Father John Kuchinski announced this morning that he was celebrating his final Mass as the YC chaplain today.  Beginning Monday, January 22, Fr. Peter Rettig from St. Joseph Parish in York will take over as chaplain.

Father Kuchinski said, “I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to serve at York Catholic, and look forward to being able to continue to support YC’s mission in any way that I can.  I am confident that Fr. Rettig will do an excellent job as chaplain, and will bring energy and zeal to this ministry.”

We are grateful for Father Kuchinski’s spiritual leadership and guidance to our students and our staff over the past three years.  Father will continue as the pastor of St Mary’s Parish.

Congratulations to our final YC Christmas Cash winners:

December 29 – $25 – Kimberley Prendergast #01161

December 30 – $50 – Wendi Engel #00366

December 31 – $500 – Karen Stephan #01386

Thank you to everyone who supported our Christmas Cash calendar fundraiser! A complete list of winners can be found on the YC website at www.yorkcatholic.org. Prizes are mailed to the winners weekly.

Tomorrow, January 5, is Spirit Shirt Friday.  Students may wear their favorite YC spirit shirt in place of their uniform shirt. Students still must wear the standard uniform pants or skirt.  Spirit Shirt Fridays require a $1 fee payable in homeroom to support Student Council activities for all students throughout the year.  

Mid-term examinations for grades 9-12 are scheduled for Wednesday, January 10, Thursday, January 11, and Friday, January 12. Middle School students will report to school all three days for regularly scheduled classes.

As a reminder, no trips will be approved during mid-term exams (Student Handbook/Agenda pg. 32).  Students will not be permitted to take a make-up exam due to a trip.

Students who take more than one class in a major subject area will take the second conflict exam during the conflict time slot on the day of their scheduled exam. The high school exam schedule is as follows:

January 10

Exam 1: Religion

Exam 2: Science 

Exam 3: Conflict Exams 

January 11

Exam 1: English

Exam 2: Foreign Language

Exam 3: Conflict Exams 

January 12

Exam 1: Math 

Exam 2: Social Studies 

Exam 3: Conflict Exams 

Time Schedule

8:15 AM - report to homeroom

8:40-9:40 AM - Exam 1

9:55-10:55 AM - Exam 2

11:00 AM - dismissal for high school

11:10-12:10 PM - Conflict Exam

Please note this special dismissal schedule:  

High School - High School students will dismiss at 11 AM each day. Students testing in the AAC may be dismissed at a later time according to documented learning needs. All students are required to leave the building at the conclusion of exams unless staying for a supervised activity.  

Middle School - Middle School students will dismiss at 3 PM on January 10 and 11, and at 11 AM on January 12. 

School districts have been notified of the 11 AM and 3 PM dismissal times. Please check with your bus driver to see if your bus will be operating at your dismissal time and plan to make arrangements for alternate pick-up plans if it is not.

Numerous Middle School students volunteered to participate in the annual Middle School Geography Bee scheduled for Friday, January 12, at 8:30 AM.  The 7th & 8th grade attends the event which quizzes students on their general knowledge of United States and world geography.  Questions start off as multiple choice, but as the Bee progresses, students must come up with the answer.  Each round of questions has a topic, like U.S. cities or geographical terms.  At the end of the preliminary rounds, the top 10 scores move on to the final round.  At this level, students are eliminated after they get 2 wrong answers, until we are down to 2 final contestants.  The final round questions are written and each contestant answers the same question.  The winner represents YC at the Diocesan Bee in Harrisburg and takes a written test to qualify for the State Bee.

Open House

Thursday, February 8, 2024

6 PM to 7:30 PM

Register to attend our upcoming in-person Open House and join us for a look at the York Catholic Middle & High School experience. Learn what life at our school is like and see all we have to offer students (grades 7-12) and their families. Space is limited and pre-registration is required to attend. Click here to pre-register 

https://yorkcatholic.org/admissions/open-house/

What You’ll Experience at York Catholic’s Open House Event:

✔ Take a tour of the newly renovated campus.

✔ Talk with York Catholic teachers and administrators.

✔ Meet current students and hear their experiences.

Did You Know? On average, YC graduates are offered over $10 million dollars in college scholarships and over 90 percent of graduates now study at 55 colleges around the country. Join us to learn how York Catholic sets students up for success and creates a place where every student is known and cared for.

