York Academy Knight News
August 20th Edition
At York Academy Regional Charter School, our mission remains clear and steadfast: an unrelenting focus on academic excellence. We are committed to challenging students through diverse learning environments that open doors to growth, opportunity, and global citizenship.
As we prepare for the 2025–2026 school year, our leadership team, together with our Lead Teachers, will work to identify and confirm specific schoolwide goals that will drive continued success. These goals will focus on strengthening instructional practices, supporting student growth, and ensuring consistency across our classrooms.
Areas of focus will include: 1-targeted growth in PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) scores, ensuring measurable academic progress for all students; 2-strong Universal Procedures and Expectations*, creating a consistent, supportive environment for learning, and strategic tier 1 instructional growth and support, and 3-enhancing the foundation of classroom teaching to better serve every student.
These priorities reflect York Academy’s commitment to continuous improvement and to preparing every student for success in school and beyond. We look forward to working together as a school community to make 2025–2026 a year of achievement, growth, and pride for our Knights.
With warm regards,
Dr. Lowe
CEO, York Academy
*a consistent set of schoolwide rules, routines, and behavioral expectations that all staff and students follow.
One of York Academy’s most meaningful traditions is our House System. Every student is a member of a house, creating a sense of belonging, unity, and school spirit that extends beyond the classroom. While the House System builds community, it also plays an important role in education and personal development.
Through their houses, students learn the value of teamwork, leadership, and responsibility. They support one another, celebrate achievements together, and participate in healthy competition that teaches resilience, perseverance, and good sportsmanship. Beyond academics, the House System helps students grow into well-rounded, compassionate leaders who embody the values of York Academy and the International Baccalaureate learner profile.
This tradition thrives with the support of our families. We would love to see greater parent participation in house events and activities. Whether it’s volunteering, sharing ideas to enrich activities, or cheering on your child’s house and celebrating their successes, your involvement makes the experience even more meaningful for our students. Together, we can strengthen this tradition and ensure it continues to inspire and unite our school community.
The House System is more than just fun and competition, it’s an integral part of the York Academy experience. With your support, it will continue to shape confident, connected, and capable students for years to come.
If you’d like to learn more or sign up to get involved, please contact Alina Henninger at 717-900-5001 or Jules Sebulsky at 717-801-3900 ext.1402.
This Friday during lunch service, Upper School students will be in for a treat. Snapple representatives will be visiting to offer students the chance to sample some of their newest products. These beverages are being considered for the à la carte menu, giving students even more variety and choice in the cafeteria.
In addition to this event, York Academy is excited to share that Elisha Brantley, Director of Food Services and Upper School Kitchen Manager, Betty Barnette, recently attended a culinary training. The training was both inspiring and educational, focusing on preparing school meals with less sugar and sodium while keeping them delicious and appealing for students. One of the highlights of the training was the chance to collaborate with staff from other schools. Together, Elisha and Betty exchanged ideas, practiced new recipes, and learned creative ways to meet healthier guidelines without compromising flavor. This hands-on experience expanded their skills and reinforced the importance of serving nutritious, balanced meals to all York Academy students.
York Academy looks forward to bringing these new ideas back to the school and continuing to enhance the dining experience for students, making it both tasty and healthy.
We know mornings and afternoons can be busy, and many families rely on grandparents, neighbors, or other caregivers to help with transportation. That’s why it’s so important that everyone who helps with drop-off or pick-up understands and follows our established traffic patterns.
Unfortunately, we are still noticing issues during these times, which not only slows the process but also creates safety concerns for students and families. To help, we’ve made our traffic pattern videos available again for review. Please take a few minutes to watch them, and be sure to share them with any driver who assists your family with school transportation.