May 31, 2024 YHS Newsletter

Dear Yorktown Families,

Next week is the last full week of school and the start of final exams on Friday, June 7th. Thanks for all of your support this school year.

Come out and support our Girls Lacrosse Team at 4:30 tomorrow (Saturday) at Yorktown in the first round of the State tournament.  The team will play Woodson.  Tickets are $10 available online at www.gofan.co and the first 50 YHS students will be admitted free thanks to the girls lacrosse boosters.  Good luck Patriots!

Have a great weekend!

Dr. Kevin Clark

Principal

In this message: 

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

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT YORKTOWN

Final Exam Schedule

Next week we begin our final exams. Please see the final exam schedule starting Friday, June 7th.

Final Exam Reminders PIP I-7.2.3.34 PIP 2

1. Every teacher must give a final examination or some type of culminating activity at the day and time, for the length of time, specified in the Final Exam Schedule.
2. Exemptions – Final exams exemptions are permitted as per guidelines/specifications noted within the course syllabus. (Final grade A for course, or a reason specified in the syllabus)
3. Final exams may be calculated in the fourth quarter grade or the final grade PIP
4. Students will not be permitted to take their final exams early, with the exception of families receiving military or foreign service orders.  Proof of these orders must be submitted to the counseling office.  Students may take late finals, and grades will be calculated with a zero for the final until they are taken, and then updated based upon the final exam results.  When possible, arrangements should be made in advance for any late finals.

Advisory Plans 

Since it is the last week of advisory, students will participate in the following activities next week:

• Tuesday (6/4):
  • All Grade levels: Planning Survey and End of Year Celebration

• Thursday (6/6):
  • Patriot period, no check-in required

State Girls Lacrosse Playoff Information – June 1 

Girls lacrosse will host Woodson in a state playoff game on Saturday, June 1 at 4:30 pm.  Admission is $10, however, thanks to the Yorktown girls lacrosse boosters, the first 50 Yorktown students will be free with their student ID/StudentVue.  Tickets are available online only – either before the game or at the gate. The game will be streamed on the Yorktown Boosters Youtube website

Yearbook Distribution

• Senior distribution will be on June 3rd from 4PM-7PM in the Yorktown Courtyard. In the case of inclement weather, books will be distributed in the Yorktown Atrium. If seniors are unable to come June 3rd, they can stop by room 264 to pick up their book anytime after that date.
• Juniors, Sophomores, and Freshmen distribution will be June 4th – 7th. Students can come during Patriot Period or all lunches. Books can be picked up from room 264.

If you have any questions about distribution or yearbook orders, please contact Mr. Olsen: troy.olsen@apsva.us

PTA Movie Night Next Friday

The PTA would like to invite you to their End-of-year PTA-sponsored Movie Night June 7 in Patriot Hall, showing the iconic comedy, Mean Girls (the 2004 original). Use this link for free tickets and more info, or copy the QR code from on campus. Free popcorn, candy, & water also will be provided.  We’ll hope some of you can join us for what we think will be a nice evening, and either way, we send many thanks to all of you for everything you do!

APS Soliciting Feedback on School Health Program

From May 17 to June 7, Arlington County’s Public Health Division, in coordination with APS, invites families to complete a survey on the School Health Program (SHP). School Health promotes a healthy learning environment for all APS students by offering a clinic in every school and the opportunity to achieve a lifestyle that will lead to a satisfying and productive life. SHP strives to provide the best service possible in the school clinics.

To help us understand what we do well and areas where we can improve, please take a few minutes to tell us about your experiences with your student’s school clinic during the 2023-24 school year. All results are anonymous. If you wish to talk with someone about the School Health program, please contact (703) 228-1651.

• English: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7846123/2023-2024-School-Health-Parent-Survey
• Spanish: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7846123/bf7d35b4a7b1
• Amharic: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7846123/0eb493d39c3f
• Arabic: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7846123/5c9e69ece26a
• Mongolian: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7846123/f3c06287d88d

COUNSELING CORNER

4th Quarter and Final Grades

Report cards will be attached to electronic student records and available to families in ParentVUE/StudentVUE beginning Monday, June 24th at 8:00am.

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  Started in 1949 by Mental Health America (MHA), May has become a month dedicated to raising awareness and reducing the stigma of mental health issues.  About one in five people will suffer from mental illness during their lives, and everyone will face challenges that can impact their mental health.  Resources and support are always available from our Counseling Department. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, APS Student Services would like to share the following resources with families:

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. If your child is leaving Yorktown, please make sure they drop off their computer on June 12th from 8-1. Also ensure they return all APS materials.

Summer School 

For more information, FAQs, and the Yorktown specific form, please see the APS Summer School site. Registration for APS Summer School closes June 7th.

