Elementary News and Updates (11/03/23)

Dear Elementary School Families,

Thank you to everyone who attended our Halloween parade and class parties. The students had a great time and I especially enjoyed seeing all the awesome costumes. Halloween is definitely one of my favorite days in elementary school. While we have had such a beautiful fall, winter weather is quickly approaching. We will always line up outside unless the temperature is below 20oF (wind chill included) or if there is excessive precipitation. We follow this same guideline for recess as well. Please make sure your child is dressed for the weather and label your child’s coat with their name. It helps us return their coat if it is misplaced. Lastly, we are quickly approaching Thanksgiving break and have many fun things planned in the next two weeks. Stay informed of all our events by checking the website and reading the parent newsletter.

Veterans Day Celebration

We would like to invite any veteran or current military to the STEM Veterans Day Celebration on November 10th at 9 a.m. A reception for veterans and their guests will be held after the assembly. Please RSVP here by Sunday, Nov. 5, or call our main office at 303-683-7836.

Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive

The student council will be hosting a Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive. Our food baskets will be delivered to Doull Elementary School for needy families. Each grade level will be responsible for donating specific items to the food baskets. We also want to include King Soopers gift cards for $25 in each basket. Our goal is to make 40 complete food baskets.

• K: Cranberry Sauce and/or canned fruit
• 1st: Green Beans, corn or other canned vegetables
• 2nd: Stuffing
• 3rd: Mac and Cheese
• 4th: Cake or Muffin Mix and frosting
• 5th: Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
• All grades can donate King Sooper gift cards in $25 increments

Book Fair

The fall scholastic book fair will be from Nov 13th – 17th. Students will have the opportunity to shop books with their class throughout the week. Please be on the lookout for more information from your classroom teachers. We will also need volunteers to help run the book fair throughout the week. Please sign up to volunteer through Raptor.

Important Dates:

• October 23 – November 14 – Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive
• November 1-30 – National Native American Heritage Month
• November 10 – Veterans Day Celebration
• November 13 -17 – Scholastic Book Fair
• November 20 -24 – Thanksgiving Break

Have a wonderful weekend. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

In Partnership,

Amie McElroy, Elementary Director

Please take a moment to check the STEM All-Events Calendar on our website.

There are lots of events already scheduled so please take a moment to take a look at the calendar to familiarize yourself with some of the events at the start of school. This calendar will continue to be updated throughout the summer as we get closer to the start of school.

Tuesday, Nov. 7, 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, Nov. 7, 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.

Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 6:30-8 p.m. – Zoom

Join the STEM PTO for their monthly meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 6:30-8 p.m. via Zoom.  STEM PTO is comprised of parents from the STEM community who work together to help foster a strong sense of community and provide enhancement activities for students, faculty, staff, and families while also helping to increase educational, social and emotional experiences for the members of their families.

STEM PTO is organized to enhance the quality of each student’s education, the school as a whole, and the entire community through the development of resources and the participation of parents, school staff, and the community. Meetings are open for anyone to attend.

Our Business Office would like to request that all parents please verify their contact information in MySchoolBucks and update it if needed. Beginning November 20th, families with an outstanding balance will begin to receive late fees. Please reach out to ashley.westfall@stemk12.org with any questions.

It’s time to check the Lost and Found in the Elementary School Lobby. We’re slowly starting to collect items like jackets, water bottles and lunch boxes. Please take a moment to come in and see what is in the Lost and Found. At each school-break, we donate items that are left in the Lost and Found to charity.

The Backpack Society is excited to offer Thanksgiving and Winter Holiday Boxes again this year! Families can find all the details on how to sign up for a box or how they can donate or get involved by using the links via the buttons below. There are a limited amount of meal boxes available, so please sign up! We have 250 Thanksgiving Boxes and 150 Winter Holiday Boxes.

Niche.com is an online platform that helps connect families with their future schools in their neighborhoods. It is one of the top search platforms that families use when looking for a new school. If you love STEM and what we have to offer your student(s), please consider leaving us a review. Click the button below to visit our school’s profile, where you can leave a review. Thank you in advance!

Sugar and spice and everything nice

As the weather cools down, it can take some extra bundling up to want to get outside, but colder commutes don’t have to be miserable!

Try these tips to help spice up your commute:

• Bring warm water, apple cider, coffee or tea in a travel mug or water bottle.
• Dress in moisture-wicking layers.
• Balaclavas are your best friend! Covering your face on extra cold days can help make your commute more pleasant.
• Consider a windproof jacket or coat.
• Use hand warmers for extra cold days.
• If you bike to work, have a backup plan. Keep extra cold weather gear at the office, or see if there is a bus or rail route that will take you home in case the weather becomes too cold or snowy.

Whether you’re traveling by bike, foot, e-scooter, bus, rail or carpool, track at least eight of those eco-friendly trips on MyWayToGo.org or the Commute Tracker app for a chance to win one of five pairs of Zulu wearable headphones.