Blue & White Newsletter - 12/13/24

Your last chance to take in the sounds of the season will be on Monday, December 16th, as the High School presents their Holiday Concert! The concert begins at 7:00 p.m.

As a reminder, the Class of 2027 will be selling treats at the High School Holiday Concert before, during, and after the concert. The treats will be $1.00 each and cash will be the only form of payment accepted.

We will share pictures of the Trimmer Elementary Holiday Concert and the High School Holiday Concert in next week's issue of the Blue & White Newsletter.

The following three seniors just completed the workforce development welding course at HACC York Campus on December 4th. These students learned about essential welding skills, including safety, stick welding, MIG welding, and TIG welding throughout the semester. Pictured are (L to R): David Altland, Roberick Santiago, and Kashius Roy.

Congratulations to David, Roberick, and Kashius on their achievement!

Future seniors interested in this course should meet with Ms. Meese for information.

Ms. Lorrie Rodriguez's class at Wallace Elementary enjoy STEM activities when their classroom elf, Gingerbread, brought marshmallow games! Students had to catch marshmallows in a cup, and see how many marshmallows they could stack without falling over!

After reading a text set about the Pleasure of Giving, Ms. Christine McKee's second grade students at Lincolnway Elementary collected items to make birthday boxes. Each kit contains a cake mix, soda, icing, birthday candles, various birthday supplies, and a hand-made birthday card. Students packed each kit with care and they were donated to the Bulldog Pantry.

Students in Ms. Kelly Murphy's class at Wallace Elementary enjoyed their Everyday Math lesson for chapter 4. They practiced measuring items in their classroom with cubes. They measured their math journals, dry erase markers, lunch lanyards, and whiteboards. They have been using different types of measuring tools such as toothpicks, paper clips, and cubes. The focus was to make sure that the measuring tool being used is end-to-end so you can get an estimate for the length of each item.

Ms. Erika Torres' class at Wallace Elementary worked together to build ways to make 6, 7, 8 & 9! They practiced their teamwork skills while building numbers with unification cubes.

Our December Bulldog Pantry distribution is always a special one with more than grocery items available.

The Bulldog Pantry is excited to announce a collaboration with the York Fresh Food Farms Mobile Produce Market at this Wednesday's distribution. Each district family that comes through the pantry will also receive Food Bucks to use at the Mobile Produce Market that will be on site during distribution! The Mobile Produce Market also accepts SNAP/EBT, Cash, debit/credit cards, WIC, and Senior Farmers Market Checks.

Please reach out to Ms. Amanda Burt via email at amburt@wyasd.org with any questions.

Our awesome submission, created by Sahalee Arnold, Gabby Long, Diana Khanchalian, Isabella Newcomer, Isabella Pickens, and Caroline Pritts, has been on display and receiving votes over the last week! There is still time to vote!!

To view all of the beautiful murals created by our artists and those of 12 other school districts, stop by Miller Plant Farm, 430 Indian Rock Dam Road, York, PA 17403, or vote online, for your favorite art mural for just 50¢/vote - West York's of course! The winning mural's art department receives all proceeds from the competition plus a Miller Plant Farm donation!

Voting takes place in-store and online through Saturday, December 14th.

Use the blue bar below to access the online voting page.

The High School is hosting a gift-wrapping fundraiser with proceeds going toward Mini-THON and the Four Diamonds Fund. Our elves are ready with wrapping paper, scissors, and tape!

Four Diamonds’ mission is to conquer childhood cancer by assisting children and their families through superior care, comprehensive support and innovative research.

West York Area High School

(Use main entrance)

Saturday, December 14th

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Baked goods and hot beverages will also be available for sale for you to enjoy and relax while your gifts are being wrapped.

Contact Ms. Anne Hedgcock or Ms. Katie Lalic if you have any questions: arhedgcock@wyasd.org or kllalic@wyasd.org.

The Class of 2025 is having an online fundraiser selling Gardners Candies once again for the holiday season. It's so easy to shop online and get your order delivered right to your door!

Orders are due by Dec. 15th, just in time for the holidays!

Three Easy Steps:

1. Click on the image below
2. Scroll down and click on Shop Now
3. Enter the Group ID: 10-1564

Select your items and submit your order knowing your order will be delivered directly to your door!

Thank you for supporting the Class of 2025!

