Blue & White Newsletter - 11/15/24

Mr. Glenn Medice and Ms. Megan Eckbold's classes at Trimmer Elementary worked hard in the garden harvesting potatoes that were planted in the spring by last year's 5th grade class. On Tuesday, they were able to enjoy their hard work!

Ms. Eckbold's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Derr, came to school and turned their potatoes into french fries. Mr. Derr talked to the students about the history of potatoes and showed them several different varieties that he grew in his garden. He also talked about how to plant potatoes and why it's important to hill them. Hilling is an agricultural technique that involves piling up soil around the base of a plant as it grows. While the students waited for the french fries to cook, they munched on fresh peppers also grown in the garden.

Last week, Ms. Manda Meese, Diversified Occupations teacher at the High School, put together the annual Career Expo whereby students from grades 9-12 attended. Students were able to visit the various tables and interact with company/organization representatives while learning about what they do, how to prepare for various careers or schooling needed in their type of business, and what other opportunities may exist as a means for future career planning. There were 26 businesses and post-secondary organizations that attended, including: US Army, Country Meadows, RH Sheppard-Hanover, First Capital Federal Credit Union, Harrisburg University, Elizabethtown College, UPMC, York College, LevelUp Beauty Academy, IEC PA (Advocates for PA Electrical Contractors), Wellspan, US Navy, WSOX Radio Station, AMP (Academy for Media Production), Crescent Industry, St. Joseph University, S3 Performing Training, Napa Auto Parts, US Air Force and Space Force, Ciocca Automotive, HACC, Army National Guard, Normandie Ridge, Sydorko Automation, FedEx, and Regal. Thank you to everyone who made this such a success event for our students!

On Tuesday, November 5th, during Lunch & Learn, Ms. Manda Meese, Diversified Occupations teacher at the High School, invited the local radio station WSOX morning show hosts to visit and educate students on what it's like to work in radio. They shared about the broadcasting, business, marketing, and communications areas in radio. Over twenty people, students in grades 9-12, as well as teachers, participated in the exciting meeting.

Pictured (L-R): Mr. TJ Meese, Ms. Manda Meese, Ms. Diane Gray (WSOX), Mr. Bobby D (WSOX), and Mr. Al Janaszek.

The 2024 York County Punkin Chunkin Competition did not disappoint! The competition, hosted by York County School of Technology, included nine teams this year from the following schools: Susquehannock High School, West York Area High School, York County School of Technology, York Suburban High School, and William Penn Senior High School.

West York had three teams in the competition. Two teams from the Physics classes and one team from the TechEd classes. The TechEd team came out on top with their final throw that had 630 pounds of weight on it and went 430 feet. You can click on the image below to view the video of the winning launch!

TechEd Team (Top left picture below - L-R) Owen Doolittle, Donovan Reiber (team captain), Phillip Lingenfelter, Riley Roe, Darien Reimold, and Mr. Al Janaszek (Tech. Ed. Teacher)

Physics Team 1 (Bottom left picture below - L-R) Jarod Bradford, Cody Kohler, Ben Koch, Marco Cifuentes-Araujo, Matthew Agapis, Micah Gann, Lily Perry, and Mr. Jesse Skaggs (Physics Teacher)

Physics Team 2 (Bottom right picture below - L-R) Tyler Henderson, Ryan Steele, Micah Stump, Cody Farleman, Steven Steele, Aidan Godfrey, Cooper Godfrey, Kevin Vu, and Mr. Jesse Skaggs

On Wednesday, November 6th, the following seniors attended a Career Fair hosted by York Builders Association Workforce NOW at the Wyndham Garden York Hotel. Students were able to learn about various shadowing and job opportunities in the trades industry. (Pictured L - R) Ms. Manda Meese, Keithan Espinal, Matthew Giles, Kheidan Cayenne, Alisha Jerez, Mason Turner, Joseph Hernandez, Roberick Santiago, and David Altland.

This week, Mr. Andrew Ruhland's Genocide Studies class was studying conflicts in Ukraine. They invited senior Diana Khanchalian to talk about the 16 years of her life that she spent living in Ukraine. Diana put together a very powerful presentation about her experiences living through the current war with Russia. Students then asked Diana lots of questions about culture, societal influences, and generally comparing America to Ukraine. Diana was very brave to be willing to do this presentation and with the help of Ms. Carrie Lewis (EL support aide) she was able to translate between English and Ukrainian to provide a really valuable learning experience for the students in Mr. Ruhland's class.

Students in Ms. Christine McKee's class at Lincolnway Elementary have completed an 8-week movement course to help their brains develop and learn. Students loved the daily exercise and have seen improvement in their balance and coordination.