Reserve your spot today! We hope to see you there!

York Catholic Middle & High School has the following employment opportunities available:  

• Instructional Support Teacher
• English Teacher
• Substitute Teachers
• Cafeteria Aide
• Cafeteria Volunteers
• High School Boys Lacrosse Head Coach
• High School Boys Lacrosse Assistant/JV Coach
• Middle School Girls Volleyball Head Coach
• Middle School Girls Volleyball Assistant Coach
• Middle School Girls Soccer Head Coach

Interested candidates can find details and application links at https://yorkcatholic.org/about/employment-opportunities/

Parents of Graduating Seniors: In your January 2024 tuition statement you will find an additional graduation fee charge.  In order to assist with the expenses associated with all of the planned activities surrounding Graduation, there is a nominal fee of $70.00 for each senior.  This fee includes a cap and gown, diploma, professional 5” x 7” photo of your graduate on stage during the conferral of his/her diploma, and Senior Breakfast expenses. Thank you in advance for your attention to these first steps toward the important celebration of your child’s years of success at York Catholic.

The Knights of Columbus Educational Foundation is offering scholarship opportunities to any student whose father is a member in good standing with a Pennsylvania Knights of Columbus Council or who is a child of a deceased Knight of Columbus and was a member in good standing at the time of death. More than fifty $1000 grants will be distributed throughout Pennsylvania to students in grades 1‐12 for the 2024-25 school year.  The application deadline is January 31, 2024.

York Catholic is offering an SAT Math Prep course for juniors interested in getting extra practice before taking the actual exam. The course will run four Saturday mornings from 9-11:15 AM in York Catholic classrooms, and will be team-taught by members of the Math Department. Class dates are as follows: January 20, 27, February 3, 10. If snow causes cancellation of any of the classes, the make-up date is February 17. Cost is $200 per student and includes the cost of the Kaplan book. Registration forms and a check made to York Catholic should be turned into Mrs. Hand in the main office by Friday, January 12.  

As juniors are planning their SAT testing dates, keep in mind that the SAT will be offered at York Catholic to current juniors on March 25.  This is a great opportunity for our students to take the test in a familiar testing environment for optimal results. 

Registration and payment are due to Mrs. Hand by Friday, February 23.  Cost for the exam is $60 and checks should be made out to York Catholic. Registration for this exam is non-refundable. 

English and Math teachers will administer STAR assessment tests to students in grades 7-9 on Monday, January 8, during class time. These tests take only about twenty minutes each, are computer-adaptive, and provide us with results immediately. The goal of STAR assessments is to provide all of us with current, actionable information so we can ensure our classroom instruction meets the needs of our students. Students are encouraged to get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast in preparation for the test.

Good luck to our mathletes competing in the Math Counts competition versus other York County middle schools on Saturday, January 6, at Central York Middle School. 

This year’s team members include 8th graders Wyatt Brodbeck, Amelia Dobson, Thomas Freeman, Peter Kellett, Parker Kovach, Miles Murdocca and Ricardo Po, and 7th graders Gideon Coley, Dylan Forry, and Tyler Liptak.

Even though the 2024 color yearbooks are not distributed until May, NOW is the time to place your order for a book. Extra yearbooks are not available in May. Only what is ordered is delivered to YC for distribution. All orders are taken by phone by calling the Balfour ordering line at 1-800-944-5930 or by visiting https://www.balfour.com/pennsylvania/york/york-catholic-high-school

It is time for the class 2025 to consider the purchase of a York Catholic keepsake, a class ring! 

Visit https://www.balfour.com/pennsylvania/york/york-catholic-high-school to make your decision. The gallery is extensive with selections for everyone and the opportunity to personalize with your name and activities. Ordering is done online, with easy payment options spread over three months if needed. 

Any junior needing help with sizing should stop by Mrs. Kemp’s desk in the main office.  She has sizing rings available.

Order now and receive your ring in four to six weeks.  We will celebrate the class of 2025 as they assume leadership of the school, and will commemorate their senior status with the blessing of the rings at our traditional Junior Ring Ceremony on May 30.  

A ring purchase is not required.

Questions can be directed to Kathy Hand at khand@yorkcatholic.org.

