Blue & White Newsletter - 2/14/25

Before we share our Middle School students who worked hard and earned Distinguished Honor Roll and Honor Roll, I want to share that due to a reporting error, the following seven students at the High School were not included in last week's issue.

This week we are proud to recognize our Middle School students who, through hard work, dedication, and commitment to their education, have earned the designation of either Distinguished Honor Roll or Honor Roll.

Congratulations to all of our Middle School Distinguished Honor Roll and Honor Roll students!

Well done!

Trimmer Elementary's 2nd Annual Soup-er Bowl Challenge was a HUGE success! Our drive to collect non-perishable foods and household items for the West York Bulldog Pantry totaled 454 items. Each item donated counted as a vote towards one's favorite team to win Super Bowl LIX. Trimmer's top pick was established early on in the drive. The Philadelphia Eagles took a commanding lead over the Kansas City Chiefs after day two and never looked back, very similar to the actual game! In all, the Philadelphia Eagles earned 359 votes to win Super Bowl LIX and the Kansas City Chiefs earned 95 .

Trimmer's Guardian Bulldogs, led by Ms. Melissa Gordon and Ms. Missy Halcott, were the key to our drive's success. They made posters to promote the drive throughout our school, counted and tallied donations each morning, and announced the day's totals each afternoon. They did a SOUP-ER job!!

This week, members of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) at the Middle School came together to share kindness and creativity by making Valentine’s Day cards for students in our elementary Autistic Support classrooms. With colorful paper, heartfelt messages, and plenty of care, NJHS students crafted thoughtful cards to brighten the day of their younger peers.

This special project reflects the spirit of community and compassion that NJHS embodies, showing that small acts of kindness can make a big impact. The students hope their handmade cards brought smiles and warmth to the elementary AS classrooms this Valentine’s Day!

Kindergarten English learners at Wallace Elementary learned coding skills with Ms. Diane Savatt, Technology Integrator, and Ms. Shanda Goodwin, ESL teacher. They created and solved puzzles to give directions from one point to another on a grid. The students practiced communicating, made friends, and worked together to problem-solve!

First-grade English learners completed a breakout activity in small groups with Ms. Savatt and Ms. Goodwin. They applied math skills, communicated, and used a variety of strategies to solve problems. They were so excited when they broke out!

Ms. Courtney Munyon and Ms. Kelsey Sersen's Autistic Support classes at Lincolnway Elementary celebrated friendship and kindness together through a variety of activities and skills:

• Fine motor cupcake decorating and a snowman craft
• Gross motor snowball toss game
• Peer socialization through exchanging Valentine’s Day cards

Thank you to Miss Dawn for her extra preparation, and to our families who donated items, to help make this a success for students!

On Monday, February 10th, Lincolnway Elementary proudly hosted its annual Lincolnway Art Show, a celebration of creativity and artistic expression. The event showcased the incredible talents of the school’s 2nd and 3rd grade students, who spent weeks preparing their artwork inspired by renowned artists from around the world.

Visitors to the art show were treated to a vibrant display of student masterpieces, each reflecting different artistic styles and techniques. Students explored the bold, colorful floral compositions of Georgia O’Keeffe, creating striking Flower Collages that captured the beauty and detail of nature. Inspired by Jim Dine, they crafted Heart Designs, using expressive lines, textures, and colors to bring emotion and warmth to their artwork.

The exhibit also featured Name Designs influenced by Joseph Amedokpo, a contemporary African artist known for his bright, symbolic compositions. Students experimented with patterns and colors to create unique representations of their names. Paul Klee’s whimsical and abstract style inspired the Cats series, where young artists explored shape and color to create playful feline portraits. Additionally, students experimented with printmaking techniques in their Reflection Mono Prints, drawing inspiration from the vivid, dreamlike landscapes of Grant Pecoff.

The Lincolnway Art Show provided a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their creativity and for families to celebrate their artistic growth. The event was a testament to the dedication of both students and their art teacher, Ms. Jacquelyn Sengia, who continue to foster a love of the arts in West York.

The annual (York Community Art Scholars Exhibition) YCASE Finalist Exhibition Preview & Awards Ceremony is on Thursday, February 27. Student finalists, their friends and family, and other special guests are invited to celebrate the accomplishments of these talented young artists. The preview will begin at 5:00 PM in Gallery Hall at Marketview Arts (37 W. Philadelphia St., York), followed by the awards presentation at 6:00 PM in the Appell Center’s Capitol Theatre. After the ceremony, guests are invited to return to Marketview Arts for a reception.

