York's Illinois State Scholars for 2017

District 205 and York High School are honored to announce the names of our 159 students who have been chosen at Illinois State Scholars.  This prestigious recognition, given annually by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), honors the academic achievements of approximately 19,300 high school students from across the state this year. They join the ranks of thousands of top Illinois students honored as State Scholars since the designation began in 1958.

Illinois State Scholars represent approximately the top ten percent of high school seniors from 765 high schools across the state. Illinois State Scholars possess strong academic potential and are chosen based on a combination of exemplary ACT or SAT test scores and/or class rank at the end of the junior year. High school guidance counselors work with ISAC to determine the winners.

York seniors named as Illinois State Scholars for 2017 are:

Irin Abraham, Carla Abreu, Jake Adams, Daniel Aguilar, Samiyya Ahmed, Jacob Allen, Nimisha Antony, Winona Asher, Eileen Baird, Amanda Bardhoshi, Mark Bashqawi, Tarryn Becker, Gillian Berg, Michael Bergheger, Jacqueline Biggins, Madelyn Birch, Sydney Bonthron, Hannah Borrows, Theodore Boskov, Alaina Bottens, Amy Bowles, Samuel Brennan, Elizabeth Brown, Spencer Bunch-Hotaling, Camille Butler, Vincent Cahill, John Carey, Ryan Casey, Joelle Chiu, John Chlystek, Amy Choi, Savanna Clements, Olivia Condon, Peter Connor, David Cooke, Burke Corcoran, Alexander Crum, Jessica Cwik, Collin Czech, Hanna Czeladko, Jake Czernik, John Davis, Madeline Davis, Nicolina Despinich, Julia Doherty, Sara Fejes, John Fetscher, Samantha Flesch, Grace Foster, Robeson Gall, Alyssa Garelli, Dominic Gatti, Kasey Gelsomino, Sabin Gianelloni, Louis Gianneschi, John Golen, Claire Gornick, Jack Gornick, Benjamin Greenfield, Leah Gregory, Abigail Gundrum, Rebecca Hammond, Andrew Harman, Meggie Rose Hart, Thomas Hartley, Adam Hassler, Evan Haug, Alexandra Hennessy, Timothy Herrmann, Lauren Heslop, Liam Hill, Glory Jacquat, Madeleine Jaras, Michael Johnson, Samuel Jordan-Wood, Jason Juarez, Kyle Kaminski, Christian Karwowski, Andrew Kelley, Atheer Kokaly, Natalie Kosanovich, Madelyn Lacek, Andrew Ladd, Emily Landreth, Tatum Langley, Kara Larsen, Ella Lee, Raymond Lesus, Sarah Lewand, Kevin Lipkin, Emily Locke, Frank Luse, Thomas Manning, Erik Martenson, Ashley Mastronuzzi, John Mathews, David May, Elizabeth Mazzocco, Grace Mazzocco, Sean McAdam, Finn McCarthy, Magdalene McDonough, Mark McGovern, Megan McGReal, Meaghan McIntyre, Taylor Millette, Christine Millins, Bridget Mitchell, Mark Molayal, Maria Muehleis, Noah Neidigh, Kamil Nocon, Megan Nolley, Janae Nutter, Emmett O'Brien, Amelia O'Halloran, Evan Obal, Brandon Opfer, Ailie Orzak, Ashil Patel, Kristie Paus, Edward Pedote, Michael Pennel, Grace Que, Kevin Rachwalski, Mackenzie Ray, Eric Roeschlein, Michael Rouzer, Jaclyn Saco, Kira Sampson, Mateo Sanchez, Colin Sandstrom, Amanda Shafer, Taral Shah, Matthew Shiley, Amalia Siavelis, William Sikich, Meghan Sly, Nicholas Soldano, Brian Strauch, Erin Strauss, Barrett Sullivan, Ella Summer, Lauren Sussman, Alexander Swintek, William Tait, Morgan Taylor, Sehe Tinfang, Kylie Travers, Gabriela Uribe, Gavin Vandenberg, Gabriel Vanryn, Juan Vega, Thomas Vogt, Flanagan Waldherr, Austin Waterwall, John Wheeler, Whitney Wood and Brianna Zientara.

Congratulations, Dukes!!

