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 Important Upcoming Dates
| August 10 |
7th Grade Sea Camp Info Meeting |
| August 15 |
Back to School Night - Elementary
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| August 16 |
STEM-PTO Gathering at Chick-fil-A
Back to School Night - Middle School
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| August 17 |
Back to School Night - High School
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| August 17,18 |
Blast Off 5K Run/Walk Packet Pick Up
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| August 20 |
STEM Blast Off and 5K Run |
| August 22 |
Career Mentor Program "Meet and Greet" Event - HS Commons |
| September 4 |
Labor Day (School Closed) |
| September 5 |
STEM BOD Meeting (Quorum pending)
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STEM Blast Off and 5K Run/Walk
Register Now... There are only a few days left! Register here.
When: August 20th - 5K Run/Walk (7:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.)
Family Event (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
Where:
Redstone Park
, 3280 Redstone Park Circle, Highlands Ranch
What: A 5K run/walk, food, and fun for all ages
Looking for Volunteers
As our STEM Blast Off 5K approaches, we are searching for two volunteers to staff our first aid tent for the event. Please contact the school office to sign up if you are a licensed medical professional who is comfortable with this important assignment! Also, please enjoy this sneak peek at our great-looking race day shirts!
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Questions? Need Answers? Stumped?
As we head full-swing back into school with schedule changes, check-ins and many "back to school" happenings, there are many questions.
The most efficient steps in getting your questions answers are as follows:
- Check the Parent/Student Handbook, this tells you nearly all you need to know. This is updated this year in an easy to use format. We urge you to print it out and keep it handy!
- If you are having log-in issues or other questions that cannot be answered with general information, please e-mail i[email protected]. This e-mail reaches all the folks "in the know." The person responsible for your particular question will get back to you as soon as possible.
We hope this helps!
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STEM School Highlands Ranch in the News!
The
Highlands Ranch Herald
news story features our exciting new name, logo and tagline
"Never Stop Innovating." Read the full story
here
.
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2017-18 School Bell Schedules
Please review the school BELL SCHEDULES closely on our website.
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Carpooling Questions
Still looking for carpool groups? More information on carpooling is on the
driveline page on the website.
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General Office Updates
Volunteering At STEM
STEM School Highlands Ranch is grateful for the support of our community of parents, family, friends, and business partners. Without the monetary donations and incredible contributions of time and energy, STEM would not be able to provide the innovative and game-changing education that families expect.
Volunteer Charter:
Our Volunteer Charter requires a commitment of 30 volunteer hours per family (15 hours per single parent family). Contributions of time and energy are just as important as the financial contributions.
There are a variety of ways to volunteer in the classroom, to support special events, or to help with administrative work. Volunteer as your schedule allows - for a part of the day, on a weekend, or for an ongoing commitment.
To make volunteering easy and seamless, our new website will link you to a
Volunteering Basics document that will allow you to set up your volunteer account and keep track of your hours. You will also receive more information at Student Check-in.
You can start now by creating your Volunteer Account in the
HelpCounter.
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:
Lots of daily volunteer opportunities such as Driveline, lunchroom, etc. are listed on the website.
Please check next week for new donation opportunities!
You can see these and other current opportunities
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Yearbook Orders?
Seems a bit early to be thinking about yearbooks for the 2017-18 school year but Kimberly Worth, our Yearbook Advisor suggests that student and families buy their yearbook NOW and SAVE!
Until September 1, 2017 you may purchase your 2017-18 yearbook for $40. After that, the price rises to $45 for the remainder of the year.
Want to get ahead and save some money?
Link here and search for STEM School and then click on yearbook.
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We want to Hear from You!
Now that the 2017-18 school year is off and running, we are eager to hear from students and families regarding the new schedule change process implemented this year. Our goal was to proactively address potential schedule issues.
As you know, our MS and HS counselors were available several days prior to the beginning of school to address schedule changes and try to fix them in advance of check-in.
Please take a moment to provide your feedback by clicking on this link.
Thank you!
Middle School Principal, Leanne Weyman
High School Principal, Cody Blackburn
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Infinite Campus App
Remember: You may view your schedules in your student portals on your mobile/computer devices. Download the infinite Campus app.