We are thrilled to share the list of West York Area High School students whose works of art have been selected for inclusion in the exhibition:

9th Grade: Caleb Bowders and Abby Smith

10th Grade: Olivia Tran and Juliette Zech

11th Grade: Rose Shirley, Ava Soyke, and Brianna Tabasko

12th Grade: Danika Glatfelter, Bella Newcomer (2 entries), Kritigya Shrestha, and Nicholas Wurm

Kindergarten students in Ms. Kelly Lurz's class at Wallace Elementary used conversation candy hearts to practice sorting and graphing! They then had conversations about which color they had the most of, the least of, how many they would have if they combined two given colors (since we’re working on addition). Afterwards, they enjoyed eating their candy hearts!

Spring will be here before we know it - HOPEFULLY! Actually, it will officially arrive on March 20th. In West York, that means concert time. So, check out the concert dates below and be sure to mark your calendars! Our students have been working hard and developing their musical talents. They are very excited to share their gifts with our community!

• Tuesday, March 4 - HS/MS Music in Our Schools Concert - High School Auditorium 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Thursday, March 13 - MS/HS Choral Festival - Middle School Auditorium - 6:30 - 8:30 PM
• Wednesday, April 9 - TRM Beginning Band & 4th Grade Chorus Concert - 6:30 - 8:00 PM
• Thursday, April 10 - TRM Concert Band & 5th Grade Chorus Concert - 6:30 - 8:00 PM
• Friday, April 25 - HS/MS Spring Jazz Concert - High School Auditorium - 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Friday, May 9 - HS Band Spring Concert - 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• Thursday, May 15 - MS/HS Pops Concert - Middle School Auditorium - 6:30 - 8:30 PM
• Wednesday, May 21 - MS Band Concert - Middle School Auditorium - 6:30 - 7:30 PM

Recently added activities include:

• Girls on the Run
• West York Boys Club Spring Baseball
• West York Boys Club Flag Football
• York Adventure Camps

Preschool Storytime is a great way to have your preschooler become familiar with Wallace Elementary ahead of joining us for kindergarten next year. Our next Preschool Storytime is:

• Thursday, March 13 - 10:00 - 10:30 AM - First Day Jitters

To register to attend, please click the image to the right.

For more information, call the Wallace Elementary School Office at 717-764-6869.

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

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on our NextGen account, designed specifically for the young adults in your life! At First Capital, we offer accounts for kids of all ages, starting from newborns and up, but the NextGen account is tailored for students ages 14-17. When they open a NextGen account, they’ll receive a free tumbler as a welcome gift! With this savings program, students will have two opportunities to earn some extra cash by making deposits! For every $50 deposit, they’ll receive 50 points, and for every 500 points, a $5 deposit will be automatically added to their savings account. This is in addition to earning stamps on their Bulldog Buck$ stamp card! Students will also receive a birthday postcard during their birthday month, which includes an extra $5 deposit into their account. As they continue to grow and plan for the future, they’ll also be eligible to apply for our scholarships during their senior year, helping them with the cost of education. In addition, they’ll have the option to apply for private student loans to help cover any additional college expenses.

It’s never too early to set your young adult on a path to financial success, and with First Capital’s NextGen account, they can start learning, saving, and earning now. Set them up for a bright

financial future today!

Through our partnership with WYASD, families in the West York Area School District 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, please stop by The Bulldog Branch on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to learn more about what First Capital has to offer.

The Middle School Scholastic Book Fair is next week! The in-person Fair will run from February 18th through February 26th. The online Fair, which offers material for a wider age range (K-12), runs from February 19th through March 5th. Our Book Fair is not only a great way to support your child's reading, but also a fundraiser supporting our school and classroom libraries.

This year, we are hosting a special event to pair with our MS production of No Body to Murder! The Fair will be open an hour and a half before each production in the MS library. Stop by before the show!

Click the image above to visit our Fair's homepage where you will find information about how to set up an eWallet, see our class schedules, and visit the online fair portal.

