HSA

2025-2026 STEM Academy HSA Board

• Co - Presidents: Kerri Roberts and Kelly Sears
• Vice President:  Heather Steiger
• Secretary - Marcie Epstein
• Treasurer - Kousalya Alapati

Please visit the external STEM HSA website!

THE DOWNINGTOWN STEM ACADEMY
HOME & SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
BY-LAWS AND POLICIES
Adopted Sept. 12, 2011
Amended Sept. 10, 2012
Amended April 8, 2013
Amended May 12, 2014
Amended February 19, 2015

ARTICLE I: NAME

The name of this Association shall be The STEM ACADEMY Home and School Association, hereinafter referred to as “ACADEMY HSA”.

The mailing address of the ACADEMY HSA shall be: c/o The STEM ACADEMY, 335 Manor Avenue, Downingtown, PA 19335

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVES

The objective of the ACADEMY HSA shall be to promote the welfare and educational experiences of students in The STEM ACADEMY by bringing into closer relation the home and school. By providing an open forum, the parents, teachers and staff may enhance communication, cooperation and the sharing of ideas, in securing for every child the greatest possible advantage in overall education. The goal is to unite the efforts of the educators and the parents for the benefit of the students’ total development. To support and supplement the mission and efforts of The STEM ACADEMY, the Headmaster and the Downingtown Area School District, the ACADEMY HSA will provide activities, events, programs, direction and funding to enhance the academic and social development of the students.

ARTICLE III: POLICIES

Section 1. The purpose of the ACADEMY HSA shall be to support The STEM ACADEMY both educationally and socially and shall be developed through meetings, committees, and supported by fundraising projects.

Section 2. ACADEMY HSA shall be noncommercial, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan. No commercial enterprise and no candidate shall be endorsed by it. Neither the name of the ACADEMY HSA, nor the names of its officers in their official capacities shall be used in any connection with a commercial concern or with any partisan interest or for any purpose other than the regular work of the ACADEMY HSA.

Section 3. This association shall seek neither to direct the administrative activities of the school nor to control the school’s policies. This association shall be subject to the rules, regulations, administrative procedures and policies of the school and the district. Neither the ACADEMY HSA nor any of its officers, members or agents shall have any authority to bind the school or the district.

Section 4. ACADEMY HSA is organized exclusively for charitable, educational and/or scientific purposes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended (the “Code”) and shall operate in accordance with such authority.

ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the ACADEMY HSA shall include all parents and guardians of students enrolled in The STEM Academy and its headmaster, teachers, and school staff without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, physical handicap or political affiliation. As a condition to membership, members must agree to uphold the policies of the ACADEMY HSA and abide by its by-laws. Each member shall have the right to vote for officers, to ask that issues be brought before the general membership and to stand for election as an officer of the association. There will be no cumulative voting.

ARTICLE V: OFFICERS AND THEIR ELECTIONS

1. The officers of this association will be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member at Large, and must be members of the ACADEMY HSA.
2. The Headmaster or his/her designee shall be the ACADEMY HSA Advisor
3.  Terms of Office:
   1. The President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Member at Large shall serve a one-year term.
   2. Officers except the Member at Large shall assume their official duties on June 1st. All out-going Officers shall enter into a transition period from June 1 through the next 30 days. The Member at Large shall assume his or her duties immediately after being elected (See Section 3(a).
   3. An officer will be eligible to serve up to two consecutive terms in the same position.
   4. To be eligible for nomination as President or Vice-President, it is recommended that a member have chaired at least one ACADEMY HSA committee as well as been actively involved in the ACADEMY HSA.
   5. It is recommended that the Member at Large be the parent or guardian of a STEM Academy student in the 9th or 10th grade. 

1.  Nominations for offices except the Member at Large shall take place no later than the May ACADEMY HSA meeting. Nominations for the Member at Large shall begin at the first General HSA meeting of the fall term.
2. Nominations shall be made in the following manner:
   1. Any eligible member may nominate him/herself.
   2. Any eligible member may be nominated by another member, with their consent.
   3. Any eligible member may be nominated by the Executive Board, with their consent.

Officers except the Member at Large shall be elected by a majority of the ACADEMY HSA members present at the May ACADEMY HSA meeting. The Member at Large shall be elected by a majority of the ACADEMY HAS members present at the second meeting of the fall term.

1. Vacancy occurring in an office shall be filled by appointment by the President with approval of a majority of the Executive Board.
2. The President’s term of office shall be completed by the Vice-President in the event the President cannot complete his or her term.
3. At the request of a new President, the outgoing President may, if he or she remains a member of the ACADEMY HSA, act as an advisor to the incoming President for a period of one year and during such an advisory period may participate in the meetings of the Executive Board with voice, but not vote.

ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the ACADEMY HSA and the Advisor, who serves in a non-voting capacity. Only members who are parents or guardians of students of the Academy HSA may stand for elections to the Executive Board, provided that no person and his or her spouse may serve on the Executive Board at the same time. The Executive Board shall meet at such times, frequency and places as it deems appropriate.

Section 2. Upon notification to each Executive Board Officer, a majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum. The Executive Board may meet and confer and take action by recorded vote, by the Executive Board Secretary, through telephone conference or electronic mail, and any such meetings shall have the same force and effect as if held in person.

Section 3. In the event that the ACADEMY HSA establishes dues for members, the Executive Board, meeting in executive session, may, upon application of the Headmaster for good and sufficient cause shown, waiver payment of dues by such member.

Section 4. The duties of the Executive Board shall be: 

1. To transact necessary business in the intervals between ACADEMY HSA meetings and such  other business as may be referred to it by the membership. This business shall include the receiving of donations and the collection and holding of funds for the use and benefit of the ACADEMY HSA consistent with its purpose as set forth in these by-laws.
2. To establish committees and direct and approve the plans of work of such committees.
3. To prepare and submit a PROPOSED budget that shall be made available to the membership with adequate notice, which includes the necessary expenses of the ACADEMY HSA, prior to the September meeting of the Academy HSA.
4. To prepare and submit for vote by the membership, a BASELINE budget that shall be made available to the membership with adequate notice, which includes the necessary expenses of the Academy HSA prior to the October meeting of the Academy HSA
   1. To provide an updated budget report at each Academy HSA general meeting.
   2. To approve payment of bills and other routine expenditures within the limits of the budget.

Section 5. Meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President, Headmaster, or, in the absence or at the request of the President, the Vice-President at such times, frequency and places, as they deem appropriate.

Section 6. The Executive Board shall be covered by the Directors and Officers insurance policy maintained by the school district.

Section 7. No Executive Board Officer may receive compensation from the Academy HSA, provided however, that any Officer may receive reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Academy HSA upon the submission to the Treasurer of proper receipts and the approval of a majority of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE VII: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

The President shall

1. Preside at all meetings of the ACADEMY HSA and the Executive Board.
2. Coordinate the duties and work of the officers and committees in order that the objectives of the ACADEMY HSA may be promoted.
3. Have the authority to disperse funds in the absence of the Treasurer, as authorized by the Academy HSA.
4. Represent the ACADEMY HSA at DASD events and to the public.
5. Work directly with the Headmaster and District administration to further the ACADEMY HSA’s objectives.
6. Serve as ex officio on all standing and special committees of the ACADEMY HSA.
7. Serve as a voting member of the Joint Home and School Association, unless someone else is appointed.
8. Review and approve all information and correspondence that issues in the name of the ACADEMY HSA
9. Perform such other duties as may be prescribed by these by-laws or the Executive Board.

The Vice-President shall:

1. Act as a support to the President.
2. Serve as a voting member of the Joint Home and School Association, unless someone else is appointed.
3. At the direction of the Executive Board, organize and coordinate standing and special committee chairs and members and other ACADEMY HSA member volunteers.
4. Collect and maintain, or arrange for the collection and maintenance of committee reports and turn over files for distribution of new committee chairs.
5. If so designated by the President, serve ex officio as a member of any standing or special committee or committees of the ACADEMY HSA in the President’s place.
6. Perform the duties of the President in his/her absence or at his/her request
7. Perform such other duties as may be directed by the Executive Board.

The Secretary shall:

1. Keep accurate minutes of all meetings and provide copies for the membership and maintain a notebook of the minutes for the current and prior years.
2. Organize the ACADEMY HSA programming and publicity for meetings.
3. Coordinate information for all communications, including email and newsletter publications.
4. Coordinate the publication of ACADEMY HSA activities
5. Be available for any ACADEMY HSA business such as correspondence, e.g., thank you notes.
6. Perform such other duties as may be directed by President or the Executive Board.

The Treasurer shall:

1. Provide the framework of the budget to be approved by the Executive Board by August 1 of each calendar year.
2. Receive all monies of the ACADEMY HSA.
3. Keep an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures.
4. Disperse funds as authorized by the ACADEMY HSA or as otherwise permitted to do so by these by-laws.
5. Present financial reports at each meeting, and whenever requested to do so by the Executive Board.
6. Obtain and maintain Code Section 501(c)(3) status and provide written receipts to donors of contributions in excess of $250.00.
7. Present a final itemized report of ACADEMY HSA financial activities at the end of the school year.
8. Have the financial records examined annually.

