2013

As 2012 comes to an end in a little over a week, I'm taking some time to reflect on the past and the future.

2012 was a wonderful year for York Public Schools. Our ACT scores are up, enrollment is increasing, student achievement on local, state, and national assessments is improving, our staff remains dedicated and hard-working, the facility project at YHS got into full swing, our budget outlook is improving (but still has much room for getting better), and our students are representing our school system and community very well with all of their accomplishments!

2013 promises to be another outstanding year for the Dukes. By Christmas of 2013, our facility project at YHS will be complete. We will continue to improve upon already impressive student achievement scores, will add many more academic, athletic, and extra-curricular accomplishments; as well as curricular and academic offering goals. Our budget will be even a little more stable. Professional development initiatives will help our already talented and dedicated staff even more. Yes, 2013 will be outstanding!

Take some time over the next 10 days to hug those you love and to tell them how much they mean to you. We all get so busy that we often don't take the time to smile, relax, and reach out to those of us that mean the most.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Prosperous New Year!

Annual Report

The 2012 Annual Report from York Public Schools is out. It was included in the December 11th edition of the York News-Times as a full page. It will be displayed in poster format around our various buildings. Annual Report Posters will also be given to businesses in York. Feel free to access the report yourself by visiting our website at www.yorkpublic.org and clicking on the link on the left titled, "Annual Patron Report."

Some highlights from this year's annual report include:

* The number of dual credits earned by YHS students has grown from 399 in 2009-10 to 836 in 2011-12

* 72.1% of our teachers have a Masters' Degree

* Our 3rd-11th grade students performed above the state average on the state reading and math assessments

STATE One-Act

Friday, November 30, the York One-Act team took First Place in the District Competition, and will advance on to State. The team competed against Schuyler, Fillmore Central, Columbus Lakeview, Central City, David City, Seward, and Aurora.

The Top three places went to Fillmore Central (3rd), David City (2nd), and York (1st). The York team took straights 1's and will advance on to Kearney where they will compete against the other 5 Class B One-Act teams.

The Class B State Competition will held at the Merryman Performing Arts Theatre located 225 W. 22nd St., in Kearney, NE, on Friday, December 7th.

The first Play will begin at 10 a.m. and York will perform at 1 p.m. York's competitors are Alliance, Wayne, Omaha Concordia, Milford, and Gothenburg.

GO DUKES!!

ONE-ACT

The York High School One Act Team has been outstanding this year!

The team has gone to four total competitions, and took home first in every event but one. It has taken a lot of teamwork to make the play such a huge success. On Wednesday, November 29, the Team presented a special performance of the play for the YHS and YMS student body.

The performance on Wednesday helped the cast and crew get pumped up for District competition, which will be held in Seward on Friday, November 30. The District performance is a high stakes affair as the winner of District will advance to the State competition next week.

Last year, York came very close to winning Districts and this year they hope to go all the way! At Districts, the Dukes will be competing against Aurora, Central City, Columbus Lakeview, David City, Fillmore Central, Schuyler, and Seward.

This year, York is performing a one-act adaptation of the classic fairytale, “The Princess and the Pea”. The play is about Jean (Cassie Sikes) trying to keep order in the kingdom, while also trying to find a soul mate for her lifelong friend, Prince Pete (Conner Mogul). Will she find one? Who will it be? Can she overcome her love for Pete? You can find that out at the York districts this Friday at Seward!

Good luck Dukes!

Discover Engineering Days at UNL

Six 8th grade students were chosen from YMS to attend the College of Engineering: Discover Engineering Days at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln earlier this month. They were Matt Ackerman, Jalen Alexander, Will Bailey, Paige Cradick, Madi Smart and Sam Redfern. This event was hosted by the college’s student organization and was filled with hands-on activities that applied math, science and creative thinking skills. The purpose was to introduce middle school students to various fields in engineering and the different engineering programs offered at the University. Activities included a bone strength competition, cotton ball catapults, straw bridges and water filtration.

YPS is working hard to provide many meaningful opportunities for all students.

Mock Trial = State Bound!

The YHS Varsity Mock Trial Team is State Bound!

With a great group of very talented kids and Mrs. Brogan’s wonderful coaching skills, the Dukes once again have made it to the State competition. This is the team's third consecutive win at the District level.

After beating Raymond Central on November 8th, Mock Trial members eagerly await the State Competition to be held next month in Omaha. With twelve teams representing all districts in Nebraska, York will be one of those representing the Lincoln District. The Dukes look forward to another year to show the other state competitors what they’re made of. The State Competition will be held in Omaha on December 4 & 5.

