STEM School Highlands Ranch

Minutes

Board of Directors Meeting

Monthly Meeting

Date and Time

Tuesday September 2, 2025 at 5:30 PM

Location

8920 Barrons Blvd

P-TECH Mechatronics Room

Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://zoom.us/j/95825391000?pwd=msncIVBra97QrHttP6dmqMTMcpbaV9.1 

Passcode:771384

Directors Present

A. Campbell, C. Gustafson, C. Wroblewski (remote), D. Lomelino, E. Quigley, G. Wing, I. Kalra, K. Leung, R. Lukez

Directors Absent

None

Guests Present

A. Cardinal, L. Kovalesky, Laurie Veldhuizen, M. Cartier, M. Pritchard, Michelle Gasser, Ryan Alsup (remote), S. Milner

I. Opening Items

A.

Record Attendance

B.

Call the Meeting to Order

C. Gustafson called a meeting of the board of directors of STEM School Highlands Ranch to order on Tuesday Sep 2, 2025 at 5:32 PM.

C.

Pledge of Allegiance

D.

Reciting of the Mission Statement

II. Approve Meeting Minutes

A.

Board Meeting August 5th

E. Quigley made a motion to approve the minutes from Board of Directors Meeting on 08-05-25.
G. Wing seconded the motion.

IK, DL, RL abstain

The board VOTED to approve the motion.

III. STEM School Highlands Ranch Updates

A.

Student Government Spotlight

Prom updates

Welcome to High School Party was great success

$800 rollover to fund Homecoming

STEM Blastoff, Trunk or Treat, Powderpuff, and Nerds Night Out - upcoming fall events.

B.

Approve updated 2025/26 Calendar

R. Lukez made a motion to Approve 2025/2026 calendar.
A. Campbell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

C.

Approve Preliminary 2026/27 Academic Calendar

K. Leung made a motion to approve proposed 2026-2027 calendar.
D. Lomelino seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

D.

STEM School HR Update

Launched internal fundraising plan

STEM Blast off 9/17

Booster-Thon Event

PTO will be transitioning into Parent Teacher Committee under Accelerator Fund

1470 total students current enrolled, might get more admin transfers before October count

Total projected ~1485 

K-12 enrollment up from total 1396

Enrollment Discussion 

- Need to be better at projections (more conservative in future), more accurate data points to help right size staff

- Need to be mindful of future funding cuts at district, state, federal level

 

IV. KOSON Schools

A.

CIO Update

Budget adjustments

Discuss spending cut strategies for future budget to make sure we have balanced budget

Have better tools to do finer projections 

Update on master improvement plan

Community engagement with staff, students, parents

Survey 1150 responses, data being currently compiled

 

B.

Policy Update

Reviewed recommended changes to Enrollment Policy.  Vote will be next meeting.

C.

CIO Annual Goals

Update from Erin about CIO Goals for 2025- 2026

Reviewed timeline for goal setting, check - in and evaluation

 

V. Public Comment

A.

Public Comment Sign up link

None 

VI. Consent Agenda

A.

Vote for Consent Agenda Items

I. Kalra made a motion to approve the consent agenda.
E. Quigley seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.

VII. Board Committee Updates

A.

Academic Excellence Committee Updates

Meeting next week to update one-pager, UIP/SPF data, expand membership to include wider community

B.

CIO Support & Evaluation Committee Updates

Suggestion to move contract renewal earlier in the year (update on one-pager)

C.

Finance Committee Update

Deep dive into enrollment update and will be looking at audit (vote to approve DL to initiate audit), Sean working on ERP (will have policy update eventually after process streamlined). Will update one pager

D.

Governance Committee Update

One pager updated.  Will create board book.  Update on enrollment policy

E.

Growth Task Force Update

Will meet soon and update at next meeting

VIII. Lighthouse Building Corp

A.

Roles/Responsibilities and support/relationship to Koson Board

Every charter school has a building corp (TABOR limitations of debt liability)

Review of the purpose of Lighthouse Corp.

 

IX. Board of Director's Updates

A.

Preview of Next Meeting

Complete training on BoT

UIP data

Approve CIO goal

Approve minor policy rewording

Approve one pagers

BoT assessment

X. Closing Items

A.

Adjourn Meeting

E. Quigley made a motion to adjourn.
A. Campbell seconded the motion.
The board VOTED unanimously to approve the motion.
There being no further business to be transacted, and upon motion duly made, seconded and approved, the meeting was adjourned at 8:23 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
I. Kalra
Documents used during the meeting
  • STEM Student Government 2025-26 Board Meeting Slides.pdf
  • Updated_-_2025-2026_STEM_Academic_Calendar.pdf
  • Proposed_-_2026-2027_STEM_Academic_Calendar.pdf
  • September Board Presentation 25_26.pdf
  • CIO Board Presentation 20250902.pptx.pdf
  • Presentation - Enrollment Policy Updates 09-2025.pdf
  • Proposed_Policy_Enrollment_2025 Update.pdf
  • Koson CIO Goals_2025-2026.pdf
  • Core Values Update 09-2025.pdf
  • Stem_Core_Values_1_Page.pdf
  • Presentation to Koson Board - Lighthouse Bldg Corp 09-2025.pdf