Another year will be here soon;
Another 12 months of the sun and moon.
Another opportunity for wishes and dreams to come true;
Especially for those York Dukes in vegas gold and navy blue!
Over the next 12 months, we will learn a lot;
There will be many T's to cross and I's to dot.
I'm very proud of the important work at YPS we've done;
Even though it's often difficult and not always fun.
There's so much more to do - the mission will never end;
Our students need us more than ever before into the "real world" we do send.
I love our students, our staff, this school district, and this town;
2016 will be another time frame we won't ever let down!
GO DUKES!
Friday, December 18, 2015
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Christmas Joy
Even though the weather is beautiful and might reach 60 degrees today, you can tell Christmas is closing in on us. The excitement is building. Family plans are being finalized. Joy is in the air.
I love Christmas as much as anyone. I love the music. I love the decorative lights. I love the family gatherings.
One thing I've learned over the years, however, is that Christmas isn't fantastic for everyone like I wish it was. Too many children don't get to play games with grandparents on Christmas Eve or wake up to an abundance of gifts under the tree. Too many children dread Christmas because it's another reminder of the hardships they and their families are dealing with.
My heart goes out to these children every year. Each December, some friends and I do our best to make Christmas a little better for 10-15 kids and that to me is the best part of Christmas. It's not what you get....it's what you give.
As you finalize Christmas plans, please be extremely thankful for all you have because there are many, many people that would change places with you in a heartbeat.
Enjoy the Christmas Season!
Go Dukes!
I love Christmas as much as anyone. I love the music. I love the decorative lights. I love the family gatherings.
One thing I've learned over the years, however, is that Christmas isn't fantastic for everyone like I wish it was. Too many children don't get to play games with grandparents on Christmas Eve or wake up to an abundance of gifts under the tree. Too many children dread Christmas because it's another reminder of the hardships they and their families are dealing with.
My heart goes out to these children every year. Each December, some friends and I do our best to make Christmas a little better for 10-15 kids and that to me is the best part of Christmas. It's not what you get....it's what you give.
As you finalize Christmas plans, please be extremely thankful for all you have because there are many, many people that would change places with you in a heartbeat.
Enjoy the Christmas Season!
Go Dukes!
Friday, December 4, 2015
Lots to be Proud of Regarding Nebraska's Public Schools
I love Nebraska and I am so proud of the great work being done around this awesome state in our tremendous public schools!
• Did you know that over 86% of Nebraska Public High School students took the ACT in 2014? Their average composite score of 21.7 is the HIGHEST IN THE NATION for states that had 80% or more of their students taking the ACT! (http://blog.prepscholar.com/act-scores-by-state-averages-highs-and-lows)
• During 2014-15, Nebraska Public School students achieved some impressive results on the NeSA (state assessments). (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
o 80% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Reading (An 8% increase since 2010-11)
o 72% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Math (A 9% increase since 2010-11)
o 72% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Science (A 5% increase since 2011-12)
o 72% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Writing (A 4% increase since 2012-13)
• Did you know the percentage of Nebraska Public School students that qualify for free or reduced meals has grown from 30% in 2000-01 to over 44% now? (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
o Nebraska Public Schools are doing more than ever in our communities to offer robust programming to meet the needs of our ever-changing diverse learners and we are PROUD TO DO SO!
• Did you know that 52.16% of Nebraska’s Public School teachers have a Masters’ Degree or higher? This is an increase of almost 7% since 2010-11. (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• The 2014-15 school year marked the 5th year in a row that the average daily attendance of Nebraska Public School students was over 95%! (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• The total number of Nebraska Public School students has increased from 284,912 in 2000-01 to over 312,000 today. (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• Nebraska has one of the best high school graduation rates in the nation, with nearly 90% of our seniors graduating. (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• Did you know that over 86% of Nebraska Public High School students took the ACT in 2014? Their average composite score of 21.7 is the HIGHEST IN THE NATION for states that had 80% or more of their students taking the ACT! (http://blog.prepscholar.com/act-scores-by-state-averages-highs-and-lows)
• During 2014-15, Nebraska Public School students achieved some impressive results on the NeSA (state assessments). (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
o 80% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Reading (An 8% increase since 2010-11)
o 72% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Math (A 9% increase since 2010-11)
o 72% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Science (A 5% increase since 2011-12)
o 72% were at/above proficiency on NeSA-Writing (A 4% increase since 2012-13)
• Did you know the percentage of Nebraska Public School students that qualify for free or reduced meals has grown from 30% in 2000-01 to over 44% now? (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
o Nebraska Public Schools are doing more than ever in our communities to offer robust programming to meet the needs of our ever-changing diverse learners and we are PROUD TO DO SO!
• Did you know that 52.16% of Nebraska’s Public School teachers have a Masters’ Degree or higher? This is an increase of almost 7% since 2010-11. (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• The 2014-15 school year marked the 5th year in a row that the average daily attendance of Nebraska Public School students was over 95%! (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• The total number of Nebraska Public School students has increased from 284,912 in 2000-01 to over 312,000 today. (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
• Nebraska has one of the best high school graduation rates in the nation, with nearly 90% of our seniors graduating. (http://reportcard.education.ne.gov/Default_State.aspx)
Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Snow Days, Cold Days, and Late Starts
Making decisions about full days, late starts, and/or snow days are never fun or easy. All you have to do is check social media and see all of the names we get called on questionable days and you will be able to quickly ascertain this isn’t for the faint of heart! We do the best we can with the information and resources we have at the time. Please remember you can keep your child(ren) home on days that we have school and you think we shouldn’t.
WHY YPS HAS SCHOOL ON “COLD DAYS” WHEN SOME DISTRICTS DO NOT
We are fortunate to be one of the few school districts in Nebraska that has an insulated bus barn that keeps all of our buses from freezing during those cold winter nights and early mornings. That, along with the fact we offer over 90 bus stops within town, and basically door-to-door service on most country routes, ensures that we can have school on “cold days” (with or without snow) where other districts shut down. Most districts that shut down on “cold days” do so because their buses are left outside and they’re unable to guarantee they will run the next day. We take extra precautions on extremely cold days and we are glad to be open as we offer heated buildings, warm meals, and a structured environment that many of our kids rely on. Again, if you think we shouldn’t have school on a “cold day” where other districts have shut down, please feel free to keep your child(ren) at home.
THE IMPACT OF SNOW DAYS ON OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR
If we have any school cancellations this year, the first two won’t be made up as they are allowed for in our existing calendar. For example, if we have two cancellations, school will still end on May 18th as already published on our school calendar. If we would have four cancellations, for example, we would make up two days and school would end on May 20th. So, we build in two free snow days each year. We have no limit on late starts.
WEDNESDAYS – WEDNESDAYS – WEDNESDAYS
Wednesdays are our early dismissal days. If we ever have a 2-hour late start on a Wednesday, that turns into a full day of school and will NOT be an early dismissal. We feel it would be silly to have a late start on a day you get out of school early on. So, Wednesdays are unique in that they COULD turn into a full day of school if we determine a late start is necessary.
LATE STARTS
Late starts are often used to buy a little time. We feel better about our buses and young drivers navigating the roads during the daylight of a late start than early morning in many instances. It is sometimes common to see a late start follow a snow day as country roads still have drifts, etc. We cancel morning pre-school on late start days but do have afternoon pre-school classes.
COMMUNICATION
Troy Rowe and I are normally in contact with weather professionals, road workers, and area schools to see what the conditions are like. We often drive throughout our district between 4:00-5:00 AM to determine what we feel is needed. Our decisions are never made lightly.
In the event of a school closing, York Public Schools will communicate in numerous ways. Information can be found:
• On our website at www.yorkpublic.org
• Listening to KAWL/KTMX Radio
• Watching NTV or KOLN/KGIN TV
• On the York Public Schools Facebook Page
• On Twitter at the hashtag of #yorkdukes
• Through our “NOTIFY ME” instant notification system you can sign up for at www.yorkpublic.org (search for the NOTIFY ME tab on the left side of the homepage)
o This will send you text messages and/or emails when decisions are made
We take the safety of our students and staff very seriously. We make what we feel is the best decision for the school district as a whole during these difficult scenarios.
Please remember you can keep your child(ren) home on days that we have school and you think we shouldn’t.
WHY YPS HAS SCHOOL ON “COLD DAYS” WHEN SOME DISTRICTS DO NOT
We are fortunate to be one of the few school districts in Nebraska that has an insulated bus barn that keeps all of our buses from freezing during those cold winter nights and early mornings. That, along with the fact we offer over 90 bus stops within town, and basically door-to-door service on most country routes, ensures that we can have school on “cold days” (with or without snow) where other districts shut down. Most districts that shut down on “cold days” do so because their buses are left outside and they’re unable to guarantee they will run the next day. We take extra precautions on extremely cold days and we are glad to be open as we offer heated buildings, warm meals, and a structured environment that many of our kids rely on. Again, if you think we shouldn’t have school on a “cold day” where other districts have shut down, please feel free to keep your child(ren) at home.
THE IMPACT OF SNOW DAYS ON OUR SCHOOL CALENDAR
If we have any school cancellations this year, the first two won’t be made up as they are allowed for in our existing calendar. For example, if we have two cancellations, school will still end on May 18th as already published on our school calendar. If we would have four cancellations, for example, we would make up two days and school would end on May 20th. So, we build in two free snow days each year. We have no limit on late starts.
WEDNESDAYS – WEDNESDAYS – WEDNESDAYS
Wednesdays are our early dismissal days. If we ever have a 2-hour late start on a Wednesday, that turns into a full day of school and will NOT be an early dismissal. We feel it would be silly to have a late start on a day you get out of school early on. So, Wednesdays are unique in that they COULD turn into a full day of school if we determine a late start is necessary.
LATE STARTS
Late starts are often used to buy a little time. We feel better about our buses and young drivers navigating the roads during the daylight of a late start than early morning in many instances. It is sometimes common to see a late start follow a snow day as country roads still have drifts, etc. We cancel morning pre-school on late start days but do have afternoon pre-school classes.
COMMUNICATION
Troy Rowe and I are normally in contact with weather professionals, road workers, and area schools to see what the conditions are like. We often drive throughout our district between 4:00-5:00 AM to determine what we feel is needed. Our decisions are never made lightly.
In the event of a school closing, York Public Schools will communicate in numerous ways. Information can be found:
• On our website at www.yorkpublic.org
• Listening to KAWL/KTMX Radio
• Watching NTV or KOLN/KGIN TV
• On the York Public Schools Facebook Page
• On Twitter at the hashtag of #yorkdukes
• Through our “NOTIFY ME” instant notification system you can sign up for at www.yorkpublic.org (search for the NOTIFY ME tab on the left side of the homepage)
o This will send you text messages and/or emails when decisions are made
We take the safety of our students and staff very seriously. We make what we feel is the best decision for the school district as a whole during these difficult scenarios.
Please remember you can keep your child(ren) home on days that we have school and you think we shouldn’t.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful Thanksgiving this week. I am looking to some time away from the office. I'm excited to turn my phone off and to enjoy my family. Below are some random things I am thankful for this year.
* The fantastic students we have here in York...they work hard to represent themselves, their families, our school system, and community in a positive fashion.
* The dedicated staff we have at YPS. Our teachers and non-teachers work hard and take a lot of pride in what they do. We have some phenomenal people on the York Duke Team.
* The tremendous parental and community support we enjoy in York. Our parents and patrons truly care about our kids and all of their endeavors.
* Our supportive board of education is another important part of the YPS team. They are student-centered and work tirelessly to ensure our district is heading in the right way.
* My four children that are my best friends. I'm hard on them from time to time but always proud of them. There is never a day that goes by that they don't provide me with strength and purpose.
* My wife is a very important part of my life. Her support and friendship is something I can count on when the rest of my world is turned upside down. I'm lucky to have her as my co-pilot in this crazy thing we call "life."
* My parents and family who I love so much and wish I got to spend more time with. It is still hard not to be with them during the holidays but I know we're always just a phone call away.
* The opportunities we enjoy in the greatest country in the world.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
* The fantastic students we have here in York...they work hard to represent themselves, their families, our school system, and community in a positive fashion.
* The dedicated staff we have at YPS. Our teachers and non-teachers work hard and take a lot of pride in what they do. We have some phenomenal people on the York Duke Team.
* The tremendous parental and community support we enjoy in York. Our parents and patrons truly care about our kids and all of their endeavors.
* Our supportive board of education is another important part of the YPS team. They are student-centered and work tirelessly to ensure our district is heading in the right way.
* My four children that are my best friends. I'm hard on them from time to time but always proud of them. There is never a day that goes by that they don't provide me with strength and purpose.
* My wife is a very important part of my life. Her support and friendship is something I can count on when the rest of my world is turned upside down. I'm lucky to have her as my co-pilot in this crazy thing we call "life."
* My parents and family who I love so much and wish I got to spend more time with. It is still hard not to be with them during the holidays but I know we're always just a phone call away.
* The opportunities we enjoy in the greatest country in the world.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Appreciation for School Board Members
I'm excited to spend a few days this week in LaVista, Nebraska at the Annual Nebraska Association of School Boards Conference. I have a TON of respect for all school board members. They serve very thankless positions with no pay and most often no appreciation.
Here in York, we are blessed with a tremendous 6-person governing board that is very dedicated. Aside from meeting twice a month in open, formal meetings; they serve on committees, study up on school issues, and often serve other roles within the community as well. All six of our York Duke board members will be in attendance gaining professional development yet again at this week's NASB Conference. They work tirelessly to better themselves, which betters our school system.
The YPS Board of Education is action-oriented and absolutely student-centered. I am very proud of the professionalism they show and the efforts they go to as they ensure our school system runs efficiently and does what it best for students.
Make it a point to thank a school board member this week in your community. They work hard behind the scenes to help school districts do great things for students, staff, and their community.
GO DUKES!
Here in York, we are blessed with a tremendous 6-person governing board that is very dedicated. Aside from meeting twice a month in open, formal meetings; they serve on committees, study up on school issues, and often serve other roles within the community as well. All six of our York Duke board members will be in attendance gaining professional development yet again at this week's NASB Conference. They work tirelessly to better themselves, which betters our school system.
The YPS Board of Education is action-oriented and absolutely student-centered. I am very proud of the professionalism they show and the efforts they go to as they ensure our school system runs efficiently and does what it best for students.
Make it a point to thank a school board member this week in your community. They work hard behind the scenes to help school districts do great things for students, staff, and their community.
GO DUKES!
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Nothing but Random Thoughts.....
It was difficult to come up with a "topic" for my blog this week, so I'm just going to settle on some random thoughts....
* I think a huge part of "leadership" is having a "servant mentality" where you're committed to doing whatever needs to be done. The best leaders I've been around don't get hung up on titles and job descriptions; they get hung up on results. They get hung up on making their team better. You see, leadership isn't about having people work "for" you...leadership is about "working with" others. Nobody works "for" me. We all work together. We all have different duties but we're all on the same team.
* One of the things I feel we as a human race are lacking is the ability to genuinely be happy for others when they have success. My admin team and I discussed this on Monday and I threw out a number that I think only 20% of humans are truly happy for others when something positive happens. That might have been optimistic. I'm making it a personal mission to make sure I do my part to step away from jealousy the best as I can to simply applaud and be happy for others that are doing well. Not everything has to be a competition....we don't have to tear others down to try and build ourselves up. It just doesn't work that way.
* Last week on November 5th, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the importance of grandparents again. November 5, 1995 is the date that my Mammer (paternal grandmother) died. She is the first grandparent or loved one that died during my lifetime. I was devastated. She and I were very close. She taught me many things and I still think about her all of the time. All four grandparents played a huge role in my upbringing, especially since my parents were divorced. Pappy passed away in February 2004 and Pop died in September 2009. I'm lucky to still have my 95-year old Mammy alive. She actually visited us in York back in September and it was wonderful to spend some quality time with her. Grandparents are special....if you still have them around, cherish them. If you are one, know what an impact you can have on your grandchildren.
* I have so much admiration and respect for retired and active military. Their bravery, commitment above self, and sacrifice truly amaze me. I cry like a baby every time I watch one of those videos that shows soldiers coming home and surprising their families. The term "hero" gets thrown around way too much when we talk about athletes. Athletes aren't heroes. Soldiers are heroes.
* As we enter the holiday season with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful time together. I truly mean that...you see, I'm capable of being genuinely happy for others!
* I think a huge part of "leadership" is having a "servant mentality" where you're committed to doing whatever needs to be done. The best leaders I've been around don't get hung up on titles and job descriptions; they get hung up on results. They get hung up on making their team better. You see, leadership isn't about having people work "for" you...leadership is about "working with" others. Nobody works "for" me. We all work together. We all have different duties but we're all on the same team.
* One of the things I feel we as a human race are lacking is the ability to genuinely be happy for others when they have success. My admin team and I discussed this on Monday and I threw out a number that I think only 20% of humans are truly happy for others when something positive happens. That might have been optimistic. I'm making it a personal mission to make sure I do my part to step away from jealousy the best as I can to simply applaud and be happy for others that are doing well. Not everything has to be a competition....we don't have to tear others down to try and build ourselves up. It just doesn't work that way.
