Hello York Academy Families:

Last week we celebrated our inaugural Homecoming with an exciting Spirit Week, an impressive concert and a memorable dance. Many thanks to the staff and House Council for making this special week happen for our students! Below are a few pictures, but there are far too many to display here. Visit our Facebook page or our website to view all of them. 

In addition, I encourage you to be aware of the many construction projects happening in the area. From the North George Street construction project to the East Market Street bridge replacement project, delays are expected and should be anticipated. If you drop off or pick up your child at school, please give yourself extra time.

Thanks and enjoy your evening, 

Dr. Lowe

It's soon time for school pictures! This is a great way to get a special photo of your child, so send them to school dressed in their best.

We understand that you may have received emails from Lifetouch about school pictures. Please disregard those emails. Picture days are not cancelled! Upper School pictures will be held this Friday (10/7) and Lower School pictures will take place next Thursday (10/13).

Please note that York Academy is no longer utilizing Lifetouch, so disregard any emails you get from them. Our new vendor is JostensPIX, and you will be receiving emails from them. Those emails are legitimate and will provide detailed information about viewing your child's picture and placing an order. We truly apologize for the confusion. 

Students do not need to wear their uniforms, but they do have to choose school appropriate clothing (no crop tops, ripped jeans etc.). New this year: JostensPIX recommends that students do not wear the color green. 

Again, Upper School pictures will be held this Friday (10/7) and Lower School pictures will take place next Thursday (10/13). 

Do you love watching movies with 🍿? Then you should check out Knights International’s new and limited time fundraiser with Double Good Popcorn! There are so many different award-winning gourmet flavors to choose from for your next movie night! This pop up store closes on Friday (10/7) at 6:30 p.m. Make sure to check out the link below to get yourself some "Double" goodness!

As always, thank you for supporting our Knights International program, which raises funds to help junior and senior students travel to Spanish speaking countries like Costa Rica, Colombia, Argentina and Chile.

Today is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the holiest holiday of the Jewish year. It's a day for reflection, repentance and renewal. Jewish people also look ahead with hope and set new goals for the year ahead. Loved ones get together to honor this holiday through prayer, fasting, and seeking forgiveness. 

In light of Yom Kippur, our Upper School students experienced an assembly from the JCC on Jewish cultural competency, which aligns with our IB attribute of being open-minded. 

When we're open-minded, we appreciate the cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate other points of view and are willing to grow from each experience. 

Students also learned about Jewish history (including the Holocaust), life and culture. They watched interesting videos about Jewish food, music and dance, too. Whether you are observing today's holiday or not, we want to say Shalom from York Academy (wishing you peace, wellness and prosperity). 

We love Target! Recently, our Upper School received over 40 extra-large boxes stocked full of school supplies for our students and staff! They were donated to schools in the area and made their way to York Academy. We couldn't be more thankful, and we will always remember their generosity. Check out some of the boxes below. Our students are already enjoying these amazing donations!

Congrats to fourth grade teacher, Wendy Sharpe for being our Knight Staff Superstar. She was nominated for embodying the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile attribute of being a risk-taker!

Risk-takers approach uncertainty with forethought and determination. They work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies and are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

Students in ninth grade Design class were recently tasked with developing an assistive device that would make a daily task easier for an individual with ALS disease. Mrs. Sharpe gave her time to visit the Upper School and tell the students about her journey with ALS. It's a topic she's passionate about, since her husband (Nelson) was diagnosed with the disease. She cared for him until he passed away from ALS in 2019. 

Mrs. Sharpe demonstrated the IB attribute of being a risk-taker in her willingness to share her experiences from a very challenging time in her life. Thanks to her contribution, greater inspiration and empathy was gained during the students' inquiry process, which led to many creative product ideas. We are so grateful!

Thank you for being so vulnerable and offering the students such valuable in-depth insight, Mrs. Sharpe. You are appreciated!

Come celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month at Saborea at the Upper School on Thursday, October 13 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Saborea means potluck in Spanish.

We'll have foods, crafts, games and more to help celebrate the Hispanic community within York Academy. The event is sponsored by National Spanish Honor Society, and everyone is welcome!

Also, if your child is in 9-12th grade and needs service hours, this is a great opportunity. Tell them to see Mr. Bartrom for a recipe. Threy can also find one on their own that speaks to them and represents the Hispanic culture. 

Students who make a recipe and bring it to share at Saborea will receive two service hours for participating! 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Students in Mr. McGirr's 11th and 12th grade World Religions class visited House of Yoga (downtown) to experience yoga firsthand as part of their Hinduism unit. While working through the routine, they applied their understanding of the core beliefs and tenets of Hinduism and reflected on how yoga helps people gain a better understanding of themselves.

All of the students had a great time, were open-minded, and learned some new skills!

If you are the parent of a YARCS senior, please join Upper School Counselor, Tiana Reid and a PHEAA representative for a virtual FAFSA completion night on 10/19 from 4:30 - 5:45 p.m. The session will be recorded in case you cannot attend. Again, this event is just for parents of students in our senior class.

Click below to register. We hope you will join us! 

• We cannot check your child out without your ID. Make sure to bring it with you when picking up your children each time.

• Riding the school bus is a privilege, not a right. The same expectations we hold for students in our York Academy IB classrooms apply on the bus, as well. 

• If you must make transportation changes, please let us know before 1:30 p.m. That way, we have time to update our transportation records and inform staff so that all students are accounted for and safe during the busy dismissal time.
• Need to make changes? Contact Linda Albright (Transportation Coordinator) at lalbright@yorkarcs.org or (717) 801-3900, ext. 1404.

