STEM SPOTLIGHT

We are just days away from a well-deserved week of relaxation, family time, cooler temperatures, and friendships. As we wrap up the first quarter, we look forward to celebrating our students’ hard work and welcoming parents to conferences this week.

At STEM, we know that students are most successful when parents and schools communicate regularly and work together as true partners. Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education and for building a trusted partnership with us—one that supports both academic growth and social-emotional development. Together, we are creating a strong foundation for every child’s success.

Our Communications and Event Coordinator recently stepped away from her role to focus on her family’s needs. Although her time at STEM was brief, she left a positive and lasting impact on our school and community.

We want to assure you that we are working diligently to find someone with a dynamic skill set who can continue advancing our strategic goal of providing the best possible experiences for students, parents, and staff, while maintaining clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders.

In the meantime, we appreciate your understanding if things are not as seamless as they have been in the past. Please know that we are committed to maintaining consistency in-house as we move through this transition. If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@stemk12.org.

STEM School Highlands Ranch is proud to announce that two of its students have been named Semifinalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. These outstanding students represent less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors and are among the highest scorers in Colorado on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).

The Semifinalists from STEM are:

• Bri Scoville
  

• WeiAnna Taylor

Semifinalists have the opportunity to compete for approximately 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million to be awarded in the spring of 2026. To advance to the Finalist level, students must fulfill several requirements, including submitting a detailed scholarship application, maintaining outstanding academic records, and earning strong recommendations from school officials.

For more information about the National Merit Scholarship Program, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

We are proud to announce that STEM High School student, Siddhi Singh, will receive the prestigious Presidential Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) this Wednesday for her innovative work addressing wildlife-vehicle collisions. Inspired by her love for Colorado’s wildlife and her own experiences, Siddhi launched Project Deer, a cost-effective device that detects wildlife on roadways and alerts drivers in real time to help prevent accidents and save lives.

The project has already earned national recognition, including a $12,000 grant from Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow competition, and she continues to partner with organizations to bring the device closer to widespread use. We are so proud of Siddhi’s accomplishments and the way she is using STEM to make a real-world impact.

Please click the link below to read full updates from STEM's Athletic Director, Mrs. Jones.

Please click the link below to read a full update from STEM's Enrichment Coordinator, Melanie Fitzroy

We’re thrilled for this year’s main fundraiser — Spartan Sprint + Chromatic Chaos Color Run! Our goal is to raise $90,000 for two 15 foot passenger vans to be used for athletic clubs and field trips as well as additional elementary playground equipment including new permanent gaga ball pit, tetherball, and shade structure to benefit our students at Stem School Highlands Ranch.

Why are we excited?

✅ Easy-to-use fundraising platform

✅ Character-building program

✅ Fitness celebration event for every student!

Families will gather donations through MyBooster.com by simply sharing your student’s page with friends and family. Every share makes a difference!

Students will also enjoy 'Star Quest 5,' an exciting character-building adventure where they'll learn important values through space-themed figures and activities.

⭐ Key Dates:

Sign up opens TOMORROW at MyBooster.com – 10/6/2025

Kickoff in school – 10/27/2025

Event Day – 11/05/2025

Missed picture day or want a retake? Tuesday, October 7th is your chance! Come dressed and ready for school photos, a perfect opportunity to update your yearbook photo and student ID.

Picture Retakes- Oct 7

Conferences Week- Oct 6 through Oct 10

Fall Break- Oct 13-17

Trunk or Treat- Oct 24, 5:00-6:30pm

MS Dance- Oct 25, 6:00-8:30pm

ES Halloween Parade- Oct 31, 2:00-3:00pm

Please click the link below to read full updates from Mrs. McElroy, Elementary Principal.

We are diligently moving forward with the construction of our new elementary school playground and want to thank you for your continued patience throughout this process. An unforeseen delay occurred in the initial architectural designs, as the fire department requires us to maintain road access through the backside of our property. Our team has made the necessary design modifications and has resubmitted them to South Metro Fire Rescue for further review. We are excited about this project and grateful for your understanding as we work through these important steps to ensure safety and compliance.

Please click the links below to read full updates from Mr. Alsup, High School Principal. These updates have important information about High School that all parents should be informed about.

It’s time to start planning for the 2025–26 yearbook! Families can order the yearbook below to secure a copy in advance. Seniors, don’t forget—portraits and quotes are due by October 31st (Halloween) and should be submitted to yearbook@stemk12.org. In addition, families have the opportunity to honor their seniors with a personal ad. Senior ads can be purchased through Jostens until January 30, 2026, and must be designed and submitted separately using this link.

Save the Date for MS/HS Parent Teacher Conferences held in the Secondary Gym. In an effort to minimize long lines. we kindly ask that all families adhere to the Last Name alphabetical order for these dates.

• Tuesday, Oct. 7th | 4:30 - 7:30 PM – Last Names A–L

• Thursday, Oct. 9th | 4:30 - 7:30 PM – Last Names M–Z

Regular school day held on both Tuesday and Thursday.

8th-Grade Counselor Sessions:

Meet with a counselor during Parent Teacher Conferences to discuss your 8th grader’s move to high school before Rising Spartan Night on Nov. 5th.

Sign up: go.stemk12.org/8thGradeCounselorQuestions

STEM will be hosting important college-readiness assessments this October for grades 6th - 12th.

Testing Dates & Details

• Wednesday, October 8th, 2025
• All 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th graders will take either the PSAT 8/9 or PSAT/NMSQT.
• IMPORTANT: No school for 6th, 7th, or 12th graders on this day.

Thursday, October 23rd, 2025

STEM will offer the SAT for any 10th, 11th, or 12th graders who wish to test for a fee.

Key Actions

• PSAT 8/9 (8th & 9th graders): Opt-Out by October 3rd.
• PSAT/NMSQT (10th & 11th graders): Opt-Out by October 3rd.
• SAT (10th–12th graders): Opt-In by October 6th.
• Opt-Out/Opt-In Forms Here: go.stemk12.org/October2025Testing

These assessments help establish college and career readiness benchmarks and provide valuable opportunities for scholarships and college preparation. Thank you for supporting our students in this important step toward their future success.

BELL SCHEDULE

Secondary School (6-12): 8 AM - 3:30 PM

Elementary School (K-1): 8:10 AM - 3 PM

Elementary School (2-5): 8:10 AM - 3:10 PM

AFTER-CARE HOURS

B.A.S.E. (K-5) 6:30 AM - 8:05 AM and 3 PM - 6 PM

Secondary (6-12) After School Care: 3:35 PM - 5:30 PM