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YSHS Back to School Information for 2026-2027

Welcome Back, Trojans!

One of the greatest parts of my job is welcoming all our new and returning students, as well as the teachers and staff, to the high school each summer.  This year promises to be another great year at YSHS, and I can’t wait to visit classrooms and see all the great work that will be done!   

We have been planning for the return of our students and staff all summer.  The following information is designed to help our students and parents have a successful start to the school year!  It includes information about the first days of school, along with key dates and events that are happening early in the school year. 

I hope you enjoy our last few weeks of summer, and I look forward to seeing you soon. 

Dr. Ellis, Principal

First Day(s) of School

  • Freshman (Grade 9) will begin on Tuesday, August 18. Those students should arrive at the cafeteria by 7:50 AM.
  • All students should plan to be in their flex room at the high school by 7:50 AM on Wednesday, August 19. Please remember that our school day begins at 7:50.

Arriving to School

  • Our bus riders are dropped off in the back of the high school near the cafeteria. Bus-riding students will enter through the back lobby.
  • Parents driving their students to school are asked to drop their students off in the front of the building, so they enter through the front lobby.
  • On Wednesday, August 19, Thursday, August 20, and Friday, August 21, students will go directly to their flex room upon arriving for back-to-school orientation activities. Seniors will be able to use their privileges (assuming they have submitted their form) on Friday morning. Seniors are expected to attend the morning flex on Wednesday and Thursday. Seniors will need to report to the auditorium by 8:45 on Friday for their senior class meeting. Beginning Monday, August 24, all students will go directly to their 1st Period classroom when they arrive. Students may stop by the cafeteria to pick up a grab and go free breakfast if they would like.

Upcoming Events & Important Information

District Back to School Family Guide - Our Back to School Guide is your one-stop resource for everything you need to start the 2026-2027 school year off right. Click the link below for information on teacher assignments, school supply lists, back-to-school nights, updating forms in Infinite Campus, and first day signs. We hope you find it helpful to have all this information in one convenient place!

Link to Guide: https://app.smore.com/n/ujyg2

Email from Information Technology Department - Please watch your email for a message from our Information Technology department with the subject YSSD Message: Student Account Information for Families.  This message will include important information such as access to Infinite Campus, School Cafe, and other district tools. 

New Student Open House (Freshmen & New Students) - The high school will be open on Thursday, August 13, from 5:00 to 7:00. Students and their families can independently walk around the building, find their classrooms, and follow their schedule. The principals will also be offering an optional 30-minute introduction to the high school at 5:45.  You are welcome to walk around the building before or after that presentation if you choose to attend. 

Underclassmen School Pictures (Grades 9-11) - Please also be aware that we have scheduled school pictures the first week of the year. Students in 9th through 11th grade will have pictures taken on the morning of Friday, August 21.  We will be working with Colleen & Company again this year. More information about ordering school pictures will be forthcoming. 

Senior Photographs (Grade 12) - Senior Yearbook photographs will be taken during the last two weeks of October.  Each senior will receive a sitting time during the school day.  Additional information about the senior photographs is available at this link.  

Back to School Night - Please mark your calendar for our Back to School Night on the evening of Wednesday, September 9. The program will run from 6:00-8:00 PM, and we will use a drop-in format as we have in recent years. The night is a great opportunity for you to meet your child’s teachers and learn more about what they will be doing this year. More information will be provided in a few weeks.

School Events - All of our school events are maintained on the District Google Calendar. High School events begin with the code (HS). You can access our sports schedules on the public Arbiter Live Site. 

Student Course Schedules - Student schedules will be released Monday, August 3 via Infinite Campus. Please plan to log on to review the schedule and contact your child’s counselor if you have any questions regarding the schedule. 

What’s New for 2026-2027   

High School Renovation:  We remain on target to begin our high school renovation this coming fall. There will be two major impacts this school year. The first is parking. All of the parking areas around the building will be updated. We will provide student drivers and families with information on any necessary adjustments.  The only school classes that will be impacted this coming school year are science courses.  The current plan is for our science classes to move midyear. They will move from their current classrooms, which will be demolished, to temporary classrooms located at the rear of the building by the Education Center.  We will share more information closer to the time to help all our students navigate the changes as efficiently as possible. 

Student Personal Electronic Device Restrictions Including Study Hall: We will continue our emphasis on limited phone use.  Cell phones, as well as earbuds, headphones, AI Glasses, and other smart technology, will be prohibited in all classes, including study halls, unless teachers or students receive special permission from administration.  Students must put away any such device when they enter a classroom. 

Student Personal Laptops:  Students will no longer be permitted to use personal laptop or tablet devices to complete required school work.   Students will be expected to use their school-issued Chromebook for any activities requiring computer technology. 

Early Dismissal End Time:  The end time for our early dismissal days will be 12:00 this school year. It was 12:10 in prior years. 

