Season's greetings, Whiteside families!

 

Whether you're immersed in the joy of Christmas, celebrating the warmth of Kwanzaa, having a happy Chanukah, or simply enjoying quality time with loved ones, we hope you're savoring the magic of the season! As the festive spirit blankets our city, check out the exciting events happening this month at https://www.richmond.ca/culture/calendar/search/Default.aspx or https://www.visitrichmondbc.com/winter-in-the-village/. You might just find something perfect for you and your family!

 

Here at Whiteside, we're all set to immerse ourselves in our own winter wonderland next week. Our Wolfpack will be singing songs, enjoying captivating performances, and joining together in celebration of the winter season as one big school family. A heartfelt thank you to our amazing parents, students, teachers, and staff for making this time of year truly magical for our community.

 

And don't forget the excitement doesn't stop there! Report cards will be available on the MyEdBC Parent Portal after school on Thursday. Plus, mark your calendars for skating fun on Thursday — our Wolfpack will join their buddies for a morning of magical fun at Minoru! Let's sprinkle some extra festive cheer throughout Whiteside!

 

Wishing you all a season filled with joy, warmth, and delightful festivities!

 

STUDENT REPORTS

Term 1 Reports will be available online on MyEd Parent Portal after school on Thursday, December 21^st.  Logins and temporary passwords have been sent out by district to all parents new to the district.  Please login before then.  (The first login must be done from a workstation, laptop, or computer. Do not use an iPad, tablet, or cell phone for this.) Elementary schools will be closed during winter break and will not be able to help you until January.  Previous users, who forgot their passwords, will need to click through the “I forgot my password” hyperlink on the login page to reset their passwords.  

 

More info available on the school website at: https://whiteside.sd38.bc.ca/parents/myed-parent-portal

 

WINTER PERFORMANCES

We are excited to have you join us for our musical this season. Please take note of a few items to best prepare for the events:

 

K-4 Musical – December 19

 

1:15 pm show: (doors at 1:00 pm)

• Parking will be available in the South Arm parking lot but will be limited -- please exercise caution and consider walking or carpooling to Whiteside.
• Please enter through the rear doors of the gym as the students will be entering through other exits and we would like to avoid congestion in those areas.
• Seating is limited. We encourage limiting seats to two (2) per family.

 

6:30 pm show: (doors open at 6:15 pm)

• Students who are performing without an adult please come in the main front doors at 6:15 to go to your classroom.
• Students attending with families attending the musical, please line up at your usual exterior doors.
• Please enter through the rear doors of the gym as the students will be entering through other exits and we would like to avoid congestion in those areas.
• Parking will be available in the South Arm parking lot but will be limited -- please exercise caution and consider walking or carpooling to Whiteside.

• Seating is limited. We encourage limiting seats to two (2) per family.
• Please collect your child from their classroom following the concert.

 

Thank you for your kindness and support, we look forward to seeing you at our performances!

 

OUTDOOR EDUCATION FUNDRAISING

To help lower the cost of our annual intermediate outdoor education experiences, Whiteside has partnered with Return-It Depot to fundraise.  Return your cans and bottles to our local Return It depot (Unit 110 - 11020 Horseshoe Way), go to the Express area, type in our number 604-668-6419, affix the label to your bag, drop, and go.

 

MACNEILL OUTDOOR INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Are you a grade 7 going into high school next year? Come learn about the District Incentive Outdoor Program! www.incentiveoutdoorprogram.wordpress.com

 

IPALS FOR 2024 FOR NEW TO CANADA FAMILIES and PRE-SCHOOLERS

Our 2024 intake is now open for IPALS (Parents as Literacy Supporters in Immigrant Communities).  If you have families new to Canada with a preschooler, consider sharing. This program provides new strategies for families to support preschool-aged children’s learning. Sessions include adult alone time for caregivers to talk with a facilitator (SWIS, teacher consultant and ECEs) and responds to the cultural and linguistic needs of families; it also aims0 to provide a positive transition from home and other early care settings to school.

 

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. 

 

SCHOOL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

The City of Richmond Community Bylaws have noted their officers have observed an increase in drivers stopping their vehicles on marked crosswalks during pick-up and drop-off times. Vehicles stopped on marked crosswalks create challenges for pedestrians to cross safely, cause sightline obstructions, and make it difficult for drivers of oncoming vehicles to see them, posing a significant safety risk — especially during this time of year with less daylight. Bylaw enforcement officers may be issuing tickets for vehicles stopping on marked crosswalks.

