Mr. Alsup Message

Dear STEM Spartan Students and Families,

Happy Winter! As the air grows crisp and the temperatures begin to drop, it is hard to believe we are already in November! It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming everyone back for the first day of school, and now we are entering the final weeks of the first semester. Where does the time go?

As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, this is recruiting season for me. STEM is the most amazing school I have ever worked at, and I truly believe our educational model provides an exceptional experience for students across the district and state. I also believe there are many students throughout our community who would thrive here if they knew more about what we have to offer.

Over the past two weeks, we hosted both our annual Prospective Spartan Night and our second annual Rising Spartan Night. Both events were a great success! Prospective Spartan Night provided families who are considering STEM with an opportunity to visit our campus, meet our teachers and students, and learn more about our academic programs, clubs, athletics, and activities. Rising Spartan Night gave our current eighth-grade families an opportunity to explore what the next four years at STEM can look like as their students prepare to transition into high school.

I want to thank Laurie Veldhuizen, our amazing counseling team, and the staff who helped make these events successful. I especially want to give a shout out to the students who volunteered their time to participate in Prospective Spartan Night and Rising Spartan Night. These evenings were successful in large part because of your leadership and passion for our school. Our students are some of our best ambassadors, and watching you share your experiences and enthusiasm for STEM with visiting families makes me incredibly proud. You represent our school better than any presentation I could give, and I truly appreciate your willingness to help!

This past Friday, we also welcomed our first group of prospective high school students for a shadow day. These students spent the day attending classes, meeting other students, and experiencing what it is like to be a STEM Spartan. The day was a great success, and I especially want to thank our student ambassadors who volunteered to host our visitors. Giving prospective students the opportunity to experience a regular school day is one of the best ways for them to understand what makes STEM special.

While these events were successful, our recruiting efforts are far from over. I know there are students throughout our area who would thrive at STEM. Sometimes all it takes is a conversation with a friend, neighbor, or coworker to introduce a family to an educational opportunity they may not have considered.

If you know families who are exploring school options, I encourage you to share your experiences at STEM and invite them to schedule a tour or contact our enrollment team. Prospective high school students can also participate in one of our upcoming shadow days. Your willingness to share what makes STEM special is one of the most effective ways we can continue to grow our school community.

Ninth Grade Password Reminder

I want to remind all of our ninth-grade students that they must reset their DCSD passwords by Friday, November 6, or they will be locked out of their accounts. Students have already received information and instructions on how to complete this process. If you have not yet reset your password, please take care of this as soon as possible to avoid losing access to your account.

Lunch Expectations

As the weather turns colder, we are beginning to see more students spending their lunch periods indoors. I want to remind our students that lunch should be eaten in the cafeteria or, when invited, in a teacher's classroom. Eating in the hallways creates additional noise and makes it more difficult to keep our building clean. I appreciate your help in reminding students of these expectations so we can maintain a positive learning environment for everyone.

Finishing the Semester Strong

With November here, we are quickly approaching the final weeks of the semester. This is an important time for our students to take a close look at their academic progress and make sure they are staying on top of their assignments.

I encourage students and families to review grades in Canvas regularly. If there are missing assignments, assessments that did not go as planned, or concepts that students are struggling to understand, now is the time to address them. Our teachers want students to be successful and are available to provide guidance and support. Waiting until the final days of the semester makes it much more difficult to make meaningful improvements.

I also want to remind students that the work they do each day matters. Completing assignments, participating in class, asking questions, and taking advantage of opportunities to improve are all important parts of the learning process. Consistent effort throughout the semester will always be more effective than trying to make up for lost time at the end.

As we move into November, I want to thank our students, families, and staff for everything you do to make STEM such a special place. I am incredibly proud of our school community and look forward to everything we will accomplish during the remainder of the semester.

Thank you very much, everyone.

Sincerely,

Ryan Alsup
High School Principal
STEM School Highlands Ranch