 

Other Important Information

We are excited to start the new school year! Please let us know if there is anything you need to help make the school year great for your child!

Guidance Counselors - The counselor/student relationships are aligned as follows:

Freshman Student Orientation (Link Crew) - All freshman students will receive a phone call from their Link Crew leader during the week of August 10. (Link Crew leaders are upperclassmen student volunteers who are committed to helping our freshman have a great first year of high school!)

Senior Privileges - Seniors in good academic, financial, and behavioral standing are entitled to privileges during the year. These privileges permit the student to leave campus during their assigned study halls, lunch, and during the flex period. Seniors interested in having privileges must review the privilege policy with their parents, and both students and parents must complete the online form referenced at the end of the policy document.  

Junior Privileges - As a step towards having senior privileges, juniors in good academic, financial, and behavioral standing are entitled to limited privileges during the year. These privileges permit the student to leave campus during the flex period. Juniors interested in having privileges must review the privilege policy with their parents, and both students and parents must complete the online form referenced at the end of the policy document.  

Junior/Seniors (Armed Forces Notification) - The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed into law House Bill No. 10, which requires the Superintendent of every public school district to make available, upon request, the names, addresses, and phone numbers of junior and senior students to U.S. Armed Forces’ recruiters. If you do NOT wish to have your name and address released to the military recruiters this year, please provide a request in writing to the high school office by the last day of August.

Parking Pass - Juniors & Seniors may request a parking pass once they receive their driver’s license. Students must complete the Parking Pass form and pay a $25 fee in the school store. Please note that due to the renovation, parking will be limited at times, and parking privileges may need to be suspended and/or prioritized among the student drivers. 

Student Supplies - There is no general “Supply List” for high school students. Each teacher will provide his/her students with a list of the supplies needed for each particular class during the first day of that class.

Chromebooks - Last spring, we collected our student Chromebooks to help ensure they would be in good working condition when school began. We will distribute the student Chromebooks on the first day of school, as well as having additional opportunities to pick up the device in the week prior to school starting. If your child borrowed a device for the summer or never turned in their device at the end of last school year, please be sure that it is brought to school on Wednesday, August 18.

Student Absences - Online Absence Form - We have merged four 4 absence forms into one.  When you access the form, you will have the option to select the type of absence: General Absence, Educational Trip, College Visit, or Career Exploration Activity. Please plan to use this form for all student absences. 

Student Handbook - Our student handbook information is contained in the district Student and Family Handbook, and some high school-specific content is available in the High School Supplement

Visitors to the High School - While we have always requested that parents and visitors make an appointment prior to coming to the high school to see a teacher, counselor, or principal, we will be expecting such appointments to be made this coming school year. For the safety of our students and staff, only adults with pre-scheduled appointments will be permitted to enter our high school, and all visitors with pre-scheduled appointments will be required to show a driver’s license or other photo identification prior to entry. No adult will be permitted to enter the high school without a pre-scheduled appointment. In an emergency or in the case of something unexpected and urgent, we will be happy to arrange an escort so you can visit.

This change will not impact the way we handle student early dismissals. Parents can come to the door to notify us they have arrived, and we will send the student out. Additionally, parents can still drop off items via the office vestibule without having to enter the building.

Volunteer Opportunities at York Suburban High School: We always appreciate the many parents who support our students at various activities throughout the school year. To help you plan for the year, there are four primary events where volunteer assistance is necessary and appreciated.

  • October 13, 2026 - Junior Achievement STEM Summit Day - volunteers help run a program that provides our sophomores with exposure to a wealth of STEM-related activities. You can learn more about the program from the STEM Summit Brochure, and you can register to volunteer via this link.
  • March 25, 2027 - YSHS Career Day - YSHS is bringing back our career day program where students will have the opportunity to hear from adults who will talk about their careers and work experiences. More information will be provided in the future.
  • November 11, 2026 & April 28, 2027 - YSHS Mock Interview Day - volunteers conduct mock interviews for our students. More information will be provided in the future.

Additionally, we are looking for guest speakers, job shadowing or internship opportunities, and other career partners to engage with our students throughout the year. If you or your organization can provide these valuable experiences, please contact Korbin Shearer (kshearer@yssd.org).

We will also have many field trips during the coming year organized for various classes. Teachers will send out messages soliciting volunteers throughout the year. Field Trip chaperones are required to complete the volunteer clearance process. For more information on volunteer approval, you can visit: https://www.yssd.org/our-district/human-resources/

Another way to volunteer is to support our students through our Music Booster Association and All-Sports Booster Club. If you are interested in participating in those organizations, you can contact your child’s music teacher, athletic coach, and/or Mr. Mowrer, our YSHS Athletic Director (amowrer@yssd.org).

“Year-Round” Parent/Guardian Resources - There is a wealth of additional information on our district and school website. Please check out the Resources for Parents/Guardians page by selecting the Parent/Guardian Resources button in the upper left corner of each building's web page.