Head of School Update

Mr. Art Campbell, Head of School

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

Winter break will begin at the end of the day on Tuesday, December 23. As we move into the days leading up to winter break, please make sure your students check in with their teachers to get any help they may need, and also ensure they keep their assignments turned in and up to date. Teachers are always avalilable during Lunch and Learn. This will make for a successful transition into the new year. Also, with the everchanging weather, please make sure students are prepared to pivot in the event of a weather related closure resulting in a FID day.

Taking a Family Trip? With the winter break quickly approaching, we wanted to remind everyone that may be planning a family trip to complete the Request Form for Educational and Family Trips. Once the form is received in the office and approved by Mr. Campbell, attendance will mark accordingly in Infinite Campus.

Reminder to register! Class of 2027: Winter '26 SAT Prep Registration : This letter was emailed to parents and students on November 18. Registration closes on December 19, 2025. Class sizes are limited so sign up early!

• December 19: STEM Chorus Concert 7pm
• December 24-January 4: Winter Recess - Please note the following cycle day changes that will occur before and after the break to allow appropriate instructional time with students. These changes have also been reflected on the calendar on our website. December 22 (E); December 23 (H); January 5 (G); January 6 (F); January 7 (I)
• January 20: The STEM Counseling Department is excited to host our annual Junior College Planning Night for students and families of the Class of 2027 from 6:30-8:30 pm.. Join us for an evening devoted to all things college prep.

  
  

Attention Class of 2026 and 2027: The IB is now requiring an email address to log in and access your test results in July. You will lose access to your school email prior to the results being issued. I need to register you with an email address you will have access to after you graduate.

Students must fill out the form below that correlates to your graduating class as soon as possible so Ms. Schell can complete your IB registration. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Schell.

Post-Graduation Email Address: Class of 2026

Post-Graduation Email Address: Class of 2027

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.

Have commencement questions or any questions with regards to any of the information below? Please contact Kelly Stauffer.

If you have not yet placed the Cap and Gown Order for your Class of 2026 graduate, please do so asap. While the month of June seems so far away, it will be here before we know it!

Caps/Gowns and Stoles: Each graduate is responsible for purchasing a cap, gown and stole for graduation. The cost of this package is $38.00 including tax. Other items are available for sale as well through the website.

The Cap/Gown Stole orders should be placed as soon as possible to ensure we have the bulk shipment for STEM students delivered after January 1, so that items can be properly prepared for graduation. Once shipped, grad packs will remain at STEM until graduation in June.

• Online Ordering steps:Go to: Herff Jones SHOP Grad Products Website.
• Click the Cap and Gown Grad Pack tab (located next to Announcements & Accessories)
• Choose Basic Cap, Gown, Tassel and Stole Package: $35.85 +tax ($38.00 total)
• Includes Cap, Gown, Tassel and Silkscreen Stole. Be sure to enter height and weight information that is requested when you click on the picture of the package. After that information is added, then click add to cart.

Should there be any questions, please contact sbgerhart@herffjones.com

Senior Early Dismissal/Late Arrival Form (Senior Privileges) 25-26: This form grants Early Dismissal/Late Arrival permission for Senior Class students. Students are responsible for printing out this form and obtaining all necessary signatures. Mr. Campbell will provide his signature after all others have been obtained. Once final approval is given, students will receive a notice to come to the office to see Ms. Sokso.

STEM Academy Class of 2026 Senior Class Parking Permit: As a reminder, the parking permit application for the Class of 2026 must be completed by the student using their DASD student email address. For future reference, this information can also be found on our website, under "Backpack."

College visits are being added as they are scheduled and confirmed to the STEM Calendar on our website. These visits are subject to change as colleges change availability. Visits will be scheduled during lunch and learn times, and some seminar dates. If there are any questions, students should check in with the counseling office.

STEM Class of 2026 IB Exam Schedule as of July 30, 2025: Be sure to check for updates throughout the year, as the schedule changes from time to time.

Ms. Katherine Cole, Dean of Academics & Student Life

Ms. Kaitlin Brinker, Admin. Asst.