* Last week on November 5th, I spent a lot of time reflecting on the importance of grandparents again. November 5, 1995 is the date that my Mammer (paternal grandmother) died. She is the first grandparent or loved one that died during my lifetime. I was devastated. She and I were very close. She taught me many things and I still think about her all of the time. All four grandparents played a huge role in my upbringing, especially since my parents were divorced. Pappy passed away in February 2004 and Pop died in September 2009. I'm lucky to still have my 95-year old Mammy alive. She actually visited us in York back in September and it was wonderful to spend some quality time with her. Grandparents are special....if you still have them around, cherish them. If you are one, know what an impact you can have on your grandchildren.
* I have so much admiration and respect for retired and active military. Their bravery, commitment above self, and sacrifice truly amaze me. I cry like a baby every time I watch one of those videos that shows soldiers coming home and surprising their families. The term "hero" gets thrown around way too much when we talk about athletes. Athletes aren't heroes. Soldiers are heroes.
* As we enter the holiday season with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful time together. I truly mean that...you see, I'm capable of being genuinely happy for others!
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
I Love Being a York Duke
Well, it's 4:35 AM and I can't sleep. That happens sometimes when you're a stupid-intendent. Lots of things on my mind like early childhood expansion, course offerings, school improvement, our transportation fleet, electric pencil sharpeners (I know I'm weird),the Affordable Care Act, and more.
Even when sleepless nights like this occur, I love my job. I love being a York Duke. I'm committed to the York Dukes. I don't want to be anywhere else. I am proud and thankful to be a York Duke. This place feels like home. It just does.
There are tons of superintendents out there that are much smarter than me, that are much better instructional leaders, that are better with school finance, that are better with public relations, and that are just plain better. However, it is impossible for another superintendent out there to love their school district more than I love mine. It's just physically impossible. The York Dukes are in my heart. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't get them out. I'm committed to York, re-committed to York, and love being here.
This is my 7th year in York. My daughters have graduated as Dukes and God willing, my 9th and 7th grade sons will as well. York is special. I'm committed and re-committed to working harder than ever to help make it even more special. We have tremendous students and a talented and dedicated staff. Our parental and community support is top-notch. There is no reason why we can't continue our ascension into the upper echelon of districts in Nebraska.
I am so proud of our decorated history and traditions but make no mistake...our best is yet to come....we should be even more excited about our future.
There is no better place to be than York, Nebraska! There is no better time to be a York Duke.
Let's ride!
Even when sleepless nights like this occur, I love my job. I love being a York Duke. I'm committed to the York Dukes. I don't want to be anywhere else. I am proud and thankful to be a York Duke. This place feels like home. It just does.
There are tons of superintendents out there that are much smarter than me, that are much better instructional leaders, that are better with school finance, that are better with public relations, and that are just plain better. However, it is impossible for another superintendent out there to love their school district more than I love mine. It's just physically impossible. The York Dukes are in my heart. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't get them out. I'm committed to York, re-committed to York, and love being here.
This is my 7th year in York. My daughters have graduated as Dukes and God willing, my 9th and 7th grade sons will as well. York is special. I'm committed and re-committed to working harder than ever to help make it even more special. We have tremendous students and a talented and dedicated staff. Our parental and community support is top-notch. There is no reason why we can't continue our ascension into the upper echelon of districts in Nebraska.
I am so proud of our decorated history and traditions but make no mistake...our best is yet to come....we should be even more excited about our future.
There is no better place to be than York, Nebraska! There is no better time to be a York Duke.
Let's ride!
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
LETTING GO....
My blog this week is centered around a poem I found by Leo Thomas. It is about "letting go." To me, it is about letting go of a comfort zone, being brave enough to try new things, and to attack a new challenge. Change is always hard for all of us. I've found that the best parents, the best teachers, the best leaders have all been able to embrace change as necessary while also sticking to and not compromising on their core principles.
We are all faced with new challenges and opportunities. As the last few lines of this poem say, "when the time comes for you to change again, listen to your heart, for then, you will surely know..."
We all make conscious decisions on a daily basis about "this" or "that" decision, about this opportunity, or that circumstance. Listen to your heart, make a decision, and LET IT GO.
Letting Go...
You know it's time to grow,
When you feel as though,
You've been living isolated, as in a silo.
You'll feel it in your heart,
You'll no longer want to play the part
That you already know.
That's when it's time
To stretch your feelings and your mind
By letting go of what you know.
Change, at first, might feel strange,
But now's the time to reach for the unknown.
We fear new heights but, most of all,
We fear the possibility that we might fall.
But only by letting go can we ever be exposed,
To all the new things that we need to grow,
Even though, it might seem scary
At the time, to do so.
So worry not, dear friend.
When the time comes for you to change again,
Listen to your heart, for then,
You will surely know...
We are all faced with new challenges and opportunities. As the last few lines of this poem say, "when the time comes for you to change again, listen to your heart, for then, you will surely know..."
We all make conscious decisions on a daily basis about "this" or "that" decision, about this opportunity, or that circumstance. Listen to your heart, make a decision, and LET IT GO.
Letting Go...
You know it's time to grow,
When you feel as though,
You've been living isolated, as in a silo.
You'll feel it in your heart,
You'll no longer want to play the part
That you already know.
That's when it's time
To stretch your feelings and your mind
By letting go of what you know.
Change, at first, might feel strange,
But now's the time to reach for the unknown.
We fear new heights but, most of all,
We fear the possibility that we might fall.
But only by letting go can we ever be exposed,
To all the new things that we need to grow,
Even though, it might seem scary
At the time, to do so.
So worry not, dear friend.
When the time comes for you to change again,
Listen to your heart, for then,
You will surely know...
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Through the Years.....
This 2015-16 school year is my 22nd year in public education. My first four years were spent as a 3rd grade teacher and high school football and basketball coach at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. They were four amazing years that I wouldn't trade for anything. I still think about the students I taught and coached and so many of the fun things we worked on together. Fort Leavenworth was an awesome place to teach and coach. We had all of the resources and support you could ever want or need. I was fortunate to teach and coach there.
In June of 1998, I left "The Fort" to begin my career in school administration. I was a 25-year old kid that was charged with leading Bartlett Grade School, a K-8 school in southeast Kansas of about 160 students. It was a wonderful place to begin my leadership career. Though I was only there for the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school years, I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do as a school leader. We lived in Parsons, KS and that was a little too far from Omaha than my wife wanted so in June 2000, we left for West Point, Nebraska to be closer to my wife's family in Omaha.
We spent three great years in West Point as K-6 principal. We were there on September 11, 2001, which I will never forget. We made lots of friends that we still stay in touch with today. It was a tough decision to leave West Point but I wanted to become a superintendent and that bug bit me really hard in the winter of 2003. That January, we received offers to become the next superintendent at Shelby and Kenesaw but my wife didn't want to accept either position. My attention then turned to an assistant superintendent position in Ralston. I had always wanted to be in "the metro" and see what it was like to work there. We made it to the final two but I was not offered the position. I was devastated for a few days but was then re-charged and ready to continue our important work at West Point Elementary.
That March, I received a phone call that Franklin, NE was looking for a superintendent. I wasn't excited about going back through the process of applying, etc. Wilber-Clatonia also opened up. After a few days, I was talked into applying for both. In early April, I interviewed at Wilber-Clatonia on a Wednesday and Franklin on a Thursday. We were fortunate to get the job offer from Franklin that Thursday night and it was a sleepless night for Liesl and I trying to decide what to do.
That Friday, we accepted the position and before I knew it, I was a 30-year old kid superintendent that really had no idea what I was supposed to do! We served in Franklin from 2003-2009 as superintendent but also spent some time as a high school principal, basketball coach, and cheer sponsor. It was a great ride. We have many fond memories of our time as a Franklin Flyer. We met lots of outstanding people and I was fortunate enough to work with some great educators and students as well. I still miss the Franklin Country Club, Rightway Grocery, and the volunteer run theater where Jeb, Bo, and I would go every Sunday with a $10 bill and come home with change!
In the fall of 2008, things got crazy with Class B superintendent openings. McCook, Waverly, York, and others opened up and Liesl and I began to think about taking the "next step." We applied at Waverly and York with the York deadline and timeline ending before Waverly interviewed. We were lucky enough to get the York job offer on a Friday night in mid-January and we've never looked back.
We came to York in June 2009 with Taylor heading into 11th grade, Micah into 9th, Jeb into 3rd, and Bo into 1st. The first year here was a real blur. There was lots and lots to do and many people to connect with. YPS offered us numerous challenges and plenty of rewards as well. We've made connections with so many wonderful people in/around York. This is a great place. York offers plenty of challenges but it also provides the resources and support to overcome those challenges.
It's funny to sit back and look back "through the years." A 'zig' instead of a 'zag' here or there and things would've turned out way different. Timing is everything. Circumstances are unique. Fate is inevitable.
I've loved every stop along the way of this educational journey. My time as a MacArthur Elementary Eagle and Patton Tiger at "The Fort" was outstanding. I have many fond memories of being a Bartlett Brave and a West Point Cub Cadet as well. Being a Franklin Flyer taught me how important community involvement is for school leaders. I cherish being a York Duke and love that "Duke Pride" that runs through my veins.
It's been a great ride so far. I hope the remaining 17 years I have are just as rewarding!
In June of 1998, I left "The Fort" to begin my career in school administration. I was a 25-year old kid that was charged with leading Bartlett Grade School, a K-8 school in southeast Kansas of about 160 students. It was a wonderful place to begin my leadership career. Though I was only there for the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 school years, I learned a lot about what to do and what not to do as a school leader. We lived in Parsons, KS and that was a little too far from Omaha than my wife wanted so in June 2000, we left for West Point, Nebraska to be closer to my wife's family in Omaha.
We spent three great years in West Point as K-6 principal. We were there on September 11, 2001, which I will never forget. We made lots of friends that we still stay in touch with today. It was a tough decision to leave West Point but I wanted to become a superintendent and that bug bit me really hard in the winter of 2003. That January, we received offers to become the next superintendent at Shelby and Kenesaw but my wife didn't want to accept either position. My attention then turned to an assistant superintendent position in Ralston. I had always wanted to be in "the metro" and see what it was like to work there. We made it to the final two but I was not offered the position. I was devastated for a few days but was then re-charged and ready to continue our important work at West Point Elementary.
That March, I received a phone call that Franklin, NE was looking for a superintendent. I wasn't excited about going back through the process of applying, etc. Wilber-Clatonia also opened up. After a few days, I was talked into applying for both. In early April, I interviewed at Wilber-Clatonia on a Wednesday and Franklin on a Thursday. We were fortunate to get the job offer from Franklin that Thursday night and it was a sleepless night for Liesl and I trying to decide what to do.
That Friday, we accepted the position and before I knew it, I was a 30-year old kid superintendent that really had no idea what I was supposed to do! We served in Franklin from 2003-2009 as superintendent but also spent some time as a high school principal, basketball coach, and cheer sponsor. It was a great ride. We have many fond memories of our time as a Franklin Flyer. We met lots of outstanding people and I was fortunate enough to work with some great educators and students as well. I still miss the Franklin Country Club, Rightway Grocery, and the volunteer run theater where Jeb, Bo, and I would go every Sunday with a $10 bill and come home with change!
In the fall of 2008, things got crazy with Class B superintendent openings. McCook, Waverly, York, and others opened up and Liesl and I began to think about taking the "next step." We applied at Waverly and York with the York deadline and timeline ending before Waverly interviewed. We were lucky enough to get the York job offer on a Friday night in mid-January and we've never looked back.
We came to York in June 2009 with Taylor heading into 11th grade, Micah into 9th, Jeb into 3rd, and Bo into 1st. The first year here was a real blur. There was lots and lots to do and many people to connect with. YPS offered us numerous challenges and plenty of rewards as well. We've made connections with so many wonderful people in/around York. This is a great place. York offers plenty of challenges but it also provides the resources and support to overcome those challenges.
It's funny to sit back and look back "through the years." A 'zig' instead of a 'zag' here or there and things would've turned out way different. Timing is everything. Circumstances are unique. Fate is inevitable.
I've loved every stop along the way of this educational journey. My time as a MacArthur Elementary Eagle and Patton Tiger at "The Fort" was outstanding. I have many fond memories of being a Bartlett Brave and a West Point Cub Cadet as well. Being a Franklin Flyer taught me how important community involvement is for school leaders. I cherish being a York Duke and love that "Duke Pride" that runs through my veins.
It's been a great ride so far. I hope the remaining 17 years I have are just as rewarding!
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Land for Sale - Land for Sale
York Public Schools is seeking sealed bids for the 24.95 acre tract of non-irrigated farm ground physically located east of York Middle School on the east side of Maine Avenue in York, Nebraska.
Parcel ID# - 930194527
Legal Description – Lot 2 BLK 1 & Lot 2 BLK 2 York Public Schools ADD City of York
Map # - 3295-00-0-10881-002-0001
Description:
• According to the Soil Map, the entire area is comprised of Hastings Silt Loam, 0-1 percent slope.
• The sale of the property is subject to an existing lease agreement which expires on March 1, 2016.
Sealed bids will be accepted through 4:00 PM CST on Tuesday, December 1st. No bids under $190,000 will be considered. Bids can be mailed or dropped off to:
Mike Lucas – Superintendent
York Public Schools
1715 N. Delaware Avenue
York, NE 68467
The School Board shall have the right to refuse any and all bids for the property. Upon the Board’s acceptance of any bid, the successful bidder will be required to enter into a Purchase Agreement for the purchase of the above-described property on the terms and conditions described therein and at the Board’s discretion.
The Purchase Agreement may provide: (1) that the School District and the Buyer will each pay one-half of the cost of an owner’s title insurance policy which shall show marketable title in the School subject only to easements and restrictions of record and subject to building and use restrictions of the City, County and the State of Nebraska; (2) that the School Board will provide the Buyer a Warranty Deed to the premises; (3) that no real estate taxes for 2014 or any prior year are owed on the subject property; (4) the property has been classified as exempt with regard to 2015 real estate taxes, (5) that ten percent (10%) of the purchase price will be payable immediately upon signing of the Purchase Agreement; and (6) the balance of the purchase price will be paid in full at the closing which shall occur at the School District Office on a date and time to be determined by the parties to the Agreement.
Parcel ID# - 930194527
Legal Description – Lot 2 BLK 1 & Lot 2 BLK 2 York Public Schools ADD City of York
Map # - 3295-00-0-10881-002-0001
Description:
• According to the Soil Map, the entire area is comprised of Hastings Silt Loam, 0-1 percent slope.
• The sale of the property is subject to an existing lease agreement which expires on March 1, 2016.
Sealed bids will be accepted through 4:00 PM CST on Tuesday, December 1st. No bids under $190,000 will be considered. Bids can be mailed or dropped off to:
Mike Lucas – Superintendent
York Public Schools
1715 N. Delaware Avenue
York, NE 68467
The School Board shall have the right to refuse any and all bids for the property. Upon the Board’s acceptance of any bid, the successful bidder will be required to enter into a Purchase Agreement for the purchase of the above-described property on the terms and conditions described therein and at the Board’s discretion.
The Purchase Agreement may provide: (1) that the School District and the Buyer will each pay one-half of the cost of an owner’s title insurance policy which shall show marketable title in the School subject only to easements and restrictions of record and subject to building and use restrictions of the City, County and the State of Nebraska; (2) that the School Board will provide the Buyer a Warranty Deed to the premises; (3) that no real estate taxes for 2014 or any prior year are owed on the subject property; (4) the property has been classified as exempt with regard to 2015 real estate taxes, (5) that ten percent (10%) of the purchase price will be payable immediately upon signing of the Purchase Agreement; and (6) the balance of the purchase price will be paid in full at the closing which shall occur at the School District Office on a date and time to be determined by the parties to the Agreement.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
"When You Get to the Fork in the Road...Take It"
Baseball legend Yogi Berra passed away recently. He was adored for his affable personality, how well he treated others, and crazy one-liners. Many "Yogi-isms" will live on for years and years. My favorite from Yogi is, "When you get to the fork in the road, take it."
We all find ourselves at a "fork in the road" from time to time. Do we go "left" and do "this?" or do we go "right" and do "that?" I've always tried to analyze the perceived pros and cons of all big decisions, think about the impact on those affected by the decision, do what I think is best at the time, and never look back. It's the "never looking back" part that is sometimes hard but I have found to be most necessary.
Big decisions often result in a change but sometimes they result in things staying the same too. After my 4th year as superintendent/principal in Franklin, Nebraska there was a job that opened up that I really wanted to pursue. I thought the location and size of the community would've been perfect. I researched it for a few days, made some calls, and was convinced I needed to be "all in" trying to become their next superintendent. I ran it by my wife and she simply said, "no - now is not the time." I was stunned but respected her thoughts. I shut it down and never looked back and didn't think about it again. The "big decision" made was to do nothing...to stay...and it worked out well as two years later my wife said it was time and we made the move to York, which we love.
Numerous big decisions come at us from all angles. Making big decisions is a primary duty of the superintendent. Most often the decisions that need to be made are professional. Sometimes they are personal. My best advice is to simply analyze the situation carefully, study the potential impact, make the best decision you can at the time, and move on. Don't look back and second-guess. Once you make a decision, you stick with it.
