YSSD April 2025 Newsletter

This school year, we launched our Portrait of a Graduate initiative, and I hope you’ve enjoyed getting to know some of our outstanding students through the monthly Portrait of a Graduate Student Spotlights. This framework represents our shared vision for the skills and mindsets our graduates need to thrive in a world full of opportunities.

As a reminder, the six Portrait of a Graduate competencies are:

• Compassionate Citizen

• Community Collaborator

• Effective Communicator

• Well-Rounded Contributor

• Creative Problem-Solver

• Knowledgeable Thinker

As we approach Spring Break and the final stretch of the school year, we know that warmer weather, state testing, and final exams can present new challenges. The finish line is in sight, and we encourage students to lean into the Portrait of a Graduate competencies they have developed...demonstrating resilience, focus, and determination...to finish strong.

To the Class of 2025, keep pushing forward, you are almost there! We are proud of each of you and look forward to celebrating your achievements in the weeks ahead.

Scott Krauser, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

skrauser@yssd.org

• All Month - Arab American Heritage Month, Autism Acceptance Month, Celebrate Diversity Month, Child Abuse Prevention Month, Multilingual Learner Advocacy Month, National Occupational Therapy Month, National School Library Month, and Poetry Month
• April 3 - Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
• April 4 - National School Librarian Appreciation Day
• April 6-12 - National Library Week
• April 7-11 - National Assistant Principals Appreciation Week
• April 9 - Trojan Spirit Day
• April 21-25 - Public School Volunteer Week
• April 22 - Earth Day / National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day
• April 23 - Administrative Professionals Day
• April 25 - Arbor Day

For a complete list of events, please refer to the District's online calendar.

No School: Professional Development/Act 80 Day

Friday, April 4

No School: District Offices Closed

Friday, April 18 and Monday, April 21

PSSA Testing: Grades 3-8

Tuesday, April 22 through Friday, May 2

Monday, March 31-Thursday, April 3, District-wide

Join us in spreading kindness, acceptance, and understanding as we celebrate the unique strengths individuals with autism bring to York Suburban.

• MONDAY: Comfy, Cozy Clothes - Individuals with autism have many strengths, characteristics, and challenges like everyone else, and textures, sometimes leading to discomfort or anxiety.
• TUESDAY: Tie-Dye -Individuals with autism have many strengths, characteristics, and challenges like everyone else.
• WEDNESDAY: Trojan Spirit Wear - Individuals with autism can find it difficult to understand social cues, body language, and facial expressions. It can be difficult to make and keep friends. Let’s show our unity.
• THURSDAY: Favorite Character Day - Interests are important for well-being and happiness. Individuals with autism have specific interests just like everyone else.

Friday, April 4, 3 p.m., York Suburban High School Track

Everyone is invited to join our Trojans and other area track and field athletes at this one-day invitational showcasing varsity and junior high teams. Originally named the Suburban Relays, the event name was changed to honor the person who founded the relays, Herb Schmidt who was involved in some way with the meet until he passed away in November 2020.

Friday, April 11, 8 p.m.-Saturday, April 12, 7 a.m., York Suburban High School

The 12th Annual Mini-THON at York Suburban High School is almost here. On the weekend of April 11, our students will come together to make a difference. Want to be part of this meaningful night? Adult volunteers are needed to help keep the event running smoothly (monitoring activities, reinforcing rules, and pitching in for morning cleanup) and donations are also being accepted (food, drinks, and monetary). Learn more about these opportunities at https://linktr.ee/ysminithon or email ysminithon@yssd.org.

Organized by Members of the High School Model-UN

Tuesday, April 15, 6-7:30 p.m., York Suburban High School

All are welcome to attend this free event featuring international food sampling, live music, performances, Henna, face painting, raffles, and more! If you are interested in volunteering to represent a country or culture, please email jgaeta@yssd.org to sign up.

Monday, April 21, 6-8 p.m., Heritage Hills Golf Resort

Join us for a fun evening of competitive Mini-Golf to benefit the York Suburban Education Foundation and Impact Foundation. Everyone is welcome to participate, but space is limited! For more details on registering, visit the event sign up page.

Friday, May 16, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Yorktowne Hotel

This year's theme...Masquerade!

Join us for a night of dancing and disguises. Tickets are $60 per person and may be purchased by juniors and seniors only. Each upperclassman may also purchase one guest ticket.

