Monday, December 30, 2013

A New Beginning

The time between Christmas and New Year's Day always seems to provide numerous opportunities to look back at the prior year as well as look ahead to the upcoming one. Many people excitedly make their "resolutions" as to what they're going to improve, do more of, less of, etc. as the new year begins. I also get caught up in the excitement of a "new beginning" each January 1st. I want to exercise more. I want to lose weight. I want to be a better husband, father, friend, leader, etc.

What I want our young people to know, however, is that you don't have to wait until January 1st to "start over." It is never too late to stop doing what you're doing and to make a positive change. You don't have to keep going down a path that makes you unhappy. Any day of the year is a good day to start over, improve your attitude, accelerate your effort, whatever the case may be.

It is never too late to make a good choice and a fresh start. None of us ever are too far down the wrong path to make a U-turn. We are never past the point of no return. There is hope for each and everyone of us to make positive changes in our lives, no matter how things are going at the present time.

Thanks for making 2013 a wonderful year. I hope 2014 is even better for you and your loved ones.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Be About "The Y"

The York Dukes are experiencing an unparalleled amount of success right now. With the One-Act STATE CHAMPIONSHIP this past Friday, our cup continues to "runneth over." Wow! What an exciting time to be a Duke!

I think it is time for us to re-focus and make sure we are "About the Y" instead of worrying about what recognition some individuals and programs do/don't get. "The Y" is for YORK. All of us. Alumni, patrons, grandparents, the list goes on....

We need to be about the Dukes. All of the Dukes. Every program. All the time. We need to understand that EVERY program, no matter how big or small, is extremely important to our school system and community.

The state championship in One-Act Play is for the entire community and school to be proud of and to embrace. When York Softball and Football advanced to the state finals, those were wins/journeys for our entire community; for our entire student body.

What concerns me is we seem to have a few "bean counters" popping up here and there. These folks, instead of enjoying all of the success that we're having, seem fixated on finding something to be upset about. They are worried about "this" program being on the website for two more days than "that" program. They get angry because more people attended "that" game/event instead of "this" game/event. Instead of being thankful the program they love is being successful, they spend their energy worrying that someone else might get just a little something more than they got. Instead of supporting ALL programs, they are trying to pick sides and make this into an "us vs. them" situation and that is dangerous for us all. It is not just about your program, whichever one that may be. We're all on the same TEAM. We all wear "The Y."

Being successful ought to be the primary motivation for hard work and sacrifice – not how many people shake your hand or tweet about you or like a facebook status.

As far as recognition goes, every parent, student, patron, coach, etc. can find "recognition things" to be upset or happy about. "Somebody" is always going to get a little bit more in your eyes. You will see/hear what you look/listen for but is that the point? Do we try to win things so we can get our name in the paper or do we try to win things because winning is a wonderful feeling and it makes all of your hard work and sacrifice worthwhile?

Pat Riley has a wonderful quote that I love, “The main thing is to make sure the main thing stays the main thing.” Our main thing in YPS is to create opportunities for ALL kids and to help put them in position to be successful. We truly have something for everyone!

The York Dukes determine the level of success the York Dukes have in academics, fine arts, extra-curriculuars, and sports. We control our destiny. Not others. We must avoid all the "clutter" that tries to get in the way.

The York Duke train is absolutely rolling right now and it should continue for years to come…..enjoy the ride and be about “The Y.”

Monday, December 9, 2013

One-Act Qualifies for STATE Again!

The York High School One-Act Program qualified for STATE for the second year in a row after winning the District Contest in Seward on Friday, December 6. The team will now perform their play one last time at the Johnny Carson Theatre in Norfolk on Friday, December 13.

The YHS One-Act Team will be performing "Kochenderfer's Frankenstein", a mad cap comedy about a college student's science project running amok on campus. The monster-themed one-act should be right on target for the state performance day of Friday the 13th. Lead actors in the play and recipients of many acting awards throughout the season are BeeAnna Gibbs, Brock Schoff, Kalon Beeson, Paul Lindsey, and Sarah Bailey.

Other Class B schools performing at the State Contest are Gothenburg, Bennington, Pierce and Omaha Concordia.

Congratulations to all the actors, stage help and directors for their outstanding season. We are very proud of the hard work you have put in and we're excited you get to compete for the gold like you deserve on Friday. Go get em!



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Project SEARCH

Project SEARCH is an international program that provides high school students with disabilities the opportunity to transition to the work world using internships. York Public Schools is proud to be involved with ESU 6 and York General Health Care Services in our 2nd year of our local Project SEARCH initiative. We've had several students learn valuable work skills at YGH and we are thankful for the opportunity they provide us.

I attended our Project SEARCH "Open House" in October and was so impressed with the work our students were performing. They take a lot of pride in what they're doing and how they do it. Students with disabilities deserve as bright of a future as we can help provide and Project SEARCH is another avenue of opportunities to help some students pursue.

To learn more, click the following link: http://www.vr.ne.gov/news/project_search.html

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Take Some Time to Reflect During the Holiday Season

As a former football and basketball coach, one of the tasks I was often left with at the end of each season was to conduct a "self-scout" on our programs. To do this, we would break down every single game that we had that season and "scout" ourselves as if we were getting ready to play against our own team. This "self-scout" allowed us to see ourselves as our opponents saw us. It allowed us to identify our own tendencies, our own weaknesses, our own strengths. It was always very powerful to complete this scouting process and it always led to positive changes being made for the next season.

Now that I'm a school administrator, I use the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day each year to "self-scout" the school district and our many programs, our admin team, and myself. It is a time to reflect on what is going well, what needs to improve, what needs to change, what needs to be discontinued, and what needs to begin. For a "self-scout" to be meaningful, you have to be willing to be your own harshest critic. You have to be able to make tough decisions. You have to be committed to something bigger than just yourself.

I hope that each of you, in your own way, is able to take some reflection time during the upcoming holiday season. We all have many things to be thankful for and excited about but each one of us also has things we need to improve upon. This is what makes the world an exciting place. We're always a "work in progress."

Monday, November 18, 2013

Thankful to be a Duke

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, I hope all of our students, staff, and faculty can take a little time to reflect on the good things going on in their lives. The health and happiness of my family and loved ones are things I always point to first. Another item that I am extremely thankful for is to be a York Duke. It hasn't always been easy but this is a great place to be, to work, to raise a family, etc. Things are never perfect and there's always areas in need of vast improvement but York is a special place to be and I hope you feel the same way as well.

I am thankful for the talented and enthusiastic students we have. I appreciate the dedicated and hard-working staff we have. I love the commitment to kids that our board of education has.

Thanks to everyone that helps make York a special place. GO DUKES!

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

YHS One-Act Play

After months of preparation, the YHS One-Act Play gave its first performances last week. On Thursday, November 7th the group gave a dress rehearsal for parents and friends. On Friday they attended their first competitive performance in Loup City where they finished in 3rd place.

This year the One-Act team is performing a comedy titled "Kochenderfer's Frankenstein," a comic treatment of the classic Frankenstein tale. This comic tale story is set on a college campus where Victor Frankenstein misreads a class assignment and creates a monster as his project. After finishing his creation, he takes off for a party, only to later find out that the monster has come to life and is running loose on campus.

