Colorado STEM Academy Newsletter

Dear Families,

We hope your summer has been full of sunshine, relaxation, and fun adventures! As we soak up these last few weeks of break, our team is gearing up for an incredible school year ahead.

We can't wait to see you all soon at Back to School Night, and we are thrilled to welcome our students back for the First Day of School on Wednesday, August 12th at 8:00 AM.

WPS Annual Back-to-School Breakfast & Backpack Giveaway

Date & Time: Saturday, August 8 | 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Location: Westminster High School (East Entrance)

Eligibility: Westminster Public Schools (WPS) students and their families

Event Details

Join us for a free pancake breakfast in the Westy Cafeteria, meet your principals, and discover available district opportunities. Every registered WPS student in attendance can pick out a free backpack.

Important Guidelines

• Enter on Raleigh Street and park in open spots. Since plenty of backpacks are available for every student, there is no need to arrive early or wait in line before 8:00 AM.
• Students must be present to receive a backpack.
• Please leave all pets at home.

Below are a few quick updates regarding school hours and pickup procedures for the upcoming year:

Here are a few updates on Back to School Night, Calendar, First day of School, Dress code and Supply Lists.

🎒Colorado STEM Academy Back to School Night & BBQ! (Free Kona Ice for signing up for our PTA)

When: Monday, August 10th | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Where: Please see below (Union/Irving Gym).

We are so excited to welcome our families back for the upcoming school year! To help keep things moving smoothly, please note our schedule and locations for the evening:

📍 Step 1: Head to Your Gym First to pick up schedule & Pick up Information about After School Clubs and other important details.

To start the evening, please report to the designated gym based on your child's grade level:

• PreK: Information will be sent to families about Preschool Orientation and you will enter through the gym doors and head directly to your child's classroom for orientation.

• Grades K–5: Report directly to the Irving Gym (Main Entrance & line near Preschool Playground enter parking off of Irving Street)

• Grades 6–8: Report directly to the Union Gym (main Entrance located off 72nd-parking near 72nd and Lowell)

• If you have students in both buildings you will have to go to both gyms to get everyones schedules.

📋 Step 2: Classroom Visits & Important Paperwork

Once inside, you will head to the classrooms to:

• Meet the Teacher: Connect with your child’s teacher(s) and see their learning spaces.

• Learn School Routines: Get crucial details regarding our daily arrival and dismissal processes.

• Complete Required Forms: Receive and sign copies of the Student Handbook, Dress Code Policy, Personal Device Policy and Locker Contract (Union Only) and more.

• Volunteer Sign-Ups: Fill out your volunteer forms if you wish to attend field trips or volunteer throughout the year!

Step 3: Join Us for the BBQ, Kona ICE, and bring your gently used STEM Shirts for our PTA Shirt Exchange.

After you have met your teachers and picked up your information, head out to the track to join us for a community BBQ! It’s a great chance to grab some food, learn about our PTA, catch up with old friends, and meet new families. Free Kona Ice if you sign up for our PTA.

School Shirts:

The school store will be open during Back to School Night by appointment only to purchase shirts/hoodies. Please schedule your appointment using the Sign up Genius Link BELOW. Additional appointment times are also available on August 11th via the same link.

If you are unable to secure an appointment during these dates, please rest assured that additional time slots will be made available. Additionally, there will be a two-week grace period for the school shirts at the start of the school year.

**You must have an appointment to purchase at back to school night, drop ins are not available.

We can't wait to see you all there on August 10th to kick off a fantastic school year!

📅 Key Dates & School Hours for the 2026–2027 School Year

To help you plan ahead for the upcoming school year, please note our daily schedule and updates below. Our school hours remain unchanged for the new school year:

⏰ Morning Arrival & Afternoon Dismissal

Morning Arrival

• 8:00 AM: Drop-off begins (no staff supervision prior to 8:00 AM)

• 8:15 AM: Morning bell rings (students arriving after 8:15 AM must check in at the main office for a tardy pass)

Afternoon Dismissal

• Monday (Early Release): 1:30 PM dismissal (all students must be picked up by 1:40 PM)

• Tuesday–Friday: 3:30 PM dismissal (all students must be picked up by 3:40 PM)

First Week Adjustment: Dismissal may take a bit longer during the first week of school while everyone adjusts to the routine. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we get off to a safe, smooth start!

🚗 Pick-Up & Drop-Off (Driveline) Updates

📌 Driveline App Discontinued

We are no longer using the Driveline app. All dismissal procedures will now use physical Driveline number tags only.

📍 Drop-Off & Dismissal Locations

• Levels PK–3 (Youngest Child): Pick up at Irving

• Levels 4–8 (Youngest Child): Pick up at Union

• Morning Drop-Off Note: Levels 4 & 5 may be dropped off at either Irving or Union in the morning.

🏷️ Picking Up Your Driveline Tags

• At Back to School Night: Collect your physical Driveline number tag along with your youngest child's schedule. Having your tag ready on day one will greatly speed up the dismissal line!

• If You Miss Back to School Night: Please stop by the Irving Office any weekday prior to August 12th (between 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM) to pick up your schedule and Driveline tags.

  • Note: We will not hand out schedules or tags on August 12th (the first day of school), as the main office will be very busy.

• Need an Extra Tag or Replacement? Stop by the Irving Gym and see Sarah at the Driveline/Dismissal Table during Back to School Night.

⚠️ Important: Arriving on the first day of school without your Driveline tag will significantly delay your child's dismissal process, as staff will need to perform a manual ID check.

🛡️ Safety First

Anyone authorized to pick up your child must display a Driveline tag. For student safety, anyone who does not have a tag, you will be required to show ID for verification before your child is dismissed.

School Supply List: Linked below

School Calendar: Linked Below

📱 School Phone Policy Update for Next School Year!

Great minds think alike! You may have heard that our school district just passed a new district-wide phone policy. Because we’ve already seen the positive impact of limiting distractions in our classrooms, our school will be maintaining our current phone policy for the upcoming school year with some updates.

We are proud to be ahead of the curve in keeping our focus exactly where it belongs: on student learning, engagement, and building a strong community!

Parents and students, please take a moment to review the district's newly released policy here to see how it aligns with our campus expectations: Link Below

Thank you for your continued partnership in creating the best possible learning environment for our kids! 🦅✨

Please see attachments for important immunization information and requirements for the 2026-2027 school year.

🎤✨ Celebrating Student Talent & Achievement! 📚🐝

Coming Soon!

📸 Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook and check out Class Dojo to see photos and more celebrations from across our school all year long. We love sharing the joy, pride, and accomplishments that make STEM such a special place to learn and grow! 💙

PTA at Colorado STEM Academy for the 2026-2027 School Year

We have many exciting events to look forward to throughout the year! If you’d like to get involved, we warmly invite you to attend one of our upcoming PTA meetings. Children welcome and food provided.

Wednesday September 2nd

PTA Meeting 4:00-5:00

BAAC 5:00-6:00

Thursday November 5th

PTA Meeting 4:00-5:00

BAAC 5:00-6:00

Wednesday January 13th

PTA Meeting 4:00-5:00

BAAC 5:00-6:00

Thursday March 4th

PTA Meeting 4:00-5:00

BAAC 5:00-6:00

Coming Fall 2026!