November 14, 2025 Newsletter

Dear Yorktown Parents and Guardians,

As many of you know, I’ll be serving as Acting Principal while Dr. Clark is on paternity leave. I’m grateful for the warm support you’ve already shown and truly excited to continue partnering with you to keep things running smoothly and positively for our students.

Have a great weekend,

Ms. Laura Porter, Assistant Principal

In this message: 

• What’s Happening at Yorktown
• Counseling Corner
• Activities Updates
• Senior Updates
• Technology Corner
• Upcoming Dates
• 2025-26 PTA Information

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT YORKTOWN

AFAC Club Food Drive at the Football Playoff Game – November 14

Please consider bringing non-perishable food to support those with food insecurity in our local community.  The AFAC club students will be collecting canned and non-perishable food items at the football playoff game on Friday, November 14. Join the cause and support our school club and local food distribution network.

Performing Arts Audition Workshop and Spring Musical

Join us on Monday, November 24 from 3:30-5:00 in the Black Box for our first-ever Audition Workshop! If you are interested in the spring musical but aren’t sure what is required for an audition, this is your opportunity to learn.  Please feel free to RSVP using this link from your APS device: https://forms.gle/M3zUrs1tAPaWNarC8

Speaking of which, auditions are scheduled for Tuesday December 2 and Thursday December 4 for our show! You can learn more at the bulletin board outside the Black Box or click on this link for information: https://bit.ly/YHSLittleMermaidInfo

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Updates

Guest Speaker Series: Dr. Emma Violand-Sánchez

Thursday December 4, 2025 and Friday December 5, 2025

Dr. Emma Violand-Sánchez arrived in Virginia from Bolivia in the summer of 1961 as a high school senior knowing very little English. In the years that followed, she became a transformative figure in American public education and in service to immigrants and refugees, advocating for bilingual education and expanding opportunities for immigrant students and their families. During her forty-year career with Arlington Public Schools, Dr. Violand Sánchez was the first Latina teacher, administrator, and school board member. Her memoir Dreams and Shadows: An Immigrant’s Journey is out now. Yorktown is very excited to host Dr. Violand Sánchez for what will be an inspiring conversation.

AFAC Club Food Drive – November 17-21

The AFAC club will be conducting a fall food drive from November 17th-21st. Items will be collected in all math classes and in the main office as well as at the football game on November 14th (collection bins will be set up at the entrance of the game). Requested donations include non-perishable items such as canned fruits, canned tuna, canned soups, canned vegetables, canned tomatoes, peanut butter, cereal, and sugar.

Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and honor the history, cultures, and contributions of Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian peoples. This month provides an important opportunity to learn about the diverse tribal nations that have shaped, and continue to shape, the United States. Throughout the month, we recognize the strength, resilience, and creativity of Indigenous communities while also deepening our understanding of their histories and contemporary experiences. By learning from Native voices and stories, we can better appreciate the richness of Indigenous cultures and reaffirm our commitment to respect, inclusion, and equity all year long.

Native American Heritage Month invites all people, not just those within Indigenous communities, to learn and take part in this story. Supporting Native-owned businesses, attending cultural events, or learning about the land one lives on are ways to honor this month’s recognition. Below are resources dedicated to Native American Heritage Month and uplifting the voices of Indigenous communities:

• Learning Resources for NAHM
• Library of Congress and Smithsonian Resources
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• First Nations Development Institute

COUNSELING CORNER

Advisory Information

Tuesday, November 18: Students in grades 10 and 12 will complete the Arlington Youth Survey (AYS). If your child has been opted out, their advisory teacher has been notified that they should not participate. 9th and 11th grade advisories will participate in a gratitude lesson and thankfulness activity developed by the SGA.

High School Information Night

APS offers Option Schools and Programs beyond neighborhood schools, including the International Baccalaureate Programme (IB), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Arts, Dual Language, Student Choice, and more.  Each High School will hold an Information Night presenting the courses, activities, and programs available at their school.  For more information, including the various dates of the events and how to apply online, please see the Family Information Sessions page on the APS website.

Save the Date: Finding the Right College Fit

On Thursday, December 4th, at 7pm,  the Yorktown College and Career office will be hosting a virtual College Fit event.  Admissions reps from a few schools will answer frequently asked questions about how to find the right fit for your student, and then how that impacts student choices such as course selection.  This event is open to families of students in grades 9-12.  More information, including the link to join the event, coming soon.