The Class of 2027 is having an online popcorn fundraiser offering Fisher's Popcorn! This fundraiser also offers delivery of your order right to your door! Lots of options for holiday gifts! Orders can be placed now through December 23rd and should be received 3-5 days after purchase.

Scan the QR code in the image and use coupon code WY24 during checkout to link your order to their fundraising account.

December 13, 2024

9th/10th Grade:

Bennett Shetter

For always giving 100% on assignments!

11th/12th Grade:

Roberto Esteban Vicente

For being polite and respectful. It is a pleasure to speak with him every day!

Faculty/Staff:

Mr. John Roth

For being a Keystone Proctor All-Star!

Students and parents, we will be spotlighting a new product or service every month to help you to get to know First Capital Federal Credit Union and what we have to offer you and your family!

This week we are spotlighting our rewards-driven Kasasa® Checking Accounts! First Capital offers three Kasasa® checking accounts that reward members! With a Kasasa® Cash Back account you can earn up to $9.00 cash back each month; Kasasa® Cash account where you will earn 2.25% APY on balances up to $10,000; or Kasasa® Play account earning up to $10.00 back for streaming services. So, we are rewarding YOU to use these accounts.

Through our partnership with WYASD, students automatically qualify for membership at First Capital Federal Credit Union, and we would love to have you as a member! We will even make the initial opening deposit of $6 ($1 membership fee, $5 share savings deposit) for you! If you would like more information on these accounts, please stop by The Bulldog Branch to learn more about what First Capital has to offer on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00.

Stay abreast of the Athletic Department's weekly news with the Bulldog Breakdown, a weekly recap of the prior week's athletic accomplishments and the upcoming sporting events.

Simply click the Bulldog Breakdown bar below to view the latest issue!

• Monday, December 16, High School Holiday Concert (7:00 p.m.)
• Monday, December 23 - Wednesday, January 1, Holiday Break - No School
• Tuesday, December 24 - Thursday, December 26, District Offices are closed
• Tuesday, December 31, District Offices are closed

• Wednesday, January 1, District Offices are closed
• Wednesday, January 8, Marking period 2 ends/High School Semester 1/Term 2 ends
• Thursday, January 9, Professional Learning Day - No school for students
• Friday, January 10, Professional Learning Day - No school for students
• Tuesday, January 14, EPC Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 14, Work Session of the Board (7:00 p.m.)
• Friday, January 17, Marking Period 2 Report Cards available in Sapphire
• Monday, January 20, Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday - No School/District Offices are closed
• Tuesday, January 21, Facilities Meeting (5:30 p.m.)
• Tuesday, January 21, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 p.m.)
• Thursday, January 30, HS Back to School Night (6:00 - 7:30 p.m.)

The content below was in last week's issue but it bears repeating as a reminder or for anyone who may have missed it. If pertinent details of an article are changed, we will pull the article above this section and highlight any changes.

Current high school juniors have the opportunity to apply for acceptance into the 2025 PA Governor's School for the Sciences program at Carnegie Mellon University. This 5-week residential program is free to those accepted, including tuition, lab fees, room and board. The application window is now open and closes on January 31, 2025.

Click the image below to see the full program flyer. You can learn more about the courses, activities, and the application process by visiting their website at www.cmu.edu/mcs/pgss.

A student's high school yearbook is a way to capture all of the amazing memories that students experience during their final years here at West York - home of the Bulldogs!

Purchasing a yearbook early in the school year assures you the best pricing, currently $75, and an item off your "To-Do List" that builds as the end of the school year approaches!

Starting November 16th, the price will be $80 - so don't miss the $75 early purchase price!

Also available now is the opportunity to place a special message/ad in the yearbook just for your child. More information on this, and all things yearbooks, can be found by visiting the West York page of Jostens website by clicking the image above.

Don't miss out on ordering your Middle School yearbook! Order your copy today and check that off your to-do list before it's too late!

Click the flyer below to visit the Jostens website and to place your order.

Back to School Vision Voucher Program

VisionCorps and PA Vision Foundation have teamed up to offer free vision examinations

and glasses to qualified families in South Central PA.

Vouchers are accepted by Vision Benefits of America (VBA) network eyecare providers.

