Colorado STEM Academy Newsletter

Dear CSA Families,

There is no school on Monday, November 9th. We hope our families enjoy a restful long weekend!

First Trimester Awards Ceremonies — Friday, November 13th

• Location: Union Gym

• Award Notifications: Teachers have reached out directly to the families of students being recognized. Please check your classroom communications for details. We celebrate our students' achievements all year long across three trimester assemblies, and we look forward to recognizing many different milestones and accomplishments throughout the upcoming ceremonies!

Ceremony Schedule

• 1:30 – 1:50 PM | Primary (PK–1)

• 2:05 – 2:25 PM | Intermediate (Grades 2–5)

• 2:40 – 3:00 PM | Middle School (Grades 6–8)

Dismissal & Sibling Guidelines

• Taking Your Student Home: If you plan to take your child home immediately after their ceremony, please sign them out directly with their classroom teacher in the gym before leaving. Remaining students will return to class with their teachers.

• Sibling Attendance: If you would like a sibling to attend another grade level's assembly, you must sign them out at the front office first and escort them to the gym. School staff will not transport students between classrooms and assemblies.

🚨 Action Items & Important Reminders

🍂 Upcoming School Events

PTA Meeting November 12th in Irving 102

Open House & Astronomy Night (Tue, Nov 17):

• Open House (2027–2028 School Year): 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM (Preschool – Level 8). Know a family interested in STEM? Invite them to attend!

• ✨🔭 Under the Stars: Astronomy Night! 🌌🚀

Bundle up and join us November 17th from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM for an out-of-this-world evening! 🌠

Here’s what’s on the horizon:

• 🔭 Stargaze on the Track: Peer deep into space through high-powered telescopes!

• 🪐 Student Space Projects: Check out the stellar hard work of our young scientists!

• ☕ Hot Cocoa Station: Sip on warm, cozy cocoa while you explore the night sky.

• 🌟 Meet Our 4.0 "Astronomers": Chat with our top-achieving star students, celebrate their success, and ask them their secrets for reaching for the stars! 📚💫

Bring the whole family for a night of curiosity, community, and cosmic fun! 🌕✨

🚘 Pick-Up, Dismissal & Campus Rules

• Monday, Nov 16: Early Release — Pick up by 1:40 PM.

• Tuesday – Friday: All students must be picked up by 3:40 PM.

• Need an extra or replacement pick-up tag? Stop by the Irving Office.

Parking Rules: Please do not park along the Irving playground fence, as it blocks traffic flow.

Student Belongings: Please keep toys and non-essential items at home.

Friday Dress-Down Days: Every Friday is a dress-down day! Pay $1 per Friday or $20 for the full semester.

🛡️ Campus Safety

Corner Property Updates: We are working with authorities regarding safety concerns near the Irving Lot entrance. Please report any suspicious activity directly to the Westminster Police Non-Emergency Line at 303-658-4360.

Building Access: Never hold exterior doors open for anyone. All visitors must ring the front doorbell so office staff can properly screen and grant access.

🌐 Asistencia en Español

Para cualquier ayuda o información en español, por favor llame a la oficina al (303) 487-2853.

📅 Mark Your Calendars: November & December

Nov 17: Level 7 JA Finance Park (9:00 AM – 1:30 PM) | Open House (5:00 PM) | Astronomy Night (6:30 PM)

Nov 23 – 27: No School (Thanksgiving Break)

Nov 30: Winter Gift Shop Preview

Dec 1 – 4: Winter Gift Shop Open (8:20 AM – 12:00 PM daily)

Dec 3: Kindergarten Field Trip to Children’s Museum

Dec 4: Team A Field Trip to Aquarium

Celebrating Excellence Coming Soon!

The district’s annual Celebrating Excellence competition takes place this January! Colorado STEM Academy students will have opportunities to participate in the Spelling Bee, Math Counts, and Geography Bee.

• Geography Bee: Click the images below for full details!

• Spelling Bee & Math Counts: Details coming soon.

• District Info: District-wide competition information will be shared soon.

🎤✨ Celebrating Student Talent & Achievement! 📚🐝

Our Level 1 students took their learning on the wild side today at the @DenverZoo! 🦓 Hands-on discovery, curious minds, and plenty of exploration outside the classroom. Thank you to our amazing chaperones for making it such a great day! 🌿👣

🤖🚘 Coding in Action! ⚡️

Our Team A students had an incredible time at the Ranum Iver Innovation Campus October 7, 8 and 9! They dove headfirst into hands-on STEM learning and programmed self-driving Zumi cars! 💻🧠

So much innovation, problem-solving, and fun! 🚀✨

🌲🔥 Hands-on learning in action!

Our Team B 7th & 8th graders took an awesome field trip to Mud Lake on Wednesday October 14th with the Wild Bear Nature Center! Students explored fire ecology, identified trees using every sense except sight, and played a tag game demonstrating the impact bark beetles have on a forest.

We love learning beyond the classroom! 🪵🍂

October 28th was our Whole School Field Trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. We had so much fun. our ENTIRE school embarked on a whole-school field trip to explore the wonders of science and nature! From Preschool to 8th grade, our students dove headfirst into real-world STEM experiences:

🐾 Preschool & Kindergarten: Discovered local habitats and learned all about how animals prepare for hibernation! 🦕 Level 1 (1st Grade): Journeyed back in time to explore the fascinating world of dinosaurs! 🦊 Level 2 (2nd Grade): Uncovered amazing animal adaptations and how creatures survive in the wild. 🏺 Level 3 (3rd Grade): Stepped into Colorado’s rich history, examining real artifacts millions of years old! 🫀 Level 4 (4th Grade): Got hands-on with biology through heart dissections! 🫁 Level 5 (5th Grade): Explored respiratory systems up close with lung dissections! 🌌 Levels 6, 7 & 8 (Middle School): Traveled through the stars with an incredible planetarium experience!

While our students were exploring, our dedicated educators engaged in impactful Professional Development focused on student engagement, the power of strong relationships, and fostering a growth mindset. 🧠💡

📸 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

Thursday November 12th

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

Shape the Future of WPS Schools! Join the District Accountability Advisory Committee (DAAC) to share your voice on budget priorities, student success, and school improvements. Parents, are invited to participate with a commitment of just 4 meetings per school year. Click the link below to apply!

¡Ayude a construir el futuro de las escuelas de WPS! Únase al Comité Asesor de Responsabilidad del Distrito (DAAC) y comparta su opinión sobre presupuestos, éxito estudiantil y mejoras escolares. Se invitan a padres a participar con un compromiso de solo 4 reuniones al año. Complete la solicitud abajo.

“Learn more about Mill Levy 4A
Visit the WPS Mill Levy 4A webpage for information about the measure, FAQs, proposed uses of the funding, and additional resources.

“Conozca más sobre la Medida 4A del Mill Levy

Visite la página web de WPS sobre la Medida 4A para obtener información sobre la medida, preguntas frecuentes, los usos propuestos de los fondos y recursos adicionales.

Woodworking & Woodturning Club

Union students will learn tool safety and techniques while crafting custom wooden projects!

• Cost: $20 (Cash or IC Parent Portal)

• Status: Session 1 is in session; click the link below to apply for Sessions 2 & 3.

• Pick-Up: 3:10 PM at the flagpole (by 3:15 PM max)

• Deadline to Apply: TBD for session 2 and 3

Note: Power & Hand Tool Permission Slip required before class 2.

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