Anticipated Advisory Club Dates for 25-26SY: January 15, February 3, February 20, March 11, March 24, March 30, April 20, May 6, May 22

Upcoming Club Events

SAS Thrift Shop will be coming soon!

⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄

Key Club is excited to introduce a new fundraiser next week! Lit-Mas! The Literature teachers will compete to collect the most items to be donated to the Chester County Food Bank! See the flyer below for details! Bring in items starting next week and add them to your Literature teacher’s room!

....donation bin outside of Mr. Podlesney's Room 130

On Friday, December 19th we are hosting our 4th Annual STEM Bowling Night at Palace Bowling from 8-10 PM. Tickets will cost $20 for 2 hours of bowling fun! Sign up soon, as all lanes that are fully signed up and paid by Monday, December 15th will be put in a raffle where the two selected lanes will get a free 16” cheese pizza to enjoy while bowling. Come have fun with your friends while helping fundraise for Junior prom! Questions? Email Dr. Staub

Enroll today!

STEM French Exchange

HOST A FRENCH TEEN FOR A WEEK THIS SPRING

This is an exclusive opportunity for 13 lucky STEM French students. Applications have already started coming in! So far only Sophomores have applied - where are you, my French Freshmen? DON'T MISS OUT!

Any questions? Email Mme Bosch.

Enroll today!

Please visit: https://yearbookordercenter.com/job/13813 and enter order code 13813

Any questions? Please contact Ms. Dunn or Ms. Romano.

Interested in traveling with Ms. Sokira-Smith? Our upcoming international tours are designed to support classroom learning through real-world experiences. Students will engage with history, culture, and local communities across multiple countries.

Summer 2027 tour: www.eftours.com/2931915EC.

Summer 2026 tour: www.eftours.com/2828115DT.

For more details please email Ms. Sokira-Smith.

Summer of 2026: The Netherlands, Belgium, France, England

Summer of 2027: Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest

Please contact Ms. Jocelyn Long if you are still interested!

I hope you’re getting excited for our upcoming travel info session about the Summer 2027 tour through Germany, Switzerland, and Italy! Students will explore the BMW Museum, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz Museums, and the Alfa Romeo Museum. They’ll tour a live production facility and walk the Autodromo racetrack, connecting classroom learning to real-world STEM and engineering experiences.

We’re traveling with EF Tours, and they have over 60 years of experience helping students explore the world with confidence. With 24/7 emergency support, trusted local guides, and flexible payment options, this is a secure and well-structured way for students to experience something truly life-changing. We’ll cover all of this at our info session, along with the full itinerary and how to enroll.

Mr. Michael Sheehan, Dean of Currciulum and Instruction

Ms. Meghan Schell, Administrative Assistant

2025-2026 Program of Study

Attention Class of 2026 and 2027: The IB is now requiring an email address to log in and access your test results in July. You will lose access to your school email prior to the results being issued. I need to register you with an email address you will have access to after you graduate.

Please fill out the form below that correlates to your graduating class as soon as possible so Ms. Schell can complete your IB registration. If you have any questions, please email Ms. Schell.

Post-Graduation Email Address: Class of 2026

Post-Graduation Email Address: Class of 2027

STEM Class of 2026 IB Exam Schedule as of July 30, 2025: Be sure to check for updates throughout the year, as the schedule changes from time to time.

STEM Academy Class of 2026 IB Fees Letter: Fees have been uploaded to all STEM Academy Senior Class members Payschools accounts. Please contact Ms. Meghan Schell or Mr. Mike Sheehan with any questions.

Ms. Alyssa Sherlock CAS/EE Supervisor

Dr. Troy Podell

Downingtown STEM Academy Internships and Partnerships
Supervisor of Teaching & Learning

Ms. Kaitlin Brinker, Admin. Asst.

Did you know STEM students currently enrolled in 10th Grade have the ability to earn an Associate's Degree in Liberal Arts alongside their High School Diploma? Or that students enrolled in IB courses in 11th and 12th grade can earn college credits from Immaculata University for completing their coursework? These are tremendous opportunities for students and families to save money and time in pursuit of their Bachelor's (4-year) Degree.

