Back to School

I am incredibly excited to begin my eleventh year as principal at York Middle School.

Here are a few things you need to know about YMS!

• We have the Best Middle School in Nebraska.

• We have an outstanding staff that is dedicated to the growth of young men and women, not only academically but also physically, emotionally, and socially.

• We have students who give great effort and have strong character.

• Our school district is focused on students and strives to improve constantly.

The middle school experience is both an exciting and anxious time for students, especially new students to the building. During this crucial time in the life of adolescents, they are searching for more independence, more responsibility, and new experiences. They are learning how to control and express emotions. They are more self-conscious about the physical changes occurring in their bodies. Rest assured, your child has a committed administration, faculty, and staff at YMS to support every child to ensure that all individual potential is reached.

PBiS at YMS- PBiS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Along with promoting positive behaviors, we teach and expect students to be Safe, Respectful, and Responsible. This is The Duke Way. Students are rewarded and taught behavior expectations throughout the school.

What can I control?- These three short years at YMS are full of physical, emotional, social, and academic changes for students. Two constants that everyone can control are their attitude & effort. I want all students to come to school each day knowing that if they choose a positive attitude and give a great effort, they will have a successful day. Parents, thank you for encouraging your middle school child to choose a positive attitude & give a tremendous effort each day!

Safety— In this newsletter, you will find information concerning the arrival, departure, parental pickup, and drop-off of students. Please have a conversation with your child about safety during this time. Students walking or riding bicycles to and from school are encouraged to be aware of their surroundings, cross streets at appropriate areas, and respect all traffic around them. The first several days of school will be spent educating students on the importance of safety during this time.

This is a monthly publication designed to keep parents informed of the news and activities relating to York Middle School. This issue is packed with information regarding the necessary preparations to get your student ready for the first day of school.

The York Middle School newsletter gets sent out once a month by email and is available online. You will be able to access it by using the district’s website.

Open House - There is important information concerning this event in this issue. This event is vital to the successful beginning of the school year. Please plan to attend and get a positive start to the school term.

The first day of school - Our first day of school will be Wednesday, August 13th, beginning at 8:00 AM. Students will first report to their student families. The school will dismiss at noon with no lunch being served. Buses will run immediately after school is dismissed. Thursday and Friday will be normal school days.

I am excited to start this eleventh year armed with the knowledge from the previous years. I am determined to make this year better than last year. I am excited to work with your child(ren) and make this year one of their best. We are going to have a great year! If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to stop in my office or give me a call at 362-6655. Go, Dukes!

Sincerely,

Kenny Loosvelt, Principal www.yorkpublic.org, @YMSDukes Like us on Facebook!

As the first day of school approaches, I want to remind you of a few health related items:

• Students entering 7th grade and students transferring from out-of-state have specific immunization/ physical and eye exam information required by the State of Nebraska. If you have questions or need more information, contact your student’s school office. The completed information is to be provided prior to the first day of the school year.

• If your child has asthma, severe allergies, diabetes, seizures or other health concerns, please contact the school health office prior to the first week of school to review medical information for your child. Forms requesting specific information may need to be completed by you and your child’s healthcare provider. Medical information needs to be current for the school year.

• If your student has been diagnosed with asthma or a severe allergy, and is going to carry an inhaler or epi-pen, a self-management form needs to be completed by parent/guardian and student, and a physician signature is needed on the completed asthma/anaphylaxis action plan stating that student may self-administer.

• If you have identified a food allergy for your student, there is a form that needs to be completed and is available through the food service department.

• If your child has been prescribed an epi-pen, it should be available to administer if needed. Your student may carry the epipen if the above requirements are met, or a prescribed epipen should be provided to be located in the school health office.

• When possible, prescribed and over the counter medication should be given at home. Your physician may be able to adjust the time schedule for a prescribed medication so that the medicine can be given at home before or after school. When a prescribed medication is to be administered at school, it needs to be in a container prepared by your pharmacist. The label on the container must include: the child’s name, medication name, physician’s name, current date, dosage, route and time to administer. If your physician provides samples of a prescription medication, the doctor will need to provide you with a written note including the above information if the medication will be administered at school. Any medication (prescribed or over-the-counter) must be sent in the original container or package, along with a permission form completed and signed by the parent/guardian and all medication sent to school is to be administered through the health office. Over the counter medication must be age appropriate. When sending a medication to school, please note the time that the most recent dose was given, along with your signature/date.

Thank you for your cooperation with the above. Please contact your school health office regarding any questions. Happy August!

In case of a weather emergency, we will follow the same procedure that has been in practice in the past years.

That procedure is as follows:

1. Radio Station KOOL (103.5 FM 1370 AM), and KTMX-FM (104.9) will again serve as our primary

source for dispensing “school closing information.” They are 24 hour stations.

2. If severe weather necessitates an early dismissal, a school cancellation, or information concerning school buses, it will be broadcast on KOOL and KTMX.

