Mr. Alsup Message

Dear STEM Spartan Students and Families,

Wow, it is hard to believe we are already finishing our first month of school! The past few weeks have gone by incredibly quickly. I have really enjoyed having our students back in the building, reconnecting with returning students, and getting to know many of our new Spartans. I also enjoyed seeing so many of you at Back to School Night. I want to thank our students, families, and staff for helping us get the year off to such a great start.

As we settle into the school year, our students are beginning to find their routines, and our classrooms are definitely getting busy. Teachers and students have spent the first few weeks establishing relationships, setting expectations, and diving into their classes. As I walk through the building, it is exciting to see our students engaged in everything from challenging academic work to clubs, athletics, and all of the other opportunities that make high school such an important experience. I am looking forward to seeing what our students accomplish this year.

On Thursday, August 27, we held our annual Safe2Tell Assembly during Access. Safe2Tell is a statewide prevention initiative and anonymous reporting tool that gives students a safe way to share concerns. Since the Safe2Tell Act was passed in 2007, thousands of reports have been made each year, helping schools and law enforcement intervene when students or others may need help.

One of the most important messages we give our students is that if they see something concerning, hear something concerning, or believe someone may need help, they should say something. Students do not have to decide whether something is serious enough to report. That is our job. We would much rather look into a concern and determine that everyone is safe than miss an opportunity to help someone.

As the administrator in charge of safety for our school, I want to emphasize how important safety and security are to all of us. Safe2Tell is just one piece of the safety work we do throughout the year. We also conduct routine safety drills, train our staff for emergency situations, utilize our Evolv system, and work closely with our School Resource Officer and security team. I recognize that conversations about school safety are not always easy, but they are important. I encourage you to talk about safety with your students at home as well. Please also remember that Safe2Tell information is printed on every student ID card, so students always have access to it.

I also want to thank everyone for your patience with the lightning delays we have experienced over the past few weeks. Colorado weather can certainly be unpredictable, and unfortunately, some of these storms have arrived right at dismissal. I recognize the inconvenience these delays can create for our students and families, and I greatly appreciate everyone's patience and flexibility as we work through them. Safety will always be our first priority, and I appreciate your understanding when the weather does not cooperate with us.

Speaking of patience, our new playground is almost finished! We are very excited to see this project nearing completion, but we also recognize that the construction has impacted parking, driveline, and traffic around our school. Thank you for working with us through the inconvenience. As we finish the project, I want to remind families to please use the designated areas when dropping off students. When students are dropped off in other locations, it can create additional traffic and, more importantly, safety concerns for students walking into the building.

Along those same lines, I want to remind our student drivers that they should not park in the parking lots of the businesses surrounding our school. Those lots are private property and reserved for their customers. We have been informed that some of the businesses will begin ticketing vehicles that are parked there without permission. We still have a few student parking passes available, so if you need one, please stop by the High School Office.

Finally, I need to address something that is disappointing. We have received a couple of reports of vandalism in the area surrounding our school, and in both cases witnesses believed the individuals involved were high school aged students. We will continue to investigate these incidents, but I am asking our families to please have a conversation with your students about respecting the property of our neighbors and the businesses around us.

Our students represent STEM not only when they are inside our building, but also when they are out in our community. Vandalism can cause significant damage to someone else's property, and depending on the circumstances, it can also result in law enforcement involvement and legal charges. We want our students to make good decisions and to be good neighbors to the people and businesses around our school.

Thank you again for a fantastic start to the school year and for your continued patience and support. I am excited about the year ahead and everything our students will accomplish.

Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Sincerely,

Ryan Alsup
High School Principal
STEM School Highlands Ranch Go Spartans!