Hi Whiteside Families!

Our 'Kind Mind' celebration was a roaring success this week, with the Wolfpack bringing incredible energy to the dance floor with DJ Rock'n Beau! It was a joy to see students and staff come together to celebrate mental wellness and community spirit. Thank you for supporting this month of learning, connection, and fun. 

We look forward to more great events and learning opportunities throughout the winter, such as: Crazy Hair Day, Festival Franco, Book Fair, Learning Conferences, basketball jamborees, hot lunches, and lacrosse week.

Our next Universal Hot Lunch is coming on February 18. Please order by February 11 on https://munchalunch.com/.

Thank you for your ongoing support of learning at Whiteside!

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:

Mme Ledesma' Class’s reflections on the Kind Mind Dance with DJ Rock’n Beau

Ariadne - The dance was good.  I really like it because it was fun.

Jasrina - I had fun dancing with Lily and Ariadne to freeze dance.

DeAndre- The whole class was there. They turned off all the lights and there were rainbows on the walls.  DJ Beau had bubbles.

Leo- I liked dancing.  I chased and danced with my friends.

Ace- I did all the things in the Kind Mind Book.  There was a draw and I won a Kind Mind hat.

Coming Events at Whiteside:

February 12 – PAC Hot Lunch (Sushi Lovers)

February 12 – Valentine’s Day Cookie Pick Up at 2:30 p.m. at the PAC kitchen window

February 13 – Pro-D Day (school closed)

February 16 – Family Day (school closed)

February 17 – PAC meeting online at 7:45 p.m.

February 18 – Universal Hot Lunch (Shepherds Pie/Veggie Quesadilla) – order before February 11

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 2-6 – Fusion Lacrosse week (Thanks, PAC!)

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

Long Weekend Alert

Whiteside will be closed for our professional development day on February 13 and for Family Day on February 15. Enjoy the extra-long weekend!

Scholastic Book Fair – February 24-25 – Parent Volunteers Needed

Dear Parents and Families:

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. This event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.

The Book Fair will take place in the Whiteside library on Tuesday, February 24^th from 2:45-4:30; and Wednesday, February 25^th from noon to four. 

We need parent volunteers to help make this event run smoothly and successfully! If you can volunteer at the Book Fair- even if only for the first 30 minutes, which is always the busiest, please email us with the times and days you are available at whiteside.library@sd38.bc.ca Of course, your children are welcome to join you while you volunteer. We are excited to celebrate our love of books together at the Book Fair. We look forward to seeing you there!

Happy Reading,

Ms. Tsougrianis and Mrs. Kawas

Universal Hot Lunch Update

Ordering for our winter and spring Universal Hot Lunches are open at: https://munchalunch.com/. Please select the “Feeding Futures” option. Our Universal Hot Lunch Dates are:

February 18 (Shepherds Pie/Veggie Quesadilla) – order before February 11

March 4 (Chilli Mashed Potato Bowl/Spinach Penne Alfredo)

April 8 (Chicken Penne Alfredo/Honey Garlic Tofu and Rice)

April 22 (Butter Chicken/Spinach Penne Alfredo)

May 6 (Honey Garlic Meatballs and Rice/Cheesy Veggie and Bean Burrito)

May 20 (Chicken Quesadilla/Veggie Chili Mashed Potato Bowl)

June 3 (Chicken and Veggie Chowmein/Veggie and Edamame Chowmein)

June 17 (Shepherds Pie/Butter Chickpeas and Rice)

Please order the age-appropriate size for your children. All orders must be placed one week prior to the hot lunch.

Learning Conferences

We will have an early dismissal on February 25^th at 11:50 a.m. to accommodate our winter learning conferences. Opportunities to schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher will come out shortly.

Hot Lunch Updates 

Valentine’s Day Cookies will be available for pick up on February 12^th at 2:30 p.m. from the concession window. Our next hot lunch is Sushi Lovers on February 12^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/.

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.

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. Game schedule:

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

February 17: 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

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 participating in the 2026 Vancouver Sun Run on Sunday, April 19^th in Vancouver.  We invite you to join our 27 member-strong 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 has started training for the Sun Run in February 2026, but everyone is welcome.  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

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

We invite parents of students in Grades 4 and 7 to participate in the Provincial Student Learning Survey, which gathers valuable feedback on our school environment, safety, and achievement. Your input is essential for identifying our strengths and areas where we can improve. Please complete the survey by visiting https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/education-training/k-12/support/student-learning-survey, clicking on the "Parents" icon, and selecting our district and school name.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

Richmond Softball Association - Come and Try Softball (free entry!)

This free softball event provides students aged 5-11 with an accessible opportunity to engage in physical activity and develop fundamental movement skills in a low-pressure, inclusive environment. The ‘come and try’ format removes barriers to participation by eliminating cost and competitive pressure, allowing students of varying skills to explore a team sport.

The event aligns with the Physical and Health curriculum's emphasis on active living and may help engage students who could benefit further involvement in community sport program. See the flyer to register.

Date: February 18, 2026

Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Location: McRoberts Secondary School

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: he Story of Barbara Howard: Vancouver’s "Greased Lightning"

Did you know that one of the fastest women in the world once taught right here in Vancouver? Her name was Barbara Howard, and she was a true pioneer. Growing up in East Vancouver in the 1930s, Barbara was known for being incredibly fast. As a student at Britannia High School, she ran the 100-yard dash in 11.2 seconds—breaking the British Empire record! At just 17 years old, she became the first Black female athlete to represent Canada in international competition. But her speed wasn't her only superpower. Barbara went on to become the first racialized teacher hired by the Vancouver School Board. She spent over 40 years as a Physical Education teacher, inspiring thousands of students to move, play, and believe in themselves.

~Whiteside Elementary