Head of School Update
October 10, 2025: Issue #8
Mr. Art Campbell, Head of School
Ms. Kelly Stauffer, Admin. Asst. to the Head of School
Upcoming Events/No School Days
- PAYS Survey (Gr. 10/12): October 15
- PSATs (Gr 10/11): October 16
- HSA Senior Pancake Breakfast: October 16
- No School/Diwali: Monday, October 20
- Lifetouch Picture Make up Day: October 22
- Minding Your Mind (Gr. 9-12): October 23
- End of 1st Marking Period: October 30
- November 4: No School for Students/PD for staff
- November 25: No School for Students/ Parent-Teacher Conferences The sign up link will be shared in in late October/Early November.
- November 26-28: No School For Students/Thanksgiving Recess
With just about 3 weeks left of the first marking period it is imperative that students meet with their teachers to discuss any concerns they may have regarding grades and to ensure that all work is submitted. Please encourage your students to take advantage of the time they have during lunch and learn to meet with their teachers throughout the week, and to make sure all assignments are up to date.
Pennsylvania Youth Survey (Grades 10 and 12): Please see the 2025 Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) notification emailed to parents on October 1. This survey will be administered during advisory on October 15, 2025. If there are any questions, please contact Ms. Katherine Cole, Dean of Academics and Student Life.
STEM Academy Class of 2030 Application is now open...
Attention all 8th Grade Families:
Are you thinking about Applying to the STEM Academy? The 2026-2027 Application for the Class of 2030 is now open and will close on Monday, October 20, 2025 at 9:00 pm.
The application, as well as criteria and requirements for admissions, and the recording of the virtual presentation and padlet questions can be found on our website under Applying to the Academy.
Any additional questions should be directed to stinfo@dasd.org
The Common Application is open for the Class of 2026!!
Remember this is just the starting line, NOT A DEADLINE! No college expects you to submit everything in the first day or week of the application season. Pace yourself and pay attention to deadlines, but do not sacrifice this last month of summer!
Use this FAQ to help in completing your apps and Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR).
STEM Unite for Her Pink Out
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and on October 1st, the Unite for HER club hosted a successful school-wide Pink Out to raise awareness. By wearing pink, students and staff helped show support for women affected by breast cancer and honored those who have faced it. We appreciate everyone who participated and hope this event highlighted the importance of ongoing awareness and support.
To stay informed about future events, feel free to join our club using the group code F4QX-SXN4-WR5JF, or follow us on Instagram at @stem_uniteforher. We have many more activities planned throughout the year!
STEM HOSA State Officer Update
Last week at the Washington Leadership Academy, seniors Kanakvi Pulekar (Downingtown STEM) and Vidhur Varada (Downingtown East) took their voices to Capitol Hill for HOSA on the Hill. They met with congressional staff (Staffer Jack Leighninger for Chrissy Houlahan and staffer Faith Tuttle for Glenn Thompson) to advocate for policies supporting Career and Technical Education (CTE), including the Perkins Act, sharing personal stories and highlighting HOSA’s role in developing the next generation of healthcare leaders.
🤝 Making Connections: Students Engage Local Law Enforcement
The STEM Academy Black Student Union (BSU hosted a highly successful Making Connections Lunch and Learn event on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 bringing together students and local law enforcement for an insightful dialogue. Officer Maureen Rae from the East Brandywine Township police department joined students to share information on community activities and engage in a candid Q&A session.
The students in attendance did an outstanding job of fostering a productive conversation, asking Officer Rae thought-provoking and well-prepared questions that covered topics from community policing initiatives and how to stay safe of the road, as most of them are new drivers or will be soon.
Thank you to Officer Rae for lending time to this important event and to the BSU for organizing this valuable opportunity for our campus community to build bridges and share perspectives!
Key Club Blood Drive
Key Club is hosting the annual American Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, October 15th!
STEM Class of 2026/LeadX
This week our 12th grade students who signed up for the University of Delaware LeadX course had their first in-person session with Mr. Campbell and Dr. Podell. When asked why they were taking advantage of the opportunity, students gave a wide variety of answers. Many are leaders for clubs at STEM, or sports teams at their home high school, and want to level up their leadership ability to help their team. Others are studying IB Psychology at STEM, and want to gain a greater understanding of group dynamics. Still more wanted to understand leadership simply because they thought the topic fascinating. Students delved deep into defining their core values that animate themselves as leaders. They gained greater perspective on the importance of self-truth, and how only through knowing ourselves well can we hope to lead with authenticity. LeadX students will continue in the coming months to gain greater understanding of leadership theory and practice, develop a 30-day Leadership Development Plan, and have the opportunity to earn 1 credit from the University of Delaware.
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 began September 9th! Juniors and Seniors are also encouraged to view the complete list of school-day visits in Naviance under the “Colleges” tab. College visits are also noted on the
STEM Academy Website Calendar.
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
2026-2027 FAFSA Opened October 1!
The 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is live! This is the first step towards applying for federal, state, and college-based financial aid. Families are encouraged to start their application in early October to ensure all deadlines are met.
See the FAFSA Tip Sheet for details about what documents you need in order to complete.
2025-2026 School Year
The DASD 2025-2026 was board approved on Wednesday, January 2025.. Please review the school start times as shared on the district website and noted below:
The schedule for the 2025-2026 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.
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