The scores of the national Advanced Placement (AP) exams for high school students are in and York Catholic students have again excelled.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses offer high school students college level rigor with AP students dedicating long hours of study that begin during the summer months and end in May with a national exam.  AP courses are offered through College Board and graded on a scale of 1-5 with one the lowest grade possible and five the highest grade possible.  Many colleges and universities accept a score of three or higher for college credit, a motivating factor for the students enrolled.

York Catholic Advanced Placement students took a total of 68 AP exams last May in the following subjects: Calculus BC, Chemistry, Computer Science, English Literature, Government, Physics, US History. Of the students who took the exams, 94% scored a 3 or higher, 40% scored a 5, and 32% scored a 4.

Congratulations to all of our AP students and to their teachers for the excellent preparation! 

Summer office hours are Monday through Thursday 8 AM-3 PM.

The Irish Eye e-newsletter continues each week throughout the summer. Please be sure to check your email for important information every Thursday!  

If you don't see the Irish Eye in your Inbox, please check your Spam folder and mark info@yorkcatholic.org as a safe sender.

As you scroll through this e-newsletter, it is likely your email is “clipped,” meaning there is more to see once you get to the bottom of your email message. Look for “[Message clipped] View entire message” at the bottom of your email message and click on “view entire message” to see the complete e-newsletter.

Here is a checklist of items that are needed before your child can begin the upcoming school year. If you’ve already completed the checklist, thank you! If you still have items to complete, please do so now as all items are past due.

Required for All

• STS Re-enrollment or Enrollment
• STS Tuition Plan Set-up
• Focus Account Update

Other Forms

• Student Agreement (this was mailed to you if applicable)
• Immunizations Form (all new students & any updates since 2025-26 school year)
• School Physical Form (all new students & incoming Grade 11 students)
• Allergy Form (Epi-pen or Inhaler) (if applicable)
• Prescription Medication Form (if applicable)
• Dental Form (all incoming 7th grade students)
• School District Bus Forms (for all students needing bus transportation)
• Athletic Physical Forms (Family ID) (for all students planning to play a fall sport)
• PIAA Transfer Form (New 10-12th grade students who plan to play sports. This was mailed to you if applicable.)
• Retreat - Grade 12 (FamilyID & STS) (for all Grade 12 students & parents) (this was emailed to you)
• Schedule Senior Picture (for all Grade 12 students who did not get their yearbook picture taken in June)

York Catholic welcomes families new to the YC experience! Join us at orientation!

New Parents (Grades 7-12) who did not attend June Orientation

Thursday, August 6, from 6-7 PM

Please click the button below to register.

New Students (Grades 8-12) 

Thursday, August 6, from 6-7 PM

Please click the button below to register.

New Students (Grade 7)

Monday, August 24, from 8:15 AM-3 PM

7th grade students can get a head start by reading the Middle School Survival Guide that is full of useful information that will answer most of your questions as you get ready for 7th grade at YC! Click here for the Middle School Survival Guide.

FlynnO’Hara Uniforms can be ordered at https://flynnohara.com/shop/york-catholic-school-pa096/. Complete details can be found at: 

https://yorkcatholic.org/parents-students/middle-school-uniforms/

https://yorkcatholic.org/parents-students/high-school-uniforms/

Join the FlynnO’Hara email list at https://flynnohara.com/join-our-email-list/ to receive the following updates directly to

your inbox:

• Summer promotion details
• Uniform shopping reminders
• Important ordering deadlines
• Product and inventory updates
• School-specific uniform content

York Catholic’s School Code: PA096

Used Uniform Exchange

York Catholic is hosting a YC uniform exchange Thursday, August 6, from 4:30-6 PM. Used YC uniforms will be available at a discount. As you get rid of items that no longer fit, please consider donating them back to the school for our uniform exchange. Please do not send us items with stains/holes or that have been retired. Please drop them off at YC before August 6.   