Winter Reminders

Attention York Families: this time of year inspires me to send out a few reminders to both parents and students. First and foremost, the safety of our students remains our top priority. We ask that student drivers exercise caution on the surrounding side streets and in the parking lot as conditions are icy. We also ask the same of parents. Please understand that students are crossing surrounding side streets, and we want to insure the attentiveness of all driver's as they are dropping off and picking up students. Additionally, we want to ask that students dress weather appropriately. With temperatures recently dropping into the teens and below, it's imperative that students avoid shorts and t-shirts while walking to school. Coats, scarves, gloves, and hats are recommended and can be stored in lockers. Finally, we ask that all handicap parking spots remain open for student / parent vehicles with the appropriate stickers or insignia. Handicap parking spaces should NOT be used to drop students off or to park in while waiting for students to come out of the building. We appreciate your efforts to support these endeavors. Stay safe and stay warm!

College of DuPage Information Night

Seniors planning to attend College of DuPage after graduation are encouraged to attend: College of DuPage Information Night Monday, December 12th at 7pm in York’s Auditorium Information covered: - Student Life - Academic Opportunities - Steps to Apply - Steps to Register & Enroll - Scholarships & Financial Aid = And MORE! Students and parents welcome!

Congrats to York's Model United Nations Club

Thirteen York delegates traveled to the Canadian-American Security Councils Model UN Conference in Lansing Michigan last week.  The York delegation had a highly successful conference.  Cambria Khayat and Alex Norgle earned Highest Honors in their respective committees, while Annie Grasse and Sam Toreja earned Second Honors in their committees.  Way to go York Model UN!

Chris Herren's visit to York High School

Chris Herren, former NBA player for both the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics, will be visiting York High School next week in the evening on Tuesday 11/29 at 7:00 PM and Wednesday morning for an all-school assembly first period. Chris will share his personal story of overcoming addiction and redefining his life as a sober man. He has presented at a number of area high schools and comes to Elmhurst with the utmost respect. Please consider joining us for the evening presentation that will be held in the Campbell gym next Tuesday evening. As an administration and staff, we realize this is a heavy topic and will have student service support in place after the assembly on Wednesday for any student that might need additional support. We wish you all the very best and look forward to seeing you there!

Purple out this Friday 11/18

Many student leaders have come forth to process, plan, and breathe life into the "Kindness Matters Campaign." That alone makes me so proud to be a Duke! They have decided to declare this Friday a "Purple Out" day- blending the party lines: red and blue makes purple. We are a resilient school and community that wants to ensure we boast respect, tolerance, unity, and kindness. Please participate this Friday by wearing purple! I do ask that we tweet as much of our campaign (whether it be pictures, posters, slogans, quotes) by using the hashtag #kindnessmatters and tag York's Twitter account @YorkHighSchool

Message to students and staff

Hello Students and Staff-

Please excuse this brief announcement.   Our Nation and Community has had a historic shift in our political landscape over the past few days.  And the beauty of this nation is that we live in a democracy where we value the idea of people having different opinions and the freedoms to share those opinions.  However, these events do not change our beliefs of how we treat individuals in our building and our community.  We will continue York’s belief that everyone is a valued member of the York community.  We will continue to expect our students and staff to treat each other with the respect that each member of our society deserves.  Our country has a rich history of coming together after elections and promoting a peaceful transfer of power.    

After today, we will no longer permit actual flags of any kind to be worn as capes or clothing in our building.  This has become a distraction to the learning environment. 

Tomorrow morning we will be holding our all school veteran’s assembly.  This assembly is to honor the veterans that have served our country so that we have the freedom to vote and live in a democracy.  We expect our students and staff to treat this assembly with the respect and dignity these veterans deserve. This will also give us the opportunity to celebrate our country in unity.   We are committed to serving the needs of all our students and it is our priority that every student feels safe and welcomed in our building.  We are counting on all of you to continue these values. 

Thank you.