The groups next competitive performance will be in Osceola on November 13th. A public performance is scheduled for Monday, November 25 at the high school. A special performance for the student body will be held at school on December 6.

Come out and support the YHS One Act Program. These kids and sponsors work hard and put on a great show!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

"Mammer" - A Tribute to Grandparents

My grandmother, Mammer, passed away 18 years ago today after losing her battle with emphysema. She was the first of my grandparents to die. She was the first person that I loved with all of my heart that passed away. Her funeral was very tough on me. Seeing my grandfather, Pop, in such pain was a difficult thing to witness. Worrying about my dad was also very challenging.

I spent a lot of time with Mammer. She would travel with me from Ocala to West Palm Beach to see my dad one weekend a month on the train; which used to scare the heck out of me as it was so loud when we would have to pass in between railcars. She would attend my ballgames. She made the meanest cheeseburger this side of the Pecos River for my lunch breaks when I worked in the watermelon fields of Sumter County. We vacationed in North Carolina each summer where we would play cards all hours of the night. Mammer made each Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthday, etc. a special occasion.

Aside from the "special events," it was just the "normal" times that we spent together that made such an impact on me. Drinking hot chocolate with her in the mornings, playing board games, just sitting around talking; those are the best memories. Mammer would always have a Yoo-Hoo chocolate drink waiting on me when I arrived at her house in Wildwood, FL. Over the years, a silly thing like a Yoo-Hoo has always brought a smile to my face. I buy my four kids a Yoo-Hoo from time to time and it reminds me of her.

Mammer taught me a lot about life. She was very competitive and that certainly rubbed off on me. She believed in doing things the right way and didn't put up with any shenanigans or excuses. She believed in a strong work ethic. She had a lot of pride. She was a wonderful role model. She worried more about others than herself.

I think about Mammer very often and always on November 5th. I wish we would've had more time with her. You might see me around town in a ratty and tattered Florida State sweatshirt from time to time and that is because it is the last Christmas present I ever got from my Mammer and I continue to treasure it. Mammer made my family strong. Mammer helped make me a better person. I am so thankful to have had Mammer in my life for 23 years before she passed.

My hope is that ALL of you have, or at least had, a Mammer in your life. Grandparents are such wonderful people. It always makes me happy to see grandparents attend our York Duke activities. I hope our students that are lucky enough to be within close proximity of their grandparents realize how lucky they are. Grandparents absolutely need to be cherished. They leave us way too soon.


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

No More Bullying.....

October is Bullying Awareness month. I'm so proud of the students at YPS as they work hard to put an end to bullying. Check out this awesome video that some YMS students made in Mr. Maltsberger's class. EVERYONE needs to be accepting of others. We all need to dream big. We all need to lend a hand. We all need to help others. Do YOUR part to make York a better place. Be kind. Be sincere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=O0ZHeEAweRE

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

What's YOUR Story?

Nineteen years ago today I was living the dream as a 3rd grade teacher and football and basketball coach at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. I had just married a beautiful young lady from Omaha and I figured we’d put in two or three years in Kansas before I would convince her that we needed to move to my home state of Florida where I could teach and coach from August through May and then go fishing and frog gigging all summer.

It’s funny how things turn out!

As I arrived at my house in Atchison, Kansas after my last official contract day of my first year as a teacher, I remember the elation and sense of accomplishment that I had. I was already dreaming about how many fish I was going to catch and how many homeruns I was going to hit in summer softball tournaments. That’s when my wife told me that she had signed me up for the educational administration program at Benedictine College where we met as undergrads.

I was none too pleased to say the least. This was a total shocker. The only time we had even discussed the word “principal” was when I told her of some of my troubled times as a student in Ocala, Florida where the principals at my various schools were rather “familiar” with me, if you know what I mean. To make matters worse, she had already paid for the first course which began just five days after my contract year ended. I was upset. I had no dreams of becoming a school administrator. We argued and I lost (like always) so I went to “The Principalship” course that following Monday morning.

I didn’t sit in the front row. I wasn’t excited. I was as disengaged as you could be when the class began at 9:00 AM but then my life changed. Some guy named Steve Joel was the instructor. By the time we broke for lunch around noon that first day, I wanted to become a school leader in the worst way. I was hooked. It was a done deal. Steve’s passion for educational leadership won me over. He made it seem like the most important career in the universe. His stories and experiences were things I wanted to experience for myself.

I began to read about educational leadership seven days a week. I reached out to Ray Hittle, my principal at Fort Leavenworth, to let him know I was in an administrative program and I’d love to help him with scheduling, supervision, budgeting, whatever I could get my hands on.

As the three year program wore on, Steve Joel and Ray Hittle made sure I had everything I needed. They encouraged me. They challenged me. They kicked me in the butt when I needed it. They shared stories with me. Most importantly, they believed in me and provided me with hope and confidence.

In May of 1998, I became the proud recipient of a Masters’ Degree in Educational Administration. Two months later I was the principal at Bartlett Grade School in Labette County, Kansas where Steve Joel and Ray Hittle continued to mentor me and assist with my transition to educational leadership.

I’ve now started my 16th year in educational leadership. It’s been a wonderful ride full of lots of challenges, great people, and a sense of accomplishment. I can’t help but reflect and be thankful for Steve Joel and Ray Hittle for believing in me and for pushing me into leadership.

Many of you, if not all, have a similar story where someone has believed in you and encouraged you when you needed it. Many of you probably never saw yourselves in your current role/job/profession. Let’s take it upon ourselves to reach out and encourage the next generation. Take one or two folks under your wing and share with them your thoughts, beliefs, fears, and experiences. Find those that are interested in your job/career and help light a fire within them that will benefit many. I know that if I can have 1/10th the impact on a future school leader that Steve and Ray have had on me, I will feel blessed.

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

New Inductees into YHS Hall of Fame

On Friday, October 4, at the York Country Club, two new York High graduates were inducted into the YHS Hall of Fame. The distinguished additions to the Hall of Fame were Robin Waller Adams (Class of 1969) and Mike Babcock (Class of 1965). The YHS Hall of Fame was initiated four years ago to recognize YHS graduates who have excelled in their careers and contributed greatly to society and their communities.

After graduating from YHS, Ms. Robin Waller Adams went on to college at UNL. She received her J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence) from UNL College of Law. Ms. Waller has worked in international business in Omaha, Pennsylvania, California, and Hong Kong. She has been the Vice-President and CEO of several successful high tech companies.

Mike Babcock, a 1965 graduate of YHS, attended York College on an athletic scholarship. While at York College, Mr. Babcock was the sports editor for the school’s newspaper, "The Spokesman." He received his BA in English from Chico State in California and an MA from UNL. While attending UNL, Mr. Babcock was a sportswriter for the Daily Nebraskan. Mr. Babcock has had an exceptional career in sports writing. He has been a sports reporter and columnist for the Lincoln-Journal Star and a past editor of the sports magazines; "Husker Illustrated" and "Hail Varsity." Mr. Babcock has received numerous writing awards.

Both Ms. Waller and Mr. Babcock were very involved in school activities during their years at YHS. They both look back fondly at their YHS memories and their years of growing up in the York community. Congratulations to Ms. Waller and Mr. Babcock. You are a positive testament of YHS’s continuing legacy in education and an inspiration to current and future YHS students.