Volunteers are always welcome for this event. If you are interested in helping, please contact Heather Hoffman at hhoffman@yorkcatholic.org.

Gym Uniforms

Gym uniforms are available for purchase through the online YC Spirit Store which can be accessed on the YC website or by clicking the button below. Sports apparel is also available through the same link. Families can select their garment of choice and add whichever sports logo they prefer!

York Catholic requires all families to use the Lunchtime program in order to purchase items from the school cafeteria.  Through this system, parents are able to view what their students are purchasing in the cafeteria and their lunch account balances.  The following policies are in place regarding Lunchtime Accounts and Balances.  We encourage parents to sign up for email notification when their Lunchtime account balances are getting low.

• Parents may deposit money electronically into their child’s lunchtime account through their Focus account.  
• Checks and/or cash are not accepted in the cafeteria for food purchases during lunch periods. It is the responsibility of the student to submit a check or cash in a sealed envelope (clearly labeled with his/her name, grade, and student ID number) and place it in the Lunchtime box located in the cafeteria for the student’s account to be credited. The minimum check amount is $10. Funds may not be available for 24 hours.
• It is the student and parent’s responsibility to monitor the Lunchtime account online for balance information and retain a positive balance at all times.
• If a student has a lunchtime balance at $0.00 or below, they will only have the option to purchase a lunch consisting of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, fruit, and 8 oz. drink for $3.00.
• No refunds will be given during the school year. Seniors will be issued a refund on accounts with a balance of $5 or more after graduation unless they have a sibling enrolled at YC in which case the balance will be transferred to the sibling for the next school year. All underclassmen accounts will roll-over to the next school year.
• Report cards and Focus access will be held at the end of each quarter if Lunchtime balances are not current.

Families who are returning to YC this school year can use their same FOCUS ID and password they used last year.  Families new to YC will receive their FOCUS account instructions before the start of school.

If you have any questions about FOCUS, please contact Deb Gingerich at dgingerich@yorkcatholic.org or 717-846-8871 x1319.

The Student Supply List is now available for the upcoming school year. It is posted on the website and can also be accessed by clicking the button below. The Middle School list is sorted by grade. The High School list is sorted by subject and teacher. Teacher assignments will be noted on student schedules. Some teachers will announce the supplies needed for their classes on the first day the class meets.  

Parking Lot Passes & Registration

Parking Passes from last year are no longer valid. All students driving to school will need to register their vehicle with the school for the 2026-27 school year. Each student will receive a numbered parking pass to place on their rearview mirror. All students will need to park in the main parking lot in the numbered lot space that corresponds to their parking pass number. Please click the link below to register your vehicle and receive a parking lot pass.  

Parking Lot Safety

The YC parking lot is lined with directional signs and slanted spaces. One-way traffic will be observed. The entrance to the lot is by the digital marquee and the exit is by the open field (with the exception of deliveries and buses for athletics and band). Directional arrows show both ways, but please adhere to the one-way traffic pattern. Also, please use forward facing parking only; do not back into the spaces. The small parking area behind the auditorium and parking in the rear of the building are for staff only.

Parents picking up students at the end of the school day should use the main parking lot, not the bus circle (it is OK to use the bus circle for morning drop-off). Cars may not park in the street or stop at the walkway from the school to the parking lot. Cars must enter the parking lot and pull forward to the end along the front of the building to wait for your student. There will be 2 rows of one-way traffic. This will keep traffic congestion off of the street.

Event Parking

Please use the York Catholic main parking lot for event parking, including stadium events. The Ice Rink is not available for overflow parking so that they may accommodate their patrons. If parking along Springettsbury Avenue, please be sure to not block the entrance and exit to the ice rink lot.

