Hi Whiteside Families!

We are off to a fantastic start in 2026! Our hallways are already buzzing with excitement as students dive deep into new learning experiences. The basketball season is also officially underway, with our teams showing incredible sportsmanship and teamwork on the court—Go Wolfpack!

And the excitement doesn't stop there. In the coming weeks, look forward to more performances, delicious hot lunches, and enriching field trips. We are also thrilled to welcome back Play n' Eat, which kicks off on Thursday, January 22, and will continue Friday mornings at 8:10 a.m. These activities are more than just fun; they are valuable opportunities for our students to grow and explore. Stay tuned to our website and newsletters for more details!

Please note that Friday, January 23 is a pro-d day and Whiteside will be closed.

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.

Wolf Pack Student Corner:

Sockeye/Canuck floor hockey from Nil, Leo, Timothy, and Charlotte in Mme Cheng’s grade 2/3 class.

Pendant le gymnase, ont fait le hockey a plancher le instructeur est Nick. Il est 17 ans. Il vient du South Dakota. C’etait amusant. On a jouer Aleins VS frogs. I really liked it. It was very fun it is not very usual. We really liked it we hope we will do it again.

Coming Events at Whiteside:

January 20 – Early Learning Family Event with Will’s Jams for (families with young, pre-school children) from 9:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

January 20 – PAC Meeting online at 7:45 p.m.

January 21 – Universal Hot Lunch (Butter Chicken)

January 22 – Play n’ Eat in the gym at 8:10 a.m.

January 22 – Spirit Day: Blackout Day (wear all black)

January 23 – Pro-D Day (school closed)

January 29 – Gr. 7 parent night at McRoberts from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

January 29 – Family Literacy Night from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Whiteside

January 30 – Grade 7 snowshoeing field trip at Mt. Seymour

February 4 – Kind Mind Dance

February 13 – Pro-D Day (school closed)

February 15 – Spirit Day: Family Day (school closed)

February 20 - Crazy hair day (can also be hats and hair accessories)

February 23/24 – Festival Franco at the Richmond Oval

February 25 – Pink Shirt Day

February 25 – Early dismissal at 11:50 a.m. – Learning Conferences (learning update #3)

March 3/4 - McRoberts Basketball Jamboree

March 13 – Talent Show

March 13 – Last day before spring break

March 30 – First day back after spring break

WHITESIDE INFORMATION AND EVENTS

Free Richmond Sockeye Tickets

The Richmond Sockeye hockey team has provided Whiteside with a limited number of free tickets to an upcoming game (tickets are valid at any home game). Please visit our office to pick up tickets for you and your family. Tickets are available for immediate family members and only available while supplies last.

Hot Lunch: Yummy Slice – January 28

Our next delicious hot lunch is Yummy Slice on Wednesday, January 28. Please order your lunches on Munch-a-Lunch by January 21. Thanks, PAC!

Early Learning Family Event – January 20 at Whiteside

Our district Early Learning team is organizing a morning of activities and music for families in our community with children under 5 years old. Please join us in the gym from 9:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. on January 20 for this fun event and a concert with Will’s Jams.

Grade 7 Parent Night At McRoberts

On January 29th, McRoberts will host our Grade 7 Parent Information Night from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at McRoberts in the Old Gym.  This evening is for parents who have students registered to attend McRoberts in September 2026.

Whiteside Basketball

Our Whiteside basketball season is underway. Our coaches this year are Mme Howells, Mr. Lenz, and Mr. Cameron. We encourage our grade 6 and 7 students to come out and join the fun. Permission forms were sent home this week and practices have already started. Game schedule:

January 20: Lee (girls at Lee; boys at Whiteside)

January 27: Bridge (girls at Bridge; boys at Whiteside)

February 3: Lee (boys at Lee; girls at Whiteside)

February 10: Bridge (boys at Bridge; girls at Whiteside)

February 24: DeBeck (boys at DeBeck)

Volunteer Driver Update: New Safety Protocols

To ensure the safety for our students, all volunteer drivers are now required to complete a Criminal Record Check (CRC) before driving for field trips.

If you plan to drive this year, please visit the office to:

1. Pick up the new Driver Authorization Form.
2. Get the Access Code to complete your free online CRC.

Checklist for Drivers: Please ensure the office has copies of your: ☑ CRC Submission Confirmation ☑ Driver’s License ☑ Vehicle Insurance ☑ Signed Authorization Form

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students safe!

Stay Informed with SchoolMessenger Text Alerts (Opt-In)

Our District uses SchoolMessenger to share important school and district updates, including weather closures, emergency notifications, reminders, and time-sensitive announcements.

All families with a current cell phone number in our MyEdBC database will receive a text message from SchoolMessenger (Text #: 978338) in February 2026. To start receiving text alerts, you will need to opt in.

