Blue & White Newsletter - 12/22/23
Week of December 18, 2023
The Blue & White Newsletter will not be published during the holiday break; it will resume on January 5, 2024. Best wishes to all of our West York Bulldog community for a joyful holiday break filled with friends, family, love, and laughter!
Annual Miller Plant Farm Holiday Mural Contest
Again this year, West York was well represented at the annual Miller Plant Farm Holiday Mural Contest. Our students designed and painted a beautiful tree farm scene for their submission into the contest. While our WY team did not win the most votes this year, the mural was amazing! Congratulations to our student artists Trevor Shenfeld (senior), Alexis Malone (senior), Teagan Paragon (junior), Stella Friedah (junior), and Isabella Newcomer (junior).
PMEA District 7 Band, Orchestra, and Chorus
Congratulations to the following students who successfully auditioned into the PMEA District 7 ensembles:
DISTRICT BAND
- Analiese Eisenhart - Bass clarinet
- Jonah Lewis - Euphonium
- Roen Quickel - Clarinet
- Kevin Vu - Trumpet
DISTRICT ORCHESTRA
- Cody Kohler - Cello
- Roen Quickel - Clarinet
DISTRICT CHORUS
- Cody Kohler
- Jackson Janasek
Sounds of the Season Fill the Air!
High School Winter Concert
West York Hosts Model UN Event
Last week, the High School's 15 member Model UN team, under the guidance of Ms. Melissa Carl, Model UN Advisor, hosted the 17 other schools of the Susquehanna Valley Model UN League. Visiting schools included those as close as Central York School District and York Suburban School District and those as far away as Annville-Cleona School District, Cocalico School District, and Lampeter-Strasburg School District. Student delegates role-played in debates for various committees including the General Assembly (GA), World Health Organization (WHO), Security Council (SC), a Strategic Response Team (SRT), and a Historical Crisis Commission (HCC). Topics for debate ranged from Food Security to Euthanasia, to nuclear disarmament, and to terrorism in the Sahel.
A number of West York students won awards on their respective committees. Jared Denney (senior) won the Outstanding Delegate Award for the GA. William Plappert (junior) won the Outstanding Delegate Award for the HCC. Rowan Dennis (junior) and Sherrod Anderson (senior) served as a double-delegation and won the Outstanding Delegate Award on the SRT.
The next Model UN conference is the Hershey Regional conference held on the weekend of January 5th-7th.
Working on Fine Motor Skills in a Very Tasty Way!
Mr. Michael Nardelli’s 2nd grade class at Lincolnway Elementary collected supplies to decorate holiday cookies and donated them to both Ms. Kelsey Sersen’s and Ms. Courtney Munyon’s autistic support classes! Miss Krista, LIU Occupational Therapist, also joined students in this engaging fine motor task. The inclusion and kindness demonstrated by all students was simply AWESOME!
Research Essays and an AWESOME Media Specialist!
Ms. Lyndsay Riedel, Media Specialist, has been helping students in Ms. Mary Ann Sweitzer's 9th-grade college prep English classes at the High School. Earlier in the year, Ms. Riedel spent a couple of days teaching students about reliable sources, research, and MLA format. This week, she taught the students how to revise and edit their research essays using Draft Coach. Thank you, Ms. Riedel!
THANK YOU! To Everyone Who Supported December Bulldog Pantry Distribution Day!
Our Bulldog Pantry is organized and run by Ms. Amanda Burt's Life Skills students at the High School, along with support from her teacher aides. they wish to extend a huge THANK YOU to so many people for the huge success of the December distribution! This was the biggest turnout by far for the number of families the Pantry was able to help....all made possible by so many members of the District and the community!
Pictures below represent:
- HS Student Council members who raised funds for the Bulldog Pantry through their Grateful Grams fundraiser held in November. These funds enabled us to provide perishable food items for our families.
- NHS members, with the help of Ms. Kirsty Houck and Ms. Melissa Carl, collected toys for the December distribution. The National Down Syndrome Association, with the help of the Burton Family, also donated many toys.
- We are also very grateful for the many people who came out to be helpers for the distribution!
- Pictured with Santa in front of Gingerbread Lane is THE Bulldog Pantry Crew! The Bulldog Pantry wouldn't be possible without Ms. Burt, her Life Skills class, and her TA's. The Life Skills students work very hard each day - and the TA's are absolutely amazing!
5th Grade Hosts a Festive Holiday Tea!
On Friday, December 8th, the students in Ms. Rebecca Holder’s and Ms. Kristin Bielski’s 5th Grade classes at Trimmer Elementary, along with their families, enjoyed a festive Holiday Tea. After some seasonal songs played by the house band, “The Bah Humbugs”, the students presented “A Cowboy Christmas” Readers Theater for their guests. The audience laughed as the three cowboys stumbled into all kinds of holiday messes while herding their bunch of ornery cattle. Moo!
The morning’s activities also included reading by the fire, holiday games and crafts, sharing a seasonal writing prompt, a photo station, a reindeer gallery, and a group sing-along.