Section 5. ACADEMY HSA shall pay to bond the President and Treasurer. 

ARTICLE VIII: STANDING COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing committees shall be created by the Executive Board as may be required to promote the objectives and interests of ACADEMY HSA. The chairperson of each standing committee shall be approved or selected by the President and shall serve from July 1. The Executive Board may dissolve any committee deemed to be no longer necessary.

Section 2. The chairperson of each standing committee shall present plans of work to the Executive Board no later than the month before its planned activity and shall operate within the budget allowance provided by the Executive Board. No committee work shall be undertaken or expenditures made without the pre-approval of the Executive Board. All committee correspondence and promotional materials shall be pre-approved by the Executive Board and the Headmaster. The Executive Board shall be informed of all committee meetings and provided a detailed agenda at least 48 hours prior to meetings. The committee chairperson, or their designee, shall attend and report at all HSA meetings.

Section 3. The chairperson of each standing committee shall submit a written summary of the activities and procedures of their committee and any events or programs to the Executive Board one week before every ACADEMY HSA meetings of the members, at the end of the school year and upon the reasonable request of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE IX: MEETINGS

Regular meetings of ACADEMY HSA shall be held at least four times during the school year. Dates are selected by the Executive Board. At least one teacher representative is encouraged to be present at each of these meetings. The presence in person or by proxy of those members of the association in actual attendance shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business at a regularly scheduled meeting of ACADEMY HSA. Special meetings may be called by the President or at the request of the Headmaster Advisor.

ARTICLE X: FINANCE

Section 1. ACADEMY HSA’s fiscal year shall start July 1st and end June 30th.

Section 2. All funds, bank accounts and other monies donated to or collected or otherwise received or held by ACADEMY HSA shall be solely the property of the association. Scholarship funds shall be maintained in a bank account separate from the general HSA funds and held by the Academy HSA as the sole property of the association.

Section 3. All financial accounts shall be in the name of the Treasurer and President, requiring one of the officer’s signatures, but not both.

1. All Committee Expenditures must be approved by the Committee Chair(s) and the Treasurer.
2. All Committee Expenditures outside the APPROVED budget must have majority approval of the Executive Board.
3. Executive Board Expenditures under $50 must be approved by the Treasurer. Executive Board Expenditures over $50 must be approved by the majority of the Executive Board. All Expenditures by the Treasurer must be approved by an Executive Board member other than the Treasurer.
4.  All expenditures shall be reviewed at the monthly ACADEMY HSA meeting.
5. An original receipt and written request must be submitted to the Treasurer for reimbursements of any                monies.

Section 5. The proposed budget will be APPROVED by the general membership at the October meeting of the school year.

Section 6. No part of the funds of this association shall inure to the benefit of, or to be disbursed to its members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the association is authorized to make payments and distributions in furtherance of its purposes set forth in these by-laws. It is prohibited to use any surplus funds for private inurement to any person in the event of dissolution of the ACADEMY HSA. In dissolution, any assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code.

ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS

These by-laws may be amended at any regular meeting of ACADEMY HSA by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided written notice of the proposed amendment was given to the members in advance of the vote.

ARTICLE XII: RULES OF ORDER

Robert’s Rules of Order (current version) shall govern ACADEMY HSA in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these by-laws.

ARTICLE XIII: HSA SCHOLARHIPS

1. The overall intent is to award funds to graduating seniors in curriculum and pathway areas  for need-based IB fees, , for non-need-based IB fees/fee rebates for experiential learning opportunities and to students who have provided services to benefit the Academy, its students, the district and/or community.
2. Allocation of funds outside these general guidelines should be considered carefully, especially considering the premise under which donors have given funds.
3. A recommended starting place is $1000 for each curriculum scholarship, $500 for each pathway, up to the full amount of IB fees for students in need, and $100 for other services  including designing the mantle.
4. Non-need-based IB fees shall be in an amount that will not, in combination with other scholarships awarded, endanger the sustainability of the scholarship program.

1. The process by which students will be selected for the scholarships shall be jointly determined by the Headmaster or his/her designee and the HSA Board. This includes the number of awards any one student may apply for, eligibility requirements, and application process.
2. It is the intent that no student receive more than one curriculum and/or pathway award.

Scholarship funds shall be maintained as described in Article X, Section 2.

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