On Wednesday, November 13th, seventeen students participated in the West York Area Middle School Spelling Bee. The Spelling Bee lasted for 14 rounds. Eighth grader Christian Kopp won the title of Spelling Bee Champion by correctly spelling the final word, inferno. Seventh grader Charlotte Blain was the runner up. Both Christian and Charlotte will have the opportunity to take the written test in an attempt to qualify for the Regional Spelling Bee. Congratulations to Christian, Charlotte, and everyone who participated in this year's Spelling Bee!

The Spelling Bee was coordinated by Ms. Tammy Higgins (Media Specialist). Mr. Frank Townsend (Language Arts teacher) served as the emcee and Ms. Julia Serrano (Assistant Principal), Ms. Jessica Klunk (Language Arts teacher), and Ms. Jill Striebig (Language Arts teacher) served as judges for the event.

Mr. Nathan Markey's first-grade class at Wallace Elementary welcomed a special guest on Veterans Day, Army veteran Jack Wagner. Mr. Wagner visited to read a book about Veterans Day and answer students' questions about his experiences in the service. Thank you, Mr. Wagner, for your service and for sharing the significance of Veterans Day with us!

On November 7th, Ms. Mercedes Myers and Ms. Lisa Konopinski accompanied middle school students Haleigh McNamara, Eden Reinoso, Ciara Sims, and Kaden Strausbaugh to a hospitality workshop at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg Hershey, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association. While at the workshop, students were able to participate in hospitality education exploration, chef demonstrations, event planning, and industry networking.

Students from Lincolnway Elementary were given the opportunity to read above and beyond their 15-minute reading homework. Those that did filled out a paper apple tree with apples. Each apple represented 20 minutes of reading. They needed to read for a total of 460 minutes in the month of October. Those that completed the incentive were rewarded with an “apple fest.” They played fall bingo, made a fall craft, and ate chocolate and caramel apples.

Students in Ms. Kelsey Sersen and Ms. Courtney Munyon’s Autistic Support (AS) classrooms at Lincolnway Elementary celebrated fall together in several fun ways! They enjoyed pumpkin painting, holiday-themed Occupational Therapy (OT) sensory fun with Miss Krista, pin the tail on the cat game, and an awesome science experiment with Miss Dawn. Students took turns pouring in the ingredients needed for an elephant toothpaste Jack-O-Lantern! Thank you to our families who donated snacks, Sprouts Farmers Market for the discounted pumpkins, and all of the staff who helped make this event a success!

Lincolnway Elementary students were able to participate in an activity at recess for World Kindness Day on Wednesday, November 13th! Students were able to write a note of appreciation to a student, a grown-up at home, or a grown-up at school!

Third graders in Mrs. Lauren Lane's Media class at Lincolnway Elementary have been reviewing the engineer design process and were tasked with the challenge of "what can you make from a box?" During class, Faith Nace, from Ms. Shearer's class, used her creativity to design a pair of roller skates from cardboard. She took it one step further at home by improving her design and creating a moving roller skate on a rink with actual moving parts, all made from cardboard! Way to go, Faith!

Freshman Clayton Tyndall had a successful day bowling on the lanes at Colony Park last Saturday. He rolled his second sanctioned perfect 300 game! We are looking forward to what he accomplishes bowling with the Spring Grove Rockets this season! Way to go, Clayton!

The English Learners at Wallace Elementary gathered together last Friday to learn about owls. They greeted each other, read about owls, shared facts, and created an owl craft together. They helped each other and got to know each other, too!

English Learners at Wallace Elementary with Ms. Shanda Goodwin worked on describing objects and seasons. They applied their abilities by coloring and describing their home country's flags. The Gems used adjectives and showed pride in their families' flags!

Our very talented students are excited to take you on a whimsical journey down the rabbit hole with their production of Alice in Wonderland! Get ready to experience a world of curious characters, magical adventures, and a story that’s sure to captivate all ages. Bring your friends and family for a night in Wonderland—you won’t want to miss it!

Show Dates:

• Saturday, November 23rd @ 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, November 24th @ 2:00 p.m.

Location: West York Area High School Auditorium

Tickets: Available at the door or online at https://cur8.com/26190/project/127286

The holiday concerts are almost here! Our talented vocalists and instrumentalists have been working diligently and can’t wait to share the festive sounds of the season with you. Join us to celebrate their hard work and soak in the holiday spirit!

2024 Holiday Season Concert Schedule

Middle School Holiday Concert

The November distribution is next week!

Wednesday, November 20th

5:00 - 6:00 PM

West York Area High School

If you would like to donate as we approach the holiday season,

please reach out to Ms. Amanda Burt via email at amburt@wyasd.org

or

visit our Bulldog Pantry web page by clicking the image on the left.

The Class of 2028 is hosting a fundraiser sure to bring the scents of the season into your home! White Clover Family Farm candles are hand-poured locally at a family farm in East York. They are premium 100% soy candles with no harmful chemical additives. They burn longer, more evenly, and smell better! Each large 16-ounce candle is only $20.