Forever a Duke!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

International Travel Opportunities for YHS Students

YHS students interested in international travel will have two opportunities over the next two summers.

In the Summer of 2014, a group of students will travel to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, where they will visit three major Mayan archeological sites, Merida—an old colonial city—and Isla Mujeres—an island on the beautiful Caribbean coast. The Mexico trip is designed especially for foreign language students as it includes a homestay with a local family, giving students the opportunity to practice their language skills.

In the Summer of 2015, a trip to the countries of France and Spain is planned. The 2015 trip will be co- sponsored by language teacher Dennis Haack and art teacher Randy Howell. The trip will focus on the art and cultures of these two vibrant Western European nations. Students will visit Paris, Madrid and Barcelona. Students will visit the world-famous Louvre and Prado museums. They will see numerous World Heritage sites and monuments, such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tour as well as royal palaces, medieval cities and much more. The students will end their European tour with a day on a beach along the Mediterranean’s rugged and beautiful Costa Brava. They will return with a greater understanding of the world, its history and its artistic treasures.

Students interested in either of the two trips may pick up a brochure on either trip from Mr. Haack, Mr. Howell or the YHS guidance office bulletin board. The brochures provide a tentative schedule, tour costs and other details.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Dukes Excel at State Fair

York Public schools shut out the competition for both the middle school and high school levels of Improvisation at the 2013 Nebraska State Fair.

Improv consists of a team of 5 students that do two rounds of Improvisational acting. They are given 5 minutes to prepare each skit and the skit needs to flow smoothly have 5 defined characters, have an opening, middle and resolution, no props and not to exceed 5 minutes. The first round found the YMS teams creating a story line of riding the bus to the fair, the teams had to use the five chairs set in a row; the YHS teams had to have fair animals coming alive. The 2nd round is Doo-Wop; a song and dance ditty highlighting an assigned object. York teams sang odes to a small plastic surf board, a camouflage flip flop, and a hula hoop. York Public Schools earned the first, second, and third place awards in both the middle school and high school divisions.

Fifty plus students from YPS and seven from York’s St. Joe spent the first weekend of the NE State Fair competing in Math, Science, Grammar, Social Studies, Spelling, MS and HS Impromptu Speaking, Improv, Monologue, Quiz bowl, Cup Stacking, and Construction Science Educational Contests. Students come from all sizes of NE schools participate; this year between performance competitions, testing, and early entry contests the NE State Fair Educational department fielded 2200 entries. All students compete at the grade level of their previous school year.

The subject area competitions are tests. Impromptu Speaking is a student is given a choice of 3 topics to chose from and a note card; they have 5 minutes to prepare a cohesive talk MS students talk for a minimum of 2 minutes and not exceed 5 minutes. HS students talk for a minimum of 3 minutes. York’s contestants spoke on school food, what Nebraska Needs, if the State Fair was in a different season, and Nebraska weather.

The Monologue performers choose a character monologue of 30 to 60 lines from a script; write an introduction of why they chose it and what the script/character is about. The monologue is memorized and performed dramatically. Quiz Bowl is a game show atmosphere with teams of 4 members competing by answering various questions. The questions are from multiple categories and vary from easy to difficult.

Cup stacking times how fast a student can stack cups in an assigned manner and return them to a single stack. Construction science had the student investigating a constructed Lego item; the student was allowed to take notes from looking at the constructed item.

The item was then removed from sight and the student was given the correct number of Lego blocks to reconstruct the original item, accuracy of construction and timing was considered in selecting winners.

Early entry contests are projects entered a head of the fair to be judged these include graphic design, power point presentation, art, and essay based on a Nebraska theme; environmental poster, penmanship, brick art (Legos) and community service notebook and poster round out early entry opportunities.

The top 12 competitors are recognized in events and contests, this is 6 places and honorable mentions. First and second places earn a scholarships too. Overall awards are given recognizing top schools and individuals competing in multiple events. Individuals earning awards in a number of events compete in the sweepstakes honor by age divisions; YPS students earning sweepstakes honors are: grades K-2, 5th place, Anthony Gillespie, grades 3-5, 4th place, Matt Mittman, grades 6-8, 1st place, Nicole Mittman, and grades 9-12, 6th Paul Holmes. YHS earned to 3rd place trophy for all high schools competing.

Many spectators who stopped to watch improv and quiz bowl commented to me on how creative, positive, and intelligent the York students are. “I totally agree!” states State Fair Competitions Sponsor Mr. Hubbard. “The students always do a marvelous job. This year Conner Mogul, a 2013 graduate of YHS and former State Fair competitor coached the middle school and high school improv teams. He did such a fantastic job!”

If anyone wants more information about State Fair Education Competitions and Contests please contact Sheila Hubbard: sheila.hubbard@yorkdukes.org or 402-362-6655 options #2.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

ACT Profile for YHS Continues to Improve

The ACT assessment has proven to be an indication of the extent of which students are prepared for college-level work. York Public Schools is VERY proud to announce that our 2013 ACT score profile has been released and our numbers are well above the state and national averages!

English: York - 22.3 / State - 21.1
Mathematics: York - 21.5 / State - 21.1
Reading: York - 22.8 / State - 21.8
Science: York - 22.3 / State - 21.5
COMPOSITE: York - 22.4 / State - 21.5

The “Composite” score serves as an “overall” score that summarizes your total score in all curricular areas.

ACT research has shown that it is the rigor of coursework; rather than simply the number of core courses; that has the greatest impact on ACT performance and college readiness.

Students who take more advanced courses substantially increase their ACT scores.

York students that took Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus scored an average of 23.4 on the ACT Math test.

York students that took Biology, Chemistry, and Physics scored an average of 25.3 on the ACT Science test.

Way to go York Dukes! Keep up the great work!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

RACHEL'S CHALLENGE

Please mark your calendars!
COMMUNITY EVENT
September 19th - 7pm - YHS Theater


You are invited to the "Rachel's Challenge" presentation for the public which addresses bullying and promotes acceptance.

"Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. Her acts of kindness and compassion, coupled with the contents of her six diaries, have become the foundation for "Rachel's Challenge", one of the most life-changing school programs in America."

We are so proud to embrace this program of kindness and compassion at York Public Schools and we are thankful for the support of the Community Foundation to make this happen!

Please join us - we want to include the entire community of York in this movement!!!

If you are unable to attend the community event, you are welcome to sit in on the presentations given to the YPS students and 6th-8th graders from our parochial schools in town.

September 18 - 10:30am at York Elementary School
September 19 - 9:30am and 1:30pm at York High School

Thursday, August 29, 2013

YPS Technology Night for Parents - Come LEARN with us!

YPS Technology Night for Parents

Come join us in learning about the various types of technology York Public Schools is offering to the parents and community. If you have a laptop, iPad, smartphone, etc... please feel free to bring it and follow along or use one of our computers in the lab. We want to help you learn how Infinite Campus Parent Portal can benefit you. Did you know you could add lunch money and keep track of lunch balances, as well as check grades and assignment due dates through Parent Portal? If you don't yet have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, please come early and we will set you up before the training begins.