3. Bus drivers are instructed to use good judgment in determining whether a road is passable. The

Transportation Department will notify parents where children can be loaded if a specific road cannot be traveled. Buses will travel the regular routes and maintain a time schedule consistent with the

conditions of the roads.

4. “Emergency Messages” will be sent to our student’s parents and guardians who have an email or cell phone number listed in Infinite Campus, and the YPS Staff. Information will be posted on our website at www.yorkpublic.org, on our Facebook page at York Public Schools and on Twitter at

@MitchBartYPS (#yorkdukes). Parents and Guardians – please be sure to provide the school

secretaries with your current email address and cell phone number in order to be notified!!

FILE: EBBDA POLICY ON SCHOOL DISMISSAL FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER

The York Public Schools will be closed, when in the determination of the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee, the weather conditions constitute a hazard for students going to or from school.

When regular morning school bus routes cannot be run due to road conditions, yet travel in town is not seriously hampered, school may remain open. When possible a "limited service" bus route shall be run anytime school remains open and it is not possible to run regular routes.

The starting time of the morning session may be delayed when necessary.

When, during the school day and while school is in session, it is necessary to send bus pupils home

early, school may be dismissed for all students.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES ON SCHOOL DISMISSAL FOR INCLEMENT WEATHER

When school is not held or is dismissed early due to poor weather conditions, notification will be placed on the York radio station and any other such means as the superintendent may deem necessary and feasible.

When it is necessary to dismiss school due to inclement weather after the school day has started, all students should be accounted for in their homeroom by their homeroom teachers. Bus students should be dismissed first. Teachers shall be responsible for their assigned students. Before dismissing elementary town students, the teachers shall not let any student who has been transported to school go home without contacting their parents, unless they are sure other arrangements have been made. Students who have walked to school may be allowed to walk home if the teacher feels the weather does not present a hazard. Teachers will be dismissed when all of their students have been accounted for.

Join us Monday, August 11 from 6:00-7:00 PM to meet the teachers, the principal, find your locker, find classrooms and get all the info filled out that we need to start the school year. A packet will be in the gym at a table (by grade level) for you to fill out and return before you leave. Add money to lunch accounts (check or cash only) purchase activity passes and meet with the Nurse for any questions. We look forward to seeing you.

The campaign will begin on Monday, August 18 and run through Wednesday, August 20. Applications will be available on the first day of school in the office or see Mrs. Rodrigues. Applications must be turned in to the office or to Mrs. Rodrigues by Monday, August 18th for you to campaign and be on the ballot. This is a great way to practice leadership and have an impact on YMS! Your hard work is greatly appreciated!

Dear Middle School Volleyball Players:

We hope this letter finds you enjoying the remaining days of summer…they sure do go by quickly. We just wanted to touch base with you and let you know how much we are looking forward to coaching you this volleyball season, and to give you a few important details.

We need you to keep a few things in mind as you get ready for school this fall. First of all, ALL 7th and 8th graders will need to turn in a copy of a current doctor’s physical to the YMS office. There is also an NSAA/insurance information form that needs to be filled out and turned into the YMS office. Call the YMS office at 402.362.6655 if you have any questions. Physical forms are available at the middle school and high school office, along with other necessary permission forms. When your paperwork is turned in, you will be cleared to play by the YMS office. You will NOT be allowed to participate in practice without this clearance, but your practice attendance is required to be part of the team. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT FOR SCHOOL TO START TO SCHEDULE YOUR PHYSICAL!!

We will have a very short meeting on Wednesday, August 13th (check the announcements for time/place). We will have some handouts for you with more specific information. THE FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE WILL BE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 14th. Both 7th and 8th will practice on Thursday (8/14) and Friday (8/15) at YES (all players will ride the bus to YES after dismissal). Although skill evaluation is an on-going process, these two days are an evaluation period to determine initial placement. Further practice times/locations will be communicated after this evaluation period. It will be detrimental to you if you miss this evaluation period due to not having a physical and proper paperwork turned into the office.

As the season goes on, coaches will communicate with you via the Sports You app. (Sign-up for this will be in an information packet given out at the first practice.) We would like for you to have good, clean tennis shoes (designated just for volleyball) and knee pads. You may buy shoes specifically for volleyball if you choose, but you certainly don’t need to. There are a variety of athletic shoes that have been donated to York FCA, first come, first served. Please stop by the YHS Main Office if you're interested. We also have some knee pads available for you to check out. You will also need navy shorts for games; spandex is worn by most girls, but definitely not required. Wear what you are comfortable in.

If you would like to see the game schedule, it is located on the York Public School website. Look under the calendars tab for YPS Activities. From there you can search for Volleyball – 7th or 8th grade on the right side under “View Schedule.”