The Student Handbook has been updated with the following policy changes:

Page 9) Grade Point Average (GPA) has been clarified

Pages 17-18) Uniform Standards have been clarified

Pages 19-20) Dress Code for After-school & Extracurricular Activities has been clarified

Page 34) Cafeteria hours have been clarified

Students in Grades 7 & 8 purchase textbooks for their Theology course. The texts will be used in class each day and then may be kept at the end of the year as a valuable reference for the future. The cost of the textbook is $25 and appears in your Simple Tuition Solutions (STS) account to be paid by August 10.  The Theology Department looks forward to guiding students in their faith development. 

Summer Reading

The summer reading recommended book list ensures there is a topic for everyone’s interests, and that the summer read is a positive experience and a fun adventure. Our English Department invested time developing reading lists per grade level, to include a few classics, nonfiction, realistic and historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, and dystopia. Take time with your student(s) to peruse the list, making sure their book choice meets with your parental approval. A synopsis is included with each title to assist with selection. Students will be asked to respond to a written prompt referencing their title once they are back in the classroom in late August. Honors students will still be expected to complete assigned reading above and beyond what is asked otherwise; those assignments are listed as well. We wish your family a safe and fun-filled summer, and invite all of you to pick up one of the titles listed to enjoy on the beach, by the pool, on a long car ride, or in a shady chair in the backyard. Happy reading, everyone! Click the button below for the class reading lists.

Summer Math

Keeping students' math skills strong during the summer months helps to avoid the "summer slide" and aids in less review time when school resumes. Students should complete the summer math work that corresponds with the class they will be entering in the fall. Assignments are due August 28. Click the button below for the assignments list.

Welcome to the 2026-27 School Year!

Grade 7: August 24

Grades 8-12: August 25

All Students: August 26

Students should arrive to homerooms by 8:15 AM in full uniform.  

Dismissal is at 3 PM.

We’re looking forward to seeing you!

Legacy Photography is the exclusive portrait photography vendor for York Catholic. All students in grades 7-11 will have their yearbook and school ID pictures taken on Wednesday, August 26, at YC. Students must be in uniform with regulation hair lengths. Families are under no obligation to purchase a photo package, but all students will be photographed for the yearbook and for their student IDs. Senior pictures will be used for 12th Grade student IDs.

For those families wishing to place a photo order, visit shop.legacystudios.com and use School Code 4741F27. Once all photos are processed, photos will be able to be viewed using your student’s school ID number and the order window will open again. Purchased photo packages are shipped within a few weeks.

If there is ever an error with your photo order, please contact Legacy at customercare@legacystudios.com. Their Customer Service Department will be best equipped to correct your order or answer your questions.  

The academic awards from the 2025-26 school year will be presented to students Thursday, August 27, immediately following our Opening Mass scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM. Parents are welcome to attend Mass and Awards.

We hope to see you at Back to School Night Thursday, September 10. Doors will open at 5:30 PM with the program beginning promptly at 6 PM.  The evening begins with a brief welcome in the auditorium followed by parents having the opportunity to follow their child’s schedule to meet the teachers and learn about class expectations. The evening is scheduled to end at 8:30 PM.  We look forward to seeing all of our parents in attendance.

As seniors and juniors are planning their SAT testing dates, keep in mind that the SAT will be offered at York Catholic to current seniors on October 7 and current juniors on March 22. This is a great opportunity for our students to take the test in a familiar testing environment without the stress of taking it at an area public school. Registration and $60 payment for seniors are due by September 11 on FamilyID.com. Registration for this exam is non-refundable. Registration information for juniors will be available in January.

Have you considered hosting an international student? They speak English and come with their own spending money and travel insurance. You simply need to offer them room and board, transportation to/from York Catholic, and a family environment offering support and guidance.  If you are interested, contact Heather Hoffman at hhoffman@yorkcatholic.org or 717-846-8871 x1320.

Families from St. Patrick, St. Mary, St. Joseph Dallastown parishes, and Holy Trinity and York Catholic schools are invited to hear York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow’s vision for the City with an emphasis on safe schools and strong communities. He’ll tell stories, provide motivation, and welcome community conversation as together we work toward a greater York City. 

