Middle School News and Updates (02/09/25)

Dear Middle School Families, 

February 15th is National School Resource Officer Day, and we happen to have the best SRO around.  Deputy Gabe Uribe has been with us for six years, and he is truly an integral part of our STEM Family.  In an effort to honor him, we are planning a surprise during Access on Wednesday, February 12th. We intend to surprise Deputy Gabe with an honor walk, a choir, hundreds of cards, and a plaque. Here is my big ASK of you.  We are hoping to have everyone in the school dress in BLUE on the 12th to honor Deputy Gabe. Would you please ensure that your child dresses in blue or some other way to honor him?  We will send a reminder text Tuesday night to you so you don’t forget! 

It seems that about this time each year, we experience an uptick in behavior reports. Technology and social media offer incredible opportunities for connection, but they can also be breeding grounds for hurtful language. Each day, we are working to teach our students that words, even online, have real-world consequences. We work closely as a team to eliminate racist and sexist language in our school and promote a safe and Inclusive learning environment.  Recently, we have have received reported instances of:

• Racist comments: Some students have made insensitive and hurtful remarks based on race or ethnicity. This behavior is unacceptable and goes against our core values.
• Cheating: We have seen an increase in cheating incidents, both in class and on homework assignments. Cheating undermines the learning process and creates an unfair advantage for some students.

Addressing These Concerns: 

• Increased vigilance: We are increasing our supervision of students during school hours, particularly in areas where inappropriate behavior has been observed.
• We are educating our students through discussions, Access lessons, as well as coordinating restorative conversations with students involved. 

Your Support is Essential: 

• We believe that creating a safe and inclusive learning environment requires a collaborative effort between school and home. We ask for your support in the following ways:
• Talk to your children: Discuss the importance of treating others with respect, regardless of their background. Talk about the dangers of cyberbullying, explain the consequences of cheating, and encourage them to value their own learning and integrity.
• Monitor your child’s phone: We are asking parents and guardians to be more aware of their children’s online activities and to monitor their use of technology at home. Set clear expectations about phone usage during school hours and monitor their online activities at home.
• Report any concerns: If you see or hear about any incidents of racism, cyberbullying, cheating, or other inappropriate behavior, please encourage your child to report them to us immediately.

Middle school is a training ground, and mistakes happen. When students demonstrate hurtful behavior, consequences are essential for accountability and learning. These consequences could include restorative justice practices or disciplinary action. Our goal is not to punish but to guide them toward becoming responsible and respectful individuals. By partnering with families, we can create a school environment where kindness thrives and hurtful language has no place. We encourage you to continue these conversations at home to empower our children to be compassionate individuals.

Parent Teacher Conferences – Please note the time change

Our conferences will be held on Wednesday, March 12th from 4:30-7:30 for last names A-L and

On Thursday, March 13th from 4:30-7:30 for last names M-Z. 

Important dates and events: 

• February 12th – SRO Appreciation – All students and Staff wear blue
• February 13 – 15 – TSA State Competition 
• Monday, February 17th – No School – Presidents’ Day
• Saturday, February 22 – Middle School SNOWBALL Dance – Chaperones Needed!
• February 28th – March 2 – Wish Week  
• Thursday, March 6 – Our 13th annual STEM’s Got Talent Show and Staff Lip Sync
• Wednesday, March 12 –  4:30-7:30 –  Conferences – Last Name A-L
• Thursday, March 13 –  4:30 – 7:30 – Conferences – Last Name M-Z  
• March 14 – 23 – Spring Break 
• March 24 – 26 and March 26 – 28 – 6th Grade Keystone Science Camp Trips

Thank you all for your continued support. My door is always open if you would like to chat about how we can help to better support your child. 

In Partnership, 

Maura Ridder

Middle School Director

February 14th

No School

February 13 – 15th

Monday, February 17th

Saturday, February 22nd

Chaperones Needed!

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.