Hi Whiteside families,

 

What an incredible week it has been at Whiteside! We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your patience, understanding, and care during the recent snow days. Your support means the world to us.

 

A special shout-out goes to our fantastic PAC for making it possible to bring Leo from Jess Dance to Whiteside. We look forward to performing for you next week.

 

As we gear up for the basketball season, our dedicated coaches have been hard at work with practices this week. The excitement is building, and we can't wait for our games to kick off next week (see schedule below). Your encouragement and enthusiasm make a significant difference.

 

On another note, Play n' Eat Friday mornings at Whiteside are a continued success! We extend a warm invitation to all students to join us in the gym for a delightful morning snack and some extra playtime before the school day officially begins. It's a great way to start the day with positive energy and camaraderie.

 

Thank you again for being a part of the vibrant Whiteside community. Your support and involvement make our school a truly special place. Here's to more exciting times ahead!

 

The Richmond Board of Education acknowledges and thanks the First Peoples of the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ language group on whose traditional and unceded territories we teach, learn and live.

 

 

Family Literacy Week starts next week! This year’s theme is “Let’s have a family party!”. Celebrate 25 years of Family Literacy Day and learning together as a family by having a party!
Make food, sing songs, and play games. The possibilities for learning are endless – and it’s fun when you do it together. Family literacy refers to the way parents, children, and extended family member use literacy at home and in the community. Family literacy occurs naturally during the routines of daily living and helps children and adults get things done. Whiteside will celebrate by hosting a Family Literacy event in the late afternoon/early evening on January 30^th.

 

GRADE 7 PARENT NIGHT AT MCROBERTS

On January 25th, McRoberts will host our Grade 7 Parent Information Night from 6:30 - 7:30 at McRoberts in the Old Gym.  This evening is for parents who have students registered to attend McRoberts in September 2024. 

 

LATE FRENCH IMMERSION AT WHITESIDE

The LFI program offers students an effective and supportive way to learn French, beginning in Grade 6.

Students are immersed in French within the classroom. French is used for meaningful communication and for instruction in the subject (content) areas including math, science, social studies, fine arts, physical education and French language arts. Students do not receive English Language Arts or ELL support in Grade 6.

Students in the program achieve a level of learning in all subject areas equivalent to that achieved by students in the English program. The first few months of grade 6 are focused mainly on language acquisition.

Once in grade seven, English Language Arts is reintroduced into the program; however, the majority of the teaching still happens in French. The LFI program is currently offered in two Richmond elementary schools; James Whiteside and John Diefenbaker. Transportation must be arranged by parents and is not provided by the district.

To complete the online application process, please visit:  https://dpoapplication.sd38.bc.ca​. The deadline to apply for the program is January 20, 2023. You will be notified of the results of your application on February 6, 2023

 

WHITESIDE BASKETBALL

Our Whiteside basketball season is about to start. Our coaches this year are Mme Howells, Mr. Lenz, Mr. McCuaig, and Mr. Pelletier. We encourage our grade 6 and 7 students to come out and join the fun. A permission form with more information was sent home this week. Please see the schedule below for our girls’ and grade 7 boys’ teams. Our grade 6 boys’ schedule will be released shortly.

 

WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE - GIRLS		Home	Away
Thursday 01/25/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Bridge
Thursday 02/01/2024	3:15 PM	Anderson	Whiteside
Thursday 02/08/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Lee
Tuesday 02/13/2024	3:15 PM	Bridge	Whiteside
Wednesday 02/21/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Anderson
Tuesday 02/27/2024	3:15 PM	Lee	Whiteside

 

WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE – GR.7 BOYS		Home	Away
Wednesday 01/24/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Bridge
Wednesday 01/31/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Anderson
Wednesday 02/07/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Lee
Monday 02/12/2024	3:15 PM	Bridge	Whiteside
Wednesday 02/21/2024	3:15 PM	Anderson	Whiteside
Monday 02/26/2024	3:15 PM	Lee	Whiteside

 

GET REDI - RECONCILIATION, EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION WITH RICHMOND SCHOOL DISTRICT.

Richmond parents and caregivers are invited to a Zoom webinar on REDI – Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Destine Lord will be presenting two repeat Zoom webinars on January 25 and January 30. This initial 60-minute session is designed to help participants understand the district’s commitment to Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and the values and language that inform our practices in schools. Destine will draw on the district’s strategic plan to drive the conversation and make connections between the plan, the district’s vision, and introductory concepts of anti-oppression. By building understanding, it is our hope to provide parents and caregivers help to support their learners as they move between home and school and back again. There will be future sessions that will take a deeper dive into REDI concepts. Please note the dates are January 25 at 7 p.m. and January 30 at 11 a.m. Registration required. See attached flyer for more details.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS FAMILY SESSIONS SOCIAL

Safer Schools Together, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Childcare, is offering “Social Media Awareness” family sessions. These sessions are designed to support families and caregivers navigate the digital world. Follow this link for dates, times, and information to register.

 

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Gr. 4/7 PARENT SURVEY

Each year the Ministry of Education asks parents of grade 4&7 students, and school staff to complete a learning survey. If you have a child in grade 4or 7, please take a little time to visit http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey/access.htm to share your thoughts and ideas. Your opinions will help guide the future of education in BC. 

 

GRADE 6 OUTDOOR EDUCATION UPDATE

Exciting news on the Grade 6 Camp front – initial information and deposit letters on green paper were sent home with students on Wednesday, January 10^th and indications of interest are due next week Friday, January 19^th.  A pdf of that letter is attached to this email as well as the WaterSafe program information/listings that was emailed on December 12^th.

 

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.

 

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, February 13^th at 6:30 p.m.! Please reach out to our PAC at whitesidepac@hotmail.com for more information.

 

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.

 

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 currently provide breakfast and lunch options for students daily. 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

Ideas for healthy snacks

Prepared in advance

Try preparing snacks in advance to save you time:

• Chop extra vegetables when cooking so you’ll have some for snacks.
• Make muffins or homemade granola bars and store them in the freezer.
• Hard-cook eggs on the weekend. They will keep for a week in the fridge with the shell on.
• Make your own trail mix. Take whole grain cereal and nuts and seeds and toss them together.

Grab and go

Here are some travel friendly options you can bring in your bag:

• roasted chickpeas or nuts such as almonds, cashews, soy nuts or peanuts can be kept in your bag for when you feel hungry
• keep cut up vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, celery and peppers in the fridge and bring along in a reusable container
• oranges, bananas and plums are examples of fruit that come in their own natural packaging that makes them easy to transport

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

During our darker winter months, 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:

 

Jan. 26              Hot lunch

Jan. 29              Pro-D day

Jan. 30              Spirit Day - Toque Tuesday

Jan. 30              Family Literacy event

Feb. 16             Pro-D day

Feb. 19             Family Day

Feb. 28             Pink Shirt Day

Feb. 28/29        Early dismissal for conferences

Mar. 14            Last day before Spring Break

April 2              Whiteside re-opens

May 1-3            Grade 6 Outdoor Education trip

May 17             Pro-D day

May 20             Victoria day

May 21             Gr. 7 Day at McRoberts

June 4              Gr. 7 rafting trip

June 27             Last day of school for students

 

Have a great weekend!

 ~Whiteside Elementary