The Douglas County I.D.is:
is QKKYJL. Your student login info is: Last name, first name initial, middle name initial. Password: Dcsd, your student number.
Example username: doejj password Password Dcsd: XXXXXX.
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Schedule Changes
- All requests will be considered by making an appointment with a counselor: Middle School students will need to complete the "Schedule Change Meeting Request" form, which can be found at the MS Office. High School students will need to schedule an appointment by emailing their counselor.
- August 18th is the LAST day to request a schedule change.
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College and Career Planning
ALL HS Students: Forward Your DCSD Email:
Please remember to
follow these instructions
to forward your DCSD email to your STEM email address. That is the ONLY way you will be sure to get messages sent through Naviance. You will miss important college/career related information if you do not forward your email or at least, check your DCSD email on a regular basis. Please
email Mrs. Ewing
if you have any questions.
Upcoming Events
Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) College Fair
Wednesday, August 16th, 7-8:30 p.m.
Colorado Convention Center.
More info
here
.
Application Boot Camp (ABC) for Seniors
The ABC workshop is a "boot camp" for seniors applying to college. The workshop will be offered in three parts and cover the various steps needed to apply, request recommendations and other school documents, writing essays/personal statements, etc. The syllabus and link to sign up were sent via email to every senior through Naviance. If you are interested, but did not get the email message, please
email Mrs. Ewing
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NEW: Girls Soccer Team Spring '18
This season we have an exceptional group of players coming together for the Fall Co-Ed Soccer team.
Due to the large number of players interested in playing, we are creating a girls' team in the spring of 2018! This means our female students will have their own team and will not be playing with the boys this Fall.
To start building the girls' team now, we are requesting that all women interested in the Spring season, register NOW.
We are offering a discounted rate (20% off of the registration price) for those who sign up for Spring soccer before October 15th, 2017.
An all-girls team girls will allow the players more playing time and more individual coaching.
This is an incredible opportunity for all female players and we encourage everyone to let their friends know about this opportunity.
Thanks for your continued support of our HS Soccer program!
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Fall 2017 Co-ed Cross Country Season
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The first Practice is Monday, August 14th 3:10 p.m. Meet outside the High School entrance (by the trees. Please wear appropriate shoes, attire, and bring a FULL water bottle.
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The Parent/Student Athlete Information meeting is this Thursday, August 10th, at 3:10 p.m. in room 134.
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Correction: the Cross Country fee is $200 (woo hoo!)
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You will need to complete all forms including the athlete physical before you can practice.
If you have any questions, please e-mail Coach Clapp or Coach Huntington.
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Career Mentor Meet and Greet
Don't miss the Career Mentor Program "Meet and Greet" on August 22nd from 6:30 - 7:30 pm in the HS Commons. This event is by invitation only.
Parent/Student Handbook
Please make sure to check out the new
Parent/Student handbook. Bookmark or download the handbook for easy reference. This handbook will answer nearly all of your questions throughout the year.
All School News
Make sure to read through the All-School Update section of this newsletter to learn more about the STEM Blast Off and 5K run and general office updates.
Principal's Page
Please make sure to visit the High School Principal page,
Principal Cody Blackburn, as he will be updating it with news particular to the High School.
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We want to Hear from You!
Now that the 2017-18 school year is off and running, we are eager to hear from students and families regarding the new schedule change process implemented this year. Our goal was to proactively address potential schedule issues.
As you know, our MS and HS counselors were available several days prior to the beginning of school to address schedule changes and try to fix them in advance of check-in.
Please take a moment to provide your feedback by clicking on this
link.
Thank you!
Middle School Principal, Leanne Weyman
High School Principal, Cody Blackburn
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Infinite Campus App
Remember: You may view your schedules in your student portals on your mobile/computer devices. Download the infinite Campus app.
The Douglas County I.D.is:
is QKKYJL. Your student login info is: Last name, first name initial, middle name initial. Password: Dcsd, your student number.
Example username: doejj password Password Dcsd: XXXXXX.
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Middle School Parents: Please Check Your Student's Schedules
Parents of Middle School students, please check your student's schedule to be certain that they are scheduled for the required core classes listed below:
- Year-Long: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Students
- Semester Courses: Computers, Engineering or Robotics (TSA is a year-long course)
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SeaCamp
SeaCamp is a marine science camp in San Diego, California.
