Blue & White Newsletter - 9/20/24

After school on Tuesday, members of the West York Area High School Envirothon team (Kaitlynn Walizer, Adailez Garcia, Valeria Acosta Rodriguez, Atena Richards, Paige Shenberger, and Ryleigh Lunger) with the help of their advisor, Mr. David Arrow, began their seasonal maintenance on the tree tubes that were planted at all of the school campuses across the district.

The trees were planted in the spring of 2023 with the help of students, staff, and volunteers from the Penn State Master Watershed Stewards, and the York County Conservation District. The trees themselves were obtained from the Keystone 10 Million Trees Program free of charge.

Last spring, the Envirothon team removed tubes for dead trees and did some other seasonal maintenance. The remaining trees are growing really well and will help to beautify the campuses across our district. They also will provide a lasting legacy for the students who planted the trees in the spring of 2023. The Envirothon team plans to continue maintenance of the tree tubes until they are ready to be removed. They also have been actively volunteering their time with service projects through York County Parks, York County Audubon Society, and other organizations across the county.

What a fabulous week our Bulldogs have had showing their Bulldog spirit during Homecoming Week!

Spirit Week themes included Jersey Day, Inside Out Day (show your emotions), Twins Day, Soccer Mom vs. BBQ Dad Day, and Blue & White Day! You can check out our collage of photos below to see how our students showed their school spirit each of these days!

The weather was great for our annual Homecoming Parade and Bonfire! Our Bulldogs filled the streets of the parade route with spirit, cheers, and AWESOME music from our Middle School and High School Marching Bands! Following the parade, WY students, families, faculty, staff and community members enjoyed experiencing the bonfire, food trucks, and time for connection!

Join us tonight for the crowning of our King and Queen of the Homecoming Court and cheer our Bulldogs football team on as they take on Kennard-Dale High School and aim to extend their record to 5-0! Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. and the game begins at 7:00 p.m.

The York Dispatch recently did a poll to see which high school concession stand has the best concession stand food in the York/Adams County area and here's the results from their report, "Of a whopping 11,554 votes cast, more than half went to West York Area High School, where the Dog Pound apparently serves up the best grub for hungry fans. Congratulations Bulldogs!"

So, join us for some delicious food, the suspense of who will be crowned our Homecoming King and Queen, and experience the excitement on the field and in the stands!

Don't forget to show your Bulldog Pride by sharing school spirit photos on Instagram during the football game and tagging @gowybulldogs and T-Mobile @TMobile, along with the #Sweepstakes and #FN5GL for the T-Mobile 5G Friday Night Lights Sweepstakes! Let's make sure West York makes it to the top 16 schools for the next round!

Wrapping up Homecoming Week will be the Homecoming Dance (ticketed event for high school students) on Saturday, September 21st. We will share pictures of the dance in next week's issue!

Ms. Marisa Rice, PE Teacher at Wallace Elementary, incorporated math counting (by 1’s, 2’s, 5’s and 10’s) in her Physical Education lessons this week, as well as first grade sight word relay races with Ms. Ally Williams' class. It is awesome to see the cross curricular connections!

Students at Wallace Elementary celebrated Dot Day this week in art class with Ms. Alyssa Daugherty! They listened to "The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds, danced along to Emily Arrow's song, "The Dot" and finally created their own dot. We displayed all of the students' dots in the hallway when they were finished. The dots really made a splash at Wallace!

Students in Mr. Andrew Johnson's and Mr. James Snelbaker's American Cultures classes at the High School had the opportunity to speak with Officer Bradley Craig, SRO at the Middle School, regarding the Bill of Rights and other rights they are provided as American citizens.

Thank you so much, Officer Craig!

Mrs. Amanda Burt's LSS class at the High School had a great time creating a positivity chain in Ms. Ashley Walton's Health class! Students had the opportunity to share positive attributes about each of their peers!

Ms. Lauren Lane, Media Specialist at Lincolnway Elementary, is stocking the shelves in the library with new popular children's books! Lincolnway Elementary was a winner of a book shopping spree from the 2021 Book Song Challenge presented by author Hallee Adelman. The awarding of the prizes had several delays, including Covid. Ms. Lane was very excited to see the books finally arrive!

Students will be so excited to see these new books on the shelves soon!

In Mrs. Anne Hedgcock's Independent Living class at the High School, students worked on communication skills, using both verbal and non-verbal communication, by using games and decision making activities. They are also working on building community and finding ways to cope with stress in healthy ways. These skills will be beneficial not only in school but beyond school as well.

Mrs. Kelly Murphy's first graders visited Mrs. Pam Holmes' kindergarten class at Wallace Elementary. They worked with a buddy on writing letters on their Fundations white boards. They also practiced identifying their letter sounds.

