Dear Whiteside Families,

Thank you to the parents who joined us at our Remembrance Day assembly. We appreciate the care and respect that our presenters and students gave to this solemn day of remembrance.

Thank you for your partnership in your child's education. Every minute you spend—from volunteering and attending school events to encouraging learning at home—makes a big difference in their school life.

Speaking of making a difference: Did you know that just 15 minutes of reading aloud together each day can dramatically boost your child's literacy skills? Grab a cozy spot, open an engaging book, and make this easy habit a fun part of your daily family routine!

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

~ Whiteside Elementary

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 Events:

November 18 – Volleyball game at Lee

November 18 – PAC meeting online at 7:45 p.m.

November 20/21 – PAC family photo nights

November 21 - TCO2 presentations for Gr. 4-7

November 26 – Volleyball game at Whiteside vs. Lee

November 27 – McRoberts Volleyball Jamboree at 3:30 p.m.

November 28 – Hot Lunch (Yummy Slice)

December 1 – Pro-D Day (school closed to students)

December 10 – Winter band concert (1:30/6:30 p.m.)

December 16 – Winter musical (1:30/6:30 p.m.)

December 18 – Term 1 reports published

December 19 – Last day before winter break

January 5 – Whiteside re-opens

January 5 – Confi-DANCE program begins

January 13 – TCO2: Children of the Streets parent presentation (online at 6:00 p.m.)

WHITESIDE INFORMATION AND EVENTS

Volleyball Season

Our Wolves have started to bump, set, and spike in our gym. Mr. McCuaig, Mme Jien and our intermediate students have been practicing hard all season. Go Wolfpack!

November 18 - @ Lee

November 26 – vs Lee at Whiteside

November 27 – McRoberts Volleyball Jamboree at 3:30 p.m.

Hot Lunch

Yummy Slice Day is Friday, November 28. Thank you, PAC, for your delicious lunches! Remember to bring a recess snack. Orders can be places on Munch-A-Lunch.

Parent Education Session: Late French Immersion Webinar

The Richmond School District offers the Late French Immersion program beginning in Grade 6 at James Whiteside and John Diefenbaker Elementary Schools. We invite families of current Grade 5 students to join us for a virtual meeting about this program. We will be hosting this Webinar on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025 at 6pm.

This information session will include the following topics:

• Program Overview
• Student Experiences
• Registration Process
• Frequently Asked Questions

Please see attached flyer for more details.

Holiday Fundraising

Please remember that all PAC holiday fundraising orders are due in by November 21^st. Purdy’s and gift cards can be picked up on December 2^nd. Thank you!

Holiday Wish

The Holiday Season is the time of year to celebrate with loved ones. We would like to ensure that all Whiteside families have the chance to partake in this special time. The Holiday Wish Committee and the Whiteside PAC are working together to fundraise for families in our community who need support during this time of year, and we couldn’t do this without your help.

Here are some ways you can help:

PURCHASE A GIFT: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044DA5A62DA2FEC61-60465841-holiday

COIN DRIVE: There will be a COIN DRIVE the week of November 17 - 21.

CASH DONATION: through SchoolCashOnline

GIFT CARD: Purchase a GIFT CARD (specifically for Walmart, Save-On-Foods or Safeway through the

PAC Fundraiser).

Please see our poster for more information.

Parent Education Session: Kindergarten District Program Options (Early French Immersion and Montessori)

The Richmond School District provides two district program options for students entering Kindergarten. We invite families with children registering for the 2026-2027 school year to join district staff to learn more about Early French Immersion and Montessori programs.

Topics will include:

• Early French Immersion (EFI) Program
• Montessori Program
• Registration Information
• Important Dates to Note
• Frequently Asked Questions

Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual on Microsoft Teams

Hosts: Gordon Fitt, Catherine Jule, Kristine Canas and Karen Leung

Meeting Link: Code and QR code on Flyer

PAC Updates

Our PAC is a great group of parents that care for our school and students. 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. Please reach out to our PAC at whitesidepac@hotmail.com for more information and an invitation link for our next PAC meeting in October. Our next PAC meeting is online at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20.

Wolf Wear Wednesdays

To show our school spirit, we invite our students, staff and community to wear their favourite Wolf gear every Wednesday

Mini Sun Run 2026!

Last year, Whiteside had a group of students and parents enter the SunRype Youth Team Mini Sun Run 2.5 km Challenge at the Vancouver Sun Run.  It was an exhilarating time for all of us, and we are now looking to our next challenge!  We are hoping to participate in the 2026 Vancouver Sun Run on Sunday, April 19^th in Vancouver.  We invite you to join our Whiteside Wolves Team and do the 2.5 km or 10 km Youth Team Challenge.

Friends and family can also join the fun!

Team Name: Whiteside Wolves

Team Access Code: PRPGFA

Link to JOIN OUR YOUTH TEAM: team member registration.  Enter the “Youth Team Challenge – 10 km or Mini Sun Run 2.5 km”. 

On that day, students will need to be accompanied by an adult.  If your child enters the Mini Sun Run, entry includes one adult escort. If your child enters the 10 km Youth Team Challenge, they will need to be running with an adult family member.  Both child and adult will need to register individually.   

Run club will start training for the Sun Run in February 2026, but students do not have to be a part of our Whiteside Run Club to participate in the run.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email slai@sd38.bc.ca.

Kindergarten Registration

Richmond School District 38 is excited to welcome kindergarten registration applications for children born in 2021, turning 5 in 2026. These children will begin kindergarten in September 2026. Online registration opened on November 1, 2025. Please visit our website  for more information about our online registration process, required documents, important dates, and FAQs.

http://www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten 

Families are encouraged to register any time during the Priority 1 registration period (November – January) for the best chance at attending their catchment school. All registration applications received any time during the Priority 1 registration period will receive placement decisions by February 2025. 

Instead of in person information evenings this year, we have posted short videos that provide our new parents with information about 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 http://www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten.

Important Safety Reminder: Visitors on School Grounds

We have noticed an increase in adult visitors on our school grounds, particularly near classrooms and playgrounds. While we love seeing our community enjoy South Arm park, the presence of unknown adults makes it difficult for our students to quickly identify a safe and trusted adult and creates confusion.

To keep all children safe and prevent allergy risks (due to accidental exposure to treats or pets), we must enforce a strict safety rule:

All visitors, including parents and grandparents, must report directly to the Main Office upon arrival.

If you need to drop off an item, treats, or share a message with your child, please do so through the office.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our entire school community safe and secure every day.

Food Security and School Affordability Support

Please reach out to our principal, Brett Cameron (bcameron@sd38.bc.ca), if you require financial assistance for school-related costs.  As always, all requests will be treated with dignity, and your privacy will be respected. We want to work with families to ensure that students have everything they need to be successful at school. Do not hesitate to reach out if we can help.

Whiteside Fundraising – Return It

Help raise funds for our school by recycling at home! 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.

DISTRICT INFORMATION AND UPDATES

Allergy Alert:

All families should be aware that Whiteside School has many students with severe, life-threatening food allergies. Some classrooms may be designated nut free to protect the health of these students. Please help us limit the nut products entering our school overall, as the impact on a student can happen anywhere in the school. If possible, please do not send food to school containing nuts.

THE MORE YOU KNOW…

Communication Between Home and School Is Important

Effective communication between home and school is an essential component of student success. If you have any information that may help your child learn more effectively, feel safer, build stronger connections, or experience greater well-being at school, please share it with your child’s teacher. The sooner we learn about your child’s needs, the more promptly and effectively we can support their learning and development.

~Whiteside Elementary