Informed families are empowered families. We want to make it as easy as possible for families to access all of the information needed to help their students have the best experience possible. This page includes information about the Student/Parent Handbook, our newsletters and more.
The Student/Parent Handbook is the ultimate resource for all of our families. Click the button below to download the Handbook.
After 24 hours of medication for the following conditions:
The student has been free of the following conditions for at least 24 hours:
The student has been free of the following conditions for at least 48 hours:
Source: Health Guidelines Manual
If your student is ill or late, please call the attendance line (303) 683-7836 by 8 a.m. stating a clear reason why they are missing school or if they will be late. If your student is late, please be sure that they clearly write their name on the Late Arrivals sheet in the their school office. Elementary students MUST be signed in by a parent. Secondary students will need either a note from their parents, doctor office, etc., or a phone call from the parent. The attendance dialer will inform parents if a student is absent or tardy.
Click the button below to access the Attendance Correction Form. It will open an editable PDF that you can fill out, save and attach to an email to your student’s teacher who marked them absent. The teacher will then complete the bottom portion of the form and submit it to the appropriate front office for processing.
If a student fails to abide by the School Attendance Contract and has continued absences, a referral to the Student Assistance Department is made by the school for a potential Student Attendance Review Board hearing. Aside from the referring school representatives, the Board is made up of representatives from the following departments/agencies: Probation, WrapAround, Student Wellness, Health Services, Mental Health, Department of Human Services, At-risk and Expulsion Services, community-based truancy experts and the Juvenile Assessment Center. The purpose of this collaborative problem-solving team is to incorporate strength-based practices to increase family engagement, identify foundational roadblocks to attendance, and provide immediate resources. This panel examines the attendance situation and reviews the attendance contract with the student and family. If a student fails to abide by the district contract and has continued absences, a referral to the Douglas County courts for truancy will be filed by the Douglas County School District attorney. For truancy questions, contact Deb Kaufman at 303-387-0705.
Students will need to be signed out by a parent at the respective office (Elementary or Secondary). The steps below outline the steps to follow in order to cause the least amount of disruption to the classroom:
NO unscheduled early pickups are allowed after 1:15 p.m. This is to minimize disruption to the last period of the day. Additionally, for Elementary, please avoid picking up your student after 2 p.m. so that you are not impeding the Elementary Driveline. For Secondary, please avoid picking up your student after 2:30 p.m. so that you are not impeding the Secondary Driveline.
The Technology Suppor Team helps to support all of the technology needs of our students and staff, while also assisting our families with getting connected.
To ensure the safety of the students and to fulfill the commitment to the neighborhood in managing the traffic and parking impacts, the STEM School Highlands Ranch has developed this transportation management plan (TMP). This plan defines the strategies for the next year and this should be a living document that continuously evolves with the growth of the school and neighboring area.
The Plan identifies policies, procedures and improvements to provide safe and efficient access to the school for parents, students and staff and to mitigate potential traffic and parking impacts on the adjacent business park neighborhood.
Click the button below to learn more about the Driveline policies and procedures for student drop-off and pick-up. In order to be good neighbors to the local businesses and communities, it is important that all families abide by the policies and procedures that are outlined.
Here you’ll find more information on the PikMyKid App for Elementary families, our Secondary Carpool Program through Way to Go, and how to request placards.
The food service program at STEM is provided by the Douglas County School District Nutrition Services. They are committed to providing the highest quality meals for your child. Research shows a student who eats breakfast has improved attendance, is more attentive, better behaved and has an increased energy level. All of these elements are tied to academic success.
If a family does not qualify for FRL, the meals will cost the following:
$3.75 – Elementary
$4 – Middle School
All meal prices include an entree, fruit, veggies and milk. Ala carte options are available at all schools and prices vary by option. Students pay for school lunches through their MySchoolBucks account.
Families are required to complete a new application each school year, unless you have received a letter of notification that your child was directly certified for the 2024-25 school year.
The submission of a free and reduced-price meal application and subsequent determination of benefits goes beyond eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals. In addition, submitting an application also helps ensure students receive the maximum amount of benefits they are eligible for, including discounts on school fees and bus passes. It also ensures schools also receive additional resources to support healthy meals for students and afterschool programs.
Please apply online at http://www.myschoolapps.com. If you are in need of a paper application, please contact your school bookkeeper or Susan Babineau at 303-387-0368. All applications are available in both English, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. If another language is needed, contact Susan Babineau.
If approved for meal benefits, and the release to share information for Medicaid or other school fees was NOT elected on the application and you would like to share this information, please complete the Information Release form that can be found by clicking on the Free & Reduced tab above and choosing the tab: Information Release and send it to DCSD NS, 2812 N SH 85 Bldg., Castle Rock, CO 80109. Some charter schools have alternative policies regarding transportation fees. Please check with your individual school to see the policy on transportation fees.
For information regarding Immigrant and Refugee Status applications, please click HERE.
Para obtener información sobre las solicitudes de Inmigrante y Estado de Refugiado, haga clic AQUÍ.
If you notice that your fees are not waived in MySchoolBucks, please reach out to Ashley.Westfall@stemk12.org.
There will be two ways to file a non-medical exemption.
Parents of students in grades K-12 claiming a non-medical exemption must file one annually. Non-medical exemptions expire on June 30 each year. If you submit a non-medical exemption on or before June 30, it will not be valid for the upcoming school year unless you signed the exemption during early registration.
STEM School Highlands Ranch has different policies for each grade level regarding over-the-counter and prescription medications on campus. Please link below for the appropriate grade level of your student.
Spartan B.A.S.E. provides care after school and full days during in-service days and school breaks for STEM Elementary students. The B.A.S.E. program is licensed through the State of Colorado Office of Early Childhood Education and run by the Douglas County School District. B.A.S.E. is staffed with at least one qualified teacher for every 15 students on site. B.A.S.E. provides a safe, enriching, environment, that combines quiet time for homework with enrichment activities, as well as time for free and gross motor play.
