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The School

The STEM Academy is part of Passaic County Technical Vocational Schools (PCTVS), a national award winning, comprehensive career and technical high school district serving over 4200 students. The STEM Academy recently held its historic first graduation of the Class of 2022. Located on a 55+ acre campus in Wayne, NJ, the STEM Academy accepts students from all municipalities throughout Passaic County. Over 80 faculty members deliver the curriculum of 50+ courses and three focused integrated STEM career areas; Biomedical and Life Sciences, Computer Science, and Engineering.

A student can:

Eventually earn 30+ college credits in high school
Gain experience in multiple STEM careers
Join one of STEM’s 3 popular programs of study
Take part in dozens of community service projects
Enjoy PCTVS’s exciting athletic program. Through more than two dozen sports, young adults learn the true value of sportsmanship and teamwork
Compete in academic and vocational forums for state and national honors
Benefit through the PCTVS “It Starts with One,” “Like No Place Else,” “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” “We Are,” “PCT & I,” “Imagine,” “Ready. Set. Go!,” and “Bulldogs Level UP!” campaigns

Mission Statement

"We are a diverse, progressive learning community that promotes educational excellence by challenging our students to become knowledgeable, productive and socially conscious members of a global society through quality educational programs delivered by a highly skilled and dedicated staff in a nurturing environment."

Awards and Achievements

The following highlights a number of recent STEM honors:

STEM Academy was approved to be an APCapstone institution. Students can complete an AP Seminar, AP Research plus four additional AP classes to receive this designation. We are one of 2000 schools nationwide to receive this status.
Many students participated and passed their first virtual college class via Passaic Community College. Students took this class in addition to the demanding 9 core classes that they are currently taking.
STEM students recieved State and National honors such as were Questbridge scholar- ships, Horatio Algers scholarships, and Merit scholar semifinalists.
STEM students serve as teaching assistants in our Fall, Spring and Summer STEM Pro- gram for 5th–8th graders interested in STEM. They taught students how to collaborate and to learn through trial. They assisted to teach them the engineering design process, how to code, and about the Scientific Method.
STEM students helped to organize and design a STEM Expo that follows International Science & Engineering Fair (ISF) guidelines.
STEM Junior won 1st Place in the Microsoft DigiGirls Competition. She designed an AI app to prevent coronary artery disease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLq9RiNeEh4
Student selected to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum: Medicine in Boston
Two Biomedical Students represented PCTVS in the HOSA NJ Regionals
Students from the STEM Academy competed in a Shark Tank style competition as part of the Life Science Diversity Conference. STEM students had two weeks to prepare a project. The result was “No-Plas,” a biological way of speeding up the decomposition of plastic bottles in landfills via the enzyme ideonella sakaiensis, an entry that earned the STEM students third place at the competition!
The STEM team created two versions of their product – a mist that’s applied to garbage bags and a pad that’s disposed of with garbage. Both concepts utilize bacterium to break down polyethylene.
An athletic powerhouse, PCTVS has won eighteen state championships and achieved many other legendary accomplishments, which include our Football State Championship, Wrestling State Championship, Winter Cheerleading Co-ed Varsity State Championship and many other County and Big North Conference Liberty Division Championships!
STEM students have contributed to the success of our winning teams in Football, Soccer, Volleyball and Wrestling.

Graduation Requirements

In order to qualify for a PCTVS diploma, a student must earn a total of 167.5 credits which include the following:

Language Arts	20	credits
Math (Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2)	15	credits
Social Studies	15	credits
Physical Education	15	credits
Health Education	5	credits
World Language	5	credits
Science	15	credits
Electives	15	credits
Financial Literacy	2.5	credits
Visual and Performing Arts	5	credits
CTE Program/Career Exploration	55	credits

*Each student is required to complete four years of Technical/Vocational training, of which 17.5 credits must be successfully earned in grade 12. All students must participate in a senior research capstone project.