We will also go over our website, show you how to sign up for "Duke Alerts", and introduce you to our Facebook Page and Twitter Account. Technology can feel intimidating until it's understood....however it is a great way to stay informed and up to date with your child and what's going on in your school system.

Two sessions will be offered; Wednesday, September 11th or Thursday, September 19th at 6:00 in the York Middle School computer lab.
Registration fee: $5.

Please pre-register by calling 402-362-6700 or by email lori.suddarth@yorkdukes.org

Tea and cookies will be provided.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Another NEW Year

Working in public education is wonderful. Each year, you get a "fresh" start. Every year you get another "1st day" that allows you to re-channel your enthusiasm and excitement. It is such a great feeling to move around YPS on the 1st day of school to see all of the energy and hope that our students and staff possess.

2013-14 is going to be another great year for York Public Schools. We have outstanding students and supportive families. We have a talented and dedicated staff. We have a community that values education and a school board that works hard to provide opportunities for us all. Let's all do our part to make this the best year yet.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Student Achievement Successes

Assessment scores are just a little snapshot of what we’re about at York Public Schools BUT we want that snapshot to be as strong as possible and it’s improving all the time!

The percentage of our students that meet or exceed proficiency on the state math test has increased 10% in the past two years to 77%
• Duke 5th and 7th graders had the HIGHEST average score in the conference!

The percentage of our students that meet or exceed proficiency on the state reading test has increased 16% in the past three years to 85%
• YPS’ district-wide average student score of 123.0 on NeSA-R in 2013 tied for the “conference championship”
• Duke 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders had the HIGHEST average score in the conference!

The average student score for all 5th, 8th, and 11th grade students in Nebraska on the State Science test last spring was 103 while York’s average was 112.7

70.3% of Nebraska’s public school students in 5th, 8th, and 11th grades met/exceeded proficiency on the State Science Test compared to 81.7% of our York Dukes

The 11th grade average student score on the NeSA-Writing test last spring was 45 while York’s average was 47

69% of Nebraska Public School juniors met/exceeded proficiency on last spring’s state writing test compared to 75% of our York Dukes

The average ACT score for the York Dukes is currently 22.6 while the state average is 22.0 and the national average is 21.8

We're proud of our students, their families, and our staff and look forward to continuing to manage the accountability that comes with assessments while also providing enriching educational experiences for our kids as well.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Beliefs on Leadership

I try to read some leadership books over the summer when the opportunity presents itself. One leader that I've grown to admire is Bill Parcells, who was recently inducted into the National Football League Hall of Fame as a Super Bowl winning coach. Coach Parcells has several quotes/beliefs that I have bought into. One is "what gets measured gets improved." To me, this means that what you focus on and identify as an area of improvement gets the attention it needs. It is a leader's job to identify and communicate what needs to improve. Once that determination is made, an action plan can be into place to improve results. Coach Parcells also believes that "what you tolerate, you encourage." If you tolerate mediocrity, you are encouraging it. If you tolerate less than a maximum effort, you are in fact encouraging it.

My favorite "Parcellism" is that "all winning organizations have a comfortable level of discomfort." I have absolutely found this to be the case and the YPS administrative team and I discuss this quite often. To be a winning team, you have to be pushing forward. You can't be in a comfort zone. You need to celebrate successes and accomplishments but you don't have time to sit around and reflect on how good things are; you must keep improving. It is OK for teams to never feel 100% satisfied or comfortable. We all need to keep our edge and hunger for success.

Bill's favorite speech has now become mine. It is titled, "The Man in the Glass" and it was written by Dale Wimbrow. To me, it is about personal accountability and being your own harshest critic. We all need to have high expectations for ourselves. We need to put more pressure on ourselves than others do. We need to reach for the stars and believe in ourselves. The rest of the world sometimes tries to tear us down but if we can stay true to the person in the mirror, we're on the right track!

THE MAN IN THE GLASS by Dale Wimbrow

When you get what you want in your struggle for self,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your Father, or Mother, or Wife,
Whose judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the man staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may get what you want down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Hub Foster Press Box @ Levitt Stadium

After hearing from several members of the community, we have decided to begin fundraising for a new press box and, hopefully, a locker room facility at Levitt Stadium to be named in honor of Hub Foster, a member of the YHS Hall of Fame and long-time sports writer/announcer/enthusiast who passed away on March 8, 2013.

The current press box is in very poor condition and is quickly becoming a safety hazard. The long overdue addition of locker rooms would allow teams to meet before, during, and after games in a safe location with available bathroom facilities.

Estimated preliminary pricing for such a facility is as follows:

1) New press box only @ $260,000

2) New press box with locker room “shell” without plumbing, fixtures,
etc. @ $385,000

3) New press box with complete locker rooms and plumbing, fixtures, etc. @ $535,000

We are hoping to raise enough money to proceed with a new press box at a minimum so that it would be ready for the 2014 football season.

Tax deductible donations can be made payable to the YPS Foundation, a 501c3 entity, by sending payment to York Public Schools Foundation at 1715 N. Delaware Avenue, York, NE 68467. (In the check memo line, please note that the donation is for the Hub Foster Press Box Facility.)

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

YHS Construction Update

The renovation and expansion project at York High School continues to march on. School begins on Tuesday, August 20th and the building will be inhabitable by that time but far from a finished product.

The fine arts addition will be completed and fully accessible by the first day of school. It provides spacious, state of the art rooms and storage for art, vocal music, and instrumental music.

The new district storage and office facility on the east side of campus is opened and fully functional. The new district office address is 1715 North Delaware Avenue.

The entrance canopy at the south entrance is nearing completion. A new parking lot at the south entrance that will provide an additional 46 parking stalls is also nearing completion.

The new gym will not be done until late October but it will be ready for the winter sports season. The playing floor will be the same size as the existing gym at YHS.

The interior remodel is the main focus right now. Flooring will be added to the east entrance and gym commons area within the next few weeks. Flooring will also be installed at the south entrance towards the media center. Skylights are being added throughout corridor and commons areas as well. The newly renovated kitchen is nearing completion as well.

Some flooring will not be done until after the school year has started. The project remains on schedule to be completed around Thanksgiving.

The slight water damage that was incurred on July 8th is a distant memory. Our gym floor is fine. Aside from several hours of clean-up, we didn’t suffer much damage at all.

We look forward to finishing up the project and having an open house for all of the public later this fall. GO DUKES!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

What's YOUR Story?

Nineteen years ago today I was a 3rd grade teacher and football and basketball coach at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. I was married to a beautiful young lady from Omaha and I figured we’d put in two or three years in Kansas before I would convince her that we needed to move to my home state of Florida where I could teach and coach from August through May and then go fishing and frog gigging all summer.

It’s funny how things turn out!

As I arrived at my house in Atchison, Kansas after my last official contract day of my first year as a teacher, I remember the elation and sense of accomplishment that I had. I was already dreaming about how many fish I was going to catch and how many homeruns I was going to hit in summer softball tournaments. That’s when my wife told me that she had signed me up for the educational administration program at Benedictine College where we met as undergrads.

