I hope this update finds you well…
Thank you for another fantastic week of learning at Yorkville High School. With the shortened upcoming week, the weekly update will resume on December (12/3). I hope everyone has a safe and restful Thanksgiving break--I look forward to everyone's safe return!
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wanted to include this poem entitled "Be Thankful" to help our YHS community keep everything in perspective…
Be Thankful
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are
also thankful for the setbacks.
GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.
The daily bell schedule for the week of November 22nd is listed below:
- Monday, November 22nd - A Day
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Tuesday, November 23rd - B Day (1:30 p.m. dismissal)
- Wednesday, November 24th - Thanksgiving Break
- Thursday, November 25th - Thanksgiving Break
- Friday, November 26th - Thanksgiving Break
The daily bell schedule for the week of November 29th is listed below:
- Monday, November 29th - A Day
- Tuesday, November 30th - B Day
- Wednesday, December 1st - C Day
- Thursday, December 2nd - A Day
- Friday, December 3rd - B Day
Included in this update:
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Monthly Calendar - November - December - updated item
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YHS Athletics Update - new item
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YHS Staff Members of the Month - new item
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SAT Prep Program registration is open - new item
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Picture Retakes (12/3) - new item
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Welcome Class of 2026! - December 2nd - new item
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Planning for Your Future - Earning College Credit at YHS - December 8th - new item
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Get your Fox Gear - old item
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Spotlight on Learning - Family Consumer Science - new item
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This week in Advisory...- new item
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Digital Citizenship Tip of the Week - new item
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Dean's Safety & Security Update - new item
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Program Spotlight - Field Experience - new item
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Map My Next Move - College & Career Center - updated item
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Hey Seniors - FAFSA available - updated item
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SAT National Test Dates - updated item
In addition to my weekly email updates, I encourage everyone to follow us on Twitter and “like” our Facebook page to learn about all the great things happening at YHS. We have so many great things happening— so don’t just FOLLOW but SHARE our FOX PRIDE within our community—help us build our following!
As always, if this update raises questions, please ask. Thank you for all that you do—it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Have a great day! GO FOXES!
With PRIDE,
David S. Travis
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Monthly Calendar - November -December |
Provided for our families is a month at a glance summary.
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A Days are highlighted in "Red" - November 22, 29; December 2, 6, 9, 13, 16
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B Days are highlighted in "Gray" - November 23, 30; December 3, 7, 10, 14, 17
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C Days are highlighted in "Green" - December 1, 8, 15
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November 24, 25, 26 (Thanksgiving Break); December - 20 -31, January 1-2 - Holiday Break
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Congratulations to the Varsity and JV Boys Bowling Teams on their conference wins over Oswego in the season opener. The Varsity Foxes won the 3 game series by a total of 10 pins overall. The Foxes will head to the Plainfield North Invitational at Town & Country Lanes on Saturday, November 20th! |
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The annual wrestling Red/White Scrimmage is this Friday, November 19, 2021 in the Freshman Academy main gym. All spectators attending will need to complete the health self-certification survey linked, take a screenshot and be prepared to show the green check mark to athletic department staff upon entry.
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Staff Members of the Month |
Congratulations to our October Staff Members of the Month! Nathan Schroll and Heidi May were recognized by their peers as going above and beyond both in and out of the classroom. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the students and staff at Yorkville High School.
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SAT Prep registration is open! |
A student's SAT score can open doors of opportunity for college admissions and scholarships.
Yorkville High School’s SAT Test Preparation program provides a comprehensive approach to help prepare students for the SAT and enables them to apply and practice strategic methods that improve results. Starting in January, we will be offering a program that will include 6 workshops – each lasting 2 hours at a $100 price point. During each workshop, students will rotate through different sessions (English, Reading, and Math) in order to improve their skills in each of those three areas.
Moreover, in an attempt to meet individual student scheduling demands, the program will be offered on:
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Monday afternoons (3:00-5:10 P.M.): January 10, 24, 31 / February 7, 14, 28
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Wednesday evenings (5:30-7:40 P.M.): January 5, 12, 19, 26 / February 2, 16
We believe that all junior students at YHS would benefit from extra preparation prior to the Spring SAT! Linked in red is an SAT registration document (SAT Prep Registration) for your use …the registration deadline is December 15th. Please note that there is a high demand for this program and availability is limited. Don't just take the test - prepare for your future!