Please be reminded of our Formal Dress Code Agreement in preparation for Prom shopping.  

For Young Women:

Gowns may not:

• Be shorter than two inches above the knee
• Be extremely low cut front or back
• Have slits higher than the knee
• Have bare midriffs or cut outs
• Have transparent or translucent material
• Have nude or flesh-tone colored material as a primary or secondary base color

For Young Men:

• Must wear a suit or sport coat, dress shirt, and tie
• Must wear dress shoes (sneakers are not permitted)
• May not wear earrings
• Must be clean shaven

The Virtue=Strength program is devoted to virtue formation through school, athletics, parish, and/or the community. It is designed to be used by teachers and staff across the entire student body. Each week a different virtue is highlighted to share with our students.  Click below for the Virtue=Strength Virtue of the Week that helps parents reinforce virtue formation at home. 

York Catholic is accepting advertisements from supporters and local businesses for its spring musical program for “Footloose.” Prices for ads are as follows: 

• Full page (7-1/2" x 4-1/2") - $120
• Half Page (3-1/2” x 4-1/2") - $70
• Quarter Page (1-3/4 x 4-1/2) - $40
• 100-character messages - $10
• Limited cover spots are available for $300; please email for availability. 

Cover ads and full page ads include a free ticket to the show. All ads and payments are due no later than Monday, January 29, to the main office. Ads can also be emailed to musicalads@yorkcatholic.org.

Our musical costume crew is seeking parent helpers for this year's production of "Footloose."  There are 2 ways you can help:  you can come to the YC auditorium on Saturdays in January and February, or you can pick up sewing assignments and complete them on your own time. We also need helpers who don't necessarily have sewing skills to label racks, iron and steam clothes, measure fabric, set up racks, sew buttons, hand sew, etc.  If you can help, contact Mrs. Dawn Oswald at doswald@yorkcatholic.org.

York Catholic High School’s Athletic Booster Club is inducting three new members into its Sports Hall of Fame. The inductees will be introduced Saturday, January 27, at approximately 4 PM between our girls’ and boys’ basketball double-header games with Berks Catholic. After the game, the inductees will be honored with a reception in the cafeteria. The Sports Hall of Fame honors former coaches and student athletes, administrators, and volunteers. Those being inducted include: Karli McFatridge ‘12 (basketball), Ava Spoden ‘11 (tennis), Anna Spoden ‘13 (tennis), Kenneth Staab ‘40 (service to country).

Calling all aspiring athletes! Have you ever wanted to try a new and exciting sport? Perhaps you've seen lacrosse being played and wondered what it's all about. Well, wonder no more! We're thrilled to announce the York Catholic Intro to Lacrosse Clinic being held Thursday, January 18, from 3:30-5:30 PM at the YC stadium. The clinic is designed for beginners of all ages and skill levels; boys and girls.

In this fun and relaxed environment, you'll learn the essential skills of lacrosse:



• Catching: Master the art of cradling and securing the ball in your stick.
• Throwing: Develop your throwing accuracy and power to connect with teammates.
• Shooting: Learn the proper technique to send the ball flying towards the goal.

No registration required.

For more information, contact Coach Jim Mullen at jmullen@yorkcatholic.org

Next week is Sports Officials Appreciation Week! Please extend a “thank you” to all of our athletic officials for their dedication to our students. Visit piaa.org to find out you can become an official too! 

The YAIAA has postponed its Winter Mental Health Symposium for student-athletes that was scheduled for Sunday, January 7, at Susquehannock High School due to the pending weather forecast. A new date has not yet been determined.

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Challenge will be held Saturday, January 13, at St. Joseph York gymnasium.  Registration begins at 1 PM and the competition begins at 2 PM.  All boys and girls ages 9-14 may participate.  Winners will move on to the district competition.

Volunteers are needed for this event.  Students needing service hours can request to do so.  Duties could include measuring and adjusting six basketball hoops, setting up tables and chairs for the event, lining the floor, organizing the student scoring sheets as they report by age, inflating basketballs, assisting with scoring and rebounding during the event, or taking pictures of the competition. Text or email Chairman Kelly Brown at 717-668-0509 or kbbrown79@hotmail.com.  

Students in grades K-6 are invited to Futures Night at the York Catholic basketball games! 

