STEM Updates
September 2020
A Message from the Superintendent
September 1, 2020
Dear Parent/Guardian,
As we plan for returning to school at UTPB STEM Academy, we recognize that this will be an unusual school year, but we remain committed to supporting your student’s learning, as well as his or her safety.
This document outlines the procedures our campuses will have in place to prevent or mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to respond if a positive case is identified. We hope this transparency helps you to make future decisions about your student’s on-campus attendance at STEM.
While it is not possible to eliminate all risk of furthering the spread of COVID-19, the current science suggests there are many steps schools can take to reduce the risks to students, teachers, staff, and their families significantly. STEM's strategy for opening and operating is outlined below. A more detailed plan can be found on our district website https://utpbstemacademy.org/.
Prevention
To prevent COVID-positive individuals from entering our campuses, STEM will have the following COVID-19 symptom screening procedures in place:
- All staff will be required to self-screen daily.
- All visitors will be required to screen upon arrival.
- Parents are asked to proactively identify when their student exhibits COVID-19 symptoms or has been exposed and to keep them home.
- All students will be screened daily using the Dr. Owl app.
- The student screening procedure will be as follows:
- COVID Symptoms
- Temp Check
- Sanitizer
- Mask if needed
Criteria for Return to School
Conditions for return to school after an individual shows symptoms or gets a positive test result:
Either:
- 24 hours with no fever; and
- Symptoms improved; and
- 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared
Or:
- An acute infection test at an approved testing location (https://tdem.texas.gov/covid-19/) that comes back negative for COVID-19
Or:
- A doctor’s note indicating an alternate diagnosis
Mitigation
Our district will be taking the following steps across our campus to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
- All adults and students in the building will wear masks, particularly when they are within six feet of one another, except when participating in activities that cannot be conducted with a mask on, such as eating, or unless it is not developmentally appropriate for the student to wear a mask.
- Social Distancing will be encouraged.
- Frequent hand washing will be encouraged throughout the day.
- Hand Sanitizer stations in all classrooms.
- Frequent sanitation of high touch areas.
- Additional hand-washing stations
Response
In the event of a COVID-positive case on campus, the campus will take the following steps:
- All areas that are heavily used by the individual with the lab-confirmed case will be closed off until disinfected.
- All teachers, staff, and families of all students in that school will be notified.
- The local health department will be notified.
We hope that this information gives you confidence in our systems and our ability to stop the spread of COVID-19 on our campuses. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out by email to stemacad@uptb.edu or visit our website at www.utpbstemacademy.org.
While this will be a challenging year, we believe it can also be a great one, and we look forward to supporting your student in his or her learning journey.
Sincerely,
Shannon Davidson
Superintendent
UT Permian Basin STEM Academy
Upcoming Events
September
04-17 Virtual Book Fair!
07 Labor Day (Student/Staff Holiday)
08 PTO Drive-Thru Uniform Shirt 5pm-7pm
09 Students who chose on-campus or hybrid learning return to campus
Please click on each picture to view the entire flyer.
The UTPB STEM Academy is excited to announce we will be adding Esports as a club for the 2020-2021 school year. For any secondary student that may be interested in joining, please complete the survey at: https://forms.gle/oSjouxKMuKw8wDm19
Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures
Watch this video about Drop-off/Pick-up procedures. Click the flyers below for other information.
Please review the procedures and the diagram below. If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact STEM administration.
Drop-off begins at 7:20am
Classes begin at 7:50am
Drop-off Zones: STEM has 2 designated student drop-off zones (see yellow arrows in flyer below). Students being dropped off at the Founder's parking lot will walk on the designated sidewalk to the crosswalk (see green arrow). STEM staff will be located at both drop-off zones.
Parent Park & Walk Zones: STEM has 2 designated parent park & walk zones (see red circle in flyer below). Please utilize these areas for parking and walking your students only, these zones will not have STEM staff to directly monitor student safety.
Founders dismissal area is specifically for our high school students.
PTO Information
Online Book Fair sponsored by PTO!
Dear Families,
You're invited to shop our Scholastic Book Fair online from September 4th through September 17th! All purchases benefit our school and connect kids with new books, favorite characters, complete series, and more. All orders ship directly to your home and you will receive free shipping on book-only orders that are over $25.
