Happy December Whiteside families,

 

December is here and it brought the snow and ice with it! We appreciate the extra caution you are sharing during pick-ups and drop-offs. We want our Wolfpack to be safe, especially during our winter weather.

 

We are excited to share the fun and festivities of the holidays with all members of our Wolfpack. The halls are already buzzing with holiday excitement. We look forward to sharing this excitement with you throughout the month.

 

Thank you, PAC, for all your support. Your generosity and positivity make Whiteside an awesome place to learn, work, and play.

 

We hope you enjoy a snowy and wonderful weekend with your families!

 

WINTER PERFORMANCES

Ms. LB is busy preparing this year’s winter concerts and school musical. Please save the following dates to watch your children shine:

• Dec. 6 – Band Concert at 1:30 pm/7:00 pm
  • Entry to our concerts will be through the west gym door.
  • Please stay at or return to Whiteside to pick up your students at the end of the performance. We want to ensure each student gets home safely in the cold and dark evening.
• Dec. 13 – Musical performance at 1:30 pm/6:30 pm

Seating may be limited to 2 members for each family (excluding students). We encourage families to attend our afternoon performance, when possible, to ensure every family can attend. Thank you.

 

HOT LUNCH

The next PAC Hot Lunch Day will be pasta and chicken strips from Boston Pizza on Friday, December 16th.  (This is the last day before winter break.)  Please see the attached flyer from PAC for more information.  Make sure to order and pay on Munch a Lunch no later than Friday, December 9th: https://munchalunch.com/schools/jameswhiteside/. Also, there will be no extra food available for purchase on December 16th.

 

PAJAMA DAY

Our next spirit day will be Friday, December 9th. We encourage our Wolfpack to wear their comfy pajamas and bring their stuffies for a cozy day of learning at Whiteside!

 

SNOW DAYS 

When it snows in our community, our school will remain open if possible. No direct announcement will be made saying that schools will be open. Closures, due to snow, will be announced via the SD38 Twitter account, school and district websites, and on the radio at CKNW AM 980, News AM 1130, CBC AM 690, Fairchild AM 1470, CHQM FM 103.5. Closures will be announced as early as possible prior to the start of the regular school day. 

 

HOLIDAY WISH

Thank you to all the families that participated in our Holiday Wish program this year. Your kindness and generosity have brightened our holiday season. We will continue to accept donations before and after school on Monday and Tuesday next week.

 

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Richmond School District 38 is excited to welcome kindergarten registration applications for children born in 2018, turning 5 in 2023. These children will begin kindergarten in September 2023. Online registration opens on November 1^st, 2022. Please visit our website http://www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten for more information about our online registration process, required documents, important dates, and FAQs.

 

MDI for FAMILIES of GRADE 5 STUDENTS

Richmond School District 38 has partnered with the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) at UBC to invite students to take part in completing the Middle Years Development Instrument (MDI). The MDI is a self-report questionnaire that asks children in Grade 5 about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in school and in the community. The survey questions align with the BC Ministry of Education’s K-12 curriculum which includes a focus on promoting children’s personal and social competencies. The questionnaire will be administered between January 10^th and March 3^rd, 2023.

 

A letter was sent to all families with students in grade 5. If you would like a translated letter, please email whiteside@sd38.bc.ca.

 

VOLLEYBALL SEASON

Thank you to our coaches, Ms. Kinsey and Mr. Quan, and our athletes for a great season. Go Wolfpack!

 

“IN” DAYS AND “OUT” DAYS:

During recess and lunchtime breaks, students are expected to be outside at all times this year.  Students are strongly encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather. You may also send a change of clothes to school just in case your child gets wet. Playing outside will ensure our students get some fresh air and exercise to enliven their day.

 

PARKING LOT SAFETY

Please help keep our students safe by using the drop off zone for picking up and dropping off students only.  Please do not leave your car unattended in the drop off zone; if you need to come into the school, please park in a designated parking space.  When walking to school, please use the designated paths south and adjacent to the driveway as you enter the school grounds. Please follow arrows to keep our students safe and keep our parking lot accident free.

 

Please remember the east parking lot is for school and construction staff only. Please do not park or drop off children in this area.

 

SCHOOL VISITORS

In the interest of safety, everyone entering the school must check in at the office. Classrooms are busy learning places and we try not to interrupt them during instructional time.  If you need to see your child, leave them a message, or drop off a lunch, our office staff will happily take care of that for you.  As well, it is difficult at the end or beginning of the school day for our office staff to have in-depth discussions with parents.  Making appointments either by phone or in person is preferable. Thank you for your support!

 

Coming Soon:

Dec. 6              Band concert 1:30/7:00 pm

Dec. 8              Gr. 6/7 Immunizations

Dec. 9              PJ spirit day

Dec. 13            Musical performance 1:30/7:00 pm

Dec. 15            Report cards posted online

Dec. 16            Hot lunch (Boston Pizza)

Dec. 16            Last day before Winter Break

Jan. 3               Whiteside re-opens

Jan. 19             Kung Jaadee performance

Jan. 30             Pro-D

Feb. 17            Pro-D

Feb. 20            Family Day

March 10        Last day before Spring Break

March 27        Whiteside re-opens

April 7             Good Friday – school closed

April 10           Easter Monday – school closed

April 24-26      Gr. 6/7 camp

May 17            Welcome to Kindergarten

May 19            Pro-D

May 22            Victoria Day – school closed  

June 13            K/1 and 6/7 Immunization

June 16            Sports Day

June 24            Gr 7 Farewell

June 29            Last day for students

 

 

We wish you all the best this weekend!

 

~Whiteside Elementary