STEM Head of School Update
January 20, 2023, Issue 21
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
2023-2024 Course Selection Information
We are coming to that time of year, when students will choose their courses for the 23-24 school year. An email with specific details will be sent to families early next week, but in the mean time, we would like to share the following important dates with you:
- January 20th – Students viewed a presentation during the school day about the available options and further instructions for choosing their courses.
- January 23rd – Virtual Parent Information Night will be held online from 6-8pm. Additional information for this can be found under Course Selection, located in the BackPack on the DASD STEM Academy Website.
- February 1st – Virtual Class of 2027 Welcome Night. The incoming Class of 2027 will receive more information early next week.
**The end of the second marking period will now take place Wednesday, January 25, 2023. Please make sure all work is up today, and continue to encourage your students to make the best use of time during Lunch and Learn days, and to reach out to their teachers to get any extra help they may need.
Upcoming District Wide Event
On Tuesday, January 24 the DASD, in partnership with Communities that Care (CTC), will host a virtual webinar on the topic of eating disorders with a presenter from the Renfrew Center. Please see the flier below for more information and to register for this Webinar.
STEM Rooted Club
Ted Talk at the STEM Academy
STEM Counseling Department
STEM Academy Counselors:
All counselors see students in grades 9-12.
Ms. Mary Wallin: Last names A-C
Mr. David Stratton: Last names D-Kl
Ms. Kellie McGavin-Wiedlich : Last names Ko- Ra
**Ms. Stacey Hewitt will be joining the STEM Counseling Office as on January 26:(Last names Ko-Ra)
Ms. Leanne Glowik : Last names Re - Z
Ms. Stephanie Rockowitz, Counseling Secretary/Registrar
Ms. Jennifer Stull, Prevention Specialist
Guide to Districtwide Mental Health Resources
Fantastic Leadership Summer Program Opportunity for Sophomores
The HOBY State Leadership Seminar will be held June 2023. The STEM Academy will sponsor one sophomore student to attend the HOBY Leadership Conference and represent our school community. The leadership conference will be held at Neumann University from June 9th -11th.
HOBY State Leadership Seminars are for Sophomores Students who want to: *Recognize their leadership talents and skills* Become effective, ethical leaders in their home, school, workplace and community *Participate in hands-on leadership activities, *Meet leaders in their state, and explore their own personal leadership skills to make a positive impact in their community*
Students, our very own Mr. P is a HOBY Alumni and current Junior Max Glazer attended HOBY last summer! Reach out to Mr. P or send Max a Schoology message (or both) to learn about their HOBY experience and to get your questions answered! Students can set up an appointment with their counselor to learn more!
Deadline to complete the Google form and submit your interest and short answer essay is February 17th!
Google Form: https://forms.gle/nC7m6UNXAHfWQC9T8
Link to HOBY for more information: https://www.hoby.org/programs/state-leadership-seminars/
- STEM Academy 11th Grade College Night – After a after a three year hiatus, we are bringing back our very own college night on Wed, Feb. 15th at 6pm! This is an important event for 11th grade students and parents to learn about the college search and application process from your STEM School Counseling Department. We will discuss important topics such as timelines, application types, admissions policies, standardized testing, school “fit”, and much more! Our event starts at 6:00pm with a presentation from your Counseling Department Team. At 7:00pm, we will be hosting a panel discussion with admission counselors from several colleges. This panel will represent several different types of colleges – large, small, state and state-related, public, private, and research-based – including Penn State, Drexel, Villanova, West Chester, Quinnipiac, University of South Carolina and UC Riverside. We look forward to seeing our 11th grade families on Feb. 15th.
Additional IB Updates
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) Updates
Senior CAS/Graduation Project Spotlight:
Aadi Aggarwal and Dylan Friedland have developed an Instagram account to provide Philadelphia Eagles football news, updates, reviews, and other unique notes and posts to any fans who may choose to follow the account. They created original graphic designs and kept up to date with any breaking news, while also creating special posts and opinions weekly.
Class of 2023 [Seniors]:
Students should continue to keep their CAS Portfolios up to date with reflections and evidence, being sure to address all 3 strands and seven learning outcomes, in addition to the CAS Project.
IB Course Candidate students may send Mrs. Sherlock their finished Graduation Project presentations any time.
Class of 2024 [Juniors]:
Students may submit CAS Project Proposals to Mrs. Sherlock once they have a group and an idea established. Otherwise, they can continue to add CAS experiences in ManageBac. We are meeting today to review what students should have completed to date.
Extended Essay (EE)
Class of 2023 [Seniors]:
Students are working on completing and polishing their Extended Essays. All information about correct formatting is available on Schoology.
RPPF #3 and Viva Voce Interview #3 Due by January 31st.
Final Extended Essays are due to BOTH ManageBac and Turnitin by February 1, 2023. The document that is uploaded to Turnitin is what will be sent to the IB for assessment.
Class of 2024 [Juniors]:
Students have until January 30th to confirm an EE Subject in ManageBac, and complete the “Narrowing Down and EE Topic” module on Schoology. Examples and guides are available on Schoology to assist.
STEM Academy Students Volunteer at the Uwchlan Hills Science Fair
Submitted by Mr. Anton Ocepek
During the afternoon/evening of Thursday, January 12th, nine (9) STEM Academy students, as part of a National STEM Honors Society Initiative to promote STEM education in DASD, volunteered to assist with the Uwchlan Hills Science Fair. STEM Academy students served to help set up the fair, check in students, coordinate fair information to students and parents, and judge projects at the fair among other tasks. Sincere thanks to fair director Christina Bucci for her hard work, and providing our students with this opportunity!