Visit our Book Fair Homepage and click "Shop Now" starting September 4th to get started.
Happy reading!
Thank you,
Angelica Ramos
Last call: Drive Thru Uniform Store
The PTO has decided to do one last quick drive-thru to purchase right before school starts. Limited Quantities available.
This will be an evening event!
Plus you will be able to pickup your yearbooks if you ordered. Any extra yearbooks can be purchased at a first come first serve basis.
We look forward to seeing all of you!
PTO
Secondary Principal
Parents,
Attached (linked) to this newsletter are several very important document and instructions for return to school. Please make sure you read through all of these items carefully and ask questions for clarification.
Once these items are completed please send them to Mrs. Aguirre (aguirre_r@utpb.edu ). These items are required by September 9th if students want to park, walk/drive, and/or leave for lunch. Students without parking permits can be ticketed by UTPB police.
In Service to others,
Mr. Cody Griffin
Principal STEM Academy Middle/High School
432-552-2580
@UTPBSTEMAcademy
@PrincipalStem
Dear Parents of STEM MS/HS Students:
In order to help our students have a positive and successful math experience, we encourage all students to own a graphing calculator. A graphing calculator will be used in all 4 years of their UTPB STEM Academy math courses, and should also be more than adequate for any college level work after high school. We realize there is a cost involved but we are hoping you see it as an 8-year educational investment in your son or daughter.
There are two options for graphing calculators listed below, these models are the models used on campus and in the classrooms, (TI 84 Edition is the MOST COMMON). We ask that any calculators labeled CAS not be purchased for school use, as these are not permitted for use on the STAAR/TSI/SAT test. These calculators can be purchased at many local stores like Office Depot, Staples, Target, or online at Amazon.com and other retailers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions!
Thank you, Candi Sikes
STEM Math Specialist
District Testing Coordinator
11th and 12th Grade Parents,
Herff Jones is wanting to stay in contact with you and your high school student. Herff Jones assists with ordering letter jackets, class rings, graduation announcements, and graduation regalia to name a few. Please take a moment to complete the link below to provide them with your contact information to stay in the know.
Elementary Principal
Parents:
We are excited to welcome students back to campus on Wednesday, September 9. There are a few items for you to remember as you send your child to school:
- STEM will not be offering breakfast this year, so please have your child eat breakfast at home before arriving at school.
- Our water fountains will not be turned on; therefore, please send your child to school with a water bottle or two.
- As outside lunch vendors will not be allowed on campus, please ensure your child brings a lunch and snack to school each day.
- We are a PEANUT FREE campus so please do not send any peanut products to school with your child.
- All students must bring face masks to school.
To aid in your child's learning, please remember the following:
- For hybrid learners and or 100% on campus learners, it is imperative to bring a charged device, charger, and headphones to campus each day.
- For remote learners, a quiet space free from distraction is vital to learning success as is adhering to a schedule that mimics the school day.
- See teacher's Google Classroom pages for an update on live streaming times beginning September 9. Live streaming is where your child receives direct instruction and truly makes a difference in his or her learning.
- To ensure learning success for your child, have your child complete their daily assignments each day. Once they fall behind it is difficult to catch up.
Please remember your child's teacher is happy to answer any questions you may have. Through our partnership, great things are possible. I look forward to a great year!
Best Regards,
Monica Elizondo, M.Ed.
Elementary Principal
The University of Texas Permian Basin STEM Academy
Mrs. Villarreal's Newsletter
STEM Academy Student Technology Information
Service tickets: If you are experiencing issues, put in a service ticket at: https://utpbstem.on.spiceworks.com/portal. For help on how to navigate the ticketing process please watch the video from our IT Coordinator, Manuel Gonzales: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sUdpJoxh7B-esOiU39sGoztDAJ0U7oEm/view?usp=sharing.
We appreciate your patience as we are navigating through our technology process.
STEM Academy Approved Calendar for 2020-2021
STEM Office Hours
UT Permian Basin STEM Academy
Email: stemacad@utpb.edu
Website: www.utpbstemacademy.org
Location: 4901 E University Blvd, Odessa, TX, USA
Phone: (432) 552-2580
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/utpbstemacademy/
Twitter: @utpbstemacademy