On Monday, November 11th, we will recognize the veterans in our local community. We plan to do this through a Field of Flags fundraising campaign at both the Middle School and the High School. The funds raised will benefit the Disabled American Veterans Organization (DAV).

The campaign coordinators for the High School fundraiser are Ms. Emily Corcoran and Ms. Yvette Ganoe. At the Middle School, Mr. Andrew Johnson and Mr. James Snelbaker are coordinating their fundraiser.

DAV provides a lifetime of support for veterans of all generations and their families, in positive, life-changing ways. DAV ensures veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits they deserve and receive care and support during tough times. DAV also advocates for the veteran community on Capitol Hill, connects veterans with meaningful employment, and so much more.

These are two separate fundraising campaigns, so you may donate to one or both campaigns as you see fit. As we raise money, DAV will send flags to each school to be displayed outside on the lawns. The fundraising campaign ends on October 28th, so do not delay!

Look for our flags starting November 8th in front of the Middle and High Schools.

Donations are online only.

Click HERE to donate to the Middle School Campaign.

Click HERE to donate to the High School Campaign.

Again, all funds donated go directly to the DAV organization to help our nation’s veterans.

Our West York Area High School's Counseling Center compiles lists of available scholarships as our high school students prepare for their post-secondary educational plans and funding.

An updated list will be posted at the High School as new scholarships become available. Each time the bulletin is revised, it is printed on a different color of paper from the previous bulletin, making it easy to tell when new information has been added.

PLEASE NOTE: The date due is very important. Please have applications submitted to the Counseling Center at least 6 days prior to due date. This allows the Counseling Center staff sufficient time for review of the application and transcript preparation, ensuring that the application is sent out in a timely manner.

All hard copies of scholarship applications are located inside the Counseling Center in the waiting area in the drawer marked SCHOLARSHIPS. The Counseling Center also emails each scholarship and updated bulletin directly to students' school emails.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Gail Wildasin in the Counseling Center.

Penn State Health is hosting RecFest 2024! RecFest was established to address significant challenges that persons with disabilities face, help them to become more socially and physically active, and connect with resources and services in the community. Organizations struggle to reach the people they want to serve, and the general public has limited understanding of the needs and capabilities of persons with disabilities

The Goals of RecFest are to:

• Increase awareness of adaptive sports, recreation and exercise opportunities in our community
• Bring opportunities for participation in adaptive sports, recreation and exercise to improve overall health and quality of life
• Allow for hands-on experience with adaptive equipment
• Have exhibitors available to showcase programs and resources in the community
• Enhance local college programs by giving students an opportunity to volunteer at this event
• Create a platform for research and an opportunity to gather data to assess outcome goals

There are 82 exhibitors and activity demonstrations scheduled to attend this year! Some of these demos are: Adapted cycling; adapted field hockey; adapted tennis; TOP Soccer; power wheelchair soccer; wheelchair basketball; velochairs; wheelchair dance demo at 2:00 pm, and much more!

All are welcome — participants, family, friends and caretakers.

FREE Admission -- FREE Parking!

Saturday, September 28th from 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

at Spookynook Sport Complex in Manheim, Pa.

The District will be hosting a student flu shot clinic on Monday, September 23rd. This is for students only and is voluntary. Only students who have submitted a Consent Form will receive the flu shot.

Consent Forms are required and must be received by Friday, September 20th. Click the image to the left to download the Consent Form.

Our first distribution date is this coming Wednesday, September 25th. The Pantry is located at Door 14 which is the door by the tennis courts and is open from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

If you would like to donate to the pantry, donations can be dropped off at the High School office. You can find more information on the Bulldog Pantry by clicking the bar below!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Amanda Burt, HS Learning Support Teacher, via email at amburt@wyasd.org.

September 20, 2024

9th/10th Grade:

Layani Toun

For always helping your fellow students!

11th/12th Grade:

Lane Ruppert

For doing a great job with Link Crew - leading freshman!

Faculty/Staff:

Mr. TJ Meese

For all you did for Calvin - he now wants to be a photographer.

Also - I can always count on you for ANYTHING.

Thank you for being so wonderful all the time!

The content below was in last week's issue but it bears repeating as a reminder or for anyone who may have missed it. If pertinent details of an article are changed, we will pull the article above this section and highlight any changes.

We recently shared on Instagram that Mr. Brandon Furhman, Athletic Director, entered the District in the T-Mobile 5G Friday Night Lights Sweepstakes. The prizes are awarded in three rounds: 1st round, $5,000; 2nd round $25,000, and the 3rd (grand prize) round is valued at $2 million!

