Newsletter - January 21, 2021

January 21, 2021

A Message From Principal Bagdasarian

Dr. Shahe Bagdasarian

We have much to be proud of at York. Our students should be commended for their perseverance and resilience throughout this pandemic. Our staff should also be recognized for their efforts to support students while provide authentic learning opportunities.

Our overall passing rate for 2020-21 first semester improved from our overall passing rate during 2019-20 first semester. Highlighted below are the intentional practices that York implemented to support our students and ensure success during these challenging times. Many of these practices will be embedded in the culture of our school moving forward.

Providing students with multiple assessment retake and relearning opportunities.
Winter Academy to address student incomplete grades.
Monthly evaluation of student grades and addressing students by name and need.
Elimination of many final exams or reduction to 10% of final grade when exams were given.
The Wednesday schedule was adjusted to a mandatory day of instruction. This allowed teachers to build and strengthen relationships with students while providing re-learning, extension and social-emotional learning activities.
Teacher office hours provided flexible/responsive support for individual students.
New this semester! York Saturday Success Academy (see description below.)

Finally, our partnership with our families is vital to our success as we navigate out of this pandemic and eventually move towards full in-person learning. As a community we must remain optimistic and work together while focusing on our students. Together we are stronger for our students, for our school and for our community.

Best,

Dr. Shahe Bagdasarian

Principal

TABLE 1: Percent of High School A,B, and C Grades in semester 1 2019 and 2020.

Table 2 shows the full distribution of grades for the fall 2019 and the fall 2020. The percentages of students earning As was higher and the percentage earning Bs was smaller in 2020 than 2019.

TABLE 2. High School Grade Distribution in Semester 1 2019 and 2020.

York High School Schedule January 25 through February

NEW! York Saturday Success Academy (YSSA)

York Saturday Success Academy (YSSA) sessions will begin on Saturday, January 23 from 9 a.m. until noon in the York High School Learning Commons. Students who need extra academic support will receive assistance from YHS teachers during these sessions. It is also a great time to work on group projects or have room to spread out and study. All YHS students are welcome to attend. The program is designed to help students from falling behind while providing support in their academic classes. Seniors at risk of not graduating are strongly encouraged to attend.

Cannot make it this Saturday? Why not take advantage of student check-in times that are offered on block schedule days from 1:50-3:06PM. Please contact individual teachers to set up an appointment.

Who can attend? The YSSA is open to all students who need additional academic support. Students who have a D and/or F in any class are highly encouraged to attend on Saturday until their grade improves.

How can I get to school on Saturday? Transportation will be provided for students based on request.

Will there be food? No eating will be allowed in school. Students are encouraged to eat breakfast before attending YSSA.

Who will work with the students during YSSA? The YSSA will be staffed with York teachers from various academic departments. We will also have peer tutors available to work with students.

Is pre-registration required? Yes. Due to social distancing capacity may be limited each week. Pre-registration form HERE. The registration form will be shared with parents, students and staff in addition to being posted on our website. Students and parents will be responsible for signing up for this academy. Teachers are always welcome to share the link with families.

Class of 2021 Graduation

We are currently working with a group of parents, students, and staff to plan our graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021. Graduation will be held during the weekend of May 21. More information will be coming soon!

A note from Student Services...Setting Goals

What a year 2020 has been. So many changes, transitions, and new “normals” in our lives. New year's resolutions and goals are a great way to reflect about the past year and envision the year to come. Setting goals gives us long-term vision and short-term motivation . It focuses our acquisition of knowledge, and helps us organize our time and resources so that we can make the most of our lives! When we practice goal-setting and reflection with our children, it helps them to strengthen their cognitive skills and provides motivation to think about their future. A fun and creative family activity that focuses on goal-setting are vision boards. A vision board is a visual representation of your goals that you wish to accomplish. Past research has shown that a person is more likely to achieve their goals by putting it on paper! There is no specific way to create a vision board but here are some ideas to help get you started:

Gather the supplies: paper, poster board, markers, and/or magazines
Think about 3-4 realistic goals for the new year
By drawing, cutting, and/or pasting onto your blank canvas, create a visual representation of these goals
Share with the family - Go around the room and share your goals for the next year!

We hope this can be a fun and beneficial activity for the entire family. We also would love to see your creations! Send us a picture of you and your family with your vision boards!

Elmhurst 205 Families invited to access the Glenbard Parent Series

Wednesday, Jan. 27 Navigating the New Teen Years in the Age of Anxiety Kids are growing up with unprecedented academic, social, and

familial stressors. Starting earlier than ever children are exposed to

information, thought, and emotion that they are developmentally unprepared to

process. As a result, saving the typical “teen parenting” strategies for

thirteen-year-olds is now years too late. Here is a necessary guide for everything we need to know about our kids’ rapidly changing world, and manageable solutions to best understand the changing landscape of adolescence. Come away with a revised, conscious parenting plan more suited to addressing the current needs of the New Teen and discover the joy in parenting again by reclaiming the role of your teen’s ally, guide, and consultant. Go to glenbardgps.org for the link to the staff event with Dr Duffy on Jan. 27 at noon. The 7pm event will be live-streamed by the College of DuPage here.