The world is full of "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" that can tell you that you made the wrong decision after the fact. It's easy to bat 1.000 after the fact. It takes guts to make big decisions before you know how they're going to play out. That's leadership. That's life.
We all find ourselves at a "fork in the road" from time to time. Do we go "left" and do "this?" or do we go "right" and do "that?" I've always tried to analyze the perceived pros and cons of all big decisions, think about the impact on those affected by the decision, do what I think is best at the time, and never look back. It's the "never looking back" part that is sometimes hard but I have found to be most necessary.
Big decisions often result in a change but sometimes they result in things staying the same too. After my 4th year as superintendent/principal in Franklin, Nebraska there was a job that opened up that I really wanted to pursue. I thought the location and size of the community would've been perfect. I researched it for a few days, made some calls, and was convinced I needed to be "all in" trying to become their next superintendent. I ran it by my wife and she simply said, "no - now is not the time." I was stunned but respected her thoughts. I shut it down and never looked back and didn't think about it again. The "big decision" made was to do nothing...to stay...and it worked out well as two years later my wife said it was time and we made the move to York, which we love.
Numerous big decisions come at us from all angles. Making big decisions is a primary duty of the superintendent. Most often the decisions that need to be made are professional. Sometimes they are personal. My best advice is to simply analyze the situation carefully, study the potential impact, make the best decision you can at the time, and move on. Don't look back and second-guess. Once you make a decision, you stick with it.
The world is full of "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" that can tell you that you made the wrong decision after the fact. It's easy to bat 1.000 after the fact. It takes guts to make big decisions before you know how they're going to play out. That's leadership. That's life.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
YPS Foundation and Alumni Association
The York Public Schools Foundation has been working hard to connect with YHS alumni as it continues to support York Public Schools.
The YPS website (www.yorkpublic.org) now has a “YHS Alumni News” tab that houses an annual newsletter (the first one was sent out this past August) and a google form where alumni can go in and update their contact information. We encourage all York Duke alumni to update their contact info so we can stay in touch with them and update them on various events we will be planning.
For those on Facebook, look for the group titled, “York High Alumni – York, Nebraska” to connect with old classmates and receive notifications about the York Dukes and their many adventures.
At the present time, Patti Vincent and Troy Rowe are working with the York Public Schools Foundation on putting together an annual alumni event. This 1st annual event is scheduled for August/September 2016. Highlights of “Welcome Home York Dukes” will be a tailgate party and halftime recognition at the first YHS home football game, a visit to Wessels Living History Farm (http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/),a tour of the recently renovated and expanded York High School as it had over $14 million of work done to it in 2012-13, a banquet at Chances “R,” and more!
Visit the “York Public Schools” Facebook page and/or www.yorkpublic.org to stay in tune with the details as they are put together. We will be sharing much more info and specific dates as they become available.
The YPS Foundation, a (501) (3) (c) non-profit corporation, was established to assist in preserving and/or enhancing the quality of education received by students of the school district. The Foundation seeks grants and contributions for the purpose of furthering the educational programs of the district.
The funds received will be used for improvements and additions to the physical facilities of the public school district, supporting special events for students, purchase of computers and software to support the curriculum, and a myriad of other purposes in support of education.
Projects which have been supported through funds donated to the Foundation by individuals, local organizations, graduated classes, and various other foundations include:
• PLAY (Pre-School) computer software and camera and musical instruments
• YES Smartboards & laptops
• YMS Smartboards
• YHS computers & software
• YHS theater headsets, wireless systems, and sound & lighting upgrades
• YMS & YHS outdoor signs
• YMS landscaping
• YHS pole vault pit and wrestling mats
• YHS band uniform bags
• YHS security cameras
• YHS field house
• YHS science & social studies curriculum projects
• YHS library improvements
• YHS greenhouse project
Donations of all sizes are accepted at the YPS District Office. There is a YPS Foundation tab on the www.yorkpublic.org website that shows a “wish list” of various programs we have. Please feel free to stop by or mail your donation to:
York Public Schools Foundation
Attn: Gayla Knight
1715 N. Delaware Ave.
York, NE 68467
gayla.knight@yorkdukes.org
The YPS website (www.yorkpublic.org) now has a “YHS Alumni News” tab that houses an annual newsletter (the first one was sent out this past August) and a google form where alumni can go in and update their contact information. We encourage all York Duke alumni to update their contact info so we can stay in touch with them and update them on various events we will be planning.
For those on Facebook, look for the group titled, “York High Alumni – York, Nebraska” to connect with old classmates and receive notifications about the York Dukes and their many adventures.
At the present time, Patti Vincent and Troy Rowe are working with the York Public Schools Foundation on putting together an annual alumni event. This 1st annual event is scheduled for August/September 2016. Highlights of “Welcome Home York Dukes” will be a tailgate party and halftime recognition at the first YHS home football game, a visit to Wessels Living History Farm (http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/),a tour of the recently renovated and expanded York High School as it had over $14 million of work done to it in 2012-13, a banquet at Chances “R,” and more!
Visit the “York Public Schools” Facebook page and/or www.yorkpublic.org to stay in tune with the details as they are put together. We will be sharing much more info and specific dates as they become available.
The YPS Foundation, a (501) (3) (c) non-profit corporation, was established to assist in preserving and/or enhancing the quality of education received by students of the school district. The Foundation seeks grants and contributions for the purpose of furthering the educational programs of the district.
The funds received will be used for improvements and additions to the physical facilities of the public school district, supporting special events for students, purchase of computers and software to support the curriculum, and a myriad of other purposes in support of education.
Projects which have been supported through funds donated to the Foundation by individuals, local organizations, graduated classes, and various other foundations include:
• PLAY (Pre-School) computer software and camera and musical instruments
• YES Smartboards & laptops
• YMS Smartboards
• YHS computers & software
• YHS theater headsets, wireless systems, and sound & lighting upgrades
• YMS & YHS outdoor signs
• YMS landscaping
• YHS pole vault pit and wrestling mats
• YHS band uniform bags
• YHS security cameras
• YHS field house
• YHS science & social studies curriculum projects
• YHS library improvements
• YHS greenhouse project
Donations of all sizes are accepted at the YPS District Office. There is a YPS Foundation tab on the www.yorkpublic.org website that shows a “wish list” of various programs we have. Please feel free to stop by or mail your donation to:
York Public Schools Foundation
Attn: Gayla Knight
1715 N. Delaware Ave.
York, NE 68467
gayla.knight@yorkdukes.org
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Being a "Dad" is Hard
I normally try to keep my blogs about "school stuff" as much as I can. I have deviated a few times over the years and will do so again today.
My oldest daughter, Taylor, begins her "real world" experience on September 23rd as that will be her first day as a professional accountant in Lincoln. She has been home with us all summer since her graduation from Doane in May as she studied for the CPA exam. Sunday night was the "last night" she stayed with us a "kid." It was awesome to get to spend so much time with her this summer.
As I went home yesterday for lunch, she was packed up and ready to leave for her apartment in Lincoln and it was much more emotional than I thought. As I gave her a hug to tell her how much I love her, how proud I am of her, and how much I will miss her, it felt different. I was hugging a woman...not a child.
As we stood in the kitchen hugging, I saw 22 years flash before my eyes. I saw birthday parties, Christmas mornings, silly moments, making smores on a candle in my office in Franklin, car rides, cross country races, basketball games, and much more. Taylor left and I cried. And cried. And cried.
I'm excited for her future. She works hard and she will do well. It's not "goodbye" either...it's "see you later." But it is different. She is an adult...as of September 23rd she is earning a "real" paycheck...paying her own bills, etc. Time flies.
Enjoy all the time you can with your kids. Before YOU know it, you'll be the one hugging in the kitchen and crying when they leave for the "real world."
Taylor, Micah, Jeb, and Bo are my best friends. In this profession where things are always so political and dealing with "drama" is often all I do....my kids are my best (and sometime only) friends. They're not perfect. Neither am I. Neither are you.
I will sign off by saying "see you later" to my oldest daughter, Taylor. It's never "goodbye."
My oldest daughter, Taylor, begins her "real world" experience on September 23rd as that will be her first day as a professional accountant in Lincoln. She has been home with us all summer since her graduation from Doane in May as she studied for the CPA exam. Sunday night was the "last night" she stayed with us a "kid." It was awesome to get to spend so much time with her this summer.
As I went home yesterday for lunch, she was packed up and ready to leave for her apartment in Lincoln and it was much more emotional than I thought. As I gave her a hug to tell her how much I love her, how proud I am of her, and how much I will miss her, it felt different. I was hugging a woman...not a child.
As we stood in the kitchen hugging, I saw 22 years flash before my eyes. I saw birthday parties, Christmas mornings, silly moments, making smores on a candle in my office in Franklin, car rides, cross country races, basketball games, and much more. Taylor left and I cried. And cried. And cried.
I'm excited for her future. She works hard and she will do well. It's not "goodbye" either...it's "see you later." But it is different. She is an adult...as of September 23rd she is earning a "real" paycheck...paying her own bills, etc. Time flies.
Enjoy all the time you can with your kids. Before YOU know it, you'll be the one hugging in the kitchen and crying when they leave for the "real world."
Taylor, Micah, Jeb, and Bo are my best friends. In this profession where things are always so political and dealing with "drama" is often all I do....my kids are my best (and sometime only) friends. They're not perfect. Neither am I. Neither are you.
I will sign off by saying "see you later" to my oldest daughter, Taylor. It's never "goodbye."
Friday, September 18, 2015
School is Often More than "Just School"
This is my 22nd year in public education. I spent my first four years as a 3rd grade teacher and high school football and basketball coach. The last 18 years have been in educational leadership positions ranging from K-8 Principal/AD to K-6 Principal/Title I Coordinator to Superintendent/HS Principal in Franklin to Superintendent here in York.
I've seen many changes in educational programming. We have more technology integration and career awareness now than ever before. We have more summer programming and before/after school programs. I've witnessed improvements in curriculum, instruction, and accountability. However, the one major change I've seen is the need for school districts to do more and more for children living in adverse situations. A few times a year I will get hit up by someone saying that schools are doing too much and that we should force parents to do a better job of feeding their kids, reading with their kids, getting them medical attention, etc. Well, that sounds nice and all but as educators we're in the "kid business" and we don't get too dictate to parents how much they read to their child or how much they feed them.
Schools are doing more for our students one simple reason.....our kids need it.
I attended a "Greater Nebraska Superintendents" meeting yesterday in Lincoln with 18 other superintendents ranging from Omaha to Bellevue to Grand Island to Gering to Minden and McCook. We learned that since the year 2000, the number of Nebraska children age 6 and under living at 100% poverty increased from 19,380 to 34,939. That's an 80% increase of young children living at 100% poverty in just 15 years. The National Average of children age 6 and under living at 100% poverty is 42%. Here in Nebraska, we are almost DOUBLE the national average. Wyoming is at 16%. Iowa is at 38%. Missouri is at 46%. Kansas is at 69%.
We have lots of families and children living in stressful and difficult situations. You're darn right we're proud to add before/after school programming. You're darn right we're excited to have our free lunch program over the summer. You're darn right we love to be able to provide six weeks of academic programming each summer. You're darn right we're going to have school in January when it is "cold" even though some people bash us left and right....schools are often the warmest place for many of our students and the only place they're going to get two nutritional and hot meals in a day.
York has 45% of our K-12 students that are eligible for free/reduced meals. This number increases to over 55% when you look at just our elementary students. This number jumps to over 60% when you look at just our pre-schoolers.
Our young people are this country's most valuable resource and we need education systems that are willing and able to provide ALL of them with the support, resources, and hope they need. It's not what we want to do....it's what we NEED to do.
I've seen many changes in educational programming. We have more technology integration and career awareness now than ever before. We have more summer programming and before/after school programs. I've witnessed improvements in curriculum, instruction, and accountability. However, the one major change I've seen is the need for school districts to do more and more for children living in adverse situations. A few times a year I will get hit up by someone saying that schools are doing too much and that we should force parents to do a better job of feeding their kids, reading with their kids, getting them medical attention, etc. Well, that sounds nice and all but as educators we're in the "kid business" and we don't get too dictate to parents how much they read to their child or how much they feed them.
Schools are doing more for our students one simple reason.....our kids need it.
I attended a "Greater Nebraska Superintendents" meeting yesterday in Lincoln with 18 other superintendents ranging from Omaha to Bellevue to Grand Island to Gering to Minden and McCook. We learned that since the year 2000, the number of Nebraska children age 6 and under living at 100% poverty increased from 19,380 to 34,939. That's an 80% increase of young children living at 100% poverty in just 15 years. The National Average of children age 6 and under living at 100% poverty is 42%. Here in Nebraska, we are almost DOUBLE the national average. Wyoming is at 16%. Iowa is at 38%. Missouri is at 46%. Kansas is at 69%.
We have lots of families and children living in stressful and difficult situations. You're darn right we're proud to add before/after school programming. You're darn right we're excited to have our free lunch program over the summer. You're darn right we love to be able to provide six weeks of academic programming each summer. You're darn right we're going to have school in January when it is "cold" even though some people bash us left and right....schools are often the warmest place for many of our students and the only place they're going to get two nutritional and hot meals in a day.
York has 45% of our K-12 students that are eligible for free/reduced meals. This number increases to over 55% when you look at just our elementary students. This number jumps to over 60% when you look at just our pre-schoolers.
Our young people are this country's most valuable resource and we need education systems that are willing and able to provide ALL of them with the support, resources, and hope they need. It's not what we want to do....it's what we NEED to do.
Friday, September 11, 2015
September 11th
September 11, 2001 is obviously on a lot of people's minds right now. I was at West Point Elementary School in West Point, Nebraska serving as elementary principal. I will never forget my good buddy, Scott Shepard at WPHS, calling me to tell me something horrible was going on that morning.
My first thought went to my step-mama as she was a flight attendant for TWA/American at the time. I wasn't sure what her flight schedule was and it took me about an hour to confirm she was OK and home in Florida watching the disaster unravel like so many of us were. I was very thankful and relieved to learn that she was safe.
I will always remember Charlene Recker, an awesome 2nd grade teacher, who had a son that worked at the Pentagon. She came to me in tears not knowing if he was OK and she was unable to reach him. I covered her class for a little over an hour while she tried to connect with family, etc. I then took her class to PE and went back to my office. A few minutes later, I answered the phone and it was Mrs. Recker's son. I believe his name was Jason. I burst across the hallway to tell Charlene to come to my office for a phone call (I was too dumb to figure out how to transfer the call to her room). The pure joy and relief on her face as she spoke with her son will always stick with me. It was a huge relief for all of us.
The rest of that day was a blur. I remember lines of cars 25 deep at Casey's trying to fill up with gas because nobody knew what the days ahead would bring. I remember Graybeal's Grocery Store having long lines too. But mostly, I just remember sadness. I had three children at the time with Taylor and Micah being 8 and 6 and Jeb just 15 months old.
That night it really hit me. Like almost everyone else, we were learning about the massive and senseless loss of lives from across the country. Sadness turned to anger. Anger turned to sadness. It was horrible. I remember taking Taylor and Micah to McDonald's to get them an ice cream cone and to try and explain in basic terms what had happened. On the way home, I was listening to the radio and I heard a recap of what First Lady Laura Bush had encouraged parents and educators to tell our children and that is that they are safe, we live in a great country, and we're going to be ok.
I wasn't sure how to address the issue with our 350 K-5th graders the next morning and I wasn't sure if I even should. Mary Thomas, another awesome 2nd grade teacher, convinced me that the kids (and staff) needed to hear something from me in the gym that morning where everyone gathered before the bell rang.
With a lump in my throat, I simply told WPES what First Lady Bush said. We are safe. We are lucky to be Americans. We will be ok. I went on to tell our students that it is ok to be sad. It is ok to be mad. It is ok to not be sure how you feel. We then talked about doing our part to make sure we worked hard and supported each other so we could be the best students and staff we could be and how powerful that would be if all Americans did that. I was very appreciative of Mrs. Bush's leadership. Her words helped me and many others.
I then went to my office, shut the door, and cried for an hour. The reality of the tragedy was setting in.
I will never forget how "patriotic" everyone seemed for the next few months. National Anthems at ball games became "events." Military fly overs and salutes to emergency responders and law enforcement personnel gave you the chills. Remember how awesome the Huskers "Tunnel Walk" was the following week with firemen and police men carrying the stars and stripes?
While I never ever want any of us to have to re-live 9-11-01, I do wish we could re-live every day the togetherness and closeness and pride we felt for the next few months. I wish we all felt as grateful to be Americans now as we did that fall. I wish we all didn't take for granted all the things we do now that we didn't for a few months.
The United States of America is far from perfect. We do a lot of things that don't always work out too well. However, I am always proud to be an American. I love this country and what it stands for not just today or tomorrow but every day. We are very fortunate to live in this country and to have the opportunities we have. I hope more people appreciate it.
I will NEVER be embarrassed to fly an American flag at my house. I will never apologize for supporting our military. I will never stop loving this country.