Out of just over 1,000 high schools entered from across the country, we are happy to announce that we have won $5,000 in the first round!

This is an amazing opportunity for West York and we're encouraging all of our students, staff, families, and fans to show their Bulldog Pride by sharing school spirit photos on Instagram during Friday night football games and tagging @gowybulldogs and T-Mobile @TMobile, along with the #Sweepstakes and #FN5GL, to support and help us become one of the Top 16 finalists!

For more information on the T-Mobile Friday Night 5G Lights contest, go to www.fridaynight5glights.com.

Also, be sure to follow our Athletic Department Instagram!

Stay tuned to see if we make it to the 2nd round! Click the image above for more information.

Middle School and High School students who were absent on picture day, or those who would like to have their school pictures retaken (this is NOT for senior formal pictures), can do so on the following dates:

Tuesday, October 1st - High School

1. When an order is placed online with Barksdale (Pictureportal.org), the parent/guardian will receive a camera pass via email. This can either be printed or texted to the student and brought to picture day. The photographer will photograph the printed camera pass along with the student.
2. If a student is not able to print their camera pass, that is not a problem. Barksdale will match up the student to their order manually in the production process.
3. A parent may order from the flyer up until 24 hours after picture day. After 24 hours, the online ordering access may close. This will allow the imaging team to "Pull" all orders submitted and match them with the students photographed.
4. When pictures are delivered to school, all students that purchased pictures will receive their prepaid package. Any student that was photographed but did not order a package, will receive a "Proof" (PX) of their picture that was taken on picture day.

Feel free to contact Barksdale's Data Department by emailing schoollist@barksdalephoto.com with any questions that you may have about picture day.

The Awesome Kids Project is a new, free community program hosted at Wolf's Covenant Church and will offer students in kindergarten through sixth grade the opportunity to socialize with their peers in a fun, well supervised environment. They will meet once each month, September through December, on Saturdays between 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. and will enjoy playing games, having a snack, and other organized fun activities with their peers.

For more information, including contact information, please click the link bar below.

On Thursday, the HOPE Club held its first meeting at the High School to begin discussing its activities for the year. HOPE stands for Hold On, Pain Ends, and is a club that works to spread mental health and suicide prevention awareness. Students work all year to spread messages of hope, connection, and positivity around the school.

The HOPE Club is here to remind everyone during this month, National Suicide Prevention Month, that:

• There are actions that people can take to help prevent suicide
• Prevention works
• Resilience and recovery are possible
• Effective programs and services exist
• Help is available

988 is available 24/7/365 with confidential and free support connecting those experiencing a mental health, substance use, or suicidal crisis with trained crisis counselors.

HOPE Club's year-long efforts wrap-up with the annual HOPE Day event in May, where the entire school engages in talks and activities to encourage strong mental health. We welcome community support through donations and volunteer services. Mental health matters; thank you for helping us make a difference.

A student's high school yearbook is a way to capture all of the amazing memories that students experience during their final years here at West York - home of the Bulldogs!

Purchasing a yearbook early in the school year assures you the best pricing, currently $75, and an item off your "To-Do List" that builds as the end of the school year approaches!

Also available now is the opportunity to place a special message/ad in the yearbook just for your child. More information on this, and all things yearbooks, can be found by visiting the West York page of Jostens website by clicking the image above.

Does your child have signs or symptoms of the flu, Covid or RSV? Did they test positive?

The recommendations are that your child stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medication and that they feel good enough to return to school. The CDC also recommends (it is optional) that a mask be worn for 5 days after their return if they tested positive for Covid.

Students who have been exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid do not need to stay home from school unless they come down with symptoms or test positive.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your school nurse.

As a friendly reminder, when your child is absent from school, parents/guardians must complete an Absence Excuse Blank, either a paper copy or by using the online Digital Excuse Blank through the Sapphire Parent Portal. An Absence Excuse Blank must be received within three days of a students return to school following an absence, known as the 3-day rule.

The 3-day rule states "No excuse blanks will be accepted after the third day of the date of return from the absence. The absence will be recorded as unexcused for students 18 years or older. Students under the age of 18 are recorded as unlawful.”