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Underclass Picture Retakes |
Friday, December 3rd will be underclass picture retake day.
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Welcome Class of 2026! - December 2nd |
Attention all families of current 8th graders! We look forward to meeting our newest class of Foxes!
Parents and current 8th grade students are invited to attend our kickoff event, Welcome Class of 2026! on December 2, 2021. The evening will begin at 6:30 pm in the Main Gym at Yorkville High School.
This event is designed to help students and families navigate the transition from middle school to high school. Our goal is to provide students information introducing them to the basics of high school life, course offerings, as well as stressing the importance of becoming involved in clubs and athletics.
Further details about the event will be sent by the Middle School Administration to all 8th grade families.
Register for the event by clicking https://forms.gle/ihuQuJXpUjKSErJX8. All students registered for the event in advance will be entered into several raffles for YHS spirit wear and prizes.
All students and families need to follow proper health and safety procedures. Please complete the self certification for each member of your family and be prepared to show the green check for each family member upon entering the building; you can use this link to access the QR code to complete the health questionnaire. Face coverings must be properly worn at all times in the building. Families and students will need to enter Door 19, the Athletic Entrance, located on the west side of the YHS main campus.
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Earning College Credit - December 8th |
Parents and students are invited to attend Planning for Your Future: Earning College Credit at Yorkville High School on December 8, 2021 in the YHS Library from 6:30pm-7:30pm.
Come learn about the different paths to earning college credit while at Yorkville High School. These are important conversations as course selection for next school year will begin soon. During the evening, we will hear from teachers, students, and administration about opportunities to earn college credit while taking courses at Yorkville High School. This event is open to all 9th-11th graders and their parents.
All students, families, and visitors need to follow proper health and safety procedures. Please complete the self certification for each member of your family and be prepared to show the green check for each family member upon entering the building; you can use this link to access the QR code to complete the health questionnaire. Face coverings must be properly worn at all times in the building. Families and students will need to enter Door 27, the Library Entrance, located on the north side of the YHS main campus.
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The Sophomore Class Council is having a fundraiser by selling Yorkville Apparel. The money raised will be used to host Prom in 2023. If you are interested, please use the link below to order some Fox gear. The link will close on November 21st in order to receive the apparel by winter break. This is a great opportunity to get some gear for the holidays!
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Spotlight on Learning - CTE - Family Consumer Science (FACS) |
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Each week we will feature a department to provide information about courses that your student may be currently enrolled in, or may be interested in registering for in the future.
This week, our featured department is Career and Technical Education Department.
YHS Foxes students need to earn 7 credits of elective classes to graduate. The Career & Technical Department (CTE) offers a variety of robust opportunities to fulfil the graduation requirement. Our CTE Department covers several divisions, including Family and Consumer Science, Computer Science, along with Project Lead the Way Introduction to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering and Computer Integrated Manufacturing. Additionally, our business division specializes in business, marketing, accounting, law, and field experience.
The CTE division spotlighted today is Family and Consumer Science (FACS).
The Family & Consumer Science Division (FACS) offers 3 levels of Foods classes. Foods 1 students recently had fun making rice and pasta dishes, while Foods 2 students made delicious pizza and cinnamon rolls. Students were busy prepping for Thanksgiving with their Rice Krispie “turkey” drumsticks.
Child Development finished their discussion on infants engaging with a variety of hands-on activities. Fashion Marketing created a fashion product of their choosing. The Parenting class is currently using the baby simulators where students take a computerized baby home for the weekend to care for. Talk with your students to see if any of these classes may be of interest to them next year. We look forward to having your students in our classes!
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This past week, students continued to work on their Quarter 2 "Passion Project''. Students differentiated between extracurricular and personal passions, and identified extracurricular activities they currently pursue or would like to pursue while at YHS. Students collaborated with their accountability partner to create a PowerPoint that communicated their extracurricular interests and passions.
Also, students participated in a class activity that focused on the importance of gratitude. Students wrote down things/activities or people that they were grateful for and shared with their peers. This allowed them not only to articulate aspects of their lives that they are grateful for, but hear the perspectives of their peers.
Listed below is a summary of the academic and social emotional lessons that will be taking place in your student's advisory period for the upcoming week:
Monday, November 22nd: Students will check their academic progress via Canvas and Home Access, and collaborate with their Advisory teacher to create a plan to support their academic needs.