York Administration

Kindness Matters

Dear Parents and Community Members, I shared this message with the staff this morning and want to share the same with you. Last fall, York's staff visited each classroom to deliver respect talks. The purpose, as I have learned, was to explicitly address the critical power of words and actions and to emphasize respect and kindness. I am extending that effort to what I call the Kindness Matters Campaign. I'm encouraging students, staff, and the community to treat each other with respect, to understand that we can have differing opinions but still be kind to one another. One way to operationalize this is to encourage others to "commit" random acts of kindness in the halls, in classrooms, in athletics, activities, in the community, and within families. Some examples include: helping a student who dropped his / her books, holding a door open, saying hello and how are you to strangers, paying for someone's coffee behind you in a drive through, simply smiling at others, and paying someone a compliment. There is so much power in kindness, so much more so than in hate. Please help me spread the word and let's use this as a way to act as role models to our students in a time where societal discord is at a peak. If you post about this on social media, please use the hashtag #kindessmatters

Junior Parent Night

I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the parents who were able to attend last night's presentation for parents of junior students.  It can be an overwhelming time as your students begin to assert their freedom and begin to think about life beyond York.  We hope that you found the information about college applications, senior courses at York, and standardized tests to be valuable, and we hope that it took some of the fear / apprehension away.  I am linking the Standardized Testing and Course Selection Powerpoint that Ms. Saylor and I used in our presentation either for your reference or in case you were unable to attend.  Thank you again, and we can't wait to see all of the amazing things our kids accomplish as they take their next steps into the world.  Go Dukes.

--Mr. Doherty

Congrats to the Speech Team

Congratulations to the York speech team on their 2nd place finish at the Homewood-Flossmoor Speech Tournament last Saturday.  They competed against 21 other schools!

Individual award winners include:

6th Place
Beckett Anderhaus-Custer & Emily Walker in Dramatic Duet Acting
Elizabeth Dopp in Dramatic Interpretation
Anyssa Smith in Poetry
Maya Wlodarczyk in Oratorical Declamation

5th Place
Custer Anderhaus & Emily Walker in Dramatic Duet Acting
Julia Stone in Dramatic Interpretation

4th Place
Bridget Lindgren in Oratorical Declamation
Jake Rehling in Original Comedy

3rd Place
Jake Rehling in Humorous Interpretation
Sydney Lind in Informative Speaking

2nd Place
Mike Bindemann & Erin Lee in Humorous Duet Acting
Erin Butler in Special Occasion Speaking
Zach Bernstein in Special Occasion Speaking
David Cooke in Humorous Interpretation

Tournament Champions
Mike Bindemann in Extemporaneous Speaking
Emily Dow in Radio Speaking

Congratulations to the Coaching Staff & The York Speech Team

Deserving Dukes Get MOD Pizza!

The Deserving Dukes program has been in full force for several weeks, and hundreds of students have already been recognized for their contributions to our York community!

Thanks to MOD Pizza, the Deserving Dukes program has been able to add an extra special prize for the rest of the semester. In order to show its support of York's Deserving Dukes, MOD Pizza in Elmhurst has provided the program with MOD Pizza boxes containing a lanyard, sticker, and certificate for a free pizza. Several of each week's Deserving Dukes will be randomly selected to receive a MOD Pizza prize in addition to their award.

A special thanks to MOD Pizza Elmhurst, and congratulations to our Deserving Dukes and all of our students who demonstrate excellent citizenship throughout the year!

Sophomore Benjamin Airdo was one of 5 Deserving Dukes to receive a MOD Pizza prize on Friday.

Chris Herren Comes to Elmhurst - Nov. 29 & 30

I wanted to take the opportunity to share some very important information that is published on our website about Chris Herren's visit to York High School and District 205. Please see below. The Elmhurst Commission on Youth, along with the District 205 PTA Council and D205 Foundation, welcome former NBA player Chris Herren to a community event on Tuesday, November 29, beginning at 7 PM in the York High School Campbell (Green & White) Gym. Mr. Herren will share his story of overcoming drug addiction and finding the strength to define himself as a sober man. He has spoken to students and parents across the nation about healthy, real-life strategies for handling the pressures faced by today’s teenagers. To conclude the event, Mr. Herren will field questions from the audience. Following the presentation, Mr. Herren will greet anyone interested in speaking with him. The event will not be videotaped. District 205 middle schools have committed to making this a "homework free" night, so that students and their parents can attend this special presentation. Organizations providing informational tables that evening are Rosecrance, Linden Oaks - Elmhurst and Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital. Additional sponsors of the event include Kickoff for Kids, Straight Ahead Network, L. W. Reedy Real Estate and the York, Bryan, Churchville and Sandburg PTAs. Chris Herren will also present to all York High School students in a first period assembly the following morning, November 30, where he will again emphasize the importance of being yourself and not using unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Joe Newton Celebration - November 6th

Please join us!
Coach Newton Retirement Celebration
Sunday, November 6th
York High School
11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Social  1:00 p.m. Presentation in the Joe Newton Field House

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Comes To York

We are pleased to announce that York High School will be offering the opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test on Saturday, November 5th from 7:45-11:00 AM; this optional exam is the most widely-used multiple choice aptitude test battery in the world, measuring development abilities and helping predict future academic and occupational success.  

