Director's Update
A message from Mrs. McElroy
Dear STEM Families and Community,
Thank you to everyone who attended Back to School Night. It was wonderful seeing all the familiar faces and meeting our new families. The school and family partnership is a critical component for student success. I truly look forward to building a partnership with you and your students over the next year. We are now in the swing of things at school. Routines and expectations have been established, and the academic demands will begin to increase. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your student’s teacher if you have any concerns or questions.
Important Reminders:
- Picture Day: Picture Day will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Please be on the lookout for communication from DR Photo on how to order school photos.
- iReady and math placement: The iReady testing window opens on Monday, Aug. 19. Students will take math first, followed by reading. We will use a body of evidence, including iReady, the student’s previous math placement, classroom observations, and informal math assessments to determine math placement. Students will begin their “new” math class on September 3rd. You will get an email the week prior notifying you of your child’s placement. Each grade level will offer three on-grade level sections and one advanced section. Students who are above grade level will still move to the next grade to receive their math instruction. Please reach out to your teacher if you have any questions.
Important Dates:
- August 20 – STEM Board Meeting
- August 21 – STEM SAC Meeting
- August 22 – PTO Skate Night at Skate City, 5-7 p.m.
- September 2 – Labor Day – No School
- September 2 – DEI Committee Meeting 4-5 p.m. (open to all who would like to attend)
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns
In Partnership,
Amie McElroy, Elementary Director
Upcoming Events
KOSON/STEM Monthly Board Meeting
Tuesday, Aug. 20, from 5:30-7 p.m. – Mechatronics Lab in P-TECH/KOSON Building & Zoom
The KOSON/STEM Board of Directors will be holding its Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20, from 5:30-7 p.m. in person and via Zoom. The BOD is comprised of parents and community members who volunteer their time. The Board’s role and purpose is to provide oversight of the KOSON Schools Chief Innovation Officer, who implements the policies set forth by the Board. The Board also provides support and direction for STEM’s long-term vision and mission. Additionally, the Board is active in making sure that KOSON Schools remains in compliance with all DCSD, state and federal compliance requirements, as well as STEM School Highlands Ranch’s Charter Contract.
Meetings are open to anyone to attend. Anyone who would like to address the Board Members must sign-up in advance by completing the Public Comment Form no later than 12 p.m. the day of each Board meeting. If written testimony or a handout is submitted, presenters are asked to supply one (1) copy via email to communications@stemk12.org.
STEM School Accountability Committee (SAC)
Wednesday, Aug. 21, at 5:30-7:30 p.m. – KOSON/P-TECH Building (Mechatronics Lab)/Zoom
The meeting will also be available to watch 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.
The purpose of the 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. 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 to prioritize the spending of school money.
DEI Committee Kickoff Meeting 2024-2025
Thursday, Aug. 22, from 4-5 p.m. – Room 105 (Secondary)
We are excited to invite you to our upcoming DEI Committee kickoff meeting! This is a wonderful opportunity for parents, family members, and students to come together and share their ideas and aspirations for our school. STEM is dedicated to fostering an atmosphere where all voices are heard. We want to emphasize that this meeting (and all meetings for that matter) is unbiased and non-political–your perspectives and experiences are invaluable and we’d love your support and thoughts. This year we have exciting plans, including:
- Creating a Secondary Multicultural Holiday Celebration
- Establishing more social events
- Encouraging Situational Conversations
- …and we’d love to hear YOUR ideas for making STEM the leading example for Douglas County
While STEM has such a diverse and unique community, we know that achieving our goals requires more than just a small core group of participants. We invite you to challenge yourself to attend just one meeting and witness the impact your involvement can have. Regardless of whether you can attend our upcoming meetings, please take a moment to answer these short 5 questions to help us prepare for this meeting.
We look forward to seeing you at our first 2024-2025 DEI Committee meeting and hearing your thoughts!
Skate City Night, Sponsored by STEM PTO
News and Updates
Join STEM's Parent Facebook Pages
Want to connect with other families in your student’s grade? Join your student’s class page on Facebook to connect with other parents, get class-specific info, and more. Click the button below to visit our Get Connected back on the website that lists all of the Community Facebook pages. Be sure to answer all required questions in order join. Email info@stemk12.org with any questions.