Future girls’ basketball players are invited Friday, January 5, when the YC girls’ team takes on Biglerville. There is no JV game, so the Varsity tipoff time is 6 PM.  Futures should arrive at 5:30 PM for pre-game events.

Future boys’ basketball players and cheerleaders are invited Friday, January 12, when the YC boys’ team takes on York Tech. The JV game starts at 6 PM followed by the Varsity game. 

Futures will participate in the pre-game prayer and huddle, and become part of the welcome tunnel. Students should wear their uniform shirt for free admittance and must be accompanied by an adult. Students will receive a free hotdog, drink, and snack courtesy of Cross Country Mortgage.

Come out and cheer your future school onto victory!

Join us at our York Partner Schools’ Celebration Mass on Saturday, January 20, at 4 PM in the YC auditorium. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Timothy Senior with partner students participating as lectors, cantors, servers, and greeters. Attendance at this Mass fulfills the Sunday obligation. 

Following Mass, we will move to the gym for the 8th Annual Battle of the Buildings at 6 PM. This is a friendly inter-partner school competition of “minute-to-win-it” games where the teachers are the competitors and the families are the fans. The York Catholic Music Association will have food and beverages available for purchase.

As part of the Partner Schools’ Service Project, each school is collecting non-perishable food items at their school location to benefit the Catholic Harvest Food Pantry and the Southern York Food Pantry. The top three schools with the most donations will earn points for their team! The pantries are specifically looking to replenish the following items:

• ramen noodles
• tuna
• rice
• pasta
• canned goods
• soap
• no water bottles please 

It's hard to believe that 2023 is over and 2024 is here! As we begin this new year, we reflect back on all that has occurred over the past twelve months and the incredible York Catholic family, which continues to grow larger and stronger each year. 

It is because of our generous YC family that we were able to continue to offer our students a top-notch education. Our donors, families, and sponsors are who allow YC to continue to focus on what is most important -- our students.

So, we ask for your continued support in 2024. Each and every dollar truly counts as we continue to provide competitive academics, enriching music, arts and athletic extracurricular programs, professional development for teachers, and essential technology.

Please use the return envelope included in your December issue of Greensleeves or click the button below to use our online donation page.  https://yorkcatholic.org/give/york-catholic-fund/

Thank you for supporting our students!

Parents, would you like to save on your State Income Tax return? Additionally, what if I told you those savings can have a direct impact on York Catholic students? Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? If you file for, and are accepted, as a Special Purpose Entity (SPE), it’s a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the tax liability on your personal tax return. Please continue reading for additional information.

Pennsylvania now allows individuals to take advantage of EITC Tax Credits (just as businesses can) whereby you have the opportunity to re-direct 90% of your personal state income taxes to York Catholic Middle & High School. 

The Special Purpose Entity (SPE) is based on tax liability, not income, therefore each taxpayer’s situation will differ. Participants must be PA residents where at least one spouse is employed or has an ownership interest in a PA for-profit business. An individual or couple filing jointly must have a state tax liability of $3,500 or more to participate. To see if you qualify for 2024, you can find your PA tax liability on Form PA-40 Line 12 of your 2023 tax return. 100% of participant contributions are distributed to the school. You have to pay these taxes regardless, so why not have a say in how your taxes are allocated? Additionally, you will receive at least a 10% personal deduction on your federal taxes. The money you re-direct to York Catholic is for educational purposes, specifically tuition assistance.

If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity to reduce your tax liability AND provide much needed assistance to York Catholic students, please follow these steps:

• Review information on the SPE program to determine if you qualify at https://www.pennsylvaniaeitc.org/frequently-asked-questions.html
• Confirm your personal state income tax liability with your accountant.
• Complete and submit the Joinder Agreement at https://yorkcatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/spe-joinder-agreement.pdf

For more information about this easy tax donation, please contact Dave Salter, York Catholic Director of Development, at dsalter@yorkcatholic.org or 717-846-8871 x1325.

During inclement weather that would cause a school closing or delay of schedule, York Catholic will call/text/email you through our One Call Now Emergency Notification system.  Other modes of notification include WGAL TV-8, Fox43, and the YC website.  Students from individual school districts are automatically excused if their district closes and does not provide transportation to YC.  The exceptions to this are Southern and Southeastern.  These students follow York Catholic’s delay and closing schedule.