Secondary News and Updates (09/17/21)

Driveline (Earn Double Volunteer Hours):

• Parent supervisors needed during AM & PM Driveline! sign up here. Arrive 5 minutes early to find parking and grab a vest. Extra incentive: Earn double hours ie: log 60 hours in Driveline. (that’s 30 actual volunteer hours). Click here to sign up.

Lunchroom Volunteers:

• A great way to become involved and see our students during their non-learning time. Click here to sign up.

Spartan Afternoon Program:

• A great way to avoid waiting in the afternoon drive-line, and maybe even take your own child home with homework complete. This opportunity is after school and only requires volunteers to monitor students (no tutoring involved). If you are interested, please click here.

TSA Volunteers

To volunteer for TSA or to provide snacks please click here.

A big thank you to Suzanne/Doug Savolainen, our volunteer of the Month for August. Doug has already given 22 hours to our BEST Robotics team.

We appreciate your time so much Suzanne & Doug!

Teachers always need additional supplies throughout the year in order to enhance their students’ experiences. Consider making a donation to a teacher’s classroom by getting something off their Wish List. You can view all of our teachers’ wishlists on our Parent Get Involved page, or by clicking the button below.

Homecoming Dance Donations

The High School Student Government is hosting our annual homecoming dance event on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 7-10 p.m. We are looking for individually packaged food and drink donations for this event. The sign-up genius linked below has all of the possible sign-ups. Please bring your donations into the secondary office labeled High School Student Government Homecoming event.

Both our Elementary and Secondary Offices are always in need of donated items. Click the button below to see what we need and to sign up. Please bring the items to the appropriate front office with a label for what it is for.

If you’re looking for a way to give to STEM, consider donating gift cards for our Staff Prizes. Gift Cards in $5 increments are great for us to use to gift out when we do staff recognitions and games. Please drop gift cards off at either the Elementary or the Secondary Front Office and label it “Staff Prizes.” Thank you!

National Honor Society Induction Donations

We’re looking for donations for our National Honor Society Induction celebration on Thursday, Sept. 23 from 5-7 p.m. in the High School Commons.

Chess Club Donations

Consider donating to our Chess Club. The group would benefit from having some good tournament sets with clocks. These are the tournament sets we would like to have, with blue and buff boards, black and white pieces and a blue clock. Click the link below to sign up.

Monday, Sept. 20 – Cottagecore (Country)

Tuesday, Sept. 21 – Flower

Wednesday, Sept. 22 – Gnomes (Green) and Fairies (Pink)

Thursday, Sept. 23 – STEM Spirit

Students in High School are encouraged to get dressed up to show their #STEMSpartan Spirit during our Homecoming Week festivities.

Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 4-6 p.m. – field 4 at Northridge Rec Center

High School students are invited to attend and take part in the STEM Powder Puff Football game. Girls will be playing football while the boys will be the Cheerleaders from the sidelines. More information will come out as we get closer to the event. Email karen.adam@stemk12.org with any questions.

Thursday, Sept. 23, from 5-7 p.m. – High School Commons

The National Honor Society will hold its Induction of New Members ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 23 from 5-7 p.m. in the High School Commons. Please park in the High School Parking Lot and enter through the High School Doors. Reach out to Aubrey White, aubrey.white@stemk12.org with any questions.

Saturday, Sept. 25, from 7-10 p.m. (High School Commons)

The High School Homecoming Dance will be on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 7-10 p.m. in the High School Commons. There will be a Chill Room and a Karaoke Room as well. Tickets will be $20 each. Bring cash to lunch the week leading up to homecoming. There will be student government members at a table at the front of the lunchroom.

Students will enter through the High School Entrance and park in the High School and Elementary School Parking Lots. Please email karen.adam@stemk12.org with any questions.

Wednesday, Sept. 29, from 6-7 p.m.

It’s Saturday Night Live, but on a Wednesday! It’s like Who’s Line is it Anyway?, and we REALLY don’t know who’s line it is! Come see STEM’s brand new sketch and improv comedy show. You’ll see hilarious original comedy sketches, witty improv from STEM’s brilliant middle school and high school minds, and an original comedy video to top it all off. Tickets are $5 each.

Contact: Max.schwartz@stemk12.org

Wednesday, Sept. 29, from 5:30-8 p.m. in the High School Commons

College application information session for High School seniors that includes financial aid presentation for seniors and their parents. Email kelli.myrick@stemk12.org with any questions.

