may 9, 2025 Weekly Newsletter

Dear Patriot Families,Thanks to the PTSA and families for making this week’s Teacher Appreciation Week a huge success! We are so appreciative of our amazing teachers and staff for what they do for our students.

Next week is our last week with seniors participating in Senior Experience. Seniors not participating in Senior Experience continue attending classes as normal. The Senior Send-Off event will be held from 11:30 – 1:30 and we look forward to celebrating our Class of 2025!

Have a great weekend!

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

Seeking Feedback on the Yorktown Planning Survey

We invite parents and guardians to complete our Planning Survey that informs our plans for next school year. This year’s survey includes questions about our advisory program, the cell phone policy, communication, and counseling. Thank you in advance for your feedback. Please use this link to complete the survey. (https://forms.gle/dRmEFdCVFceemqPL7)

PTSA Meeting Monday

Reminder that Monday at 7:30 pm is this year’s last PTSA meeting. We will be joined by Mike Krulfeld, Activities Director, who will talk about preparing for fall sports and clubs, including the new sports physical process. We will also elect new officers and hear about year-end information. Zoom link here.

YHS Playoff Action 

Good luck to the varsity crew boats tomorrow as they compete in the VASRA championships on the Occoquan.  Most other Yorktown teams will begin playoff action next week.  Check out the schedule on the athletic website for more specific details as some teams will host depending on final regular season game results.  Track will compete in the Liberty District tournament on May 13 and 14 at Wakefield.

AP Testing Continues Next Week

Dates: May 5-23

24-25 AP Exam Calendar

AP Exams started this week! Please see the AP Exam Calendar (linked) and support your student on test day by encouraging them to sleep well, eat a healthy breakfast, and do their best on their exams.

• Students need their charged MacBook and charger for each exam; there are limited loaner devices
• Families will receive Parent Square messages with their students’ testing locations by test
• Students will also receive emails with their testing locations at the email they have registered with the College Board
• Students need to arrive ON TIME; Late arrivals may not be permitted to test
• Students may begin entering their assigned testing rooms at 8am for morning exams and 12:15 for afternoon exams. Please see the College Board testing rules available in student accounts
• Note that afternoon exams end AFTER the regular school day (typically by 4:30pm); students with extended time could run until 6:30 or 7pm

SOL Testing Information – May 19-22

End of Course SOL Testing will take place Monday May 19 – 22. Students taking an End-of-Course SOL exam will begin testing at 8:20 a.m.  Students who are not testing may stay home in the morning and come to school later with their own transportation, classes will begin at 11:20. Students not testing but choosing to come to school at 8:20 will have the opportunity to choose between targeted study sessions with teachers, to study individually in a quiet area in the auditorium, or to meet with other students to study for their exams in the cafeteria.SOL content teachers will notify students about their testing date and location.

All SOLs are untimed and students have until 3:10 pm to complete their test.  Most students will finish within 2 hours.  Lunch break will be provided for those who need it. Buses for the Career Center will depart at 11:10 a.m. for mid-day classes and 1:20 p.m. for end of day classes.

Teachers who teach an SOL course will inform their students of their assigned testing date and room number. On their assigned testing day, all students should bring with them:

• Fully charged APS-issued laptop
• Pen/pencil (for scratch paper only, tests are online)

SOL content teachers will notify students about their testing date and location.  Please note that students will only take the tests they need to meet their Virginia graduation requirements.  All students need to earn 5 verified credits: 1 Math, 1 Science, 1 Social Studies, Reading and Writing.  Additionally, all students must take Biology SOL, as well as 1 math SOL during high school per Federal requirement. Please reach out to your child’s counselor if you have any questions about whether they need to sit for an SOL test this spring.

Mark the Calendar: Upcoming Music Concerts

Come see our superior rated music ensembles in our upcoming end-of-year concerts!

• 5/13 : Choir Spring Concert
• 5/20 : Band Spring Concert
• 5/22 : Jazz on the Lawn
• 6/3 : Chamber Band Concert

Latinas Leading Tomorrow Accolades

Congratulations to those honored during the recent Noche de Impacto with Latinas Leading Tomorrow. We are proud to share that four of our outstanding students were recognized with the following awards:

• Brillante Award: Kaylee Lopez-Baran
• Estrella Award: Claudia Ochoa Rodas
• Servicio Award: Daniela Gonzalez-Castro
• Inspiración Award: Jennifer España

Additionally, two students received scholarships through the Latinas Leading Tomorrow Scholarship Fund:

• Poderosa Award ($1,000): Claudia Ochoa Rodas
• Corazón Award ($500): Daniela Gonzalez-Castro

Arlington Public Health Survey Seeking Parent/Guardian Feedback

From May 16 to June 6, 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 2024-25 school year. All results are anonymous. If you wish to talk with someone about the School Health program, please contact (703) 228-1631.

