Construction of the original York Suburban Middle School began in May of 1962 with the school being accepted for use on August 26, 1963. The formal dedication took place on Sunday, October 20, 1963.
The school is located at 455 Sundale Drive, York, PA 17402. It is situated in the residential development of Haines Acres in the east end of York.
The facility opened as a seventh-eighth grade junior high and was staffed by 40 professional staff members. The organizational structure of the facility was modified to a 6-8 middle school in 1981.
Today, the facility houses approximately 700 students. Fifty-seven professional staff members deliver an outstanding curriculum program that is recognized as one of the finest in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. On the Pennsylvania Assessment Tests, York Suburban Middle School consistently has some of the highest scores in York County and ranks among the highest in the state. Details of the school profile are located on the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Web address at http://www.pde.state.pa.us.
The student day begins at 7:40 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. A typical student day includes the core subjects of Language Arts, mathematics, science, social studies, health, and computer. Foreign languages (French, German, Spanish) are offered to students in seventh and eighth grade. Sixth grade students are introduced to the culture of each of the foreign languages through a Research Course. At the end of the sixth grade year, the students select which foreign language they would like to take in the seventh and eighth grade.
The core program is supplemented by an exploratory approach to the unified arts. The unified arts include: art, music, family consumer science, technology education, library and study skills, and physical education. In addition, string orchestra, band, chorus, select musical groups, intramural activities and dramatics are available for interested students.
An interscholastic (PIAA) sports program is available for seventh and eighth grade students. An active student council and Parent Service Organization (PSO) provide many additional recreational opportunities and community projects for students throughout the year.
York Suburban Middle School's building action plan and the district's strategic plan continually provide the direction of the total educational program. Building teacher committees focus on the areas of community outreach, school spirit, school climate, emergency management, and parent involvement.
Our middle school students are assigned to one of 7 core academic teams which spell out the school's mascot "T-R-O-J-A-N-S." Teachers meet daily with fellow team members to discuss curriculum issues, teaching strategies, and student concerns. One goal of teaming is to provide our students with a sense of belonging to a smaller school community. Another goal of teaming is for teachers to make meaningful classroom connections for their students by looking for ways to integrate curricula within the team.
Curricula are constantly being revised and rewritten in order to meet standards set forth by the State and to prepare our students for the high school.