Summer, Summer, Summer

Summer is a very busy time for York Public Schools.

We have 75+ elementary students involved in our Summer BOOST Program, which extends the school day and school year through a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. We are serving FREE breakfasts and lunches for 1-18 year olds each week day through July 8th out of YES and are averaging over 165 student meals daily so far. We have credit recovery summer school going on the month of June at the Enrichment Center for high school students that need to earn credits.

In addition, we're also cranking up our Driver's Education programming. We also offer a wide array of athletic camps for youth, with basketball and wrestling clinics going on right now. On Monday, June 6th, Cal Williams and Jason Hirschfeld will host a large gathering of ag educators at YHS to discuss the importance of agriculture education in our schools.

Throughout the summer, we have staff from our Family Foundations and Special Education departments that will work with students and families on a very regular basis. Our technology department is again offering "Wired on Wednesdays" professional development offerings for teachers and support staff that want to come in and learn about different technology integration tools and initiatives. Title I teachers offer a summer reading program one day a week all summer.

The weight room opens on Monday and will be visited by over 120 student-athletes daily all summer. June and July are also the months that we get important "summer facility projects" completed. This year, YES will get new entry doors, for example. Concrete work will be done on each campus. YMS will receive some new entry way carpet. YHS will receive new locker room lockers, has had the old wrestling room turned into an organized and clean storage area, clean-up is underway in the CWAC, etc.

Many of our teachers are also working on curriculum updates and instructional strategies. Our school improvement plan is being worked on. The board of education will have a planning retreat with the administrative team and the beat goes on and on and on. We'll be moving our Enrichment Center from behind the North Runza to 522 Grant Avenue where the old "Sports Shop" used to be located.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, we'll also be putting together a budget for 2016-17 that includes a loss in state aid of $1,200,000 and no valuation increase for land within the YPS boundaries.

As you can see, the summer is extremely busy and we need to make sure we get a lot accomplished so the fall and spring can be as efficient and enjoyable as possible.

Our teachers and staff return on August 8th and school begins on August 11th. We'll be ready!

GO DUKES!