Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year YMS Community. My name is Jennifer Badura, school counselor at YMS. This year marks my 31st year as an educator and my 7th year at YMS. I’m excited about another school year and the relationships to be made.

This summer I read the New York Times Best Seller The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt. This book caught my attention because during the last several years, I have seen an increase in anxiety levels in the students I work with each day. In my interactions with students, I have become increasingly concerned about the amount of screen time they report as well as the declining social skills I see in some young people.

A few of the “big ideas” I gleaned from the book include the rise of anxiety in children and adolescents, the role social media plays in the exacerbating feelings of anxiety and inadequacy, and the importance of free play that children and adolescents need in order to develop resilience, problem solving, and social skills.

I see The Anxious Generation as more than a book. It is a call to action. My plan this school year is to share some of the information I am learning with you through this newsletter.

If you would like more information about the book and the resources available, you may take a look at their website anxiousgeneration.com

Jennifer Badura

York Middle School Counselor

The York Back to School Celebration will run from 5:30 to 7:30 August 15, 2024 at East Hill Park with bounce houses, an inflatable obstacle course, food trucks, and more for kids to enjoy. Conner Mogul will be the DJ and music will be played throughout the evening!

As the first day of school approaches, I want to remind you of a few health related items:

• Students entering 7th grade and students transferring from out-of-state have specific immunization/ physical and eye exam information required by the State of Nebraska. If you have questions or need more information, contact your student’s school office. The completed information is to be provided prior to the first day of the school year.

• If your child has asthma, severe allergies, diabetes, seizures or other health concerns, please contact the school health office prior to the first week of school to review medical information for your child. Forms requesting specific information may need to be completed by you and your child’s healthcare provider. Medical information needs to be current for the school year.

• If your student has been diagnosed with asthma or a severe allergy, and is going to carry an inhaler or epi-pen, a self-management form needs to be completed by parent/guardian and student, and a physician signature is needed on the completed asthma/anaphylaxis action plan stating that student may self-administer.

• If you have identified a food allergy for your student, there is a form that needs to be completed and is available through the food service department.

• If your child has been prescribed an epi-pen, it is requested that an epi-pen be provided for the student to be kept at school. Please consider having your child carry their epi-pen with them at all times.

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When possible, prescribed and over the counter medication should be given at home. Your physician may be able to adjust the time schedule for a prescribed medication so that the medicine can be given at home before or after school. When a prescribed medication is to be administered at school, it needs to be in a container prepared by your pharmacist. The label on the container must include: the child’s name, medication name, physician’s name, current date, dosage, route and time to administer. If your physician provides samples of a prescription medication, the doctor will need to provide you with a written note including the above information if the medication will be administered at school. Any medication (prescribed or over-the-counter) must be sent in the original container or package, along with a permission form completed and signed by the parent/guardian and all medication sent to school is to be administered through the health office. Over the counter medication must be age appropriate. When sending a medication to school, please note the time that the most recent dose was given, along with your signature/date.

Thank you for your cooperation with the above. Please contact your school health office regarding any questions. Happy August!

In case of a weather emergency, we will follow the same procedure that has been in practice 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 judgment 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 roads.

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 to provide the school

secretaries with your current email address and cell phone number in order to be notified!!

FILE: EBBDA POLICY ON SCHOOL DISMISSAL FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER

The York Public Schools will be closed, when in the determination of the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee, the weather conditions constitute a hazard for students going to or from school.

When regular morning school bus routes cannot be run due to road conditions, yet travel in town is not seriously hampered, school may remain open. When possible a "limited service" bus route shall be run anytime school remains open and it is not possible to run regular routes.

The starting time of the morning session may be delayed when necessary.

When, during the school day and while school is in session, it is necessary to send bus pupils home

early, school may be dismissed for all students.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ON SCHOOL DISMISSAL FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER

When school is not held or is dismissed early due to poor weather conditions, notification will be placed on the York radio station and any other such means as the superintendent may deem necessary and feasible.

When it is necessary to dismiss school due to inclement weather after the school day has started, all students should be accounted for in their homeroom by their homeroom teachers. Bus students should be dismissed first. Teachers shall be responsible for their assigned students. Before dismissing elementary town students, the teachers shall not let any student who has been transported to school go home without contacting their parents, unless they are sure other arrangements have been made. Students who have walked to school may be allowed to walk home if the teacher feels the weather does not present a hazard. Teachers will be dismissed when all of their students have been accounted for.

Follow the steps below to become an FFA member!! Contact Mr. Hirschfeld, Mrs. Staehr, or the YMS Office for the forms to fill out. Make sure you join the google classroom and get payment/form handed in to the YMS office.

8th grade expressions auditions (8th grade show choir) will take place in September. Mrs. Fraser will get more information to you, as she finalizes the date and times.

The 7th and 8th Grade Band students will be participating in the Yorkfest Parade on Saturday, September 7th! Each student will be required to purchase a Band Shirt that will cost $10. Order forms will be sent out at the beginning of the school year.

The campaign will begin on Monday, August 19 and run through Wednesday, August 21. Applications will be available on the first day of school in the office or see Mrs. Rodrigues.

Applications must be turned in to the office or to Mrs. Rodrigues by Monday, August 19th for you to campaign and be on the ballot. This is a great way to practice leadership and have an impact on YMS! Your hard work is greatly appreciated!