I was none too pleased to say the least. This was a total shocker. The only time we had even discussed the word “principal” was when I told her of some of my troubled times as a student in Ocala, Florida where the principals at my various schools were rather familiar with me, if you know what I mean. To make matters worse, she had already paid for the first course which began just five days after my contract year ended. I was upset. I had no dreams of becoming a school administrator. We argued and I lost (like always) so I went to “The Principalship” course that following Monday morning.

I didn’t sit in the front row. I wasn’t excited. I was as disengaged as you could be when the class began at 9:00 AM but then my life changed. Some guy named Steve Joel was the instructor. By the time we broke for lunch around noon that first day, I wanted to become a school leader in the worst way. I was hooked. It was a done deal. Steve’s passion for educational leadership won me over. He made it seem like the most important career in the universe. His stories and experiences were things I wanted to experience for myself.

I began to read about educational leadership seven days a week. I reached out to Ray Hittle, my principal at Fort Leavenworth, to let him know I was in an administrative program and I’d love to help him with scheduling, supervision, budgeting, whatever I could get my hands on.

As the three year program wore on, Steve Joel and Ray Hittle made sure I had everything I needed. They encouraged me. They challenged me. They kicked me in the butt when I needed it. They shared stories with me. Most importantly, they believed in me and provided me with hope and confidence.

In May of 1998, I became the proud recipient of a Masters’ Degree in Educational Administration. Two months later I was the principal at Bartlett Grade School in Labette County, Kansas where Steve Joel and Ray Hittle continued to mentor me and assist with my transition to educational leadership.

I’ve now started my 16th year in educational leadership. It’s been a wonderful ride full of lots of challenges, great people, and a sense of accomplishment. I can’t help but reflect and be thankful for Steve Joel and Ray Hittle for believing in me and for pushing me into leadership.

Many of you, if not all, have a similar story where someone has believed in you and encouraged you when you needed it. Make it a goal to take one or two folks under your wing and share with them your thoughts, beliefs, fears, and experiences. Believe in others. Help others. I know that if I can have 1/10th the impact on someone else that Steve and Ray have had on me, I will feel blessed.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Water "Damage" at YHS

The YHS construction project got back on track Wednesday morning and it is ‘full steam ahead.’ All of the water has been dried up. The gym floor is in outstanding shape as only a small amount of water made it to one of the corners of the court. Our custodial staff and folks from ServiceMaster did an excellent job dealing with the clean-up on Tuesday. A few cabinets and a little bit of drywall might have to be replaced but even that is not a certainty at this time.

There continue to be wild rumors that are simply false. YHS was not "flooded." We had a couple of inches of water throughout about 1/3 of the building. All of the flooring was ripped out so the water was standing on concrete floors as our new flooring won't be installed for another few weeks.

All in all, the water made for an interesting and wasted day on Tuesday but that pretty much sums it up. We’re going to be just fine and school will begin on August 20th as was always the plan. We appreciate the York Police Department’s work as they investigate the situation.

If the intent of whoever did this was to cause mayhem and destruction, they failed miserably. We lost one day of construction time and had to clean up some water. Not a huge deal.

Go Dukes!


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Independence Day

The summer is flying by. It's hard to believe that we are staring the 4th of July in the face. Take some time on Independence Day to acknowledge how lucky we are to be Americans. Take some time to reflect on the luxuries and amenities that we get to enjoy. Our country is far from perfect. However, it is a wonderful place full of opportunities. Enjoy the 4th and stay safe!

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Time Flies When You're Having Fun....

Friday, June 28th marks the end of my 4th contract year with York Public Schools. Time flies when you're having fun! It is unreal to think that it has been four years already. I am very appreciative of all the support and guidance from the Board of Education.

Our students and alumni are outstanding and I enjoy working hard on their behalf. Our faculty and staff are very dedicated and I consider it an honor to work side by side with them as we continue to try and move YPS forward. We're lucky to have the community and parental support that we enjoy. All in all, York is a special place and York Public Schools is an outstanding organization in which to serve.

Here's to four more years and a lot of outstanding Duke Pride and accomplishments in the future!

GO DUKES!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

School Safety

SCHOOL SAFETY is always a top priority for YPS. With that in mind, we're adding "buzzer entry doors" to YES and YMS for August 2013. Once school begins, all entrance doors will be locked. Each building will have one main entrance that visitors can go to and be buzzed in once they communicate with the office. YHS is going to have this capability at the south entrance through the bond issue project. This will be a little less convenient for parents and others that are used to being able to enter any building at anytime throughout the day but we feel it is a necessary adjustment to make for our students.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

YHS Construction Update

The construction project at York High School continues to move full steam ahead. Since school dismissed on May 17th, crews have been working many hours.

FINE ARTS ADDITION
• Drywall work has been finished
• Painting has begun
• Cabinetry is being installed

GYM ADDITION
• Concrete gym floor has been poured
• Electrical and mechanical rough-ins continue
• Gym will most likely not be done by August 20th when school resumes but should be done in September

DISTRICT STORAGE/ADMIN BUILDING
• The final “punch list” is being conducted by June 12th with occupancy to most likely take place by July 8th

INTERIOR REMODEL
• Demolition work is in full swing and is scheduled to be done by June 18th
• HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Sprinkler work is ongoing
• Skylights will begin to be installed this month

MISCELLANEOUS
• The additional south parking lot that will add 46 parking stalls will begin to take shape in the next few weeks
• It is still our goal to regain full occupancy by August 5th since school resumes on August 20th
• The project is not scheduled for total completion until November 30, 2013.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Summer, Summer, Summer....

"Summer" seems to be hitting full stride about now. It's great to see so many kids at the City Pool, playing softball and baseball, involved with the Childrens' Theatre, at the City Library, involved with 4-H, etc. Within YPS, the summer is a very busy time to conduct lots of state reporting on the just completed school year while preparing facilities, budgets, curriculums, etc. for the upcoming school year.

Our "Free Lunch" Program runs Monday-Friday from 11:30-12:30 at the PLAY/Head Start facility. We are averaging about 42 free lunches per day so far this summer. Anyone between the ages of 1-18 can come get a free lunch. Our after-school program grant also allows for six weeks of summer programming at YES and YMS and this will begin on June 10th and run from 8:00 AM until Noon Monday - Friday.

We still have some room in our "Summer Learning Academies" that are scheduled for the week of June 24th. Contact the district office if you're interested.

Enjoy the summer. Get a tan. Make some new friendships. Stay active. August 20th will be here before we know it!

Go Dukes,

Mike Lucas

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

TRADITION

York Public Schools became a school district on June 14, 1871. That's right; we'll celebrate our 142nd birthday in just a few weeks. When you stop and think about the pride and tradition that York Public Schools has it really leaves an impression. York Dukes are leaders across the state, nation, and world. We have alumni that are outstanding farmers, mechanics, electricians, nurses, attorneys, business owners, teachers, plumbers, physicians, contractors, cooks, military personnel, coaches, artists, musicians, actors, and much more.

It is great to see the active "alumni page" on Facebook and to see the pride that various graduates have when today's Dukes accomplish something noteworthy. I hope that ALL alumni feel good about the part they played in making York Public Schools a special place. Each and everyone that has a diploma from the York Dukes should be proud of the part they play in our storied tradition.

Let's all do our part to continue to make sure that being a York Duke means something special.

Go Dukes!

