YSSD November 2025 Newsletter

There's something special happening at Valley View Elementary this school year, and it's creating quite the buzz. The school has been piloting a new program called The Hive System, an innovative approach to Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that's already exceeding expectations. What makes The Hive System so unique is its focus on collective success and celebrating not just individual accomplishments, but the power of community and connection.

The idea took flight when staff members and students were sorted into one of five hives (Pink, Blue, Green, Yellow, or Purple), each representing one of our core virtues: Empathy, Acceptance, Integrity, Perseverance, and Self-Control. Enthusiasm spread quickly among the students and staff in each hive, and even our School Directors joined in the fun, being officially sorted into hives during the October 27 Board meeting.

On monthly Hive Days, hives meet in the morning to learn about the core virtues, bond as a hive, and complete a fun activity. On Hive Day afternoons, Valley View comes together for team challenges and celebrations that reinforce a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Students can also earn tickets for their hive by following the 4 Bee Rules: Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be a Worker, and Be a Friend. The system has transformed PBIS into something students feel deeply connected to and something they're excited to be part of.

I am so proud of the creativity and care our Valley View staff have poured into bringing The Hive to life in their classrooms. Their commitment to building relationships and fostering a sense of collaboration shines through in every detail of this program and supports the District's Portrait of a Graduate competencies with our youngest learners. A special thank you goes to First Grade Teacher Andrew Corbett for his leadership in introducing this innovative idea to York Suburban and to the Valley View PTO for supporting it through their own efforts.

Stay tuned...next month, I'll be highlighting another school! There is so much to be proud of in our district!

Sincerely,

Scott Krauser, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools

• All Month - National Career Development Month, Military Family Appreciation Month, and American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month
• November 2 - Daylight Saving Time Ends
• November 3-7 - School Psychologist Appreciation Week
• November 4 - Municipal Election Day
• November 5 - Trojan Spirit Day
• November 8 - National STEM and STEAM Day
• November 11 - Veterans Day
• November 13 - World Kindness Day
• November 16-22 - Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week
• November 17-21 - American Education Week
• November 20 - Children’s Grief Awareness Day / World Children’s Day
• November 21 - Substitute Educator Appreciation Day

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

Middle School Only: Remote Learning Day

Tuesday, November 4

Refer to the District calendar event or Dr. Snedden's email sent on October 28 for more details.

No School: Professional Development/Summer Trade Day

Wednesday, November 26

No School: District Offices Closed

Thursday, November 27 - Monday, December 1

Wear Blue on Thursday, November 20

In recognition of Children's Grief Awareness Day and the wonderful work our friends at Highmark Caring Place do for grieving children throughout the community, our school community is invited to wear blue on Thursday, November 20 to show your support for grieving children all over the world.

Children's Grief Awareness Day serves as an important reminder for all of us to recognize the profound impact that the death of a loved one has on a child. If you are parenting a grieving child this holiday season, you are not alone, please contact your child’s counselor if there is any way we can support you. And, be sure to visit our partner in education, Highmark Caring Place at www.highmarkcaringplace.com for details on their no cost peer support programs and referral services.

Wear Red on Friday, November 21

The Pennsylvania Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) program is a statewide initiative dedicated to helping students experiencing homelessness have a school life that is as regular as possible. On Friday, November 21 (during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week) all members of our school community are invited to participate in Red Shirt Day. By wearing the color red you will be showing your support and helping to shine a light on the students in our district and across the state who face the challenges of homelessness each year while continuing their education.

Presented by York Suburban Trojan Theatre

November 6, 7, and 8, 7 p.m.

York Suburban High School Auditorium

Admission is $12 for Adults and $7 for Students

Purchase Tickets Online for Radium Girls

Poster designed by Zuri Harris, YSHS Junior

Based on the true story of the young women who painted luminous watch dials in the 1920s and later fought for justice after suffering from radium poisoning, this is a story of courage, resilience, and the fight for what’s right. You don't want to miss this production.

Presented by York Suburban Middle School
November 21 and 22, 7 p.m.

York Suburban Middle School Auditorium
Admission is $10 for Adults and $5 for Students

Purchase Tickets Online for Goosebumps

In this musical adaptation of R.L. Stine’s tale, horror fans Brooke and Zeke are thrilled to star in The Phantom and completely unfazed by rumors that the play is cursed. But when strange messages appear and a masked figure begins haunting rehearsals, the friends start to wonder if the legend might be real. Get ready for thrills and plenty of goosebumps as they race to uncover the mystery lurking behind the curtain. This show is appropriate for all ages.