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program is a comprehensive program that is offered at no cost, with NO COMMITMENT to the armed forces, and is designed to help young people align their strengths and interests with career planning.  The program explores the following areas: General Science, Word Knowledge, Mathematics, Mechanical comprehension, Arithmetic reasoning, Paragraph comprehension, Electronic information, Assembling objects, and Shop information. 

The exam results will be mailed directly to students and to York High School, and a follow up career workshop will be offered on a future date following the test administration.  To register for this optional exam, please click on this link to complete the registration form.

8th Grade Activity Night

We wanted to remind all our parents and students that York’s 8^th Grade Activity night is tonight from 7:30pm-8:45pm.  We will be holding two sessions that parents and students will rotate through: a presentation on the Course Selection Recommendation process in the Green & White gym, and the Activity Fair in the fieldhouse.  Each session will run for approximately 30 minutes.  We will be starting promptly at 7:30pm, so please plan accordingly. 

We look forward to seeing you all tonight.  Go Dukes…and Go Cubs!

Thanks,

Mr. McGuire and Mr. Doherty

Focus 205 Reminder

On Monday, October 24, Focus 205 group meetings will be held at each of our three middle schools: Bryan, Churchville and Sandburg - from 7 to 8:30 PM. Parents of elementary and high school students are encouraged to attend their child's "feeder" middle school; parents of middle school students are invited to attend their child’s current school. Community members are also invited to participate. These meetings will involve a short formal presentation on what the future ready classroom looks like, as well as an overview of the educational alignment study conducted by architects Wight & Company last spring. This will be followed by asking for reaction from attendees to some related questions. There will be a moderator and a note taker to record comments. This feedback will help shape the Monday, December 5, Focus 205 Community Engagement Session #6 at York High School. Please join the conversation!

Elmhurst Public Library Programs

The Elmhurst Public Library now has the computer programming language True BASIC installed on four computers in the Teen Space on the 2nd floor, as well as in the Kids' Library on the 1st floor. They'll soon have Geometer's Sketchpad available also. These programs are used by many York math classes, so having them available will be a help to our students. Thanks to the Library for arranging this service!

Women in STEM

I sit on the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS) of which York High School is now an associate member.  Much of the research surrounding STEM in comprehensive high schools compel schools to engage students in rigorous, relevant, and real-world experiences.  This article is an interesting read as we grapple to find ways to not only provide STEM experiences but to engage young women in the field.  These conversations on a building and district level are becoming much more robust.  One of our school-wise goals for the 2016-2017 school year is as follows:


There will be an increase in students accessing college level experiences, career programs, internships, and / courses at York that will prepare them for life beyond graduation.

 I've also posted this article on Twitter.  For cutting edge research about STEM, please follow the National Consortium @NCSSSMST and at NCSSS.org


http://m.thebatt.com/science-technology/number-of-women-in-stem-increases/article_98cbb2de-8e8e-11e6-943b-27753a9833d5.html?mode=jqm

October 19th Testing--No Late Arrival, No Seniors in Attendance, Early Dismissal

We just wanted to remind you that on Wednesday, October 19, 2016, York Community High School will be administering a standardized assessment to all Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors from the PSAT suite of assessments published by the College Board. The tests have been paid for through the District,​ and nothing additional needs to be completed in order to register your child. October 19th is a half day for students, but it is NOT a late arrival day​. We will begin testing at 7:40 am, and students at all three grade levels, as well as students at the District 205 Transition Center will be dismissed at the conclusion of their exam at approximately 11:30.​ Since Seniors have a non attendance day, w​e encourage seniors to spend this day visiting a college, university, or other post secondary program. All bus routes will run at normal times in the morning, and will depart from York at 11:45 following the exams. A late bus will be available at 1:30 for students using extended time, and another late bus will leave York at 6:15 after athletic practices; however, please note that there will NOT be a 4:30 bus on the 19th. Breakfast will be available for purchase before school, but there will be no lunch service on this testing day. Students have received an email with their individual testing room assignment for the day and instructions regarding what to bring to the test (i.e. number 2 pencils, calculator, snack etc.). Please help your student keep an eye out for this email and ask your student if they know their testing room assignment.