• English: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8252236/2024-2025-School-Health-Parent-Survey
• Amharic: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8252236/61d117227613
• Arabic: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8252236/26a95cf87514
• Mongolian: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8252236/67638a8cb4da
• Spanish: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8252236/9e142b2792d9

COUNSELING CORNER

For Parents of Seniors

We kindly ask all seniors to complete the Senior Survey in Naviance as soon as possible. Please help us by reminding your students that their responses are important and will:

• Indicate where to send their final transcript, set “Attending” in survey
• Help counselors better support future seniors with their college and career planning

How to Complete the Survey:

1. Students should log into their Naviance account
2. On their Naviance homepage, go to “Tasks from My School”
3. Find and complete the Senior Survey 2025, not the Naviance Version.
4. Be sure to click “Submit” when finished

If your college plans change after submitting the survey, please email Ms. Julie Frye with the update.  Your input makes a difference—thank you for taking a few minutes to complete this important survey!

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.

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month

In 2025, Mental Health Awareness Month will be observed in May, and the theme is “Turn Awareness into Action”. This means organizations like ASCA (American School Counselor Association) and NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) will focus on turning understanding of mental health issues into concrete actions to improve mental wellness. Stay tuned for some activities planned by the Counseling Department coming soon.  If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, you can reach out to your student’s counselor, or contact the NAMI resources via calling, chat or text. Please see the following additional resources:

• Virtual Parent Series on Mental Health Topics—offered by the Parent Resource Center each Thursday in May, from 12:30-1:30pm on Zoom. Topics include “How to Have ‘Real Talk’ and Build Trust with Kids” and “Recognizing Stress and Worry in Kids.”  View the flyer for more information and to register.

• Hazel telehealth services: Summertime is fast approaching, and students may need support with big routine changes, unstructured time, and the stress of new transitions. This is a reminder that Hazel Health’s online therapy program is accessible all summer long and it’s free for APS students in grades 6 through 12. This Flyer (English) and Flyer (Spanish) has more information.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION CORNER

Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Did you know?…

Like many racial and ethnic groups, the AAPI community is far from monolithic.  Many within these communities are at odds with the terms “Asian American” and “Pacific Islander” for that reason.  Asian Americans comprise roughly 50 ethnic groups, who speak upward of 100 languages including Indian Americans, Chinese Americans, Taiwanese Americans, Filipino Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans, Japanese Americans, Pakistani Americans, Cambodian Americans, Hmong Americans, Thai Americans, Laotian Americans, Bangladeshi Americans, Burmese Americans, Nepalese Americans, Indonesian Americans, Sri Lankan Americans, Malaysian Americans, Bhutanese Americans, and Mongolian Americans.

This article investigates the unifying and divisive aspects of both terms.  Read more about Asian American identity here and about how some groups are reclaiming their unique identities with the term “Pasifika” here.  Find tips for helping your child develop a healthy ethnoracial identity here.

ACTIVITIES UPDATES

Club of the Week: Youth Leading Education Club

The Youth Leading Education Club works to provide volunteer opportunities onsite (only) and help students understand the process of getting into education fields as well as sharing the experiences of being in education.  Contact Ms. Marks for more information.

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 will be changing and registration should be open by Monday, May 12, barring any technological setbacks.  Families will need to create a new account unfortunately.  Registration information and the correct link will be updated on 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.

New Athletic Registration 

In the coming weeks, all families who are currently registered to play sports should receive an email from Arbiter or RSchool indicating a transition in the registration system we use.  This is a forced conversion as Arbiter purchased RSchool which is our current provider.  The email should include a link to create a new username and password.  Once completed, all prior information will be accessible as families begin to register for the 2025-26 school year.  However, if you wish to register sooner, please create a new account and input all requested information.  Registration information and the correct link will be updated on the athletic registration page.

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

Home 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 14.  While not ideal, it is the best viable option given the home football schedule.

SENIOR UPDATES

Senior Dues

Senior dues are $80. Senior dues cover the cost of cap and gown, diploma, diploma covers, as well as other senior activities. Senior dues can be paid at https://arlingtonva.schoolcashonline.com/.

Senior Send Off & BBQ

The PTA is working hard to enhance this year’s traditional senior BBQ and it will be an amazing event with a live band, mechanical bulls, inflatable axe throwing, dancing and lots of food.  The event is Friday, May 16 from 11:30-1:30.  Check out this Senior Send Off & BBQ flier for more information.

Graduation

Class of 2025 Graduation is at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 4, at DAR Constitution Hall. Graduation rehearsal will take place the morning of graduation. After rehearsal, students will pick up their cap and gowns and five (5) graduation tickets. Additional graduation tickets can be requested between May 1st and May 11th using this google form.  Please note, additional tickets are limited and will be distributed by lottery to those who make a request.  Families should ask others for additional tickets if needed.

Graduation Live Stream

The Class of 2025 graduations will be livestreamed by APS.  More information is available on the APS graduation website.

UPCOMING DATES

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

• May 26 – Memorial Day