Check out the WY-inspired scent names!

Order Due Date: Friday, November 22, 2024

Order Pick Up Date: Friday, December 13, 2024

Checks Payable to: WY Class of 2028

If you would like to support the Class of 2028 by purchasing a candle and do not have a student at the High School, feel free to email Ms. Manda Meese at mrmeese@wyasd.org or Ms. Katie Stoops at ksstoops@wyasd.org.

November 15, 2024

9th/10th Grade:

Isabella Pickens

For being a great assistant during a practice activity!

11th/12th Grade:

Isabella Newcomer

For stepping up and helping with projects when needed!

Faculty/Staff:

Ms. Michele Lam

For your creativity in the classroom!

West York Area School District parents, are your students ready to take advantage of our financial literacy and savings opportunities through the Bulldog Branch and our Bulldog Buck$ program? We are excited to offer a way for students to start learning about money management, saving, and other essential life skills that will help prepare them for their future.

As a special incentive, we’re giving away a $25 gift card to one lucky student who opens a membership with us during the month of November!

Have any questions about First Capital membership or the Bulldog Buck$ program? Stop by the branch on Tuesdays or Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and talk to Lily or Kayla to learn more about the account opening process, or reach out to School Branch Coordinator Ms. Kayla Weaver via email at kaylaw@firstcapitalfcu.com!

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!

• Tuesday, November 19, Cocurricular Committee Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, November 19, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
• Saturday, November 23, HS Fall Play - Alice in Wonderland (7:00 p.m.)
• Sunday, November 24, HS Fall Play - Alice in Wonderland (2:00 p.m.)
• Wednesday, November 27 - Monday, December 2, Thanksgiving Holiday Break - No School
• Thursday, November 28 - Friday, November 29, District Offices are closed
  

December 2024

• Monday, December 2, Thanksgiving Holiday Break - No School
• Tuesday, December 3, Board Work Session (7:00 p.m.)
• Wednesday, December 4, Middle School Holiday Concert (6:30 p.m.)
• Friday, December 6, Early Dismissal
• Monday, December 9, LWY Picture Retake Day
• Tuesday, December 10, WAL Picture Retake Day
• Tuesday, December 10, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
• Wednesday, December 11, TRM Picture Retake Day
• Thursday, December 12, TRM Concert Band & 5th Grade Chorus Concert (6:30 p.m.)
• Monday, December 16, High School Holiday Concert (7:00 p.m.)
• Monday, December 23 - Wednesday, January 1, Holiday Break - No School
• Tuesday, December 24 - Thursday, December 26, District Offices are closed
• Tuesday, December 31 - Wednesday, January 1, District Offices are closed

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.

Current high school juniors have the opportunity to apply for acceptance into the 2025 PA Governor's School for the Sciences program at Carnegie Mellon University. This 5-week residential program is free to those accepted, including tuition, lab fees, room and board. The application window is now open and closes on January 31, 2025.

Click the image below to see the full program flyer. You can learn more about the courses, activities, and the application process by visiting their website at www.cmu.edu/mcs/pgss.

We are excited to share that West York Area School District is participating in this year’s December Give a Meal Program with the York County Food Bank. Families have the opportunity to sign-up to receive a December holiday meal kit and a $20 gift card through a partnership with the York County Food Bank’s Hunger Free York program. The kits will be available for pick up on Thursday, December 12th from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, at Door 10 of the Middle School, for those who have pre-registered via THIS LINK. The registration link is open through November 24th. You must complete the registration to receive a holiday meal kit. Extra kits will NOT be available.

More information can be found on the York County Food Bank’s website by clicking HERE. You can also click HERE to donate to West York’s virtual food drive.

This in-person event is geared toward students who are interested in programs inside the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences and Technology: Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering.

Students will have the opportunity to tour Kinsley Engineering and the Civil Engineering Center, meet with faculty, and learn more about their program of interest!

When: Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM

Where: York College of Pennsylvania - Yorkview Hall

Learn more and register at https://admissions.ycp.edu/register/engcs-2024

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!

Starting November 16th, the price will be $80 - so don't miss the $75 early purchase price!

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.

Don't miss out on ordering your Middle School yearbook! Order your copy today and check that off your to-do list before it's too late!

Click the flyer below to visit the Jostens website and to place your order.

Back to School Vision Voucher Program

VisionCorps and PA Vision Foundation have teamed up to offer free vision examinations

and glasses to qualified families in South Central PA.

Vouchers are accepted by Vision Benefits of America (VBA) network eyecare providers.

For more information and to see if you qualify for this program,

please call VisionCorps at 717-925-7275 or email vouchers@visioncorps.net

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.

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

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.

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.

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:

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