Please join me for an Information Session on Tuesday, 12/9 at 7 PM. The link is here: https://meet.google.com/kdw-jmti-hea

If you are unable to join us, please do not worry. I will post a link to the recording afterwards.

Due to the volume of questions I may receive, I will respectfully ask that you refrain from reaching out with questions until you have attended the Information Session, or viewed the recording afterward. At that point, it will be my sincere pleasure to provide any clarification needed.

If you are a parent of a STEM Freshman or Sophomore, and you’d like more information about Dual Enrollment, Internships and Partnerships, or Career Exploration programs, please reach out to Dr. Troy Podell.

As a reminder, all DCCC students will be checking in with Dr. Podell during 5th period of L days in the First Floor Mezzanine.

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

College App Workshop presentation

Common Date Set Overview

US Dept. of Education College Scorecard

The DASD High School Counseling Departments hosted "Show Me the Money!", a financial aid evening for students and families that included workshops on FAFSA completion, scholarships, dual enrollment, and other savings strategies. Slide decks from the night can be accessed on the Counseling Dept's College Resource Drive.

The STEM Counseling Department is excited to host our annual Junior College Planning Night for students and families of the Class of 2027!

Join us on January 20th in the Auditorium for an evening devoted to all things College Prep!

JUNIORS- The STEM Academy will be offering 6-week SAT Prep Courses for the Class of 2027 this winter. Cost is $60 per course and includes an SAT practice book. Class size is limited so EARLY registration is recommended! Registration will close on December 19, 2025 and families will be notified via email when registration fees are available on PaySchools.

2025- 2026 STEM Academy HSA Board

Co-Presidents: Kerri Roberts and Kelly Sears

Co-Vice Presidents: Heather Steiger and Jennifer Zori

Secretary - Marcie Epstein

Treasurer - Kousalya Alapati

Meetings will be held throughout the school year, on the dates designated below each month in the STEM Academy Knowledge Commons at 7:00 pm, unless otherwise noted.

• December: No Monthly Meeting
• January 12, 2026
• February 9, 2026
• March 16, 2026
• April 13, 2026
• May 11, 2026

✨ You can always see the full lineup at STEMHSA.org—and trust me, you’ll want to be part

of what’s coming up next.

🌟 Join the HSA Board!

In addition to this great evening of information, we’ll also be holding elections for our

Freshman and Sophomore Parent-at-Large positions on the HSA Board.

If you’ve been thinking about getting more involved or want to help shape the programs

and direction of our Home & School Association, this is a wonderful opportunity to join

the team. We’d love to have your voice and ideas at the table!

🎉🎉Post Prom Trivia Night has been POSTPONED/RESCHEDULED: Due to conflicting events, we have decided to postpone our Trivia Night. The new date will be January 22, 2026! Save the date! We will share information for the event in the future.

💖 Annual Family Donation Drive

Our yearly Family Donation Campaign is underway! If you haven’t donated yet, would you consider a one-time suggested gift of $100 per family?

Please visit the external STEM HSA website!

🎄 Happy Holidays, STEM Families!

We’re excited to welcome two new Freshmen Parents-at-Large to our HSA Board — Megan and Sarah — who were voted in at our last meeting. Please join us in giving them a warm welcome!

There will be no HSA meeting in December as we take time to celebrate the holidays. We’ll resume in January with a special session featuring Mrs. Hewitt and Mrs. Glowik, who will be speaking about college application preparation — an incredibly valuable topic for families of all grade levels.

We also have a few fun December events coming up — we hope to see you there!

🎁 Post Prom Prizes!

In May 2026, we’ll be hosting our STEM Post Prom — a fun-filled, safe, and unforgettable night where our seniors can celebrate responsibly. The event is packed with food, games, music, prizes, and activities that make this tradition so special.

It’s time to start collecting prizes for every senior who attends Post Prom. Students receive their prizes at the end of post prom as an incentive to keep them there for the whole night.

We’re reaching out early so we can take full advantage of holiday sales and assemble the best prize lineup possible. As you’re doing your holiday shopping, please consider adding a prize for Post Prom to your shopping cart.”