 

SCHOOL AGED CHILD CARE DEMAND SURVEY

This is a friendly reminder to complete the 2023 School-Aged Child Care Demand Parent Survey by December 20 to help inform the Province’s planning for future expansion of school age child care. Thank you to the parents who have already completed this survey. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

While we know school-aged child care is a vital service families rely on to ensure their children have a quality, affordable, and inclusive place to be during a parent’s full work day, we do not yet have regional or provincial data to understand the demand.

By completing this survey, you can help the Province to better understand your community’s needs for school-aged child care. The survey will take 10-15 minutes and the results will help inform future ChildCareBC initiatives. 

To complete the survey, please follow this link: 

https://www.awinfosys.com/surveyfull3/minofed/main/SchoolAgeParents.asp?SchoolNumber=793

Please do not share the link with anyone else. 

If you have any questions, please contact ChildCareBC.Engagement@gov.bc.ca. If you encounter any technical difficulties, please contact the web survey provider (AWIS) at support@awinfosys.com.

 

 

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, January 16^th at 6:30 p.m.! Please reach out to our PAC at whitesidepac@hotmail.com for more information

 

FOUNDATION LANGUAGE ARTS (ENGLISH COURSES)
Designed for adult students (17 years old +) to improve their speaking, listening, vocabulary, fluency, conversation, comprehension and writing skills. FREE for BC residents who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugees, and refugee claimants. International students are welcome to take courses for a fee.

 

Location
All adult secondary courses are held at our Adult Education Centre (12091 Cambie Road).

Session dates coming up January 2024

 

Day time – Term 3: January 29 – April 10, 2024            
Mondays to Thursday: 9-11:30 a.m. / 12-2:30 p.m.

 

Day time – Semester 2: January 29 - June 12, 2024
Monday and Wednesday: 9-11:30 a.m.

 

Evening – Semester 2: January 30 – June 4, 2024
Tuesday and Thursday: 6:30-9 p.m.

 

Registration begins
January 10, 2024, at 9 p.m. (current students)
January 11, 2024, at 9 p.m. (general registration)

For more information about our programs, please visit our website at richmondce.ca.

 

CONTINUING EDUCATION YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Our department also offers after-school and weekend programs for children and youth aged 5-18 years old to help strengthen their skills and develop other interests important for their success.

Registration for our winter/spring 2024 programs is now open.
For more information about these programs, please visit www.richmondce.ca.

 

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Richmond School District 38 is excited to welcome Kindergarten registration applications for children born in 2019, turning 5 in 2024. These children will begin Kindergarten in September 2024. Please visit our website www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten for more information about our online registration process, required documents, important dates, and FAQs.

We encourage families to complete their registration within the Priority 1 registration window, which spans from November to January, to maximize their chances of securing a spot at their catchment school. All registration applications received any time during the Priority 1 registration period will receive placement decisions by February 2, 2024.

 

Videos detailing Kindergarten registration have been made available on our District website, providing new parents with guidance on the registration process, English Language Learner (ELL) assessments, and District Program Options (Early French Immersion and Montessori). These videos are available in English and Mandarin. Please view the videos at www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten.

 

Thank you and please share this information with your friends and family who have Kindergarten aged children!

 

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.

 

HEALTHY EATING HABITS

Picky eating

Picky eating can be a challenge for parents in establishing healthy eating habits in young children. Some children hesitate to try new foods. Children are more likely to accept a new food the more often they are exposed to it. An unfamiliar food can be offered again later if it is rejected the first time.

You can help overcome picky eating by:

• making routines
• offering foods more than once
• planning your meals and snacks
• involving your kids in meal preparation

Learn more at:

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/parents-and-children/

 

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.

 

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:

 

Dec. 19             Winter musical – 1:15/6:30 p.m.

Dec. 21             Winter Wonderland skating

Dec. 21             Reports published

Dec. 22             Last day before Winter Break

Jan. 8                Whiteside re-opens

Jan. 15-19         Jess Dance workshops

Jan. 29              Pro-D day

Feb. 16             Pro-D day

Feb. 19             Family Day

Feb. 28/29        Early dismissal for conferences

Mar. 14            Last day before Spring Break

April 2              Whiteside re-opens

May 17             Pro-D day

May 20             Victoria day

June 27             Last day of school for students

 

Have a great weekend!

 ~Whiteside Elementary