Secondary News and Updates (12/04/20)

Please complete the Intent to Return to STEM form by December 18, 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 Tuesday, Dec. 1.

Now Accepting Names for the 2021-22 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.

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!

SpartMart has some new items for the holidays so please take advantage of purchasing some of our student-designed gear. Any orders placed after December 1 will be charged shipping to prevent any need to pick it up from the school. If you’ve already placed your order prior to December 1, check your email for details on how you can pick-up your order.

Thanks for your support!

Start Mart – Student Staff Team

Monday, Dec. 7, from 5-5:30 p.m. – Zoom

Any students who are interested in playing girls basketball at STEM, please click the button below to sign-up for the Interest Meeting on Monday, Dec. 7 from 5-5:30 p.m. A Zoom link will be sent prior to the event.

Friday, Dec. 11, from 8-11:30 a.m. – Zoom Link

High School Counselors will be available for Office Hours on the date listed above to help with 2021-22 course registration.

Friday, Dec. 11, from 4-7 p.m.

We are excited to announce that Middle School student government is hosting our first-ever virtual Movie Night! Join us on Friday, Dec. 11 11th at 4 p.m. If you would like to attend, please fill out the form via the button below. Remember to fill it out soon as this is based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

We are only available to provide options for those who have Amazon Prime, Disney +, Hulu, or Netflix. In order to access the movie night, browser extensions may need to be downloaded. Click on the image to the right to see what movies will be shown.

If you have any questions or clarifications that can be answered by email or Zoom, email siddhartha.aradhya@s.stemk12.org.

Classroom spelling bees were held on Thursday, November 12, in fourth through eighth grades. Students competed to determine classroom winners and alternates. Classroom winners will compete in a participant and judge only STEM school-wide spelling bee on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 3:30 p.m. in the Middle School Cafeteria.
The zoom link will be shared at a future date to view and support our students remotely.

CONGRATULATIONS to our exceptional STEM spellers!

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.

4th Grade
1. Daniel Yun
2. Gia Basra
3. Elizabeth Lee
4. Shravani Jagtap

5th Grade
1. Mirren Winfrey
2. Neil Shandilya
3. Vedant Margale
4. Genevieve O’Kane

6th grade
1. Sophia Bertsch
2. Jonah Bartlett
3. Kaitlyn Settle
4. Prab Singh

7th Grade
1. Emmelyn Roettger
2. Nakul Choudhary
3. Reva Mehratra
4. Siddhi Singh

8th Grade
1. Alex Tijerina
2. Zack Feldkamp
3. Aadithya Senthilkumar
4. Caroline Vargash

Alternates:
4th Grade
Gabe Angel (Murillo)

5th Grade
Quinn Smith

6th Grade
Miyu Erikson

7th Grade
Siddhi Singh

8th Grade
Syna Joseph

Congratulations to the following students who won the Middle School Hand Turkey Art Contest. Great work Spartans!

• Suhit Mogadati, 8th grade
• Hana Lee, 8th grade
• Amber Lassers
• Sen Yakandawala, 7th grade
• Anabel Dew, 8th grade

There’s no question that virtual learning can be a big challenge for students, both mentally and physically.  To help, we have come up with Five Useful Tips aimed at helping students succeed in the virtual classroom. Check out our video below.

NHS is partnering with other STEM honor societies to offer tutoring for Middle and High School students. Students can request tutoring in different subjects or with time management and organization, and they can also specify how often they need tutoring (one-time, weekly, etc.). Tutors will not assist with any graded work to avoid violations of the academic integrity policy. Click the button below to sign-up.

Middle School Boys Basketball
As in previous years, we will be partnering with Highlands Ranch Rec Center to offer Boys Basketball through their youth league. Click the button to the right to express interest.

TSA – Middle & High School
TSA (Technology Student Association) Meetings have begun! It’s not too late to join. This year’s meetings and state conference will all be virtual. Click the button to the right to sign-up.

MathCounts Club

Is your Middle Schooler interested in joining the MathCounts Club? Click the button to the right to complete the interest form.

We are now accepting applications for unpaid HS internships with Lockheed Martin for juniors and seniors.

Students interested in taking part should read the Internship Flier located at the button to the right.  (Note the 10-12 hours per week time commitment)

For students who want to apply, please complete the Lockheed Martin Executive HS Internship Program Sign-Up form. Students will need to obtain two teacher recommendations using the Teacher Recommendation for Executive HS Internship form via the button to the right. Students should send the Teacher Recommendation link to the two teachers they’d like to have complete it.

All applications are due Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020. Students who meet the application deadline will be asked to complete a brief virtual interview. Students who are accepted will be notified by Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020.

We are now accepting applications for unpaid Spring 2021 HS Healthcare Internships for juniors and seniors only.

Interested students should read the description of the internship via the button to the right. (Note the 10-12 hours per week time commitment)

Students interested in applying must complete the Healthcare Executive HS Internship Program Sign-Up form to the right and obtain two teacher recommendations using the Teacher Recommendation for Executive HS Healthcare Internship form via the button to the right.

All applications are due December 10, 2020. Students who meet the application deadline will be asked to complete a brief virtual interview. Students who are accepted will be notified by December 17, 2020.

Applications for the 2020-21 Future Leaders program presented by CBS 4 and PDC Energy are being accepted, to recognize Colorado High School students excelling in STEM. Teachers, parents, mentors and others are encouraged to nominate students who they believe will be Colorado’s future STEM leaders. Nominations will be accepted through April. One student will be selected each month for the award that includes $1,000 and a student profile on CBS4. Nominations should include basic information on the student and their STEM field of study/focus, and any extraordinary circumstances/obstacles that student has had to overcome in order to pursue their studies.

SteMed and SteMed Jr. have introduced a Teacher Mental Health Month program to both the Middle School and High School. As medical clubs, we understand how important mental health is for both students and teachers. Each month, members have the opportunity to nominate a teacher to receive a mental health care package. Mr. Schnacke was our November nominee. Thank you Mr. Schnacke for all you do, we appreciate you!

All Secondary Students can pick up their yearbooks from last school year at the Middle School Front Office. People who have yet to purchase their yearbooks from the 2019-2020 school year and would like one can email sherry.wise@stemk12.org to request and get payment information.

Online ordering is now available for 2020-21 Yearbooks. Click here to purchase yours today!

DCSD will be providing weekly remote meal bag pick-ups at all neighborhood Middle Schools in Douglas County (pick-up not available at STEM). 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.