Weekly news & updates
Thursday, March 5, 2020 | Newsletter Archive | View as Webpage
Update on COVID-19

We are working closely with the Douglas County School District (DCSD) in regards to providing information about the COVID-19 virus. We also closely follow all recommendations from the Colorado Department of Health with regard to student and staff safety.

We recommend all families familiarize themselves with the information provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to avoid confusion. Additionally, Tri-County Health has set up a webpage for residents of Douglas County with helpful information from a local level.

If you are finding it difficult to find hand sanitizer, click here to access a helpful tutorial on how to make your own hand sanitizer at home.

We will continue to share out any new information that we receive. If you'd like to help us reduce the risk of illnesses spreading, please consider donating hand sanitizer, clorox wipes and kleenex to the Middle and Elementary School front offices.
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT STEM
Upcoming Events
See what's happening this month .
LockOUT/Shelter-In-Place Drill coming up on Tuesday, March 10
On Tuesday, March 10 at 1 p.m., we will conduct the LockOUT/Shelter-In-Place drills. This is NOT a Lockdown drill. During these drills we follow the Standard Response Protocol .

As outlined on the ILoveYouGuys.org website: 
"The differentiation between Lockout and Lockdown is a critical element in SRP. A Lockout recovers all students from outside the building, secures the building perimeter and locks all outside doors. This would be implemented when there is a threat or hazard outside of the building. Criminal activity, dangerous events in the community, or even a vicious dog on the playground would be examples of a Lockout response. While the Lockout response encourages greater staff situational awareness, it allows for educational practices to continue with little classroom interruption or distraction."

For additional information, please check out Deputy Gabe Uribe's February 20 entry in his weekly Walking the Beat blog for our Newsletter about the importance of drills. 

Just as in previous drills, Mrs. Weyman will make an announcement indicating that it is a drill and that all classroom instruction should continue as normal. She will inform staff and students when the drill is complete over the intercom. Mental health supports will be available for any student(s) that need them.

We ask that you please review the SRP with your students so that they are prepared and so that you can answer any questions they may have. You can also direct any questions to [email protected] . 
STEM WISH Week Carnival is this Friday
STEM WISH Week will come to an end this Friday with the Carnival in the Elementary School Gym from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Tickets are $5. Wish Week is STEM's annual spirit week where our STEM community works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to raise as much money as possible for children with life threatening illnesses. Check out the Wish Week Website for more information..
STEM PTO Gala This Saturday
The STEM PTO Gala is this Saturday, March 7 from 6-10 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn & Suites. This event is open to all STEM Parents of any grade level. Cost per ticket is $25. Use the discount code COUPLE to receive a $5 discount per ticket. Click the image above to purchase tickets online. Please check the STEM PTO Newsletter below for more information.
Click here to view the flier for the Gala.
Click here to view the flier for the silent auction.
Click here to check out the online auction.
Scholastic Spring Book Fair Starts March 9
The Scholastic Spring Book Fair will kick off on March 9 and last until March 13, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in E135 (Elementary). Parents interested in attending should enter either through the Elementary or Middle School Front Offices to get a visitor's badge. Please make sure that you have your ID with you. Click here to read more about the fair.
STEM Spring Concert Coming up on Wednesday, March 11
Families and students are invited to come out to the STEM Spring Concert starting at 6 p.m. at Ranch View Middle School. Students, families, staff and STEM community supporters are all invited to attend. Admission is free, however donations to the Music Department are accepted.
STEM Staff Wellness Challenge
Did you know that our staff is doing a Wellness Challenge? The challenge began in January and will last until March 14. If you'd like to help our staff members make healthy choices, consider donating healthy snacks to the front offices. Let's Be Healthy!
One-Year Mark Information
As the one-year mark approaches, Hannah Reese has begun the process of planning what that day will look like and the events that will encompass that day. If you have any feedback on who you'd like STEM to partner with for any community-related activities, please complete  this form . Additional information will be shared in the coming weeks. Questions can be directed to [email protected].
SCHOOL UPDATES AND REMINDERS
Elementary Updates
Elementary updates include good news of the work that our students are doing, important reminders for parents and students and upcoming event information.
Secondary Updates
Middle and High School updates include good news of the work that our students are doing, scholarship/internship opportunities and upcoming event information.
Enrichment Updates
Find out more about our Enrichment Programs, including how students can get involved and the latest news.
Athletic Updates
Find out more about our High School Athletics, including how to get involved and how they are doing.
Reminder! Complete the Intent to Return form
If your student is planning on returning, but you have not let us know, please complete this Intent to Return form as soon as possible.
Early Dismissal Reminders
A student will be excused to leave class with an Early Leave Pass from the office. The student may exchange a note from the parent for the pass at the office. Also, a phone call to the office may be needed for younger Elementary School students.