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Thoughts and Prayers to Oklahoma Tornado Victims

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the tornadoes in Oklahoma on May 20th. To see two elementary schools go through that kind of trauma is a tough thing for any educator to witness. YPS practices our tornado drill each spring as part of a statewide practice. We feel as prepared as we could be for such an event. We will continue to keep Oklahomans in our thoughts and prayers.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Exciting Times for the Class of 2013

It's an exciting time as we prepare for the final week of school and graduation on Sunday. The Class of 2013 has many things to be proud of. It is a class full of talented young men and women that have bright futures. Many will pursue higher education degrees at two and four year institutions. Others will join the work force or military. We're equally proud of them all.

This is an exciting time but also a stressful one for the soon-to-be graduates. Continue to surround yourself with good people. Continue to stay close with your families. Continue to be your own harshest critic. Continue to have high expectations. We're proud of what you've done but we are even more proud of what you're going to do. We wish you the best of luck and are glad that you'll always be a Duke.

Go get 'em Class of 2013. Go chase your dreams. Go make a difference!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Property Taxes and State Aid

As YPS prepares to lose ANOTHER $550,000 in state aid for 2013-14, we've been working hard to make a couple of key points to leaders across the state.

It appears many have the perception that the dollars that school districts lose in state aid are made up for in revenue brought in by local property taxes. They will say that districts like York don’t need as much state aid because they have more farm ground (tax base) than other places. This simply isn’t true based on the actual, audited data from York Public Schools below. State aid losses are not made up by property taxes in a dollar for dollar exchange.

• In 2009-10, we received $990,237 LESS in state aid than the prior year
o Our local property taxes brought in $572,103 MORE than the prior year
o The loss in state aid outweighed our gain in property taxes by NEGATIVE $418,134

• In 2010-11, we received $53,814 MORE in state aid than the prior year
o Our local property taxes brought in $53,906 MORE than the prior year
o Overall growth of state aid and property taxes came to an increase of $107,720 which allowed for budget growth of less than 1% even during this “positive year.” That kind of minimal growth doesn’t even keep up with fixed costs like utilities, fuel, etc.

• In 2011-12, we received $871,571 LESS in state aid than the prior year
o Our local property taxes brought in $476,101 MORE than the prior year
o The loss in state aid outweighed our gain in property taxed by NEGATIVE $395,470

• In 2012-13, we are set to bring in just about $150,000 more than we spend so we don't have a lot of "wiggle room."

• In 2013-14, it looks as if we will receive $550,000 LESS in state aid than the prior year
o Our local property taxes will need to increase over 9.4% to make up the difference. The 15-year average valuation increase is only 4.7%!

I’d like to point out that we’ve worked hard to reduce our spending and to “control what we can control.” Our average cost per pupil is $10,405; which is below the state average of $10,709. The cost per pupil data is a way for school districts to measure their “efficiency,” and we’re proud to be below the state spending average for the first time in a while.
• In 2008-09, York Public Schools spent $13,813,663 while only bringing in $13,759,522.
• By 2011-12, we had turned that around by spending $12,797,934 and bringing in $13,047,672.

In 2008-09, York received $3,714,809 in state aid while our property taxes generated $6,472,903. By 2011-12, state aid had plummeted to $1,906,815 while our property taxes had to increase to $7,575,013. These figures seem to illustrate the burden that our local taxpayers have shouldered as state revenue continues to dwindle for us. It’s important to note that York is VERY lucky because the 15-year average for the valuation growth of land within our district boundaries is 4.7%. We had a 9.6% land valuation growth this year; which was abnormally high and factors against us with the 2013-14 state aid formula.

The numbers speak for themselves. State aid shifting away from smaller schools to larger schools is an alarming proposition for many. I am fiercely loyal to the students and patrons of our school district. I believe that our students deserve the best funding and educational opportunities that are available. York County is just important as any other county in our state. I wanted you to know the challenges we are facing and the frightening questions that lie ahead:
- What happens when land prices go down or the price of corn and beans decrease and our local property taxes can’t bring in what they currently do?
- What happens when our local property taxes can’t generate the additional revenue that is needed to run our school, to cope with fixed cost increases, to grow programs, to implement new technology?
- What happens if our state aid continues to nose dive?

Rest assured that we will do our best to stay on top of these important issues and to deal with the continued onslaught of decreased state funding. Our leadership team is constantly working on projections, 3-year plans, etc. We will do whatever we can to make sure we continue to offer the best programming and staffing for our community’s most cherished resource; our students.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, and/or concerns.

GO DUKES!

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Great Prom

On Saturday evening, April 27, the junior class hosted the Annual Junior-Senior Prom. The juniors chosen theme was "Midnight Masquerade." They decorated the gym in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, gold and green. The weather cooperated by providing some beautiful sunshine and comfortable temperatures.

After the catered meal from Chances "R," which was delicious, the Duke and Duchess were crowned. This year's Duke and Duchess were Cameron Gocke and Cassie Sikes. Congratulations to all candidates.

Great job, juniors! Thanks to Katie Burger and other staff members who made it such a wonderful night as well.

I'd also like to thank the numerous parents that spearheaded the "Post Prom" activities at YMS. We appreciate your work and dedication in providing fun and safe late night activities for our students.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

York Track "FUN DAY" on May 10th

The "York Track Fun Day" will be held on Friday, May 10th from 4 to 6 P.M. at the YHS Track.

This event is open to both boys and girls in 1st through 6th Grade. For a $15 fee, each participant will receive a t-shirt, snack and drink. Activities will includes games, prizes, and an inflatable obstacle course. Participants should dress in athletic shorts and shirts.

The "Let's Move York" initiative spearheaded by civic leaders from the City of York, 4-Corners Health, YPS, YGH, York County 4-H and other entities will be supporting this event by providing water bottles and oranges to all participants.

Registration forms are available at YES and YMS. Registration forms are due by May 1. (Registration will also take place at the event, but there is no guarantee of a t-shirt.)

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Honors Night Celebrates the Class of 2013

On Monday, April 15th, YHS held its Annual "Honors Night." The recipients of local, state and national college scholarships were announced. Also, student-selected "Spirit Award" recipients were presented. Each year, the senior class of YHS earns a phenomenal amount of scholarship dollars from local, state, and national donors.

A good portion of the scholarship dollars come from the generosity of local patrons and memorials. Over 50 locally given scholarships were announced at the event. When combined with the amount given by state and national organizations and area colleges and universities, the Class of 2013 has received over 2.4 million dollars, and that amount is likely to grow before graduation. Congratulations to all YHS scholars for their well-earned recognition!

Thanks to all of the donors, the YHS guidance department, all families, YPS staff, and the students for making this a true "event" to be proud of!

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

STATE CHAMPIONS

We were fortunate enough to have two different teams win state titles late last week. Jake Weskamp, Avery Miller, and Christian Wagner won the Network Design Contest at State FBLA. This qualifies them for the national competition in Anaheim, California.

Atlanta Maronde, Dalton Obermeier, Linden Kaliff, and Jesse Hoblyn teamed up to win the State FFA Senior Livestock Selection Contest. This qualifies them for the national competition in Indianapolis in the fall.

We're very proud of both state championship teams and their sponsors! Way to go!

