Head of School Update

Mr. Art Campbell, Head of School

Ms. Kelly Stauffer, Admin. Asst. to the Head of School

Please see the Minding Your Mind Communication from Ms. Jennifer Stull regarding upcoming presentations that will be taking place for all students in grades 9-12 on Wednesday, October 23. Should there be any questions, please contact Ms. Jennifer Stull, Prevention Specialist at the Downingtown STEM Academy.

Lifetouch Picture make-ups/retakes will place on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Pictures can be ordered using code EVT9TFPH9 at www.mylifetouch.com

We are now at the half way point of the first marking period. The first marking period will end on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. Please remind students to make sure assignments are up to date and to meet with their teachers with any concerns. Teachers are available during lunch and learn to help students.

Early Dismissal Procedures, Tardy Notes, Absences, etc: Please be reminded that if a student will be picked up early, an email should be sent to stemattendance@dasd.org . Students should stop by the office to pick up an early dismissal slip to show their teachers, and then should report to the main office at the designated dismissal time to check out in the front office. Students will be dismissed to meet their parent/guardian along side of the building that exits back to Manor Ave. If your student is absent, those notes can also be emailed to stemattendance@dasd.org

Traffic: Please review the student pick up and drop off procedures located under School Day on our Website. Please allow enough time for traveling to school in the morning.

Volunteers: We would like to welcome volunteers throughout the school year. Please take a moment to review the Volunteer Requirements. The Annual DASD Volunteer Disclosure Form should be completed and returned each school year. All volunteer clearances and forms can be emailed to Kstauffer@dasd.org.

The Admissions Application for all 8th grade students is now open. Please review the information listed on our website under Applying to the Academy . You will also find the Class of 2029 Virtual Presentation recording from Wednesday, September 25, as well as the padlet with questions/answers from the evening. The application will close on Sunday, October 20, 2024 at 9:00 pm.

Application Requirements and Criteria for Admission can be found here.

Additional questions should be directed to stinfo@dasd.org

October is a meaningful month for our community as we observe both LGBTQ+ History Month and Bullying Prevention Month. These observances remind us of the importance of fostering a space where every student feels safe, respected, and valued. Let’s continue to build on our commitment to understanding, kindness, and acceptance.

In recent years, educators have become increasingly aware of the need for practical and effective tools to address the unique learning styles of their neurodivergent students. In this hands-on workshop, Rick Silver, MD and Mary Jo Puglisi, LCPC will provide participants the opportunity to assess their own strengths and challenges working with this population of students; and to develop customized solutions to specific issues they face in the educational setting. This workshop will allow participants to manage learning-limiting behaviors and mindsets, build a more supportive learning environment and decrease classroom stress.

Next CETF Meeting will be October 28th, 2024 at 3:45 pm

The purpose of the DASD Cultural Equity Task Force (CETF) is to ensure equity for students, staff and families by eliminating bias and inequities in our classrooms and in our schools.

The CETF supports enacting policies, procedures and practices that are both culturally responsive and culturally sustaining. Join our team by contacting JBrown@dasd.org.

The Downingtown Area School District is excited to invite all DASD residents to tour our newly renovated buildings and see how they have been transformed into modern learning spaces that reflect our community's committment to education. Explore firsthand how these improvements are enhancing the educational experience for our students.

• October 16 (6:00 - 7:30 pm): Downingtown High School East & Uwchlan Hills Elementary
• October 29 (6:00 - 7:30 pm) : Downingtown High School West & STEM Academy

Mr. Michael Sheehan, Dean of Currciulum and Instruction

Ms. Meghan Schell, Administrative Assistant

2024-2025 Program of Study

Senior Pancake Breakfast: Members of the Class of 2025 will be working on their Group 4 project for the IB on Thursday, October 10. The morning will begin in the Student Commons with a Pancake Breakfast provided by Home & School.

STEM Academy Class of 2025 IB Fees Letter: IB Fee Payment #4 is due October 15.

2024-2025 IB Testing Schedule: Mark your calendars!

On Thursday, October 10, members of the STEM Academy Class of 2025 enjoyed a breakfast of pancakes and many delectable toppings before setting off to begin working on their Group 4 projects.

Thank you Home and School Parent Volunteers for making this event a success!

Ms. Alyssa Sherlock, CAS/EE Supervisor

Any member of the Senior Class is eligible to submit a design for an emblem to represent the Class of '25! Entries accepted until October 18th. See full contest rules, tips and spec at this link: Senior Mantle Contest Rules Good Luck!

