Updates

August 30, 2024 - STEM School Info 08/30

Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to the end of August.

Today, we focused not only on returning to our usual routines but also on showing care and support for your children. We are here for them and are committed to ensuring they feel loved and safe.

Additionally, we want to express our heartfelt thanks for the emails, cards, gifts, and encouraging messages. Your support means the world to us.

Labor Day: Monday, September 2

There will be no school either at the STEM School or at Chatt State on Labor Day, September 2. We will return to our regular schedule on Tuesday, September 3.

PLT: Parent Leadership Team: Thursday, Sept 5

The first Parent Leadership Team (PLT) meeting will take place on Thursday, Sept 5 at 6:00pm. This team is an opportunity for parents who want to lead parent initiatives. Mark your calendar to come and participate if you are interested. All parents are welcome to join this optional team.

School Picture Day: Grades 9, 10, 11- Thursday, Sept 5

STEM Yearbook Picture Day for grades 9, 10, and 11 will be Thursday, Sept 5 from 9:30am to 1:00pm. Students will need to wear STEM Dress Code for their yearbook pictures. This year, pictures will be taken inside the Riverview Conference Room using Lifetouch backgrounds. Please remind your students to wear their favorite STEM dress code attire and a smile on Thursday, Sept 5!

Club Day: Friday, Sept 6

Over the next week, we will be updating our school club list. We find it very important to provide spaces for students to interact with their peers outside of regular class times. On Friday, September 6, students will have a club fair to learn about our school clubs, when they meet, and how to join. I'd like you to please look over the list in the upcoming weeks and encourage your student to consider participating in a club.

Teacher Meet and Greet (Open House): Thursday, Sept 12

Mark your calendars: The STEM School Teacher Meet and Greet (Open House) will be Sept 12, Thursday Night, 6:30-7:30 This will be a night to meet your student’s teachers, learn more about our STEM magnet program, and visit the school. More information to come.

Thank you,

Jim David

Principal

August 23, 2024 - STEM School Info 08/23

Parents/Guardians,

As we approach the end of August, here are some items of note for you.

PLT: Parent Leadership Team: Thursday, Aug 29

The first Parent Leadership Team (PLT) meeting will take place on Thursday, August 29 at 6:00pm. This team is an opportunity for parents who want to lead parent initiatives. Mark your calendar to come and participate if you are interested. All parents are welcome to join this optional team.

PLT Committee Examples:

Staff Appreciation Committee: Brings meals monthly for the teachers; can be responsible for additional materials/supplies throughout the year; the team organizes meals or supply lists, creates a sign-up, the list is emailed to all parents for participation. There is typically 1 zoom meeting a month to coordinate that month's meal. The meals cover about 40 teachers and staff.

FOR EXAMPLE: This past week, our Staff Appreciation Committee organized another wonderful surprise gift of snacks in the teacher’s workroom. Thank you to all the parents who donated!

Rising 9th Grade Parent and Student Night: Future/new parents learn about the STEM School.

Facebook Internal Parent Page: The Facebook page is for parents to share information; emails to parents are posted there; families will resell used (or unused) uniforms; carpool info is posted; it’s a parent-support group; it is a private group; to join the group you must answer a security question; the current security question is “Who sends the majority of STEM emails to you?”; an email will go out soon with information for parents who want to join.

Silent Auction Committee: The auction is either in person or online (last year); it raises money for materials that kids use throughout the year (digital printing materials, etc.); all the money is used at the school’s discretion; the auction will run virtual in conjunction with STEM Showcase (March 22) timeframe.

Digital Fabrication Awards Night - Awards night based on STEM unique accomplishments. Student & Staff recognition. Competitive club recognition. Student co-designed, with snacks and refreshments after Awards given.

STEM Jubilee Committee: This committee will support organizing and running the hospitality area for the STEM Jubilee. The STEM Jubilee introduces elementary school students to a variety of science, technology, engineering and math related concepts through hands-on activities with a mission to inspire STEM curiosity and interest.

School Picture Day: Grades 9, 10, 11- Thursday, September 5

STEM Yearbook Picture Day for grades 9, 10, and 11 will be Thursday, September 5, from 9:30am to 1:00pm. Students will need to wear STEM Dress Code for their yearbook pictures. This year, pictures will be taken inside the Riverview Conference Room using Lifetouch backgrounds. Please remind your students to wear their favorite STEM dress code attire and a smile on Thursday, September 5.