Thursday, Sept. 30, at 6 p.m. via Zoom

This year, we are offering 8th and 9th graders a four-day STEM-based field trip to Boston in May. The trip is custom-tailored to our STEM students and will include a variety of fun activities designed to challenge students and allow them to see what a future in a STEM field might look like. It is important that parents attend a short information meeting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30, via Zoom to get more details and have an opportunity to ask questions. Email heather.dillon@stemk12.org with any questions.

Families can access their photos by visiting the link below 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#

Friday, Oct. 8 – Photo Retake Day

• Elementary students will go in small groups with their homeroom teacher.
• Secondary students will go during their study hall.
  • If a student does NOT have a study hall, they can get their photo during their lunch break.

For virtual students, there will be an opportunity to have their photo taken at our photographer’s studio beginning in September until Thanksgiving. There will be a link to sign up.

Douglas County Pupil Count Day is Friday, Oct. 1. Please be sure to have your student in attendance for the full day whether it be in person or virtual. If possible, we ask that you avoid scheduling any appointments for your student on that day. We want to have all of our students present and counted. This will affect the overall funding for our school. We appreciate your help!

Help us create a memorable After Prom.  The After Prom PTO/Parent Committee is seeking volunteers to assist with planning, coordinating, and help at the actual event in April. A few years ago, we started the tradition with parents of juniors planning the event and we would like to continue that custom, but we welcome any and all help. We want to create a themed evening of fun, food, and activities in a safe environment for our amazing juniors and seniors. If interested, please contact stemafterprom@stemk12.org.

Your Quest Awaits…

Explore new horizons in computer programming as you work to solve problems from Lockheed Martin’s Code Quest® events as well as never-before-seen problems. Problems range in difficulty, so there’s something for everyone, no matter if you’re just joining the expedition into programming, or if you’re a seasoned explorer. Should you get lost along the way, volunteers from Lockheed Martin are standing by to help get you back on track. Share your results with others and help inspire each other to even greater heights. Start your journey, and see what your quest can achieve!

We’ve received a few inquiries as to why families have not received the morning phone call from the auto dialer indicating that their student was not present at school and wanted to provide the following information. The morning dialer was turned off due to COVID quarantines this year. Infinite Campus settings that we were able to use last year to identify who was in quarantine and who was not, are not available to us this year. This meant that even though a student was present at home completing their work, they were being marked absent in the system, which was going to prompt the system to notify families. To prevent confusion with families, we turned the morning auto dialer off.

Attendance is taken each day for those who are physically in their seats in the classroom. Students who are home in quarantine should complete the attendance form that each teacher has posted in their Canvas Courses.

Inspirit AI, an artificial intelligence enrichment program, is looking for middle or high school students interested in working on AI projects run by MIT graduates. Projects can range from subjects in STEM, arts, social sciences, business, and more. If you’re interested, the application deadline is September 30. You can email Aidan Goltra (arg2198@columbia.edu) for more information. The link to apply is below.

All students not involved in a Club or Activity at STEM must be picked up by a parent, or in our Spartan Afterschool Program. Students are not allowed to be roaming the halls, waiting for their parents to pick them up.

Spartan Morning and Spartan Afternoon programs are open to all Middle and High School students on a drop-in basis. There is no need to schedule days. Both programs take place in the Middle School Cafeteria, on the West side of the building.

Our program is only offered on days when school is in session. We do not currently offer any care on school holidays. Cost is only $8 in the afternoon and $2 in the morning. Click the button below to learn more.

Mrs. Doe is seeking parent volunteers to support DECA and FBLA. Consider your time as an Advisory role to the Business Department (Mrs. Doe). Industry support keeps relevancy and career-centered skills as the focus of our mission. The two student-led business organizations are run together. We meet Tuesdays after school, first and third Tuesdays of each month, at STEM, Room 130, 3 p.m. Volunteers can come to each meeting, once a month, or on specially arranged visits. Any level of support would be appreciated. Volunteers must check-in at the Secondary Front Office and be badged through our Raptor system so please bring a valid ID with you.

Your support allows you to make a real difference in the preparation of emerging leaders and entrepreneurs. Whether it’s through judging competitive events and discovering the detail and depth members put into their projects or sitting down with graduating members to answer their questions on college and careers, you’ll begin to see how DECA and FBLA members are ready to make an impact in our world.

We’re also seeking snack donations. Please being snacks, and drinks to the Secondary office. Label them for DECA/FBLA. Your donation will help make our meetings feel like a welcome place to work on projects.

Please contact Mrs. Doe (allison.doe@stemk12.org) if you are interested.

