Hi Whiteside Families!

 

It was a very fun week at Whiteside! Our Halloween festivities started with our amazing Whiteside Halloween Party. Thank you to all the amazing parents (and our Chief Party Officer, Erin) for creating such an awesome event. The fun continued as we held our Halloween costume parade and school wide dance on Halloween. Mr. McCuaig and his class constructed and hosted a spooky haunted house. After the Halloween extravaganza subsided, our upper intermediate students welcomed HUB Cycling for a week of bike safety lessons. Our volleyball team continues to bump, set, and spike their way through their season.

 

Next week, we recognize Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day. We invite you to join us for our Remembrance Day assembly at 9:10 a.m. on Friday.

 

We hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend with your families!

 

INDIGENOUS VETERANS DAY

November 8 marks National Indigenous Veterans Day. In this day and age of reconciliation, acknowledging Aboriginal roles in the protection of Canada will help other citizens understand what true reconciliation means to the country as a whole. We must never forget the sacrifices and accomplishments of Aboriginal Veterans, especially as we move forward in our journey of healing, reconciliation and a renewed relationship between Canada and its First Nations peoples. November 8 is about making efforts to better understand the role Indigenous Veterans have played in Canada and expressing our heartfelt gratitude. Ceremonies are held across Canada to mark this day, and Canadians across the country should pause for a minute or two to honour our Aboriginal veterans.

 

WHITESIDE FAMILY PHOTO NIGHT

This year, Whiteside PAC has teamed up with Ara Photography for our Family Photo Night Fundraiser. We

have been able to secure two nights, Wednesday, November 15 and Thursday, November 16, for an indoor photoshoot at Whiteside.

For just $35, your family will receive one 15-minute session and one edited digital 8x10 photo. The entire

sitting fee will be donated to the Whiteside PAC. At the photo session, your family will receive up to 5 poses with 2 backdrops and props.

*You will be contacted directly by the photographer to choose additional digital images AFTER the photo

session. Please do not include payment for additional photos. *

• Option 1: $20 Includes one digital photo of choice (2 pictures in total including the free image)
• Option 2: $50 Includes up to 3 additional digital photos of your choice (up to 4 photos in total, including the free image)
• Option 3: $80 Includes ALL digital photos taken during the photo shoot (5 or more photos)

Appointment times will be on a first come, first serve basis. The $35 sitting fee must be included with the

booking form to secure your appointment. Please fill out the booking form, detach it, and return it along with ONLY the sitting fee to the school, no later than November 7th. Please make cheques payable

to “James Whiteside Elementary PAC”. If you have any questions, please contact Sandeep at 1bhullar.sandeep@gmail.com. Please note that we may not be able to fit everyone into this year’s schedule.

 

HOT LUNCH

Our next hot lunch day is Sushi Lovers on Friday, November 10^th. (Thank you, PAC)! Please pack a recess snack. There will not be additional food for sale this week.

 

GRADE 7 RAFTING

We want to make sure all grade 7s join this amazing experience. Please remember to submit your forms and pay your deposit on School Cash Online. If you need assistance with the rafting fee, please email Mr. Cameron at whiteside@sd38.bc.ca.

 

FEEDING FUTURES

Recently, the provincial government announced a new Feeding Futures School Program Fund, designed to assist schools in the development and enhancement of school meal programs and other nutritional supports for students.

If you would like to request support for your child at school, please reach out to our principal, Brett Cameron (bcameron@sd38.bc.ca). We are gathering information and look to provide ongoing support wherever possible. Implementation plans are underway, and we want to ensure families are aware, and as always, able to reach out if they require support. All requests will be treated with dignity and your privacy will be respected. We want to work with families to ensure that your children have everything they need to be successful at school. Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can help.

 

FAMILY ERASE SESSIONS

Three free virtual erase learning sessions for families will be held on November 8, 28, and 30, focusing on establishing safe, caring, and respectful digital communities. These sessions are best suited for families and youth aged 10 and above. Please see the attachment for registration details. Please contact erase@gov.bc.ca with any questions or for more information.

 

CHILDCARE STRATEGY INPUT

The City of Richmond is developing a 10-year Childcare Strategy and is seeking input from Richmond residents, parents, guardians, caregivers and child care providers.

• The strategy will provide a framework to ensure high-quality, accessible and affordable childcare options continue to be available in Richmond.
• Visit https://www.letstalkrichmond.ca/childcare2023 for more information and to share your input via an online survey. This engagement opportunity is open until Sunday, November 26, 2023

If you are not a parent, the survey will skip you to the end and you can fill out some general questions about how childcare in Richmond can be improved. Your perspective and knowledge will be a valuable contribution in helping to create a set of priorities and actions for childcare in Richmond.

 

CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT

If your child is arriving late to school, please check in at the office through the front entrance.

If your child needs to leave school early, please sign your child out at the office and wait at the front entrance for them.

 

PAC MEETINGS

PAC are amazing resources for our entire school community. A strong PAC bonds our school community with our families. PAC is an excellent way for our families to connect directly with the action at our school as well as develop relationships within the parent community. Our next meeting is on Tuesday, November 21 at 6:45 p.m.! Please reach out to our PAC at whitesidepac@hotmail.com for more information

 

WEST COAST RECESS

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.

 

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!

 

PARKING LOT SAFETY

With days getting shorter and the weather becoming darker and drearier, it is important to remind both drivers and pedestrians to keep traffic safety in mind and remain alert during their commutes. Our east parking lot is closed to parent drivers. Please use the South Arm lot or our drop off lane. Students and families use the crosswalks in front of the school all day. Please be mindful of pedestrians and other cars when driving in front of our school. When using the drop off lane, please continue to pull forward to allow more space behind you, but do not block or park on the zebra crosswalks. Blocking crosswalks creates danger for pedestrians trying to cross to our school. Please drive slowly through the drop-off area.

 

Coming Soon:

 

Nov. 10             Remembrance Day Assembly

Nov. 10             Hot lunch

Nov. 11             Remembrance Day

Nov. 13             Remembrance Day observed – school closed.

Nov. 15/16       PAC Family Photo nights

Nov. 16             Photo re-take day

Nov. 20             Pro-D Day (school closed)

Nov. 24             Hot lunch

Dec. 7               Grade 6/7 immunizations

Dec. 12             Winter Concert – 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 15             Hot lunch

Dec. 19             Winter musical – 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 21             Reports published.

Dec. 22             Last day before Winter Break

 

Have a great weekend!

 ~Whiteside Elementary