From the Office of Art Campbell, Head of School
Mr. Art Campbell, Head of School
Ms. Kelly Stauffer, Admin. Asst. to the Head of School
**The daily schedule for August 28-September 12 has been modified as we work toward preparing for the Lunch & Learn Schedule. The modified schedule is below.
23-24 Opening Week Schedule (this schedule will end on Tuesday, September 12)
Lunch & Learn: Beginning this Thursday, September 13th, our entire school will change over to our 23-24 Bell Schedule with regular Lunch and Learn times. Our Lunch and Learn Schedule takes place on the following letter days: A, D, E, H, I, L. On those cycle days, all students are scheduled to have periods 1-7.
Next week Mr. Campbell will be meeting with 9th, 10th, and 11th grade to review Lunch and Learn procedures, prior to the start of regular bell schedule.
As a reminder, the purpose of Lunch & Learn is to provide students with the time, support, and resources necessary to be a successful student. By scheduling time during the school day, all students will have equal access to their teachers and other resources. This is a time for students to eat lunch, work on schoolwork, meet with teachers and counselors, participate in physical activity in our stadium behind the school, meet as student clubs, as well as other optional special programs for our students. This is a time that all staff and administration are available for our students. Please be on the lookout for much more information over the next few weeks.
Please be reminded that students are to be dropped off and picked up behind the school. No students should be dropped off or picked up on Manor Ave. as this disturbs the flow of traffic and could cause an accieent. We appreciate your cooperation with this matter. Safety is always our first priority.
Back to School Night will be held on Thursday, September 21 from 6:00-8:00 pm. This event will be held in person at the STEM Academy. Faculty and staff look forward to meeting with eveyone who is able to attend.
Attendance Reminders:
- If you are planning a family trip, please be sure to turn in the Request Form for Educational and Family Trips, no less than 2 weeks prior to the request.
- If your student arrives to school late, will be leaving early, or is absent for any reason, an email should be sent to stemattendance@dasd.org. If leaving early students should come to the main office in the morning to receive an early dismissal slip, which they will provide to their teacher. They should report to the office to check out. Parents are not required to come in to pick up, your student will meet you outside the building after checking out.
STEM Counseling Department
Ms. Stephanie Rockowitz, Counseling Secretary/Registrar
- University and College Visits: Throughout the course of the year, the counseling department has coordinated many college visits for our Senior Class. All scheduled visits are now listed on the STEM Academy Website Calendar
- 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
Senior Class Meetings held September 5th and 6th
Earlier this week, STEM school counselors met with 12th grade students during their open revision periods to discuss important information about the college application process.
- Counselors reviewed the process of requesting academic transcripts and letters of recommendation.
- Other topics included how to complete the FERPA waiver, match Common App & Naviance accounts, requesting optional letters of recommendation, completing self-reported academic records (SRAR), and setting realistic timelines.
- We also shared resources such as the Common Data Set and the College Scorecard (on the Department of Education website). These resources, as well as the presentation students viewed, are available below.
- Students were able to pick up transcript and letter of recommendation request forms from the counseling office beginning Wednesday, Sept. 6th. We ask that students allow 10 school days for requests to be processed.
Financial Aid Night @ STEM
12th grade parents/guardians and students are invited to attend our Financial Aid Night on Oct. 16th at 6:00pm in the STEM Academy auditorium. Dr. Sonya Mann-McFarlane, our Higher Education Access Partner from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will present on the topic of applying for financial aid and the important updates coming to the 2024–25 FAFSA® Form. Families should be aware that one of the major changes to the FAFSA process is the application launch date being pushed back from Oct. 1st to December. An exact start date has not been announced. You can read more about important updates to this process on the Federal Student Aid/FAFSA Website.
Additional Resources
Senior Class of 2024
Senior Panoramic Photo: The Senior Class will assemble for a Class of 2024 portrait on Tuesday, September 12.
- Orders can be placed at mylifetouch.com using Picture Day ID LW723016T0 (Please note that using this code, takes you directly to the page that you will enter your students' first and last name, and your relationship to the student. Payment will be verified after that information is entered. There will be 6% sales tax applied to the order. There are no other options to choose from as this code is unique to the Senior Panoramic Portrait only.)
Senior Diploma Verification: Students should complete this form using their DASD student email address. This form must be completed to verify the complete name of the student that will be listed on their diploma. The deadline to complete this form is October 13, 2023.