My first thought went to my step-mama as she was a flight attendant for TWA/American at the time. I wasn't sure what her flight schedule was and it took me about an hour to confirm she was OK and home in Florida watching the disaster unravel like so many of us were. I was very thankful and relieved to learn that she was safe.
I will always remember Charlene Recker, an awesome 2nd grade teacher, who had a son that worked at the Pentagon. She came to me in tears not knowing if he was OK and she was unable to reach him. I covered her class for a little over an hour while she tried to connect with family, etc. I then took her class to PE and went back to my office. A few minutes later, I answered the phone and it was Mrs. Recker's son. I believe his name was Jason. I burst across the hallway to tell Charlene to come to my office for a phone call (I was too dumb to figure out how to transfer the call to her room). The pure joy and relief on her face as she spoke with her son will always stick with me. It was a huge relief for all of us.
The rest of that day was a blur. I remember lines of cars 25 deep at Casey's trying to fill up with gas because nobody knew what the days ahead would bring. I remember Graybeal's Grocery Store having long lines too. But mostly, I just remember sadness. I had three children at the time with Taylor and Micah being 8 and 6 and Jeb just 15 months old.
That night it really hit me. Like almost everyone else, we were learning about the massive and senseless loss of lives from across the country. Sadness turned to anger. Anger turned to sadness. It was horrible. I remember taking Taylor and Micah to McDonald's to get them an ice cream cone and to try and explain in basic terms what had happened. On the way home, I was listening to the radio and I heard a recap of what First Lady Laura Bush had encouraged parents and educators to tell our children and that is that they are safe, we live in a great country, and we're going to be ok.
I wasn't sure how to address the issue with our 350 K-5th graders the next morning and I wasn't sure if I even should. Mary Thomas, another awesome 2nd grade teacher, convinced me that the kids (and staff) needed to hear something from me in the gym that morning where everyone gathered before the bell rang.
With a lump in my throat, I simply told WPES what First Lady Bush said. We are safe. We are lucky to be Americans. We will be ok. I went on to tell our students that it is ok to be sad. It is ok to be mad. It is ok to not be sure how you feel. We then talked about doing our part to make sure we worked hard and supported each other so we could be the best students and staff we could be and how powerful that would be if all Americans did that. I was very appreciative of Mrs. Bush's leadership. Her words helped me and many others.
I then went to my office, shut the door, and cried for an hour. The reality of the tragedy was setting in.
I will never forget how "patriotic" everyone seemed for the next few months. National Anthems at ball games became "events." Military fly overs and salutes to emergency responders and law enforcement personnel gave you the chills. Remember how awesome the Huskers "Tunnel Walk" was the following week with firemen and police men carrying the stars and stripes?
While I never ever want any of us to have to re-live 9-11-01, I do wish we could re-live every day the togetherness and closeness and pride we felt for the next few months. I wish we all felt as grateful to be Americans now as we did that fall. I wish we all didn't take for granted all the things we do now that we didn't for a few months.
The United States of America is far from perfect. We do a lot of things that don't always work out too well. However, I am always proud to be an American. I love this country and what it stands for not just today or tomorrow but every day. We are very fortunate to live in this country and to have the opportunities we have. I hope more people appreciate it.
I will NEVER be embarrassed to fly an American flag at my house. I will never apologize for supporting our military. I will never stop loving this country.
Friday, September 4, 2015
Day 17 and Counting....
It's hard to believe but we have been in school for 17 days already. District wide, we are definitely in a positive routine. Outstanding learning environments have been re-established. Important rules and procedures are back in place. Our schedules are back in familiar territory and it is time to get after it and make 2015-16 the best school year it can be.
It's an honor to be able to visit PreK-12th grade classrooms throughout our district to see all of the amazing things going on. To see passionate staff and enthusiastic students is the highlight of every day. Let's keep rolling YPS and continue to "find a way" to get better and better.
GO DUKES!
It's an honor to be able to visit PreK-12th grade classrooms throughout our district to see all of the amazing things going on. To see passionate staff and enthusiastic students is the highlight of every day. Let's keep rolling YPS and continue to "find a way" to get better and better.
GO DUKES!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
York Dukes CRUSH the ACT in 2015
The York Dukes have a long history of performing very well on the ACT. This year is no different!
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 2015 ACT score profile has been released and our numbers are well above the state and national averages!
-- York Dukes had an average ACT English score of 22.6 while the state avg. was 21.1
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Math score of 22.0 while the state avg. was 21.0
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Reading score of 22.7 while the state avg. was 21.9
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Science score of 22.4 while the state avg. was 21.6
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Composite score of 22.5 while the state avg. was 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.
1) Students who take more advanced courses substantially increase their ACT scores.
2) York students that took Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry scored an average of 23.5 on the ACT Math test.
3) York students that took Biology, Chemistry, and Physics scored an average of 26.5 on the ACT Science test.
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 2015 ACT score profile has been released and our numbers are well above the state and national averages!
-- York Dukes had an average ACT English score of 22.6 while the state avg. was 21.1
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Math score of 22.0 while the state avg. was 21.0
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Reading score of 22.7 while the state avg. was 21.9
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Science score of 22.4 while the state avg. was 21.6
-- York Dukes had an average ACT Composite score of 22.5 while the state avg. was 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.
1) Students who take more advanced courses substantially increase their ACT scores.
2) York students that took Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry scored an average of 23.5 on the ACT Math test.
3) York students that took Biology, Chemistry, and Physics scored an average of 26.5 on the ACT Science test.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
YPS Excels on State Assessments Again
York Public Schools is very proud to once again share some outstanding results of how our students did on Nebraska State Assessments (NeSA). We realize NeSA is is just a small snippet of what we do but we are excited with how well our district continues to do each year. We look forward to continuing to improve our curriculum and instruction initiatives. We will continue to work hard to provide our students with a top-notch educational experience with or without NeSA or any other accountability measure that comes our way. GO DUKES!
Please view our 2015 NeSA results by copying/pasting the link below into your browser of your choice.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kvtEs4C_sdKFGVqyERIMa-W7R5ey-9GCAF3JxOEaLYo/edit?usp=sharing
Please view our 2015 NeSA results by copying/pasting the link below into your browser of your choice.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kvtEs4C_sdKFGVqyERIMa-W7R5ey-9GCAF3JxOEaLYo/edit?usp=sharing
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
The Importance of School Activities
The first YHS "activity" of the school year will take place this Thursday evening, August 20, when the JV Softball Team takes on Aurora at home. It will be a double header, with game times at 6:00 and 7:30 P.M. These contests will launch a very busy and competitive fall activities schedule that will have many of us running around the state cheering on our favorite Dukes.
School activities, in my opinion, are extremely important for the culture of the school and the connection with the community. When I say "activities," I mean sports, fine arts, FFA, mock trial, FBLA, band, choir, cheerleaders, etc....ANY activity that requires a young person to interact and work with other young people in a "team" setting. Educational research shows that the students that are involved in the most activities typically do the best in the classroom as well.
Students learn so much when involved in school activities. They have to manage their time and stay organized. They have to deal with pressure and accountability. They have to interact with different personalities of teammates. They have to learn how to handle success and overcome failure. They have to learn that their behaviors and actions impact others.
We are fortunate that over 75% of our YHS students participate in at least one school activity. Many of our students participate in three or more. We hope to increase our student participation rate even higher. We truly see it as an important part of the educational experience.
We hope you get out and support YHS activities again this year. We've always been fortunate to have tremendous support at "home" and "away" activities. Our activity events bring thousands of visitors to town. They provide hundreds of hours of entertainment and excitement. They help mold our young people into great adults. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated and talented participants, sponsors, and coaches. GO DUKES!
School activities, in my opinion, are extremely important for the culture of the school and the connection with the community. When I say "activities," I mean sports, fine arts, FFA, mock trial, FBLA, band, choir, cheerleaders, etc....ANY activity that requires a young person to interact and work with other young people in a "team" setting. Educational research shows that the students that are involved in the most activities typically do the best in the classroom as well.
Students learn so much when involved in school activities. They have to manage their time and stay organized. They have to deal with pressure and accountability. They have to interact with different personalities of teammates. They have to learn how to handle success and overcome failure. They have to learn that their behaviors and actions impact others.
We are fortunate that over 75% of our YHS students participate in at least one school activity. Many of our students participate in three or more. We hope to increase our student participation rate even higher. We truly see it as an important part of the educational experience.
We hope you get out and support YHS activities again this year. We've always been fortunate to have tremendous support at "home" and "away" activities. Our activity events bring thousands of visitors to town. They provide hundreds of hours of entertainment and excitement. They help mold our young people into great adults. We are fortunate to have so many dedicated and talented participants, sponsors, and coaches. GO DUKES!
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
FINDING A WAY to get Better
The YPS Board of Education approved my professional goals for 2015-16. I'm simply trying to find a way to get better. This is going to be a very important school year for us as we have multiple initiatives that we need to implement in a seamless fashion. It's an honor to work for YPS, its students, staff, parents, patrons, and school board.
Here are my goals for the upcoming year:
Communication/Visibility/Public Relations
• Communicate on a consistent basis and at a high level with all employees through face-to-face interaction, e-mail, memos, meetings, and other effective methods
• Be a visible presence in all YPS facilities on a regular basis
o Conduct walk-throughs in each classroom on at least a quarterly basis
• Be visible and approachable at school activities
• Make our staff and community aware of all the good things going on at YPS through guest columns to the newspaper, the use of social media, the YPS website, email, phone calls, handwritten notes, and other pertinent methods of communication
• Continue “Community Coffee” meetings each quarter to reach out to our patrons and heighten communication between the school system and community
o Will have two “Community Luncheons” and two “Coffees” this year in hopes of showcasing LunchTime Solutions over the lunch hour
• Use Twitter (York Duke Power,) Facebook, and the school website to showcase YPS
o 1,509 followers on Twitter in August 2015 compared to 1,199 followers in July 2014
o 1,545 “likes” on Facebook in August 2015 compared to 1,163 “likes” in July 2014
• Interact with local business leaders on a regular basis through service club meetings, luncheons, invitations to school activities, and special occasions
• Continue to strengthen the YPS/City of York working relationship
• Continue to strengthen and broaden working relationships with staff members
• Continue to communicate with patrons and statewide officials about ongoing school finance concerns as they relate to an over-reliance on local property taxes
Instructional Leadership
• Help enhance our new teacher mentoring offerings
o Follow-up professional leave day on September 25th
• Work towards increased academic opportunities for all students
• Continue to work with First Five Nebraska, Buffett Foundation, and others to pursue expanded birth-to-five programming
• Help manage PreK-12th grade School Improvement Plan and Initiatives
o Continue to help expand professional development opportunities for all staff and make sure our professional development plans tie directly to our school improvement goals
• Help improve student achievement scores on local, state, and national assessments
o Percentage of students that met/exceeded proficiency on NeSA-Math tests have increased from 67% in 2011 to 77% in 2013 to 84% in 2015
o Percentage of students that met/exceeded proficiency on NeSA-Reading tests have increased from 69% in 2010 to 82% in 2013 to 87% in 2015
• Continue to help emphasize technology integration across the curriculum to enhance learning with actual lesson objectives as opposed to “just a new, neat app”
• Continue to work with state leaders about our local concerns on the amount of instructional time lost due to what we see as excessive assessment/ranking requirements
• Help ensure that our “instructional model” game plan is highly effective for our students and staff and helps improve our school district
• Help ensure our new work certification programming venture with NCTA, Reinke, and CVA is the game-changer we think it will be
Financial Leadership
• Make sure we end each fiscal year with more money received than spent
• Communicate effectively with board, staff, and community about our budget and how we’re doing throughout the year in regards to receipts and disbursements
• Make sure YPS pursues at least two $10,000+ grants each semester
• Grow Depreciation and Building Fund accounts
• Build up cash reserve so we can better handle state aid fluctuations
o Cash reserve had a negative balance of -$995,591 in 2009
o Cash reserve had improved to a positive balance of $491,041 in 2012
o Cash reserve will grow to over $900,000+ as we enter 2015-16
District-Wide Leadership
• For all employees, be a role model that exhibits honesty/integrity, a strong work ethic, high expectations for self and others, and enthusiasm
• Challenge, support and assist administrative team in their continued efforts to lead their buildings and departments forward
• Continue to solicit input from others as often as possible
• Work on comprehensive post-graduate survey to report how YPS students are doing after high school graduation
• Continue to help YPS broaden its “legislative footprint” through STANCE and active involvement at the State Capitol
Here are my goals for the upcoming year:
Communication/Visibility/Public Relations
• Communicate on a consistent basis and at a high level with all employees through face-to-face interaction, e-mail, memos, meetings, and other effective methods
• Be a visible presence in all YPS facilities on a regular basis
o Conduct walk-throughs in each classroom on at least a quarterly basis
• Be visible and approachable at school activities
• Make our staff and community aware of all the good things going on at YPS through guest columns to the newspaper, the use of social media, the YPS website, email, phone calls, handwritten notes, and other pertinent methods of communication
• Continue “Community Coffee” meetings each quarter to reach out to our patrons and heighten communication between the school system and community
o Will have two “Community Luncheons” and two “Coffees” this year in hopes of showcasing LunchTime Solutions over the lunch hour
• Use Twitter (York Duke Power,) Facebook, and the school website to showcase YPS
o 1,509 followers on Twitter in August 2015 compared to 1,199 followers in July 2014
o 1,545 “likes” on Facebook in August 2015 compared to 1,163 “likes” in July 2014
• Interact with local business leaders on a regular basis through service club meetings, luncheons, invitations to school activities, and special occasions
• Continue to strengthen the YPS/City of York working relationship
• Continue to strengthen and broaden working relationships with staff members
• Continue to communicate with patrons and statewide officials about ongoing school finance concerns as they relate to an over-reliance on local property taxes
Instructional Leadership
• Help enhance our new teacher mentoring offerings
o Follow-up professional leave day on September 25th
• Work towards increased academic opportunities for all students
• Continue to work with First Five Nebraska, Buffett Foundation, and others to pursue expanded birth-to-five programming
• Help manage PreK-12th grade School Improvement Plan and Initiatives
o Continue to help expand professional development opportunities for all staff and make sure our professional development plans tie directly to our school improvement goals
• Help improve student achievement scores on local, state, and national assessments
o Percentage of students that met/exceeded proficiency on NeSA-Math tests have increased from 67% in 2011 to 77% in 2013 to 84% in 2015
o Percentage of students that met/exceeded proficiency on NeSA-Reading tests have increased from 69% in 2010 to 82% in 2013 to 87% in 2015
• Continue to help emphasize technology integration across the curriculum to enhance learning with actual lesson objectives as opposed to “just a new, neat app”
• Continue to work with state leaders about our local concerns on the amount of instructional time lost due to what we see as excessive assessment/ranking requirements
• Help ensure that our “instructional model” game plan is highly effective for our students and staff and helps improve our school district
• Help ensure our new work certification programming venture with NCTA, Reinke, and CVA is the game-changer we think it will be
Financial Leadership
• Make sure we end each fiscal year with more money received than spent
• Communicate effectively with board, staff, and community about our budget and how we’re doing throughout the year in regards to receipts and disbursements
• Make sure YPS pursues at least two $10,000+ grants each semester
• Grow Depreciation and Building Fund accounts
• Build up cash reserve so we can better handle state aid fluctuations
o Cash reserve had a negative balance of -$995,591 in 2009
o Cash reserve had improved to a positive balance of $491,041 in 2012
o Cash reserve will grow to over $900,000+ as we enter 2015-16
District-Wide Leadership
• For all employees, be a role model that exhibits honesty/integrity, a strong work ethic, high expectations for self and others, and enthusiasm
• Challenge, support and assist administrative team in their continued efforts to lead their buildings and departments forward
• Continue to solicit input from others as often as possible
• Work on comprehensive post-graduate survey to report how YPS students are doing after high school graduation
• Continue to help YPS broaden its “legislative footprint” through STANCE and active involvement at the State Capitol
Sunday, August 2, 2015
August 13th - Back to School Celebration
BACK TO SCHOOL CELEBRATION and COMMUNITY PEP RALLY
Thursday, August 13th – 5:00 to 8:00 PM at East Hill Park
Please plan to join us in East Hill Park on Thursday, August 13th as we celebrate the beginning of another awesome school year for York Public Schools, St. Joseph’s, Emmanuel-Faith, and Epworth Village. Come enjoy the bounce houses and photo booth, sign up for various booster clubs, purchase an activity pass, buy some York Duke apparel, devour some delicious food, and enjoy a fun evening in East Hill Park!
5:00-6:50 will be our “Back to School Celebration”
o The Farmers’ Market vendors will be on site to sell their delicious goodies
o We will also have bounce houses and an awesome photo booth
o Local vendors that have indicated they will be on site include:
Kirby's School of Dance & Kirtsey Dancewear & Gifts
Urgent Care of York
Advocare
York Promotional Products
Kilgore Memorial Library
Simply Styled Salon & Boutique
Perfectly Posh lotions, soaps, and scrubs
York Printing
Epworth Village
York County Head Start & PLAY
York Public Schools Foundation
York TeamMates Mentoring Program
YHS Wrestling
York Chamber of Commerce
YHS Band, Fine Arts, and Athletics Booster Clubs
YHS Flag Squad
York Youth Soccer Association
Let’s Move York
York Medical Clinic - "Your York based Healthcare Providers"
York High School will be selling activity passes and York Duke clothing
7:00-8:00 PM will be the “Community Pep Rally” inside at the Levitt Football Stadium
o We will formally dedicate the Hub Foster Press Box and Locker Room addition and recognize students from YES, YMS, Head Start & PLAY, Epworth, St. Joseph’s, and Emmanuel-Faith.
o YHS fall sports and activity teams will also be recognized with the help of the YHS Band and Cheerleading squad.