FOCUS GROUPS AT ALL MIDDLE SCHOOLS OCTOBER 24th

On Monday, October 24, Focus 205 focus group meetings will be held at each of our three middle schools: Bryan, Churchville, and Sandburg from 7 to 8:30 PM. Parents of elementary and high school students are encouraged to attend their child's middle school; parents of middle school students are invited to attend their child’s current school. Community members are also invited to participate.

These meetings will involve a short formal presentation on what the future ready classroom looks like, as well as an overview of the educational alignment study conducted by architects Wight & Company last spring. This will be followed by asking for reaction from attendees to some related questions. There will be a moderator and a note-taker to record comments. This feedback will help shape the Monday, December 5, Focus 205 Community Engagement Session #6 at York High School. Please join the conversation and spread the word!

8th Grade Activity Night on 10/25/16

Dear Eighth Graders and Parents/Guardians of Eighth Graders,

On behalf of the staff and students of York Community High School, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all incoming eighth graders, the York High School Class of 2021! The last year of middle school is an exciting time for eighth grade students and their families as you complete one phase of schooling and begin the next!

Academic success in high school is greatly influenced by your placement in courses that are sufficiently challenging and appropriate to your academic needs and personal interests. Middle and high school teachers, along with curriculum administrators, have worked together to develop course selection criteria for each subject. There are a number of factors that will help us determine the most appropriate course selection for each student, including middle school scores on the PSAT 8/9 test and feedback from your middle school.

It is critical that students and parents have a clear understanding of the format and expectations for each of the assessments that contribute to course selection recommendations. In order to promote a shared understanding of this process, the middle school principals and I invite you to join us for a presentation at York on Tuesday, October 25th at 7:30 p.m. This is the same evening that we will hold the Eighth Grade Activity Fair, which provides an opportunity for students and parents to learn more about the wide variety of clubs, sports, and student organizations at York. 

Due to the large number of students and parents expected that evening, we will divide you into two groups. Families of students whose last names begin with A-L should attend the Informational Meeting at 7:3​0 p.m. in the Campbell Gym; families of students whose last names begin with M-Z should attend the Activity Fair in the field house at 7:30 p.m. Families will rotate to their other session, which will begin 8​:1​0 p.m. this will allow students and parents to attend both activities and conclude at approximately 8:45​p.m.

In addition to these large group meetings designed to highlight Activities and the York course selection process, we will have a smaller meeting conducted in Spanish that is designed to answer specific questions for those who feel more comfortable in this setting.  One of our English Language Learner instructors, Mr. Lorenzo Rubio, will host this meeting in the Yorker Room (C115) from 7:3​0 until 8:30.  The Yorker Room is located in the hall between the Field House and the Dick Campbell Gym.  As you are passing between the Course Selection Presentation and the Activity Fair, please stop in if you have questions.

We look forward to meeting with all of you on October 25th.

Sincerely,

Erin DeLuga
​Principal

*************************************************************

Estimados Padres o Guardias de Estudiantes en Octavo Grado:

De parte del personal y de los estudiantes de La Secundaria York, me gustaría extender un cordial saludo a todos los estudiantes en el octavo grado, la clase del 2021! El octavo grado es un momento emocionante para los estudiantes y sus familias, como termina una fase escolar y comienzan los preparativos para empezar la secundaria.

El éxito académico en la secundaria es muy influenciado por su colocación en los cursos que son lo suficientemente desafiante y adecuados en sus necesidades académicas y sus intereses personales. Los maestros de la escuela intermedia y la secundaria, con los administradores del plan de estudios, han trabajado juntos para desarrollar criterios de selección de cursos para cada tema. Hay una serie de factores que nos ayudarán a determinar la selección más adecuada para cada estudiante, incluyendo las calificaciones de escuela intermedia en la prueba PSAT 8/9 y información de sus escuelas intermedias.

Es fundamental que los estudiantes y los padres tengan un entendimiento claro del formato y las expectativas para cada una de las evaluaciones que contribuyen a las recomendaciones de selección de cursos. Con el fin de promover una comprensión común de este proceso, los directores de escuelas intermedias y yo, los invito a unirse con nosotros para una presentación en la Secundaria York el martes, 25 de octubre a las 7:30pm. Esta es la misma noche que vamos a tener la Noche de Actividad para Estudiantes en Octavo Grado que le dará una oportunidad a usted y al estudiante aprender más sobre la gran variedad de clubes, deportes, y organizaciones estudiantiles en York.