Below is an Amazon Wish List of student-friendly prizes.
You’re welcome to purchase directly from the list OR shop around — if you find a better deal elsewhere, that works too! Just send one of our prize coordinators (Kirsten Reeder, Kirsten.reeder@gmail.com, Kelly Sears, Kelsears@gmail.com) an email to let them know, and they will help arrange receipt of the prize.

Amazon Wishlist

Thank you for helping us create an amazing, memorable, and safe celebration for our seniors!

We could not do it without your generosity and support!

Post Prom

Can’t make it to planning meetings but still want to be involved? We’d love to have you onboard! Please contact Kate Cloyd at postprom@stemhsa.org so that you can be added to our volunteer list.

🎉Post Prom Trivia Night has been POSTPONED/RESCHEDULED🎉

Due to conflicting events, we have decided to postpone our Trivia Night. The new date will be January 22, 2026! Save the date! We will share information for the event in the future.

💖 Annual Family Donation Drive

Our Family Donation Campaign is underway! If you haven’t yet donated, would you consider a one-time suggested gift of $100 per family?

Your generosity directly supports the programs, activities, and events that enrich student life at STEM — and your donation is tax-deductible.

Every contribution makes a difference and helps us minimize (or even eliminate!) the need for additional fundraising later in the year.

👉 Make your donation here: STEMHSA.org

With gratitude and holiday cheer,
The Downingtown STEM Academy Home & School Association
STEMHSA.org

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

The MPA is still open for local business sponsorships to help support our music programs for the 2025–2026 season.

As a thank-you for your support, we’ve created a Sponsorship Benefit Program that promotes your business and services not only to our band community but to the entire school district.

🔗 Sponsorship Details

✅ Sign up as a sponsor

East Band

• 📅 East Band Calendar

West Band

• 📅 West Band Calendar

• The profit for every purchase you make goes directly to the association and the funds are used to support the music programs in Downingtown East, Downingtown West and the STEM Academy.
• Krispy Kreme Doughnuts DSF Fundraiser - ORDER HERE
• Charleston Wrap Fundraiser - Order by Dec 8 to get everything in time for the Holidays! CLICK HERE TO ORDER
• Wawa Shorti Coupons – $5 each, never expire

• Concession Stands – Sign up and join us! Training is provided by seasoned volunteers. Any student 12+yr can volunteer and earn volunteer credit hours. Anyone can volunteer in concessions at any game hosted by a D'town “home” high school. The best part? All of the funds go right back to support every student in every music program, no matter which school is hosting. 🎶 SIGN UP HERE

• SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Go to https://dhsmpa.membershiptoolkit.com/volunteer/105706 to sign up
For non-band members who want to volunteer email dhs.mpa.volunteers@gmail.com
PLEASE NOTE: Student volunteers are welcome and hours can be used toward NHS/NJHS service hours.

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.

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.

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 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 should make plans to pick up in the main office after school. 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.

Early Dismissals, Excuse Notes and Educational Trip Forms: Emails can be sent to stemattendance@dasd.org for any student requiring an early dismissal or in the event that your 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. Excuse notes should also be emailed to stemattendance@dasd.org. 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. All notes will be processed by Ms. Sokso, attendance secretary.

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 school day begins 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.

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.

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.

• Medication: If your child requires prescription or non-prescription medication this school year, please complete the Authorization for Medication and bring in both the completed form and medication. This form can also be accessed on the DASD website. Your child’s physician may also use their own form for medication administration.

  Epinephrine Auto Injector and Nasal Epinephrine: Nasal Epinephrine/Neffy is currently only approved for licensed personnel (nurses) to administer in school and students may not self-carry/self-administer this medication in school or on field trips. Please request your child’s physician to prescribe an auto-injector for school.

  Immunizations: Please review your child's immunization information via Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Accessed via MORE > HEALTH > IMMUNIZATIONS. If your child has non-compliant immunizations, please provide updated immunization documentation or an updated immunization exemption to the school nurse at jmikulich@dasd.org

• Please contact Ms. Jennifer Mikulich with any questions or concerns.

• • 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 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