YPA established focus groups in the first week of November for African American Outreach (AAO), chaired by Shelton Starks and Hispanic Outreach (HO), chaired by Lupe Harris.

1. The HO focused mainly on going to locations and encouraging parents in the Hispanic community to apply.

• Contact was made with and fliers were distributed to the following area community groups: Saint Anne's Catholic Church, Divine Savior Catholic Church, The Oratory, Tabernacle of the Testimony, Jehovah Witness Church, International Center of York County, Plaza Fiesta of the Carolinas, Compare Food & Deli.

2. Working to ensure diversity in our school is not only required as part of our charter, but is something YPA strongly supports.  With the goal of attaining this diversity in mind, we expended extra effort to reach out to the African American communities, including but not limited to the following efforts:

• YPA hosted a Minority Church Leaders Dinner: Monday, December 28, 2009, at Thursday's Too in Rock Hill (inviting 48 local pastors).
• YPA hosted Informational Meetings at predominantly African American churches, notably Freedom Center in Rock Hill and Gethsemane Church, both in Rock Hill.
• YPA volunteers manned a free hot chocolate booth at the MLK Day Parade in York on Saturday, Jan. 23rd, where we distributed fliers and applications.
• YPA volunteers delivered applications to area African American churches for them to have on hand after they spoke to their congregation about YPA.
• YPA volunteers distributed fliers and applications to daycares and after school programs, including those serving primarily African American families.

Further, as we did not want a child's economic status to present a barrier to enrollment, fliers were delivered to the York Public Housing Authority.  In addition, contrary to reported information, it was stressed at every informational meeting that while there would be no cafeteria, lunch would be provided for all students who needed one and that bus transportation would be provided as transportation could not be a barrier to attending a public school such as YPA.

YPA worked diligently to reach out to all communities in and around York County through advertisements in The Herald, yard signs, and board members attended Pee Wee football games at Cherry Park handing out fliers to all who would accept.  These games were targeted for the diversity in the PeeWee football program. YPA also held informational meetings, and participated in other community events such as Boo Ha Ha, consignment sales, hosting a hot chocolate booth and driving a float in the Christmas parade, and holding a Family Fun Day at their permanent site on Eastview Road, in addition to countless volunteers and parents who spread the word in their neighborhoods, at their jobs, and at their children's sporting events.

As the January 31st deadline nears for student applications to York Preparatory Academy, community leaders, parents, teachers, and students alike are excited about the opportunities YPA promises for students.  The Herald featured YPA recently in an article to bring locals up-to-date on the latest plans for the charter school to open its doors Fall 2010.  Although the article states that enrollment is open to any students in York County, please note that enrollment is actually open to all students of all South Carolina counties.  

YPA Articles Featured in The Herald:

Interest High for York County Charter School (Jan 2010)
York Preparatory Academy Secures The Gates Location (Jan 2009)
Charter School to Give Parents Another Option (July 2008)

With the announcement of open enrollment for students, employment positions for interested teachers and the hire of Managing Director, Corey Helgesen, plans are moving ahead for York Preparatory Academy (YPA) to open its doors to K-9th grade students August 2010. Since the charter school’s approval by the state in July 2009, YPA committee members have been hard at work preparing for the successful opening of what promises to be an innovative and challenging learning environment for students. 

Corey Helgesen recently accepted the role as Managing Director for the school. Helgesen has served in education for over a decade in the states of Michigan, Georgia, and South Carolina as a teacher, district science coordinator, coach, curriculum innovator, and administrator among many other roles. He received a Bachelor of Science in Education from Western Michigan University, a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University and will be conferred Doctor in Educational Leadership at the end of November from Nova Southeastern University. Helgesen is professionally certified in the state of South Carolina. In addition to his service as an educator, Helgesen has been instrumental in the development of YPA, authoring the charter, serving as an educational consultant, and active in the selection of curriculum. Helgesen claims his role as YPA’s Managing Director is to achieve a threefold mission: to become a community’s choice toward a family-centered educational experience promoting high levels of parental participation, to uphold high rigorous academic standards as modeled after successful school systems across the nation through tiered levels of accountability, and to provide all members involved with YPA the support that will aid toward personal success.

ROCK HILL, SC, SEPT. 18, 2009 -- York Preparatory Academy today announced the appointment of Ruth Walkup to the school’s board. Ruth is the sixth member of the board, which will ultimately have seven members. 

Ruth's volunteer experience includes acting as the coordinator of fundraisers, serving with the PTA, and president of a local support group called the Mid Upstate Mothers of Multiples. She has also served as an officer with Palmetto State Parents of Multiples.  

“I am ready to meet the challenges of being a Board member and will definitely need other parents' support along the way," Ruth said. "It is truly an honor to be associated with a school like York Preparatory Academy that values education, parental involvement and community support.”

Ruth is currently practicing as a Family Nurse Practitioner at Healthstat, Inc.  She works in occupational clinics located in plants around the area.  Ruth graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Nursing.  In addition, she graduated from Webster University with a Master’s degree in Health Services Management.  She also proudly served 7 years in the United States Air Force Nurse Corps in which she was twice awarded with the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Ruth resides in Rock Hill with her husband, Mike, and their 7-year-old triplets, Virginia, Michael and Catherine, who will all attend York Preparatory Academy.

York Preparatory Academy is now featured on SCIway.net, the South Carolina Information Highway for York County, South Carolina – K-12 Education and School Guide.

The charter application for York Preparatory Academy (YPA) was unanimously approved by the state's Charter School Advisory Committee (CSAC) today in Columbia. This approval is a major milestone in the formation of a public charter school in South Carolina. All applications must be approved by the CSAC before a charter is granted.The application now goes for review and approval by the South Carolina Public Charter School District, which will be YPA's sponsoring district.

"The Charter Committee has established a solid working relationship with the SCPCSD," said Craig Craze, chairman of the YPA Charter Committee. "The district has been very responsive to our requests for information and input during the application process. I am confident we can continue to work with them and secure final approval of the charter."

The YPA Charter Committee anticipates presenting to the SCPCSD Board in early July.