Elementary News and Updates (11/13/20)

Please complete the Intent to Return to STEM form by November 30, 2020

Do you Intend to Return for the 2021/22 School Year?

For enrollment planning purposes, please let us know, either way, if your child plans to return to STEM School Highlands Ranch next year.

Please complete this form for each of your currently attending STEM students. If you are currently enrolled at STEM please let us know that your child is returning. You do not need to “open enroll” to remain at STEM. If your child is currently attending STEM, they will be automatically enrolled for next year. Please also complete the form if your student is planning to seek enrollment at another school so that we can have an accurate count of returning students.

Do you Have a Sibling Who Wants to Attend STEM Next Year?

Does your current STEM student have a sibling who is interested in attending STEM for the 2021/22 school year? Did you know that they have priority on our waitlist? Please add them to our waitlist now! STEM’s open enrollment is now open and we will begin notifying families of accepted spots for the 2021/22 school year beginning December 1st.

Now Accepting Names for the 2021/2022 School Year!

STEM is now accepting names for the waitlist for 2021/22 and beyond. Please spread the word to your family and friends. They can add their child to the waitlist here! We will begin notifying families of accepted spots beginning on December 1, 2020. Please note that STEM does not follow the Douglas County Open Enrollment process.

Intent to Attend Your Neighborhood School

If you wish to attend your neighborhood school, you must return this form to that school no later than January 5th. This will allow your child to attend that school in the fall of next year (2021/22).

Questions? Please call the MS office at 303-683-7836 or check the website for more enrollment information.

Check out our Fall Clearance Sale of various STEM swag items! Also, we are freshly stocked with our classic Blue & Gold STEM hoodies, we have childrens size shirts and sweatshirts, and don’t forget we have custom made face masks & gaiters. Order online and pick up at the MS office once you receive fulfillment confirmation via email. Thanks for your support!

Start Mart – Student Staff Team

Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 6-8 p.m.

The School Accountability Committee (SAC) will hold their monthly meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 6-8 p.m. via Zoom. In addition to its advisory role, SAC provides recommendations to STEM Leadership on initiatives that the STEM Parent Community would like to see implemented.

Recent SAC-Led Initiatives:

• Parking Lot Repaving
• ES Lunchroom Sound Proof (renderings produced; implementation on hold due to COVID)
• Playfield

Thursday, Nov. 19, from 5:30-7 p.m.

Join the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for the Y.E.S.S. Parent Academy on Thursday, Nov. 19 from 5:30-7 p.m. via Zoom. Topic that will be covered is Teen Drug Use. Email mmithuen@dcsheriff.net. See the flier to the right for more information.

Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6:30-8 p.m.

The monthly STEM PTO meeting will be on Thursday, Nov. 19 from 6:30-8 p.m. via Zoom. STEM PTO helps to support our school through teacher-appreciation events, fundraising for teacher grants and more.

Recent PTO Initiatives:

• Teacher Conference Meals
• Restaurant night at Freddy’s

On December 1st, millions of people across the globe will join the #GivingTuesday movement. It’s a day to celebrate the act of generosity and give back to those in need. Click the button below to take part.

Thursday, Dec. 18, from 3-5 p.m. in the Elementary School Cafeteria – Students only

Our top 20 fourth through 8th grade students will be competing for a chance to compete at the district level in the Spring.

Elementary Dance
Join us on Friday afternoons for an online Hip Hop class with Mountain Performing Arts! Click the button below to learn more.

To view your student’s school photo proofs, visit DR Photos and select the link School Portrait Proof. Use your student’s ID number to access their proofs and place any orders that you’d like.

Students may make an appointment to have a photo taken at our photographer’s studio. DR Photo – 8110 W Brandon Dr, Littleton, CO 80125. Click here to set up an appointment.

Nutrition Services is excited to announce that, effective immediately, ALL meals served in school are now free for all students. Free meals include all entrees (except Subway at High Schools) with fruit or veggies, and/or milk. As a reminder, STEM does not serve breakfast.

For Virtual/Online Learners, DCSD will be providing weekly remote meal bag pick-ups at all neighborhood Middle Schools in Douglas County (pick-up not available at STEM). These bags will contain five breakfast/lunches for Virtual/Online Learners and three breakfast/lunches for Hybrid learners. Meal pick-ups do NOT require pre-order. Simply pull up to our curbside pickup locations and request a meal for kids, just like our Summer Feeding sites. Kids do not need to attend DCSD Schools and do not need to be present for pickup. Please see the flier to right right for more information.

2019-20 Yearbook Info

Elementary Students will get the ordered yearbook from their homeroom teacher. Only e-learners will be able to pick them up from the office. All requests for orders for the 2019-20 Yearbook have been placed. We cannot take any additional orders at this time.

2020-21 Yearbook Info

Yearbooks for this school year are not ready for purchase yet. As soon as we have an order link set up, we will share that with families.

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.

*Due to COVID 19, no visitors or volunteers are allowed inside the building at this time. Volunteer requirements will be adjusted as needed. If you are making a donation, please keep track of your donated items for the time being until we provide additional instructions on how to log your hours.

Volunteer opportunities below are all outside of the school building.

Our STEM Santa Program continues to be a HIT so we will bring it back again, just in time for the holiday season. The program allows STEM families to donate toward the purchase of gift cards to be given to STEM teachers and staff. Participating in the STEM Santa Program is the PERFECT way to thank all of our hard-working teachers and staff!

Here’s how the program works:

Place your order using the “STEM Santa Gift Card order button to the right.

• Using the “ STEM Santa Gift Card” order link, you can donate $$ to a general fund (used to purchase gift cards for ALL STEM teachers and staff). The STEM SANTA will do the gift card shopping!
• Gift cards will be delivered to teachers before winter break along with a card “signed” by all families who donate to purchase staff gift cards.
• Be sure to place your order (NO CASH) via the button to the right by Monday, Dec. 7.
• Gift cards will be ordered on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
• Teachers will receive their gifts on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

Remember all orders must be placed by Monday, Dec. 7, so don’t delay,

ORDER TODAY!

Work at home volunteer opportunity

We are in need of a new volunteer to be trained on running this program (spreadsheet work – ordering). Click the link to the right to sign-up.

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.

We are in immediate need of underwear (boys size 6-8; girls size 5-8) for students who have an accident). Please sign up using the link to the right. Donations can be dropped off to the Elementary School Office. Also, Calm Down Bottles have become a popular craft this year and we need some supplies to make them. Please access the list of supplies via the button to the right.

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