Secondary News and Updates (01/07/22)

Tuesday, Jan. 11, in the morning

STEM will be offering COVID Testing for students and staff again on Tuesday, Jan. 11 in the morning.

SECONDARY FAMILIES: Secondary students whose parents have consented to testing will need to sign-up to be scheduled for a testing time on Tuesday. Please sign up your Secondary student for COVID testing at the link below. The sign-up will close at 8 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 10. Only students that are signed up will be tested. You will receive an email late on Monday, Jan. 10 to let you know your student’s scheduled time for testing.

FYI: Mobile Health’s CSR team is making phone calls to some parents to verify consent form information if the form is missing information or if the information is inaccurate. CDPHE has requested this of Mobile Health so that they can get accurate information.

Wednesday, Jan. 12, from 10-11 a.m – Secondary School Entrance

Each Wednesday, STEM opens up its doors from 10-11 a.m. for a building tour to interested families who would like to learn more about our school. We’d like to encourage our families to spread the word to anyone they know who might be interested in having their student(s) attend STEM. Interested tour participants should arrive 10 minutes early to get checked in and badged. They must bring a valid ID in order to get checked in.

Wednesday, Jan. 12, from 3-3:45 p.m. –  Room 145

Girls’ Persist is an evidence-based STEM leadership program designed to put problems into practice while fostering an environment for girls to thrive. The program consists of hands-on learning applications and leadership methods viable for shaping self-efficacy and increasing capacity for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program utilizes the learn-it, lead-it, and perform-it framework to assist adolescent girls with self-confidence, critical thinking skills, and decision-making while influencing overall STEM persistence.

Open to: Students in grades 6th-12th

Program dates: January 12, 2022-May 4, 2022 (Wednesday’s)

Recognition ceremony: May 11, 2022

Wednesday, Jan. 12, from 6:30-8 p.m – Zoom

The monthly STEM PTO Meeting will be on Wednesday, Jan. 12 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, 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 for the purpose of enhancing the quality of each students’ education, the school as a whole, and the entire community through the development of resources and participation of parents, school staff, and the community. Meetings are open for anyone to attend. Please park in the High School Parking lot and enter through the High School doors.

Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 5:30-7 p.m – High School Commons

The STEM Board of Directors has tasked Dr. Eucker and the Strategy Team of the Strategic Plan with taking the next steps toward replication the KOSON Instructional Method of Problem-Based Learning. Dr. Carletta Stewart is leading the efforts toward replication in the Sterling Ranch and within the Denver Public Schools communities. We’d like to invite interested STEM School Highlands Ranch Families who would like to get involved in helping to replicate the STEM magic with other families, to an Informational Session on Tuesday, Jan. 18 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the High School Commons. Dr. Stewart will be on hand to answer any questions. Even if you’re not sure if you want to get involved, we invite you to attend to find out more information.

Wednesday, Jan. 19, from 5:30-7 p.m. 

The monthly STEM School Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting will be on Wednesday, Jan. 19 from 5:30-7 p.m. The meeting will also be available to watch via Zoom as a trial. In-person participation is strongly encouraged to help build engagement. Additionally, those who would like to participate in Public Comment must do so in person.

The purpose of the SAC is to inform, encourage and provide opportunities for parent and community members to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the school’s instructional program and quality improvement processes. The SAC makes recommendations concerning the School’s performance, improvement, priority improvement, or turnaround plan, and meets to discuss the implementation of the School’s plan and other progress pertinent to STEM’s accreditation contract with the Board of Education. The SAC makes recommendations to the director for prioritizing the spending of school money.

Monday, Jan. 24, from 5-7 p.m. – High School Commons

If you’re interested in getting involved in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at STEM, we encourage you to attend to find out more information. Email Amie McElroy (amie.mcelroy@stemk12.org) with any questions.

Thursday, Jan. 27, from 7-9 p.m. – Middle School Cafeteria

Friday, Jan. 28, from 7-9 p.m. – Middle School Cafeteria

Saturday, Jan. 29, from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. – Middle School Cafeteria

Sunday, Jan. 30, from 7-9 p.m. – Middle School Cafeteria

A dramatic comedy about the world of fantasy role-playing games, SHE KILLS MONSTERS tells the story of Agnes Evans as she comes to terms with the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When she finds Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she embarks on an adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly’s refuge. Tickets are $10.

