Elementary News and Updates (05/13/22)

Monday, May 23, from 8:15-9 a.m.

On Monday, May 23, Elementary students will move up a grade during this time to learn what the next school year will be like.

Monday, May 23, from 5-7 p.m. – High School Commons & Zoom

If you’re interested in getting involved in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at STEM, we encourage you to attend to find out more information. Email amie.mcelroy@https://stemk12.org with questions.

Tuesday, May 24, from 8-11:30 a.m.

On Tuesday, May 24, kindergarten through second-grade students will rotate through PE, Art, Chinese and music events. A picnic lunch will follow.

Tuesday, May 24, at 5:30-7:30 p.m.

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.

Tuesday, May 24, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

New to STEM Elementary Parent Night is a chance for incoming families K-5 to get a sneak peek at what to expect as a STEM family. Parents will meet in the ES gym for an overview of everything STEM. Then parents will have an opportunity to see classrooms and meet grade-level teams.

Wednesday, May 25, from 8-11:30 a.m.

On Wednesday, May 25, third through fifth-grade students will rotate through PE, Art, Chinese and music events. A picnic lunch will follow.

Wednesday, May 25, from 5-6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, May 25 from 5-6:30 p.m., kindergarten families are welcome to attend our Kinder Continuation Ceremony in the Elementary School Gymnasium. Please park in the Elementary School Lot and enter through our Elementary School Entrance.

Thursday, May 26, at 11 a.m.

Elementary’s last day of school is Thursday, May 26 and it is a half day. Click the button below to access the Elementary Early Release schedule. We will be doing staggered dismissal times.

• 11 a.m. – K-1
• 11:15 a.m. – 2-5

Thank you in advance for your patience. We will be doing our best to get students packed and ready to go, but we want to share that students will be very excited as well as sad so dismissal could take some time.

Do you want the community to know what’s great about our school and why their kids should attend here? Have you ever had a concern or frustration about our school but didn’t know what you could do to address it or change it? Do you know how to have a voice in what’s going on in our school? Do you know how to actually make a difference in our school? The School Accountability Committee may be the place for you!

The purpose of SAC is to inform, encourage and provide opportunities for parents and community members to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the school’s instructional program and quality improvement processes. SAC meetings give parents and community members a forum to discuss improvements and opportunities for the school.

What does that mean exactly? It means we discuss things like:

• Budget Priorities
• Staffing needs
• Technology
• Principal Evaluation Tools
• Community Concerns and Opinions
• Unified Improvement Plans (the school’s academic goals and action plans The Annual Report
• Safety Issues
• Testing
• Calendars
• Other items that may be impacting our school

The SAC makes recommendations to the Executive Director and STEM Board of Directors about the above priorities. This is how we can impact what happens in our school. We help influence the decisions that ultimately impact every student in the school, and possibly the district.

We need parent representatives that reflect our school’s amazing diversity to be a part of the SAC. That means you!

Becoming a member of the SAC means:

• attending the SAC meeting which occurs monthly. The SAC typically meets on the third Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7 p.m., and the time qualifies for volunteer hours.
• becoming informed about school programs and budgets – specialists may be invited to SAC meetings to help educate the members.
• becoming a voice for our school.

Each elected member serves a two-year term; however, your role on the committee may change from one year to the next within the elected term. We are currently assembling our SAC Committee for the next school year. The more parents involved, the better!

If you are interested in nominating yourself or another person for SAC, please contact Kelly Reyna (sac@https://stemk12.org) by Friday, May 20. We look forward to your participation in our SAC!

We desperately need to hire to support the STEM community, any assistance is greatly appreciated.

We are looking for two Senior Program Leaders and one Program Lead to work in a busy and fun program. If you, or someone you know, is looking to develop management skills and gain experience in a growing program with a fun, experienced, and dedicated staff, this is the right move for you. Hours would be M-F 1:30-5:30/6. Part-time and full-time hours are available during school breaks. I am happy to coordinate with BASE Managers who have staff looking for more hours.  Feel free to call ( (720) 688-2928) or email (amy.dupays@dcsdk12.org) for more details or questions.

Thank you,

Amy Dupays

Yearbooks have arrived. They will be handed out on Monday, May 23. We will have a yearbook signing station at our Field Day picnics.

• K-2nd Grade Field Day is Tuesday, May 24
• 3-5th Grade Field is Wednesday, May 25

If you did not pre-purchase a yearbook and would like one, please use the following link to order it now. Supplies are limited so it is first-come, first-serve. If your child will not be present during the last week of school, their yearbook may be picked up on Friday, May 20 at dismissal.

We are hosting three summer camps at STEM and registration is open!

• Camp Invention (K-6th) – June 6-10
• Lego Robotics Camp (4th-6th) – June 13-17
• Girls Persist Summer Program (6th) – July 18-22

Visit our Enrichment site to register or email Sara.Phelps@https://stemk12.org with questions.

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#

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a great time to prioritize your mental well-being. With a major uptick in people seeking mental health services and an increase in those who are in crisis, let’s all come together to fight stigma, raise awareness, and advocate for those who need our help. Mental health is an essential part of overall health and wellness. Learn ways to improve your mental health and discover helpful resources via the link below.

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Your May Happiness Calendar

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