The course of action that will cause the least amount of disruption to the classroom is to:

  • Pick your student up during passing period
  • Send a note in with your student to receive an Early Dismissal Pass (students will be able to show this to their teacher before class begins, and leave at the appropriate time).

NO unscheduled early pick ups will be allowed after 1:15 p.m. 
OFFICE, VOLUNTEER, DONATION AND GENERAL NEWS
Volunteer/Donation Opportunities
Check out all the opportunities to volunteer at/donate to STEM.
Volunteer of the Month
Susan Montgomery is our Volunteer of the Month for February with over 36 hours devoted to PTO activities. We are so grateful to you and the wonderful PTO, thank you Susan!
Reminders from the Health Room
With cold and flu season upon us, just a friendly reminder as to when you should have your child return to school when home ill.
  • After 24 hours of medication for the following conditions: Strep throat, Conjunctivitis, or any other conditions requiring antibiotics.  
  • Free from the following conditions for at least 24 hours: Fever without the benefit of fever reducing medications (Tylenol/Motrin). 
  • Free from the following conditions for at least 48 hours: Diarrhea and Vomiting (related to stomach virus such as norovirus) with a fever. 24 hours after last bout of diarrhea and/or vomiting if without a fever.

Don't forget to wash your hands!
Following these District Policies will help keep some of the illness out of the classrooms! Please contact Karen Lewis (STEM School Nurse) at [email protected] , or call 303-683-7836 with any questions or concerns. Thank you in advance for helping us keep STEM a healthy place
Chaperones Needed!
CHAPERONES needed for the Middle School Student Government's Fire and Ice Dance on Saturday, March 7th. Volunteers needed from 5:30-8:30pm, please email [email protected] if you can help!
Middle School Dance Donations
On March 7th, Middle School Student Government presents the next Middle School Dance - FIRE & ICE, and are seeking donations.  Click here to view sign up sheet.
Check Lost and Found Before Spring Break
Don't forget to check the lost and found areas for any items that you might be missing. Elementary lost and found is located in the Elementary School Lobby and Middle School lost and found is located outside of the Middle School Cafeteria.
Reminder About Visitors to STEM
All secondary visitors must enter through the Middle School entrance and all elementary visitors must enter through the Elementary entrance. The High School entrance is not an entrance for visitors at any time. 

The High School entrance will be open for students to enter the school from 7:30 - 7:50 a.m. each day, and for students to exit at the end of the day. No one, including students, will be allowed to enter or exit from the High School entrance at any other time during the school day. 

