June 13, 2025 Newsletter

Dear Patriot Families,

Congratulations on making it to the last week of the year! We hope final exams are going well and that the year is ending on a positive note.

We would like to thank you for your partnership this year and for all of your support. Students have made great progress and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next year.

This will be the final parent/guardian newsletter of the year. We will send a welcome back message in early August.

Have a wonderful summer!

Dr. Kevin Clark, Principal

In this message: 

• What’s Happening at Yorktown
• Counseling Corner
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Corner
• Activities Updates
• Senior Updates
• Upcoming Dates

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT YORKTOWN

Staff Leaving Yorktown

We would like to thank departing staff for their contributions to Yorktown and wish them well in their future endeavors.

Staff not returning:

Staff Retiring:

• Connie Campana, Attendance Administrative Assistant
• Robin Nugent, Math Teacher
• Vicky Walkchak, Art Teacher

 Remaining Final Exam Schedule

As a reminder, please see the final exam schedule below.

• Monday 6/16 – Pd. 4 & 6 Finals
• Tuesday 6/17 – Pd. 5 & 7 Finals
• Wednesday 6/18 – Make-up Finals

Girls Lacrosse and Soccer in State Finals/Semis

The girls lacrosse team is in the State Championship on Saturday at 12:30 pm in Richmond.  Catch the action on the NFHS Network.  The girls soccer team will play in the State Semifinals on Friday at 1:30 pm in Richmond and could advance to the finals on Saturday at 12:30 pm.  Good luck to both teams.

Pouches are Coming Next Year

Please review the information shared by APS on June 4, 2025:

Thank you for your cooperation this school year as we implemented the new policies restricting student use of personal devices and piloted cell phone pouches at some secondary schools. These procedures positively impacted instructional time, reduced distractions, and contributed to positive school climates for all. 

APS conducted surveys throughout the school year to gauge input from all schools, including pouch pilot schools. Based on the results:

• Arlington Career Center, H-B-Woodlawn, Wakefield, Washington-Liberty, and Yorktown high schools will fully implement the cell phone storage pouches in the 2025-26 school year. Each school will provide more information about the rollout plan for pouches at their schools in their back-to-school communications.

Survey highlights include:

• 85% of staff at schools with pouches believe the cell phone policy helps manage use, compared to 65% at non-pouch schools.

• 39% of staff at non-pouch high schools find it difficult to manage student cell phone use, compared to 13% at pouch high schools.

• Over 80% of families at both pouch and non-pouch schools agree that cell phone policies have been clearly communicated.

 View full survey results and more information online.  High schools and the schools that participated in the pilot will follow up with further information on the collection and distribution process for your students’ school.

COUNSELING CORNER

Some Changes in Counseling Staff

As noted above, we have some counselors leaving us at the end of this school year.  We are also growing a bit, so the departing counselors will be replaced, and we are adding an additional part time counselor.  We are very excited about our new hires! As a result, we will be shifting some caseloads around to evenly distribute students across counselors.  Rest assured, counselors who are leaving will leave plenty of information for the incoming counselors, and, as a department, we are all here to support all students.  This is also a friendly reminder that we do not take requests for specific counselors.  Updated information about counselor assignments will come later this summer.

Final Transcripts and Report Cards

Final transcripts will be ready for all grades, including seniors, on June 27th, at which time the senior transcripts will be uploaded into Naviance to be sent to each student’s respective college or university. Report Cards will be attached to student records in Synergy and available to families in ParentVUE/StudentVUE beginning on Wednesday, June 25th at 8:00am.

New College and Career Platform: Important Steps for Current 9th-11th Graders 

Dear Students,

Heads up! Arlington Public Schools is moving to a new college and career platform called SchooLinks. It will replace Naviance. All APS students, staff, and families will lose access to Naviance on July 31, 2025.

These are actions that need to be taken. Log into Naviance now to decide if you want to print or download your resume or other documents.

Below are instructions to help you download or print materials from Naviance. Here is a how-to video as well.

You can print your resume using the Resume Builder in Naviance Student. Here are the steps:

1. Navigate to the About Me section and select Resume.
2. From the info message, select Access the Previous Resume Builder.
3. Click on Print or Export Resume.
4. From My Saved Resumes, choose either Download PDF or Download DOCX for the selected resume.

When downloading the DOCX format, you can make further formatting changes or update your resume information if needed. We encourage you to use this feature to prepare resumes for job applications, scholarships, or other opportunities. You can also print your portfolio, which highlights your achievements, skills and goals, in Naviance Student by following these steps:

1. Navigate to the About Me section and select Portfolio.
2. From the Entries section, select Share and choose either New Link or Print.
3. If choosing the print option, students can manage their entries by:
   • Excluding their profile photo.
   • Removing any entries they do not want to include in the portfolio.
   • Reordering their entries.
   • Renaming the entry types by clicking the pencil icon.
4. Once the entries are finalized, select Print.
5. Share the printed version as needed.