Debido a la cantidad de alumnos y padres de familia que esperamos esta noche, los dividimos en dos grupos. Las familias de los alumnos con apellidos que comienzan con A-L deben asistir a la reunión informativa a las 7:30 pm en el Gimnasio Campbell. Las familias de los alumnos con apellidos que comienzan con M-Z deben asistir a la Feria de Actividades a las 7:30 pm. Tendremos una segunda sesión para cada sesión a las 8:10pm, lo que permitirá a los estudiantes y padres de familia a asistir a ambas actividades y terminar aproximadamente a las 8:45 pm.

Además de tener estas reuniones de grupos grandes diseñados para mostrarle las actividades y el proceso de colocación en York, también vamos a tener una reunión más pequeña en español diseñada para responder a las preguntas específicas para los que se sienten más cómodos en este idioma. Uno de los maestros que tenemos en ELL (Aprendizaje del Idioma de Ingles), el Sr. Lorenzo Rubio, estará en esta reunión en el salón Yorker (C115) de 7:30pm a 8:30pm. El salón Yorker se encuentra en el pasillo entre la Casa de Campo (Field House) y el Gimnasio Dick Campbell. Mientras pasa de la Presentación sobre Colocación y la Feria de Actividad, por favor pase si tiene preguntas.

Esperamos verlos a todos el 25 de octubre

Sinceramente,

Erin DeLuga
Directora

Preparing for the PSAT

I am so proud of our department chairs and literacy coaches; therefore, I wanted to take a brief moment in praise of collaboration.

When I received the PSAT Student Guides, I met with Heather Saylor, our Guidance Department Chair, to talk about the quickest and best way to get the books into the hands of each and every junior and senior.  We spoke with the department chairs, and they not only agreed on a way to distribute the books, they collaborated on a way to make sure that all students became more familiar with the test.

Kevin Poduska (English), Mike DiNovo (Social Studies), Kirsten Mahoney (Science), and Sue Brown (Math) met about how to incorporate time for practice without taking away from instruction, breaking the test into parts and agreeing that today would be the day to work with the kids on the PSAT.  Jill Mueller (Special Education) reached out to make sure that we had copies for our Academic Essentials instructors, and Jessica Nall (ELL and WL) assured that our ELL Intermediate and Advanced students could also use the student guides for practice.

After deciding on the plan, our Literacy Team--Elizabeth Foran and Kristina Fitzgerald--stepped in, creating a short video for our students with strategies for the Reading Test.  It gives crucial reminders about how to tackle this challenging portion of the test: start by scanning the test first to understand the type of passage; continue by reading the questions to set a purpose for reading; finally reading the passage with the questions in mind.

I'm honored to help lead such a great team who is focused on making sure all of our students have every opportunity to succeed.  If your student would like additional practice for the PSAT, please visit www.collegeboard.org

Go Dukes!

Math Competition

Congratulations to our York Mathletes that competed in their first North Suburban Math League (NSML) competition last night at Barrington.  Our team placed second overall.  The juniors led the evening with a first place finish and our frosh team took second place. York also won the coveted candy bar competition and took home 100 chocolate bars! Special recognition goes to senior Brian Strauch who had a perfect paper.  A good beginning to the season!  

Nancy Mordini  and Linda Lahti

Math Team Coaches

Deserving Dukes Kicks Off Today

Deserving Dukes is a school-wide acknowledgement program that promotes positive behavior. Each week, students who have been observed demonstrating behavior that exemplifies the message of "Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible" can be nominated. On Friday, members of the ACHIEVE committee, York Student Services, and York administration deliver the Deserving Duke awards to student recipients. The awards consist of a York peppermint patty and a message describing why the student is being recognized.

Our first Deserving Dukes for this school year were recognized this morning. Congratulations to these students and to all of our students who demonstrate positive behaviors that contribute to our York community!

York Peer Tutor Center

The York Peer Tutor Center (YTC)  provides a dedicated space, within the Learning Commons North, for students needing help with homework, learning new skills, or reinforcing concepts already learned. Over 70 students volunteer their time to tutor throughout the week: before, during, and after school.  The YTC is open from 6:40 am until 4:30 pm.  Students that need help can either walk in or make an appointment online here.  Once a tutor request is made, we make every attempt to meet each student’s time constraints and academic needs.   Be sure to utilize this incredible resource! 

