Mrs. Ridder Message

Thank you for attending our Back-to-School Night. It was wonderful to see you all together to kick off the start of another exciting year at STEM! I am truly grateful and honored that you have entrusted your child with us, and will do my best to see that all of our students receive the best education and experience possible.

This week, I have two important pieces of information to share with you.

25/26 GRADING POLICY

As announced last year, we have amended our grading policy for this year. Attached is a summary of our grading process. 25/26 Grading Policy

PARENT HUB - TECHNOLOGY AND YOUR CHILD - THE SOCIAL INSTITUTE

We know technology plays a growing role in students’ lives — whether it’s A.I., texting, gaming, or simply hearing about social media and devices from friends or siblings. That’s why we are taking a thoughtful, age-appropriate approach to helping students build healthy, high-character habits they can carry into any situation, both online and offline.

We are excited to announce that STEM School has launched a partnership with The Social Institute (TSI), a leader in empowering students, families, and educators to navigate their learning and well-being – including A.I., social media, and devices – in healthy ways.

No matter your child’s current tech use — whether they use devices and apps regularly or are just beginning to ask questions — the resources offered through this partnership are designed to be flexible and family-friendly.

As your child’s school, we’re honored to be your partner on this journey. We understand that each household has its own values and approach to technology — and we fully respect that. This program is not about prescribing rules or parenting strategies. It’s about offering ideas and tools that you can use in whatever way fits your family best.

How Your Family Can Participate:

• Register your free account for The Toolkit. Many families refer to this as the CliffsNotes of social media and technology! Go to the Toolkit, click Activate Account, and enter our school code: 4f9238F213F903

• Continue the conversation at home: Each month, Family Huddle questions will be included in our newsletter and/or Parent Portal as a follow-up to student lessons. These short, optional prompts can spark meaningful conversations and reinforce your family’s values.

Click here for more information on how The Social Institute supports families. We’re grateful to offer this timely education to our students and families. If you have any questions or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Maura Ridder

Middle School Principal

STEM School Highlands Ranch