Senior Pictures The deadline to submit senior portraits for the yearbook is Friday, January 10. For the STEM Yearbook, seniors can have their Senior Portraits taken by Prestige Photography, our official senior portrait photographer OR seniors can use an outside professional photographer and send in their chosen photos. Prestige will send the portraits to the school automatically once the senior chooses the selected pose online, but portraits taken by an outside photographer will need to be sent to Ms. Bolus, [email protected], as a digital file. Ms. Bolus will send a Google Form to seniors and families for submission in October. Remember that the chosen Yearbook pose should be dressy casual (avoid hats, sunglasses, t-shirts, shorts). Seniors can also choose to use the formal tux/drape poses, but they are NOT required for the yearbook.

2023-2024 Yearbook Distribution: Grades 10, 11, 12

Yearbook distribution day will be on Thursday, August 29^th. Pickup locations will be posted in Canvas for students closer to that day.

Labor Day: Monday, September 2

There will be no school either at the STEM School or at Chatt State on Labor Day, September 2. We will return to our regular schedule on Tuesday, September 3.

Teacher Meet and Greet (Open House): Thursday, Sept 12

Consent to Treat: 50% of parents have completed the following

There is a new district form to allow our school nurse to provide medical attention to students.

All families should complete the following short form for their student.

Please use the following link: Click Here

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our school nurse, Mrs. Scruggs ([email protected]).

Jim David

Principal

August 16, 2024 - STEM School Info 08/16

Parents/Guardians,

This week, we had an awesome time with PBL (Project/Problem-Based Learning) Kick-Off events. Please take time with your student to ask them questions about their kick-off event. It could have been Human Foosball for 9th graders, a trip to the Hunter Museum of Art for 10th graders, various businesses around town for 11th graders, or Empathy Mapping for 12th graders.

Chatt State Campus Next Week:

Just so you know, the college campus will come alive as the campus starts classes on Monday, including our upperclassmen taking classes. This exciting time will include additional cars and traffic around campus, so if you are a driver, please plan your commute accordingly.

Teacher Meet and Greet (Open House):

PLT: Parent Leadership Team:

School Lunches:

Parents looking to use the convenient, easy, and secure way to deposit money into your child's account using your bank account or credit card should use LINQ Connect. More information on school nutrition can be found on the HCS Nutrition website here. Please note that the STEM Schools lunch menu can be found by viewing the Red Bank High School Menu as it is the same menu that the STEM School uses. Families interested in applying for the Free and Reduce Benefits program should use the HCS Nutrition website.

Over the Counter Medicine:

Several parents and students have already contacted the school nurse about administering over-the-counter(OTC) medication to their student at school. These medications are especially helpful for students with frequent headaches, orthodontic pain, menstrual cramps, stomach upset or allergy symptoms. OTC medications commonly given at school include acetaminophen(Tylenol), ibuprofen(Advil), Midol and Tums. In order for your student to receive OTC medication at school, you will need to complete the OTC Medication Permission Form at this link: OTC Medication Permission Form AND send a supply of the medication to the school in a new, sealed bottle. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our school nurse, Mrs. Scruggs ([email protected]).

Consent to Treat:

There is a new district form to allow our school nurse to provide medical attention to students.

All families should complete the following short form for their student.

Please use the following link: Click Here

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our school nurse, Mrs. Scruggs ([email protected]).

Thank you,

Jim David

Principal

August 9, 2024 - STEM School Info 08/09

Parents/Guardians,

We hope your summer is going well. We are incredibly excited for this upcoming school year at STEM! We look forward to seeing everyone next week and connecting with all our students. As we approach the end of summer break, here are some items of note to begin planning for this upcoming year.

Registration:

Please complete today, if you have not already done so. Hamilton County Schools official registration day is next next week. However, we do not hold an “in-person” registration at the STEM School. All registration items for both Hamilton County Schools and STEM School Chattanooga may be completed online. All forms are included in the links below, and electronic signatures are used so you can complete the registration from any device with internet access. Please note, you must complete both the STEM School Registration and the PowerSchool Registration for Hamilton County Schools.

STEM School Specific Registration Items:

All STEM School Chattanooga parents must complete a STEM School specific registration form for their student.

STEM Registration Link: Click HERE.

2. Hamilton County Schools PowerSchool Registration:

In addition to the STEM School registration, please complete either the returning or new student registration below.