"No Body to Murder," by Edith Weiss, is a humorous whodunnit that will keep you laughing as you piece together the clues! The guests of the "Come On Inn" inn are all suspects of a murder that happened during a severe weather threat and the news of an escaped convict on the loose. Who could have committed this crime? Was it the cook who poisoned the lemonade? The gardener who shaves with an axe? Or maybe the mime with a broken heart?

Tickets will be sold at the door for $5 per adult and $3 per student. Concessions will be available for purchase.

Show Dates:

• Friday, February 21st at 6:30 PM
• Saturday, February 22nd at 2:00 PM

"The Addams Family - A New Musical Comedy" follows the kooky Addams family as their seemingly perfect, macabre world is shaken when Wednesday Addams falls in love with a "normal" boy and invites his parents over for dinner, forcing Gomez and Morticia to confront the idea of their daughter growing up and potentially abandoning their unique family values, leading to chaos and hilarious situations as the two families clash over their vastly different lifestyles.

It is sure to be another West York AWESOME production so be sure to purchase your tickets today!

Where: West York Area High School

When:

• Friday, February 28th @ 7:00 PM
• Saturday, March 1st @ 7:00 PM
• Sunday, March 2nd @ 2:00 PM

We need your help! On Thursday, March 13th, Junior Achievement of South Central PA will be at the High School with their STEM Summit Program. Students will be participating in the day-long event designed to explore careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

The goal of the STEM Summit is to inspire students to pursue an academic STEM focus in the remainder of their high school courses. After the completion of the STEM Summit, guidance counselors have a foundation to work with students on appropriate course work.

For this day to be a success, we will need volunteers to facilitate ONE of the STEM activities for the day as students rotate through your station. You do not need to have a STEM background to be a great volunteer!

You do not have to be an approved school volunteer to help with this day. Junior Achievement will provide online training as well as on-site support to all volunteers. A light breakfast and lunch will also be available for volunteers.

Please consider volunteering and join us as we spend the day empowering and inspiring our students. Check out the following information:

• Click the STEM Summit Overview for Volunteers green bar below to learn more about volunteering
• Click the Volunteering Video green bar to see a short video about volunteering
• Click the Volunteer Registration green bar to register yourself as a volunteer

You can reach out to Shannon Baker, Senior Vice President Program Operations, at sbaker@jascpa.org if you have any specific questions.

Support the West York Girls Lacrosse team and Boosters while enjoying a delicious meal at Primanti Bros. Primanti Bros. will donate 20% of event sales! Show the flyer below or use code DINE2DONATE for online orders.

When: Thursday, February 27th - 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

Where: Primanti Bros. 2151South Queen Street, York, PA 17402

The Girls Lacrosse Boosters appreciates your support!

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, February 17, Inclement Weather Make-up Day - Schools ARE In Session
• Tuesday, February 18, Communication & Engagement Committee Meeting (5:30 PM)
• Tuesday, February 18, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 PM)
• Friday, February 21, MS Play (6:30 PM)
• Saturday, February 22, MS Play (2:00 PM)
• Friday, February 28, HS All-District Spring Musical (7:00 PM)

• Saturday, March 1, HS All-District Spring Musical (7:00 PM)
• Sunday, March 2, HS All-District Spring Musical (2:00 PM)
• Tuesday, March 4, Music in Our Schools Concert (HS Auditorium 7:00 PM)
• Friday, March 7, Professional Learning Day - No School for Students
• Tuesday, March 11, EPC Meeting (5:30 PM)
• Tuesday, March 11, Work Session of the Board (7:00 PM)
• Thursday, March 13, MS/HS Choral Festival Concert (MS Auditorium 6:30 PM)
• Tuesday, March 18, Cocurricular Committee Meeting (5:30 PM)
• Tuesday, March 18, Board Voting Meeting (6:30 PM)
• Friday, March 21, Early Dismissal Marking Period 3 Ends/HS Semester 2/Term 1 Ends
• Friday, March 28, Marking Period 3 Report Cards Available in Sapphire

Make-up days for the inclement weather closures are as follows:

• For Monday, January 6th - the make-up day is Monday, February 17th.
• For Tuesday, January 7th - the make-up day is Monday, April 21st.
• For Thursday, February 6th - the make-up day will be in June for teachers only.

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.

We can't wait to start meeting our newest little Bulldogs!

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 Attendance 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

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.