Join us Thursday, September 3, from 6:30-8 PM at Holy Trinity Catholic School/St. Patrick’s Parish - Brenner Hall, 219 S. Beaver St. in York. No registration necessary.  Refreshments and translation headsets will be available. 

Come listen, be inspired, and join the conversation.

YC’s guaranteed admissions program includes relationships with thirty prestigious colleges and universities who guarantee admission to YC students who meet the established academic performance criteria. These colleges and universities provide outstanding programs across a variety of subject areas and deliver memorable student experiences.

This week’s featured college partner is:

Arcadia University

Glenside, PA

Visit their website at https://www.arcadia.edu/

Read their guaranteed admissions criteria here:  

https://yorkcatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/guidance-arcadia-university-agreement.pdf

To see the complete list of colleges and universities offering York Catholic students guaranteed admission, visit https://yorkcatholic.org/academics/college-career-prep/ 

York Catholic Middle & High School has the following employment opportunities available:  

• Middle School Girls' Basketball Coach

Interested candidates can find details and application links at https://yorkcatholic.org/about/employment-opportunities/

The YC Music Association is holding a Car Wash on Saturday, August 8, from 10 AM-1 PM at the York Catholic bus circle entrance. Come out and get an exterior car wash while supporting a good cause with your donation.

Parents of music and choral students are welcome to attend the York Catholic Music Association meeting on Tuesday, August 11, at 8 PM at YC. The meetings usually last approximately one hour and everyone’s input and feedback are welcomed and appreciated. Your help in planning and implementing the efforts of the YCMA are critical.  

Fall Practices Open

Golf practice and varsity football heat acclimation practice begin Monday, August 10, with all other Fall sports teams beginning practice on Monday, August 17. For exact practice times, contact the head coach or Josh Cross at jcross@yorkcatholic.org or 717-846-8871 x1330.

Fall Sports Apparel

Fall Sports and Marching Band apparel is available to purchase online now on the YC Spirit Store website. Place your orders by this Sunday, August 9 by clicking the button below.

We are in need of volunteers to fill two time slots at our home YC football games. Tasks include selling tickets, programs and 50/50 tickets. Shift One is 5:30-7 PM and Shift Two is 7-8:30 PM. Students are encouraged to help and can earn service hours if a parent volunteers as well. Students cannot be responsible for selling 50/50 tickets but can volunteer for the other tasks. Signup by clicking the button below. Thank you for your support!

Don’t miss a minute of YC sports with an All-Year Sports Pass. Click the button below for the form. Go IRISH!

Please note:  

All York Catholic students are admitted free to all home sporting events when they present their student ID at the ticket counter. Students are scheduled to receive their IDs the first week of school. Students arriving at the athletic ticket counter without their student ID will be required to pay admission.

Yard signs to support your fall sports student-athlete or Marching Band musician are on sale now through August 20 through the YC Spirit Store. The cost is $26 and can be ordered by clicking the button below. The vendor, Anstadt Printing, will contact you for payment. 

All skill levels are welcome at the York Catholic Golf Tournament on Monday, September 14, at Regents’ Glen Country Club. Check-in starts at 8:30 AM with a Shotgun Start at 9 AM. Click the button below to register by September 1. Sponsorship opportunities are also available to get your business recognized. Click the button below for more details and to register.  

Box Tops for Education

Check your boxed and canned goods for the Box Tops for Education logo and use the Box Tops app to scan your receipt. The app will find participating products purchased at any store and instantly add cash to YC’s earnings online. Be sure to select York Catholic High School as your school of choice. Complete details can be found at https://www.boxtops4education.com/

Our current families are the heart of YC and we know those who know and love our school are our best ambassadors for sharing what sets the YC experience apart. Your referrals of new students and families who have not yet applied, help us grow our community of exceptional and diverse students, and we want to show our appreciation to you for recommending YC to your friends and family.