This year’s varsity Mock Trial is made up of Kathryn Heng, Conner Mogul, Grant Seufferlein, Jake Weskamp, Julianna Blackmon, Jonathan Postier, Lauren Clark, David Fillman, and Lia Miller.

GO DUKES!!

Community Night at YMS

COMMUNITY NIGHT AT YORK MIDDLE SCHOOL on NOVEMBER 13th at 6:30 PM


York Public Schools is hosting a "Community Night" with Magical Paradise Exotic Farm on November 13, 2012 at 6:30 pm in the Middle School Gym. Magical Paradise Exotic Farm is a farm located in Nebraska. They have animals from all around the world, as well as hundreds of exotic animals that are native to this area. They will be bringing many of their animals to share not only facts, but also to allow people to touch and hold some of them.


This is a fantastic FREE opportunity for everyone in your family! Please mark November 13 on your calendar, and plan on enjoying a fun and educational night!

STATE VOLLEYBALL

Last Thursday night, the York High School Dukes defeated the Seward Bluejays 3-1 in the district volleyball tournament championship match, giving them a berth in the State Tournament for the first time since 1989.

The State Tournament will be played in Grand Island on November 8-10. The Dukes enter play on Thursday as the #8 seed and they will play #1 seeded Grand Island Northwest at 11:00 AM at Grand Island Senior High.

GO DUKES!

College Access Grant at YHS

Do you dream of a college education, but just don’t know how to make it happen? Thanks to a grant provided to YHS by Education Quest and local community support, YHS students now have an opportunity to explore area colleges through school-sponsored college visits and application assistance.

The first school-sponsored visit took place on Tuesday, October 23. Guidance Counselor Tami Wegener took 42 students to UNL where the students were welcomed by college admissions representatives who gave them tours of the campus, residence halls, Multicultural Center and Greek Row.

Students ate in one of the campus dining halls before touring one of the nearby college dorms. In the afternoon, the students attended an informative session on selecting the right college for their goals. UNL may or may not be the right college for an individual. College representatives urged students to evaluate their goals and choose the college that is the best fit for them. Students should consider their interests, the size of the institution, the size of the community, as well as other factors. Colleges are not one-size-fits-all institutions. Students should do their research and make the decision that is going to be the best for them and their future.

The next college visit will be on Thursday, November 15 to the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

The grant that YHS received aims to increase the number of students from YHS who attend college. Besides the school-sponsored college visits, the Guidance Office is organizing open lab time for seniors. In these open lab sessions, seniors may complete college entrance and scholarship applications with counselor-assistance.

Any student interested in finding out more about these opportunities, should contact his or her guidance counselor.

Staying Connected with State Senators

York Public Schools is fortunate to be able to interact with two wonderful state senators in the upcoming weeks. On November 5th, York's own Senator Greg Adams will visit our Career Academies and interact with some of our students to hear from their perspectives what they like about these college-like opportunities. On November 12th, Senator Amanda McGill will be here to visit our SELF Program at YES and YMS and to interact with administrators and staff. Senator McGill is leading a state-wide study to see if Nebraska is offering enough support for students with behavior issues and mental health needs. We are fortunate to have hard-working state senators that are willing and able to visit schools, hear from students and staff, and that truly care about education in our great state!

7th Grade Book Talks

Book talks in the 7th grade Teen Literature class have taken on a new twist with the help of iMovie, a program loaded on the new iPads. This program allows students to create and produce book trailers. The first step in the creation of a book trailer is to select the book to share. Next the students plan out each slide of their trailer, using a media presentation rubric. Once completed, the book trailers will be shared with other students to help them in selecting new books to read.

When asked to give feedback on the new program, these were some of the comments; “It’s cool," “It’s so much more fun than the regular book talk," “I love that we can act in them too," and “I like that we get to be creative with technology."

The iPads have also been a useful tool when learning and practicing new vocabulary words, affixes and roots. With the new iPad carts, each student has the opportunity to access various websites and programs using their own iPad. No matter what the activity, using the iPads is increasing motivation and engagement. Definite thumbs up!

Great job by the students and staff at YMS!!!

Community Coffee "News and Notes"

We had over 25 people attend our 1st Quarter Community Coffee on October 2nd. We discussed several district-wide updates and then took a tour of the high school facility project. Some of the items we discussed include:

* Our "Last Friday in September" K-12 enrollment was reported at 1,223. This is an increase from the 1,191 students we had in September 2011.

* http://striv.tv/channel/york-dukes-live/ is a website you can log onto to see York Duke varsity activities and concerts on-line. This is a new service we began providing last month.