The first trip departs on October 23.
Students experience a week of hands-on, interactive learning covering a wide scope of marine information. SeaCamp is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn real-world, relevant ocean science that relates to the 7th grade science curriculum.
Our first meeting for this field trip will be held tonight,
August 10th, from 6-7:30 pm.
Please enter through the Middle School Cafeteria entrance (not through the Middle/Elementary/High School Offices). We will meet in the MS Cafeteria. If you cannot attend the meeting, e-mails will be sent with all of the information about SeaCamp.
Parent/Student Handbook
Please make sure to check out the new
Parent/Student handbook. Bookmark or download the handbook for easy reference. This handbook will answer nearly all of your questions throughout the year.
Make sure to read through the All-School Update section of this newsletter to find out more about the STEM Blast Off and 5K run and general office updates..
Principal's Page
Please make sure to subscribe to Principal Weyman's
Principal Page as she will be updating it with news particular to the Middle School.
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Elementary School Daily Schedule
The following is a general schedule of the day. More specific details can be found
here. Individual grade levels and teachers may make minor modifications to this schedule.
K-5 Back to School Night: August 15th
Join us for Back to School Night from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. on August 15th. This is an open house format in which classroom teachers will be available to answer any questions and share specific information related to their class. There are no formal presentations for this event so you are available to visit at your convenience.
School Directory
We have a school directory this year! This is an opt-in option for parents to communicate with other families and teachers. Join here. The school code is STEMSchoolandAcademy.
Elementary Driveline
Please visit the
website for full explanations of the driveline processes and procedures. Here is a
summary specific to Elementary students.
After School Care
Do you need after school care? Please visit the
STEM BASE website for general information related to this program or contact
Morgan Wheeler. In the next few weeks, we will send out specific information for registering for this program.
Nutrition Services
Douglas County Nutrition Services will be providing lunch to our elementary students. Please visit the
DCSD Nutrition Services website for additional information.
Technology
Elementary students do not need to bring their own devices at this time. The school is providing tablets, Chromebooks and laptops for K-4 students. 5th grade students can begin bringing their own device.
K-4th grade students will be using Google Classroom as a parent and student learning platform. 5th grade students will be using Canvas. Parent information for logging in will be provided during the first week of school.
Principal's Page
Please make sure to subscribe to Dr. Karen Johnson's
Principal Page as she will be updating it with news particular to the Elementary School.
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Check out the new
Enrichment page
of the website! Some highlights below:
Before/After School Care Program
Middle and High School Students: This year, our Before/After School care program for Middle and High School students will be run through a new program called SmartCare.
Spartan Afternoon Program is the after school program for Middle and High School students who are not in a club club or meeting with a teacher and remain at the school after Driveline. The program We allows students to drop-in whenever needed without prior registration.
The rates:
- One Time Registration Fee: $10
- Spartan Morning Program: 7:00 a.m. - 7:55 a.m. $5
- Spartan Afternoon Program, Club: 2:55 p.m. - 4:25 p.m. $6
- Spartan Afternoon Program, Extended: 4:25 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. $7
Until we are up running fully, there will be a grace period and we will not go back and apply those charges later. Spartan Afternoon Program will still be available for students to use during this time. Parents and families who used our program last year should be receiving an email when we open up registration. Thank you for your time and patience as we work to improve our program, and your experience. Please email
Nate Gallenbeck with questions.
MS/HS Choir
STEM School Highlands Ranch Choir will rehearse during Period 10 every Tuesday afternoon. They will perform their own program at the music festivals in December and March, including new pieces from the ongoing Friday Afternoons Project with STEM ensembles and other school choirs, even taking part in a collaborative Immersive Theatre Project with our new high school drama course. STEM's Adjunct Choir Instructor, Travis Branam, will lead the choir and involve them in as many performances as possible. A high level of rehearsal attendance and commitment is expected in order for you to develop your individual voices, as a choir and as a performance group in the STEM School Concert Series. Be the voices of STEM School Highlands Ranch! Click here to sign up and learn more.
The mission of the STEM School Highlands Ranch
Allies
in
Diversity
club is to promote awareness of social
diversity
and combat misconceptions that can lead to bullying or targeting incidents.