Returning Hamilton County Schools Student:

If your child attended an HCS school during the 2024-2025 and will be attending STEM School Chattanooga this upcoming school year, your child will need to be enrolled as a returning student. Please log into your PowerSchool Parent Portal to check your student’s information and make sure it is correct to begin the new school year. If your student attended CGLA or Chattanooga Charter and you are having difficulty completing this process, please reach out to Amy Robinson.

To register a returning student, click HERE to enroll for the 2024-2025 school year if you haven’t already.

For instructions about the Parent Portal, you may click HERE.

If you have trouble logging in or need your password reset, please email Amy Robinson at [email protected].

Below is the fee payment links for online payment options:

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

Magnet Programming Fee link above (all students)

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

AST Fee link above (Grade 9 and 10 students only)

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

Senior Fee link above (Grade 12th only)

Student Email Passwords:

The district will be sharing information with schools on how to get students logged into their HCS Google Accounts. On Wednesday, Aug 7, staff at the school will help students get logged back into their Chromebook. New students to the district may be without a password until the following week but will have access to all items needed for school until accounts are created and passwords assigned.

Rising Grade 9 Orientation: – August 5

An additional day of orientation activities takes place for grade 9 students. On Monday, August 5, from 9:30am to 1:00pm, we will be hosting the incoming grade 9 students. This half-day orientation activity session is important for grade 9 students to connect together, learn from upperclassmen leaders, and take their first step into their STEM house (will it be Staupers, Tesla, Einstein or Mirzakhani?). All grade 9 students should plan to attend. Dress code is not required for this student only orientation. Lunch is not provided but your student is welcome to bring a

1st Days of School: – August 7 & 8

The first day of school for students is Wednesday, August 7. All students in all grades (9-12) are to report by 9:30am. The school day goes from 9:30am to 4:30pm each day. Students in each grade will have two full days of orientation activities on Wednesday and Thursday. These days are vital to starting the school year well and getting everyone acclimated to the expectations for the upcoming year. Upperclassmen in grades 11 and 12 will begin their college-type schedules on Monday, August 19. There is no school for students on Friday, August 9, as that will be a PD Day for staff.

Uniforms:

Students are expected to be in the required STEM dress code starting the first day of school. For new students to STEM (specifically grade 9 students), there will be opportunities to order additional STEM garments during the first few weeks of school. If a new student does not have a STEM shirt to start the year, a white or blue shirt with no pictures or writing is permitted for the first few days. Uniform ordering information can be found on our school website at this link.

Pick Up, Drop Off, and Building Hours:

In the morning and afternoon, pick up and drop off for student car riders happens in the McCormick/Wacker/CETAS parking lot. Please click on this map of the STEM Traffic Pattern for drop off/pickup. The lot next to the STEM School entrance is only for staff, visitors, and buses during the times of 9:00am-9:35am and 4:00pm-4:45pm. Please be mindful of this procedure. As for STEM student drivers, the McCormick/Wacker/CETAS parking lot is also where these students are to park along the tree line in the back of the lot. All STEM drivers must get a Chattanooga State parking pass, or they may be ticketed starting August 19.

Chattanooga State police also patrol this lot often and will ticket any drivers who speed. The speed limit in the lot is 15 mph. For parents that want to pick up students early from school, please note there is a 4:15pm cutoff. In order to maintain appropriate dismissal procedures, parents must arrive in the front office before 4:15pm in order to dismiss any student early from school. The STEM School building hours are from 9am to 5pm.

The building may be open prior to 9am and beyond 5pm, but we cannot guarantee that is the case on any given day. As for the Chattanooga State campus, the library is a popular spot for STEM School students to use before 9am and after 5pm.

Bus Transportation:

STEM bus routes have been established by the Hamilton County Schools Transportation Department. Here is a link to the routes posted online on our school website. Please note that every year, these times are the best estimates made by the transportation department. Our buses are on the last tier of routes, so we may have buses that run late. If transportation makes a permanent change in times for a route, we will update those on our website. We will also provide students with information if transportation makes a permanent change that impacts them and students will have a new sheet to share with their parent.

Thank you for your support!

Jim David

Principal

Parents/Guardians,

We had a blast this week re-connecting with STEM students and connecting with our new STEM students.

Teacher Meet and Greet (Open House):

Transportation – Bus Update:

STEM bus routes have been established by the Hamilton County Schools Transportation Department. Here is a link to the routes posted online on our school website. Please note that every year, these times are the best estimates made by the transportation department. Our buses are on the last tier of routes, so we may have buses that run late. If transportation makes a permanent change in times for a route, we will update those on our website. We will also provide students with information if transportation makes a permanent change that impacts them and students will have a new sheet to share with their parent.

