
YMS News
York Middle School October Newsletter
Be safe, Be respectful, Be responsible
Hello YMS Parents!
It has been a fantastic start to the new school year. We have a group of adults at YMS who are dedicated to helping your student(s) succeed. I am continually blown away by the commitment and dedication that our staff gives to their students. This is a great school district and I believe we have the best middle school in the state!
Students have been very busy this first part of the year. In the classroom I see students creating, collaborating, and critically thinking. Many students are involved in activities such as FFA, FCA, Teammates, Student Senate, Band, Expressions, Cross Country, Volleyball, and Football just to name a few! Parents, please continue to encourage your child to become active at YMS. Students who are involved in an activity feel a connection to the school and in turn, their learning improves.
Our ICU system at YMS is in full effect and what we are seeing is certainly positive. One of the core foundations of ICU is that we stop focusing so much on grading and homework and focus on learning. You might notice that your child has fewer grades in the grade book, which is intentional. We want to focus our time on teaching and learning. There will be a measurement of your childβs ability to learn the standards and that will be reported in the grade book. At YMS each teacher has a restudy retake policy so if a student feels like they can improve their score on an assessment they can do that. Each teacher might have a slightly different way they handle these situations so if you are ever curious please set up a time to talk with that teacher.
Here are a few guidelines for the ICU philosophy:
ICU provides extra time and extra help it doesnβt allow students to fail and expects all students to complete all quality assignments.
ICU develops a culture of learning in which teachers take responsibility for student learning and students returning to active engagement in school.
ICU teaches students responsibility by not βletting them off the hookβ and allowing a zero in the grade book or allow them to not connect with the learning.
Thank you for your support with our ICU process and for helping us partner together to ensure your child(ren) is getting the best education possible.
Thank you for working with your student to make sure they are not only getting their schoolwork finished but also enough sleep, food, and love so that together we can make the 6th, 7th, and 8-grade years some of the best years of their life. Go, Dukes!
Kenny Loosvelt
YMS Principal
Report Cards at YMS
Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
This year at York Middle School we will ONLY be printing and mailing report cards at the conclusion of the 4th quarter. On or around the end of the first quarter (Oct 20) we will be providing you with information on how you can access and print your student's quarter grades. This change will allow YMS to save money on postage and staff hours.
Counselor Connection
Jennifer Badura, York Middle School Counselor
The Nebraska Student Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) English Language Arts, Math, and Science general summative assessments were administered to Nebraska students in grades 3-8 during the spring of 2023. The NSCAS is Nebraskaβs statewide assessment system.
When your student completed the NSCAS assessments, the results were calculated and a score was generated and reported in the form of an Individual Student Report (ISR). You will be receiving your studentβs Individual Student Report (ISR) at parent teacher conferences. Individual student results should be interpreted with caution. Any assessment result is limited in its ability to tell the story of learning for an individual student. Schools use assessment results along with many other types of data to monitor student progress.
York Middle School gives the NSCAS Growth Summative assessment in the spring and the MAP Growth assessment in the Fall and Winter. On the ISR, you will only see a spring result. The MAP Growth assessment is not reported on the ISR.
Studentsβ achievement on the NSCAS Growth assessment is reported as a scale score and achievement level. Scale scores range from 2220-2890 for ELA, 1000-1550 for Math, and 3000-3250 for Science. The scale score is an estimate of student achievement. The estimate is generated based on the questions the student answered correctly and then converted to a standard scale.
The Nebraska State Board of Education has defined three achievement levels for each content area:
Developing: Developing learners do not yet demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level.
On Track: On Tracker learners demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level.
Advanced: Advanced learners demonstrate high levels of proficiency in the knowledge and skills necessary at this grade level.
There is an online resource called the βIndividual Student Report Interpretive Guide for Parentsβ that can be accessed by going to https://community.nwea.org/community/nebraska. Scroll halfway down the page and click on the Parents/Students tab. Under the Reports section is a link titled ISR Parent Interpretive Guide for Parents. This guide will help you further understand the ISR report.
If you have further questions, please feel free to reach out to me.
Second Step
School is the place where students encounter the bulk of their social interactions, challenges, and opportunities for personal growth. Research shows that providing consistent, purposeful, and robust Social Emotional Learning programs can benefit students in multiple ways.
At York Middle School, our students participate in the Second Step program every Tuesday during Family time. This curriculum helps build a culture of connectedness and empowers middle school students with the skills to succeed socially and academically.
We have started with the unit Mindsets and Goals. During this unit, students will learn how to develop a growth mindset and apply research based goal-setting strategies to their social and academic lives. The other units throughout the year include:
Recognizing Bullying and Harassment Students learn how to recognize bullying and harassment, stand up safely to bullying, and respond appropriately to harassment.
Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions: Students learn how to recognize strong emotions and unhelpful thoughts, and apply strategies to manage their emotions and reduce stress.
Managing Relationships and Social Conflict: Students learn strategies for developing and maintaining healthy relationships, perspective-taking, and dealing with conflict.
Students who receive social-emotional interventions early and throughout their learning careers demonstrate impressive and measurable benefits later in life. At YMS, we are excited to provide students with social-emotional learning opportunities. Every Tuesday evening, be sure to ask your child what they are learning during the Second Step lessons.
2023-2024 Student Senate
Congratulations to the YMS Student Senate Members
8th Grade
Avery Enninga
Rachel Holthe
Rosie Kennedy
Connor Krausnick
Will Liston
7th Grade
Crue Eimermann
Kyler Kern
Koleston Lee
Eliza Loosvelt
Kinsley Stutzman
6th Grade
Kyia Gray
Aubrey Miller
Jacoby Hansel
Pieper Linabery
Brigston DeRiese
π‘ Reminders
IMPORTANT DATES π
Fall Parent-Teachers Conferences
- Wednesday Oct 4th 4:30-8:30pm
- Thursday Oct 5th 4:30-8:30pm
- Friday Oct 6th 8:00am-3:00pm
YMS School Pictures πΈ
- Wednesday October 5th (The online site is available for 2 days after pictures)
- October 2nd-6th (For every $10 spent, the student will get an entry into a drawing for a bluetooth speaker)
October 16 YMS Choir Concert @ 6:30PM
October 19 8th grade US Presidents Fair @ 6:00PM - At YMS
October 23 YMS Marching Band Highlights Concert @ 6:30PM
Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23-27
π Our Schedule This Month
Lunch Menu
Music Notes
Band πΆ
Oct. 23 YMS Marching Band Highlights Concert at 6:30 PM in the Highschool Theatre
Choir πΌ
FFA
York Middle School
Robotics
A Note from the Nurse........
Influenza (flu) is a contagious disease of the respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs) that can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and the worsening of other chronic health conditions. Flu symptoms may include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. The best way to protect your family from new influenza strains is to get vaccinated each year, practice frequent handwashing, stay home or keep family members home if flu-like symptoms are present, disinfect surfaces often, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Your healthcare provider can offer advice specific to you and your family members regarding questions you may have about the flu vaccine.
Well-child visits with your pre-teen/teenβs healthcare provider and ensuring that your child stays up to date with immunizations are two important practices in helping to keep them healthy. Well-child visits provide an opportunity for you to discuss any concerns that you have, allow for continued tracking of growth and development, and can offer the needed vaccinations or information regarding local vaccination clinics.