Class of 2025 IB Fees Letter with Payment Schedule : IB Fee #4 is due 10/15/2024

2024-2025 IB Exam Schedule: Mark your calendars!

STEM Academy Class of 2025 Senior Class Parking Permit : As a reminder, this application must be completed by the student, using their DASD student email address. For future reference, all of this information can also be located on our website, under the Backpack.

Senior Early Dismissal/Late Arrival Form (Senior Privileges) 24-25: This form is for Early Dismissal/Late Arrival permission for Senior Class students.

Act 10 Military Letter: Please review this letter and return to Ms. Stephanie Rockowitz in the STEM Counseling office by October 10, 2024 if you wish to be excluded as noted in the letter.

All of this information for the Class of 2025 can be found on our website throughout the year: STEM Academy Class of 2025 Important Reminders.

Dr. Troy Podell

Downingtown STEM Academy Internships and Partnerships
Supervisor of Teaching & Learning

Ms. Kaitlin Brinker, Admin. Asst.

On Thursday, September 12th our Freshmen class took part in a training from the MidAtlantic Employers Association about strategies to overcome obstacles in their path. They learned about the value of positive dispositions, including Achor’s 5 habits to increase happiness listed below. If you do any of these, feel free to share with them, and how it’s positively impacted your outlook.

1. 3 Acts of Gratitude: Every day for 21 days, find 3 new things for which you’re grateful.
2. Doubling Up: For 21 days, for two minutes a day, think of one positive experience that’s occurred during the past 24 hours. Bullet point each detail you can remember.
3. Regular Exercise
4. Meditation
5. Conscious or Random Acts of Kindness

The second of these training sessions will take place on October 15th, working with our Freshmen on tackling the tricky subject of time management. Stay tuned for updates on more sessions to come.

Register now for the GETT Expo on October 26th from 12-5 at the Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks!

REGISTER HERE

The GETT EXPO is an annual, one-day, free, in-person, interactive STEM experience for girls in grades 4 through 10.

Girls who attend GETT have the opportunity to explore STEM educational pathways and career opportunities via hands-on activities as they visit expo tables staffed by a diverse group of professional women in STEM from companies and organizations across Eastern PA and beyond.

These impressive mentors not only share their STEM career pathway with the girls, but also their personal challenges, lessons learned and inspirational messages gleaned along their

The schedule below outlines additional MEA Softskills trainings that will take place during the 2024-2025 school year. Thank you HSA for the funding provided for these events.

Ms. Katherine Cole, Dean of Academics & Student Life

Ms. Kaitlin Brinker, Admin. Asst.

10/14-10/28: Canned Food Drive to Benefit the Chester County Food Bank

10/22: Picture Retakes (8:00-9:30 am)

10/25: East/West Game at Kottmeyer Stadium

10/29: End of 1st Marking Period

10/31: Veteran's Day Assembly (Sophomores/Juniors)

11/11: Indian Heritage Event

11/14: STEM Powderpuff Game 6:00 pm

11/16: STEM Homecoming Dance @ DHSE 6:00-9:00 pm

Any questions? Please contact Ms. Janette Romano or Ms. Megan Dunn, Yearbook Advisors

Contact Ms. Jocelyn Long for more information regarding the Summer of 2025 and the Summer of 2026 trips.

Ms. Stephanie Rockowitz, Counseling Secretary/Registrar

• To schedule an appt. to visit your school counselor, please complete the following form: Counseling Appointment Request Form
• Additional Resources from the STEM Counseling Department

Ms. Jennifer Stull, Prevention Specialist

Guide to Districtwide Mental Health Resources

College visits for the senior class during the school day, have been added to our STEM Academy website calendar and will be updated throughout the school year.

If you are in need of a work permit, please find the application located in the STEM Back Pack at the bottom of the page under Work Permits. Permits can be obtained in the counseling office. Please be sure to review and provide the necessary documentation listed on the website.

Additional Resources

College App Workshop presentation

Common Date Set Overview

US Dept. of Education College Scorecard

October 14th 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM United Sports Center

*A special one-hour pre-event program designed for learners with disabilities and their families. Get answers about post-high school options and meet representatives from local colleges and trade schools offering specialized programs and support.

October 14th 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

In partnership with Reading Aero Club, the Reading Regional Airport Authority is hosting their annual Aviation Career Expo on October 19th, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be a great opportunity for students who are already pursuing a career in aviation, as well as those who are simply exploring potential career paths.

Students will have the chance to meet industry professionals, learn about various roles within the aviation sector, and explore hands-on exhibits related to aviation technology, engineering, and operations.

