Dear YES Families,

As we find ourselves midway through the school year, it’s a wonderful time to pause and reflect on the growth and achievements our students have made so far. Each day, we’re inspired by their curiosity, determination, and joyful approach to learning. We couldn’t be more proud of their progress, and we’re excited about all that lies ahead in the months to come.

February may be a shorter month, but it’s full of bright moments and fresh energy! Did you know:

- February is the only month that can pass without a full moon making it one of a kind, just like our learners.
- The word February comes from the Latin word februum, meaning “to clean” or “to renew,” which feels fitting as we head into a renewed stretch of the school year.
- Despite its length, February is often one of the most productive months, as routines are strong and students are hitting their stride.

The second half of the year is a time for continued growth, deeper learning, and confidence-building as students apply all they’ve learned so far. We encourage you to celebrate this milestone with your children by asking them about their proudest moments, favorite lessons, or goals for the rest of the year. Your support plays a vital role in their success, and we are truly grateful to partner with you.

Here’s to a fantastic second half of the school year filled with new discoveries, meaningful moments, and continued progress for all. As always, please reach out with any questions, concerns, or feedback. We hope your family enjoys a restful and refreshing winter break.

With appreciation,

Ryan Gleason, YES Principal & Molly Kilpatrick, YES Assistant Principal

Parent conferencing occurs just after the midway point of our school year. During the month of February, teachers will be scheduling these meetings with you and holding conferences in March. They will be sharing with you how students are progressing and growing in regard to the YES learning standards that have been taught. 

Also, as part of the report card the Unified Arts team will provide information on the learning experiences that students have had in each grade level for the first semester. 

Report cards will be available to view in all grade levels the week of February 23rd. You will have access to the report card through PowerSchool. These directions show you how to access your child's grades on the portal.

It is important to remember that our progress reports are reporting out on end of year grade level common core standards. It is not uncommon that many students are at a "beginning" or "developing" level in their progress toward these standards at this point in the school year. In many cases, we would not expect students to be at a "meets the standard" until the end of the school year. The report card is always an "invitation to a conversation" as the conference will share the work going on for your child in the classroom.

We are finishing up testing this week for all grades taking the NWEA math winter assessment. Those results will also available on PowerSchool at the end of the NWEA winter testing window.   

Once again, your collaboration and support are greatly appreciated!

This year Valentine’s Day is on Saturday, February 14th. At YES, students will engage in different activities to celebrate depending on the grade level. They will make cards for one another here at school rather than bring them from home. 

At times, the emphasis on outside material items becomes a challenge here at school. For this reason we ask that items are not brought to school. Our focus is on a day that celebrates community, friendship, and gratitude for one another. We will take care of everything here!

The Power of the Positive

Participants will explore how both adverse and positive childhood experiences shape development. This session highlights research on Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) and how they can buffer the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), offering practical ways to strengthen protective factors and support healthier outcomes for youth in your community.

If you plan to attend this event in the YES cafeteria please RSVP at this link.

It's Time to Get Ready for Yarmouth's Got Talent!

YGT is open to students with any kind of talent: music, dance, arts, magic, comedy or any other creative endeavor that will win over the audience!

Entry Forms: Click here for the YGT 2026 Entry Form 

Entry forms must be submitted by Thursday, March 19.

Auditions

Monday, March 23

(Snow date Tuesday, March 24)

Starting times:

YHS - 3:00  HMS - 3:15.  YES - 3:45.   Rowe - 3:50

Show Date and Times

Friday, March 27, 4pm and 7pm. (Snow date Saturday, March 28)

Prizes

Cash prizes based on audience vote.

A first and second prize will be awarded for each age group. 

View official rules and links to the entry forms at YarmouthsGotTalent.org

Yarmouth’s Got Talent is a school function, and all Yarmouth School Department behavior expectations apply to our performers and our audience members.

Mark your calendars, YES will be hosting its third family STEAM Night on the evening of Wednesday, April 8th! Join us again for an evening of engineering design challenges, science experiments, math activities, programming and robotics games, and team-building challenges. More information to follow as we get closer to the event. 

Glow Run Kick-off

It's almost here! The annual Glow Run, a time-honored tradition for Yarmouth 5th through 8th graders, will be held on Thursday, March 5th!  

For this event—our biggest fundraiser of the year—we transform the gym with atmospheric lighting, fun music, and bright neon colors to create an electric experience for students. Kids collect pledges in support of their participation, building community among their classes, raising funds for their schools, and setting personal goals. It all culminates on the day of the event, when they take to the lighted track for an epic glow run and fitness celebration.

Our goal is to raise $25,000 for classroom enrichment, field trips, teacher appreciation initiatives, playground improvements, and other special events. Encourage your students to sign up next week!

The Booster website will open for registrations on Tuesday, February 3rd! We'll post the link when it's available. 

PTO Gather & Greet 

Join us on Tuesday, February 3rd for our monthly casual coffee hour at Fox & the Fiddle (inside 317 Main) any time after 8:45 am. If you're hoping to learn more about the organization or would just like to chat with some other parents and community members, we hope you'll join us. Drop in, grab a coffee from the cafe, and pull up a chair! 

Gather & Greet is a recurring event on the first Tuesday of each month, so even if you can't make it this month, we hope to see you in March!

February PTO Meeting

Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, February 12th at 4 PM in the YES library. Our meetings are open to everyone, and we'd love to see you there! 

Volunteer with the PTO!

We're always looking to welcome new volunteers, and we'd love to hear from you! Please fill out the PTO-specific volunteer interest form, or reach out directly at yarmouthpto04096@gmail.com.

National School Counseling Week Feb. 2-5, 2026

National School Counseling Week is celebrated annually to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. Sponsored by the American School Counselors Association, this week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February.

We are fortunate to have three dedicated school counseling and social work professionals at YES. Thank you to Laura Murray, Chelsea Beckett, Lindsey Lokken, and Erika Boulware for all the work they do to support our students' social-emotional needs!

Thursday, February 6: Family School Alliance at 6:00 pm in YES Cafeteria

Wednesday, February 11: Grade 4 Band Sectionals Recital 6:00 pm

On February 11 there will be a sectional recital performed by our 4th grade band students. Students should be here by 5:45 pm. The recital will start at 6:00 pm in the gym and should finish by 6:30 pm. We are excited for their first performance of the year!

Friday, February 13: Wacky Sock Day!

On this day we will celebrate the YES core values of caring and citizenship at a community meeting led by our second-grade teachers.  Students who wish to participate are asked to bring in one or more new pairs of socks. Socks will be collected that day. Everyone is also encouraged to wear wacky socks to school that day to show their school spirit. You can wear unique-looking socks, mismatched socks, socks pulled up over the outside of your pant legs, etc.  We are proud to share with you that all socks collected will be delivered to the Preble Street Shelter in Portland.

February 16 to February 20: Winter Break- No School

Monday, February 23: School Resumes 

The week of February 23: Report Cards Available on PowerSchool

We will send an email reminder out that morning once they are posted and can be accessed.

Thursday, February 26: Fans in the Stands Unified Basketball Game at 2:45 pm in Gym

The YES Unified PE students will be taking on some YES staff members in basketball at our "Fans in the Stands" game! Parents of the athletes participating and Civil Rights Team partners are welcome to attend.