Caps/Gowns and Stoles: Each graduate is responsible for purchasing a cap, gown and stole for graduation. The cost of this package is $32.55. Other items are available for sale as well through the website. The Cap/Gown Stole orders should be placed as soon as possible. Once shipped, they will remain at STEM until graduation in June. Orders must be received by November 1.
- Online Ordering steps:
Go to: Herff Jones SHOP Grad Products Website.
Or visit Highschool.herffjones.com
Type in DOWNINGTOWN S.T.E.M ACADEMY in the box to find your school.
Click SHOP GRAD PRODUCTS and the cap and gown packages will appear. (For the cap, gown, tassel and stole only, click GRADUATION A LA CARTE)
Below are the Cap and Gown Packages
BASIC PACKAGE (B): $32.55 (includes sales tax)
Includes Cap, Gown, Tassel and Silkscreen Stole.
Act 10 Military Opt-Out: If your student does not wish to be contacted by a local recruiting agency, this form must be completed and returned to the counseling office no later than October 10, 2023.
Senior Privileges: Also known as the Early Dismissal/Late Arrival Form, students are required to have this form completed. Once completed, the student will be notified by the main office once their privileges go in to effect.
Reminders for those with Senior Privileges
- You MUST sign in at the main office when you arrive to school, and out prior to leaving for the day.
- You should enter through the main office.
- You must have completed the Early Dismissal/Late Arrival Permission form for Seniors
- Once approved, you will receive a message to see Ms. Sokso in the main office. Students should not leave until they have checked out in the main office.
Spread the Word to End the Word Football Game, September 14, 2023 @ 7:00 pm.
Downingtown Area School District’s (DASD) Best Buddies Program has partnered with the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation to celebrate its 11th annual “Spread The Word To End The Word Event.” Best Buddies is a program in Downingtown that builds one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), offering social interactions while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded. The mission of the program directly aligns with the mission of the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation which is to support the highest quality and most impactful Autism research and care to improve the lives of affected individuals and families now, as well as foster the acquisition of knowledge, technologies and discoveries that will bring new opportunities in the future. The program will begin at 7pm on Sept 14, 2023.
2023 Narwhal Culture Fest - 2nd Annual Event, Thursday, September 21
Entertainment will be provided from a number of talented student musicians, singers and dancers who represent a number of different countries. Food will be available for purchase from a variety of food trucks featuring cuisine from around the world. This event is FREE and sponsored by the Downingtown Community Education Foundation and the Downingtown Area School District's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiative. We want to create a community culture of inclusivity and empathy that can grow and flourish. All proceeds from this event benefit the Marsh Creek 6th Grade Center Library. Registration: Click Here
A Night of Remembrance with Holocaust Survivor Peter Stern, Wednesday, September 27, 6pm @ DHSW
Holocaust survivor Peter Stern will share his personal story of survival during a special event hosted by the Downingtown Area School District (DASD) Department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The evening presentation will take place on Sept 27th at 6 p.m. in the Downingtown High School West auditorium (445 Manor Ave., Downingtown).
Registration: Click Here
Student Life
Ms. Katherine Cole,Dean of Academics & Student Life
Ms. Cory Butler, Administrative Assistant
HSA Shout Out: Thank you to our HSA board for coordinating help, and all of the volunteers that were able to assist with picture day/health screenings this week. Your efforts were greatly appreciated.
Community Volunteer Requirements: To maintain a safe and health environment for staff and students, background clearances are required and should be turned into the main office. The annual volunteer disclosure form should also be completed yearly and returned to the main office. Thank you for helping us keep our schools safe!
Ms. Dana Sokso: Attendance Secretary DASD STEM Academy
Please help us in reminding your student of the following:
- Whether your student is arriving late to school, has Senior Privileges, or has a parent note to leave early, they must sign in/out of the main office for attendance.
- All attendance inquiries throughout the school year can be directed to stemattendance@dasd.org
- Students should scan the QR Codes located outside the main office, and then upload their notes for Absence, Tardiness, and Trips.
- Please review the attendance policy in the Student Code of Conduct: Upon 3 unlawful offenses a written notification will be sent to parent; upon 6 unlawful absences, a 2nd notification will be sent, and a School Attendance improvement plan meeting will be required.
- If you are planning a family trip, please be sure to turn in the Request Form for Educational and Family Trips, no less than 2 weeks prior to the request.
Important Links for Parents & Students
- 2023-2024 DASD School District Calendar
- 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 23-24 school year.
Downingtown STEM Academy
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