* YPS will be offering a FREE technology workshop about "Twitter" on October 29th at 7 PM for anyone that wants to attend.

Go Dukes!

Mike Lucas

After high school.....

I am very proud of the programs that YPS has in place to open up opportunities for our students after high school graduation. Tami Wegener has been instrumental in securing a "College Access Grant" that will allow more students to be able to take visits to community colleges, trade schools, and universities. This grant will also open up funding and scholarship opportunities as well. Beth Ericson has implemented "Project Search" that is a work skills based program for 19-21 year olds with special needs. We are also active in hosting "college nights" and financial aid seminars to help out our students and their families as they prepare for life after high school. We also have a "Learn to Dream" partnership with Southeast Community College and Cornerstone Bank that provides one FREE year of tuition for eligible students. We are proud of what YPS can provide our PreK-12th graders and excited about being able to help push them past their senior year onto bigger and better things with advanced education. Go Dukes!

YPS Foundation

York Public Schools Foundation The York Public Schools Foundation is currently selling raffle tickets for one of three prizes: - An iPad (32GB) - $100 cash - $50 cash Raffle tickets are $1 each or you can purchase six for just $5.00. Tickets can be purchased at the district office, in the offices at YES, YMS, and YHS; as well as at some school events between now and September 21st. Winning raffle tickets will be drawn during the 3rd quarter of our Homecoming football game vs. Holdrege on Friday, September 21st. You do NOT need to be present to win. The YPS Foundation, with the help and sponsorship of Henderson State Bank, will also be sponsoring a $5 meal deal on September 21st in East Hill Park. Delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. will be available from 5:00-7:00 PM. Money raised by this raffle and meal deal will go directly towards purchasing technology for our students. Over the past few years, Foundation funds have been used for smartboards, laptops, musical instruments, computer software, cameras, landscaping, theater headsets, pole vault pit, band uniform bags, wrestling mats, science and social studies curriculum, and much more!

Importance of School Activities

We are very proud to be able to offer so many school activities for our students. We believe that it is very important for our young people to be able to be involved in as many school activities as possible. Being part of clubs, teams, and groups allows our students to form their identity, to have a sense of belonging to a group, and to learn how to manage their time. Our sponsors and coaches take a lot of pride in our programs and our kids do as well. Whether you want to be in the Art Club, FFA, FBLA, on the Speech team, in One-Act, on the softball or football team, involved in music or band, run cross country, or play tennis - we have the right program for you. Get involved. Go Dukes!

GREAT Start to the School Year

Today is the 10th day of classes already during this 2012-13 school year. Enrollment is up to 1,223 while it was at 1,191 this time last year. Last week was full of good news as student achievement scores were released and we found out we were well above the state averages in statewide reading, science, math, and writing assessments. We also found out that our ACT average improved to 22.6 while the state average is 22.0. We've settled into a routine and it's going to be a great, great year. GO DUKES!

School Finance Tid-Bits

As YPS prepares for the beginning of the 2012-13 fiscal year on September 1st; there are several positives to look at. First off, our valuation is increasing 9.76% to $8,341,000. This means that every penny on our tax levy will generate $81,484. Our overall tax levy in 2011-12 was $1.26 and we anticipate the levy being able to decrease slightly for this upcoming year. We will be able to bring in about $75,000 more into our special building fund this upcoming year, which will help with our facility upkeep. Tentative projections call for YPS to receive $13,550,000 in 2012-13 while spending $13,300,000. GO DUKES!

Update on YHS Facility Project

The York High School renovation and addition project continues to move forward. A good deal of electrical and mechanical work was completed inside the building this summer, along with some carpet and door replacements. The geothermal well field is currently being dug on the east side of campus. Over the next few weeks, they will begin to pour foundations for the fine arts addition followed by the new gym. We expect the fine arts addition to be completed in January with the new gym to be completed in June. Throughout the upcoming school year, remodeling will continue to go on inside the facility. We had anticipated an overall completion date of August 2013 but it now looks more likely that the project will be finished up in November 2013 instead. The board of education has worked hard with the architect and construction company to analyze bid packages that came in during June and July to create the most cost effective building possible. At the August 6th special meeting, board members worked with DLR architects and Kingery Construction personnel to look at cost-savings ideas. The $12.5 million bond allowed for a construction budget of $11.2 million and the bid packages are currently adding up to approximately $12.1 million so some further analysis is being done, along with some re-bidding, material substitutions, and other practices that will not impact the scope of the project. There was some miscommunication between pre-bond cost analysts and post-bond architects, engineers, and construction managers that led to a difference in anticipated costs from last fall compared to actual hard bids that came in this summer. When all is said and done, YHS will have all of the improvements made that were discussed during the bond issue campaign last fall. If we are unable to get the overall construction budget down to the $11.2 million that was predicted by our architect and cost estimator last fall, we will simply use some money from our building fund, Qualified Capital Purposes Fund, bond interest proceeds, and profit from the sale of the current district office/storage facility and land located at 2918 North Delaware. The use of money from these various funds will have no impact on our tax levy. Each construction project brings on its own set of challenges and hurdles that need to be addressed. I’m proud of all the hard work the board of education has put into this enormous project. We’re moving ahead and excited about what will transpire over the next 15 months. School will begin on August 14th as scheduled. Please visit www.yorkpublic.org throughout the school year for more updates as construction progresses.