Preparations Have Begun!
What's So Cool About Manufacturing?
On December 12th, the 8th grade seminar students at the Middle School, accompanied by Ms. Teresa Gallup and Ms. Jill Striebig, visited SAY Plastics in McSherrystown. Students were given an overview of the items they make at SAY Plastics, had a tour of the facility, recorded footage on the GoPros, and enjoyed lunch at Chick-fil-A! This is all in preparation for the “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” video contest. Students will now spend the next few months turning their footage into a video showcasing the manufacturing process and SAY Plastics. We will ask you to vote for our video in March!
Journalism and Video Production Join Forces!
Ms. Nicki Stiger’s journalism class at the High School collaborates with Mr. TJ Meese’s video production class to cover school news. Sports coverage is important, so the students worked on a fun and informative wrestling segment on a recent Friday. In journalism, students learn interviewing and storytelling skills, as well as ethics and law.
Wrestler Reed Fultz shows basketball player Jake Knisley a few moves while Mikayla Walters records.
Mr. Meese and Mikayla Walters plan the segment while recording.
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Ms. Amanda Steigleman, Computer Technology Technician, referees a match between her sons, Noah and Caleb, while Reed Fultz coaches the two wrestlers.
3-D Printing - Designing & Printing Helpful Items!
Students in Ms. Tristan Philbrook's fifth grade class at Trimmer Elementary read a story about an 11 year old girl that used a 3D printer to help people and animals that were missing limbs. Students then created an item that would help themselves or others. Students show off their 3D printed finished product.
Classroom Elf Alert!
Ms. Kelsey Sersen’s class at Lincolnway Elementary is in full holiday spirit mode! Every morning, students arrive eager to discover our Elf and the silliness he gets into! Once he is found, students practice fine motor skills by writing our elf’s activities in their journal, accompanied by a detailed illustration.
Last week they also tuned into a streamed learning Zoom to explore a planetarium. They learned more about the sunrise and sunset, as well as some neat star constellations!
Anxiously Waiting for Their Next Letter!
Third graders who work with Ms. Jennifer Myers in the reading room at Lincolnway Elementary finished a book about pen pals and asked if they could have a pen pal. Ninth grade students Carson King, Meredith Grigas, Lilah Van Vorst, and Breckin Lasher (pictured below) in Ms. Madelyn Myers' classroom at the High School jumped at the opportunity. So many 9th graders loved the idea and wanted to write to an elementary student that the pen pals have expanded to Ms. Lilly Summers' second grade class! The students in her class are Sophia Garcia, Roman Javitt, and Naylah Soto-Reynoso. For the next couple of weeks, these groups of students will be anxiously waiting for their letters back and forth.
Not pictured: London Tomlinson, Fiona Myers, Noah Wurm, and Logan Goodling (additional 9th grade students)
Skittles - Essential Integrated Math 2 Materials!
Ms. Mary Freed's Integrated Math 2 class at the High School began their probability unit discussing independent events by exploring the distribution of Skittles. What a yummy way to learn about probability!
Buddies Meet for Some Holiday Shenanigans!
All Aboard!!
Each year, the Polar Express makes a stop at Wallace Elementary! And we are happy to report that everyone could hear the jingle bell ring!
Lessons on Organization
Sixth grade students Zaniya Bowen, Elizabeth Elder, Diamond Ford, Peyton Henry, Breann Jacobs, Jazleen Jackson, and Aryana Walters at the Middle School taught a Leader in Me lesson during morning LEAD time. The lesson topic was organization. The students showed a Leader in Me video and then lead a discussion listing areas of organization that were strengths and also listing areas that need improvement. The lesson will continue during LEAD time this week with locker and binder clean out happening prior to Christmas Break.
Alum Continuing to Support our Bulldog Pantry!
Ms. Stephanie Runkle, 2020 graduate of West York, graciously donated non-perishable and household items to the Bulldog Pantry. This is her second year donating needed items during the holidays! During her visit, Stephanie also had the opportunity to catch up with two of her former teachers - Mr. Andrew Rafferty and Mr. Sonny Urrunaga.
Holiday Happenings Around the District
Ms. Shanda Goodwin, ESL Teacher, and Nia Lin, Kindergarten student at Wallace Elementary, enjoyed spending the day as twins with Santas on their heads!
Sixth grade students on Team Aquila at the Middle School enjoyed a Holiday Bingo game prior to the Holiday Concert on Friday, December 8. Students created Bingo cards using a list of holiday words. Some of the winners were Diamond Ford, Ben Rodriguez, and Aden Perez. The Team Aquila teachers are Mr. David Bailey, Ms. Linda Joseph, Ms. Nicolle Miller, and our Bingo caller, Ms. Jennifer Bellman.
Trimmer Elementary students really got into the holiday spirit! Wednesday's spirit day was "Dress like your favorite holiday movie character." Charlotte Lankford, Lola Dorz, Noah Hunter, Ja'Quan Jiles, and McKinley Cook went all out (pictured below).