How to opt in:

1. Watch for a text from SchoolMessenger (Text #: 978338).
2. Reply with “Y” to 978338.
3. You will receive a confirmation message letting you know you’re successfully subscribed.

Want alerts on more than one device? To receive text alerts on multiple phones, each phone number must opt in separately by replying “Y” to 978338.

Reporting Reminder

In December your child’s first formal learning update (report card) was posted on the MyEdBC parent poral. Please remember to sign in and see your child’s learning progress. More information about accessing MyEdBC can be found: https://sd38.bc.ca/news/2025-12-09/myed-parent-portal-instructions-access

Grade 7 Snowshoeing

On January 30, our grade sevens are trekking to the top of Mt. Seymour for a day of tubing and snowshoeing. We are excited to provide this opportunity to our most senior members of the Wolfpack. Please ensure that they have appropriate clothing and footwear for this experience. Grade 7 students need to be at school on Friday, January 30 by 7:30 a.m. They will return to Whiteside at approximately 3:30 p.m. (traffic dependent).

Student Learning Survey 2025/2026

The Provincial Student Learning Survey is unique in its scope, size and usefulness to schools. It gathers information from parents/guardians/caregivers, teachers, and students on topics related to school environment, safety, and achievement. The information is used for planning in individual schools and provides a district and provincial perspective.

This winter, the Student Learning Survey will be administered to students in grades 4 and 7, their parents/guardians/caregivers, and all school staff. We encourage parents/guardians/caregivers to participate in this survey, as the results are important in identifying and celebrating current strengths, as well as determining where the school needs to focus improvement. The surveys contain standard questions for the Province – in addition, questions from the school and/or district that focus on local conditions or issues may be included.

The survey can be completed electronically and can be accessed on the Internet at https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/student-learning-survey. Any computer or mobile device with an Internet connection can be used, and access to the e-survey is simple and secure. The survey can be accessed through the link and by clicking on Take the Survey. On the login page, click on the Parents icon, and then select the school district and school name where your child attends school. Provincial, District and School Reports for previous years can be viewed at the same site under the Results section.

The e-survey site will be open until May 2, 2025.

Parking Lot Safety: A Friendly Reminder

Drop-off and pick-up times can get hectic! Let's work together to keep our parking lot safe for everyone. Please remember these important points:

• Drive slowly and cautiously: Children can be unpredictable, so always be alert and watch for pedestrians.
• Use designated visitor parking spaces only: Do not park in the fire lane, drive-thru lane, or in staff parking areas. This can block traffic flow and create hazards.
• Hold your child's hand: Always supervise young children and hold their hands when walking through the parking lot.
• Be aware of your surroundings: Look for moving vehicles and be mindful of blind spots when backing up.

Thank you for your cooperation in making our school a safe place for all!

Universal Hot Lunch Pilot

Utilizing Feeding Futures as well as National School Food Program funding, the Richmond School District will be piloting a universal hot lunch program at selected elementary and secondary schools during the months of December and January. Our next Universal Hot Lunch will be in February.

Orders for our February Universal Hot Lunch will open soon at Munch-a-Lunch.

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.

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

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.

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…

Black Excellence Day

This week we observed Black Excellence Day. It is observed annually on January 15th (the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.). While Black History Month in February often focuses on history, Black Excellence Day is a call to action—celebrating the current achievements of Black Canadians and standing in solidarity against racism.

Building Joy in Our Backyard

When we talk about Black history, we often look to the past—but history is also being made right now by our neighbours.

Just across the bridge/tunnel in Surrey, a group of young visionary artists recently founded BLAC (The Black Arts Centre). Noticing a lack of safe, creative spaces for Black youth in the suburbs, they didn't wait for someone else to solve the problem—they built the solution themselves.

Located near Surrey Central, BLAC has quickly become a vibrant hub for art, celebration, and community connection. It is a powerful example of "Black Joy," a movement that focuses on celebrating happiness, creativity, and success as a form of resilience.

This story teaches our students that they don't have to wait until they are "older" or "established" to make a difference. Like the founders of BLAC, they can look at their own community, see what is missing, and use their talents to build it.

Local History Spotlight: The "King of the Cannery" Did you know that in the 1870s, the leading salmon canner on the Fraser River was an African-Canadian man named John Sullivan Deas?

Deas was a master tinsmith who moved here from San Francisco. He established his own cannery on an island in the Fraser River—now known as Deas Island Regional Park in Delta/Richmond. Despite facing significant prejudice during that era, his cannery out-produced all other major competitors for several years, making him one of the most successful entrepreneurs in BC's early history.

This week, take a moment to ask your children what they are learning about Black stories and achievements in their classrooms!

~Whiteside Elementary