Skip To Main Content

Welcome (Aug 2021)

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year in York School District One!

Whether you are a returning employee or are new to the district, I want to thank you for being part of our York School District One family! As I have shared with you previously, this school system's sense of community and pride is unparalleled. Collectively, the students, teachers, staff, administrators, families, community members, agencies, and businesses ARE York One! The power of that sense of community is fully realized when we join together – Connected As One

As we prepare to declare our schools officially open, the sense of newness, opportunity and commitment is almost tangible. With the launch of our Strategic Change Agenda, our journey to become a true learning organization, and our commitment to Learn, Serve, & Give as One, the sense of anticipation and excitement in the air is exhilarating. 

Last year we accomplished remarkable feats. We fed, nurtured, and educated our students in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. We deployed mobile devices and implemented hybrid, blended, and remote teaching strategies literally overnight. We pivoted more times than any of us wanted or even thought possible. All the while – and most importantly – we cared for one another, our students, and their families.

This year – while we must still navigate the challenges of a resurgence in virus activity – we must be clear on our commitment to meeting our students' social, emotional, and academic needs. As outlined in our Strategic Change Agenda, together, we will work to:

  • Create a challenging and supportive educational environment that ensures readiness for all students;
  • Create quality opportunities for ongoing learning for students and staff in order to promote innovation and flexibility; and
  • Build leadership capacity at every level of our organization.

According to Peter Senge, learning organizations are "Organizations where people continually expand their capacity to create the results they truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, and where people are continually learning to see the whole together" (Senge, 1990). I am proud to say that here in York School District One, we have committed to becoming a true learning organization that honors and supports "students as knowledge workers, teachers as designers of learning, and principals as leaders of leaders" (Schlechty, 2009). 

To help us kick off the year, Mr. Adam Welcome, author of Kids Deserve It, will be our keynote speaker. This year's Opening Convocation will be held on Tuesday, August 10th at 9:00 am. Due to the resurgence in virus activity, we have decided to hold the ceremony in a hybrid format. Therefore, we will host both in-person attendees and virtual attendees. In addition, a hot breakfast will be provided at each school beginning at 8:00 am. Please be on the lookout for an email from Mr. Cooper, which will outline details on breakfast, convocation, and how to request your ticket.

As we open the 2021-2022 school year, I look forward to our journey in which we will collectively Learn, Serve, and Give Together as One. Organizations learn through individuals who learn. Thank you for being committed to being a lifelong learner.

I look forward to an exciting year!

Kelly Coxe