STEM Volunteers pictured below, from left to right, are:
Xinnuo (Sheena) Cao, Padma Srirangam, Laasya Reddy Pesaladinne, Sruthi Desikan, Anshika Jhindal, Charvi Goswami, Ishaan Baheti
Additional students who volunteered (not pictured): Connor Walsh and Makayla Melson
Internships and Partnerships: 2022-2023 Research Club Fair (SARC) Partnership
Submitted by Mr. Anton Ocepek
On Sunday January 15th, seven (7) students participated in the first STEM Academy Research Club fair with their own original research projects. Congratulations to all of our student participants. Every student will progress to the Chester County Science Research Competition (CCSRC) to compete for a spot at the Delaware Valley Science Fair later this year.
This fair could not have been possible without the work and guidance from the STEM Admin Team including Headmaster Art Campbell, Dean of Academics and Student Life Katherine Cole, and administrative assistant Cory Butler. Special thanks to Kelly Stauffer for planning assistance and guidance on the finer details of the event. Another thank you to our Internships and Partnerships Leader Susan Boardman, who was instrumental in acquiring highly qualified judges to evaluate our student projects. And sincere thanks to our judges, without whom this could not be possible Our students learned so much from the opportunity to interact with our expert judges who provided them with feedback that will help to develop them as researchers and scientists. I know that our student researchers greatly appreciate the judges' time, energy and expert advice.
One final thank you to current CCIU CCSRC fair coordinator, Delaware Valley Science Fairs Workshop Teacher, and former DASD Teacher Steve Houdeshel. Steve has run numerous workshops for all interested students this year, and has demonstrated his dedication to promote science education through ongoing efforts to develop our students’ projects, and ensure our fair’s success.
Students participants pictured below from left to right: Sanath Edke, Akshay Mandapati, Sohum Gautam, Ishaan Baheti, Saptak Das, Prithvi Vijay, and Maryann Nazareth.
Judges pictured below from left to right: Dr. Bruce Brod, Mr. Robert Higgins, Ms. Diane Hessinger, Mrs. Kathy Cattell, Mr. Michael White, and Mr. Marian Morys.
Student Life
Ms. Katherine Cole,Dean of Academics & Student Life
Ms. Cory Butler, Admin. Asst
A Student Life Committee Meeting was held in our Knowledge Commons after school on Thursday, January 19th.
Superintendent Dr. O’Donnell, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Chance, Director of Pupil Services Ms. Meghan Dennis and STEM Assistant Principal Mrs. Cole spearheaded a conversation with student leaders across the district. Topics included school start times, and the potential benefits and/or challenges that come along with it. Students offered valuable feedback during the discussion!
Eagles Autism Awareness Pep Rally
Today, STEM Academy students had the opportunity to dress in green to not only support Autism Awareness, but to also cheer on the Philadelphia Eagles, in their upcoming playoff games. NBC10 stopped by and will feature our students on the 4:00 pm news broadcast this afternoon.
Family Trip Approvals
Please be reminded that if you are planning a family trip, be sure to complete the Request Form for Educational and Family Trips, no less than 2 weeks prior to the request and return to stemattendance@dasd.org for approval.
Reminder 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.
DASD Athletics
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
From the Nurse
- 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.
Important Attendance information
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.
Home and School Association
2022-2023
STEM HSA Board
- Mark your calendars: The next HSA meeting will be held on Monday, February 13th via Zoom.
Home & School Faculty Appreciation Lunch: STEM Faculty SOUPer Bowl
The next Faculty Appreciation event will be taking place on Friday, February 10. Help us thank our amazing STEM Faculty by donating to a "SOUPer" Bowl Lunch! Please drop off your donations from 8:00-9:00 am at the side bus entrance. Please have all soups in crock pots, preferably with a liner, heated up and ready to be served. If you don't have time to make something, but would like to participate, please consider a monetary donation that will be put towards soup, paper products, and other misc. food items we will need to make this event happen.
For more details, and to sign up:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0849aeab2aa6f58-stem6#/
Any additional questions please contact Elena Spanfellner (484-643-6325) or email marygasser@gmail.com
Ongoing Fundraiser
A great way you can contribute to all our activities is to Shop Amazon Smile and have *free* money donated to the STEM Academy with every qualified purchase! Every little bit adds up! Amazon donates a percentage of sales back to the school if you place your order from the 'smile' page. The page looks and acts exactly the same and there is NO COST! Just free money donated to the school!
Use this link to auto-select STEM Academy Home & School as your supported organization.
https://smile.amazon.com/ch/45-2446765
If you use the Amazon App on your phone, you can turn on Amazon Smile in Settings and select ‘Stem Academy Home & School Association’ or your school. Thank you for your support!
STEM Academy HSA presents, the 12th Annual "Fore the Kids" Golf Outing
The 12th Annual Downingtown STEM Academy HSA
“FORE the KIDS” Golf Outing will be held Monday, April 24, 2023 at Whitford Country Club, Downingtown, PA.
The “FORE the KIDS” fund provides business-critical soft skills training for all STEM Academy students, delivered by the Mid-Atlantic Employers Association (MEA), scholarship funding for students in financial need to cover fees associated with the International Baccalaureate diploma and HSA Book Scholarships awarded at the Senior Awards Ceremony.
Please email Kathy Cattell for more information about sponsorship for the 2023 Golf Outing.
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