Elementary News and Updates (04/02/21)

*Due to COVID 19, no visitors or volunteers are allowed inside the building at this time. Volunteer requirements will be adjusted as needed. There was a consideration to switch volunteer hour tracking syhttps://stems, but we will stay with our syhttps://stem we have been using at this time.

Volunteer opportunities below are all outside of the school building.

We would like to invite parents to help during outdoor lunch & recess time each day. Recess starts at 10:50 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. If you are interested, please enter through the Elementary School lobby, register as a visitor and complete the health screening form.

After completing the registration form, we ask that you meet grade levels at the Elementary School playground on the East side of the school. Masks are required.

If you have some extra time in the mornings or afternoons, please consider signing up to volunteer for our Elementary School Driveline. We need volunteers to help from 7:20-7:50 a.m. with unloading students from their cars and getting them to their class stones. In the afternoon, we need volunteers to help from 2:10-3:10 p.m. with loading students into their cars.

If you are interested, please enter through the Elementary School lobby, register as a visitor and complete the health screening form. Masks are required.

Staff Feedback Team Donations

The Staff Feedback Team is seeking “treat” donations for staff. If you are interested in donating any of these items, please bring to the MS Office labeled “SFC Treats” – thank you so much!!

Individual bags of:

• Mixed nuts
• Pretzels
• Vegan Variety pack
• fruit leather
• oreo snack packs
• BBQ Lays
• Justin’s Nut Butter squeeze packs
• Olives to go
• pickles to go
• Sparkling water
• regular water
• small soda pop cans
• bottles of tea
• chips
• goldfish
• cookies
• crackers
• rice crispy treats
• jerky sticks/pouches
• non-food options: lip balm and lotion.

ES Healthroom Donations

We are in immediate need of underwear and pants (girls size 5-8) for students who have an accident. Please sign up using the link to the right. Donations can be dropped off at the Elementary School Office.

ES Counseling Donations:

• Water beads refill
• Assorted sports beads
• Craft beads like these or any of these
• Plastic funnels

Please bring to the ES Office labeled ES Counseling. Thank you!

Additionally, we have an ongoing need for classroom and health room donations. Click the link to the right to see all of the donation items that we are collecting for, and to sign up.

March 29-April 10 – Donation Window

PTO and SteMed are trying to raise funds for Children’s Hospital to help support their programs for patients and families. When our STEM Community orders a meal through Mile High Catering, a portion of the proceeds of those meals will go to raise funds for Children’s Hospital Colorado to fund programs for patients and families. On April 19, there will be a driveline from 3-5 p.m. to pick up all the food ordered. It will take place at 1811 Plaza Drive. Be on the lookout for volunteers and signup. Email pto@https://stemk12.org for more information. Click the button below to order and access the menu.

April 5-9 – Donation Window

Who doesn’t love animals? SNHS is looking for new or used towels to donate to the MaxFund Animal Shelter. Donations will be open from April 5-9. Donations can be dropped off at the Middle School entrances. Please contact Tjaden Litwiler, Naomi Tewolde, or Mr. Schnacke for any questions.

April 19-30 – Donation Drive Window

SteMed and SteMed Jr. are hosting a donation drive to the Hope and Help Center of Castle Rock to help them during COVID. Donations can be dropped off at the middle school office from April 19th to April 30th. If you have any questions, please contact SteMed at https://stemed@s.https://stemk12.org or kent.schnacke@https://stemk12.org.

Donation Items:

• Taco seasoning and taco shells
• peanut butter
• Kids drinks in pouches or boxes
• Instant mashed potatoes
• Sloppy Joe mix in cans or packets
• Canned Spaghetti O’s or Ravioli
• Canned Olives
• Canned tuna fish
• Non-refrigerated juice (orange, apple, cranberry, Sunny Delight, etc.)
• Toiletry items: Shampoo and Conditioner (standard size), Toothpaste and toothbrushes (standard size), deodorant (standard size), bars of soap
• Cleaning supplies: Spay bottles of Lysol or Clorox (any brand)

STEM School Highlands Ranch is excited to partner with the Colorado League of Charter Schools and their ACT Advocacy Network to bring a series of trainings to our families. The training will build your charter school knowledge and your advocacy skills so we can leverage our collective power as a school and Douglas County charter school community to protect what we have and make sure our school and others have what we need and what our students deserve. In this one-hour training, you will learn about charter myths and facts and what makes us unique. Please join us!

