Upholding a Culture of Excellence
It’s unfortunate that a majority of our public media outlets focus on the bad things that happen in society. When quizzed about this approach, editors are quick to state that bad news gets higher ratings and sells more papers. As readers and consumers of ‘the news’, we do have a choice – we can dwell on the bad or focus our attention on the positive. I’m here until June as Acting Superintendent of the York Suburban School District to do my part to keep the focus on the positive and excellent accomplishments of the district: the academic, athletic, artistic and every other great thing we do. All residents of our school district can and should do their part to share the depth and breadth of the commitment our families and staff have to upholding York Suburban’s Culture of Excellence. There are so many great stories to tell about public education here at YS!
By the time our students are ready to walk across the graduation stage and receive their York Suburban diploma, this community has invested 13 years of passion and energy into providing them with the best opportunity for success after high school. Our students have countless opportunities to build a solid foundation in reading, mathematics, science, social sciences, and the arts. YSHS graduates benefit from a culture of excellence in programs and services delivered by professionals highly skilled in their craft and totally committed to serving the educational, social and emotional needs of our students at the highest level. The recent designation of York Suburban High School as a US Department of Education National Blue Ribbon School is validation of the exemplary level of performance attained by our students.
As we search for hard evidence of this core cultural value, we can start with our youngest learners and cite the district’s commitment to enhancing student readiness for learning by implementing our full-day kindergarten for all students, starting the Bright Horizons program and focusing on the academic, social, and emotional needs of the whole student. Our elementary students have access to top quality core programs in reading and mathematics, as well as challenging and enriching curriculum in the sciences, fine arts, music, and technology.
Throughout the middle and high school levels, the emphasis on solid, rigorous academic core skills in English Language Arts, mathematics, science and technology and the arts continues. Students are equally challenged in the social studies, history, civics, government, too. These students are exposed to quality learning opportunities that meet their individual career and college preparation goals. The YSSD experience is also enhanced by the curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular opportunities our district provides for our students, providing lessons and experiences to develop soft skills such as teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving. The number of honors, Advanced Placement, and College in the High School offerings helps students be prepared for the highly selective and most prestigious post-secondary opportunities and ultimately college and career success.
Yes, the York Suburban School District has a great story to share and we all need to do our part by providing personal examples of the accomplishments of our students who demonstrate the Culture of Excellence.
Dr. Larry R. Redding