Thursday, August 13th – 5:00 to 8:00 PM at East Hill Park
Please plan to join us in East Hill Park on Thursday, August 13th as we celebrate the beginning of another awesome school year for York Public Schools, St. Joseph’s, Emmanuel-Faith, and Epworth Village. Come enjoy the bounce houses and photo booth, sign up for various booster clubs, purchase an activity pass, buy some York Duke apparel, devour some delicious food, and enjoy a fun evening in East Hill Park!
5:00-6:50 will be our “Back to School Celebration”
o The Farmers’ Market vendors will be on site to sell their delicious goodies
o We will also have bounce houses and an awesome photo booth
o Local vendors that have indicated they will be on site include:
Kirby's School of Dance & Kirtsey Dancewear & Gifts
Urgent Care of York
Advocare
York Promotional Products
Kilgore Memorial Library
Simply Styled Salon & Boutique
Perfectly Posh lotions, soaps, and scrubs
York Printing
Epworth Village
York County Head Start & PLAY
York Public Schools Foundation
York TeamMates Mentoring Program
YHS Wrestling
York Chamber of Commerce
YHS Band, Fine Arts, and Athletics Booster Clubs
YHS Flag Squad
York Youth Soccer Association
Let’s Move York
York Medical Clinic - "Your York based Healthcare Providers"
York High School will be selling activity passes and York Duke clothing
7:00-8:00 PM will be the “Community Pep Rally” inside at the Levitt Football Stadium
o We will formally dedicate the Hub Foster Press Box and Locker Room addition and recognize students from YES, YMS, Head Start & PLAY, Epworth, St. Joseph’s, and Emmanuel-Faith.
o YHS fall sports and activity teams will also be recognized with the help of the YHS Band and Cheerleading squad.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
REAL Numbers about School Spending and Property Taxes
York Public Schools continues to work hard to prepare for an outstanding 2015-16 school year. This commentary is meant to provide our patrons with an update on what our new fiscal year will most likely look like. We have board meetings on August 10th and 24th at 7:00 PM where we will be discussing the budget and tax request for 2015-16. On Monday, September 14th, our school board will host budget and tax request hearings before formally considering and voting on the new budget and tax request. As always, patrons are invited and encouraged to attend.
Around the state there continues to be some false chatter about how public school districts overspend, overtax, and under-deliver. Over the past few months, various spokespersons, lobbyists, and organizations have intentionally singled out school districts as a major culprit for our state’s over-reliance on property taxes. I, for one, am tired of the rhetoric and the scare tactics. Public schools aren’t the problem. We have state mandated spending lids and levy lids that we have to operate within all the while being flexible enough to meet the needs of our ever-changing student demographics. We even get audited annually and are more than happy to deal with any level of accountability that comes our way.
A look at REAL numbers from 2014-15 and 2015-16 pertaining to school district tax requests, total revenue, and total spending
• State Aid for York Public Schools drops from $2,214,816 in 2014-15 to just $1,560,659 for 2015-16
o A decrease of $654,157
• Our general fund tax request is projected to increase from $10,049,495 in 2014-15 to $10,600,000 for 2015-16
o An increase of $550,506 that is a direct result of the $654,157 state aid loss
• Our TOTAL revenue looks to slightly increase from $15,500,000 in 2014-15 to $15,650,000 for 2015-16
o That’s right; the total increase in projected revenue for YPS is just $150,000 (.009%) for 2015-16 despite our property tax request increasing 5.5%.
• We are projecting to spend $15,300,000 during the 2014-15 fiscal year that ends on August 31st and $15,500,000 in 2015-16.
o This is a spending increase of just $200,000 (1.3%)
A look at REAL numbers over the past SEVEN YEARS from 2008-09 through 2015-16 Projections
• York Public School’s general fund property tax request will have grown from $7,067,000 to $10,600,000 over the past seven years for an increase of 50%.
o However, our TOTAL REVENUE will have only grown from $13,907,668 to $15,650,000; which is just 12.5% or an average annual growth of only 1.79%.
• We spent $13,813,663 in 2008-09 and are projected to spend $15,500,000 in 2015-16.
o This is just a 12.2% increase over seven years for an average annual growth of only 1.74%.
o Of this increased spending over the past seven years, $300,000 of it is for grant funded additions to early childhood programming and after-school offerings.
If we wouldn’t have added $300,000 worth of grant funded programming, our total spending would’ve only increased 10% over seven years.
We think our numbers in York speak for themselves. We don’t feel like any business that increases their spending by only 1.7% annually should be classified as an “over spender.” If we’re over-taxing it is only because we have no other sources of revenue to work with. Our current system of school funding doesn’t seem to work that well right now for Nebraska.
We don’t feel we are “under-delivering” either. Over the past seven years, we’ve seen close to a 10% increase in the number of students we serve, and the percentage of our children living in poverty has moved to 45%. Despite this, our school system has been able to increase academic offerings and improve student achievement. We are now offering a game-changing “work certification” program through the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture where our students can earn a diploma and work certification in irrigation technology, diversified agriculture, or chemical application thanks to unique partnerships with Reinke and Central Valley Ag. The percentage of our students that are proficient on state assessments has escalated each year. Our students have some of the best scores in Nebraska on local, state, and national assessments.
We’re very proud to serve the students and patrons of York. We’re always a ‘work in progress’ and looking to get better. Our district-wide theme for 2015-16 is “Find a Way” and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. We’re going to “find a way” to get better for our students and our patrons. We’re going to find a way to keep making a difference!
Go Dukes,
Mike Lucas
mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org
402-362-6655 ext. 4
Around the state there continues to be some false chatter about how public school districts overspend, overtax, and under-deliver. Over the past few months, various spokespersons, lobbyists, and organizations have intentionally singled out school districts as a major culprit for our state’s over-reliance on property taxes. I, for one, am tired of the rhetoric and the scare tactics. Public schools aren’t the problem. We have state mandated spending lids and levy lids that we have to operate within all the while being flexible enough to meet the needs of our ever-changing student demographics. We even get audited annually and are more than happy to deal with any level of accountability that comes our way.
A look at REAL numbers from 2014-15 and 2015-16 pertaining to school district tax requests, total revenue, and total spending
• State Aid for York Public Schools drops from $2,214,816 in 2014-15 to just $1,560,659 for 2015-16
o A decrease of $654,157
• Our general fund tax request is projected to increase from $10,049,495 in 2014-15 to $10,600,000 for 2015-16
o An increase of $550,506 that is a direct result of the $654,157 state aid loss
• Our TOTAL revenue looks to slightly increase from $15,500,000 in 2014-15 to $15,650,000 for 2015-16
o That’s right; the total increase in projected revenue for YPS is just $150,000 (.009%) for 2015-16 despite our property tax request increasing 5.5%.
• We are projecting to spend $15,300,000 during the 2014-15 fiscal year that ends on August 31st and $15,500,000 in 2015-16.
o This is a spending increase of just $200,000 (1.3%)
A look at REAL numbers over the past SEVEN YEARS from 2008-09 through 2015-16 Projections
• York Public School’s general fund property tax request will have grown from $7,067,000 to $10,600,000 over the past seven years for an increase of 50%.
o However, our TOTAL REVENUE will have only grown from $13,907,668 to $15,650,000; which is just 12.5% or an average annual growth of only 1.79%.
• We spent $13,813,663 in 2008-09 and are projected to spend $15,500,000 in 2015-16.
o This is just a 12.2% increase over seven years for an average annual growth of only 1.74%.
o Of this increased spending over the past seven years, $300,000 of it is for grant funded additions to early childhood programming and after-school offerings.
If we wouldn’t have added $300,000 worth of grant funded programming, our total spending would’ve only increased 10% over seven years.
We think our numbers in York speak for themselves. We don’t feel like any business that increases their spending by only 1.7% annually should be classified as an “over spender.” If we’re over-taxing it is only because we have no other sources of revenue to work with. Our current system of school funding doesn’t seem to work that well right now for Nebraska.
We don’t feel we are “under-delivering” either. Over the past seven years, we’ve seen close to a 10% increase in the number of students we serve, and the percentage of our children living in poverty has moved to 45%. Despite this, our school system has been able to increase academic offerings and improve student achievement. We are now offering a game-changing “work certification” program through the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture where our students can earn a diploma and work certification in irrigation technology, diversified agriculture, or chemical application thanks to unique partnerships with Reinke and Central Valley Ag. The percentage of our students that are proficient on state assessments has escalated each year. Our students have some of the best scores in Nebraska on local, state, and national assessments.
We’re very proud to serve the students and patrons of York. We’re always a ‘work in progress’ and looking to get better. Our district-wide theme for 2015-16 is “Find a Way” and that’s what we’re going to continue to do. We’re going to “find a way” to get better for our students and our patrons. We’re going to find a way to keep making a difference!
Go Dukes,
Mike Lucas
mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org
402-362-6655 ext. 4
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Meaningful Communication is Important
One of the main things a superintendent has to focus on is communication. Here in York, we try to be as open and accessible as possible. Below is a recent response to a "Wonder Line" question that came into the York News-Times. Anonymous formats like the Wonder Line are certainly not our favorite mode of communication.
Please feel free to contact me directly with any concerns you may have. We take a lot of pride in servant leadership in support of our students, staff, parents, and patrons.
Q: I am wondering why the marquee signs at the middle and high schools are still running messages when school is not in session. How much is it costing the taxpayer to have these signs running during summer vacation?
York Public Schools doesn't have a summer vacation. Our marquee signs run 12 months a year because we're busy 12 months a year. We have numerous things going on throughout the summer. We have six weeks of summer school programming, drivers' education, enrichment camps, athletic camps, free lunch programs, board meetings, special education programming, early childhood offerings, and art academies to name just a few.
We are not sure of the exact utility costs just for the marquee signs to run in June and July. Our bill isn't broken down to that detail. So far, this fiscal year, we've spent $246,835 on utilities throughout YPS. This compares favorably to the $267,118 spent through this portion of last year's fiscal calendar. We began an intensive energy efficiency initiative in June 2009 and we now use, on average, 14% less KWH each month than we used to. Our utility costs have gone down as a result.
All in all, we're extremely proud that our overall spending has averaged LESS than a 1.6% annual increase in the past six years as well.
I much prefer one-on-one or small group conversations with those that have concerns as opposed to an anonymous format like the Wonderline that allows this question to give the perception that YPS isn't fiscally responsible when our expenditure data shows that our cost-per-pupil spending is extremely efficient and in the lowest 15% in the state.
My cell number is 402-366-6491. My office number is 402-362-6655 ext. 4. My email is mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org. My home address is 1622 North Delaware Avenue. I'd love to visit with you any time.
Go Dukes,
Mike Lucas
Please feel free to contact me directly with any concerns you may have. We take a lot of pride in servant leadership in support of our students, staff, parents, and patrons.
Q: I am wondering why the marquee signs at the middle and high schools are still running messages when school is not in session. How much is it costing the taxpayer to have these signs running during summer vacation?
York Public Schools doesn't have a summer vacation. Our marquee signs run 12 months a year because we're busy 12 months a year. We have numerous things going on throughout the summer. We have six weeks of summer school programming, drivers' education, enrichment camps, athletic camps, free lunch programs, board meetings, special education programming, early childhood offerings, and art academies to name just a few.
We are not sure of the exact utility costs just for the marquee signs to run in June and July. Our bill isn't broken down to that detail. So far, this fiscal year, we've spent $246,835 on utilities throughout YPS. This compares favorably to the $267,118 spent through this portion of last year's fiscal calendar. We began an intensive energy efficiency initiative in June 2009 and we now use, on average, 14% less KWH each month than we used to. Our utility costs have gone down as a result.
All in all, we're extremely proud that our overall spending has averaged LESS than a 1.6% annual increase in the past six years as well.
I much prefer one-on-one or small group conversations with those that have concerns as opposed to an anonymous format like the Wonderline that allows this question to give the perception that YPS isn't fiscally responsible when our expenditure data shows that our cost-per-pupil spending is extremely efficient and in the lowest 15% in the state.
My cell number is 402-366-6491. My office number is 402-362-6655 ext. 4. My email is mike.lucas@yorkdukes.org. My home address is 1622 North Delaware Avenue. I'd love to visit with you any time.
Go Dukes,
Mike Lucas
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
July, July, July
July is an interesting month. We put a lot of time and energy (as we should) into numerous 4th of July celebrations. Many people then turn their attention to August and the back to school craze. However, I've always found the "dog days" of July as a great time to put your head down and get a lot of work done.
Over the next three weeks, most of the YPS 2015-16 budget will be constructed. This will include the tax request levy and use of local, state, and federal dollars. We will provide the school board with a preliminary look at the 15-16 budget at our next meeting on July 13th. The budget will look very familiar as it is similar to years past. We will once again need to operate with a maxed out levy of $1.05. We are projecting to spend $15,500,000 and receive around $15,700,000. This could change in mid-August when our valuation increase gets certified.
Yes, August 13th will be here before we know it. However, there is still lots to do and thankfully the dog days of July will allow us to get ready for a sensational 2015-16 school year.
Go Dukes!
Over the next three weeks, most of the YPS 2015-16 budget will be constructed. This will include the tax request levy and use of local, state, and federal dollars. We will provide the school board with a preliminary look at the 15-16 budget at our next meeting on July 13th. The budget will look very familiar as it is similar to years past. We will once again need to operate with a maxed out levy of $1.05. We are projecting to spend $15,500,000 and receive around $15,700,000. This could change in mid-August when our valuation increase gets certified.
Yes, August 13th will be here before we know it. However, there is still lots to do and thankfully the dog days of July will allow us to get ready for a sensational 2015-16 school year.
Go Dukes!
Monday, June 29, 2015
Happy Birthday, America!
July 4th is something I look forward to each summer. I enjoy grilling out with the family and playing in the yard. We shoot off more than our share of fireworks too! There are lots of things to celebrate as an American. We have freedom and support and services that many other countries can only dream about. We have a proud tradition and hopefully an even brighter future.
As I spend this weekend in Omaha, I will pause to reflect on how thankful I am to be an American and that so many brave men and women have fought, and continue to fight, for our freedom. Our country isn't perfect but it's still amazing in many ways.
Have a wonderful and SAFE 4th of July week and weekend.
As I spend this weekend in Omaha, I will pause to reflect on how thankful I am to be an American and that so many brave men and women have fought, and continue to fight, for our freedom. Our country isn't perfect but it's still amazing in many ways.
Have a wonderful and SAFE 4th of July week and weekend.
Monday, June 22, 2015
Just Thankful....Nothing More....
I enjoy blogging three to four times a month but sometimes struggle with content ideas. It is especially difficult in June and July to come up with things I want to share. So today, my message is simple. I'm THANKFUL for what I have. My family means the world to me and I'm thankful that my wife and children are my best friends. I'm thankful for their health and happiness and pray for continued opportunities for them. I'm thankful for my parents and siblings and extended family members as well.
I'm thankful for the students, staff, parents, and board of education of YPS. This is a special place and it is extremely gratifying to be a part of the York Duke Family. I'm thankful to live in a great place like York. We're safe. We have outstanding services and recreation opportunities. We have great businesses. We have an awesome location.
I'm thankful to be an American. Yes, our country has some problems but there's no better place in the universe than the United States of America. I'm thankful for our freedom and the brave men and women that have, and continue, to protect it.
Yes, some days stink. Yes, some people get on your nerves. Yes, this job provides a lot of stress. Yes, I get tired of "drama" and "rumors." However, when you look at the big picture, there's a lot more to be thankful about than upset about.
I choose to be thankful.
Go Dukes!
I'm thankful for the students, staff, parents, and board of education of YPS. This is a special place and it is extremely gratifying to be a part of the York Duke Family. I'm thankful to live in a great place like York. We're safe. We have outstanding services and recreation opportunities. We have great businesses. We have an awesome location.
I'm thankful to be an American. Yes, our country has some problems but there's no better place in the universe than the United States of America. I'm thankful for our freedom and the brave men and women that have, and continue, to protect it.
Yes, some days stink. Yes, some people get on your nerves. Yes, this job provides a lot of stress. Yes, I get tired of "drama" and "rumors." However, when you look at the big picture, there's a lot more to be thankful about than upset about.
I choose to be thankful.
Go Dukes!
Thursday, June 11, 2015
The Importance of Support Staff
YPS is fortunate to have an outstanding teaching faculty. We employ highly dedicated and skilled teachers across the PreK-12 curriculum. An important group of school district employees that often get overlooked are our "support staff." These secretaries, drivers, cooks, paras, custodians, nurses, and "other" are critical to the success of your organization.