What: Charter School Basics

Where: Online via Zoom

When: Thursday, April 15 at 9 a.m. Morning session for STEM families only

Tuesday, April 20 at 12 p.m. Lunch session open to multiple Douglas County charter schools’ families

REGISTER FOR 4/15 HERE 9 a.m. session

REGISTER FOR 4/20 HERE Noon session

Shiloh House is once again offering parents the opportunity to enroll in parenting classes and/or support groups. To register for these classes please call 303-695-7996 or email communityservices@shilohhouse.net. Click the button below to see the current schedule of Parent Classes and Support Groups.

It’s that time of year. If you think your student is missing items, please stop by our Lost & Found to look through what has been left behind. The Lost & Found is located in the Elementary School Lobby. All items not picked up will be donated at the end of the school year.

Elizabeth Brown joined STEM in January 2021 as the Recovery Coordinator for STEM. While her desk is located in the new admin side of the P-TECH building, she will be spending the majority of her time in the school. The broadest description of her position is to provide overall coordination for the recovery of students, parents, and staff. Dr. Euker has stated that it is a huge priority for her that Elizabeth reaches out and provides the necessary support and information to our community. Elizabeth is working under a grant that can make all kinds of resources available to those who would like them.

Her role is specifically to support all who have been impacted, so if there are needs that aren’t being met, questions that aren’t being answered, or services that aren’t being provided, it would be really helpful to let her know so she can be sure to address those issues. Please email her at elizabeth.brown@https://stemk12.org.

The Parent Trust Committee of the Strategic Plan Goal “Building Parent Trust” would like to collect some data from our community (students and parents) on some of the favorite implementations of Problem Based Learning that teachers have created in their classrooms. The committee gathered feedback during the Town Hall in January that included helping to build a repository of PBLs for teachers to use.

Problem based learning is STEM’s instructional model. Teachers utilized different techniques to have students solve a real-world problem, while teaching the state standards and core competencies.

STEM had picture Day on February 16 & 17 for students needing a current school photo.

Elementary Students:

• There will be a Class Composite created for each class
• Parents will have the opportunity to purchase individual and class composite photos.

If your student was unable to take advantage of the picture days at STEM, please set an appointment to have their picture taken at the photographer’s studio. Check out the buttons to the left to schedule an appointment, or order photos.

In late August/early September of 2020, STEM had to make an adjustment to its Academic Calendar to extend the school year by a few days in order to account for our delayed start. The last day (half day) for Elementary is Friday, May 21 and the last day (half day) for Secondary is Tuesday, May 25. You can view the updated Calendar here. Additionally, graduation has been moved to Thursday, May 20 at 2 p.m. at EchoPark Stadium.

Due to the delayed start at the beginning of the school year that has impacted our required academic minutes, if DCSD calls for a SCHOOL CLOSURE due to weather, STEM will operate on a Virtual Day Schedule instead. This decision was made to prevent having to add additional days at the end of the school year to make up for a snow day. If DCSD calls for a DELAYED START due to weather, STEM will operate on a Virtual Day Schedule.

Make sure to designate your Pick-Up Mode and your Delegates (if necessary) prior to 1:45 p.m. each day.

Pick-Up Modes:

• West Driveline Pick-Up Mode – ALL students being picked up by car
• Walker – Meeting your student at the ES Doors
• Sibling Pick-Up – ES students with Secondary Siblings that are walking

Remember to only enter the Driveline at your designated time and display your placard. To help our driveline volunteers, please keep your placard up until you leave the parking lot. Also, to help us be good neighbors to our business park neighbors, please do not stack along Barrons Blvd.

• Green – K-1 Grades Only – 2:20 p.m.
• Orange – 2-5 Grades (with K-1 sibling) – 2:30 p.m.
• Yellow – K-5 with Secondary Sibling – 2:55 p.m.

Don’t Delay! Show your STEM Spartan Pride by ordering from the NEW gear that is available in the SpartMart Store. Check out the flier to the right for more information. The SpartMart is operated by STEM students and the gear is designed by STEM students as well.