is Standards-Based Learning?
• How is STEM implementing it?
• What will be the impacts to Teachers?
• What will be the impacts to Students?

This session will also be available to watch via Zoom.

Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 3:15-4:15 p.m. – High School Commons

What an amazing end to the Cyberpatriot season for this year. It’s time to celebrate our Cyberpatriot Participants, Semi-finalists, and State Awards winners. HS students (Who fulfilled the Lettering criteria) will also be getting their STEM Letters to close the season. We are so excited to see all the teams and parents to celebrate with us. Please enter through the Secondary Entrance and park in the Secondary Parking Lot.

Contact: Simi Basu at simi.basu@stemk12.org

Every March, STEM celebrates a week-long fundraiser for the Make-A-Wish Foundation called Wish Week!

This year, STEM is proud to represent Samuel, a five-year-old battling leukemia from Morrison, Colo. His wish is to visit Noah’s Ark in Kentucky, inspiring this year’s Wish Week theme: Animals!

Help us reach our goal of $15,000 by buying your Wish Week shirt via the button below. Please make sure that you are signed into your MySchoolBucks when ordering. Please let them know to not check out as “Guest.” Orders close on February 21, so buy yours today.

For any questions, email nhs@s.stemk12.org

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Send a chocolate key to your Valentine and put a message on STEM’s very own pont-des-arts this Valentine’s season. Keys are available in white, milk, and dark chocolate for just $2 apiece.

To order, see a French Honor Society member at lunch or outside Mme. Lutz’s room after school starting Tuesday.

Hello STEM High Schoolers! The Computer Science Honor Society is offering computer science tutoring services for all middle schoolers and high schoolers. You can sign up to help students from MS and HS Computer Science classes. Tutors and student pairs work out how they’d like to meet, including during CSHS meetings. Get the student sign-up link from Mrs. Basu or CSHS leaders Tavin Turner and Aragorn Wang if you are interested. Also, high schoolers can sign up to be a tutor, and get volunteer hours from Mrs. Basu and CSHS. Ask your teachers for the volunteer sign-up link!

Honoring The Masters, Encouraging The Young

Welcome to Colorado Kids Create Inc., a trade-marked, 501(c)3 and member of the Colorado Art Education Association. We hope you all enjoy this year’s 9th annual, state-wide contest and the opportunity to become a published illustrator! Remember to carefully follow the instructions found in the Contest Details. This year there is a mail-in entry option. Be proud that YOU are doing your part to see Art education flourish in the beautiful state of Colorado.

2022 Prizes

Grand Prize

• A Blick Art Gift Certificate
• Tickets to The American Museum of Western Art – The Anschutz Collection
• One month of Monart Online EduArt Studio Class

1st Place (1 winner from elementary, middle, and high school)

• A Blick Art Gift Certificate
• Tickets to The American Museum of Western Art – The Anschutz Collection
• One Monart Project from the Monart Store

2nd – 4th Place (1 winner from elementary, middle, and high school)

• A Blick Art Gift Certificate
• Tickets for The American Museum of Western Art – The Anschutz Collection

NoCo Regional Prize

• Hayride for 20 people at Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch

For further information, contact Rachel Casale, Executive Director, at Coloradokidscreate@gmail.com.

Contest Details

Be inspired by Colorado’s rich, Western heritage. Read the 2022 contest stories here!

Contest requirements:

1. All children must be residents of Colorado.
2. Children must be between the ages of 5-18 years old.
3. Artwork must be horizontal (landscape).
4. Artwork must be done with markers or paint. We like bright and colorful images!
5. Artwork must be scanned and electronically submitted through our submission form. Please scan and upload at the highest possible resolution. DO NOT SEND PHOTOS OF ARTWORK. ARTWORK MUST BE SCANNED AND SENT AS PNG OR JPEG.
6. Parents or teachers must sign an electronic permission form for entry to be valid.
7. Deadline – March 7th, 2022
8. There will be a grand prize winner, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place winner for elementary, middle, and high school entries. Awards will be sent through the mail to the participant’s Art Teacher.
9. Winning artwork and honorable mentions will be posted on this website on April 11th, 2022.
10. Mail in option: send to Colorado Kids Create 852 Welch Ave Berthoud Colorado 80513 along with signed permission form.