Also pictured, Ava Durst came as Santa Clause, Ms. Tristan Philbrook and Ms. Megan Eckbold represented Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Mr. Raymond Medice dressed as Clark Griswald from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
FAFSA Events - Federal Student Aid Demystified!
Join Penn State York's Financial Aid Coordinator, Kristen Fowler, for an overview of the changes to the financial aid application process. This FAFSA Information Session is scheduled for Saturday, January 27th from 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM and will take place in Polli Hall, Graham Center for Innovation and Collaboration, Penn State York, 1031 Edgecomb Ave., York, PA 17403.
They are also offering a FAFSA Completion Workshop to complete your FAFSA at the workshop with support resources available for answers to your questions in real time. Please register in advance for this session, scheduled for Thursday, February 8th from 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Admissions Office, Main Classroom Building at the same address as shared above. To register and to see other informational events at Penn State, click the flyer image to the right.
If you have any questions, you can email them at ykadmission@psu.edu or call them at 717-771-4040.
Junior Achievement is Coming to the High School!
Volunteers Needed!
We need your help! On Thursday, March 14th, Junior Achievement of South Central PA will be at the High School with their STEM Summit Program. Students will be participating in the day-long event designed to explore careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
The goal of the STEM Summit is to inspire students to pursue an academic STEM focus in the remainder of their high school courses. After the completion of the STEM Summit, guidance counselors have a foundation to work with students on appropriate course work.
For this day to be a success, we will need volunteers to facilitate ONE of the STEM activities for the day as students rotate through various stations. You do not need to have a STEM background to be a GREAT volunteer! You also do not have to be an approved school volunteer to help with this day. Please feel free to share this opportunity with friends, neighbors, and colleagues who may be interested in helping the students of our school.
Junior Achievement will provide online training as well as on-site support to all volunteers. A light breakfast and lunch will also be available for volunteers. Please consider volunteering and join us as we spend the day empowering and inspiring our students. This opportunity is only possible with the support of wonderful volunteers like you.
You can check out the Q&A here for questions you may have.
You can click on the flyer below to register as a volunteer.
DECEMBER 22, 2023
9th/10th Grade:
Jailah Brown
For being accountable for your work in English 9 and for volunteering to read.
You are awesome!
11th/12th Grade:
Alita Paragon
For helping me with senior photos and signatures! So grateful!
Faculty/Staff:
Ms. Emily Corcoran
For covering for another teacher last minute when she was sick.
January Important Dates
- Dec. 25 - Jan. 1, Holiday Break
- Tuesday, Jan. 2, Students return from Holiday Break
- Monday, Jan. 8, Facilities Meeting @ 5:30 PM
- Tuesday, Jan. 9, EPC Meeting @ 5:00 PM
- Tuesday, Jan. 9, AdHoc Meeting of the Board @ 6:00 PM
- Tuesday, Jan. 9, Work Session of the Board @ 7:00 PM
- Wednesday, Jan. 10, Marking Period 2 Ends/HS Semester 1/Term 2 Ends
- Thursday, Jan. 11, Professional Learning Day - No School for Students
- Friday, Jan. 12, Professional Learning Day - No School for Students
- Monday, Jan. 15, Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - District is Closed
- Tuesday, Jan. 16, CEC Committee Mtg. (Formerly PRIDE) @ 5:30 PM
- Tuesday, Jan. 16, Board Voting Meeting @ 6:30 PM
- Wednesday, Jan. 17, Bulldog Pantry Distribution @ 5:00 PM
- Friday, Jan. 19, Marking Period 2 Report Cards Available in Sapphire
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
IN AND AROUND THE DISTRICT
Time to Order Your Middle School Yearbook
Calling all Middle School students - don't miss out on ordering your 2023-2024 Yearbook!
The yearbook captures today's memories to enjoy for a lifetime!
The $35 price is only good through January 26th! Don't delay and possibly miss this low pricing! Click the image below to order your yearbook today.
- Complimentary admission to all home athletic events (excludes playoff events)
- Complimentary admission to all District concerts (most do not charge admission)
If you have any questions, please feel free to email
BulldogMail@wyasd.org or call 717-792-2796 ext. 1003 or 1004
Spring events will be announced in January,
and will include the High School musical dinner and a show event!
Community Corner - Be Sure To Check It Out Often!
The Community Corner of our website offers families many helpful links to organizations or flyers about upcoming or ongoing community activities, clubs, and events. The information on this webpage changes frequently and those changes will be highlighted here as they occur. The latest updates are pictured below.
From our Home webpage, click on Community to access links to various organizations/community events.
Here are just some examples:
- Cub Scouts (Boys & Girls ages 5-12)
- Girl Scouts
- West York Boys Club
- York JCC
- YMCA of York
- YWCA of York
Community Resources such as:
- United Way
- Community Progress Council
- Dream Wrights Center for Community Arts