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Six Week Countdown toward a New Educational Experience!
Dr. Corey Helgesen, Managing Director
Parents, Students, and Community Members of YPA good day to all of you! We look forward toward the start of a new school year with purpose and an acute sense of motivation.
We are officially in countdown mode as we prepare to open the doors at YPA! This is an exciting time involving both forethought and engagement. Each week I provide three areas for you to consider as we all prepare meet a new school year:
(1) Calendar Check: A description of the list of events that will take place up to the start of school, detailing each event more specifically as they come closer.
(2) Spotlight: This is an opportunity to have a selected member of the teaching faculty provide information of what they have prepared for you and your child during the summer and year to come.
(3) Updates: Here I will provide a brief list of updates and progress that impacts the school at-large.
Also, look to YPA’s Academic Director Ms. Tara Huechtker’s “Recommendations and Tips to Consider” middle of the week message for tips aimed toward you and your child’s transition to YPA. In the light of this move to YPA, Ms. Huechtker will methodically layout though provoking ideas and needs that may assist you in preparation both emotionally and physically toward your child’s approach to this upcoming new year of school.
Again, be on the look out each week for the Countdown message with up-to-date informative YPA information as we all approach a start to a new educational experience! We all look forward to working together with you and your child and welcome any questions or concerns that may arise. Please feel free to contact either myself, Ms. Huechtker, or another member of YPA as you so desire. Have a terrific day!
Best & Warmest Regards,
Dr. Corey Helgesen
YPA Managing Director
Calendar Check:
July 6, K - 3rd Grade Level Orientation 6:30 pm -7:30 pm
- This will be a time for the K-3 parents of students who will be attending YPA to engage in a two-part sit down session for approximately one hour:
§ The first half hour will be informative, as the YPA faculty will present information to parents of what to anticipate for the upcoming year in K-3 Grades.
§ The second half hour will be reserved for question and answers.
§ This is not an individual conference session; rather, a whole group informative dialogue which purpose is intended to allow parents the opportunity to gain insight in the respective K-3 Grade levels. A more personalized parent to faculty placement conference is set for the end of July, see below.
July 8, 8th Grade Level Orientation 6:30 pm -7:30 pm
- This will be an exclusive time for the 8th grade parents to engage in a two-part sit down session for approximately one hour:
§ The first half hour will be informative, as the YPA faculty will present information to parents of what to anticipate for the upcoming year in 8th Grade.
§ The second half hour will be reserved for question and answers.
§ This is not an individual conference session; rather, a whole group informative dialogue which purpose is intended to allow parents the opportunity to gain insight in the respective 8 Grade level. A more personalized parent to faculty placement conference is set for the end of July, see below.
July 10, Baseline Testing 9:00 am - 12:00pm
- Any parent that is sending their child to YPA who has a child that does not have either a standardized testing “OR” grade report history, this is the date reserved for your child to take part in receiving a cost free simulated standardized testing administration of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) at the Trinity campus. This simulation is classified as a local test, as it does not get graded by the ITBS publisher. However, the score established will represent a starting point to assist in the placement of children with no baseline data. The sole purpose here is to determine basic proficiency levels of your child to determine the placement for your child’s success.
- If you are interested in having such testing for your child, as this will assist in the placement of children with no testing “OR” grading reports, please RSVP to
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by June 8th, 12PM to secure your child’s testing time.
- The time of this testing begins at 9 AM sharp, so please have your child well rested and prepared with two pencils to partake in this testing administration. Anticipate no more than three hours for this testing process and be ready to pick up your child by no later than 12 PM. Please email Corey Helgesen
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with any and all questions.
July 10, Kindergarten Placement Testing 8:00 am - 12:00pm
- Any parent with a rising Kindergartener needs to plan to have their child tested this day for placement considerations. All three Kindergarten teachers will plan to participate in administering this placement test that should not last longer than 10 minutes. Choose your time on the YPA webpage where a calendar and a list of times with the three teachers will appear. Once you select your time on this calendar, you’re all set! Please email Jason Jones with any questions about how to sign up for this testing placement if you are unable to figure out what to do:
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. There will be a make up date set in the future for those unable to attend. Any specific questions about the testing process, please email Tara Huechtker:
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.
July 10, Carnival 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
- Come out to the YPA Carnival! Here you and your child(ren) will engage in pie throwing, potato sack racing, and dunk-both tossing with YPA faculty. The YPA teachers will be stationed at each of these stations with prize in-hand looking for nothing less than smiles and laughs from all who attend. Kids can plan on having plenty to do with popcorn, freezy-pops, and shaved ice for all!
- How do you know which teacher is which? Look to those running the event stations with T-shirts decorated with a big number on it designating their respective grade levels that they will teach. Want a snapshot of what these teachers are like? Well, also look to their shirts that will display their favorite superhero! Again, the whole family is invited so be sure to mark your calendar for this fun-filled event.