To enter, please visit the Artwork Upload/Permission Form page. Thank you for participating in this year’s contest!

Attention Families of Juniors!

Please read the flier to the right from The College Board regarding how to register for the SAT optional essay. Registering for the essay is a student’s choice. By default, registration for all juniors is the SAT without the essay. The essay registration window is January 17-February 15. This is a firm deadline.

If you miss the registration window they cannot add you at a later time. You may add the essay to your registration through your online College Board account. Please note that the essay is scored separately from the SAT. Your score on the essay will not improve or reduce your score on the SAT. If you have questions regarding the benefits of taking the essay or are unsure about whether it is required by the colleges you plan to apply to, please reach out to your College and Career Counselor Kelli Myrick at kelli.myrick@stemk12.org.

Hello STEM Spartans!

The STEM Heritage Club is looking for new members. We are a group of students grades 6-12 that are working toward representing different cultures within our school community. We will also provide volunteer opportunities as we plan to organize school-wide events related to heritage and culture. We will be meeting every Thursday from 3-3:45 p.m. If you are interested, join us in Mr. Voorn’s room (Rm. E222). If you have any questions please feel free to contact student.advisory@s.stemk12.org. We hope to see you there!

**Please note: While this directly impacts Elementary (West) Driveline, this message is for All Families as it will indirectly impact Secondary (East) Driveline.**

Dear STEM School Highlands Ranch Families,

Due to the construction, the West side of the Elementary Parking Lot (active loading zone area in front of the Elementary School Doors) will be closed from Tuesday, Feb. 22 through Friday, Feb. 25. There will be a large crane that will be installing the precast walls for the new building addition and it will need to be in that part of the parking lot for the entire week. It will impact the Elementary morning and afternoon driveline.

Elementary Driveline will be rerouted through the parking lot, along the East side of the Elementary Building, exiting through the Secondary exit. (see graphic)

This will cause delays during the morning and afternoon driveline. Elementary drop-off in the morning begins at 7:10 a.m. Secondary Driveline begins dropping off at 7:30 a.m. We are asking all Elementary families to please arrive prior to 7:30 a.m. to avoid a conflict with the Secondary Driveline. In the afternoon, we are asking parents for patience during pick-up as students and staff will be getting used to a different pick-up pattern.

Elementary Driveline Morning Directions to follow:

• Enter ES driveline through the West Entrance (normal entrance)
• Families will either be direct to go straight and stack or turn to the right to snake around the parking lot (like normal)
• Please follow all directions from the driveline attendants.
• Cars will be stacked in the Unloading Zone on the East side of the Elementary School Building and attendants will come to unload students; Please do not unload students anywhere other than the unloading zone.
• Once cars are unloaded, driveline attendants will direct cars to proceed forward along the East side of the building to then exit the Secondary Parking Lot.
• Cars will merge several times throughout this process so please be patient, show kindness and allow cars to merge for the driveline to proceed efficiently.
• Cars will only be allowed to make left and right turns in both directions out of the Secondary Driveline onto Ridgeline, Directed by a Sheriff deputy heading south.
• All ES students will be let into the elementary school cafeteria once dropped off.  Students will be picked up by their teachers at 7:30 a.m.

Elementary Driveline Afternoon Directions to follow:

• Enter ES driveline through the West Entrance (normal entrance)
• At 2:10 p.m., families of K-1 students will be allowed to enter the parking lot and go straight and stack, following the instructions of the driveline attendants.
• At 2:25 p.m., families of students in grades 2-5 will be allowed to enter the parking lot. Driveline attendants will direct families to either go straight or go right to stack.
• Only cars in the Active Loading Zone on the East side of the Elementary School Building will be loaded.
• Please make sure that you are using PikMyKid and that your account is updated.
• Once cars are loaded, driveline attendants will direct cars to proceed forward along the East side of the building to then exit the Secondary Parking Lot.
• Cars will merge several times throughout this process so please be patient, show kindness and allow cars to merge for the driveline to proceed efficiently.
• Cars will only be allowed to make a right turn out of the Secondary Driveline onto Ridgeline, heading south.