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

School Improvement & Student Achievement

York Public Schools is very proud of our school improvement initiatives. We have talented and dedicated students and staff that are constantly trying to reach higher and higher levels of accomplishment.

Below is a brief outline of our district improvement plan. We're heading into the heart of the "assessment season" with state testing and we look forward to the results when they come in.

DISTRICT-WIDE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN

Goal #1
All students in York Public Schools will meet or exceed proficiency standards and/or show on-going growth in mathematics as demonstrated on local, state, and/or national assessments.

Goal #2
All students in York Public Schools will meet or exceed proficiency standards and/or show on-going growth in reading as demonstrated on local, state, and/or national assessments.

Goal #3
York Public Schools will increase student achievement across the curricular areas and/or close the learning gap between disaggregated subgroups of students as measured on local, state, and/or national assessments.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

YHS Construction Update

The YHS renovation and expansion project continues to move forward. We are still on target to be done by November.

The Fine Arts addition to the existing auditorium continues to progress nicely. Roofing will be complete soon. Electrical and mechanical work is ongoing. The brick veneer will continue to be installed throughout April. Some of it is already installed on the west side of the new structure.

The gymnasium addition is picking up momentum. Stair walls continue to be poured and waterproofed. Backfill and footings work has been underway for a while and will continue for a little bit longer. During the month of April, you will begin see the beginning stages of the gym walls being installed, which will really change the landscape on campus. Mechanical and electrical underground work will carry on as well.

The south canopy main entrance is framed in and metal stud framing will continue throughout April. The district storage and administrative facility on the east side of campus will see its cabinetry and painting work finished up over the next few weeks.

As far as the interior remodel goes, a few floor coverings and plumbing fixtures will be installed in April. Painting will continue as well. Lots of electrical and mechanical work is still being done throughout the building too. The majority of new flooring will go in over the summer.

Kitchen and gym commons work will hit full speed in May. The new parking lot by the south entrance is scheduled to begin within the next six weeks.

It will be a very busy spring and summer but Kingery Construction representatives continue to inform us that we are on target for all new construction, to include the new gym, to be done by August 15th.

Once the new school year begins on August 20th; there will continue to be exterior work, minor interior work, and less intrusive projects that will keep workers busy until November.

Monday, March 18, 2013

State Speech

The Duke Speech Team competed at Districts on Thursday, March 14th and did an outstanding job. I was lucky enough to be there for several hours and got to see many talented and dedicated students in action.

The Dukes finished 3rd in arguably the most competitive district in the state. Four Dukes qualified for the State Competition to be held on March 21. The Dukes competing at the State events will be senior Taylor Burke in Entertainment Speaking, sophomore Sarah Bailey in Entertainment Speaking, and seniors Hannah Hotovy and Cassie Sikes in Duet Acting.

It has been a great season for the Speech Team. There were MANY deserving students that could/should have also qualified for state. Good luck to those continuing on at the State Meet!

Go Dukes!

Monday, March 11, 2013

Things We're Working On....

There is never a dull moment or time to waste within York Public Schools. We're constantly working to get better, to provide more opportunities for our students, to improve programs, etc. With that in mind, we are working on a few important initiatives as we finish the last quarter of 2012-13 and prepare for 2013-14.

Building security and school safety is at the top of our prioritized "to-do list." We're pursuing buzzer entry doors at YES and YMS to match what YHS will get through the bond issue project. We're also working on a 7-year facilities plan that will address overcrowding and traffic congestion issues throughout the district.

As far as programming goes, we continue to look for ways to add to our offerings for identified high ability learners. We will once again make "Bright Lights" courses available this summer as well as look into more school year offerings as well. This year alone, we've added "Invention Convention" and "Math Counts" to our array.

We're also looking to add more technology for our students and staff to use. We currently have four grants out waiting for approval that would help us purchase more iPads and chromebooks.

Thanks for your support of YPS. We're excited about what we've done and what we're going to do.

GO DUKES!

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

The Final Push

It is hard to believe but we're almost ready to enter the 4th quarter of the school year. The days are getting longer, the evenings a little warmer, and I think we can all admit that spring is in the air! This is an important time of the year because we still have so many things to focus on for this current year but must also prepare for the upcoming school year as well. The pace will be quite hectic for the next ten weeks. There will be many activities, banquets, programs, and award presentations. Take it all in and be excited about the great things that are going on within York Public Schools. Go Dukes!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Animal Science is Hopping at YHS

One of the neat, hands-on projects going on at York High School is the rabbit farming project in the Animal Science classes. Countless baby rabbits have been born in the classroom over the past two months. The baby rabbits are cared for over a month before going to market.

Besides rabbits, Animals Science classes learn how to take care of many different animals; from birds and small animals to farm livestock. Two little piglets have already been born in the classroom as well.

The Animal Science course has been a nice addition to the curriculum offerings at the high school. It has provided numerous real-life learning experiences for students from a variety of backgrounds. Thanks to Mr. Hirschfeld and Mr. Williams for their work with this important component of our course offerings.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

National FFA Week

Each year the York High School FFA celebrates "National FFA Week" with a variety of activities. On Tuesday, February 19, the FFA Chapter held an appreciation breakfast for the high school staff. Similar breakfasts are planned for the Middle School and Chapter membership later in the week.

The breakfasts are intended to drive home the point of American agriculture's important role in providing food for American tables.

Besides the appreciation breakfasts, the YHS FFA will hold Chapter meetings and membership drives throughout the week as well. FFA is an extremely important group and we appreciate all they do for York Public Schools and our community!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

"Angry Adult Season"

In the school administration ranks, I often refer to February as "Angry Adult Season." Winter is a grind. The weather is bad. Stress is high. Let's ALL take a step back, smile, breathe, relax, and understand that we're going to make it. "What" we say and "how" we say it get magnified during angry adult season. Be a positive voice of reason that doesn't get caught up in gossip, rumors, and negativity. Let's stick together to push forward in a positive fashion. We're going to make it.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

YHS Construction Update

The facility project at York High School continues to go well. As I write this, the canopy at the south entrance is being erected. The fine arts addition should be 100% fully closed in within a month. The district storage/office facility should be completed by April 1st. By the end of March, work will begin on the new gym as well. The main gym floor of the new gym will be 90 feet long just like our existing high school court. Additional classroom renovations are also scheduled for later this spring.

Our students and staff have done a marvelous job of dealing with the noise, mess, and congestion on site. We will continue to post pictures on our district Facebook page as well as our website.

Go Dukes!

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Job Openings

YPS has several job openings for 2013-14. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit a resume, cover letter, and credentials to: York Public Schools, ATTN: Job Search, 2918 N. Delaware Avenue, York, NE 68467. Positions are open until filled but candidates are encouraged to get materials in quickly. Assistant Principal interviews will begin in late February with teacher interviews to follow in early March. EOE.
• Assistant Principal for PreK-5th Grade Elementary School
• Elementary teacher positions (K-5th grade levels to be determined)
• 6th-8th grade Social Studies teacher (K-8 and 5-12 endorsements are welcomed with experience across the curriculum preferred)
• Sponsorships and coaching assignments are also available

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Remembering Tony Howe

January 25, 2012 was a VERY sad day for many folks in/around York. The best father I've ever seen was killed in a car accident that evening leaving behind his wife and three sons under the age of 10. Tony Howe was a tremendous volunteer, father, husband, and community member. He had a huge heart and would do anything for anyone.

