Creating a Safe Learning Environment for All
At STEM, “We envision a world of exponential possibilities where every child develops the innate knowledge, skills, creativity and character to thrive, lead and succeed in an ever-changing future.”
STEM’s values include creating an environment of respect and nurturing unlimited human potential.
We know our students will be successful when provided with a safe learning environment. We also recognize the struggles occurring in the world we live in and how it impacts many of our families. We aim to protect our students from those struggles at school so they may continue to thrive academically and socially.
We ask that we come together as a STEM community to support our most valuable members. STEM will continue to teach our youngest learners about STEM’s Character Values: Honesty, Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, and Empathy. Integrated throughout our curriculum and learning are opportunities to learn about different cultures and how learning from others deepens our understanding of one another and the world around us. Through these moments, we intend to build a stronger sense of community and a culture of mutual respect.
We aim to create a safe environment for your children where they are not faced with the ongoing traumas occurring worldwide. This past week, our secondary students engaged in a lesson during ACCESS about biases, prejudices, stereotypes, their meanings, and how to promote a respectful and inclusive school environment. We will continue to engage students in similar conversations, however, we will not be discussing current event topics with your students unless they are in a high school history or foreign policy classes and it is within the scope of the standards. We encourage families to have conversations as a family that best supports their child’s social and emotional needs. To continue to build a respectful and inclusive learning environment, we kindly ask that students save conversations about current world events for home.
Please reach out if ever you have questions or concerns.
In partnership,
Lynann Kovalesky
Should you need a resource on discussing these topics, we have attached an article from Stanford Medicine. – How to Talk to Your Children About the Conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Mission Statement: STEM School Highlands Ranch mission is to “Never Stop Innovating.”
Values: We will Never Stop Innovating by:
- Creating an environment of respect and success in an exponentially changing world.
- Nurturing unlimited human potential.
- Leveraging the power of collaboration through continuous inquiry and experimentation.
- Optimizing resources and operations.
- Impacting the world ethically and positively.
- Relentlessly reinvent and adapt.