Our custodians create and maintain a safe and clean learning environment. Our secretaries help set the tone in each building with their efficiency, friendliness, and organizational skills. Drivers are the first and last YPS face our students see every day and they often drive very cautiously and skillfully through tough weather conditions. Our cooks often prepare the best and most nutritious meals that many of our students will have on a daily basis. Our paras are on the front lines with our students helping them improve their academic performance. They often work with high needs children and excel in what they do. Our nurses become more and more important each year with records, wellness checks, and day-to-day work with students that have special needs.
Here's a BIG TIME salute to our support staff!
Our custodians create and maintain a safe and clean learning environment. Our secretaries help set the tone in each building with their efficiency, friendliness, and organizational skills. Drivers are the first and last YPS face our students see every day and they often drive very cautiously and skillfully through tough weather conditions. Our cooks often prepare the best and most nutritious meals that many of our students will have on a daily basis. Our paras are on the front lines with our students helping them improve their academic performance. They often work with high needs children and excel in what they do. Our nurses become more and more important each year with records, wellness checks, and day-to-day work with students that have special needs.
Here's a BIG TIME salute to our support staff!
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Career Academies for the York Dukes
York Public Schools is thrilled to be a statewide leader in school-to-career preparation. We are excited about the numerous opportunities and partnerships we have that provide our high school students with a wide array of excellent experiences. We have more to come too! Stay tuned!
CAREER ACADEMIES
The Southeast Nebraska SENCAP Partnerships are between Southeast Community College, ESU 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, area school districts, health care providers, and business and industry in 15 counties in southeast Nebraska. SENCAP provides opportunities for all high school juniors and seniors to be college- and career-ready for 21st century high-wage, high-skill, and high-growth occupational areas.
For the 2015-2016 school year, York High School is proud to offer the following:
AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT … Introduction to management principles in agribusiness. Management simulation and computer systems illustrate the decision-making process.
CROP AND FOOD SCIENCE … Principles and practices of production of the major agronomic crops of the high plains.
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS … An introductory study and overview of the role of business in society as well as a discussion of the various disciplines of business, including an overview of business organization, management, marketing, human resource management, and finance. Also a study and discussion of various strategies for success of specific public and private firms as well as small businesses. Business vocabulary used to understand and interpret business news and information.
PRINCIPLES IN MARKETING … A study of the development of an effective marketing program, including consumer behavior, product, pricing, distribution, and promotional strategies.
PRESCHOOL CHILD DEVELOPMENT …This course focuses on typical/atypical development of the child ages 3 through 5 years, in the domains of physical growth and motor skills, cognition and language, and social/emotional development.
WEB PAGE FUNDAMENTALS … Overview of basic Web page design. Create and edit Web pages including text, images, Hyperlinks, tables, forms, cascading style sheets.
CONCEPTS IN HEALTH SCIENCES … Experience health careers at a personal level. Explore the essential skills necessary for success in a health career. Includes a review of the science courses needed, the healthcare industry, diseases and disorders, healthcare technology, health rules and regulations, and employability.
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY … An in-depth study of word parts, medical terms, and abbreviations relating to all body systems. Includes anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, diagnostic procedures, therapeutic procedures, and surgical procedures.
NURSING ASSISTANT …This course teaches basic nursing skills such as bathing, feeding, ambulation, transferring, and toileting. It is approved by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure. Successful completion of this course allows the student to be placed on the Nebraska Nursing Assistant Registry. Nursing assistants may work in long-term care facilities, hospitals, home health care, hospice or mental health facilities.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS … Personal development and adjustment, self-esteem building, values clarification and decision-making, interpersonal communication skill, appreciation of diversity, development of healthy personal and professional relationships.
SMAW WELDING THEORY & LAB … Study of Shielded Metal Arc Welding theory, safety, applications, procedures, and welding practices. Study and selection of power sources and electrodes. Beginning welding of carbon steel with the Shielded Metal Arc Welding process on various joint configurations and with various electrodes.
OXY WELDING THEORY & CUTTING … Study of the theory, safety, equipment and applications of the Oxyacetylene Welding process. Laboratory exercises with the Oxyacetylene Welding, Braze Welding, Oxyacetylene Cutting and related processes.
INDIVIDUAL, ON-LINE CLASSES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH SCC:
INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION … An overview of education in the U.S. viewed in terms of history, philosophy, finance, and governance. Encourages critical thought regarding the role of education in our multicultural society, the role of the teacher, and the educational practices in schools. The course is designed to help students explore education as a prospective career.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY … This course is an introduction to a variety of technologies and strategies for use in the instructional process to accommodate all learners. The focus will also be on the social, ethical, legal and human issues surrounding the use of technology.
BASIC NUTRITION … The study of nutrients, digestion, absorption, metabolism, fitness, consumer concerns, food safety, nutrition throughout the life cycle, including cultural influences on food selection. The relation of nutrition to disease is explored.
LIFE-SPAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT … Integration of the basic concepts and principles of physical, cognitive and psychosocial development at each major stage of life. Provides an essential background for students in psychology, nursing, education, social welfare, and home economics; for workers in community service; and for parents and prospective parents.
INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION … Introduction to the history of electric and fluid power in the U.S., including deregulation. Private and public utilities are discussed. Methods of commercial power generation, including fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewable energy generation are covered. This also includes an overview of electrical transmission and distribution systems. System reliability and governance are covered.
TRULY UNIQUE:
AP – Environmental Science … York High School and Seward High School partnered up again to offer a progressive, Advanced Placement Environmental Science course that launched in January 2015. This course focuses on higher order thinking skills, current events, and scientific issues that face us in the 21st century.
We have a tremendous partnership with Express Truck Center that provides job shadow and scholarship opportunities for our students. We've had several students go through and truly learn to love the truck care business!
York High School also partners with Centennial High School and Seward High School to offer an AGRONOMY ACADEMY. This academy meets off-site at Monsanto along Highway 34. This academy is paid for by Pioneer/DuPont, Syngenta, Mycogen/Dow, and Monsanto to show how business/industry and high schools can work together! Students get hands-on exposure to agronomy careers and concepts in a unique fashion.
CAREER ACADEMIES
The Southeast Nebraska SENCAP Partnerships are between Southeast Community College, ESU 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, area school districts, health care providers, and business and industry in 15 counties in southeast Nebraska. SENCAP provides opportunities for all high school juniors and seniors to be college- and career-ready for 21st century high-wage, high-skill, and high-growth occupational areas.
For the 2015-2016 school year, York High School is proud to offer the following:
AGRIBUSINESS MANAGEMENT … Introduction to management principles in agribusiness. Management simulation and computer systems illustrate the decision-making process.
CROP AND FOOD SCIENCE … Principles and practices of production of the major agronomic crops of the high plains.
INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS … An introductory study and overview of the role of business in society as well as a discussion of the various disciplines of business, including an overview of business organization, management, marketing, human resource management, and finance. Also a study and discussion of various strategies for success of specific public and private firms as well as small businesses. Business vocabulary used to understand and interpret business news and information.
PRINCIPLES IN MARKETING … A study of the development of an effective marketing program, including consumer behavior, product, pricing, distribution, and promotional strategies.
PRESCHOOL CHILD DEVELOPMENT …This course focuses on typical/atypical development of the child ages 3 through 5 years, in the domains of physical growth and motor skills, cognition and language, and social/emotional development.
WEB PAGE FUNDAMENTALS … Overview of basic Web page design. Create and edit Web pages including text, images, Hyperlinks, tables, forms, cascading style sheets.
CONCEPTS IN HEALTH SCIENCES … Experience health careers at a personal level. Explore the essential skills necessary for success in a health career. Includes a review of the science courses needed, the healthcare industry, diseases and disorders, healthcare technology, health rules and regulations, and employability.
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY … An in-depth study of word parts, medical terms, and abbreviations relating to all body systems. Includes anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology, diagnostic procedures, therapeutic procedures, and surgical procedures.
NURSING ASSISTANT …This course teaches basic nursing skills such as bathing, feeding, ambulation, transferring, and toileting. It is approved by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Regulation and Licensure. Successful completion of this course allows the student to be placed on the Nebraska Nursing Assistant Registry. Nursing assistants may work in long-term care facilities, hospitals, home health care, hospice or mental health facilities.
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS … Personal development and adjustment, self-esteem building, values clarification and decision-making, interpersonal communication skill, appreciation of diversity, development of healthy personal and professional relationships.
SMAW WELDING THEORY & LAB … Study of Shielded Metal Arc Welding theory, safety, applications, procedures, and welding practices. Study and selection of power sources and electrodes. Beginning welding of carbon steel with the Shielded Metal Arc Welding process on various joint configurations and with various electrodes.
OXY WELDING THEORY & CUTTING … Study of the theory, safety, equipment and applications of the Oxyacetylene Welding process. Laboratory exercises with the Oxyacetylene Welding, Braze Welding, Oxyacetylene Cutting and related processes.
INDIVIDUAL, ON-LINE CLASSES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH SCC:
INTRODUCTION TO PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION … An overview of education in the U.S. viewed in terms of history, philosophy, finance, and governance. Encourages critical thought regarding the role of education in our multicultural society, the role of the teacher, and the educational practices in schools. The course is designed to help students explore education as a prospective career.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY … This course is an introduction to a variety of technologies and strategies for use in the instructional process to accommodate all learners. The focus will also be on the social, ethical, legal and human issues surrounding the use of technology.
BASIC NUTRITION … The study of nutrients, digestion, absorption, metabolism, fitness, consumer concerns, food safety, nutrition throughout the life cycle, including cultural influences on food selection. The relation of nutrition to disease is explored.
LIFE-SPAN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT … Integration of the basic concepts and principles of physical, cognitive and psychosocial development at each major stage of life. Provides an essential background for students in psychology, nursing, education, social welfare, and home economics; for workers in community service; and for parents and prospective parents.
INTRODUCTION TO ENERGY GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION … Introduction to the history of electric and fluid power in the U.S., including deregulation. Private and public utilities are discussed. Methods of commercial power generation, including fossil fuels, nuclear power and renewable energy generation are covered. This also includes an overview of electrical transmission and distribution systems. System reliability and governance are covered.
TRULY UNIQUE:
AP – Environmental Science … York High School and Seward High School partnered up again to offer a progressive, Advanced Placement Environmental Science course that launched in January 2015. This course focuses on higher order thinking skills, current events, and scientific issues that face us in the 21st century.
We have a tremendous partnership with Express Truck Center that provides job shadow and scholarship opportunities for our students. We've had several students go through and truly learn to love the truck care business!
York High School also partners with Centennial High School and Seward High School to offer an AGRONOMY ACADEMY. This academy meets off-site at Monsanto along Highway 34. This academy is paid for by Pioneer/DuPont, Syngenta, Mycogen/Dow, and Monsanto to show how business/industry and high schools can work together! Students get hands-on exposure to agronomy careers and concepts in a unique fashion.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Busy Summer Ahead for YPS
School has only been out a week and we are battening down the hatches for a busy summer around YPS.
* The FREE Lunch Program begins on June 1st and ends on July 10th. It will run from Noon - 1:00 Monday through Friday at York Elementary School. Everyone between the ages of 1-18 can eat free. These will be delicious lunches with a main entree, fruits, vegetables, dessert, and milk. Adults can eat for $3.50. This is a federally funded program that we've had in place for four years now.
* Minor facility projects will take place at YES, YMS, and YHS this summer. New carpet will be installed at the elementary and some concrete repairs will be made, as well as some cabinetry work in the media center. The gym floor at YMS will be re-sanded, re-painted, and re-sealed. The high school will have some window replacements done, some music room improvements, new carpet in the theater, new doors in the theater commons, as well as some locker room enhancements.
* We have BOOST and ALL-STARS academic programming that run from June 1st through July 10th at YES and YMS and we expect over 90 students daily in this grant funded program. They will take some field trips and have lots of hands-on experiences this summer!
* We have 12 students that will be attending "Bright Lights" programming in Lincoln throughout June and July.
* We have 15 students that will be in our first ever "Entrepreneurship Academy" in mid-July.
* Drivers' Education is taking place throughout the summer at YHS.
* The month of June will serve as credit recovery time for summer school at the Enrichment Center.
* As always, there will be plenty of athletic camps, leagues, etc. as well.
It's going to be a busy and prosperous summer! GO DUKES!
* The FREE Lunch Program begins on June 1st and ends on July 10th. It will run from Noon - 1:00 Monday through Friday at York Elementary School. Everyone between the ages of 1-18 can eat free. These will be delicious lunches with a main entree, fruits, vegetables, dessert, and milk. Adults can eat for $3.50. This is a federally funded program that we've had in place for four years now.
* Minor facility projects will take place at YES, YMS, and YHS this summer. New carpet will be installed at the elementary and some concrete repairs will be made, as well as some cabinetry work in the media center. The gym floor at YMS will be re-sanded, re-painted, and re-sealed. The high school will have some window replacements done, some music room improvements, new carpet in the theater, new doors in the theater commons, as well as some locker room enhancements.
* We have BOOST and ALL-STARS academic programming that run from June 1st through July 10th at YES and YMS and we expect over 90 students daily in this grant funded program. They will take some field trips and have lots of hands-on experiences this summer!
* We have 12 students that will be attending "Bright Lights" programming in Lincoln throughout June and July.
* We have 15 students that will be in our first ever "Entrepreneurship Academy" in mid-July.
* Drivers' Education is taking place throughout the summer at YHS.
* The month of June will serve as credit recovery time for summer school at the Enrichment Center.
* As always, there will be plenty of athletic camps, leagues, etc. as well.
It's going to be a busy and prosperous summer! GO DUKES!
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Another Year is Done
The 2014-15 school year is officially done today. This past school year has been full of ups and downs, smiles and tears, and tragedies and triumphs. I will remember fondly the Class of 2015 and all of the great things they achieved. I'm excited for the Class of 2016 and beyond as well. Our school system has tremendous kids, dedicated and talented staff, and supportive parents and community.
One of the best things about working in education is the fact you get to compartmentalize when you want to. Each quarter can be a brand new beginning for you if you want. Each semester is an opportunity to re-invent yourself. Obviously, each school year is another chance to start over. I always find myself limping to 'the finish line' each May. It is a grind that wears you out physically, mentally, and emotionally.
My compartmentalization begins each June 1st. That's the day that the "new year" begins in my mind. I will spend some time reflecting on the past year but most of my efforts will turn to the upcoming school year. This June will be no different. August will be here before we know it so it is time to re-charge the personal batteries, make some strategic improvements, and prepare for a phenomenal 2015-16.
GO DUKES!
One of the best things about working in education is the fact you get to compartmentalize when you want to. Each quarter can be a brand new beginning for you if you want. Each semester is an opportunity to re-invent yourself. Obviously, each school year is another chance to start over. I always find myself limping to 'the finish line' each May. It is a grind that wears you out physically, mentally, and emotionally.
My compartmentalization begins each June 1st. That's the day that the "new year" begins in my mind. I will spend some time reflecting on the past year but most of my efforts will turn to the upcoming school year. This June will be no different. August will be here before we know it so it is time to re-charge the personal batteries, make some strategic improvements, and prepare for a phenomenal 2015-16.
GO DUKES!
Thursday, May 14, 2015
The GOLDEN APPLE is a Great Tradition at YPS
The "Golden Apple" is given each August to a special teacher. In order to receive the "Golden Apple," a teacher has to be nominated by their colleagues. A selection committee of the past five winners then gets together to select the newest recipient. We will award the next Golden Apple on August 10th. Thanks to the York News-Times for furnishing this award and making it a special moment each year.
Check out recent winners down below.
Past Winners
2014 Ross Wolstenholm
2013 Gene Fischer
2012 Judy Hannon
2011 Dave Ciccone
2010 Diane Dey
2009 Tom Budler
2008 Curtis Forsch, YMS / YHS
2007 Barb Shelden, YES
2006 Audrey Samuelson, YES
2005 Nancy Bellows, YES
2004 Chris Holder, YHS
2003 Greg Adams, YHS
2002 Ruth Koch, YMS
2001 Lori Hamling, YES
2000 Sheila Hubbard, YES
1999 Kathy Ohlsen, YMS
1998 Joe Berry, YHS
1997 Mike Lucas, YHS
1996 Lori Beebe, YMS
1995 Marilyn Kienker, YMS
1994 Darcy McBride, YHS
1993 Susan Cox, YMS
1992 Jane Hough, Lincoln
1991 Dale Kahla, YHS
1990 Jan Hedrick, YMS
1989 Marge Edwards, Willard
1988 Toni Hess, Willard/Edison
1987 Don Keelan-White, YHS
1986 Gene Robb, YMS
1985 Merrilee Roemmich, Lincoln
1984 Ralph Brumbaugh, YHS
1983 Verna Wolfe, Willard
Check out recent winners down below.
