Apply Now | Calendar | Español | Give | Jobs | Menus | Past Issues | PTO

Get the Lowdown with Dr. Lowe

York Academy Families:

Congrats to our Upper School actors on a tremendous job in the musical! Many thanks to Mr. Smith and everyone involved in making Once on This Island a brilliant success. Our students are so talented and we are fortunate to have such strong leadership and connection to Broadway. Check out these impressive photos from York Academy parent, Paul McNally.

I had the opportunity to attend the Science Fair Awards Banquet last night. Students and families enjoyed a wonderful dinner and exciting, interactive experiments led by our Chief Science Officers (Gabby Houck, Sophia Roman and Eden Kleinfeld). I’m very proud of our students’ success at the York County Science and Engineering Fair. So many of them placed, and Neva Kirk-Jadric was the overall Grand Champion! Lily Houck even did two projects. Many thanks to the York Academy Foundation for providing gift cards for the top winners and to Mrs. Reed for her support of the students and coordinating last night’s event. It was wonderful to celebrate their accomplishments! Click here to see more photos from the event.

In case you missed it, check out the video of WGAL's coverage about the Rotary Club of York's beautification project in downtown York. Yuleidi Suero Garcia and Eden Kleinfeld joined Dr. Lowe to help out. Both students were featured, along with Rotary Club President and York Academy dad, Aaron Jacobs. Great job, Knights!

Enjoy the evening,

Dr. Lowe

Support the Give Local York House and Kingdom Challenge!

Give Local York is happening on May 2 and May 3, and the York Academy Foundation is thrilled to participate! Their goal is to raise $30,000 - all to benefit your students.

The Lower School House and Kingdom Challenge is happening through May 3. The goal is to “UKnight” and raise $2,000 toward our $30,000 goal, so please check those piggy banks. Students may drop change/dollars in their House’s container in the mornings. They are located at the back entrance and in the lobby.

Families are welcome to send in donations now, too (cash or check to York Academy Foundation). Please put it in an envelope and write your child’s name and House on the outside, so we can thank you and make sure it goes toward your child's House total. Students can give the envelope to their teacher or take it to the office. The Upper School will hold their Kingdom Challenge the week of Give Local York, and we’ll share those details later this month.

Here's where things stand:

1st Place: Sanchar $96.27
2nd Place: Umbuzo $84.14
3rd Place: Onesto $74.71
4th Place: Doctrina $66.56
5th Place: Nasuga $62.92
6th Place: Byodo $57.90
7th Place: Meditar $23.92
KINGDOM: $557.50

Thanks for your generosity! We're off to a terrific start. Remember - your donation will impact students' lives!

MYP Info Night: Tomorrow

Students in grades 6 - 9 and their families are encouraged to attend MYP Info Night tomorrow evening from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Upper School! Students who attend will get a wristband to dress down.

The sessions are designed for students who will be (or are) new to the Upper School. Current students are welcome to come learn about grading, electives, IB details, graduation requirements and more. We look forward to seeing you!

Progress Reports: Friday

Lower School students will bring home a printed version of their Progress Reports on Friday. You’ll be able to see all the assignments that have been graded to date and the current grade for each subject. This snapshot will give you some great information about your child’s current levels of achievement.

Upper School parents will be able to view their student’s Progress Reports through Sapphire on Friday afternoon. Each student will receive a P (Pass) or F (Fail) for each of their content classes. The report indicates strengths, areas of needed improvement, and/or thoughts about the student's behavior. Click here to log into Sapphire. Select "Go to My Backpack for (Child), click on "Reports," and then "Progress Reports."

Don't have a Sapphire account yet? Click here and look for "Apply for a Sapphire Community Portal Account." The KEYWORD is charter (lowercase). Watch your email for a PIN. Questions? Email Tina Ziegler.

Please review the Progress Reports with your children and follow up with their teacher(s) if you have questions. Thank you!

Get Ready for PSSA and Keystone Exams

PSSA and Keystone Exams are happening in April and May. Students in grades 3 - 8 will take the PSSA, and students in grades 8 - 10 will take the Keystone Exams. Please do not schedule medical/dental appointments on testing days. In addition, educational trips on testing dates will not be approved. Click below to read a letter from Dr. Lowe with important information about both exams.

Learn More from Dr. Lowe

Testing will take place for both the PSSA and Keystone Exams from about 8:15 - 10:45 a.m. on the days listed below:

PSSAs (Grades 3 - 8):

April 23 - 25: English Language Arts
April 29 & 30: Mathematics
May 2 & 3: Science (ONLY administered to students in grades 4 and 8)

Keystone Exams (Grades 8 - 10):

May 14 & 15: Algebra 1
May 16 & 17: Biology
May 20 & 21: Language & Literature

All students (K-12) are encouraged to participate in these Dress Down Spirit Days:

Questions? Contact Dr. Jeremy Overlander at joverlander@yorkarcs.org or (717) 900-5001. He is the assessment coordinator for both schools. Thank you!