ACTIVITIES UPDATES

Playoff Action Update

The girls cross country team capped off a successful season this past weekend by placing 6th at the State meet. The football team won the Liberty District and will now face off against South Lakes High School in a regional quarterfinal matchup at home tonight, Friday, November 14 at 7 pm.

Winter Sports Tryout Information – Indoor Track, Cheer and Winter Crew Begin Monday

In order to participate in tryouts or any other athletic activity, students must have registered online, including uploading a valid, stamped VHSL physical form and APS participation agreement. The VHSL physical form has changed as of April 2025 and the new form must be used moving forward. Physicals are now valid for 14 months from the date of the doctor’s signature and families are responsible for ensuring they update their student’s physical within the 14 month period or the student will be ineligible midseason. Any physical dated after May 1, 2025 will ensure eligibility for the entire 2025-2026 school year.

The winter tryout/practice schedule is now available.   Basketball, gymnastics and winter cheer will conduct tryouts for at least three days, while other winter sports allow all students who show interest and commitment the first week. Students who completed the athletic registration process for the fall and need to be added to a winter sport tryout list should contact Mary Ann Mahan

Upcoming Home Events

Where to find Athletics Information

Athletic Website – www.yorktownsports.org

Athletic Twitter – @yhssports

Athletic Instagram – @yhssports

Athletic Specific Sport Information – www.teamapp.com

Athletic Registration – https://yorktownhs-ar.rschooltoday.com/

Looking Further Ahead – Spring and Fall 2026 Sports 

Spring sports will begin on Monday, February 23 and tryouts will continue throughout that week.

Fall 2026 sports will begin on Monday, August 3 for cheer, volleyball, field hockey and JV/V football. Freshmen football and cross country will likely begin Monday, August 10.  Dance team tryouts are typically in late May/early June. The start date for golf (no earlier than July 30) and girls flag football (no earlier than August 17) have not yet been finalized.

Club of the Week

The YHS Club of the week is the Give Back Club. The purpose of the Give Back Club is to work and volunteer with a wide variety of community service organizations. The club will have one big project each month, and we will have meetings every other week (for organizing the project and doing smaller activities like making cards for elders.) See Ms. Kiyak or Mr. Moorhead for more information.

SENIOR UPDATES

Be sure to bookmark the Seniors website which is linked on the Yorktown HS home page under Quicklinks and loaded with information for senior year.

Cap and Gown

We have had almost 400 entries for student cap and gowns so far! Thank you so much to those who have placed your order early. To those still needing to place your order, please do so ASAP by using this form. There is a bit of urgency to this, as we would like to have our orders finalized right after Thanksgiving. Remember, cap and gowns are included in Senior Dues.

Senior Experience

The Senior Experience Canvas page is officially up and running and invites have been sent out to students. Students wishing to participate in Senior Experience (May 18-June 8) will need to access these materials on Canvas. Please take your time to review all information and materials.

A few dates to note:

– Student Application Due by 3/13

– Mentor Application Due by 3/13

– Parent Authorization Due by 3/13

– Senior Experience Kick Off Meeting on 5/15

– Senior Experience from 5/18 to 6/8

– Senior Experience Seminar on 6/9

Senior Dues

For those of you who have not yet paid Senior Dues, please note that class dues are $80.00 if paid prior to Winter Break, and $85.00 if paid after. You can pay online using the following link: https://arlingtonva.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/4907/444/False/True . All students are expected to contribute to class dues. If a student is experiencing undue economic hardship, they should speak to the activities office regarding payment.

Final Opportunity for Senior Portrait Makeups

There will be one final opportunity for Senior Portrait makeups on Friday, December 5th in the library. The photo company is requesting that seniors who still haven’t had their portrait taken please confirm their appointment online. Please visit schedule.prestigeportraits.com. To locate your appointment code, enter Yorktown High School’s zip code (22207) and enter “Yorktown.” After you verify student details, you will be able to confirm your appointment. If you have any questions, please contact Lifetouch Prestige customer service (855-918-2930) or email [email protected]. Seniors who have not yet had their portrait taken will also be able to stop by the library on December 5th during Patriot Period with a pass from their teacher, or during their lunch period.

UPCOMING DATES

See YHS Calendar or the APS Calendar for more information:

• Wednesday, November 26-28 No School, Thanksgiving Holiday
• Wednesday, December 10, Early Release, Professional Learning