
YMS NEWS
York Middle School April Newsletter
Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible
Greetings YMS Parent(s)
Well, we marched through March at YMS! Our vocal music students put on a fantastic performance of “Fame Jr” we completed a tornado drill, & track practice got rolling.
We had a successful HOPE week that reminded our students of the peer support that is available to them at YMS.
With Spring Break over it is time for everyone at YMS to do our best work. We are going to challenge your student(s) to do their best in class, in the halls, at performances, and especially on the Nebraska State assessments.
Speaking of those state assessments the name has changed. What you might have once known as NeSA is now called the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System or NSCAS. At YMS it doesn’t matter what anyone calls it, we are here to give our very best effort and we are constantly trying to improve each and every day.
Here is our NSCAS Assessment schedule:
Week of April 8-12 7th & 8th ELA
Week of April 15-19 8th Math, 6th ELA
Week of April 22-26 Mrs. Fike's 7th and all 8th Math
April 29 & 30 8th Science
Week of April 29-May 3 6th and 7th Math
Week of May 6-10 Makeup assessments
Here are a few tips that you can do as parents to help ensure that your child performs to the best of their ability as we tackle these important tests.
Make sure that if your child is able to be in school that they are in school. Missing these test dates will require your child to miss regular instruction time to make up the test, so please make sure you do everything in your power to have them in school on these days.
Ensure that your child has at least 9 hours of sleep on the nights preceding their tests. The morning of the tests please make sure they have a nutritious breakfast. Make sure you remind them to do their very best and that you believe in them.
Encourage your child to do their best while reminding them that these tests are not “all or nothing” exams. Yes, we want all our students to do well on these exams but we are very confident in what we are doing at YMS. A substandard result on a test will not result in anything more than a chance for students to grow. We know that we are doing great things for kids not only academically but socially and emotionally here at YMS and that is as important as any assessment grade.
At YMS we want to let everyone know that this is the time when we do our best work. This is the time that we show why we give a great effort. This is a time we show everyone that York Middle School has the hardest working students, the most dedicated staff and is the best middle school in the state.
Kenny Loosvelt
Parents please use the QR Code to complete an important survey about YMS! Thank you
Counselor Connection
Jen Badura, York Middle School Counselor
Nebraska State Tests
NSCAS Growth
Although it is hard to imagine, spring really is right around the corner! And with spring comes sunshine, rain, outdoor recess, and...state assessments!
Students will be taking the NSCAS Growth assessments. These assessments are given to all students in Nebraska public schools in grades 3-8. The tests are taken on the computer. The Math and English Language Arts subject tests are adaptive in nature, which means they adjust to student responses. Students in grades 5 and 8 will also be taking the NSCAS Science assessment.
Individual Student Results (ISR) Reports will be shared with parents next fall.
YMS will be following the testing schedule below. It is very important that your child be at school on testing days and prepared to do their best. Teachers will communicate with students which day(s) they will be taking the NSCAS Growth.
NSCAS English Language Arts Week of April 8-12
NSCAS Math for 8th graders Week of April 15-19
NSCAS Math for 6th and 7th graders Week of April 29-May 3
NSCAS Science April 29 & 30 (8th Grade only)
To learn more about the statewide assessment system, feel free to access the Nebraska Student Centered Assessment System site https://community.nwea.org/community/nebraska On this site, there is a Parent/Student tab that you can go to in order to access the Online Student Tutorial to learn more about NSCAS Growth. There is also a link titled “Item Type Sampler” that shows you types of questions on the test.
Report Cards
We will not be mailing the 3rd quarter 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. (Quarter 3 can be found under Documents)
📆 Our Schedule for April 📆
Reminders
Important Dates
Easter Break
- March 26-April 1
April 23 5th Grade Orientation @ YMS 8:30-11:30 AM
April 23 6th Grade Wax Museum @ YMS 6:00 PM
April 24 8th Grade Parent Meeting @ YHS Theatre 5:30 PM
Click on the button below
🎶Music Notes🎶
CHOIR
We are getting ready for the annual YMS Talent Show. The Talent Show is scheduled for May 2 at 7:00 PM in the YHS Theater. All students in 6th, 7th & 8th grade choir will be part of this show. Those who are interested in showcasing your talents, auditions will be held on April 9 & 10, right after school. Make sure you sign up in the Middle School Office!!!
Eighth graders interested in auditioning to be a Talent show Emcee should also sign up on the same sheet.
All auditions should be prepared and nearly performance ready at auditions. Students who are selected to perform will need to be at the required dress rehearsal on Wednesday, May 1 from 2:30-4:30 PM in the YHS Theatre.
Auditions for YHS Chamber singers and Dukes and Duchesses (show choir) will take place in May. This is for any 8th graders interested in being in one of these groups. More details will be posted in the YMS choir room.
BAND
The York Middle School Honor Band was this past month and congratulations to the participating students! Thank you to everyone who helped with this event and those who attended the concert.
We are hard at work preparing our program for our final concert on May 7th at the High School Theater.
A Note from the Nurse.......
If you or your child are one of the 50 million+ Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies, the itchy/watery eyes, runny nose and scratchy throat have likely already made an appearance. Other symptoms can include sneezing, cough and dark circles under the eyes. Symptoms occur when airborne irritants and allergens enter the eyes, nose and throat, setting off the allergic reaction. Children with seasonal allergies may experience fatigue and have trouble concentrating during the school due to a change in their sleep quality. They may also be more prone to ear/sinus infections and increased asthma symptoms. Seasonal allergies are no fun to deal with and they can be difficult to manage.
Tips to decrease exposure to the allergens:
Encourage washing of face and hands (or better yet, rinsing off in the shower) as soon as they come in from spending time outside
Limit outdoor activities when the pollen counts are at their highest
Avoid hanging laundry outside to dry
Showers at bedtime help with nighttime allergy symptoms
Keep windows (house and vehicle) closed and use air conditioning to filter the air
In combination with the above, there are many safe and effective allergy medicines that may help relieve specific symptoms. Seek the help of your pharmacist or healthcare provider to determine the best options for your child. Read labels carefully and do not give your child more than one oral antihistamine at a time unless under the direction of a healthcare provider.
Contact Us
Kenny Loosvelt, Principal
Email: kenny.loosvelt@yorkdukes.org
Website: www.yorkpublic.org
Location: 1730 N Delaware Ave York, NE 68467
Phone: (402)362-6655 option 1
Facebook: York Public Schools
Email: kenny.loosvelt@yorkdukes.org
Website: www.yorkpublic.org
Location: 1730 N Delaware Ave York, NE 68467
Phone: (402)362-6655 option 1