Opportunities to become a tutor are also available. 

Focus 205 Fall Community Meeting- Monday, October 3rd

This Monday marks the first Focus 205 Fall Community meeting!  I encourage students, parents, staff members, and community members to attend! 


From the District website:


Focus 205 continues this fall with two more community meetings on October 3 and December 5, beginning at 7 PM in the York High School Commons, 355 W. St. Charles Road. We hope you will join us as we recap the work done last year, celebrate student achievement in District 205 and begin exploring options that will support educational priorities in Elmhurst for years to come. RSVP at (630) 617-2300 ext. RSVP or at www.focus205.org. Please indicate if you require childcare (for ages 3-12).

Service, not just scores

Oftentimes, educators can be quick to publish excellent AP scores and off the charts standardized test scores, which is a great way to advertise the achievements of the current student body; however, it only gives a small snapshot of the great things happening in a school.

Since my last post was about testing and the unbelievable 13 National Merit Semi-Finalists, I would like to change things up and talk for a moment about the service learning component that has been incorporated into our AP Spanish program, led by one of our outstanding educators--Beth Leidolf.

Her students are investing in the lives of others by investigating and learning about poverty and its effect on education.  During their 10 hours in the classroom, Ms. Leidolf assists students as they discover more about this crucial global concern and guides students as they develop an action plan to make a difference both locally and globally.

At the conclusion of their service learning projects, students will create a presentation to share their work and celebrate their accomplishments.  We are so proud that Ms. Leidolf and her students are leading the way by piloting this new AP program that allows our students to bring their learning and hard work out into the real world to help others.

Homecoming Celebrations and Reminders

Homecoming Week at York has proven incredibly spirited and festive! Thank you to York's Student Council who has worked tirelessly to maintain the incredible energy surrounding the school!   I want to highlight this week’s activities and make sure you are aware of the details related to upcoming events.

• We had dress-theme days every day this week.  Monday was Pajama Day, Tuesday was Tropical Day, Yesterday was Class Color Day, and today is favorite fictional character day.  And of course, Friday is Green and White Day!  Go Dukes!
• After school yesterday, 18`of our clubs and teams decorated assigned hallways in the theme of the week: “Once Upon a Time.”  They did an extraordinary job!
• Last night we held our Powder Puff Football game in the Stadium.  Two hundred girls participated this year, and the seniors came out victorious in a close game: 14-6. The teams were coached by York faculty and members of the varsity football team. Our halftime entertainment included performances by our extremely talented band and the Queen and King of the Couch Contestants who demonstrated suave dance moves!  The night ended with a celebratory senior BBQ.  

• All in all, the week has been a huge success!

Pep Assembly                                                                  

We will hold our pep assembly at 2:30 on Friday in green and white gym.  At this assembly, the winning team is named Queens or Kings of the Couch and they will sit on an old beat-up, green couch at the football game Friday night and have refreshments served by staff! 

Football Game                                                            

Please join us for our Homecoming football game against the Willowbrook Warriors, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. in the Stadium.  The sophomores play at 5:00.  Students: leave your backpacks in your lockers, cars, or at home!  Our Athletic Boosters will host concessions and sell Duke gear!  Look for the Alumni Tent to learn more about the exciting "Dukes of Distinction" recognition program for our distinguished alumni. 

Homecoming Dance                                                           

 Students are all invited to the Homecoming Dance on Saturday evening. The dance runs from 7:00-10:00 p.m.  Students must be in the doors by 8:00.  The dress is semi-formal.  Many of our students come alone, with a friend, or in a group--they do not need a date.  Students must enter  through the athletic entrance at door 5 and can be picked up anywhere in the front circle. Also, please note that we do not permit students to arrive or be picked up in a limousine at York dances.   

Tickets are $20 through tomorrow at the Bookstore and $25 at the door.  Any student who is bringing a guest from another school must have a signed form from a dean before the end of the day on Friday. 

Please remember that the students' safety is our first concern as an administration and staff.  We want our students to make smart decisions before, during, and after the dance.  If a student is found under the influence of alcohol or any other illegal substance, we will notify you, the parent, to pick your student up immediately.  Students who violate the school policy will compromise participation in future events including prom.  Let's keep the evening positive and spirited as the rest of the week has been!  