A New Year

As the calendar moves on to August, the anticipation of another school year gets cranked up. This will be my 19th year in education and it is still exciting to prepare for the 1st day of school. A school year is a lot like a voyage. There will be calm seas and rough waters to deal with. How we handle the highs and lows as a team will go a long way in determining how successful the 2012-13 school year becomes. I'm thankful for the dedicated staff and wonderful students we have in York. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities for greatness that will come our way. We'll continue to work very hard and to be as progressive as we can be. Here's to wishing you and yours a wonderful new school year as well! GO DUKES! - Mike

Bring Your Own Device

Here within YPS, we are beginning to have internal discussions on the pros and cons of having students bring their own devices to our classrooms. For example, allowing students to use their smart phones in class as a research tool. Many districts are going in this direction and we are beginning to gather thoughts on this important topic. Below is a link to a great blog that outlines additional thoughts on this topic. http://esheninger.blogspot.com/2012/07/streamlining-byod-with-classlink.html?m=1

Gone but not forgotten

Tony Howe was a wonderful husband, father, and volunteer that passed away on January 25th. Though he has now been gone for over five months, he is not forgotten. Life has moved on but Tony will always be with many people that he touched. There is "Tony Howe Memorial Golf Tournament" at the York Country Club on Sunday, September 2nd. If you're interested in playing in it, helping sponsor it, or in volunteering in any way, please let me know. It is one small way that we can keep Tony's memories alive for those that continue to miss him deeply.

The Greatest Country in the World

Please take some time on/around July 4th to sit back and appreciate how wonderful it is to be an American. We enjoy so many freedoms and luxuries that we often take them for granted. Right this very second, brave military men and women are stationed all over the world to protect us. I am sitting in an air-conditioned office listening to country music on Pandora while many are sacrificing in desert heat wondering if they'll make it home to hug their kids and family again. Our military folks are our real heroes. Not sports stars, musicians, or actors. America isn't perfect but we all need to stop for a minute and be appreciative for the lives and opportunities we have. Happy Birthday to the United States of America!!

Busy Summer

It has been a busy and productive summer so far for YPS. We just wrapped up a great week of "Summer Learning Academies" where 40 students participated in hands-on learning experiences at YMS. Summer School is half-way done. We have students attending "Bright Lights" workshops in Lincoln this week. We're averaging over 50 free student lunches each day as part of our USDA grant-funded "free lunch program." Our high school student-athletes are busy in the weight room, open gyms, camps, etc. The renovation and addition project at the high school is also picking up momentum as a lot of interior work is being done this month. June has been busy for sure!

Wrestling Coaches' Hall of Fame

Dave Ciccone and Wes Tonniges, both of whom have long and storied histories working with wrestlers, were inducted into the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame during a banquet last Saturday night in Grand Island. Both men were nominated by Shannon Gocke, himself a former YHS wrestler who went on to be a longtime coach of the Dukes. Congratulations to Coach Ciccone and Coach Tonniges on this wonderful honor. The York Dukes program has been lucky to have you be such an integral part of our wrestling community. Go Dukes!

YHS Project

The renovation and addition project at YHS is underway. In early June, sub-contractors began carpet removal, electrical work, and other phases of the project. By June 25th, the project will be in full swing with much interior work going on throughout the 128,000 square foot facility.

Lots going on within YPS

There are lots of positive things going on throughout the school district this month. Below is a sampling of what we have to keep students and staff busy. 1) Our USDA grant funded "free lunch" program has been up and running since May 22nd. We have served 379 student meals for an average of just over 47 per day. This program runs in the Legion Building where HeadStart is down by Chances "R." Meals are served Monday-Friday during June from 11:30-12:30. 2) Our "BOOST" and "ALL-STARS" programs begin at YES and YMS today. These six-week summer programs are an extension of our "after-school programs" that run during the regular school year. 3) Summer School is also up and running at the Enrichment Center this month. 4) June 11-15 will be our week-long "Summer Learning Academies" from 12:30-3:30 at YMS. We have approximately 38 students from grades 2-8 signed up for various activities provided by some of our teachers. 5) Two preschool classes also start this week, and run through the month of June. Tuesday and Thursday mornings we have children with special ed needs who have been to preschool, and will return to preschool in August. Wednesday mornings we have children in special ed who will be transitioning from home based services to preschool for the first time in August. 6) Last but not least, York Public Schools will celebrate its 141st birthday on June 14th.

