Mr. Alsup Message

Happy Winter! As the air grows crisp and the snow starts to fall, we’re excited to share the latest updates from our school community. Here are a few highlights:

As I mentioned in a previous letter, this is recruiting season for me. STEM is the most amazing school I have ever worked at, and I truly believe that our education model provides an exceptional experience for students across the district and state. Last week, we hosted our annual Prospective Spartan Night, and the event was a tremendous success. Many of you may have met Laurie Veldhuizen, our Director of Enrollment and Engagement, who did an outstanding job organizing and promoting the evening. Visiting families were welcomed by our dedicated staff and a large group of incredible student volunteers. Many parents commented on how impressed they were by our students’ enthusiasm and pride in their school. I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who helped make the event such a success.

We’re also looking forward to our upcoming Boosterthon Color Party, which will take place on Wednesday, November 5th. While we’ve already had a great start and successfully raised money, we still have quite a bit more to do to reach our fundraising goals. This event is one of the most exciting days of the year for our students and helps support student activities and classroom needs across the school.

To participate in the Color Party, students must register and raise a minimum of $25, but we will gladly accept larger donations as well. Please remember—you don’t have to be the one to donate! Contributions can come from grandparents, aunts and uncles, family friends, or anyone who wants to support our school. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us move closer to our goal.

The activity was originally called the “Color Run,” but we’ve changed it to the Color Party because students are not required to run to have fun! It’s a celebration for everyone who participates. However, students who do not register and raise the required amount will need to stay in their classrooms during the event to complete assignments provided by their teachers. Those participating in the Color Party will be exempt from those assignments for the day.

Please take a few minutes to register your student and help us reach our goal! Your support makes all the difference, and we can’t wait to see our students celebrating together.

While Prospective Spartan Night and Boosterthon are exciting milestones, I believe we can continue to grow our outreach. I know there are students throughout our area who would thrive at STEM—they just need to hear about what we offer. If you’re talking with neighbors or friends about education options, I encourage you to share your family’s experiences at STEM. If they are interested in learning more, they can contact us directly, schedule a tour, or, for high school students, participate in one of our upcoming shadow days. The open enrollment window is open November 3rd, making this the perfect time to spread the word.

As the weather turns colder, we are seeing more students eating indoors during lunch. To help maintain a quiet and clean learning environment, we are asking students to eat in the cafeteria or, if invited, in a teacher’s classroom. Eating in the hallways causes noise disruptions and makes it difficult to keep those spaces tidy. Thank you for reinforcing this expectation at home—it helps us ensure a respectful and focused environment for everyone.

We are now entering the final weeks of the semester, and it’s important for all students to finish strong. Please encourage your child/children to continue monitoring their grades and completing practice work to demonstrate proficiency on upcoming assessments. If there are questions or concerns about progress, our teachers are always happy to provide feedback and support. It’s best to address any issues early rather than waiting until the end of the semester.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. It is truly a privilege to work with such dedicated families and outstanding students.

Sincerely,
Ryan Alsup
High School Principal
Proud to be a Spartan!