Walker Pick-Up: Walker pick-up will be from the front of the Elementary School Building (West Side).

Access to the Elementary School Entrance will still be accessible for BASE and for normal operations, however, only parking in the front half of the west side of the building will be allowed. Visitors should park in any available parking spot on the south side of the building.

STEM’s National English Honor Society is putting on a Book Drive This Month! All of the books that we collect will go to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Denver which promotes getting books in the hands of everyone who wants to read. New and Used books can be donated at the Secondary School Front Office until Monday, Feb. 28.

STEM PTO is fundraising for our Senior’s After Prom. Consider purchasing your loved one an item from Touchstone Crystals and a percentage of the proceeds will go to support After Prom. Click the button below to order.

STEM PTO wants to help give our seniors the best After Prom experience. Our students have been through so much and this is a great way to show them how much we support them. Scan the QR Code below to donate through MySchoolBucks.

The National English Honor Society is excited to announce that STEM’s Writing Center will be open to all Middle School and High School students. Students looking for additional help on English assignments can join us every other week after school on Mondays via Zoom from 3:45-4:15 p.m. and on Wednesdays after school in Room 105 from 3-3:30 p.m. You can use the QR code found on our posters to sign up for a fifteen-minute slot during which we can help you with any essay, assignment, or project.

Do you want to begin learning how to launch a car into space? Interested in some hands-on Aerospace and Electronics project learning this summer, while having fun?

This spring and summer, STEM has been given the opportunity to participate with the ULA Intern Heavy Future program. The ULA Launch is tentatively scheduled for July.

OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS 6th Grade and Up, in the South Metro area.

This program is led by Jeff Dunker, who has led our summer ULA Payload Program for the past several years.​

Reach out to Sara.Phelps@stemk12.org with interest.

The Rising Leaders Initiative is a one-year advocacy training program for charter high school students who want to become active participants in education policy decisions in their local community and state and develop skills to guide their educational and professional pathways. Learn more and encourage your students to apply today.

There is no charge to compete in HPE Code Wars. For any questions please email Mrs. Basu at simi.basu@stemk12.org.

We would like to invite all High School students to make a team and sign up 25th annual HPE Code Wars event on Saturday, March 5, 2022. Space is limited, and registration will close on February 18 or when we have filled all spaces. If you are not familiar with Code Wars (or if you need additional information), please click on hpecodewars.org. This year, Colorado will have virtual contests. When you register your teams, you will be able to choose to have them compete in one of the following contests:

• Colorado (Fort Collins) Local Virtual Contest – due to delays in remodeling at HPE’s campus, we will not be able to hold this in person – contest runs 9:00AM-Noon Mountain Time
• National Virtual Contest – this will be open to teams that are unable to travel to any of the in-person contests (restricted to schools in the United States and Canada) – runs three hours starting at 11:00 Eastern/10:00 Central/9:00 Mountain/8:00 Pacific

At each contest, we will have:

• Advanced and Novice levels
• Trophies for top teams at each level – teams will only compete against other teams in that contest
• Prize drawing open to each student participant
• Contest T-shirt for each participant

Registration Process –

1. Students create and manage their own accounts, and they select their teacher as part of their account registration process. Please select Mrs. Basu (simi.basu@stemk12.org) or talk to your Computer Science teacher and provide their name as the sponsor teacher. Teachers then must accept the student’s request to join their student roster before the student will show up in their list from which they can create teams.

2. New accounts are not enabled right away and cannot be used/logged into until these things happen:

• If you already have an account from last year, we strongly encourage you to use that again (your email address is your logon). You can ask to reset the password if you have forgotten it.
• For new accounts, you will get a verification email from which you must click on or visit the link (remember to look in any SPAM filters if you haven’t seen this within about 15 minutes).
• For new teacher accounts, our admin team must review and approve the requests.