While a paper Absence Excuse Blank can be sent in, they can also be forgotten or lost in transit. The most efficient way to assure the excuse is received within the 3-day rule period is to access the Digital Excuse Blank from the District website or the District App. Directions for both are as follows:

Using Your Computer to Report an Absence

MUST be completed within 3 days of the absence

From the District WEBSITE Home Page

➔ Scroll down to the vertical gray boxes just under the changing highlight pictures at the top of the District website's home page

➔ Click on the Attendance box

➔ Underneath Online Attendance click on Sapphire Community Portal Login

➔ On the login page put in your username and password (this must be set up prior to you using this page)

➔ On the left side is your student(s) name(s)

• If you have multiple students, please make sure you are at the correct student

➔ Under MY BACKPACK click on Student Data Forms (making sure it is the correct student)

➔ Underneath On Demand Forms click on Digital Excuse Blank

➔ Fill out the entire form and upload any doctor’s notes into this form

➔ Make sure to click on SUBMIT so your form is sent directly to the attendance secretary

Using the District App from Your Cell Phone to Report an Absence

MUST be completed within 3 days of the absence

➔ From the WYASD App Home Page, click on the More waffle icon on the right side of the screen

➔ Click on the Sapphire Portal icon on the right side of the screen

➔ Log in to Sapphire

➔ If you have multiple students, make sure you are in the correct student’s account

➔ At the bottom of the screen there is a purple circle with 3 white lines, click on the circle

➔ Click on the green circle marked Student Data Forms

➔ Underneath On Demand Forms click on Digital Excuse Blank

➔ Fill out the entire form and upload any doctor’s notes into this form

➔ Make sure to click on SUBMIT so your form is sent directly to the attendance secretary

As mentioned in our Secondary Back to School Nights article above, Ms. Zendaida Alicea, Life Skills Instructor with Valley Youth House, attended our Middle School Back to School Night and families were able to learn more about the amazing program they offer. They cover various topics, including:

West York Area High School session begins September 19th.

West York Area Middle School session begins October 9th.

• Budgeting
• Conflict Resolution
• Relationships Session
• Household Management
• Career Exploration
• Interviewing Skills
• Time Management
• And so much more!

The program runs 10 weeks for students in 8th grade and 15 weeks for students in 9-12 grades. At each session, participants are not only provided with these important life skills in a fun and engaging environment, but also a meal and a chance at a weekly gift card drawing. Transportation can also be available if that is needed.

Participants who complete the program receive a stipend at the end - $200 for the 10-week program and $300 for the 15-week program!

To learn more, including upcoming class dates and times, visit their website at:

https://bit.ly/WYValleyYouthDatesTimes

To sign up, complete their Sign-Up Form available at:

https://bit.ly/WYValleyYouthSignUp

If you are new to West York, you might be saying, "What is a Golden Bulldog Pass?" Exclusively for West York Area School District residents 65 and older, the Golden Bulldog Pass is valid for one admission to all District-sponsored events, including athletic events (excluding playoff events), fine arts events such as concerts, plays, and musicals, and special invitation-only events for senior citizens.

Our annual "Lunch and a Show" is our most popular invitation-only event and seating is limited! So, don't miss out on this and other opportunities! To learn more, please click the Golden Bulldog Pass card to the left.

Be sure to Like/Follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you don't experience FOMO - Fear of Missing Out! Simply click the images below.

Stay abreast of the Athletic Department's weekly news with the Bulldog Breakdown, a weekly recap of the prior week's athletic accomplishments and the upcoming sporting events.

Simply click the Bulldog Breakdown bar below to view the latest issue!

• Wednesday, September 25, Facilities Committee Meeting (6:00 p.m.)
  
• Thursday, September 26, Wellness Committee Meeting (3:15 p.m.)
  
• Friday, September 27, Early Dismissal

• Tuesday, October 1, HS Picture Retake Day (NOT Senior Formal Pictures)
• Wednesday, October 2, MS Picture Retake Day
• Tuesday, October 8, Board Work Session (7:00 p.m.)
• Friday, October 11, No School - Professional Learning Day for Faculty
• Monday, October 14, No School - Columbus Day
• Tuesday, October 15, Communication and Engagement Committee Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, October 15, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, October 24, Trunk or Treat HS Parking Lot (6:00 p.m.)
• Friday, October 25, Early Dismissal
• Monday, October 28, Lincolnway Elementary Picture Day
• Tuesday, October 29, Wallace Elementary Picture Day
• Wednesday, October 30, Trimmer Elementary Picture Day

The Community Corner of our website offers families many helpful links to organizations or flyers about upcoming or ongoing community activities, clubs, and events. The information on this webpage changes frequently and those changes will be highlighted here as they occur. The latest updates are pictured below.

From our Home webpage, click on Community to access links to various organizations/community events.

Here are just some examples:

• Cub Scouts (Boys & Girls ages 5-12)
• Girl Scouts
• West York Boys Club
• YMCA of York
  
• YWCA of York - NEW! Free Swim Lessons for second graders!

Community Resources such as:

• Belmont Summer Academy - Theatre Summer Camps
  
• Community Progress Council
• Dream Wrights Center for Community Arts
• NEW! The Awesome Kids Project
• United Way