For more information and to see if you qualify for this program,

please call VisionCorps at 717-925-7275 or email vouchers@visioncorps.net

Does your child have signs or symptoms of the flu, Covid or RSV? Did they test positive?

The recommendations are that your child stay home until they are fever free for 24 hours without medication and that they feel good enough to return to school. The CDC also recommends (it is optional) that a mask be worn for 5 days after their return if they tested positive for Covid.

Students who have been exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid do not need to stay home from school unless they come down with symptoms or test positive.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your school nurse.

Using Your Computer to Report an Absence

MUST be completed within 3 days of the absence

From the District WEBSITE Home Page

➔ Scroll down to the vertical gray boxes just under the changing highlight pictures at the top of the District website's home page

➔ Click on the Attendance box

➔ Underneath Online Attendance click on Sapphire Community Portal Login

➔ On the login page put in your username and password (this must be set up prior to you using this page)

➔ On the left side is your student(s) name(s)

• If you have multiple students, please make sure you are at the correct student

➔ Under MY BACKPACK click on Student Data Forms (making sure it is the correct student)

➔ Underneath On Demand Forms click on Digital Excuse Blank

➔ Fill out the entire form and upload any doctor’s notes into this form

➔ Make sure to click on SUBMIT so your form is sent directly to the attendance secretary

Using the District App from Your Cell Phone to Report an Absence

MUST be completed within 3 days of the absence

➔ From the WYASD App Home Page, click on the More waffle icon on the right side of the screen

➔ Click on the Sapphire Portal icon on the right side of the screen

➔ Log in to Sapphire

➔ If you have multiple students, make sure you are in the correct student’s account

➔ At the bottom of the screen there is a purple circle with 3 white lines, click on the circle

➔ Click on the green circle marked Student Data Forms

➔ Underneath On Demand Forms click on Digital Excuse Blank

➔ Fill out the entire form and upload any doctor’s notes into this form

➔ Make sure to click on SUBMIT so your form is sent directly to the attendance secretary

Our West York Area High School's Counseling Center compiles lists of available scholarships as our high school students prepare for their post-secondary educational plans and funding.

An updated list will be posted at the High School as new scholarships become available. Each time the bulletin is revised, it is printed on a different color of paper from the previous bulletin, making it easy to tell when new information has been added.

PLEASE NOTE: The date due is very important. Please have applications submitted to the Counseling Center at least 6 days prior to due date. This allows the Counseling Center staff sufficient time for review of the application and transcript preparation, ensuring that the application is sent out in a timely manner.

All hard copies of scholarship applications are located inside the Counseling Center in the waiting area in the drawer marked SCHOLARSHIPS. The Counseling Center also emails each scholarship and updated bulletin directly to students' school emails.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Gail Wildasin in the Counseling Center.

If you are new to West York, you might be saying, "What is a Golden Bulldog Pass?" Exclusively for West York Area School District residents 65 and older, the Golden Bulldog Pass is valid for one admission to all District-sponsored events, including athletic events (excluding playoff events), fine arts events such as concerts, plays, and musicals, and special invitation-only events for senior citizens.

Our annual "Lunch and a Show" is our most popular invitation-only event and seating is limited! So, don't miss out on this and other opportunities! To learn more, please click the Golden Bulldog Pass card to the left.

Be sure to Like/Follow us on Facebook and Instagram so you don't experience FOMO - Fear of Missing Out! Simply click the images below.

The Community Corner of our website offers families many helpful links to organizations or flyers about upcoming or ongoing community activities, clubs, and events. The information on this webpage changes frequently and those changes will be highlighted here as they occur. The latest updates are pictured below.

From our Home webpage, click on Community to access links to various organizations/community events.

Here are just some examples:

• Cub Scouts (Boys & Girls ages 5-12)
• Girl Scouts
• West York Boys Club
• YMCA of York
  
• YWCA of York

Community Resources such as:

• Belmont Summer Academy - Theatre Summer Camps
  
• Community Progress Council
• Dream Wrights Center for Community Arts
• United Way
  

The WY Swim and Dive team is inviting everyone to join them for a movie night in the pool fundraiser on Saturday, December 21st!

Graham Aquatic Center

543 N. Newberry Street

The Christmas Chronicles

6:00 - 9:00 PM

$15.00 per person

Food available for purchase

Contact Coach Reed for more information at refrench@wyasd.org