High School News and Updates (04/27/25)

Dear Stem Spartans and families,

It is hard to believe it is almost May! The year has really gone by fast! Prom and After Prom was a huge success! Shout out to the parents who worked all night to ensure our students had an amazing After Prom experience! 

Now that April is in the rearview mirror, it is time to focus on the end of the year. AP tests are just around the corner! Students, please make sure to get plenty of rest, eat a good breakfast and stay hydrated. All of that will help you with your AP exams!

With the school year rapidly coming to a close, it is critical that we stay on top of the grades. Please take the time to log into Canvas to check your students’ grades. Talk with your students to ensure they have completed all of their work so there are not any last minute surprises at the end of the semester. If you have any questions, please reach out to the teacher now.

Looking ahead… 

May 1- May 3: Spring Musical Into the Woods

May 2: Senior Walk 

May 5-May 16: AP Testing  (make-ups are after that)

May 7: No School

May 9: Seniors last day of school- Senior picnic on the field.

May 9&10: Senior Lockin

May 12: Enrichment Awards Night

May 13: Athletics Awards Night

May 14: Senior Grad Rehearsal and Senior Honor Night

May 15: Secondary School Spring Concert

May 19: Graduation (School Closed)

May 22: Last Day of School. All students grades 8-11 will be at the park for the Welcome to High School Party!

Disturbing Trend

I would like to inform you of a disturbing trend. Recently, we have discovered that some of our middle and  high school students have been making some very poor decisions. Some of our students have been caught vaping in classrooms and bathrooms, and regrettably, bringing alcohol disguised in water bottles onto school grounds. This behavior is a serious violation of school policy, and poses significant health and safety risks. It’s also important to be aware that the presence of THC in vapes can result in a citation from law enforcement.

Please be assured that we are taking all reports of such incidents extremely seriously and conducting thorough investigations. Our process includes:

• Immediate Investigation: Each and every report we receive is promptly investigated.
• Student Interviews: We conduct individual interviews with students who are reported to be involved or who may have witnessed incidents to gather accurate information.
• Searches When Appropriate: When reasonable suspicion exists, and in accordance with school policy and legal guidelines, we conduct searches of student belongings and relevant areas.
• Parent Contact: We are committed to maintaining open communication with parents. When a student is found to be involved in these behaviors, their parents are contacted immediately to inform them of the situation and the disciplinary actions being taken.

In addition to these investigative steps, we are also implementing the following proactive measures:

• Increased Monitoring: We are increasing staff presence in hallways, bathrooms, and other common areas to enhance supervision and deter these behaviors.
• Staff Training: We are providing additional assistance and information  to all staff members on recognizing the signs of vaping and alcohol use, as well as the proper procedures for intervention and reporting.
• Policy Reinforcement: We are clearly communicating and consistently enforcing our school policies regarding substance use, ensuring students understand the consequences of these actions, which range from detention to suspension.
• Review of Security Measures: We are reviewing our current security protocols to identify and address potential vulnerabilities that may allow these substances to enter our school.

We ask for your partnership in reinforcing these important messages at home. Open communication with your children about the risks of vaping and alcohol is crucial. We are also asking for your assistance in observing and monitoring your children to ensure they are not in possession of vapes, alcohol, or drugs. We appreciate your support in maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for all our students.

I recognize that this is an exciting time for everyone. Please be careful!

Thanks everyone!

Sincerely,

Ryan Alsup

Proud High School Director

STEM School Highlands Ranch

Go Spartans!

The Aerospace States Association and Colorado Space Business Roundtable Aerospace Summer Internship Program is currently accepting applications for their summer program.
This is an unpaid internship program for anyone interested in aerospace. Though aerospace is STEM oriented, there are opportunities in many career fields including business, program management, procurement, human resources, communications, legal, and others.

The Internship Program runs for two weeks total. There is a virtual week with students from multiple states participating, followed by an in-person week in Colorado During the program, students will have the opportunity to engage with aerospace industry businesses, university programs, and nonprofits, learning about the opportunities and challenges facing the industry and gaining valuable hands-on experience. Please see the website for more information and to apply.