NOW EXPANDED

$250 Dual Tuition Credit

Referrals are a win/win for everyone involved. When you refer one new family to YC, you will receive a $250 tuition credit. The new family you referred will also receive the same credit.

BONUS REWARD

$300 Re-Enrollment Credit

Refer more, save more! YC families who refer four or more new families in one school year will receive a $300 credit to waive their re-enrollment fee for the following school year.

How It Works

Step #1: Share Your ❤️ for YC

Help spread the word about YC by sharing your experiences with family and friends.

Step #2: Make a Referral

There are a variety of convenient ways to share your referral.

• Online: Submit a referral using the button below.
• In-person: Pick up a form in the office and return it to share your new referral.

Step #3: Get Rewarded

After you submit a new referral, our admissions team will support your referred family throughout their consideration and admissions process. We will reach out to share your rewards following the referred student’s confirmed enrollment.

Program Details

• Referral forms can only be completed for new prospective families prior to their actual enrollment.
• A “referred student” only applies to a new student who does not currently attend a partner school.
• To receive referral rewards, referred new students must be accepted and attend YC through their first semester.
• The referral rewards are not available for referring your own children.
• Referral rewards are no-cash given, non-transferrable credits to a student’s tuition account.
• Credits will be applied at the start of the second full semester after the student is enrolled. Families who choose to pay tuition in full will receive their credits the following school year.
• The $250 Dual Tuition Credit will be spread as four credits applied to the months of February, March, April, and May.

The York Catholic Fund is the cornerstone of our annual giving program, vital to advancing the mission and vision of our school. The YC Fund connects our families, alumni, and friends to a shared cause, directly enhancing the academic, spiritual, and extracurricular programs that define the York Catholic experience. 

Your support provides immediate resources that elevate our student life and faculty development every day. 

Every gift matters, and participation at a level meaningful to you is the true heart of our appeal. We ask that you prayerfully consider supporting our community today. 

Please click the button below to use our secure online donation page.  

Thank you for supporting our current students and future alumni!

Pennsylvania now allows individuals to take advantage of EITC Tax Credits (just as businesses can) whereby you have the opportunity to re-direct 90% of your personal state income taxes to York Catholic Middle & High School. 

The Special Purpose Entity (SPE) is based on tax liability, not income, therefore each taxpayer’s situation will differ. Participants must be PA residents where at least one spouse is employed or has an ownership interest in a PA for-profit business. An individual or couple filing jointly must have a state tax liability of $3,500 or more to participate. To see if you qualify for 2026, you can find your PA tax liability on Form PA-40 Line 12 of your 2025 tax return. 100% of participant contributions are distributed to the school. You have to pay these taxes regardless, so why not have a say in how your taxes are allocated? Additionally, you will receive at least a 10% personal deduction on your federal taxes. The money you re-direct to York Catholic is for educational purposes, specifically tuition assistance.

If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity to reduce your tax liability AND provide much needed assistance to York Catholic students, please follow these steps:

• Review information on the SPE program to determine if you qualify at https://www.pennsylvaniaeitc.org/frequently-asked-questions.html
• Confirm your personal state income tax liability with your accountant.
• Complete and submit the Joinder Agreement at https://yorkcatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/spe-joinder-agreement-fall-2026.pdf

For more information about this easy tax donation, please contact Laura Burkey, York Catholic Director of Advancement, at lburkey@yorkcatholic.org or 717-846-8871 x1323.

St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist Catholic School has the following employment positions for the 2026-2027 school year: Full Time K-6 Teachers, Part-Time & Full Time Preschool Teachers, Part-Time Kindergarten Aide, Part-Time Preschool Aide, Part-Time Technology Teacher, Part-Time Little Angels Extended Care Program and Substitute Teachers. Interested individuals may send cover letters and resumes to Mrs. Michelle Williams, Principal, at mwilliams@sjbnf.org and complete an online application at https://www.stjnschool.org/jobs.