Past Winners
2014 Ross Wolstenholm
2013 Gene Fischer
2012 Judy Hannon
2011 Dave Ciccone
2010 Diane Dey
2009 Tom Budler
2008 Curtis Forsch, YMS / YHS
2007 Barb Shelden, YES
2006 Audrey Samuelson, YES
2005 Nancy Bellows, YES
2004 Chris Holder, YHS
2003 Greg Adams, YHS
2002 Ruth Koch, YMS
2001 Lori Hamling, YES
2000 Sheila Hubbard, YES
1999 Kathy Ohlsen, YMS
1998 Joe Berry, YHS
1997 Mike Lucas, YHS
1996 Lori Beebe, YMS
1995 Marilyn Kienker, YMS
1994 Darcy McBride, YHS
1993 Susan Cox, YMS
1992 Jane Hough, Lincoln
1991 Dale Kahla, YHS
1990 Jan Hedrick, YMS
1989 Marge Edwards, Willard
1988 Toni Hess, Willard/Edison
1987 Don Keelan-White, YHS
1986 Gene Robb, YMS
1985 Merrilee Roemmich, Lincoln
1984 Ralph Brumbaugh, YHS
1983 Verna Wolfe, Willard
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Ball Field Complex Update
Ball Field Complex Update – May 2015
This is meant to update our patrons on the progress being made towards a ballpark complex coming to York. A timeline, budget, and closing thoughts are included for your review.
TIMELINE
• Summer 2014
o The City of York conducted a “community survey” that showed nearly 80% of our citizens were in favor of an increase in sales tax for infrastructure and recreation improvements
• August 2014
o The City of York and York Public Schools joined together under an inter-local agreement to work on securing a quiet zone and ball field complex for the citizens of York
• September-October 2014
o An informational blitz took place as “Improve York” committee members worked to inform patrons about the proposed ½% sales tax and how its revenue could be used to improve our infrastructure and recreational opportunities
Patrons were told the projected revenue for this extra ½% sales tax would equal over $1 million annually and that the ball field and quiet zone projects would be bonded out for 20-25 years so that the City and School District could use the additional revenue to do many other smaller projects over the next two decades (it has since been decided the bond will last 20 years instead of 25 years)
Patrons were informed of the financial impact this ½% sales tax would have on them
• If a $100 purchase is made, the ½% sales tax will cost an added 50 CENTS
• If a $500 purchase is made, the ½% sales tax increase will cost $2.50
• If a $1,000 purchase is made, the ½% sales tax increase will cost $5.00
Patrons were also informed that NOT ALL purchases are subject to the extra ½%
• Types of Items that are charged Sales Tax: personal property purchases, prepared food, retail purchases, etc.
• Types of Items that ARE NOT charged Sales Tax: groceries, agricultural/farm purchases, prescription medicine, medical treatment, etc.
Public Forums were held on September 24, October 6, and October 23 with a total of about 30 guests in attendance
Committee members also published information in the York News-Times, presented at service club meetings, and put out fact sheets around town for patrons to see
• November 4, 2014
o The extra ½% sales tax was successful in the election
• December 8, 2014
o Another public forum was held to discuss ideas, needs, and wants for the ball field complex. Most of the 36 folks in attendance pushed for a complex that had 6-8 ball fields
• January – April 2015
o Lots of pre-planning, pre-design, and cost estimating took place
o Outside studies were conducted that showed an 8-field complex was the best thing to do as it met current and future needs
o Potential locations were considered and the city-owned land south of the Aquatic Center was decided upon
o April 1st – the extra ½% sales tax went into effect on some purchases
o An “Open House” was held on April 23rd at the Holthus Convention Center to show off the plan design, hear concerns from patrons, etc. The vast majority of comments made were extremely supportive of this project.
o The inter-local committee made up of four city council members and two school board members worked hard to ensure that all of the promises made during the fall prior to the election would be kept as we move forward
THE BUDGET
As with most projects, the cost has crept up higher than was anticipated. Important items like erosion control and electrical were much more expensive than first thought. Below is a break-down of the estimated costs for the complex. Final budgeted numbers will be available before construction begins in June. April 2016 is when the facility is scheduled to be completed.
• Grading and Erosion Control $791,100
• Storm Sewer $189,850
• Driveways/Parking $789,166
• Concrete Walkways/Pads $258,815
• Site Utilities (waste/waste water) $465,482
• Site Electrical $1,386,000
• 8-Fields for baseball/softball $1,490,506
• Amenities $1,566,919
• Contingency $350,000
• Bonds/Issuance/General Conditions $358,492
• TOTAL ESTIMATED COST $7,646,331
CLOSING THOUGHTS
We’ve heard from many, many folks that are very excited about this project. We’ve also heard a few rumblings from some that think the cost is too high. We understand and appreciate all points of view. We’ve tried to be very transparent throughout this entire process and will continue to do so. The extra ½% sales tax revenue of over $1 million per year will also go towards funding a position to keep this new ball field complex in great shape, oversee scheduling, etc. When all is said and done and this bond expires in 20 years, York will have generated over $23 million for recreation and infrastructure with the vast majority of the funds going to numerous other projects yet to be determined.
Some are concerned that this ball field money could have been used for “this” or “that.” However, it is important to remember that the ball field complex and quiet zone were on the ballot this past November. Those were the two large ticket items that have been brought up by patrons for years. It was these two projects that were approved by the voters. It is these two projects that will be the first completed as promised to the patrons.
We feel the economic impact of this complex will be wonderful for our community. This complex will provide outstanding recreational opportunities for our children. We appreciate the support of our patrons. As always, feel free to contact us with questions, comments, or concerns.
This is meant to update our patrons on the progress being made towards a ballpark complex coming to York. A timeline, budget, and closing thoughts are included for your review.
TIMELINE
• Summer 2014
o The City of York conducted a “community survey” that showed nearly 80% of our citizens were in favor of an increase in sales tax for infrastructure and recreation improvements
• August 2014
o The City of York and York Public Schools joined together under an inter-local agreement to work on securing a quiet zone and ball field complex for the citizens of York
• September-October 2014
o An informational blitz took place as “Improve York” committee members worked to inform patrons about the proposed ½% sales tax and how its revenue could be used to improve our infrastructure and recreational opportunities
Patrons were told the projected revenue for this extra ½% sales tax would equal over $1 million annually and that the ball field and quiet zone projects would be bonded out for 20-25 years so that the City and School District could use the additional revenue to do many other smaller projects over the next two decades (it has since been decided the bond will last 20 years instead of 25 years)
Patrons were informed of the financial impact this ½% sales tax would have on them
• If a $100 purchase is made, the ½% sales tax will cost an added 50 CENTS
• If a $500 purchase is made, the ½% sales tax increase will cost $2.50
• If a $1,000 purchase is made, the ½% sales tax increase will cost $5.00
Patrons were also informed that NOT ALL purchases are subject to the extra ½%
• Types of Items that are charged Sales Tax: personal property purchases, prepared food, retail purchases, etc.
• Types of Items that ARE NOT charged Sales Tax: groceries, agricultural/farm purchases, prescription medicine, medical treatment, etc.
Public Forums were held on September 24, October 6, and October 23 with a total of about 30 guests in attendance
Committee members also published information in the York News-Times, presented at service club meetings, and put out fact sheets around town for patrons to see
• November 4, 2014
o The extra ½% sales tax was successful in the election
• December 8, 2014
o Another public forum was held to discuss ideas, needs, and wants for the ball field complex. Most of the 36 folks in attendance pushed for a complex that had 6-8 ball fields
• January – April 2015
o Lots of pre-planning, pre-design, and cost estimating took place
o Outside studies were conducted that showed an 8-field complex was the best thing to do as it met current and future needs
o Potential locations were considered and the city-owned land south of the Aquatic Center was decided upon
o April 1st – the extra ½% sales tax went into effect on some purchases
o An “Open House” was held on April 23rd at the Holthus Convention Center to show off the plan design, hear concerns from patrons, etc. The vast majority of comments made were extremely supportive of this project.
o The inter-local committee made up of four city council members and two school board members worked hard to ensure that all of the promises made during the fall prior to the election would be kept as we move forward
THE BUDGET
As with most projects, the cost has crept up higher than was anticipated. Important items like erosion control and electrical were much more expensive than first thought. Below is a break-down of the estimated costs for the complex. Final budgeted numbers will be available before construction begins in June. April 2016 is when the facility is scheduled to be completed.
• Grading and Erosion Control $791,100
• Storm Sewer $189,850
• Driveways/Parking $789,166
• Concrete Walkways/Pads $258,815
• Site Utilities (waste/waste water) $465,482
• Site Electrical $1,386,000
• 8-Fields for baseball/softball $1,490,506
• Amenities $1,566,919
• Contingency $350,000
• Bonds/Issuance/General Conditions $358,492
• TOTAL ESTIMATED COST $7,646,331
CLOSING THOUGHTS
We’ve heard from many, many folks that are very excited about this project. We’ve also heard a few rumblings from some that think the cost is too high. We understand and appreciate all points of view. We’ve tried to be very transparent throughout this entire process and will continue to do so. The extra ½% sales tax revenue of over $1 million per year will also go towards funding a position to keep this new ball field complex in great shape, oversee scheduling, etc. When all is said and done and this bond expires in 20 years, York will have generated over $23 million for recreation and infrastructure with the vast majority of the funds going to numerous other projects yet to be determined.
Some are concerned that this ball field money could have been used for “this” or “that.” However, it is important to remember that the ball field complex and quiet zone were on the ballot this past November. Those were the two large ticket items that have been brought up by patrons for years. It was these two projects that were approved by the voters. It is these two projects that will be the first completed as promised to the patrons.
We feel the economic impact of this complex will be wonderful for our community. This complex will provide outstanding recreational opportunities for our children. We appreciate the support of our patrons. As always, feel free to contact us with questions, comments, or concerns.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Congratulations York FFA & Skills USA for an Outstanding Job at State
We are so blessed to have outstanding students and sponsors at YPS. Look at the amazing list below that shows how awesome our kids did at recent State FFA and Skills USA Events. GO DUKES!
Proficiency Award
Small Animal Care and Production
Brody Garner – District Gold
Silver State Merit Award
Grain Production
Tonya Grotz – District Gold,
Gold-Finalist State Merit Award,
3rd Overall at State
Swine Production
Rebekah Turnbull – District Gold
Silver State Merit Award
Diversified Horticulture
Rebekah Turnbull – District Gold
Bronze State Merit Award
LSE – Leadership Skills
Literacy Speaking
Lauren Kaliff - State Finalist,
and 1st Overall State Gold Medalist
Discovery Speaking
Hailee Pohl-
3rd Overall State Gold Medalist
Creed Speaking
Genevieve Tonniges-
State Silver Medalist
Jr. Public Speaking
Leon Linhart-
State Bronze Medalist
Extemporaneous Speaking
Tonya Grotz - State Finalist and
4th Overall State Gold Medalist
Natural Resource Speaking
Allison Riley-
State Gold Medalist
Job Interview
Catie Bergen - State Finalist and
2nd Overall Gold Medalist
Jr. Parliamentary Procedure Team
Paige Cradick, Sam Redfern,Lauren Riley, Madison Harcrow, Gage Sinsel, Tenly Hansen, and Holly Rockenbach
9th Place State Team
CDE – career development
Biotech 2nd Place
Braden Knight 6th
Grant Suddarth Tied 10th
Ethan Cradick 14th
Dacia Stuhr 17th
Ag Sales 3rd Place
Braden Knight Tied 9th
Gage Sinsel Tied 15th
Jesse Hoblyn Tied 31st
Jayden Vanderheiden 39th
Veterinary Science 3rd Place
Josie Lee Tied 5th
Tenly Hansen Tied 6th
Camryn Wiens Tied 19th
Sam Reorda Tied 20th
Natural Resources 7th Place
Ethan Cradick Tied 6th
Brody Garner Tied 14th
Josh Garner Tied 18th
Teagan Thorell Tied 19th
Agriscience 4th Place
Nicole Mittman 5th
Simon Otte 6th
Holly Rockenbach Tied 31st
Sydney Samson Tied 39th
Agronomy Tied 47th
Simon Otte Tied 37th
Braden Knight Tied 44th
Aaron Norquest Tied 75th
Damon Kaliff
Floriculture 32nd
Rebekah Turnbull 44th
Sam Redfern 89th
Paige Cradick
Holly Rockenbach
Skills USA
State Only Job Interview
Genevieve Tonniges - 1st Place
Medical Terminology
Josie Lee - 12th place,
Alyssa Arndt -17th place,
Payton DeMers-Sahling - 20th Place
Cosmetology
Allie Kopcho - 5th Place (Tie),
Rebekah Turnbull - 5th Place (Tie)
Basic Health Care
Tonya Grotz - 7th Place,
Taylor Hansen - 10th Place
First Aid/CPR
Madison Harcrow - 3rd Place
Medical Assistance
Josh Garner - 2nd Place
Photography
Allison Woods - 5th Place
Job Skill Demonstration Open
Evan Pohl -5th Place,
Teagan Thorell- 5th Place,
Garrett Rediger- 9th Place
Job Interview
Paige Cradick - 1st (Nat’l Qualifier)
Sam Redfern - 8th place,
Alyssa Arndt -12th Place
Fire Fighting
Leon Linhart - 9th Place,
Hayden Turner - 11th place
Crime Scene Investigation
Team 1 - 3rd place,
(Avery Fernau, Carter Fernau, Jarrett Samson)
Team 2 - 8th place,
(Hayley Burke, Ryen Diaz, Tayte Hansen) –
Team 3 - 12th place
(Paige Cradick, Riley Osentowski, Paul Holmes)
Proficiency Award
Small Animal Care and Production
Brody Garner – District Gold
Silver State Merit Award
Grain Production
Tonya Grotz – District Gold,
Gold-Finalist State Merit Award,
3rd Overall at State
Swine Production
Rebekah Turnbull – District Gold
Silver State Merit Award
Diversified Horticulture
Rebekah Turnbull – District Gold
Bronze State Merit Award
LSE – Leadership Skills
Literacy Speaking
Lauren Kaliff - State Finalist,
and 1st Overall State Gold Medalist
Discovery Speaking
Hailee Pohl-
3rd Overall State Gold Medalist
Creed Speaking
Genevieve Tonniges-
State Silver Medalist
Jr. Public Speaking
Leon Linhart-
State Bronze Medalist
Extemporaneous Speaking
Tonya Grotz - State Finalist and
4th Overall State Gold Medalist
Natural Resource Speaking
Allison Riley-
State Gold Medalist
Job Interview
Catie Bergen - State Finalist and
2nd Overall Gold Medalist
Jr. Parliamentary Procedure Team
Paige Cradick, Sam Redfern,Lauren Riley, Madison Harcrow, Gage Sinsel, Tenly Hansen, and Holly Rockenbach
9th Place State Team
CDE – career development
Biotech 2nd Place
Braden Knight 6th
Grant Suddarth Tied 10th
Ethan Cradick 14th
Dacia Stuhr 17th
Ag Sales 3rd Place
Braden Knight Tied 9th
Gage Sinsel Tied 15th
Jesse Hoblyn Tied 31st
Jayden Vanderheiden 39th
Veterinary Science 3rd Place
Josie Lee Tied 5th
Tenly Hansen Tied 6th
Camryn Wiens Tied 19th
Sam Reorda Tied 20th
Natural Resources 7th Place
Ethan Cradick Tied 6th
Brody Garner Tied 14th
Josh Garner Tied 18th
Teagan Thorell Tied 19th
Agriscience 4th Place
Nicole Mittman 5th
Simon Otte 6th
Holly Rockenbach Tied 31st
Sydney Samson Tied 39th
Agronomy Tied 47th
Simon Otte Tied 37th
Braden Knight Tied 44th
Aaron Norquest Tied 75th
Damon Kaliff
Floriculture 32nd
Rebekah Turnbull 44th
Sam Redfern 89th
Paige Cradick
Holly Rockenbach
Skills USA
State Only Job Interview
Genevieve Tonniges - 1st Place
Medical Terminology
Josie Lee - 12th place,
Alyssa Arndt -17th place,
Payton DeMers-Sahling - 20th Place
Cosmetology
Allie Kopcho - 5th Place (Tie),
Rebekah Turnbull - 5th Place (Tie)
Basic Health Care
Tonya Grotz - 7th Place,
Taylor Hansen - 10th Place
First Aid/CPR
Madison Harcrow - 3rd Place
Medical Assistance
Josh Garner - 2nd Place
Photography
Allison Woods - 5th Place
Job Skill Demonstration Open
Evan Pohl -5th Place,
Teagan Thorell- 5th Place,
Garrett Rediger- 9th Place
Job Interview
Paige Cradick - 1st (Nat’l Qualifier)
Sam Redfern - 8th place,
Alyssa Arndt -12th Place
Fire Fighting
Leon Linhart - 9th Place,
Hayden Turner - 11th place
Crime Scene Investigation
Team 1 - 3rd place,
(Avery Fernau, Carter Fernau, Jarrett Samson)
Team 2 - 8th place,
(Hayley Burke, Ryen Diaz, Tayte Hansen) –
Team 3 - 12th place
(Paige Cradick, Riley Osentowski, Paul Holmes)
Thursday, April 30, 2015
WAX MUSEUM Coming to York Middle School
On the evening of Tuesday, May 5th, YMS 6th graders will present their Wax Museum skits to the public from 6:30-7:00 in the YMS gym commons and hallways. The money raised at this event will be donated to a local charity. Over $800 was raised for York Pride Pack last year and an anonymous donor matched that number. We do have an anonymous donor who will again match the funds donated by the public.
