YMS News

What a great start we have had for the second half of our school year. Students and teachers came back ready to put forth a great effort and to improve every day. This is an important time for the growth of your child(s) education this year. Some of the most significant gains and unfortunately losses can occur in the winter months of a school year. The adults in this building are going to work hard to make sure students at YMS show gains and we know that you will support YMS by doing the following:

1. Make sure that your child completes schoolwork and practice. Let your child know that you think education is important and that schoolwork must be completed each day. You can help your child with practice by setting aside a special place to study, establishing a regular time for practice, and removing distractions such as television and social phone calls during work time.

2. Ask questions. If something concerns you about your child's learning or behavior, ask the teacher or principal about it and seek their advice. Your questions may be like these — What specific problem is my child having with reading? What can I do to help my child with this problem?

3. Demonstrate a positive attitude about education to your children. What we say and do in our daily lives can help them to develop positive attitudes toward school and learning and to build confidence in themselves as learners. Showing our children that we both value education and use it in our daily lives provides them with powerful models and contributes greatly to their success in school.

4. Monitor your child's television, video games, and Internet use. American children on average spend far more time watching TV, playing video games, and using the Internet than they do complete homework or other school-related activities. Make time each day for your child to read and do homework before the technology is turned on.

5. Encourage your child to be responsible and work independently. Taking responsibility and working independently are important qualities for school success. You can help your child to develop these qualities by establishing reasonable rules that you enforce consistently, making it clear to your child that he has to take responsibility for what he does, both at home and at school, showing your child how to break a job down into small steps and monitor what your child does after school, in the evenings and on weekends.

A perfect time to talk to your child(s) teacher is February 5 & 6 from 4:30-8:30 or February 7 from 8 am-noon & 1 to 3 pm. Our teachers want to partner with parents because we both want the same thing...for your child to succeed. Please come talk with us at PTC!

We are going to have a great second semester as both parents, teachers, and staff work to improve the educational experience for students at YMS.

Kenny Loosvelt, York Middle School Principal

The Social Emotional Learning Team at YMS has been reading The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. If you have not yet read, listened to, or heard of this book, I encourage you to do so. I have heard of some communities where parents are getting together to read the book and are making a pact to delay the age when their children get a phone until at least the age of 16. They are also allowing children more unstructured free play and thus allowing them to problem solve on their own when conflicts arise (see ideas below).

Allowing Children to Take on Challenges

Children need to take on advanced challenges, including social challenges. As middle schoolers, children begin to care more about how their peers see them. At this age, children have a big appetite for social learning. For this crucial period to go well, it is best if children and young adolescents get a lot of experience by doing things together (with other children) or with adults in their real world communities, rather than sitting alone, watching YouTube, playing video games or scrolling through social media apps. The trusted adult in their lives is the positive role model who they can turn to when they have questions or need some guidance.

Lenor Skenazy wrote the book Free-Range Kids that focuses on letting children go in order to grow. Below are seven suggestions by Lenor designed to reduce overprotection in the real world yet encourage adventures that allow for creative thinking, development and problem solving:

1. Practice letting your kids out of your sight without them having a way to reach you.

2. Encourage sleepovers and don’t micromanage them.

3. Encourage walking to school as a group.

4. After school is for free play.

5. Go camping.

6. Find an overnight camp with no devices allowed.

7. Form child-friendly neighborhoods.

letgrow.org has some fantastic ideas that encourage children (and parents) towards more independence.

We will not be mailing the 2nd quarter/semester report cards home, until the end of the school year, in May. You can access grades on the parent portal on Infinite Campus. Please direct any specific grading questions to the classroom teacher. You can access the Infinite Campus parent portal using the directions below:

·Visit https://necloud1.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/york.jsp

· Log in with the proper username/password (contact YMS to reset password if needed)

· You may be asked to verify your device as trustworthy for security purposes.

· Select your student.

· Click the three horizontal lines on the upper left hand corner.

· You will be able to access Grades, Schedules, Attendance Records, Fees, and Documents. (Q2/Semester Report Card can be found under Documents)

Team

Carl Wilson

Braylyn Rystrom

Koleston Lee

Joel Schneider

Individual

Cortland Peters

Klaire Heberlee

6th Grade

Klaire Heberlee, Keila Kohout, Cash Eimermann, Parker Niemann, AydanLee Matz, Cora Lee Turner, Bentley Shnakenburg Alternates: Lukas Fersch, Nikkoli Walbrecht

7th Grade

Carl Wilson, Cameron Crosnoe, Kyiah Gray, Autumn Pinneo, Kadyn Snyder, Avery Wardyn,

Andrey Arias Alternates: Kenzie Hale, Deven Santisteven

8th Grade

Jordan Franssen, Alexis Tuloweicki, Rosalie Fairbanks, Crue Eimermann, Sam Van Gomple,

Addy Kadavy Alternates: Leslie Campos Sanchez, Kinsey Geick

In case of a weather emergency, we will follow the procedure that has been used in the past years. That procedure is as follows:

1. Radio Station Kool (103.5 FM, 1370 AM) and KTMX-FM (104.9) will again serve as our primary source for dispensing "school closing information" they are 24 hour stations.

2. If severe weather necessitates an early dismissal, a school cancellation, or information concerning school buses, it will be broadcast on Kool and KTMX.

3. Bus drivers are instructed to use good judgement in determining whether a road is passable. The Transportation Department will notify parents where children can be loaded if a specific road cannot be traveled. Buses will travel the regular routes and maintain a time schedule consistent with the conditions of the road.

4. "Emergency Messages" will be sent to our student's parents and guardians who have an email or cell phone number listed in Infinite Campus, and the YPS Staff. Information will be posted on our website at www.yorkpublic.org, on our Facebook page at York Public Schools and on Twitter at @MitchBartYPS (#yorkdukes). Parents and Guardians- please be sure the school has your current email address and cell phone number in order to be notified!!

Parent Teachers Conferences

• February 5 4:30-8:30 PM
• February 6 4:30-8:30 PM
• February 7 8:00-Noon & 1:00-3:00 PM

NO SCHOOL-YMS/YES

• February 7th-10th

National FFA Week- February 16th-22nd

🎵Choir

Rehearsals for the production of Dear Edwina Jr. are well underway! Come support the Middle School Dukes at their performances of the show on March 27th & 28th in the YHS theater.

🎺Band

The band is hard at work preparing our spring music. The York Middle School Honor Band will be on Saturday, March 15th. The concert will be at 6:30 PM in the High School Theater. Tickets are $3.00 for adults and no charge for students. Come out and support the bands!