Hi Whiteside families! Yom Tov!

 

We had another great week at Whiteside. We are enjoying the final moments of summer and hope the weather can hold out for our Aussie Rules Football week (Thank you, PAC!).

 

Today, our teachers and staff gathered to learn and reflect on the Truth and Reconciliation Act. We are excited to bring the calls to action to life at Whiteside.

 

Thank you to our PAC for a great PAC meeting this week and a delicious hot lunch yesterday. We appreciate how much you support our school!

 

We are excited to share more learning and events with you this fall.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

WHITESIDE BBQ and MEET THE TEACHER/STAFF NIGHT

On Tuesday, Whiteside is opening its doors to our amazing families and our wonderful community to meet this year’s teachers and staff, mingle with each other, and celebrate the completion of our reconstruction project.

 

4:00 – 5:00 p.m. – Meet the Teacher/Staff:

Please join us in your child’s classroom for an informal conversation with your teacher. This is not a formal learning conference (those come in October) but an opportunity to say hi and get to know each other a little better. We will also have a Whiteside Scavenger Hunt activity for students and families to explore different parts of the school and meet other amazing teachers and staff. There might even be a prize for visiting all areas!

 

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Celebration BBQ

We welcome our families and larger community to join us in the park (gym, if raining) for burgers ($2/beef or veggie burger) and snacks and drinks (sold from our PAC kitchen). We will have old photos, relics, and memories of the past on display. We also welcome our community to walk through the halls to see how our school has changed over the last two years.

 

Thank you to our PAC, Ms. Huh, and the city of Richmond for their organization, planning, and support of this wonderful community event.

 

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

 

Every Child Matters Flag Initiative and the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. September 2023

As a school and district, we are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and compassionate environment for all our students, families, and staff.  As we approach September 30, the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, we wanted to share with you a few important events that are taking place in our school and district. 

 

On September 22, 2023, our entire district staff engaged in a day of learning about Indigenous History, First Peoples Principles of Learning, and our collective role in reconciliation. Please note, this is a Non-Instructional Day and schools will not be in session. 

 

Additionally, in honour of the children lost and the generations impacted by residential schools, we will be displaying the orange “Every Child Matters” flag in our school.  We are fortunate to have been gifted this flag through the fundraising efforts of the Student Social Justice Committee at Hugh Boyd Secondary.  This student led committee worked hard to raise funds to provide each school in our district with an “Every Child Matters” flag as part of their action towards Truth and Reconciliation.  The flag serves as a collective dedication to learning, understanding, healing and reconciliation.

 

Finally a reminder that the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation occurs each year on September 30^th.  As this occurs on Saturday this year, the statutory day will be on Monday, October 2, 2023, and therefore school will not be in session on this day. We attached a resource to our website that families can use to spark conversation and learn more.

 

RAISING DIGITALLY RESPONSIBLE YOUTH

Safer Schools Together has published a parent guide for Raising Digitally Responsible Youth. The guide was designed to help introduce parents and caregivers to leading social media platforms, video games, and relevant trends that are either being used already or have the potential to be used by their children, and includes tips, how-to's and definitions. If you have questions about your child's online safety, please connect with your classroom teacher.

 

STUDENT PACKAGE OF FORMS:

This week, we sent home a package of permission forms and information forms to be filled out and returned to your child’s teacher.  It is important that we have up-to-date information, including contact numbers and appropriate medical information. During the year if anything changes, please let Ms. Huh know in the office as soon as possible.

 

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, October 17 at 6:45 p.m.! Please reach out to our PAC at whitesidepac@hotmail.com for more information

 

SCHOOL FEES

Every year we collect $33 for our school fees which includes all basic supplies for our students for the year. There is an additional Cooking and Craft fee ($22) for students in our Kindergarten and K/1 classes only.

 

There is an additional $7 fee for school planners. Planners are an excellent way for grade one to seven students (grade 1-7 only), staff, and children to communicate school assignments and upcoming events. We encourage our students and their families to review their planner regularly.

 

There may also be additional costs for educational field trips during the year. Teachers and staff will be sharing a list of potential field trips and their associated cost shortly. Please use CashOnline to make your payment early. Please contact the office if you have questions about our school fees or need assistance in paying.

 

“IN” DAYS AND “OUT” DAYS:

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.

 

TERRY FOX RUN

Thank you for your support! Our Terry Fox run was a big success. We love having our parents, families, and community come out to watch our run. A BIG thank you to our PAC for providing our delicious, post-run snack! We were able to raise over $500 because of your support! Thank you!

 

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!

 

PARKING LOT SAFETY

With school starting up, it is important to remind both drivers and pedestrians to keep traffic safety in mind and remain alert during their commutes. 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.

 

Coming Soon:

 

Sept. 25-29       Aussie Rules Football week

Sept. 26            Meet the Staff night

Sept. 29            Orange Shirt Day assembly

Sept. 30            National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Oct. 2               National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (observed) school closed

Oct. 9               Thanksgiving Day – school closed

Oct. 13             Individual photos

Oct. 18/19        Learning Conferences (1:45 p.m. dismissal)

Oct. 20             Pro-D Day (school closed)

Oct. 24             Jamie Oilviero presentation

Oct. 27             Whiteside Halloween party (PAC)

Oct. 31             HUB Cycling begins for grade 6-7

Oct. 31             Halloween costume parade

Nov. 10             Remembrance Day Assembly

Nov. 11             Remembrance Day

Nov. 13             Remembrance Day observed – school closed

Nov. 20             Pro-D Day (school closed)

 

Have a great weekend!

 ~Whiteside Elementary