Summer Offerings

Here in beautiful York, Nebraska we are fortunate to have many outstanding activities to keep kids busy and engaged over the summer. Just within York Public Schools, we are offering a week of "Summer Learning Academies" June 11-15, we have our Boost and All-Stars programs running from June 4-July 13, and we have several students attending enrichment courses at Bright Lights in Lincoln in June and July. Not to mention the free lunch program that runs in the Legion Building from 11:30-12:30 Monday through Friday through the end of June. Within the community, it is great to see kids involved with swim team, softball, baseball, Children's Theater, Wessels Farm activities, the public library, the community center camps; and don't forget all the sports camps put on by York High School coaches and teams! Keep those kids active and engaged this summer. Yes, they need time to lay around and "just be kids" too but they also need to remain involved in meaningful activities. Have a great summer! Go Dukes!

Class of 2013 - preparation begins now

If you just finished your high school junior year and you're considering college upon 12th grade graduation, we encourage you to take the June ACT test, especially if you are planning to finance some of your education with scholarships. ACT scores from tests taken in the junior year are used for the Regents scholarship competition. A SEPTEMBER test date has been added to the Nebraska schedule, so seniors have three chances (September, October and December) to better their scores for scholarships and college entrance requirements. UNL, UNK, and UNO require a score of 20 on the ACT. Many scholarships have very early deadlines (example: Horatio-Alger is Oct. 31), so taking those earlier tests ensures scores will be available when needed. Start planning for your future now! The YHS Class of 2013 graduates on Sunday, May 19th. Work ahead and enjoy the journey!

York High School "Hall of Fame"

You are invited to attend the York High School Hall of Fame ceremony on June 15th at the York Country Club. This year, the committee selected Jim Linderholm and Paul Toms for induction. The ceremony will start with a social from 5:15 to 5:45, with the ceremony starting at 5:50. We are fortunate to have so many worthy candidates for induction into the YHS Hall of Fame. We thank all alumni for their work and commitment and for being positive role models for today's students. Jim and Paul will be wonderful additions to the Hall of Fame! Go Dukes!

Staff Wellness Challenge

Congratulations to the members of Team 8-- the winners of the YPS April "Staff Wellness Challenge". During the month of April seventy-five YPS staff members logged 3,188 miles of exercise. The six members of Team 8 logged 466.25 miles in those 30 days. Each of them has recieved a nice prize package containing gift certificates to Essential Massage, Harvest Health and Coffee, Healthy Options Juice Bar, SuperWash Car Wash and a pedometer (donated by Walgreen's). Team members included Kayla Makovicka (YHS Attendance Secretary), Sally Baldridge (YMS Language Arts), Carrie Thornton (YES 1st Grade), Dawn Sikes (YES 4th Grade), Lori Hamling (YES Title 1 Reading), Kathy Miller (YHS Para).

YHS Musical on May 11th and 12th

The York Theater Department is proud to present the musical, "Enchanted Sleeping Beauty," from the stories of Jakob and Wilhem Grimm. The book was adapted by Vera Morris and music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur. The magic begins May 11th and May 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the York High School Auditorium. The show will run around two hours with a 15 minute intermission. Admission is $4 for students and $6 for adults. Activity passes will be accepted. Drinks and cookies will be served during the intermission with a free will donation. The show is appropriate for all ages. You will not want to miss this musical fairy tale brought to life by the talented high school students of York's Theater Department. This humorous twist on a timeless classic will leave you singing and dancing for days to come. The story unfolds with the birth of a princess, Briar Rose (Lauren Boyer). Her Parents (Grant Se and Liz Fillman) are hosting a party to celebrate her birth. Everyone should be invited, including all of the witches. But when the chef (Chelsea Turek) says that there are not enough golden plates for all of the witches, the royal court decides to not invite the evil witch, Evilina (BreeAna Gibbs). Evilina and her wicked companions Spider (Connor Mogul) and Cat (Cassie Sikes) then put a curse on Briar Rose. For the next sixteen years, the kingdom works to protect Briar Rose from picking her finger on a spinning wheel. But to no avail, Briar Rose and the entire kingdom fall into a deep sleep. Will the prince (Eric Hamling) be able to save the kingdom and wake everyone back up? Come join us to find out!