Allies
in
Diversity
aims to foster a culture of respect for all individuals and provide a safe space for students to come together and combat stereotypes. We will utilize partnerships
in
student council events, hands-on learning activities, and an end of year culminating event to help enhance our school community through cultivating an atmosphere of tolerance, respect, and integrity. Meets Tuesdays. More info here.
Elementary students K-5, join this fun weekly game club! Students will have the option to bring their own electronic device to play games like Roblox or Minecraft, or play with a variety of board games!
More info here.
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STEM PTO: STEM Parent Teacher
Partnership (STEP)
STEM Blast Off Family Social
When: Sunday, August 20th 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Redstone Park in Highlands Ranch (near Town Center Drive & Santa Fe)
Who: All Families and Staff from the STEM School Highlands Ranch Community
Website Link
Please join the STEM-PTO and the whole STEM School Highlands Ranch Community for our
4th Annual STEM Blast Off Family Social!
Directly after the Blast Off 5K, we will celebrate being back at school and welcome new families and staff. This great event will be full of fun, activities, food, but more importantly, friends. Please visit our
STEM-PTO Blast Off website for a full list of activities and volunteer opportunities.
STEM Blast Off Sponsorships are available for families and your business, ranging from $50 to $150. Benefits include, commemorative poster, name (and website link) under sponsorship link for event on our STEM-PTO Website and Facebook, and volunteer hours for your tax deductible donation! Please visit our STEM-PTO Blast Off website for further details or
contact us.
Be sure and support our growing STEM School High S
chool Athletics program by participating in their inaugural Blast Off 5K, which precedes the Blast Off Family Social at Redstone Park. You can run, walk or even sleep-in! There is also a Fun Run for Kids. For registration and race details please visit the 5K website.
Pirate's Cove Summer Social
A huge thank you to everyone who attended the STEM-PTO event at Pirate's Cove. Close to 300 people attended, many of whom were new families to STEM. It was a great way to Kick Off this school year and we plan to do it again next summer. A huge thank you to all who volunteered at check in and snack bar. We could not have done it without you!
A special thank you to Kelley Marie Paulson, Laura Wyse and everyone on the Pirate's Cove Planning Committee for making this year's inaugural Pirate's Cove Summer Social an amazing fun-filled event for all.
Please check the
STEM-PTO calendar on the main school website for more fun upcoming events!
STEM-PTO Gathering: One Week In
When: Wednesday, August 16th 8:00 am to 10:00 am
Where: Chick-fil-A, 950 Cpl Max Donahue Ln, Highlands Ranch
Note: There is a play place for your little ones to be entertained!
Let's celebrate making it through your first week. Stay to connect with other STEM families, hear more about what STEM-PTO has planned this year, meet the leadership, explore how and to what level you would like to get involved, and to bring your questions and ideas for improvement. STEM-PTO representatives will be there to answer questions or help you sign up for volunteering.
Thank-You Chick-Fil-A
Thank-You Chick-Fil-A for providing our STEM School families with a FREE cup of coffee after first-day drop off! Our parents truly enjoyed getting to know one another at our local Highlands Ranch Town Center Chick-Fil-A at STEM-PTO's "Drop off Blues" Social Gathering on Wednesday, August 9th. Ryan and his Chick-Fil-A team are wonderful and we are grateful for their support!
Help "BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!"
There are many opportunities to help make a difference at STEM School Highlands Ranch this year. We also want to hear your ideas and suggestions. Please take a moment to fill out our STEM-PTO Volunteer Interest Survey in the link above. Thank you!
SCRIP™ Coming Soon.
The PTO MOST WANTED volunteer needs are:
- Data Entry
- Direct Giving Chair
- Cub Scout Cubmaster and Cub Scout Liaison
- Booster Club
Email us if you are interested or have questions.
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The Douglas County School District is Colorado's third-largest school district, serving more than 67,000 students in preschool through twelfth-grade.
Visit the
DCSD website
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The Foundation for Douglas County Schools (formerly the Douglas County Educational Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit which works with corporations and organizations to develop private resources to enrich education within Douglas County schools for the fulfillment of lifelong learning experiences of our students, citizens and community.
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Coming Up!
Park -
Oct 7th, 7:00 p.m.
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STEM School & Academy | 303-683-7836 | www.stemhigh.org
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