Blue & White Newsletter - 8/30/24

This week, we welcomed WY families to our annual Back to School Nights at West York Area Middle School and West York Area High School! Families were able to meet their child's teachers and check out their classrooms that already include class work on display. The lobby included informational tables for our MS PTSO, Boys Scouts of America, representatives from the Athletics Department, free school supplies tables and information on Free & Reduced Lunches, School Activity Bus, and Athletic Physical Forms.

At the Middle School, families were also able to stop and speak with Ms. Zenaida Alicea, Life Skills Instructor with Valley Youth House. Check out more details on their program for MS and HS students in an article below.

At the High School, families had the opportunity to stop by the Bulldog Branch of First Capital Federal Credit Union and meet Ms. Kayla Weaver, School Branch Coordinator, and Ms. Lily Perry, our Student Ambassador.

It was great to see so many of our families at this week's Back to School Nights!

Each year, students from the High School visit Trimmer Elementary and provide them with a demonstration of the various band instruments. Fourth and fifth graders have the opportunity to be part of the Beginning Band and Concert Band with Ms. Sarah Foery, Music Teacher and Elementary Band Director at Trimmer. Getting to hear and see the instruments in isolation and then all together often prompts a student's interest in a particular instrument.

You can mark your calendars now for the following Trimmer Elementary concerts:

• Thursday, December 12th - Concert Band and 5th Grade Chorus Concert @ 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 9th - Beginning Band and 4th Grade Chorus Concert @ 6:30 p.m.
• Thursday, April 10th - Concert Band and 5th Grade Chorus Concert @ 6:30 p.m.

Congratulations to Ms. Kelsey Sersen's class at Lincolnway Elementary for being the first students to return to their completed Health History Forms. Mrs. Melissa Franklin, School Nurse at Lincolnway, gave each student Kinetic Sand to thank them for returning their Health History Forms. Health histories are important and allow the school nurse to provide safe and accurate care to all students.

Mrs. Heather Slenker's 3rd-grade class is also complete with the return of their Health History Forms. Each student received a yummy pack of fruit snacks from Mrs. Franklin!

Congratulations to these two classes, and their parents, for being so responsive!

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:

• Budgeting
• Conflict Resolution
• Relationships
• 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

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.

Our Middle School PTSO is currently taking orders for beautiful, full, fall mums! This is a very popular fundraiser each year! Proceeds help support the costs of field trips for our middle school students.

The mums are in 9" pots and available in the following colors: Red, orange, yellow, bronze, purple and pink. (Size in above image not necessarily indicative of 9" mums.)

• Each mum is $10.00
• Orders Taken: August 24 - September 16
• Pick Up Mums: Wednesday, September 25
• Location/Time: WYAMS Cafeteria - 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Please check your child’s bookbag for this order form, or download a form by clicking the image above.

If you do not have a student at the Middle School and would like to place an order, simply download the order form using the link bar below. You can drop your order form and payment off at the Middle School main office any school day before Wednesday, September 25th.

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.

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

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.

We are looking forward to another year of our student athletes showcasing their skills and continuing on their high school athletic careers.

While attending West York events, safety is not only a priority but an expectation. It is our duty to provide a safe environment for all spectators, fans, and student athletes. We ask that the community please adhere to District protocols to help us ensure a safe event.

Please click on the image below to view the communication regarding spectator attendance and expectations when attending sporting events at West York.

The pantry is open one day a month between 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. for families to pick up needed items. Donations to the pantry are always welcome as well. You can find more information on the Bulldog Pantry by clicking the bar below!

The schedule for the 2024-2025 school year is as follows:

Wednesday, September 25

Wednesday, October 16

Wednesday, November 20

Wednesday, December 18

Thursday, January 16

Wednesday, February 19

Thursday, March 20

Wednesday, April 16

Wednesday, May 21

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.

REAL Life day at the High School is fast approaching!

This program is only possible with the help of WY volunteers! Junior Achievement staff are at each event and count on our volunteers to work under the direction of JA staff with small groups of students. Currently, we are still in need of several volunteers. Please consider coming and spending a fun day with our high school students.

All training is provided the morning of the event and no experience is needed!

Prior volunteers have shared how much fun they had while working with our Bulldogs!

REAL Life - High School - September 26th

Check out the REAL Life Program overview/volunteer Q&A here: https://bit.ly/JARealLifeOverview

Video preview here: https://vimeo.com/952705171/66344ffee7

Volunteer Registration Link: https://form.jotform.com/212215942576962

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!

• Monday, September 2, Labor Day Holiday - All Buildings/Offices Closed
• Tuesday, September 10, EPC (Educational Programming Committee) Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, September 10, Board Work Session (7:00 p.m.)
• Friday, September 13, Early Dismissal
• Tuesday, September 17, Budget and Finance Committee Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, September 17, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
• Wednesday, September 18, Homecoming Parade/Bonfire (6:00 p.m.)
• Thursday, September 26, Wellness Committee Meeting (3:15 p.m.)
• Friday, September 27, Early Dismissal

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

Community Resources such as:

• United Way
• Community Progress Council
• Dream Wrights Center for Community Arts
• Belmont Summer Academy - Theatre Summer Camps