He was a dedicated youth coach, a TeamMate mentor, and all-around dependable person that was willing/able to do whatever needed to be done to help someone out. It's hard to believe that it has already been a year.

Just being around Tony made me want to be a better dad. He always had a way of making you smile and feel good. I still think of him quite often. I only knew him for about 21 months but he made a tremendous impact on me in that short time.

My heart still aches for Steph and the boys. They're doing a great job of staying involved with school, church, and youth activities but they continue to need our support.

Hug the ones you love and never take things for granted. One day Tony was hugging his kids, goofing around like a big ol' kid himself, and the next day he was gone. Life is too short.

I miss you Tony.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

YPS Foundation

Hats off to the YPS Foundation for their continued dedication and effort to raise money for student programs throughout YPS. At last night's quarterly meeting, the Foundation approved three technology grants of $1,200 each.

Foundation members continue to brainstorm fundraising ideas and activities that they can do to help support the numerous outstanding programs we are able to offer.

Thanks to the following seven people for serving on the Foundation Board:
* Dr. Pat Hotovy
* Jean Vincent
* Lori Suddarth
* Kent Rauert
* Don Keelan-White
* Todd Bartek
* Dale Kahla

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Random "Items of Interest" from YPS

Professional Development
Monday, January 21st is a staff in-service day for all YPS faculty. Highlights of this professional development day that will be held at York High School include two nationally known keynote speakers and five outstanding breakout sessions that will each provide 11-14 different topics for our educators to choose from.

Our first keynote speaker is Eric Sheninger, who is a high school principal from New Jersey. He will address all attendees from 8:00-9:00 AM as he discusses the important role that technology plays in today’s world. We will end the day with a final keynote address from 2:40-3:40 by V.J. Smith. He is the author of the “Richest Man in Town” and is a two time finalist in the Toastmaster’s World Championship of Public Speaking. His speech is said to be very motivational and we welcome any patrons that would like to join us in the high school auditorium at 2:40 to listen to it.

Breakout sessions will run in between the keynote speaker slots and will focus on dozens of topics to include technology integration, high ability learners, differentiated instruction, Twitter, bullying, fine arts, homework, writing strategies, math interventions, iPads, reading comprehension, and much more. This in-service day is widely considered as one of the best in our state and we will have educators from at least five other districts attend; as well as our colleagues from Epworth Village, St. Joseph’s Catholic School, Emmanuel Lutheran, and York College. Thanks to Cornerstone Bank for providing a sandwich bar for lunch for all attendees and to our own Beth Ericson for organizing the day.

School Safety
Each year we review our school safety plans and look at ways to make improvements and adjustments. One improvement we’re making this year is to better communicate and coordinate with local law enforcement and emergency responders. On the evenings of January 16th and 23rd they will be touring our school facilities, hearing about our lock down and evacuation plans, and familiarizing themselves with our buildings so if they ever have to come up in an emergency, they know where we’ll be, what we’ll be doing, etc. Thanks to Police Chief Don Klug for working with us on this important initiative.

Another piece of “school safety” that YPS is choosing to explore comes from the angle of mental health. We are working with state senators and other leaders to try and help create better awareness and resources for children and adults that suffer from mental health issues. We feel more readily available resources and plans need to be in place for families and school districts so we’ve joined a statewide task force to roll up our sleeves to try and make this happen.

“The Budget”
When I first came to YPS in June 2009, “the budget” was a hot topic among our staff and patrons. We’ve certainly had our challenges over the past few years and there are numerous difficulties ahead; but we’re making progress. I’m proud of our board of education and staff for making several changes and for their hard work that has put us in a better financial situation.

YPS spent $12,797,934 in 2011-12. This is a REDUCTION of $1,015,729 from the $13,813,663 the district spent in 2008-09. That represents a decrease in spending of 7.4%.

School districts often measure “efficiency” by their “cost-per-pupil spending.” The State Department of Education compiles state and district spending averages each year for all districts to review. YPS is happy to report that we’ve been below the state average of “cost-per-pupil spending” for two years in a row with our 2011-12 per pupil spending at $10,405 compared to the state average of $10,709.

Our board of education has put together a conservative 7-year spending plan that will make ensure our receipts come in higher than what we spend. The budget is reviewed monthly and spending and receipt totals are shared with our entire staff and school board so we all know how we’re doing.

School district revenue is much more volatile and can fluctuate greatly each year. State aid is a prime example. In 2008-09, YPS received over $3.7 million from the state. In 2011-12, we received just over 50% of that with a total of $1,906,185.

“The budget” is something we spend an awful lot of time on as we work with long-range plans and projections. We appreciate the support we receive from our taxpayers. We will continue to work hard to get you the best return we can on your “investment” while continuing to offer tremendous opportunities for the most important people in our community…..our students.

Student Achievement Highlights
This blog wouldn't be complete without bragging about some of the wonderful things our students, teachers, and staff are accomplishing academically. Below are just a few highlights of the wonderful job the York Dukes are doing on local, state, and national assessments.

Over 86% of the Class of 2019 performed at/above proficiency on the State Reading Test in 2012. This is a 24% increase from the 62% that were proficient in 2010. Right at 86% of the Class of 2016 performed at/above proficiency on the State Reading Test in 2012; which is a 23% increase from the 63% proficient in 2010.

YHS students continue to do very well on the ACT college readiness test. The ACT is widely recognized by colleges and universities as an indication of the extent to which a student is prepared for college-level work. The ACT consists of curriculum-based tests of educational development in English, math, reading, and science designed to measure the skills needed for success in first year college coursework.

In 2012, YHS students had an average composite score of 22.6 while the state average was 22.0. YHS students that took advanced courses had an average composite score of 23.1.

YHS Construction Project
Our renovation and expansion project at YHS continues to roll along. The Fine Arts addition on the west end of the existing auditorium has really taken shape over the past month. The new central storage and district administration building on the east side of the campus is nearing completion within the next two months. The old band and vocal music rooms are being transformed into the new office area and should be done within a few months.

Kingery Construction intends to have all “new” construction, to include the new gym, done by the end of June. This will allow them to focus their time and energy on the expansive remodel of the existing building. Our estimated completion date remains late November 2013.

Please visit our website at www.yorkpublic.org and click on the “YHS Project” tab for other updates and pictures. You can also “like” us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to see other updates and pictures as they become available.

Friday, January 4, 2013

YELLOW OUT Sarcoma Cancer

On January 18th there will be a “Yellow Out” (the color of sarcoma cancer) at the York vs. Fairbury basketball games at York High School. Fans are encouraged to purchase a yellow t-shirt to wear to the game with the proceeds going to the MD Anderson Sarcoma Research Center to help find a cure for Sarcoma cancer. This event is in honor of Kendell Holthus, who is currently fighting Sarcoma, Natalie Schlegelmilch, a York resident who won her fight against sarcoma, and in memory of Knox Lewis who was a resident of Gretna, Nebraska.

In addition to the “Yellow Out,” a free will donation soup supper will also be held and raffle tickets will be sold to shoot a half court shot for a chance to win an iPad.