Administrative Assistant's Day

York Public Schools is very lucky to have some wonderful administrative assistants in each of our offices. We want to take this time to thank them for being a major part of our team. Don't forget to give a special thanks to those hard-working, energetic, and positive administrative assistants that we're lucky to have at YPS!

Skills USA

On Thursday and Friday, April 14 & 15, vocational students from YORK HIGH SCHOOL attended Skills USA contests in Hastings, Nebraska.

Out of the 21 students attending, five of them received medals. They were as follows: Chandler Brayton ranked 3rd in Medical Math, Callie Rathjen ranked 3rd in Job Interviewing, Rebeka Spader ranked 2nd in Extemporaneous Speaking, Erin Blum ranked 1st in Prepared Speaking, and Kelsey Kranz received 1st in Nurse Assisting.

Kelsey Kranz's 1st place qualified her to go to the National Competition to be held in Kansas City, MO, in June.

Skills USA is a national nonprofit organization serving teachers and students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations, including health occupations. It was formerly known as VICA (Vocational Industrial Clubs of America).

Sponsors of the York Chapter of Skills USA are Mr. Cal Williams and Mr. Jason Hirschfeld.

Scientific Method Day at York Middle School

During this year's "Scientific Method Day," our 6th grade science students created problems they wanted to find an answer to through testing. The students documented all data and created a lab report to present to their class.

Look at the following video to see/hear the results!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrDJhvjYhFc&list=UUYxzJfUzBscVf3qFmiRee6Q&index=1&feature=plcp

York Duke FBLA Scores High at State Leadership Conference

The York High School's FBLA organization attended the State Leadership Conference on March 29 & 30 and brought home 8 State placers and 4 honorable mentions.

The eight FBLA members that placed were Liz Fillman: 1st in Business Communications, 7th in Emerging Business Issues, also Honorable mention in Economics. Logan Meisinger: 2nd in Personal Finance, 3rd in Banking and Financial Systems, with Honorable mention in Healthcare Administration and Economics. Jake Weskamp: 3rd in Network Design, 5th in Computer Problem Solving, and Honorable Mention in Accounting I. Avery Miller: 4th in Network Design and 6th in Networking Concepts. Taylor Weins: 3rd in Banking and Financial Systems. Megan Fletcher: 7th in Emerging Business Issues. Jarrett Suddarth: 6th in Sports Management.

Also a special congratulations to Liz Fillman and Logan Meisinger who have qualified for the National Leadership Conference in San Antonio, TX, this coming summer.

Control What You Can Control

We have entered the "home stretch" of the 2011-12 school year. From here on out, it is a sprint to the finish line. April is a time that can suffocate you if you let it. Students, teachers, school staff, parents, and patrons can all get worn out and roughed up if we try to focus on too many things.

Our focus needs to be simply to finish strong. Stay focused on the task at hand and that is to work hard up through the dismissal bell at noon on May 18th. Don't get caught up in looking ahead, worrying about what didn't get done in the winter, or anything else. Control your effort level. Control your patience level. Keep things in perspective. Have fun.

York Public Schools is full of wonderful students and staff members. Let's put our "Duke Pride" into overdrive!

YMS Assembly on Respect and Bullying

On March 16th, the RESPECT Group visited YMS and gave a wonderful presentation about bullying, self injurious behavior, and other life lessons. Treating yourself and others with respect is an important area we try to focus on throughout the school district.

YMS is able to have "Friday assembly" most weeks where they come together to play games, listen to speakers, have a spirit rally, etc. It is important for our students to feel like their part of the "Duke Family."

Go Dukes!

Job Shadowing at York High School

Job shadowing allows students to see what a work day is like in a particular profession that related to their interests. It is a valuable experience for a student as you get see the real life work conditions of a job... things you wouldn’t necessarily see or experience in the classroom. Work shadowing experiences can help you decide if you really are on the right career path.

For instance, one of our current high school students is currently taking College Biology and towards the end of the semester she had the chance to shadow any job in the medical field. She chose to shadow Dr. Claudia Samland at the Gloystein Vet Clinic here in York. She was able to see a lot of the surgical procedures that go on in a normal day at the clinic. She observed the surgical procedures performed on several cats and dogs being spayed and neutered that day.

She was also able to observe the dental work procedures for a smaller dog, and surprisingly, it’s a lot like any normal persons dental clean-up! Although she loves animals, she is not planning a career in veterinary medicine. However, she is strongly interested in science and perhaps becoming a science teacher. This experience opened her eyes to the many opportunities in the work world for someone with a science background and she will be a better science teacher because of it.