These students have been working hard to research famous people to portray in the Wax Museum. You will see all kinds of famous people in a way you've NEVER seen them before. Come up on May 5th and learn about famous scientists, musicians, athletes, historical figures, and more.
This activity is just another example of all of the outstanding learning opportunities available to York Duke students throughout our PreK-12th grade programming. GO DUKES!
These students have been working hard to research famous people to portray in the Wax Museum. You will see all kinds of famous people in a way you've NEVER seen them before. Come up on May 5th and learn about famous scientists, musicians, athletes, historical figures, and more.
This activity is just another example of all of the outstanding learning opportunities available to York Duke students throughout our PreK-12th grade programming. GO DUKES!
Friday, April 24, 2015
"Find a Way"
As we prepare for 2015-16, we are implementing a district-wide theme called "FIND A WAY." We all love people/organizations/teams that have the ability to find a way to get things done. On August 10th, when our staff returns to kick off the new school year, they will all receive a York Duke T-shirt that says, "FIND A WAY." We all love mechanics, dentists, farmers, construction workers, nurses, and others that "find a way" to make things happen. We all benefit from a mentality where "no excuses" are accepted.
Our town, school system, state, and country need more of a "Find a Way" mentality. Failure is not an option. We're going to find a way to get better. We're going to find a way to provide more opportunities for students. We're going to find a way to enhance our curriculum and students' experiences. We're going to find a way to be the best.
York Dukes WILL find a way!
Our town, school system, state, and country need more of a "Find a Way" mentality. Failure is not an option. We're going to find a way to get better. We're going to find a way to provide more opportunities for students. We're going to find a way to enhance our curriculum and students' experiences. We're going to find a way to be the best.
York Dukes WILL find a way!
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Ball Field Complex Coming to York
Come get an update on the new ball field complex that is coming to York and will be just southeast of the aquatic center. This 8-field complex will be tailored for baseball and softball. This is one of the major projects that was approved by voters during the November election when the 1/2% sales tax was passed.
Design is underway. This is your opportunity to see the design, ask questions, and voice concerns before construction starts in JUNE!!
York Ballpark Complex Open House
Thursday, April 23rd
4:00 – 6:00 PM
Holthus Convention Center, Main Lobby
Design is underway. This is your opportunity to see the design, ask questions, and voice concerns before construction starts in JUNE!!
York Ballpark Complex Open House
Thursday, April 23rd
4:00 – 6:00 PM
Holthus Convention Center, Main Lobby
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
30 Days of School Left - The Mad Dash
I simply can't believe that we only have 30 days of school left! It goes by quicker and quicker each year. This has been another outstanding school year but not without its heartaches and adversities. We will celebrate a lot over these next 30 days....the Fine Arts Banquet, the All-Sports Banquet, 5th Grade Recognition, Kindergarten Graduation, YHS Musical, Almost Anything Goes Day at YMS, Prom, and of course, the YHS Graduation on May 17th.
As we make the mad dash down the home stretch of 2014-15, let's finish with a sense of purpose; let's finish with a sense of pride. Thirty days of school equates to 17% of our school year. That's a lot of time. We can't waste it. We don't want our dentists, doctors, mechanics, and farmers to take it easy for 17% of their various missions/projects.
The Class of 2015 is another class to celebrate and appreciate. The classes behind them will be as well. Let's make this last 17% of the year the best part of this school year.
GO DUKES!
As we make the mad dash down the home stretch of 2014-15, let's finish with a sense of purpose; let's finish with a sense of pride. Thirty days of school equates to 17% of our school year. That's a lot of time. We can't waste it. We don't want our dentists, doctors, mechanics, and farmers to take it easy for 17% of their various missions/projects.
The Class of 2015 is another class to celebrate and appreciate. The classes behind them will be as well. Let's make this last 17% of the year the best part of this school year.
GO DUKES!
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Autism Awareness and Acceptance
April is "Autism Awareness Month." Below is some information taken from the "Autism Science Foundation." YPS is proud to work with our autistic students and their families.
What is Autism?
When people refer to “Autism” today, they are usually talking about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which are five complex, brain-based disorders that affect a person’s behavior as well as social and communication skills. The Centers for Disease Control describes ASDs as: "developmental disabilities that cause substantial impairments in social interaction and communication and the presence of unusual behaviors and interests. Many people with ASDs also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to different sensations. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASDs can vary—from gifted to severely challenged. An ASD begins before the age of 3 and lasts throughout a person's life."
Autism is four times more likely to affect boys than girls, and is found in all racial, ethnic, and social groups. There is no known single cause for autism, although the best available science points to important genetic components. Through twin studies, scientists have determined that autism is a genetically based condition. If one identical (monozygotic) twin has autism then there is an 80-90% chance that the other twin will also be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. For non-identical (dizygotic) twins the chance is about 3-10% that both twins will develop autism spectrum disorder. The chance that siblings will both be affected by ASD is also about 3-10%.
Scientists are unsure what, if any, environmental triggers may be involved in autism. One theory, popular in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, that vaccines cause autism, has since been disproven by numerous studies conducted around the world.
Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by significant impairments in social interaction and communication skills, as well as by the presence of extremely challenging behaviors. Such behaviors include repetitive motor behaviors (hand flapping, body rocking), insistence on sameness, resistance to change and, in some cases, aggression or self-injury. Many individuals with an autism spectrum disorder have significant cognitive impairments, although some have typical or even above average IQs. 30-50% of people with autism also have seizures.
Dr. Leo Kanner first described autism in 1943. He reported on eleven children who showed a marked lack of interest in other people, but a highly unusual interest in the inanimate environment. Initially, autism was thought to be an early form of schizophrenia, which led to the belief that its onset could be caused by negative experience or bad parenting. We now know that this is not the case.
We encourage all of our students and parents to learn more about autism and to most of all, be accepting of those with autism.
What is Autism?
When people refer to “Autism” today, they are usually talking about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), which are five complex, brain-based disorders that affect a person’s behavior as well as social and communication skills. The Centers for Disease Control describes ASDs as: "developmental disabilities that cause substantial impairments in social interaction and communication and the presence of unusual behaviors and interests. Many people with ASDs also have unusual ways of learning, paying attention, and reacting to different sensations. The thinking and learning abilities of people with ASDs can vary—from gifted to severely challenged. An ASD begins before the age of 3 and lasts throughout a person's life."
Autism is four times more likely to affect boys than girls, and is found in all racial, ethnic, and social groups. There is no known single cause for autism, although the best available science points to important genetic components. Through twin studies, scientists have determined that autism is a genetically based condition. If one identical (monozygotic) twin has autism then there is an 80-90% chance that the other twin will also be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. For non-identical (dizygotic) twins the chance is about 3-10% that both twins will develop autism spectrum disorder. The chance that siblings will both be affected by ASD is also about 3-10%.
Scientists are unsure what, if any, environmental triggers may be involved in autism. One theory, popular in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, that vaccines cause autism, has since been disproven by numerous studies conducted around the world.
Autism Spectrum Disorders are characterized by significant impairments in social interaction and communication skills, as well as by the presence of extremely challenging behaviors. Such behaviors include repetitive motor behaviors (hand flapping, body rocking), insistence on sameness, resistance to change and, in some cases, aggression or self-injury. Many individuals with an autism spectrum disorder have significant cognitive impairments, although some have typical or even above average IQs. 30-50% of people with autism also have seizures.
Dr. Leo Kanner first described autism in 1943. He reported on eleven children who showed a marked lack of interest in other people, but a highly unusual interest in the inanimate environment. Initially, autism was thought to be an early form of schizophrenia, which led to the belief that its onset could be caused by negative experience or bad parenting. We now know that this is not the case.
We encourage all of our students and parents to learn more about autism and to most of all, be accepting of those with autism.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
HOPE
"Hope" is something we talk about from time to time within York Public Schools. It can be defined as, "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen." There are several studies that have shown that not enough of our young people have enough "hope" that their lives can be successful and fulfilling. When you think about it, HOPE is at the center of many successes. Hope is confidence in yourself. Hope is belief in those around you. Hope is knowing that if you don't succeed the first time or two, you should keep going.
As adults, whether we're educators or not, we need to help all young people by instilling hope in them. I often worry about our young people that don't truly believe they can be successful. Too many kids don't know that they can be great at something. Failure is all around us. Laziness is all around us. Complacency is too common as well.
Great educators, parents, and adults instill hope in their young ones. They help them believe that anything is possible. They help them see that adversity can be overcome. They help them see that the "journey" is almost always more worthwhile than the "destination." I often hear top-notch coaches like Jimbo Fisher, Tom Izzo, and Nick Saban talk about "the process" of success. The "process" has to begin with hope. You then add relentlessness, consistency, high expectations, hard work, a little luck, confidence, desire, humility, and preparation and you're on the way!
Talk to the children in your life. Believe in them. Build them up. Support their efforts and their dreams. We need more HOPE in the world. It can be improved one person at a time so do your part.
GO DUKES!
As adults, whether we're educators or not, we need to help all young people by instilling hope in them. I often worry about our young people that don't truly believe they can be successful. Too many kids don't know that they can be great at something. Failure is all around us. Laziness is all around us. Complacency is too common as well.
Great educators, parents, and adults instill hope in their young ones. They help them believe that anything is possible. They help them see that adversity can be overcome. They help them see that the "journey" is almost always more worthwhile than the "destination." I often hear top-notch coaches like Jimbo Fisher, Tom Izzo, and Nick Saban talk about "the process" of success. The "process" has to begin with hope. You then add relentlessness, consistency, high expectations, hard work, a little luck, confidence, desire, humility, and preparation and you're on the way!
Talk to the children in your life. Believe in them. Build them up. Support their efforts and their dreams. We need more HOPE in the world. It can be improved one person at a time so do your part.
GO DUKES!
Friday, March 20, 2015
As You Travel Through Life...
I am going to copy/paste a great poem I found recently that comes from an "unknown author." The words share an important story, in my opinion. Enjoy.
As You Travel Through Life
Poet Unknown
As you travel through life there are always those times
When decisions just have to be made,
When the choices are hard, and solutions seem scarce,
And the rain seems to soak your parade.
There are some situations where all you can do
Is simply let go and move on,
Gather your courage and choose a direction
That carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles and take a step forward -
The process of change can be tough,
But think about all the excitement ahead
There might be adventures you never imagined
Just waiting around the next bend,
And wishes and dreams just about to come true
In ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships
that spring from new things
As you challenge your status quo,
And learn there are so many options in life,
Perhaps you'll go places you never expected
And see things that you've never seen,
Or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds
And wonderful spots in between!
Perhaps you'll find warmth and affection and caring
And somebody special who's there
To help you stay cantered and listen with interest
To stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends
Are supportive of all that you do,
And believe that whatever decisions you make,
They'll be the right choices for you.
So keep putting one foot in front of the other,
And taking your life day by day...
There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road -
Don't look back! You're not going that way!
As You Travel Through Life
Poet Unknown
As you travel through life there are always those times
When decisions just have to be made,
When the choices are hard, and solutions seem scarce,
And the rain seems to soak your parade.
There are some situations where all you can do
Is simply let go and move on,
Gather your courage and choose a direction
That carries you toward a new dawn.
So pack up your troubles and take a step forward -
The process of change can be tough,
But think about all the excitement ahead
There might be adventures you never imagined
Just waiting around the next bend,
And wishes and dreams just about to come true
In ways you can't yet comprehend!
Perhaps you'll find friendships
that spring from new things
As you challenge your status quo,
And learn there are so many options in life,
Perhaps you'll go places you never expected
And see things that you've never seen,
Or travel to fabulous, faraway worlds
And wonderful spots in between!
Perhaps you'll find warmth and affection and caring
And somebody special who's there
To help you stay cantered and listen with interest
To stories and feelings you share.
Perhaps you'll find comfort in knowing your friends
Are supportive of all that you do,
And believe that whatever decisions you make,
They'll be the right choices for you.
So keep putting one foot in front of the other,
And taking your life day by day...
There's a brighter tomorrow that's just down the road -
Don't look back! You're not going that way!
Thursday, March 12, 2015
An "Entrepreneurship Academy" is Coming to York in July
An Entrepreneurship Investigation Academy is coming to York July 14th-18th. This is a cooperative project between York Public Schools, the York Chamber of Commerce, YCDC, and the UNL Extension Office. We also have corporate sponsorship from Henderson State Bank, York State Bank, and Cornerstone Bank; with more to come in the next month or so.
YPS is excited to offer this academy that will serve 15 students that are currently in 5th-8th grades. We are reserving a few slots for our parochial school partners as well.
Students will learn what an entrepreneur is, interact with local entrepreneurs, devise their own business plan, create marketing materials, work on a production budget to include bank loans, create their products, and sell them at the July 18th Sidewalk Sales.
This academy fits our mission as we continue to search for meaningful and enriching activities for our students to participate in each summer. Stay tuned for more info to come in the next few months!
YPS is excited to offer this academy that will serve 15 students that are currently in 5th-8th grades. We are reserving a few slots for our parochial school partners as well.
Students will learn what an entrepreneur is, interact with local entrepreneurs, devise their own business plan, create marketing materials, work on a production budget to include bank loans, create their products, and sell them at the July 18th Sidewalk Sales.
This academy fits our mission as we continue to search for meaningful and enriching activities for our students to participate in each summer. Stay tuned for more info to come in the next few months!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program Comes to York on May 15th
YES 4th graders are excited to partner up with the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program on May 15th. This will be an outstanding hands-on learning experience for us!
What is the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program?
The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program is a joint effort between Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission,Prairie Plains Resource Institute, and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program aims to provide support to PF/QF chapters across Nebraska to engage youth groups, families and communities in establishing pollinator habitat projects.
The objectives of this program are to increase awareness about decreasing pollinator populations, educate the general public on the importance of habitat for pollinators, and to establish quality pollinator habitat across the state. The program will provide tools for chapters to work with local community partners to create habitat projects that involve youth groups, schools and community groups.
Program support includes training on how to plan and conduct a pollinator project from start to finish, conservation/pollinator curriculum for classrooms, hands-on educational activities, and monitoring activities that can be conducted after the project is established. In addition, grants up to $1,000 are available to help with the cost of pollinator seed mixes and plants.
The results of this program will not only benefit pollinators by providing quality foraging and nesting habitat, but it will provide opportunities for youth to get outside and gain an appreciation for wildlife and conservation.
Need for the Program?
Pollinating insects are an essential component in global food production. Approximately one-third of all food and beverages is delivered by pollinators and many species of native pollinators and domesticated honey bees are in decline. Pollinator habitat also provides excellent brood rearing habitat for pheasants and quail as flowering plants attracts soft-bodied insects that pheasants and quail chicks rely on for survival during the first 6-8 weeks of life. Lastly, today’s
youth spend the majority of their time fixated on electronic devices and less than half of the time outdoors than their parents did.
One in four children are obese, and as a result, diseases like type 2 diabetes are showing up at an alarming rate. Research has shown that children who spend time outdoors are healthier, receive better grades, have longer attention spans, and are less prone to depression than children who spend most of their time indoors. If this trend continues, children today will not develop healthy lifestyles or an attachment to the outdoors with-out experiences that are fun and involve them personally.
To learn more about the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program, visit Pheasants Forever’s Habitat Education Blog at: http://pfqfhabitated.blogspot.com
What is the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program?
The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program is a joint effort between Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission,Prairie Plains Resource Institute, and the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. The Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program aims to provide support to PF/QF chapters across Nebraska to engage youth groups, families and communities in establishing pollinator habitat projects.
The objectives of this program are to increase awareness about decreasing pollinator populations, educate the general public on the importance of habitat for pollinators, and to establish quality pollinator habitat across the state. The program will provide tools for chapters to work with local community partners to create habitat projects that involve youth groups, schools and community groups.
Program support includes training on how to plan and conduct a pollinator project from start to finish, conservation/pollinator curriculum for classrooms, hands-on educational activities, and monitoring activities that can be conducted after the project is established. In addition, grants up to $1,000 are available to help with the cost of pollinator seed mixes and plants.
The results of this program will not only benefit pollinators by providing quality foraging and nesting habitat, but it will provide opportunities for youth to get outside and gain an appreciation for wildlife and conservation.
Need for the Program?
Pollinating insects are an essential component in global food production. Approximately one-third of all food and beverages is delivered by pollinators and many species of native pollinators and domesticated honey bees are in decline. Pollinator habitat also provides excellent brood rearing habitat for pheasants and quail as flowering plants attracts soft-bodied insects that pheasants and quail chicks rely on for survival during the first 6-8 weeks of life. Lastly, today’s
youth spend the majority of their time fixated on electronic devices and less than half of the time outdoors than their parents did.
One in four children are obese, and as a result, diseases like type 2 diabetes are showing up at an alarming rate. Research has shown that children who spend time outdoors are healthier, receive better grades, have longer attention spans, and are less prone to depression than children who spend most of their time indoors. If this trend continues, children today will not develop healthy lifestyles or an attachment to the outdoors with-out experiences that are fun and involve them personally.
To learn more about the Nebraska Pollinator Habitat Program, visit Pheasants Forever’s Habitat Education Blog at: http://pfqfhabitated.blogspot.com
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