All visitors MUST present identification to have a visitor badge made. Thank you!
AP Testing Proctors Needed
We are testing May 4-15, and seeking parent volunteers as proctors. Here are the requirements to be a proctor:
  • be a responsible adult
  • may not have a child taking the exam they are proctoring
  • be reliable, have attention to detail, and understand the importance of ensuring a secure testing environment
If you are interested, please contact Liz Dougan at [email protected] .
Donate to STEM via Smile.Amazon.Com
Did you know that you can donate to STEM through smile.amazon.com? Just set STEM Academy as your organization and a percentage of each of your order will be donated each quarter to STEM. To date, we have received $1,796.87 in donations.
Elementary Health Room Needs
We are in need of a few clothing items. View sign up sheet here .
Reminder to Pay Your Fees
Enrollment and AP testing fees for the 2019-20 school year were assigned to all students in July of 2019. All enrollment fees were due by August 8 as indicated in the Parent Student Handbook on page 11 and here. AP testing and special class fees were added once students schedules were complete. 

Please take a moment to log into your My School Bucks Account and check to see that all fees have been paid. If you have any questions about fees, please contact Ashley Westfall at [email protected] .

*All outstanding fees for seniors must be paid by April 1 if your student plans to walk in the graduation ceremony. 
SHARING OUR GOOD NEWS
Fourth Grade Math Students work on PBL
Fourth-grade math students are working on a math problem-based learning to change the parking lot near our playground to add more play space. They had to measure the area and determine the play structure that they wanted to include in that area. They had to make a technical design using Tinkercad and a scale model of the playground idea. Finally, students will present their ideas and budget to the board to convince them to pick their idea for a playground upgrade. 
CyberPatriots Celebrate Another Successful Season
Congratulations on another great CyberPatriot season! Students and coaches worked really hard and we had outstanding scores in Semifinals.Thank you to all students, parents, volunteers, staff, and our wonderful coaches. See you all next season.
Basketball Brings Home a Trophy!
Congratulations to our boys Varsity and Junior Varsity team who both brought home third-place trophies from the All City League Silver and Gold League. 
Gitanjali Rao finished Third Overall at Denver Regional Science Fair
Gitanjali Rao has qualified for the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), held in Anaheim, Calif., in May 2020. ISEF is one of the leading science fair competition that attracts participants from all around the globe, who showcase their projects, inventions and innovations in science. 

Gitanjali's project titled "A Novel Approach to Early Directional Diagnosis of Prescription Opioid Addiction" was first in her category of "Biological Sciences" at the Denver Metro Regional Science Fair. Her project further qualified for ISEF and the state fair for being in the Top 3 in the "Best of Fair", that spanned across all science categories.

The project also received a honorable mention for most inventive project category award and she is invited to present her research at the annual Research and Creative Activities Symposium to compete with graduate and undergraduate student projects at CU Denver.
Basketball Brings Home a Trophy!
Last year Mrs. Thatcher's kindergarten class partnered with Mrs Simi Basu and then-eighth grader Gitanjali Rao to film a segment for Disney's Marvel's Hero Project. Gitanjali Rao is an award-winning young scientist who teaches lessons about kindness and science. Marvel chose her to make a real life comic book hero! Our school was chosen to be filmed as part of her Marvel Hero Project episode. The episode airs this Friday, March 6 on Disney+ and will feature our school, students and teachers. Tune in so see the episode. See the clip of the episode above.
ADDITIONAL UPDATES
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS
Mental Health Supports Page
If you haven't checked it out, our Mental Health Supports page, has a number of helpful resources for students and parents.
DCSD Mental Health Support Page
Douglas County School District has a Mental Health Resources page with a variety of resources for students and families. Please take a moment to review all that they have listed.
Additional Supports from All Health Network
The All Health Network has two opportunities for families and students to receive mental health supports. Click here to view the Parent Flier and click here to view the Student Flier , detailing the dates, times and locations of the support groups.
Dr. Cypers Anxiety Presentation for Parents on March 12
Dr. Cypers from Children's Hospital will present on helping students manage anxiety on Thursday, March 12 from 5:30-7 p.m. in the High School Cafeteria. All parents are welcome to attend
The Foundation for Douglas County Schools
The Foundation for Douglas County Schools 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. Visit the website.
STEM School Highlands Ranch| stemk12.org