July 12, 4th & 5th Grade Level Orientation 6:30 pm -7:30 pm
- This will be a time for the 4-5 parents of students who will be attending YPA to engage in a two-part sit down session for approximately one hour:
§ The first half hour will be informative, as the YPA faculty will present information to parents of what to anticipate for the upcoming year in 4-5 Grades.
§ The second half hour will be reserved for question and answers.
§ This is not an individual conference session; rather, a whole group informative dialogue which purpose is intended to allow parents the opportunity to gain insight in the respective 4-5 Grade levels. A more personalized parent to faculty placement conference is set for the end of July, see below.
July 12 & 13, Academic Bootcamp 8:00 am -11:00 am
- What will YPA be like? Come out and try it out! All YPA students that are enrolled may bring a friend out to this two day event. Here find out what science labs, math and art projects, reading lists, and other student engaging daily curricula will be like as taught by YPA teachers! Also, there will be a mini field day activity in the middle of each day with a freezy-pop for all!
- Here there will be a small fee for each day of participation: $10 per child for one day, $15 per child for both days. The family rate for more than one child is $15 for one day and $20 for two days. The proceeds will be applied to teacher classroom needs. We look forward to seeing you at the “Academic Bootcamp”!
July 15, 6th - 8th Grade Level Orientation 6:30 pm -7:30 pm
- This will be a time for the 6-8 parents of students who will be attending YPA to engage in a two-part sit down session for approximately one hour:
§ The first half hour will be informative, as the YPA faculty will present information to parents of what to anticipate for the upcoming year in 6-8 Grades.
§ The second half hour will be reserved for question and answers.
§ This is not an individual conference session; rather, a whole group informative dialogue which purpose is intended to allow parents the opportunity to gain insight in the respective 6-8 Grade levels. A more personalized parent to faculty placement conference is set for the end of July, see below.
July 26-29, Parent Placement Conferences
- Parents must feel comfortable about where their child is placed. Sign up for these dates on the webpage, currently available, to have an informative discussion about your child’s placement. The location of these parent conferences will be at the Trinity campus.
- Times will be from 7 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 6 PM where you can elect to choose any of the following combinations of 20 minute block meeting segments.
§ For example, if you have 1 child, you may sign up for a 20 minute block. For 2-3 children you may sign up for two 20 minute blocks. For 4+ children you may sign up for three 20 minute blocks.
- The categories that you may select from are as follows:
§ K/1, 2/3, 4/5, 6-8, SPED, or General.
- An alternative date is soon to be determined if you are unable to make these conference dates work. We look forward to all parents to participate in this worthwhile and meaningful conference session in placing your child.
Other Events Around the Corner:
August 13, Kindergarten Starts Night
August 16, K-8 Parent Orientation and Open House Night
August 18, Student’s First Day of School
September 2, K-8 Parent Curriculum Night
Spotlight:
In the “Spotlight” this week once again is Ms. Lynn Montieth, YPA’s 7/8 Grade Science Teacher, Science Department Chair, and Science Explorations Coordinator. Ms. Montieth has been in the planning for a great year at YPA for all students who desire to be stretched in science both inside and beyond the classroom! For example, Ms. Montieth already has the ball rolling and is in the process of registering YPA in each of these respective areas of competitive fun: Lego Robotics, Science Fair, and Pre-engineering. Look to Ms. Montieth’s remarks under the teacher tab on the YPA website for more on these science programs!
Updates:
Regular, GT, Advanced, and Double Advanced Classes – YPA will offer the following courses in Mathematics for year one: Math 6, Math 7, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra. In Language Arts: ELA 6, ELA 7, ELA 8, and HS English 1. In year’s two and on YPA will offer the following courses in Mathematics: Math 6, Math 7, Pre-Algebra, Algebra, and Geometry. In Language Arts: ELA 6, ELA 7, ELA 8, and HS English 1. Advanced GT level classes will be offered to all students who qualify in Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science.
Curriculum Update- All curriculum materials k-8 have been ordered and are anticipated to start arriving in the next week or two. It is our hope to have these curricula made available for parents and teachers to see and touch at our grade level orientation days in July.
Hiring Update – We currently have ALL 42 members of the YPA Staff under contract or committed with Letters Of Intent (LOI). Continue to look to the YPA webpage for new faculty pictures and bios as they are made available. The Board has approved each of these candidates with a unanimous affirmative vote as they have been presented over the past four months. We have local candidates and some from long distances, yet all of these new YPA additions are Highly Qualified to teach and have been through a rigid hiring process that consisted of a prescreening, assessment screening, interviewing sessions, background checks, and an application process. This summer, each of these faculty members will go through training and orientations to get them up to speed as to what the YPA culture is all about: high parental and community involvement, high academic standards, high behavioral expectations, high levels of project-based learning, and a high value on the individual learner. We are excited to move forward with these highly passionate and eager teachers!
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