More information coming soon about our new college, career, and work-based learning platform, SchooLinks!

Leaving Yorktown? Let us know!

Families of rising 10th-12th graders, if you know that you will not be returning to APS next school year, please complete this withdrawal form and email it to our registrar, Carol Thompson.  You may also reach out to Ms. Thompson with any questions about registering or withdrawing from school. As we plan for the next school year, this will ensure we have the most accurate numbers as we build next year’s schedule.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION CORNER

Juneteenth – Thursday, June 19th

Juneteenth National Independence Day, one of the oldest known commemorations related to the abolition of slavery in the United States, was signed into law as a national holiday on June 17, 2021. The word “Juneteenth” is a Black English contraction, or portmanteau, of the month “June” and the date “nineteenth.” Juneteenth celebrates the date of June 19, 1865, when enslaved people of African descent located in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their freedom from the slavery system in the United States more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation (it is important to note that enslaved people fought for their freedom and resisted their enslavement in both overt and subtle ways – read more here and here). Check out the following links to learn more about Juneteenth and where you can celebrate ‘Freedom Day’:

Why All Americans Should Honor Juneteenth

Juneteenth – Sun, Sounds and the Spirit of Freedom

Arlington County Juneteenth Community Day (June 19)

Anacostia Community Museum – Power in the Past. Strength in the Future (June 19)

Summer Digital Learning Resources

Students will continue to have access to a variety of digital learning applications over the summer. This extended access is designed to support continued learning and enrichment during the summer break. Please note that access to these resources will end after August 1 to allow for the set up and transition to the next school year. The digital applications and resources listed in the link below will be available for all students and we encourage you to explore these resources with your child to support their learning journey. Should you have any questions or need assistance accessing these applications call the Family Information Line at 703-228-8000.Click Here for the Complete List

ACTIVITIES UPDATES

Fall 2025 Sports – Tryout Information

Fall sports tryout information is now posted on the athletic website.  This information will be updated throughout the summer as needed so it is recommended families check every few weeks.  Dates will not move earlier than those listed now but exact times for tryouts and practices might be slightly adjusted, especially later in July as the season approaches.

In order to participate in tryouts or any other athletic activity, students must have registered online and uploaded a valid, stamped VHSL physical form.  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.

Due to a forced conversion, the online registration system and interface changed and registration is now open.  Families will need to create a new account unfortunately.  Registration information and the correct link are available at the athletic registration page.

All families should sign up for Stack Team App under the specific sports their student might consider playing in order to get specific information on out-of-season development opportunities (Green Days), interest meetings and other sport-specific information.

Please note that playing a high school fall sport requires a commitment to be present for the duration of tryouts and daily practices thereafter. Families are advised that vacations planned after the start of fall sports will not be considered favorably during the tryout process because there is limited practice time to build a team prior to the start of scrimmages and games in mid to late August.

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://yorktownsports.org/main/otherad?contentID=55918744

Playoff Events this Week

Looking Ahead – Homecoming 2025

Homecoming weekend will be October 10 and 11, 2025.  The football game is against West Springfield and the dance will be Saturday, October 11.  Please note this is a three-day weekend for students with no school on Monday, October 13.  While not ideal, it is the best viable option given the home football schedule.

CLASS of 2026 UPDATES

Senior Pictures

All members of the Class of 2026 have been scheduled for a Senior Portrait sitting time by Prestige Portraits from June 13-20 onsite at Yorktown in the gymnastics room.  Each student has a unique 8-digit code which was sent in the communication.  Using this code, please visit www.prestigeportraits.com to confirm or modify online.

For those without a code, please use the online scheduling program to reserve an appointment.  Search by filtering the City & State, school and then your legal name.  If you have already scheduled your Prestige Portrait, you may confirm or modify it online.

It is important all students select their yearbook pose within ten days after their pictures are taken and proofs delivered.  The version selected for the yearbook will also be posted in the main hallway of the school.

Additional photography opportunities will be held in August and later in the fall onsite and any picture taken onsite will be included in the yearbook.  However, only pictures taken in June will be in the main hallway when school starts.

For additional ​questions about scheduling and appointment times, please contact Prestige Portraits directly at 1-855-918-2930

Graduation 2026

Class of 2026 Graduation will be held at DAR Constitution Hall on June 10.  This continues a tradition at Yorktown for over 35 years.  Other Arlington schools will be graduating at Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax on June 13.

UPCOMING DATES

For more details, refer to the YHS or APS calendar.

• Monday, June 16-Tuesday, June 17 – early release days for final exams
• Wednesday June 18 – Make-up exams only for excused absences with documentation