The U.S. News & World Report has published its 2026 Best Elementary Schools and Best Middle Schools rankings, and the news is great for York Suburban! All three of our eligible schools (East York Elementary, Indian Rock Elementary, and York Suburban Middle School) received honors. Congratulations to our staff, students, and families!

Please join us in congratulating four York Suburban High School seniors named Commended Students in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program - (pictured left to right) Rowen Goelz, Emma Bates, Jem Miller, and Amara Burggraaf. This recognition, based on scores on the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, places our Trojans among the top four percent of high school students in the country. We are so proud of them and hope this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities.

Ten York Suburban singers shared their voices at the York County Choral Festival hosted by Dover Area High School. Congratulations to (pictured left to right) Samara Dalton, Aaron West, Sara Youcheff, Ethan Wolfgang, Ruthie Brown, Ian Cline, Sarah Dol, Willow Hoffman-Smith, Lucy Thompson, and Laurene Mungai. A special shoutout to Sarah Dol, who was selected to perform a solo during the concert. Congrats, Sarah!

Congratulations to York Suburban High School senior Mikey Foremsky and junior Eden Gracey, the York East Rotary Club's Students of the Month. Mikey and Eden earned this recognition for their outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements. Best wishes to you both!

We are incredibly proud of our talented middle school artists who participated in this year’s Lions International Peace Poster Contest. Each year, this worldwide contest invites students to reflect on the meaning of peace and share their vision through art. Please join us in congratulating Mary Wolgamauth, first place; Aniyah Ierley, second place; Sheilyanis Rodriquez, third place; and Tess McClimans, fourth place. As the first place winner, Mary’s artwork has advanced in the competition.

Special thanks to Molly McAuliffe, Middle School Art Teacher, for inspiring our students, and to Wanda Reisinger and Dwight Hollenbach from the York White Rose Lions Club for bringing this meaningful program to York Suburban.

On Friday, October 24, York Suburban teamed up with VSP Eyes of Hope (VSP Vision Care) and Visionworks to provide free eye exams to 80 students. Thanks to the amazing Eyes of Hope mobile clinic, students in need were able to select and receive their new glasses, many of which they took home the same day, at no cost to their families.

A heartfelt thank-you goes to our Middle School team, Social Worker Brienna Derr, School Nurse Kacie Blum, and Principal Dr. Michael Snedden, for leading the planning, and to the volunteer eye doctors and VSP staff whose dedication made this event possible.

York Suburban High School’s National Honor Society and Diversity & Activism Club spent Saturday, October 25, serving those experiencing food and housing insecurity in York. In less than 45 minutes, students served food and distributed socks to approximately 150 people.

Our students received help from several partners in giving, including York Suburban's FCCLA chapter, which prepared 100 PB&J sandwiches; apples donated by Flinchbaugh's Orchard & Farm Market; chips provided by Herr's; and discounted pizzas from Memory Lane Pizza.

Trojans who care, serve, and make a difference in our community exemplify our Portrait of a Graduate competencies.

Making sure every student has access to the nutrition they need to learn and grow is one of our top priorities. If your family is feeling the impact of the government shutdown or changes to support programs, please know that you are not alone, and we are here to help. Our district offers several confidential supports for families:

Free Breakfast for All Students
Every student can enjoy a free, nutritious breakfast at school each day. No forms or eligibility required.

Free and Reduced-Price School Meals
If your family’s circumstances have changed, you can apply or update your application at any point during the school year. Many more families qualify than realize it, and all information is kept strictly confidential. Click here for directions on how to apply.

Community Resources

Our area offers several food assistance programs (please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and resources are subject to change).

• York Suburban Education Foundation/Impact Foundation - www.ysef.org/impact-pantry
• Central Pennsylvania Food Bank – centralpafoodbank.org
• New Hope Ministries – nhm-pa.org
• York County Food Pantries - yorkcountypa.gov
• Pennsylvania 2-1-1 Helpline – pa211.org

Additional Assistance

We want all our students to feel supported. If your family needs additional assistance or would like to donate to help another family, please contact one of our school social workers: Brienna Derr, High School and Middle School, or Tera Hanson, Elementary School.

Again this year, we've partnered with the York County Food Bank and YSEF’s Impact Foundation to provide food and other essential items to make the holidays special. We’re incredibly grateful to both organizations for their generous support and partnership.