Admission to the event is free, but we would like to encourage students to register for a chance to win free stuff! The link to our website is aviationcareerexpo.org and the link to register is here.

12th Grade Parents/Guardians and Students are invited to attend our Financial Aid Night on November 4th at 6:30 PM!

Dr. Sonya Mann-McFarlane from our Higher Ed access partner PHEAA will present on Financial Aid and Important Updates for the 2025-26 FAFSA Form.

Information about the FAFSA can be found on the Federal Student Aid/FAFSA Website. The application launch date for this year is Dec 1.

2024-2025 STEM Academy HSA Board

President: Kerri Roberts

Co-Vice Presidents: Mary Gasser and Heather Steiger

Secretary - Marcie Epstein

Treasurer - Kousalya Alapati

The next HSA meeting will be held on Monday, October 14, 2024 in the STEM Academy Knowledge Commons at 7:00 pm. Up and coming October events are listed below:

• October 23: It’s Fall Fest during lunch and learn! We’ll be handing out delicious fall treats to all grades, and it’s always a fast-paced, super fun event. Sign up to volunteer. Contact Kerri Roberts with any questions.

If you’re interested in volunteering for any of these events, please be sure your volunteer clearances have been submitted to Kelly Stauffer in the front office. She can be reached at kstauffer@dasd.org.

For more details on these events and everything else we have going on, head to our website: STEMHSA.org.

Lastly, SAVE THE DATE — November 14, 6pm-9p, is the Downingtown STEM Academy Powderpuff Game. Come out and cheer your students on as the girls challenge each other in football and the boys provide the entertainment! Show your school spirit by wearing STEM gear. Don’t have any? Head on over to our Spirit Wear Store and shop with plenty of time for your items to be delivered to your doorstep by November 14th.

Stay up to date on all HSA activities by following our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Calling all awesome parents!
Join us for our first Post-Prom Committee meeting on October 17th at 7 PM in the Atrium at STEM!

Let’s make prom night unforgettable for our kids while keeping it safe and fun. Did you know after-prom events help cut down on risky behavior like accidents and substance use? Help us plan a night packed with games, prizes, and great memories! Best part? It’s FREE for the kids, but we can’t do it without you!

Can’t make it on October 17th? No problem! The next meeting is November 6th. We’d love to have you onboard!

Questions? Please contact Kate Cloyd at kate.cloyd@gmail.com

The DHS-MPA is made up of parents and guardians of students involved in any of the Downingtown High School music programs, including Marching Bands, Concert Band, Symphonic Band and ensembles, String Orchestra and ensembles, Vocal Choirs and ensembles, Indoor Drumline, and Color Guard. Our mission is to provide program support to maintain the existence and the integrity of the music programs at all of the Downingtown High Schools, including the Downingtown East Campus, the Downingtown West Campus and the STEM Academy.

The MPA is hosting a USBands Competition and it requires joint effort from all music program students and adults. Funds raised by hosting a USBands show impact all of the DHS Music Programs. So, come on out and join music students and parents for a fun day at Kottmeyer Stadium. Volunteering for a shift gives you free admission to the show and NHS credits!

We need a variety of volunteers including concessions, ticket sales, candygram sales, parking lot attendants, 50/50 and crowd control. Please visit our USBands Volunteer Signup to volunteer your time. It is GREATLY appreciated!

Wawa Shorti Coupons

Coupons are available for $5 each and never expire. A portion of each sale is donated to the MPA to impact EVERY DHS music program!

· Reach out to Tina Ayala or email DHSMPA.waysmeans@outlook.com to get your coupons today!

The MPA is seeking local business sponsorships to help support our efforts for the 2024-2025 season. As a thank you for sponsoring and supporting our music programs, we have put together a Sponsorship Benefit Program to promote your business and services to not only our band community, but to our entire school district!

Go to MPA SPONSORS to see what it's all about. Sponsoring is easy, simply go to BECOME A SPONSOR and check out all of the sponsorship benefits.

The concession stands need YOU! It does not matter if you are East, West, or STEM or band, choir, or orchestra because when you volunteer, your time benefits every music program. This is one of our two biggest fundraisers to support all high school music programs. Adults and students may volunteer, and students can receive honor society credit.

Signup to Volunteer HERE!

Get Your Clearances Now!

All Parent Chaperones are required to have clearances on file with DASD. Visit DASD Volunteer Info to get started!

