
YSSD May 2025 Newsletter
YSSD May 2025 Newsletter

Message from the Superintendent
It’s hard to believe the 2024-2025 school year is already wrapping up! This year has been filled with extraordinary achievements, tremendous growth, and unforgettable moments for our students. Together, we have inspired a BOLD future for our graduating class and laid the groundwork for generations of success through our Portrait of a Graduate initiative.
Throughout the year, we've spotlighted students who embody the Portrait of a Graduate competencies...students who showcase the skills, attributes, and qualities we believe are essential for success beyond our classrooms. Students like our first Student Spotlighted for the Compassionate Citizen competency, Sophia Scalet who was accepted into six Ivy League universities (more details on her accomplishment can be found under the Points of Pride section below). The monthly Student Spotlights have brought our Portrait of a Graduate framework to life, and we’re excited to build on that momentum. Next year, we’ll take the next big step to begin fully embedding the six competencies into our curriculum, instruction, and assessments.
As we head into summer break, I want to remind our students that learning happens everywhere. So whether you're traveling to new places or enjoying time close to home, I hope you’ll seek out opportunities to read, learn, discover, grow, and make a positive difference in our community.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful, restful summer filled with BOLD new adventures!
Scott Krauser, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools
May Celebrations and Observances
- All Month - Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Better Hearing and Speech Month, Foster Care Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Military Appreciation Month, National Mental Health Awareness Month, and National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
- May 1 - National School Principals’ Appreciation Day
- May 1-7 - National Physical Education and Sport Week
- May 2 - School Lunch Hero Day
- May 5-9 - National Teacher Appreciation Week (we celebrate all staff)
- May 7 - National School Nurse Appreciation Day
- May 7 - Trojan Spirit Day
- May 9 - School Communicators Appreciation Day
- May 18 - National Speech Pathologist Appreciation Day
Important Dates
For a complete list of events, please refer to the District's online calendar.
No School: District Offices Closed
Monday, May 26
School in Session: Make-Up Day
Thursday, May 29 (full day)
Early Dismissal: Last Student Day
Friday, May 30
12:10 p.m. - Middle and High School Dismissal
12:45 p.m. - Elementary Dismissal
Staff Professional Development/Act 80 Day: Make-Up Day
Monday, June 2
Last Teacher Day: Teacher Directed Day
Tuesday, June 3
Upcoming Events
York Suburban High School Prom Promise Demonstration
Thursday, May 1, 8 a.m. to Noon, Beside Baseball Field and Tennis Courts
On the morning of May 1, Midland Road will be closed from the intersection of Hoffman Road to Woodberry Road. Drivers will be directed around the area via Crestlyn Road. During the road closure, the District will be hosting a Prom Promise demonstration for our juniors and seniors. The event will include a realistic crash simulation involving student actors, a staged accident scene with emergency vehicle response, and a reenactment of the critical minutes following a prom night crash.
Presented in partnership with York Area United Fire & Rescue (YAUFR), WellSpan EMS, and the Spring Garden Township Police Department, this demonstration is designed to encourage students to make safe, responsible decisions during prom season and beyond.
Bad Auditions by Bad Actors with Individual Monologue Performances
Friday, May 2, 7 p.m., York Suburban High School Auditorium
Tickets are $8 for adults and students
Purchase your tickets online or at the door.
Trojan Theatre proudly invites you to its spring performance featuring the student-directed one-act play Bad Auditions by Bad Actors, along with Shakespearean-inspired monologues.
York Suburban High School Prom
Friday, May 16, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Yorktowne Hotel
This year's theme...Masquerade!
Join us for a night of dancing and disguises. Tickets are $60 per person and may be purchased by juniors and seniors only. Each upperclassman may also purchase one guest ticket.
Commencement Ceremonies for the Class of 2025
Thursday, May 22, 7 p.m., York Suburban Stadium
All are welcome to join us. We will also broadcast the ceremony live. Parents of seniors are encouraged to check out the Senior Information webpage for additional details about graduation and other senior milestones.
Points of Pride
Harvard University Bound Senior!