In a personal interview with our principal Mr. Mitch Bartholomew, we discussed the great advantages of job shadowing, as well as sharing stories about our experiences with job shadowing since he also had the opportunity to experience that. “York High School would be crazy not to use the community resources that are out there!“ said Bartholomew. “Also, with the right shadowing experience, you can take what you’ve learned and apply it. When kids take the knowledge the have and apply it to their actions and decisions, they make better decisions.”

The classes at YHS that provide the chance to have a job shadowing experience are Advanced Biology, College Biology, Novel, and the Career Academies through Southeast Community College. “I believe there are two parts to a great education; the first begins in the classroom, and the second part is giving the students the ability to apply what they’ve learned and experience real-life situations,” says Bartholomew.

FFA State Degrees Earned by YHS Students

Congratulations to Josh Nienhueser, David Norquest, Shelby Prusia, Kate Quiring, Rebekah Spader, Jordan Swan, Courtney Wiemer, and Cody Tobin for meeting the criteria to earn an FFA State Degree this year.

The York FFA Program continues to be a shining star for YPS and our community. Keep up the great work. We appreciate your efforts!

Go Dukes!

YHS Animal Science Class on Rural Route Radio

On February 28th, York High School's Animal Science class had the opportunity to participate on a 48-minute radio show for Rural Route Radio. The show highlighted York High School's pig project and it will be aired online all week and on over 100 radio stations from Texas to Canada.

To listen to the show, you can log on to www.facesofag.com, click on Rural Radio and select Wednesday's show. Rebekah Spader was Trent's co-host during the event. Others that were part of this show were Caleb Tobin, Linden Kaliff, Jesse Hoblyn, Dalton Obermier, Hayden Sandall, Maggie Wolfe, Labraux Williams, Kyle Haarmann, and Savanah Hamling. Everyone did a great job representing YHS and sharing their learning experiences and dedication to Nebraska agriculture.

YHS FFA sponsors are Mr. Cal Williams and Mr. Jason Hirschfeld.

York Duke Spirit Quilt Raffle

The Junior class is sponsoring a York Duke Spirit Quilt raffle; the raffle tickets are $2 each and can be purchased in the York High School office now until the drawing that will be held on March 16, 2012.

Thank you to Sandi Oxley for donating the quilt!!! All proceeds will go towards Prom. Thank you for your support!!!!

Go Dukes.

Ipad in use in YES Art Classes

We were thrilled when Mrs. Friesen brought an ipad Friday for Art Classes to use at YES. Last week, students got to explore the iPad as an independent workstation in the art room. 1st grade through 5th grade will be using over 40 different free drawing apps in the art room. Thank you Mrs. Friesen!

Drivers' Education at YHS

York High School is planning on offering summer driver's education this summer. They will be offering two sessions. The first session will be from Monday, May 21st to Friday, June 1st. The hours will be 8:30-11:30. The second session will be from Monday, June 4th to June 15th. The hours will also be 8:30-11:30 and 1:00-4:00 in the afternoons.

PLEASE NOTE: Sign up is on the first come-first serve basis. If you have a special need to get into one of these sessions, please make arrangements to do so early.

The cost is $275 for YHS students and $325 for students that don't attend YHS.

Driver's Education courses will offer classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training. If you are interested, please contact the high school office. The deadline for signing up and payment will be Friday, May 4th.

"That time of year" for our Seniors

York High School is fortunate to have so many local businesses and organizations that support and encourage our students. Because of that we are able to offer a list of many scholarships that students are able to apply for with The Local Scholarship Application. Each year thousands of dollars are given to deserving students locally. Don't miss a golden opportunity. Fill out your application today!

The process is reviewed with seniors in early February. The counselors will distribute packets that provide information on how to apply, what scholarships are available and how to get recommendation letters. The application must be TYPED, no handwritten forms will be accepted. These applications require TWO letters of recommendation. Students should ask for these as soon as possible. NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED, DEADLINE HAS BEEN SET FOR FEBRUARY 15th AT 4:00P.M. Students can feel free to come to the guidance office for any help or if they don't have a working computer.

The Class of 2010 earned over $2.2 million in scholarship money. The Class of 2011 earned over $1.6 million. Keep up the great work Dukes!

8th Grade Orientation @ YHS

Each year York High School invites the 8th grade public and parochial students to the high school in order to meet the teachers and to get a taste of the high school experience. This activity has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 15th. The general program will begin at 1:50 p.m. with an all-school pep rally.

