Elementary News and Updates (09/06/24)

Dear STEM Families and Community,

I cannot believe it is already September. The school year is in full swing with fantastic learning, fun activities, and great opportunities. I enjoy every day and am so thankful to each of you for entrusting your most precious treasures to our STEM staff daily. Please remember to contact your student’s teacher first if you have any questions or concerns about your student.

Attendance Awareness

As we settle into the new school year, we are excited to share that September marks Attendance Awareness Month. Across Colorado and the country, chronic absenteeism among students is on the rise. Colorado ranks sixth with the highest absenteeism rate in the country. At STEM, we aim to provide extraordinary student experiences, and student attendance is crucial for these experiences.
Chronic absenteeism means missing 10 percent or more of the total enrolled days during the school year for any reason. It includes both excused and unexcused that last more than one-half of the school day. (Extended absences for travel count too).

Why Does Attendance Matter?

• Research demonstrates a strong connection between student attendance and academic performance.
• Regular attendance allows students to establish and nurture relationships
• Students who get to school each day have a better chance of learning and succeeding
• Research shows that students who miss two days of school per month can struggle with reading, and this may lead to social-emotional stress
• When your student misses school, they also lose valuable learning time, can fall behind in their school work, and as a result, it’s difficult to catch up
• Students chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade
• By 6th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school
• By 9th grade, good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th-grade test scores

We understand some absences are unavoidable due to illness or family emergencies but we also know that students who miss too much school, even occasionally, can fall behind academically or socially.

Here are a few helpful tips to help support regular, on-time attendance:

• Make sure your student is getting enough sleep
• Limit the use of electronic devices in the bedroom and before bedtime
• Set out clothes and backpacks the night before so your student is ready to go in the morning
• Establish a set morning routine to support getting out the door on time
• Only keep your student home if they are truly sick
  • Keep in mind complaints of a stomach ache, or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home. If your student is experiencing anxiety about school, let us know so we can offer additional support to them
• Talk to your student’s teacher, school staff, or other parents in the community about what has worked for them to motivate their students to attend school
• Avoid scheduling vacations and doctor’s appointments when school is in session
• Have a backup plan for unexpected situations
• If there are challenges in getting your student to school, please contact us for support.

We believe that regular attendance is a key factor in your student’s academic progress and overall growth. Let’s continue to work together to emphasize to our students when they show up, students can thrive!

Lost and Found

Our lost and found is beginning to fill up, and each year, we donate hundreds of dollars worth of clothing and other lost items. Please help us return lost items to their owners by writing your child’s name on their items, such as lunchboxes, water bottles, hoodies/sweatshirts, and coats.

IC and Emergency Contacts

Please make sure the contact information you have in IC is correct. This is the information teachers and office staff use to communicate with you. Correct phone numbers and/or emergency contacts are extremely important if an emergency arises at school. If you need your contact information updated, please email registrar@stemk12.org to get it corrected. Thank you for your attention to this.

Driveline

Please make sure you pick up your student(s) at the appropriate times. Dismissal times are based on your oldest child. K/1 – 2:25 p.m.; 2nd-5th – 2:35 p.m. and 6th-12th – 2:55 p.m.

We stagger release times to help with the flow of the driveline. Families who show up late hold up the process for everyone else. Per our parent/student handbook, we will begin charging families $1/minute who do not pick up their student(s) at appropriate dismissal time.

Important Dates

• September 9 &11 – 3rd grade to Carson Nature Center
• September 10 – STEM Board Meeting (5:30-7:30 p.m.)
• September 11 – STEM PTO Meeting (6:30 – 8 p.m.)
• September 18 – STEM SAC Meeting (5:30-7:30 p.m.)
• September 19 – 1st grade to Majestic View Nature Center
• September 19 – PTO Blast Off (4-7 p.m.)
• September 19 – DEI Committee Meeting (4-5 p.m.)
• September 20 – Professional Development NO SCHOOL
• September 23 – 27 – Homecoming Spirit Week
• September 27 – 4th grade to the Denver Zoo
• September 30 – October 2 – 5th grade to Estes Park Outdoor Ed

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

In Partnership,

Amie McElroy, Elementary Director