If you have any unanswered questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Sincerely,

Erin DeLuga

edeluga@elmhurst205.org

What in the world are York teachers doing on student late arrivals?

Good morning, York Community!  Every Wednesday our students enjoy a late arrival while our teachers are working within Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).  These PLCs work to ensure that teachers have a set amount of time to analyze student growth on formative assessments.  When teachers come together in this fashion and are able to establish shared responsibility, consensus-building decision making, and adhering to a common vision, student growth soars.  As a staff, we have really worked to enhance student growth with intentionality.  I must say  you how inspired I am by the dedication of our staff to truly adhering to the PLC model. The focus on student growth and achievement as it relates to curriculum design and interventions is extraordinary!  I am including a link below that helps clarify what PLCs are and the impact they can have.  Enjoy!


http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues61.html

NHS Petitions

All prospective NHS Applicants -

We would like to confirm that NHS Petitions are due to the York Student Services Office by 3:15pm on Friday September, 23rd.  There is a discrepancy between the date printed on the petition and the date presented at our meeting. Again - NHS Petitions are due Friday, September 23rd at 3:15pm to the York Student Services Department.

Homecoming Week

Happy Homecoming week, Dukes!  Remember to show your school spirit this week!  Monday is PJ day, Tuesday is Tropical day, Wednesday is Class Color day, Thursday is "Once Upon a Time" themed character day, and Friday is green and white school spirit day.  The week culminates in a home football game against the Willowbrook Warriors on Friday and the Homecoming Dance on Saturday!  Please remember that we embrace and advocate good decision-making and safe choices throughout the week.  Have fun and go Dukes!

PSAT on October 19th

This year, we are excited to have all sophomore and junior students take the PSAT/NMSQT on Wednesday, October 19th for several reasons:

• In April, York will be taking the SAT instead of the ACT; therefore, the PSAT will help our students become accustomed to the format of the SAT long before the April test.
• The PSAT/NMSQT is also scholarship test for all of our junior students: students who score in the top 1% statewide are named as a National Merit Semi-Finalist, and students who score in the top 1% nationally are eligible to be chosen as a National Merit Finalist.  This year, York is proud to have a record number 13 National Merit Semi-Finalists.
• All sophomore and junior students will be receiving a PSAT/NMSQT practice test booklet from their current English teacher this week; please make sure that students keep this booklet with them, so their teachers are able to help students become familiar with the ins and outs of the PSAT.
• Our freshman students will be taking the PSAT 8/9 this year, which is closely aligned to the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT.  CollegeBoard has not yet released its student guide--which includes sample test questions, answer explanations, and testing tips--for this test; however, they anticipate that it will be posted online at psat.org/resources by the end of September.

We can't wait to celebrate the successes of this year's junior class after the amazing accomplishments by the Class of 2017.  Go Dukes.

College Rep Visits for Seniors

Attention all seniors! College visits kick into high gear this week. Senior students should sign up in advance in the CCRC for any sessions that they are interested in attending. Click here for a schedule of the colleges represented for the week of September 12.

No Back Packs at Football Games

York has implemented a new policy regarding back packs at football games.  Students will not be permitted to bring back packs into home football games.

This policy goes into effect on September 23, 2016 when York hosts Willowbrook for Homecoming.

Homecoming 2016!!!

Homecoming 2016 - Once Upon A Time
Hey, York!  Homecoming 2016 is just around the corner.  We will have a week full of activities such as lunch room games, theme days, hallway decorating, powder puff, the pep rally, the football games, culminating with our Homecoming Dance on Saturday night in the field house at 7:00pm.  Tickets will be on sale in the bookstore starting Wednesday, September 14th.  Tickets are $20 in the bookstore or $25 at the door.  School rules and policies must be followed at all events, and appropriate attire is required at the Dance.

Welcome to York High School's Official Blog

Welcome York Community to the York High School Blog!  We are thrilled to launch this blog in an effort to streamline information, announcements, and reminders in addition to highlighting school successes, innovative educational resources, and  important programming.  Information on athletics, activities, programs and much, much more will be updated here!  This blog will be linked to the official York Facebook page, Twitter account, and website.  Please add your email address to the "follow by email" section of the blog to be updated when new posts are created.  We look forward to enhancing our communication with parents, students, staff members, and the community at large.  Go Dukes!