Head of School Update
August 22, 2025: Issue #2
Mr. Art Campbell, Head of School
Ms. Kelly Stauffer, Admin. Asst. to the Head of School
We hope everyone has had a wonderful last week of summer vacation. It was great to see all of the incoming freshmen and their families at orientation on Monday, and also those that were able to take a final walkthrough of the building for Locker Day today.
We would like to again welcome everyone back to the 2025-2026 school year. We look forward to seeing everyone on Monday, August 25. School begins promptly at 8:00 am.
We would like to remind all students to check their schedule first thing Monday morning, in the event that there are any room changes that take place before that time.
All freshmen should report to the auditorium upon their arrival. Incoming freshmen that did not pick up their laptops should arrive to school by 7:30 am and report to the Knowledge Commons to meet with technology, prior to the 8:00 am meeting in the auditorium.
Lunch & Learn :The daily schedule for August 25 - August 27 has been modified as we work toward preparing for the Lunch & Learn Schedule. Please make note of the changes on the
As a reminder, there will be no school on Monday, September 1, 2025 in observance of Labor Day. Many events, including 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. Below are some additional important dates to remember during the month of September.
- Senior Class: Final Senior Portrait Dates: Tues-Thurs. 9/2-9/4.
- Lifetouch Picture Day: Thursday, September 4 for all students in grades 9-11. Pictures can be pre-ordered: STEM Academy Picture Day . Orders can be placed using either the Student ID, or Picture Day ID: EVTNSSM9R
- All students should make sure to have their pictures taken, so that they can receive an updated student ID. Student ID cards for members of the senior class should be coming soon and will be delivered to members of the senior class during their 1st period A day.
- Home and School Meeting: Monday, September 8 at 7:00 pm in the STEM Academy Knowledge Commons. All are welcome to attend.
- Back to School Night: Thursday, September 18 at 6:00 pm. Parents will follow the "A" Day schedule for their student. It is important to make sure that you arrive with a copy of your students' A Day Schedule. Below is time schedule we will follow for the evening:
25-26 STEM Academy Back to School Night Schedule
- Senior Panoramic Photo: Monday, September 15 during advisory. All orders for the group photo must be placed before 9/15. The cost of the photo is $17 and can be placed through www.mylifetouch.com, using code MJ105008T0 . Please contact Ms. Bradley or Ms. Snyder for any additional details or order forms if you prefer to not order online.
Lunch & Learn :The daily schedule for August 25 - August 27 has been modified as we work toward preparing for the Lunch & Learn Schedule. Please make note of the changes on the
Beginning August 28 and on days students have periods 1-7, we will continue our one hour Lunch & Learn. The purpose of Lunch & Learn is to provide students with 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.
Early Dismissals and excuse notes: Emails can be sent to stemattendance@dasd.org for any student requiring an early dismissal or in the event that you student was absent for any reason. Students should report to the office in the morning to pick up their early dismissal slip to show their teacher and should check out in the main office prior to exiting the building. Students should not leave out of any door other than the main office.
If a student is sent home by Mrs. Mikulich, our school nurse, they will be dismissed through the main office as well. If a student is feeling ill they should ask their teacher if they may go to the nurse and the nurse will assist in next steps. Parents, please do not allow your student to text or call you to come get them and then pick them up and leave. Please tell them to go to the nurse and the nurse will be in contact or please call the school to let us know your child isn’t feeling well. This is extremely important for student safety and accountability. If there are any questions, please reach out to Ms. Mikulich.
Arriving at School on Time: We have a lot of work to do each day with our STEM Academy students. Therefore, it is critical for students to arrive on time whether they are riding with a family member, friend, or driving themselves to school. The good news for some is that our school day begins twenty minutes later than past years. We will begin promptly at 8:00 am. Students are expected to be in their classroom by 8:00 am each morning in order to maximize their experience with us. We will be lenient the first week but students driving or obtaining a ride are expected to be to school on time. If students ride the bus and their bus arrives late, they will not be marked late due to a late arrival of the bus.
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.
Attendance: As a reminder, Ms. Sokso is our attendance assistant. All attendance inquiries can be directed to stemattendance@dasd.org . If you have any questions or concerns about attendance please reach out to her. If your student is absent you must send in an excuse note within three days after the absence. If your student will be missing school for a family trip please be sure to fill out the family trip form ahead of time. Request Form for Educational and Family Trips.
School Safety: Safety and Discipline are an essential component to any school. Students and parents are required to read the bullet points below as you will be held responsible for following school and school district policies.
All students are required to follow all school and district policies and procedures.
- Student Code of Conduct Policy- please review prior to the start of school.
- Student Rights and Responsibility- please review prior to the start of school.
The 25-26 Parking Permit application opened for the Senior Class on Monday, August 4, and for the Junior Class on Monday, August 11. 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. Any student that purchased a parking permit that cannot pick up prior to the first day of school, should make plans to pick up in the main office after school beginning Monday, August 25. Students will not be ticketed during the first two weeks of school, but should make every effort to pick up their permit as soon as possible. We are not able to issue a parking permit in the morning, before school begins. Thank you for understanding.
Permit Pickup Requirements:
All obligations listed in Payschools must be paid and up to date.
Seniors: Must have IB Fee 1 and 2 cleared.
All outstanding physical forms must be turned in.
Students should bring their valid drivers' license, car insurance and registration form when picking up the permit.
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.
Important Links for Parents & Students
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.
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).
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
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
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