Join Higher Orbits for an exhilarating two-day event in Denver, CO, where aspiring astronauts and space enthusiasts in grades 8-12 will have a unique opportunity to dive into the world of space exploration. The event will be at the Colorado Air & Space Port in Watkins, Colorado on April 26th and 27th.

CU Anschutz Modern Humanity Program has two summer camps for rising 9th through 12th grade this summer. Brain camp will explore the structure and function of the human nervous system. The Anatomy & Medical Careers camp will focus on medical career paths while learning the structure and functions of the human body. For more information, see the attached flyer.

Horrocks Engineering has invited STEM students to assist in creating an interactive project geared for the Transportation & Construction GIRL Day held in September each year. They are currently looking for two students to assist them engineer a project for the event. There will be initial meetings in April/ May, with the bulk of the project being completed in August/ September. This will be a great opportunity to learn from and network with engineers in the field! For more information, please reach out to Nicole Ryan at nicole.ryan@stemk12.org.

Exciting News!! Burns & McDonnell is hosting a Summer in person mentorship opportunity and a Spring virtual job shadow day for high school students. Students will have the opportunity to learn about real-world engineering projects and field experiences. Burns & McDonnell is an international engineering, architecture and construction firm with offices in Denver.

If you would like to apply for the Denver Mentorship Opportunity being held this summer, please apply using the attached flyer. What an exciting opportunity to learn from experts in the field.

If you are interested in applying for the virtual job shadow on April 28th, please reach out to Nicole Ryan to submit an application.

Are you passionate about IT? Ready to learn some new skills this summer? If so, TeamLogic IT is currently looking for a dedicated summer intern passionate about technology and eager to gain real-world experience. TeamLogic IT is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) specializing in delivering IT solutions to small and medium-sized businesses. If you are interested in learning more, please reach out to Ms. Ryan at nicole.ryan@stemk12.org.

Applications are now being accepted for the Transportation & Construction GIRL Career Week. Career Week for GIRLs is a FREE summer camp that gives young women (ages 13-23) the chance to explore high-paying careers in construction, transportation, and other industries. Over the course of one week, participants will gain hands-on experience, visit top companies, and connect with women professionals in these fields. For more information and to apply, please see the attached flyer.

The Habitat Denver Summer Internship program is an opportunity for high school students to gain valuable skills, learn about affordable housing issues, and make a difference by serving in a Habitat Denver ReStore one shift a week over the course of the summer. For more information and to apply, please see the attached flyer. You can also sign up for an information session here: https://vhub.at/syp

Dear STEM Families,

We are dedicated to maintaining a safe environment for our students and staff. Safety is our number one priority and is a layered approach. One of the measures is to ensure that all students, staff, and visitors are identifiable on campus. Student IDs also alert office staff to who has off-campus permissions and allow students to quickly check in and out using our automated system. We ask for your continued support in ensuring your child is wearing an ID to school each day.

As time goes on, we understand that students will misplace their IDs and lanyards. We ordered another shipment of lanyards and ID holders, but our students are going through them pretty quickly.

After Fall Break, students will be charged $5 for replacements. This charge will run through their Myschoolbucks account. Please monitor the account and speak to your child about these charges if they occur.

Spartmart is looking into purchasing nicer, higher quality lanyards to sell as well and you may also purchase lanyards online.

Finally, because IDs are part of our dress code, if a student is not wearing an ID and does not have a temporary ID, they may be assigned a detention. Students have been made aware of this expectation.

Once again, we really appreciate your support. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to one of our building directors.

In partnership,

The STEM Admin Team

Our Math Society students are volunteering to assist with math homework during access periods (11-11:40 a.m.) on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Help will be available in both the Middle School and High School commons. Students who need support or want to catch up on homework should feel free to take advantage of this opportunity. Students should contact either their math teacher or access teacher to add their name to the list for help.