Sincerely,

Coach Kim Hirschfeld-Cotton Coach Audrey Loosvelt

Coach Kayla Makovicka Coach Allison Snodgrass

PLEASE FILL OUT THE QR CODE FORM ASAP IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO GO OUT THIS FALL!

The York Middle School football coaches are hoping you have had a great summer. As it draws to a close, we want to remind you that football season is right around the corner, and we are looking forward to having a great year. We would love to have a large number of both 7th grade and 8th grade players this fall. The 7th Graders will checkout helmets on Thursday, August 14th at 3:15 pm & will then go practice. Boys can meet in the gym and wait for Coach Sautter & Coach McKinney. Be sure to be wear a pair of shorts & a t-shirt & bring a water bottle. The 8th Graders will checkout helmets, shoulder pads, and lower pads at 3:30 pm on Thursday, August 14th & then go to the field to practice. So, wear t-shirt and shorts to checkout and bring a water bottle as well. We will have the group water station available, but it’s good to also have the water bottle handy. Athletes must have a sports physical and a parent consent form on file at YMS BEFORE they are able to practice. So, please get those forms to the YMS Office ASAP. By NSAA rule, an athlete cannot practice until they have these files completed. With our first game being Thursday, September 4th , it is imperative to have those files ready to go for the first day of practice. Athletes must follow the NSAA protocol for being able to practice in full pads. It often times is more than a week before you can get in to see a doctor for a physical; so please make arrangements, immediately, if you have not done so already.

Practices are every non-game day from 3:30 pm to about 5:10 pm for 7th grade & 5:20 pm for the 8th grade. On Wednesdays, the athletes generally aren’t allowed into the locker room until 3:30 pm. Most times, if there is no school at YMS, there is no practice. Athletes are expected to be at practice unless there are extenuating circumstances like the athlete is sick or at a doctor’s appointment or funeral. Please contact your coach if unable to attend a practice. The sports schedule is on the York Public School website—yorkpublic.org. Go to the Calendars Tab and the YPS Activities and view 7th or 8th grade football. You can also download the rSchool app to find different schedules for York Public Schools. Thank you and we look forward to getting Junior High football started.

Mr. Lamberty—8th Grade Head Coach

Mr. Kohmetscher---8th Grade Assistant Coach

Mr. Sautter—7th Grade Head Coach

Mr. McKinney—7th Grade Assistant Coach

Dear parents/guardians and middle school cross country athletes,

My name is Brittany Wiley. I have been coaching youth sports in different levels and capacities since 2004. I am very excited to coach cross country this year!

We have five cross country meets plus the optional state meet. Our cross country races take place on golf courses, in parks, or on college campuses. Races range in distance between 1 and 2 miles depending on the meet. Parents get to be active participants as they move to cheer for their runners at different points on the course.

The first practice is on Monday, August 18 which will give us almost three weeks before our first race. We will practice every day at 3:30PM (including Wednesdays). I encourage your athletes to start conditioning/running before practices begin. It will be important for your child to be hydrated, to have a pair of good running shoes, running clothes, and to bring a water bottle to every practice.

The Junior High Cross Country Championships on October 11 is an optional meet. Students may choose to participate and they may run in the Championship Division (more competitive) or the Open Division (less competitive) at Papillion-La Vista South High School. We will talk about this more as the season progresses.

Important Information:

• Students must have a recent physical on file.

• Parents and students must fill out the NSAA form before participating in practice.

• Parents and students must sign a new form for all sports acknowledging serious injury and code of conduct

Practices:

• Practices start at 3:30 PM and will end at 4:45PM. Students will change in the bathrooms near the entrance and wait in the commons for Coach WIley to arrive. Students should follow school guidelines until Coach Rasmussen arrives. Students need to sit quietly at tables in the common as they wait. We will meet every day of the week.

• Students are expected to attend all practices. Please communicate via sportsYOU app if there is a scheduling conflict for practices and/or meets.

• Students should have all necessary clothing apparel for practices and meets (shoes, socks, weather appropriate clothing- layers are always beneficial, etc.).

• Bring a water bottle to practice and hydrate during the day. If an athlete needs an inhaler, please let me know and make sure he/she has it available to him/her during practices & meets.

Meets:

• Middle school students will ride the bus to all meets outside of York. (Parents will bring athletes to the York Invite due to its starting time.) We will ride with the high school students to the Seward and Aurora meets.

• If athletes plan to travel home with their parents after meets, they need to submit a transportation request with the school office ahead of time.

• Athletes will wear a school-provided jersey for meets. Athletes may wear a pair of their own black or navy shorts for races. If an athlete needs a pair of shorts from the school, he/she may request one.

• Buy a team t-shirt for warm-ups. Team apparel order forms will be ready soon.

Marching Band/Band

Kenny Loosvelt, Principal

Email: kenny.loosvelt@yorkdukes.org

Website: www.yorkpublic.org

Location: 1730 N Delaware Ave, York, NE 68467

Phone: (402) 362-6655 Option 1