3. E-mails will not arrive instantaneously. They take a few minutes, and they may end up in the SPAM folder. Please be patient and check those SPAM folders. If nothing has arrived 15 minutes later, go to https://hpecodewars.org/help to request another email. If that still doesn’t work, then your school district, ISP, or personal email rules may be blocking our emails. You will need to work with your local support team to address this issue.

Registration is at hpecodewars.org then click Register/Login. We encourage you to see the whole registration process https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spES7stuof4&t=1653s.

In the event that DCSD determines that the district should follow the DCSD 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:

1. Snow Day – Douglas County Schools (check www.dcsdk12.org) calls a snow day – The STEM building is closed and implements a Virtual School Day with 20% of the learning being synchronous. (NEW; STEM will not have Snow Days morning forward)
2. Late Start Day – Douglas County Schools calls a Late Start day – STEM is closed and implements a Virtual School Day with 20% of the learning being synchronous.
3. All Schools Open – Douglas County Schools declare Highlands Ranch area schools open – STEM is open and operating to our regular schedule.

Nominations are now open for the CBS Denver Future Leaders Scholarship. If you know a High School student who is thriving in the STEM core subjects please consider nominating them for this $1,000 scholarship.

Click the button below to access the nomination form and to find out more. One student will be selected each month to receive this special recognition award that will include a $1,000 award along with a student profile on CBS4. The nomination window will run through April 22, 2022.

Attention Middle School and High School students!

Don’t forget to purchase your yearbooks. Go to Yearbookforever.com to buy your yearbook for $45. Buy it while you can because come October 31 the price goes up to $55. Additionally, if you would like your photo in the yearbook, you can share your photos with us. You can share them using the Yearbook Snap app using the code STEM22. It’s available on the App Store and Google Play Store, download it today and share those photos. If you have any questions about the yearbook or how to use Yearbook Snap, please email one of the yearbook editors-in-chief at elizabeth.noethlich@s.stemk12.org and cadence.coan@s.stemk12.org or stop by room 110 after school.

Families can access their photos by visiting the link to the right or going to dr-photo.com, selecting the School Portrait Proofs link, and when prompted enter their private password in the following format: Student ID#

Please nominate a student and pass along to others! The Youth Award recognizes teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19 who have overcome personal adversity and created positive change in their lives. The Youth Awards focus on teenagers who have triumphed over great odds and serve as inspirations and role models. If you know young people who would be good candidates for the Youth Award, please help us identify them by completing the nomination form, link is below.

Nomination forms are due by March 4, 2022

The reception honoring our award winners is April 25, 2022, 6-8 p.m., Douglas County Miller Building, Castle Rock, CO.

Questions? Call 303-814-5327 or email malston@douglas.co.us

Action for Happiness Friendly February Calendar

Get ideas for daily acts of kindness and connection from Action for Happiness’s colorful February calendar.

World Read Aloud Day Book Lists

World Read Aloud Day was Wednesday, February 2, and many of our schools participated. If you want to bring reading aloud home, check out these book lists for all ages!

20 Family Bonding Activities

Spending quality time with family and loved ones can improve social skills, boost children’s confidence and increase feelings of happiness.

Supporting Our Students Forum: Mental Health Resources and Supports in DCSD Schools
Hosted by the DCSD District Accountability Committee (DAC)
Thursday, February 17 | 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Rock Canyon High School
More information >>

Parents, guardians, students and community members are encouraged and welcome to attend this free event. Breakout sessions will include topics like Social Emotional Wellness and Learning, The Role of the School Counselor, Calming Strategies and Interactive Sensory Experiences, and more

DCSD Parent University – Postsecondary Readiness: Preparing for Life After High School
Wednesday, February 23 | 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.
Free virtual event
Register here >>

Postsecondary Readiness [PSR] programming prepares students for what is next after high school, whether it be a career, college, military, advanced training, and/or continued education. Learn from the DCSD Postsecondary Readiness team about pathway programs and how they help students make informed decisions about their future, develop necessary skills, and potentially save time & money.