8th Graders will have the opportunity to learn more about YHS activities , athletics and curriculum. They will also take a tour of the building.

We are excited to begin preparations for the incoming Freshman class. All of us have the responsibility to carry on "Duke Pride" and the great traditions of York!

Go Dukes!

10 Months - Tony Howe

Yesterday was the funeral for a wonderful man named Tony Howe. I only knew him for 10 months but in that short time he left a lasting impression on me. We coached little league baseball and basketball together and I considered him a "great friend" even though we never ate a meal together or did anything of a social nature.

Tony made everyone feel like they were a great friend. He made everyone feel important. He was the best father I've ever seen and he has inspired me to try and become a better father myself.

Tony was a "giver" and he gave his time, talents, and heart to anyone that he could.

I write about this today so that we can all be a little more like Tony. So that we can all be more of a "giver" than we are. So we can all positively impact others.

We all need to cherish each day.

A year ago today I didn't know who Tony Howe was. Today I am a better person for having known him.

My thoughts and prayers continue to go out to his family.

Importance of Early Childhood Education

Early Childhood Education is often a program that is overlooked. I believe you can make the argument that it is actually the most important program any school could ever have.

The earlier that children are identified for special assistance, the better. It just makes sense that occupational and speech therapy are more beneficial on a 4 year old than they are on a 7 year old. Identification leads to action.

Pre-school offers an enriching environment where youngsters are immersed in a stimulating and print rich classroom. They must learn to work with others and to operate within structured boundaries.

York Public Schools remains committed to our Early Childhood programming. Building strong relationships with parents is a vital part of what we try to do.

We are proud of our partnership with York County Head Start. We will continue to look at ways to expand our offerings for 0-5 year olds.

Go Dukes!

Professional Development for YPS

Monday, January 16th has been a great day of professional learning for the YPS staff. We had two keynote speakers and over 40 break-out sessions. Not only did this day benefit YPS staff but we also invited and had attendees from York College, St. Joe's Catholic School, Emmanuel Lutheran School, and several other neighboring school districts.

Dr. Clayton Cook, from the University of Washington, began the day for us discussing "Response to Intervention" and how to help meet the individualized needs of our students. Dr. Roger Breed, Nebraska Commissioner of Education and former YMS principal, concluded the day with a pep talk about the importance of educators.

In between we had wonderful breakout sessions on technology, special education, reading, math, vocabulary, student engagement, behavior, academic games, higher order thinking skills, and much more.

Thanks to Cornerstone Bank for the sandwich bar at lunch!

It was a great day. Beth Ericson deserves a lot of credit for organizing it. Way to go Dukes!

The Importance of Student Activities

One of the great things about working in public education is that you get to feed off the enthusiasm and excitement from your students. As I was at York High School last night cheering on the Dukes in basketball action I was reminded of the importance of a "sense of belonging" that school activities brings to us.

As I entered the school, I saw 75+ elementary aged girls practicing with our cheer squad for "Mini Cheer Night." I then walked through the library and saw our speech team working hard to prepare for this week's meet. I then ran into junior class officers that were selling suckers as a fundraiser for prom.

Next, I made it into the gym to see our basketball teams compete. At halftime, I enjoyed the Dukettes' dance routine. The cheerleaders re-emerged to lead our fans through cheers. The YHS Band was phenomenal throughout the night as well. Some of the wrestlers stopped by after their practice to watch some hoops action.

Look at how many activities our kids were involved in last night. Each one of them allows them to feel commitment to a larger cause, to manage their time, to work well with others, to practice a craft, and to have fun with their peers.

Keep getting involved. Support YPS activities. Go Dukes!

YHS Speech Team off to a Great Start

Congratulations to the York High School Speech Team for getting their season off to a solid start this past weekend at Adams Central.

1) Kaleigh Schlender & Hali West received a 3rd place in Duet.

2) Alex Dickinson received 5th place in Serious Prose and in Poetry.

3) Taylor Burke took home 5th place honors in Entertainment.

4) Jarrett Suddarth earned 6th place in Informative.

5) In entrant competition, Gina Geiger & Payton Fernau earned 2nd place in Duet.

Great job Dukes!

YHS Construction Project

The YPS Board of Education will conduct interviews on January 10th as they work towards selecting a "construction manager at risk" (CM@R) for the upcoming high school re-model and addition project.

Hausmann Construction, Kingery Construction, Boyd Jones Construction, and Cheever Construction will all have an hour each to try and persuade the board that they are the best fit for this $12.5 million job.

Once the CM@R is hired, we can work together with our architect, DLR to finalize the plans and to solidify bid packages. Construction is scheduled to begin by early June.

Stay tuned.....