Thursday, May 22, 7 p.m., York Suburban Stadium

All are welcome to join us. We will also broadcast the ceremony live. Parents of seniors are encouraged to check out the Senior Information webpage for additional details about graduation and other senior milestones.

Monday through Thursday during June and July

We are excited to announce our 2025 Summer Camps for incoming kindergarteners and current students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Camps are being offered at no cost to York Suburban families and provide enriching opportunities to continue learning over the summer months. For more details, please visit our summer camp website at: https://secure.smore.com/n/jndvk

At the annual York Community Art Scholars Exhibition (YCASE), 180 pieces by students from 15 high schools in the area were showcased. Of the entries, only twenty received awards, including Senior Jaidan Kopp who won first place in the drawing category for her self-portrait! Amazing work, Jaidan. Congratulations!

Krista Wolfenberger, Certified School Nurse at East York and Indian Rock Elementary Schools, has been awarded the 2025 School Nurse Excellence Award for the South Central Region of Pennsylvania. For the past 10 years, Krista has been a vital part of our Health Department, going above and beyond to support the well-being of our students and staff. We’re thrilled to see her dedication recognized by the Pennsylvania Association of School Nurses and Practitioners. Please join us in congratulating Krista on this well-deserved honor.

Meetings are held in the High School Cafeteria and are open to the public.

MEETINGS OF THE WHOLE BOARD

Planning - Monday, April 7, 7 p.m.

Regular - Monday, April 28, 7 p.m.

Related Links

Information about the Board - includes contact information

In Person and Electronic Public Comment Guidelines

Board Agendas - published 24 hours before the meeting

Board Minutes - posted after Board approval

Board Meeting Calendar - 2025 Meeting Dates and Times

Please feel free to share these volunteer opportunities with friends, neighbors, and colleagues who may be interested.

🏡 Junior Achievement Elementary Programs

April through May, East York, Indian Rock, and Yorkshire Elementary Schools

We currently have 12 classrooms (grades 1-4) still in need of a Junior Achievement volunteer. For as little as an hour a week, you can help JA provide important life skills through programs on families, communities, cities, and regions. All necessary materials are provided — all you need is a desire to help others! For more information or to sign up, please contact Meghan Mitrovich, JA Classroom Program Manager, at mmitrovich@jascpa.org

🔹12th Annual Mini-THON

Friday, April 11, 8 p.m.-Saturday, April 12, 7 a.m., York Suburban High School

Sign Up Here to Volunteer for Mini-THON

Adult volunteers are needed to help monitor activities, reinforce rules, and clean up in the morning. You do not need to be available the entire time. All volunteers receive a free event t-shirt. Questions can be sent to ysminithon@yssd.org.

Highmark Wholecare's COMPASS team has partnered with our District social workers to provide families with assistance renewing or applying for Medicaid benefits. The team can assist any family (not just those insured by Highmark) apply for Medical Assistance, CHIP, Food Assistance and other state related benefits.

Representative will be available at the District's Education Center (located behind the high school at 1800 Hollywood Drive) on April 24 and June 26 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. This service is available at no cost to families. Walk-ins are welcome. If you have any questions, please contact your student’s social worker: Miranda Jenkins, High School Social Worker, mjenkins@yssd.org; Brienna Derr, Middle School Social Worker, bderr@yssd.org; and Tera Hanson, Elementary School Social Worker, thanson@yssd.org.

• 2024-2025 School Year Calendar - This year's school calendar has been updated to reflect our January snow days and subsequent make-up days for students and staff. The revised calendar can be found posted on our website in English and Spanish.
• 2025-2026 School Year Calendar - At its meeting on January 27, the Board approved an academic calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. The adopted calendar can be found on the District website in English and Spanish.
• Annual Notices - School Districts are required by federal and state laws and regulations to provide several annual notices to parents and guardians. These required notices are available in our handbooks and board policies, but can can easily be referenced from the Annual Notices page on our website.
• Community Flyers - The District posts approved flyers to our website.
• Contact Us - Link to Building Directories and District Administration Contact Information
• Employment Opportunities - We have a variety of open positions perfect for individuals interested in working a schedule similar to our students.
• Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application Information - Families who may qualify are encouraged to apply for free or low cost meals this school year.
• Important Information for Families & Students - In addition to the building level handbooks, this document provides useful information for all families and will be particularly valuable for families new to the District.
  
• Renovation and Construction Updates - Summary of efforts to date regarding our plans to construct a new intermediate school, renovate the high school, and address capital projects district-wide can be found on our website.