Originally delivered on 3/1/2024 9:00 am

SUBJECT: STEM Lab PTO Press-March

The PTO Press

March 2024 - by Amber Wey

A Message From the Board

We hope everyone had a wonderful Mid-Winter break. We are heading into the final stretch of the school year and trust me, it will FLY by!  So don't miss out on all of the fun we still have in store for the entire STEM Lab community. As we step into March, we not only embrace the blooming of spring but also celebrate the incredible strength, resilience, and achievements of women everywhere. Happy National Women's Month!

Women's History Month, celebrated throughout March, highlights women's contributions to history and contemporary society. Today, let's recognize and honor the phenomenal women in our own lives—mothers, teachers, mentors, and friends. Their diverse contributions shape a brighter future for generations to come.

Upcoming Social Events
SAVE THE DATE

Kiddos! Grab your favorite grown ups and bring them with you to the gym for breakfast before you head to class and they head to work for the day.

Thursday March 28th, 7:25am-7:50am

An Evite will come out in our Mid-Month Memo. We hope you can make it!

Community Updates
March PTO Meeting

Wednesday March 13th at 6:30pm in the Library. Please join us for our monthly PTO meeting! We'll be conducting our traditional PTO business, including updates from Admin, a look at next year's PTO leadership opportunities and more. Light snacks and child care will be provided.


Immediately following our short business portion of the meeting we will be doing a used book exchange! CLICK HERE to RSVP and for the details.

Fundraising Updates
Silent Auction Donation Requests

Looking for donations for the Silent Auction!

Our annual STEM Lab PTO Silent Auction will be held online April 26-29, 2024 (more details to come). We are currently collecting donations! If you are (or know) a business owner who might be willing to donate to our silent auction, or if you have questions about donating, please contact us at stemlabsilentauction@gmail.com.

The PTO is a registered 501(c)(3), and we can provide you with donation receipts for your business, if you would like. To show our appreciation, we acknowledge all donors on our media outlets that directly connect to our 500+ families and over 700 students. This media includes our PTO website, Facebook, and email newsletters, as well as our silent auction platform.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Contact us for more information.

Thanks in advance for helping to make our Silent Auction a hugely successful one!

Passive or "No Cost" Fundraising
King Soopers Community Rewards

Link your King Soopers Loyalty number to STEM Lab PTO in 3 easy steps. The same card you swipe, or phone # you enter, at King Soopers will automatically earn STEM Lab PTO a percentage of your purchase.

  1. Sign in to your existing King Soopers loyalty account (if you’ve never set one up, you can CREATE ONE HERE)

  2. Under the "Savings” tab, click on “King Soopers Community Rewards”.

  3. Click the link “Enroll Now” and search for STEM Lab School PTO or enter the code GH401 to be connected to our school’s rewards account.

Then you can shop as usual and at no extra charge to you, King Soopers will donate a percentage to our organization!

Support Staff Spotlight
Darla Benore - Health Aide

These are a few of her favorite things:

Color: Yellow

Sports Team: Broncos

Favorite Drink: Tea/Coffee

Favorite Starbucks drink: Any

Snacks: Snickers, Peach Gummies

Place to Eat: Pizza, Dairy Queen

Hobbies: Family Time, Gardening, Corn Hole

Q. What inspired you to work at a school?

A. "Prior to coming to our school district, I worked in Pediatrics for several years. I truly believe in helping our students grow in a healthy, nurturing, and  positive mindset  environment. In order to thrive and become their best individual self. "


Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of working at STEM Lab?

A. "The most rewarding aspect of working at STEM Lab for me is making a difference with every child, one at a time. Looking through the eyes of a child gives me inspiration and a different perspective on life. Our staff and students are truly the BEST in our district!"


Q. How do you engage with students who might be struggling in or out of the classroom?

A. "When engaging with our students I feel it's important to give them the space they need. Also, active listening to their words and body language before responding. We ALL need grace, right?"


Q. Can you share an example of a particularly challenging teaching experience and how you overcame it?

A. "I have one particular teaching experience in mind. Working with preschoolers during Covid was certainly a challenge. Our youngest of learners like to move around a lot and show you their favorite things at home. It was easy to see the distractions were so very real! Patience and perseverance was much needed, in order to teach in a caring and understanding environment. That's when the songs and dancing come in. We all understand the language of good music and good body movement."


Q. How do you foster a positive and inclusive classroom environment?

A. "I believe a positive and inclusive environment is a place where EVERYONE is in attendance. We all want a place where we feel safe and can be seen and heard. Where positive vibes flow freely and easily. Laughter among staff and students is a  powerful tool."


Q. What advice would you give someone who is considering becoming a teacher?

A. "The advice I would give to someone who is considering becoming a teacher would be....Show up daily with a positive mindset. Do your best, because "YOU" will make a difference in so many young lives. "


Q. What is your favorite thing the PTO does for the school and what can we do to better serve the STEM Lab community?

A. "Our PTO is doing amazing work for our school community! Walking down the hallway and reading positive notes from our families, peers, PTO and community of volunteers warms my heart every time I see them. Thank you all for always going above and beyond the call of duty."

Sponsor Highlight
Managed by a STEM Lab Family!

A Child’s Song (ACS) is a 501(3)(C) nonprofit that has served the Denver Metro area since 1999. We nurture an appreciation for music while providing programs and education to share the developmental, healing, and social-emotional benefits of music for children and adults.

Treasurer Report
Meet Chien-Shiung Wu

Chien-Shiung Wu, dubbed the "First Lady of Physics," was born in China in 1912. She graduated from the National Central University of Nanking in 1936 before pursuing graduate studies in the U.S. at the University of California-Berkeley, where she earned a doctorate in 1940.

During World War II, Wu joined the Manhattan Project at Columbia University, working on the atomic bomb. Post-war, at Columbia, she disproved the principle of conservation of parity in physics alongside two male colleagues. Despite their Nobel Prize in 1957, Wu's contributions remained unrecognized.

Are you still with us?

Did you make it through the PTO Press? If so, respond to this email by March 10th letting me know about a woman who shaped your life.

School News & Updates

Click here to be directed to the school's website 

for information on news and events happening at STEM Lab.

Find Us on Social Media!

Check out and subscribe to our social media pages for visual media of all the fun we have throughout the year.

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