Sophia Scalet, co-valedictorian of York Suburban High School’s Class of 2025, faced an exciting decision this spring after receiving acceptances from six Ivy League universities. With acceptance rates ranging from just 3.4% to 7%, this remarkable achievement speaks to Sophia’s exceptional talent and dedication. Sophia now joins a distinguished group of York Suburban alumni who have earned admission to a prestigious institutions.
To read more about Sophia, be sure to check out the York Dispatch which featured her in their online and print editions, and the District's Portrait of a Graduate page where we highlighted Sophia earlier this year for exemplifying our Compassionate Citizen competency. We are incredibly proud of Sophia and can’t wait to see what her BOLD future holds!
ITEEA Annual Conference Awards
Korbin Shearer, District Career, College, and Workforce Coordinator, returned from the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) Annual Conference with several awards. Korbin received the Distinguished Technology and Engineering Professional Award from ITEEA, the Outstanding State Leader Award from the ITEEA Council of STEM Leadership, and, on behalf of the District, he accepted a Program of Excellence Award from ITEEA…one of the highest honors given to technology and engineering education programs!
American Association of Teachers of French Award Winner
Ruth Wile (pictured with York Suburban High School French Teacher Joelle Stark) was one of only eleven students selected nationwide by the American Association of Teachers of French to receive a check for $1,350! Ruth will use the funds to further study the French language and culture abroad this summer. We’re so proud of Ruth and can’t wait to hear all about her adventures in Lyon, France,
PMEA All-State Musicians
Three talented York Suburban students were recognized at the PMEA All-State Festival as some of Pennsylvania's top high school musicians! Through a highly competitive audition process, Senior Alex Bien and Juniors Egan Torres and Ryan Beschler (pictured left to right with Band Director Matthew Husler) earned the honor of performing alongside the state’s most accomplished student musicians.
2025 Mini-THON
York Suburban High School’s 2025 Mini-THON raised an amazing $36,520.25 to support children and families affected by childhood cancer. Even more inspiring, over the past 12 years, our students have raised $761,699.19 for the Four Diamonds Fund through Mini-THON initiatives. This accomplishment showcases our community's willingness to come together to make a difference.
Leadership York’s Future Leaders of York Participants
York Suburban is proud to have two students participating in Leadership York’s Future Leaders of York (FLY) program this school year - Juniors Emma Bates and Carter Weems! FLY’s mission is to empower students to strengthen their leadership skills, build meaningful connections with local leaders, and become active in their communities. Emma and Carter are already making a difference in our school community, we are excited to see how they use this experience to broaden that impact throughout York County.
Distinguished Young Women Participant
Join us in wishing Junior Ana Carrara Farah good luck on Sunday, May 18, as she represents York Suburban as a participant in the 60th Annual Distinguished Young Women of York County program. The nationwide program, which started in 1958, rewards outstanding students with scholarships based on their performance in five areas: academic achievement, interview, talent, fitness, and self-expression.
Future First Responders
We are incredibly proud to share that students in our Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): Pathways to First Responder and Health Care Certifications Course have ALL successfully completed the psychomotor portion of the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certification exam!
This accomplishment is the result of hours of hard work and experiences provided by their York Suburban instructors, Kathleen Green and Dev Idgunji, and the District's partnership with WellSpan Health.
Upcoming School Board Meetings
Meetings are held in the High School Cafeteria and are open to the public.
MEETINGS OF THE WHOLE BOARD
Planning - Monday, May 12, 7 p.m.
Regular - Tuesday, May 27, 7 p.m.
Related Links
Information about the Board - includes contact information
In Person and Electronic Public Comment Guidelines
Board Agendas - published 24 hours before the meeting
Board Minutes - posted after Board approval
Board Meeting Calendar - 2025 Meeting Dates and Times
Food Service Department News
End of the Year Student Balances
As we approach the end of the school year, the Food Service Department will be sending out information to senior families with a positive meal balance to determine if they would like the funds transferred, donated, or refunded. Positive balances for students in kindergarten through eleventh grade will be automatically carried over to the 2025-2026 school year. If your student has a negative meal balance, we ask that you remit your payment no later than June 16. Payments can be made through School Cafe, by check made payable to YSSD Food Service Fund, or by cash remitted to your student's school office. Questions can be emailed to yssdfoodservice@yssd.org.