• Friday, October 7: Upper School Picture Day 

• Monday, October 10: No School (Columbus Day)

• Wednesday, October 12: Early Dismissal Day

• Thursday, October 13: Lower School Picture Day

• Thursday, October 13: Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration: Saborea (article above)

• Friday, October 14: Dress Down Day

• Tuesday, October 18: PTO Meeting at 6 p.m. (Upper School)

• Wednesday, October 19: Virtual FAFSA Completion Night for Parents of Seniors (article above)

• Wednesday, October 26: Early Dismissal & Trunk or Treat Reading Spooktacular (article below)

• Thursday, October 27: Inaugural College Fair (article below)

• Thursday, October 27 & 28: Student Led Conferences (details coming)

• Friday, November 4: Class of 2023 Senior Online Store Orders Due (article below)

Our kindergarten students have been learning all about the alphabet by learning one letter a day. Every day they made maps with pictures and words that start with that particular letter. The students completed various worksheets and sang fun songs. They even made a special hat every day! At the end of the unit, each student was assigned a letter and provided with a paper vest to decorate with pictures that begin with that letter. The vests were a "family project" and were sent home to complete together. Recently, all four classes "walked the runway" to jamming music in the ABC Fashion Show. The students proudly displayed their vests and had a blast. It was a fun, joyful event!

Below are a few pictures, but to view more, click here to view a gallery on our website.

Trunk or Treat is back! In partnership with the York Academy PTO, we will be hosting our second annual Trunk or Treat Reading Spooktacular event on Wednesday, October 26 from 5 - 6:30 p.m. Trunk themes will be related to children's book characters. All York Academy families and students (K-12) are invited!

Families will be asked to vote on the best trunk and best costume, and prizes will be awarded. Plus, all York Academy students will receive a new book just for attending! Please note that children will need to be supervised by their parents/guardians at all times.

The PTO is seeking candy donations for the event. If you are able to help out, click below to sign up.

If your family will be coming, please click below to register/RSVP. It will only take a minute, and will help us plan. We hope you will join us to make this our biggest family outreach event yet!

Hello Friends,

The Wolf Administration has been extremely proactive during Hunger Action Month and recently announced two very exciting updates that went into effect on Monday.

All students are now able to eat a school breakfast at no charge through the end of the 2022-23 school year. This does not affect the eligibility status for lunch (free/reduced/paid).

Letters were recently sent out to families who do not have a current application on file for the Free/Reduced Meal Program (lunch). Go to www.schoolcafe.com to complete the application. This is the quickest and easiest way to find out if you qualify. Your family is responsible for lunch charges if you have not applied or were denied. As mentioned above, there is no cost for breakfast this school year.

Another big announcement is that PA has increased the income threshold for all applicants to 200% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. With this change, more than 174,000 households are newly eligible for SNAP. Please note that when a family receives SNAP, all students in the household will be Directly Certified. This means that they will receive all meals at school at no charge. If your child is Directly Certified, you do not need to apply for the Free/Reduced Meal

Program.

If you have applied for SNAP before and were denied, I encourage you to apply again. Click here to submit an application through Compass. If you are approved, you do not need to notify York Academy, since Compass will alert us that your family is now receiving benefits. Beginning on the day your application is approved, your student(s) will receive meals at no charge.

As we work out the kinks of this new program to process free/reduced meal applications, I'd like to thank you for your patience in advance. It's very tedious and time-consuming, and we are working as quickly as possible to serve your family.

Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding the food services at our schools, or about meal applications/eligibility, at rarnold@yorkarcs.org.

Eat well and stay healthy,

Ms. Gina

Don't miss our first College Fair! It will be held on Thursday, October 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Upper School gym.

Over 50+ college and military recruiters are invited. So far, 24 colleges/universities and the U.S. Air Force are confirmed!

Questions? Email Upper School Counselor, Ms. Reid. 

We hope you will join us!

If you are a senior or the parent of a senior, make sure to check this website often to stay in the know.

Information will be added throughout the year regarding IB Exams, senior events, graduation details and more. Questions? Email DP Coordinator, Mrs. Riggs. 

Also, the Online Senior Store is live! Click below to check it out and make sure to place your order by Friday, November 4.

If you love children and want to make a difference in their lives, we are looking for you! Come join a knowledgeable team that works collaboratively to create a thriving learning environment for students! As an equal opportunity employer, we invite all qualified applicants to apply for the positions listed below. Please note that the Lower School serves students in grades K-6 and the Upper School educates students in grades 7-12.

•  Art Teacher (Part Time Substitute: Upper School)

•  Attendance Officer/Instructional Assistant (Upper School)

•  Basketball Coach

•  Dean of Students (Lower School)

•  Instructional Assistant(s)

•  Media Specialist/Librarian (Lower School)

•  Physical Education Teacher (Lower School)

•  Speech Language Pathologist

•  Substitute Cafeteria Cook/Cashier

•  Substitute Teachers

•  Vocal Music Teacher (Part Time: Upper School)

Click here to find out what clearances are required to work at York Academy and other details.

10/7 (Friday)

Upper School Pictures

10/10 (Monday)

No School (Holiday: Columbus Day)

10/12 (Wednesday)

Early Dismissal

If you are picking up your children, please arrive BEFORE 12:30 p.m. The Lower School gates will open at 12:15 p.m. Thank you!