Career and Technical Educational Programs

Students can apply to:

Academy of Biomedical and Life Sciences
Academy of Computer Science
Academy of Engineering

Post High School Plans
4yr/2yr College	88%
Employment	11%
Military	1%

Grading System
Grade	Numeric	GPA
A+	98-100	4.2
A	92-97	4.0
A-	90-91	3.8
B+	88-89	3.5
B	82-87	3.0
B-	80-81	2.8
C+	78-79	2.5
C	72-77	2.0
C-	70-71	1.8
D+	68-69	1.5
D	65-67	1.0
F	0-64	0.0
Code
I	Incomplete
M	Medical Excuse
NC	No Credit
E	Excellent
S	Satisfactory
N	Needs Improvement
U	Unsatisfactory
Principal's Honor Roll
A or B in all courses & minumum of 3.8 GPA
Honor Roll
A or B in all courses

Post-Secondary Placement Graduates of STEM traditionally attend four year or two-year colleges and universities, a wide variety of technical and career schools or enlist in the United States Armed Forces.
Alvernia University	Florida Southern College	Pennsylvania State University	The University of Texas at Arlington
American University	High Point University	Princeton University	Trinity College
Arizona State University-Tempe	Idaho State University	Quinnipiac University	University of British Columbia
Bergen Community College	James Madison University	Ramapo College of New Jersey	University of California
Boston College	Kean University	Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rochester	University of Connecticut
Brigham Young University-Idaho	King’s College	Rochester Institute of Technology	University of Kentucky
Caldwell University	Marquette University	Rowan University	University of Maryland
Clemson University	Midlands Technical College	Rutgers University	University of New Hampshire
County College of Morris	Monmouth University	Savannah College of Art & Design	University of New Haven
Delaware Valley University	Montclair State University	Seton Hall University	University of Pittsburg
Drew University	New Jersey City University	St. John’s University	University of the Sciences
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University	New Jersey Institute of Technology	Stevens Institute of Technology	Valparaiso University
Essex County College	New York University	Stockton University	Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology
Fairleigh Dickinson University	North Carolina State University at Raleigh	Syracuse University	West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Felician University	Nova Southeastern University	The College of New Jersey	Western Michigan University
Florida Institute of Technology	Passaic County Community College	The University of Alabama	William Paterson University of New Jersey
			Yale University

School Counseling Department

The STEM Academy School Counseling Department has four full-time, on-site school counselors which are assigned to students in each of the vocational areas. The department also has one dedicated student assistant coordinator who offers social/emotional support for students in crisis.

Vocational Area	Counselor
Academy of Biomedical and Life Sciences	Laura Bania
Academy of Computer Science	Lauretta Cregar
Academy of Engineering	David Inigo
Coordinator School Counseling/Admissions	Dr. Ines Drummond
Student Assistance Coordinator	Jennifer Presing

Extracurricular Programs

There are over 50 athletic and co-curricular programs offered to students as part of PCTVS. The high school participates in the Big North Conference and has won state, county, and league championships in numerous sports from football to basketball, volleyball to track and wrestling.

Among the 4200 students on campus, most participate in one or more of42 student organizations including: Marching, Concert and Jazz Bands, LEAP (Leaders Emerging Among Peers), Gifted/Talented, as well as service clubs in Business, Finance, and Health.
Student organizations strengthen the qualities of community & civic responsibility, enhance special interests and inspire school unity and spirit! National, state and local recognition for extraordinary patriotic and extensive community service.
Many of our Biomedical and Life Sciences students are involved in HOSA (Health Occupations Student Organization). HOSA develops leadership and technical skill competencies through a program of motivation, awareness, community service, which is an integral part of the Biomedical and Life Sciences program.
Our Computer Science and Engineering students are involved in STEM based student organizations such as; Engineering Club, Robotics Club, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Society of Black Engineers (SBE). These organizations promote leadership and camaraderie. Students are involved in collaborative experiences/challenges as well as gaining the opportunity to further their career awareness via guestspeakers and lectures.

PCTVS Board of Education

Position	Members
President	Michael Coscia
Vice President	Damaris M. Solomon
Commissioner	Glenn L. Brown
Commissioner	Aleksandra Tasic
Commissioner/Interim Executive County Superintendent of Schools	Kesha Drakeford
Board Secretary	Mae Remer

STEM Academy Administration

Position	Members
Chief School Administrator	John Maiello
Assistant Superintendent	Joseph Sabbath
Business Administrator	Richard Giglio
Principal	Joaqium Johnson
Director of Pupil/ Personnel Services	Nick Bucci