Second Grade STEAM Activity

Second grade students recently got to do a fun STEAM activity in Mrs. Winters' art classes. She challenged them to design and build a perch that would hold as many peeps as possible - all while using a limited number of toothpicks and jellybeans. They had a blast!

Senior Capstone Project: Kevin Dejesus Vargas

Over the past few months, seniors have been working on their Capstone Projects. Kevin Dejesus Vargas interned with York Academy's Marketing and Development Coordinator, Mrs. Brenner-Zirkle. As a final component of the project, he will share some thoughts about his York Academy experience. Congrats on your success, Kevin!

"I transferred to York Academy in 5th grade, as a result of multiple recommendations from family and friends, and have been here ever since. The school provides students with exposure to ever-changing options in regard to new courses, sports, clubs and more.

I feel as though my favorite thing about York Academy is the people and classmates that you get to meet. The beneficial, long-term friendships definitely made school life better.

York Academy also provides opportunities outside of school, such as our trips to state parks, local creeks, and Hershey Park. Throughout the years, I have gained a lot of experiences from my IB courses, participating in the York County Science and Engineering Fair, volunteering, internships and even obtaining honor roll rewards. Using these experiences, I have grown as a person and will continue to grow as I graduate next month, to move on and attend Penn State York in order to pursue a career in Biology."

Sign Up for Summer Camps

Summer Camps are back, and all Lower School students are invited to participate! The dates are June 10 through July 3. Camps will be held Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. There is no cost to attend any of them. Registration closes on April 19.

Camps are limited to a certain number of students and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note that parents/guardians must provide transportation. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Our camps provide opportunities for enrichment and serve as an extension of what students have learned over the school year. They will have fun while learning science, math, reading, and writing skills. Students will also get to do exciting physical challenges.

You will need to submit the form for each of your children by April 19. Make sure to click on the grade they will be ENTERING in the 2024-25 school year.

Knight Staff Superstar: Matthew Langlois

Congrats to Upper School vocal teacher, Matthew Langlois, for being our Knight Staff Superstar! He was nominated by math teacher, Ms. Browe, for embodying the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile attributes of being balanced.

According to Ms. Browe, "I am always so impressed and intrigued by the instruction that Mr. Langlois leads for the day. I believe he exemplifies the IB attribute of being balanced because he wants students to have fun in his classroom while receiving a music education. I've witnessed Mr. Langlois creating a positive atmosphere by having a variety of music playing while students complete their warm-up. Anyone can enter his classroom and hear music from various genres including pop, R&B, electronic, hip hop, and more! Students are getting organized, getting to their seats, and providing excellent feedback on the music they're hearing. Mr. Langlois is a strong, balanced educator at the York Academy and we are so lucky to have him!"

Senior Decision Day & Yearbook Sales

Join us on May 1 for Senior Decision Day at the Upper School (gym) from 5 - 6:30 p.m.!

One by one, members of the Class of 2024 will share their post-secondary plans. It will be an exciting, joyful night, so come celebrate with them!

Seniors...if you haven't ordered your yearbook yet, click here to reserve yours before this event! Make sure to check out the Senior Website to stay in the know about all things graduation, too.

PTO Updates:

The PTO Teacher Appreciation Committee is providing a small token of appreciation for Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6 – 10).

They are seeking donations toward this well-deserved celebration for our teachers and staff. To make it easier, you are welcome to purchase items from this Amazon Wish List and have them shipped to you. Please deliver all donations to the Lower or Upper School office by April 30. Thanks again for your generosity and continued support of our teachers and staff.

Questions? Email Andrea Hess at thehessfamily2008@gmail.com or text/call her at (717) 891-0325.

✅ The PTO is holding a House Hangout Fun Night at Keystone Kidspace on May 10 from 6 - 8 p.m. Click here to sign up.

✅ They're also partnering with Gift House Brewing Company and the York Revolution for "Knight(s) in the City" on May 11. Purchase your Revs tickets now.

Chalk the Walk Entries Due by April 30

York Academy’s 7th Annual “Chalk the Walk!” public art event will be held on May 24! Students in grades 6 - 12 are invited to participate in this annual outdoor drawing adventure in which artists create sidewalk paintings using only chalk pastels. It is truly an out-of-classroom experience!

Due to space limitations, the event is limited to 50 teams. Student artists may work alone or with ONE partner. All entries must be submitted by April 30.

Theme: Choose Kindness! Students should create a design that illustrates kindness, either directly or symbolically. They may draw an actual act of kindness or create a design based on a kindness slogan or quote like, “Kindness is an act of courage,” but no words are allowed. Their artwork should portray the message.