Hi Whiteside Families,

 

Our winter term is ending and we wanted to share our gratitude to you, our families, for all your support, guidance, and care throughout this season.

 

We look forward to a fun final week before spring break. Please remember that Whiteside is closed for spring break on Friday, March 15. Our last day is Thursday, March 14.

 

Thank you for all your care and support. You make Whiteside a special community to learn, teach, and play.

 

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.

 

Coming Soon:

 

Mar. 14            Talent Show at 1:15 p.m.

Mar. 14            Last day before Spring Break

April 2              Whiteside re-opens

April 17            Class photos

April 25            Term 2 reports published

May 1-3            Grade 6 Outdoor Education trip

May 13             Speed Control concert

May 17             Pro-D day

May 20             Victoria day

May 22             Welcome to K event

May 24             Ian Maskin concert

June 4              Gr. 7 rafting trip

June 21             Grade 7 farewell celebration

June 27             Last day of school for students

 

 

WHITESIDE’S GOT TALENT

Ms. LB and Ms. Johnson host our annual talent show at 1:15 p.m. on Thursday, March 14. We look forward to showcasing the amazing talents and abilities of our Wolfpack. We welcome families to join us. Please enter through the rear gym door.

 

SPRING BREAK

Please remember that Whiteside will be closed from Friday, March 15 – Monday, April 1. We will welcome back our Wolfpack on Tuesday, April 2.

 

BREAKFAST CLUB

Breakfast Club will re-open on Friday April 12^th. We look forward to another fun season of playing and eating with our Wolfpack.

 

MORNING ROUTINES AT WHITESIDE

Our Wolfpack are expected to enter school from their outside doors until 8:45 a.m. Please ensure that your children make their way to the back of the school to meet their teachers. This ensures that all children are met by their teacher or supervising adult and can begin the day with their class.

Play n’ Eat is on Friday mornings only. Only students in our breakfast program may enter the gym early during the week.

 

WHITESIDE BASKETBALL

Our Whiteside basketball season is about to start. Our coaches this year are Mme Howells, Mr. Lenz, Mr. McCuaig, and Mr. Pelletier.

 

WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE - GIRLS
March 11-13	3:15 PM	Strikers Tournament

 

WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE – GR.7 BOYS
March 11-13	3:15 PM	Strikers Tournament
WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE – GR.6 BOYS		Home	Away
Tuesday 03/05/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Errington
Thursday 03/07/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	McKinney

 

 

HEALTHY EATING HABITS

Benefits of eating with others

Enjoying healthy foods with family, friends, neighbours or co-workers is a great way to connect and add enjoyment to your life. It can provide many benefits and contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

By eating with others, you can:

• enjoy quality time together.
• share food traditions across generations and cultures.
• explore new healthy foods that you might not normally try.

Food is often a main part of celebrations and special events. However, eating with others doesn’t have to be saved for special events.

Learn more at:

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

 

WHITESIDE READING INFORMATION OF THE WEEK

Help children learn how to break sentences into words and words into syllables. Before children can identify letter sounds in words or reading, they can learn how spoken language can be broken down into smaller pieces. Show children that they can break down sentences into words.

• Practice identifying the words in a sentence by saying a sentence aloud and asking the child to count the number of words in that sentence.

• For instance, have the child count the number of words in the sentence “the boy ate two pieces of pizza” and correct any mistake.
• Talk about how to combine two words to form another word and about hoe some words can be broke inti smaller words.

After children can identify words in sentences, they can begin to break words into syllables. Here are two examples of how to show breaking words into syllables:

1. Place your hand under your chin and notice the number of times your chin moves down as you say a word slowly.

2. Hold up a finger for each syllable as you say a word.

After showing these strategies, have the child practice finding syllables in familiar words.

 

PARKING LOT SAFETY

Although the mornings are getting brighter, it is important to mindful in our parking lot. 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.

 

EVIDENCE-INFORMED MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

HealthyMindsBC provides evidence-informed prevention and early intervention tools and resources, including online learning opportunities. This site is for parents, caregivers, families, educators and other professionals to help them support the everyday mental health of children and youth. A series of courses that focus on Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Educators (EASE K-7 and 8-12) and Early Years are available. The newest course, Walking Alongside Youth with Anxiety (WAY), is designed to build capacity and support the foster care providers and out-of-care/kinship care providers who are caring for Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth with mild to moderate anxiety.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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!

  

 

Have a great weekend!

 ~Whiteside Elementary