Hi Whiteside Families!

Thank you for joining us at our Family Literacy Night. Exploring new ways to support literacy at school and at home help all our Wolves become super readers. 

We look forward to bringing more exciting learning opportunities and events in February. We look forward to our Kind Mind dance, Pink Shirt Day, Festival Franco and much more!

Thank you to our awesome PAC for another tasty hot lunch.

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:

Learning in Mme. Bourlon and Mme Pollock’s Class

This week, Division 4 worked on assembling rubber band cars.  The day before the build, Mme Pollock showed the class some videos and design ideas to lead us in the making of the cars.  The day of the build, Div. 4 got to experiment with multiple materials.  Many used hot glue guns skewers, cardboard and straws to help them make the cars and because these were rubber band cars, they also used rubber bands to propel the cars.  After some time to build, some tested their cars.  Most cars needed adjustments or changes and after the students made those changes, they were very proud of their work.  The students’ opinions about this project; one student thought this project was fun for the class, another student said, “this project was really fun because we got to get them to actually work”, one person said that “it was fun to make cars because we got to be creative”.  The last student said, “I thought this was fun because we didn’t have to sit at our desk and do a worksheet”.  Overall, students thought this project was fun and we would all recommend it to everyone and anyone.  By Miriam G. and Kaley R.

Coming Events at Whiteside:

February 4 – Kind Mind Dance

February 6 – PAC Frozen Yogurt Day

February 12 – PAC Hot Lunch (Sushi Lovers)

February 13 – Pro-D Day (school closed)

February 16 – Family Day (school closed)

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

February 23/24 – Festival Franco at the Richmond Oval (Intermediate EFI and Core French)

February 24-26 – Book Fair in the library

February 25 – Pink Shirt Day

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

February 27 – PAC Hot Lunch – Yummy Slice

March 3/4 - McRoberts Basketball Jamboree

March 13 – PAC Hot Lunch

March 13 – Talent Show

March 13 – Last day before spring break

March 30 – First day back after spring break

April 3 – Good Friday (school closed)

April 6 – Easter Monday (school closed)

April 21 – Class Photos and Panorama

April 23 – Term 2 report cards posted online

May 15 – Pro-D Day (school closed)

May 18 – Victoria Day (school closed)

May 20-22 – Gr. 6 Camp at Cheakamus Centre

June 19 – Grade 7 Farewell

June 25 – Final day of school for students

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.

Kelty Kind Minds Finale

This week marks the fourth and final week of the Kelty Kind Minds Program. Together with families, our students have started creating an individual toolkit with strategies of support when things are stressful and times are tough.  Whiteside will be celebrating the end of this school-wide program with the Confi-DANCE held on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 4th. Kind Mind's DJ Rock'n Beau will be laying down the tunes for us.  Thank you to all families for supporting Whiteside Wolves with this journey to fostering their Mental Health.

Valentine’s Day Cookie Sales

Our amazing PAC is pre-selling cookies ($3), cookie pops ($5), hot chocolate ($2), and cookie decorating kits ($20) on February 12^th at 2:30 p.m. from the concession window. Order on Munch-a-Lunch by February 6^th. 

Fusion Lacrosse Coming to Whiteside

From March 2 – 6, Fusion Lacrosse will be running lacrosse clinics for all our P.E. classes. Thank you to our PAC for providing this amazing learning opportunity for our Wolfpack. If you are interested in joining or learning more about lacrosse, please check out: https://www.richmondlacrosse.com/ (registration is open now) or https://fusionwestlacrosse.com/lacrosse-for-schools/.

Run Club is Back - Tuesdays

We are bringing Run Club back! Join us in the gym on Tuesdays at 8:10 a.m. in the gym for indoor or outdoor training.

PAC Update – Spring Fair Postponed

We are sad to postpone our Spring Fair again this year. Organizing and hosting Spring Fair requires a large committee of parent volunteers to plan and run the event. We are hopeful that we can bring together more volunteers next year.

Events like hot lunches, movie nights and Spring Fair rely on the generosity and hard work of our PAC. We encourage our parents and families to join a PAC meeting or, if you are interested in taking on a role on the PAC, please let Mr. Cameron or Ms. Lai know. The elections will be held during the June AGM. If you would like to know what PAC does, come join one of our remaining monthly meetings. Before the school year ends there are a few more activities happening (hot lunches, after school treat sales, sports day concession) that we can always use some help with. 

Thank you for your support!

Whiteside PAC

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:

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

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

February 24: DeBeck (boys at DeBeck)

Black History Month

Every February, people in Canada are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities. The 2026 theme for Black History Month is: 30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionariess.

 https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html

Universal Hot Lunch 

Utilizing Feeding Futures as well as National School Food Program funding, the Richmond School District has been piloting a universal hot lunch program at selected elementary and secondary schools. Our next Universal Hot Lunch will be in February. Orders for our February Universal Hot Lunch will open soon at Munch-a-Lunch.

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.

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, February 17.

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.

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!

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 History Month: Mifflin Wistar Gibbs - The Shopkeeper who became a Judge

Before British Columbia was even officially a province, Mifflin Wistar Gibbs arrived in Victoria in 1858. He came from the United States with hundreds of other Black families who were looking for freedom and a fair life. He started as a shopkeeper and a businessman, but he saw that things needed to be improved for his community. He didn't just complain about the rules; he worked to change them. He became the first Black person elected to public office in BC (as a Victoria City Councillor). He helped guide British Columbia into joining Confederation to become part of Canada! Later, he became a judge. Mifflin Gibbs teaches us that you can come to a new place and not only build a life for yourself but help build the laws and future of the whole province.

~Whiteside Elementary