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 the form below 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.

If you have not set up your observer account for your student(s), please do so as soon as possible. This is one of the ways that teachers use to let parents know about what is happening in classes. You can go to the Technology Support page and click on the “Quick Guide to Systems.” You will see a video in this area that shows you step by step in creating an observer account.

If you run into difficulty, please email the IT team at support@stemk12.org and they can help with any technology issues that arise.

The time has finally come! We received word that the High School Staff Parking Lot will be fenced off and no one will be able to enter and/or park there starting on Monday, Jan. 17. The High School Staff Parking Lot will need to be reallocated to the construction company and fenced off. Access to this lot will be restricted to construction site activity only. The lot will be closed for the remainder of the year. Please start to familiarize yourself with the parking map so that you know where you can and can’t park. Additionally, please review our Driveline Procedures so that you know where you can and cannot drop-off and pick-up students. As a reminder, there is no drop-off or pick-up on the sidewalk around the campus. Drop-off and pick-up must be done through our Elementary and Secondary Drivelines.

Nominations are now open for the CBS Denver Future Leaders Scholarship. If you know a High School student who is thriving in the STEM core subjects please consider nominating them for this $1,000 scholarship.

Click the button below to access the nomination form and to find out more. One student will be selected each month to receive this special recognition award that will include a $1,000 award along with a student profile on CBS4. The nomination window will run through April 22, 2022.

In the event that DCSD determines that the district should follow the DCSD Delayed Opening protocol, STEM School Highlands Ranch will abide by its Virtual School Day Policy. When it snows, our school’s operation and instructional expectations will be determined by one of these three scenarios:

1. Snow Day – Douglas County Schools (check www.dcsdk12.org) calls a snow day – The STEM building is closed and implements a Virtual School Day with 20% of the learning being synchronous. (NEW; STEM will not have Snow Days morning forward)
2. Late Start Day – Douglas County Schools calls a Late Start day – STEM is closed and implements a Virtual School Day with 20% of the learning being synchronous.
3. All Schools Open – Douglas County Schools declare Highlands Ranch area schools open – STEM is open and operating to our regular schedule.

The Colorado School Nutrition Association will be holding their annual conference this summer on June 15-16. Part of the conference is the One Plate Challenge at the Embassy Suites in Loveland, Colo. Check the flier to the right for more information.

Attention Middle School and High School students!

Don’t forget to purchase your yearbooks. Go to Yearbookforever.com to buy your yearbook for $45. Buy it while you can because come October 31 the price goes up to $55. Additionally, if you would like your photo in the yearbook, you can share your photos with us. You can share them using the Yearbook Snap app using the code STEM22. It’s available on the App Store and Google Play Store, download it today and share those photos. If you have any questions about the yearbook or how to use Yearbook Snap, please email one of the yearbook editors-in-chief at elizabeth.noethlich@s.stemk12.org and cadence.coan@s.stemk12.org or stop by room 110 after school.

Families can access their photos by visiting the link to the right or going to dr-photo.com, selecting the School Portrait Proofs link, and when prompted enter their private password in the following format: Student ID#

Have you heard about MIT Solve’s Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge? It’s for young people 24 and under like you who want to make a positive impact in your communities and the world. Now through January 18, 2022, you can submit a solution to the challenge for a chance to be selected as a Solv[ED] Innovator and share among the $200,000 in available prize funding.

More information, frequently asked questions, and the link to apply can be found via the button below. You can read more about Solv[ED] on their website here. Several application clinics are scheduled to answer your questions, but if you can’t wait until then, email help@solve.mit.edu. I hope that you consider submitting a solution and looking at the resources Solv[ED] has to offer!

10 Simple Mindfulness Activities For Kids To Build Emotional Intelligence

One way children and adults alike can develop emotional intelligence is through mindfulness practices which help us be with and in the present moment with joy and ease.

17 Ways to Keep Your Middle Schooler Interested in Reading

As your kids get older, they may put reading on the back burner. Learn the best ways to keep them turning the pages with some helpful tips

DCSD Virtual Calming Corner

Explore helpful links and resources that can help manage emotions and stress, such as music, meditation, creative activities, and a virtual nature walk.