Feedback Wanted
Special Meal Offerings at the High School
Sushi Day
Wednesday, May 14, York Suburban High School
Students may choose sushi as a reimbursable lunch!
Senior BBQ
Wednesday, May 21, York Suburban High School
All seniors eat for free. The event will be held outside behind the cafeteria.
Join Our Team as a Substitute School Nurse
We are seeking licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs) to support our students across the District. As a substitute school nurse, you will play an important role in maintaining the health and safety of our students by providing coverage during the school day, assisting with health screenings, accompanying field trips, and even traveling with students on overnight trips.
This is a wonderful opportunity for parents and community members to make a meaningful impact while putting their professional nursing skills to use. For additional position details, please visit our website.
Community Partnerships
YSEF's Impact Foundation Back-to-School Backpack and School Supply Giveaway
The York Suburban Education Foundation (YSEF) Impact Foundation is preparing back to school supply kits for York Suburban families in need.
If you would like to register your student to receive a backpack and/or school supplies, please click here to provide their information. If you have multiple students, kindly complete a separate form for each child. The deadline to register is Friday, May 30. Items will be available for pick up on Thursday, August 14, from 4-7 p.m. at Luther Memorial Church, located beside York Suburban High School.
Please Note: This form is only for students who will be in middle school or high school next school year. Another form will be sent out for students in grades K-5.
Medicaid Renewal Assistance
Highmark Wholecare's COMPASS team has partnered with our District social workers to provide families with assistance renewing or applying for Medicaid benefits. The team can assist any family (not just those insured by Highmark) applying for Medical Assistance, CHIP, Food Assistance, and other state-related benefits.
Representative will be available at the District's Education Center (located behind the high school at 1800 Hollywood Drive) on June 26 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This service is available at no cost to families. Walk-ins are welcome. If you have any questions, please contact your student’s social worker: Miranda Jenkins, High School Social Worker, mjenkins@yssd.org; Brienna Derr, Middle School Social Worker, bderr@yssd.org; and Tera Hanson, Elementary School Social Worker, thanson@yssd.org.
York County Community Survey - Deadline June 22
The York County Planning Commission is seeking input from county residents to help identify issues, improve policies, and enhance services. The commission is particularly interested in hearing from parents and school staff members. If you are interested in providing your feedback, please visit www.YorkCountyPASurvey.org. The survey is confidential and will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. To incentivize responses, all survey participants will be eligible to win an iPad or $300 gift card.
Register Now and Join Us at Kindergarten Camp
York Suburban is now accepting registrations for incoming kindergarten students! Once your child is enrolled they will be eligible to participate in our Kindergarten Camp. Kindergarten Camp provides an opportunity for our incoming kindergarten students to get a firsthand preview of what to expect during their first year of school. This experience is especially helpful for children who did not attend preschool and all students who attend will receive a free t-shirt. Please visit our website at www.yssd.org to start the enrollment process.
Quick Links
- 2024-2025 School Year Calendar - This year's school calendar has been updated to reflect our January snow days and subsequent make-up days for students and staff. The revised calendar can be found posted on our website in English and Spanish.
- 2025-2026 School Year Calendar - At its meeting on January 27, the Board approved an academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. The adopted calendar can be found on the District website in English and Spanish.
- Annual Notices - School Districts are required by federal and state laws and regulations to provide several annual notices to parents and guardians. These required notices are available in our handbooks and board policies but can easily be referenced from the Annual Notices page on our website.
- Community Flyers - The District posts approved flyers on our website.
- Contact Us - Link to Building Directories and District Administration Contact Information
- Employment Opportunities - We have a variety of open positions perfect for individuals interested in working a schedule similar to our students.
- Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application Information - Families who may qualify are encouraged to apply for free or low cost meals this school year.
- Important Information for Families & Students - In addition to the building level handbooks, this document provides useful information for all families and will be particularly valuable for families new to the District.
- Renovation and Construction Updates - A summary of efforts to date regarding our plans to construct a new intermediate school, renovate the high school, and address capital projects district-wide can be found on our website.