 ACTIVITIES UPDATES

Home Playoff Games this Week

Where to find Athletics Information

Athletic Website – www.yorktownsports.org

Athletic Twitter/X – @yhssports

Athletic Instagram – @yhssports

Athletic Specific Sport Information – www.teamapp.com

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

Fall 2024 Sports Tryout Dates Posted Online

Most fall sports will begin no earlier than August 5, 2024, with the exception of golf and cheer which will begin on August 1. As in past years, dance tryouts will take place in May, cross country will start mid-August, and ultimate frisbee will start approximately two weeks after school begins. Specific and continually updated tryout information can be found on the Athletics website.

Please note 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.

SENIOR UPDATES

Yorktown High School Class of 2024 Senior Send-Off Help Needed

We still need volunteers! You don’t need to be a parent of a senior. Please submit the volunteer Request – https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D4EABA92D6-49727495-class

The PTA would like to have Gift Cards for prizes. Donation Request – https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D4EABA92D6-49741436-class

Date: Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location: Yorktown High School Gym

Dear Yorktown High School Seniors,

It’s time to bid farewell to our incredible Class of 2024 seniors! Immediately after the Senior Experience Seminar, please come and join us for a memorable Senior Send-Off Celebration on Wednesday, June 12th, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the Yorktown High School Gym.

Activities Include:

🎉 Food & Drinks: Enjoy delicious snacks and refreshing beverages throughout the event

📸 Photo Booth: Capture unforgettable moments with your friends in our photo booth

🎶 Music: Groove to the beats and celebrate our seniors

🐂 Mechanical Bull: Test your skills and take a ride on the mechanical bull for some adrenaline-pumping fun – permission slip is needed to participate in this event – complete the form and submit by Tuesday, June 11 at 11:59 pm.  Parents of students under the age of 18 must sign the form. Please scan the form, and email a copy to yhsptaseniorsendoff@gmail.com, in the subject field please write your students first and last name.

👕 T-Shirts for Friends to Sign: Leave your mark on the memories by signing t-shirts for the Class of 2024 seniors

Let’s make this a fun time to remember as we celebrate the achievements and journey of our graduating seniors. We look forward to seeing you there! This event is being held the day before graduation, and in lieu of a graduation night event, to allow for personal post-graduation celebration with friends and family!

Senior Dues – Money Order or Online Payment Required

Senior Dues ($85) are required to buy a Prom ticket, receive a cap and gown, and receive graduation tickets.  The last date to submit a personal check for Senior Dues was April 30.  Other options – money order or online – are available after that date.  Please drop off a money order to the school treasurer, Sabrina Ashby, in the main office.  Online payments are also an option and include a small processing fee.

Senior Experience Seminar 

Wednesday, June 12 – Senior Experience Seminar (Mandatory) at 9:30 am at Yorktown. Please report to the atrium for check-in and to find your seminar locations. Your timesheet and final outline are also due at this time and should be uploaded to the Senior Experience canvas page.

Graduation Rehearsal

Thursday, June 13 – Graduation Rehearsal at 9 am at Yorktown in the auditorium (don’t be late) – you will receive your cap and gown and guest tickets (5) after rehearsal.

Graduation

Thursday, June 13 – Graduation at DAR Constitution Hall at 3 pm. Seniors must arrive at DAR by 2:00 pm.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION NEWS

June is Pride Month!

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month is currently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall Uprising was a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. The last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as “Gay Pride Day” in the U.S., but the actual day was flexible.  (In 1994, a coalition of education-based organizations in the United States designated October as LGBT History Month. In 1995, a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the National Education Association included LGBT History Month within a list of commemorative months). In major cities across the nation the “day” soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts, and LGBTQ+ Pride Month events attract millions of participants around the world.  Check out Pride events in and around D.C. as well as Pride resources, such as Indigenizing Pride and LGBTQ+ Women Who Made History, here.  Families may find support for their LGBTQ+ children here and here.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

Student Devices Over the Summer

This summer, students can take their APS-issued devices home. However, some families may prefer not to take devices home. Information Services will oversee collecting and redistributing devices at the beginning of the new school year, ensuring a smooth transition.  Students who wish to return their laptops prior to the summer can do so on June 12th from 8-1 at the YHS Library.

Students registered for summer school must take their devices home to use for instruction. Those students must bring the device on the first day of summer school. Additional information about the opt-out procedure and corresponding communications will be provided soon by Information Services.

UPCOMING DATES

See YHS Calendar for more information

• June 7th Final Exams Start (Period 1 Exam)
• June 10 – Early Release-Final Exam Schedule (Periods 2, 3 Exams)
• June 11 – Early Release-Final Exam Schedule (Periods 4, 5 Exams)
• June 12 – Early Release-Final Exam Schedule (Periods 6, 7 Exams)