York County Food Bank’s Give-A-Meal Program

The York County Food Bank is accepting applications from York Suburban families for its Give-A-Meal program. Qualifying families will receive a boxed meal to include shelf-stable food items and a gift card.

• Use the link below to apply for the Give-A-Meal Program. https://forms.gle/pozV1FAMGsAiqCZ87

Impact Foundation Holiday Event

The York Suburban Education Foundation (YSEF)’s Impact Foundation invites York Suburban families in need to attend its Holiday Event. Winter outerwear, canned goods, dessert mixes, paper goods, and holiday gifts will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Admission is free; however, registration is required to attend the event.

• Use the link below to sign up for a time to attend the Holiday Event.
  http://bit.ly/IFHoliday25

The deadline to apply or register for these events is Sunday, November 23, 2025. Both events will take place on Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Luther Memorial Church, located beside York Suburban High School at 1907 Hollywood Drive.

Whitsons has some special pop-up events planned for November!

High School

November 14 -Tater Thrown Down featuring a Baked Potato Bar

November 20 - Thanksgiving Meal

Middle School

November 18 - Golden Chipotle with Rice and Choice of Toppings

November 20 - Thanksgiving Meal

Elementary Schools

November 18 - Thanksgiving Meal

Related Links

Breakfast and Lunch Menus

Elementary Birthday Celebration and Classroom Snacks Order Form - Grades K-5

Over the past several months, the District has continued to work diligently to advance plans for the new Intermediate School. As part of this process, the District has regularly engaged with Springettsbury Township to meet land development requirements. On October 21, 2025, Dr. Krauser provided an update to our school community to provide clarity, address questions, and share a status update. His message was emailed to our school community and is available on our website. Additionally, during the October 27, School Board meeting, representatives from Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates Architects, K&W Engineers, and Fidevia Construction Management & Consulting made a detailed presentation on the land development progress and shared a detailed timeline of actions taken regarding the intermediate school project. That presentation can be viewed on the District's YouTube channel.

As excitement continues to build for the opening of our new Intermediate School in 2027, we’ve received a few questions about transportation times for students. While exact travel times won’t be determined until routes and times are finalized and enrollment numbers are set, we can use current data from our Middle School as a helpful comparison.

Currently, Indian Rock Elementary bus routes range from 21 to 46 minutes in the morning and 24 to 49 minutes in the afternoon, with average ride times of 35 minutes (a.m.) and 37 minutes (p.m.). For York Suburban Middle School, morning rides range from 19 to 46 minutes, and afternoon rides from 17 to 46 minutes, with averages of 32 minutes (a.m.) and 30 minutes (p.m.).

It’s also worth noting that due to its location, Indian Rock Elementary does not have a walking zone, but there will be students who can walk to the new Intermediate School. While factors such as congestion along Country Club Road will always influence travel from one side of the District to the other, our transportation team works diligently to keep the time students are on the bus as short as possible.

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

Planning Meeting - Monday, November 10, 7 p.m.

Regular Meeting - Monday, November 24, 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

York Suburban High School will host a Career and College Day on Thursday, March 12, 2026. While planning is still underway, we are seeking volunteers to help make this event a success by supporting in one or more of the following ways:

• Classroom Presentations: Lead one or more 20–25 minute sessions highlighting your career path, organization, skill demonstrations, or other topics that help students explore career opportunities.
• Exhibitor Booths: Host a table in the gymnasium to share information and engage with interested students.
• Panel Participation: Join a panel of Human Resources professionals to discuss workplace expectations and career readiness.

If you are interested in participating, please complete this brief form. Thank you in advance for your willingness to share your time and expertise with our students.

• 2025-2026 School Year Calendar - 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, and can also be easily referenced on the Annual Notices page of our website.
• Community Flyers - The District posts approved flyers on our website. Be sure to bookmark this page for information about upcoming athletic camps and family activities.
• Contact Us - Link to Building Directories and District Administration Contact Information
• Employment Opportunities - We have a variety of open positions that are perfect for individuals interested in working a schedule similar to that of our students.
• First Day of School Video for 2025-2026 - Thank you to everyone who shared their photos with us.
• 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 helpful information for all families. It will be particularly valuable for families new to the District.
  
• Renovation and Construction Updates - A summary of our efforts to date regarding plans to construct a new intermediate school, renovate the high school, and address district-wide capital projects can be found on our website.