Social Media:

The school has three public-facing social media accounts and one private Facebook parent page:

1. Public Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/STEMSchoolChattanooga/

2. Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/stemschoolchattanooga/

3. Private Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/292269504589055

Facebook Internal Parent Page: The Facebook page is for parents to share information; emails to parents are posted there; families will resell used (or unused) uniforms; carpool info is posted; it’s a parent-support group; it is a private group; to join the group you must answer a security question; the current security question is “Who sends the majority of STEM emails to you?”; an email was sent out with information for parents who want to join.

PLT: Parent Leadership Team:

School Fees:

The Hamilton County School Board sets the approved fee schedule each year for schools. The fees for the upcoming school year for STEM are a $50 magnet programming fee (all grades) and a $25 art, science and technology fee (grades 9 and 10). These fees are used to help support our STEM initiatives and activities at the school and help pay for consumables needed each year.

Below is the fee payment links for online payment options:

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

Magnet Programming Fee link above (all students)

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

AST Fee link above (Grade 9 and 10 students only)

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

Senior Fee link above (Grade 12th only)

Over the Counter Medicine:

Several parents and students have already contacted the school nurse about administering over-the-counter(OTC) medication to their student at school. These medications are especially helpful for students with frequent headaches, orthodontic pain, menstrual cramps, stomach upset or allergy symptoms. OTC medications commonly given at school include acetaminophen(Tylenol), ibuprofen(Advil), Midol and Tums. In order for your student to receive OTC medication at school, you will need to complete the OTC Medication Permission Form at this link: OTC Medication Permission Form AND send a supply of the medication to the school in a new, sealed bottle. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our school nurse, Mrs. Scruggs ([email protected]).

Consent to Treat:

There is a new district form to allow our school nurse to provide medical attention to students.

All families should complete the following short form for their student.

Please use the following link: Click Here

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our school nurse, Mrs. Scruggs ([email protected]).

Pick Up and Drop Off:

In the morning and afternoon, pick up and drop off for student car riders happens in the McCormick/Wacker/CETAS parking lot (P-17). Please click on this map of the STEM Traffic Pattern for drop off/pickup. The lot next to the STEM School entrance is only for staff, visitors, and buses during the times of 9:00am-9:35am and 4:00pm-4:45pm. Please be mindful of this procedure. As for STEM student drivers, the McCormick/Wacker/CETAS parking lot is also where these students are to park along the tree line in the back of the lot. All STEM drivers must get a Chattanooga State parking pass, or they may be ticketed starting August 19.

Thank you,

Jim David

Principal

August 2, 2024 - STEM School Info 08/02

Parents/Guardians,

Registration:

STEM School Specific Registration Items:

All STEM School Chattanooga parents must complete a STEM School specific registration form for their student.

STEM Registration Link: Click HERE.

2. Hamilton County Schools PowerSchool Registration:

In addition to the STEM School registration, please complete either the returning or new student registration below.

Returning Hamilton County Schools Student:

To register a returning student, click HERE to enroll for the 2024-2025 school year if you haven’t already.

For instructions about the Parent Portal, you may click HERE.

If you have trouble logging in or need your password reset, please email Amy Robinson at [email protected].

Below is the fee payment links for online payment options:

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

Magnet Programming Fee link above (all students)

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

AST Fee link above (Grade 9 and 10 students only)

SchoolCashOnline.com: Fee Details

Senior Fee link above (Grade 12th only)

Student Email Passwords:

Rising Grade 9 Orientation: – August 5

1st Days of School: – August 7 & 8

Uniforms:

Pick Up, Drop Off, and Building Hours:

Bus Transportation:

Thank you for your support!

Jim David

Principal

FOR PREVIOUS 2021-2024 UPDATES, CLICK THESE LINKS:
STEM Updates - August 2024
STEM Updates - May 2024
STEM Updates - April 2024
STEM Updates - March 2024
STEM Updates - February 2024
STEM Updates - January 2024
STEM Updates - December 2023
STEM Updates - November 2023
STEM Updates - October 2023
STEM Updates - September 2023
STEM Updates - July & August 2023
STEM Updates - May 2023
STEM Updates - April 2023
STEM Updates - March 2023
STEM Updates - February 2023
STEM Updates - January 2023

Updates

STEM School ChattanoogaExercise Innovation, Think Critically, Collaborate

STEM School Chattanooga
Exercise Innovation, Think Critically, Collaborate