We are asking our STEM community to help us find businesses and industries willing to be mentors for the STEM Career Discovery Mentorship and Internships. On our “Building Ships” page of the STEM website, you can find a link to a survey we use to match student interests to subject matter experts. Our community partners help us find the best fit for students seeking mentorships and internships.

Our industry, business, and educational partners at STEM School Highlands Ranch are essential to student success. They help us understand real-world problems and solutions. As subject matter experts and community partners they empower student learning, support teachers, and help us prepare students for the future.

Click the button below for more information. For more information, contact Gregg Cannady (gregg.cannady@stemk12.org).

Hello STEM Spartans, do you like math or solving complex problems? If you do, Math Honor Society is for you! We compete in math competitions, have our annual PI day event, and many more new and exciting math-related, school-wide events. There is only one requirement to join MHS: a 3.0 GPA in two years of HS math. If you meet this requirement and want to participate in MHS, reach out to Isabelle McCall (isabelle.mccall@s.stemk12.org) anytime until September 30 with a short paragraph on why you want to be a member and a copy of your transcript (reach out if you have any questions). Please let us know if you have any questions!

Attention STEM High School students. We are so happy to announce mentorship and internship opportunities. Your first step is to fill out the Career Discovery Application. Click the button below to access the form.

Spart Mart is open! The store will be open on Mondays and Wednesdays starting at 2:50 p.m. for Secondary and 2:25 p.m. for Elementary students (Not all Elementary students will be able to access the store so we strongly encourage using our online store). We have new merchandise for STEM spirit week and we have new food products such as Hi-Chew and Takis. Click the link below to order online and we will deliver it to the student during school hours, or leave it in the respective Front Offices for parent pick-up. Thank you for your support!

Reminder on Early Dismissals

Students will need to be signed out by a parent at the respective office (Elementary or Secondary). The steps below outline the steps to follow in order to cause the least amount of disruption to the classroom:

• Secondary:
  1. Pick your student up during the passing period. (Secondary)
  2. Send a signed note in with your Secondary student to receive an Early Dismissal Pass from the front office (students will be able to show this to their teacher before class begins, and leave at the appropriate time).
• Elementary:
  1. Call ahead to the Front Office so that they are aware that you are coming.
  2. Elementary students will be released upon the arrival of their parents.

NO unscheduled early pickups are allowed after 1:15 p.m. This is to minimize disruption to the last period of the day. Additionally, for Elementary, please avoid picking up your student after 2 p.m. so that you are not impeding the Elementary Driveline. For Secondary, please avoid picking up your student after 2:30 p.m. so that you are not impeding the Secondary Driveline.

AllHealth Network offers mental health services for students and families onsite at STEM School Highlands Ranch with a licensed professional counselor, Kathleen Shook. Kathleen uses evidence-based treatment approaches to talk and play with kids of all ages to help them with anxiety, depression, trauma, and adjusting to life’s changes. Sessions happen during school hours for your convenience and most insurances are accepted.

Additionally, AllHealth Network offers free services such as counseling, support groups and opportunities for social connection to students, families, and community members affected by May 7th at the STEM Center for Strength located at 640 Plaza Dr., Suite 130.

To get connected to any of the services AllHealth has to offer, contact Kathleen at 720-462-9645 or the STEM Center at 720-980-5761.

#BreakTheStigma: 14 Nonfiction Mental Health Books for Children, Tweens, and Teens

These nonfiction titles offer a great jumping-off point for elementary, middle, and high school readers. These works include personal essay collections, educated guides, informative picture books, and workbooks.

Helping Children Build Language Skills

You can help children develop their language abilities by tuning in to what they say and responding in ways that result in more talk.

Parent Support Group

Parenting During the Pandemic. Free Interactive Zoom Discussion Group Hosted by AllHealth Network.

Youth Vaping: Recognition, Prevention, and Intervention

Wednesday, September 29 | 5:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

Teens may think e-cigarettes are safer than traditional tobacco products, but research links vaping to health and behavioral risks that can affect a young person for years to come. Would you recognize if your child began vaping? Would you know how to prevent e-cigarette use? How would you intervene if your child is already vaping?

Learn how to answer these questions in a special 30-minute webinar with Dr. Katrina Iverson, Pediatric Emergency Medicine Director at Sky Ridge Medical Center. She will guide you on how vaping impacts a young person’s health, how it affects the broader community, and what you can do to make a difference today. Plus, learn how vaping can affect COVID-19 infections and other respiratory issues. The presentation will be followed by 15 minutes of Q&A.