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Digital Citizenship Tip of the Week |
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Parents, Linked below is a top ten list made for internet safety. Hopefully it will give thought to some do’s and don'ts.
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Student Parking - Parents, please make sure your student does not park their vehicle at the Beecher Center or Yorkville Public Library. These parking lots are owned by the City of Yorkville and are for use by patrons of those facilities. Illegally parked vehicles are subject to be towed. Students are only allowed to park in lots owned by the school district with a valid parking tag. Alternative parking is available by the Town Square park or the park off Tower Lane.
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Program Spotlight - Field Experience |
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Yorkville High School is proud to offer students a chance to learn more about careers. The Field Experience Program is an opportunity for students to intern with a local business in a career field of interest. In recent years, students have been able to observe, learn, and do things for our business community. If you have a student who knows what they want to do for a career/job, Field Experience is an amazing opportunity for them to gain meaningful experience in that field. If you have a student who does not know what they want to do for a career/job, Field Experience is a great way for them to see if a career/job is right for them. Over the past five years, YHS has worked with numerous businesses in our community connecting students with mentors and providing relevant opportunities. Field Experience is a great way for students to find out “can I do this?”, “is this career for me?”, “do I see myself doing this every day?”.
Any student who is interested in Field Experience for the 22-23 school year, must complete the application process. Applications can be picked up in the guidance office or in Office C131. All applications are due no later than January 31st, 2022. All questions can be directed to Melissa Wojowski, Field Experience Coordinator at mwojowski@y115.org.
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Map My Next Move Update - College & Career Center |
Each year, the Counseling Department requires that all students complete the Map My Next Move survey, detailing their individual post-secondary plans. This survey allows Counselors to collaborate with students and families to support the college and career aspirations for all students.
Post-secondary planning involves evaluating all options for students to pursue after high school graduation. These plans may include: entering the military, going straight into the workforce, attending a trade and/or vocational school, and attending a 4 year college or university. As a Counseling Department, we strive to ensure that all students have identified a post-secondary plan, and have the tools to help that plan turn into a reality.
Post-secondary plans should be attainable, researched and have a "back-up" plan. In the event that your student is planning on attending college, that means that they should have an identified "safety" school to apply to. Safety schools are defined as those in which a particular student has a 75% chance or better of being accepted.
Please click here to have your student complete the survey.
As of Wednesday, November 10th , the Map My Next Move survey completion rate is as follows:
Class of 2022 (Seniors): 429/512; 83% completion rate
Class of 2023 (Juniors): 358/496: 72% completion rate
Class of 2024 (Sophomores): 469/517; 91% completion rate
Class of 2025 (Freshmen): 490/536; 91% completion rate
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Hey Seniors - Let's Complete the FAFSA! |
Senior Families: Completing the FAFSA or the FAFSA waiver is an Illinois state high school graduation requirement--in order to graduate, you MUST complete it! The FAFSA is the free application for federal student aid, that must be completed to qualify for federal grants, state grants, and institutional scholarships provided by colleges and universities. Remember, grant money is obtained by completing the FAFSA on a first come, first served basis! The FAFSA application is open now!
Each year, the amount of Illinois grant money runs out earlier and earlier. By completing your FAFSA as soon as possible beginning October 1st, you put your student in line to receive the money for which they qualify. The FAFSA application is based on your tax documents from the previous year; no need to estimate or update!
Six years ago, only 59% of the Class of 2015 grads completed the FAFSA, with less than 30% completing prior to the announcement that state grant money was depleted. Last year, 58% of the Class of 2020 completed their FAFSA prior to the announcement that state grant money was depleted.
As of Sunday, November 14, 185 families have completed the FAFSA graduation requirement!
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To maximize your post secondary options and merit based scholarship opportunities we encourage you to take the SAT or the ACT. Please consult with our College & Career Counselor Kendall Sims at ksims@y115.org if you have any questions in regards to test options and college admissions. Senior Counseling Lessons will also showcase the testing experience to support your student's decision. Test registration dates are approaching!
National SAT Test Dates in Early/Late Fall 2021
Test Dates:
December 4, 2021
National ACT Test Dates in Early/Late Fall 2021
Test Dates:
December 11, 2021
*Go to www.act.org for test day registration information
Good Luck!
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