Thank you for joining the MPA's Membership Toolkit (MTK) Site. We are continuing to make improvements to make this system work for everyone. Have a suggestion? Email dhs.mpa.mtk@gmail.com. Know a music parent that hasn't joined yet? Share our website - www.dhsmpa.org. They can find new user information under the About Us tab.

What is the MPA?

Donate to the Music Program

Follow us on Facebook

All students at STEM are encouraged to participate in athletic programs offered at their home schools.

An activity bus is available for students heading to East to participate daily, and is located in the bus loop at dismissal.

To find more information about what sports are offered at your students’ homeschool, please choose one of the following that links directly to the correct Athletics page:

Downingtown East High School Athletics

Downingtown East High School Athletics Schedule

AND

Downingtown West High School Athletics

Downingtown West High School Athletics Schedule

Please save the date for the following events:

• November 18 and 19, 2024: Swim Team Tryouts. Tryouts will be held directly after school at the Lionville YMCA. 2023-2024 swimmers who achieved district consideration times do not need to tryout.

Student Drop Off

Please be reminded that students are to be dropped off behind the school. No students should be dropped off on Manor Ave. We appreciate your cooperation. Safety is always our first priority.

Also for the safety of all students and staff crossing back and forth during lunch time, the entrance to the STEM Academy on Campbell Drive will be closed during all lunch times for the remainder of the school year. Please use the West entrance to access the campus during that time.

Traffic:

Parents are not permitted to park, drop-off, or pick-up students from the left side of the Academy or on Manor Avenue.

• All parent pick-up vehicles must enter from Manor Avenue on the right side of the building (Campbell Drive). Parents will be directed by the traffic guard to loop around the building in order to pickup students.
• Bus pick-up for students from the Downingtown East High School attendance area will be along the fence that faces Kottmeyer Stadium. Bus pick-up for students from the Downingtown West High School attendance area will be at Downingtown West High School and Downingtown Middle School. Students will then walk to the Academy.
• Please make sure students are prepared for inclement weather. Parents are not permitted to park, drop-off, or pick-up students from the left side of the Academy or on Manor Avenue.
• For the safety of our students, it is essential that all drivers adhere to traffic patterns and regulations

Please review the student pick up and drop off procedures located under School Day on our Website.

Bus Passes are for Emergency use only. All bus rosters are full and only in the event of an emergency will a student be allowed to ride a different bus home. The request for a bus pass should come to the main office and will need approval from Mr. Campbell.

The 24-25 Parking Permit application opened for the Senior Class on Monday, August 5, and for the Junior Class on Monday, August 12. Please be reminded that students should use their DASD student email address to apply, as the permit is issued to the student driving the car on campus. Information regading parking permits can be found on our website in the Backpack. Additional parking permits are available this school year as construction on campus is winding down.

• Online Registration: Please remember to complete the Online Registration for your child(ren). This will provide me with updated health information as well as give permission for over the counter medication this school year. Go to Infinite Campus Parent Portal to complete the process.
• Medication: Students are only permitted to carry emergency medication (Epinephrine, Asthma inhalers, and diabetes medication). Any medication to be administered during the school day, should follow our current medication policy (attach board policy) and complete the authorization for medication administration
• Please contact Ms. Jennifer Mikulich with any questions or concerns.

• 2024-2025 School Year

  The DASD 2024-2025 Calendar was board approved on Wednesday, January 10, 2024. Please note the change in school start times as shared on the district website and noted below:

  The schedule for the 2024-25 school year is as follows:

  
  

  • Elementary (Grades K-6): 9:00 a.m.-3:35 p.m.
  • Secondary (Grades 7-12): 8:00 a.m.-2:45 p.m.
  
  
• Infinite Campus: Student schedules, report cards, and access to updating the annual registration verification can be accessed here.
• Payschools: All Activity, Technology and Food services fees can be paid quickly and easily in this portal. (All parking permit fees should now be showing in student accounts.)
• Schoology: Many courses and classes are updated daily. This is a very important tool for communicating!
• Service Desk: Technology support can be accessed here. Please review the directions for the new platform for service desk request for the 24-25 school year.

The Downingtown STEM Academy is the third high school in the Downingtown Area School District. The STEM Academy opened in the fall of 2011 at 335 Manor Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335.

The Academy is an IB World School offering every student the opportunity to earn an IB Diploma. The curriculum offers Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Pathways. Students are engaged in rigorous, challenging academic work that requires a mindset of growth and effort.

Email: stinfo@dasd.org
Website: https://st.dasd.org/
Location: 335 Manor Avenue, Downingtown, PA, USA
Phone: 610-269-2420