Hi Whiteside families,

 

Our parents, caregivers, and families are such a big part of our community. Thank you for sharing in your children’s learning, dancing, music, and athletics. We appreciate your attendance at our dance performance and basketball games this week. We hope that you will join us for our next literacy event on Tuesday afternoon.

 

Thank you to our PAC and hot lunch team for another delicious hot lunch. We truly enjoy these special days. 

 

It's fantastic to see our students being so attentive and involved in their learning! We'd love to encourage parents to keep being actively involved in their child's learning journey. Take a few moments each day to chat with your child about what they're learning at school – your interest makes a big difference!

 

Thank you again for being a part of the vibrant Whiteside community. You make our school a truly special place.

 

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.

 

Family Literacy Week is happening right now! This year’s theme is “Let’s have a family party!”. Whiteside invites you to join us from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30 for our Family Literacy Party. We will have books and activities for families to enjoy together. We hope you can make it.

 

WHITESIDE BASKETBALL

Our Whiteside basketball season is about to start. Our coaches this year are Mme Howells, Mr. Lenz, Mr. McCuaig, and Mr. Pelletier. We encourage our grade 6 and 7 students to come out and join the fun. A permission form with more information was sent home this week. Please see the schedule below for our girls’ and grade 7 boys’ teams. Our grade 6 boys’ schedule will be released shortly.

 

WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE - GIRLS		Home	Away
Thursday 01/25/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside (L)	Bridge
Thursday 02/01/2024	3:15 PM	Anderson	Whiteside
Thursday 02/08/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Lee
Tuesday 02/13/2024	3:15 PM	Bridge	Whiteside
Wednesday 02/21/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Anderson
Tuesday 02/27/2024	3:15 PM	Lee	Whiteside

 

WOLFPACK BASKETBALL SCHEDULE – GR.7 BOYS		Home	Away
Wednesday 01/24/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside (40) - W	Bridge (32)
Wednesday 01/31/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Anderson
Wednesday 02/07/2024	3:15 PM	Whiteside	Lee
Monday 02/12/2024	3:15 PM	Bridge	Whiteside
Wednesday 02/21/2024	3:15 PM	Anderson	Whiteside
Monday 02/26/2024	3:15 PM	Lee	Whiteside

 

 

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Gr. 4/7 PARENT SURVEY

Each year the Ministry of Education asks parents of grade 4&7 students, and school staff to complete a learning survey. If you have a child in grade 4or 7, please take a little time to visit http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/sat_survey/access.htm to share your thoughts and ideas. Your opinions will help guide the future of education in BC. 

 

HEALTHY EATING HABITS

Ideas for healthy snacks

For work and school

Keep healthy options with you at work. Try:

• apples
• oatmeal
• nut butter
• canned fruit
• canned tuna
• plain popcorn
• whole grain crackers
• nuts, pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Make sure to keep snacks like lower fat yogurt or lower fat cheese in the fridge or in a cooler bag with an ice pack.

Learn more at:

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/parents-and-children/

 

GRADE 6 OUTDOOR EDUCATION UPDATE

Exciting news on the Grade 6 Camp front – initial information and deposit letters on green paper were sent home with students on Wednesday, January 10^th and indications of interest are due next week Friday, January 19^th.  A pdf of that letter is attached to this email as well as the WaterSafe program information/listings that was emailed on December 12^th.

 

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 2024 theme for Black History Month is: “Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build”. You can learn more about Black History Month here and here.

 

SAFER SCHOOLS TOGETHER SOCIAL MEDIA AWARENESS TRAINING FOR FAMILIES

Recommended for Parents/Caregivers/Grandparents and youth aged 10 and up as a way to facilitate the conversation of safe and caring use of technology at home and in the community. (60-minute session This session covers all things digital, from how to be a good digital citizen, the criminal consequences of cyberbullying, and how to report and receive support in cases of sexting/sextortion. Some of the most prominent concerns currently surrounding use of social media platforms, smartphones, and artificial intelligence will be discussed. https://pages.saferschoolstogether.com/erase-family-session

 

FAMILYSMART MONTHLY ONLINE EVENTS

On a monthly basis, FamilySmart, https://familysmart.ca/,  has a number of free, online events accessible to parents/caregivers. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

 

COMMUNITY SERVICES CONNECTORS

The City of Richmond is piloting a new way for people with lower incomes to connect with community services in Richmond. Community Service Connectors have experience navigating social service and government systems and can help families find information about social service benefits, affordable housing supports, affordable family services, free and low-cost food, employment resources, transportation, as well as other community programs and assistance. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

 

OUTDOOR EDUCATION FUNDRAISING

To help lower the cost of our annual intermediate outdoor education experiences, Whiteside has partnered with Return-It Depot to fundraise.  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.

 

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, February 13^th at 6:30 p.m.! Please reach out to our PAC at whitesidepac@hotmail.com for more information.

 

SNOW DAYS 

When it snows in our community, our school will remain open if possible. No direct announcement will be made saying that schools will be open. Closures, due to snow, will be announced via the SD38 Twitter account, school, and district websites, and on the radio at CKNW AM 980, News AM 1130, CBC AM 690, Fairchild AM 1470, CHQM FM 103.5. Closures will be announced as early as possible prior to the start of the regular school day. 

 

SCHOOL PEDESTRIAN SAFETY

The City of Richmond Community Bylaws have noted their officers have observed an increase in drivers stopping their vehicles on marked crosswalks during pick-up and drop-off times. Vehicles stopped on marked crosswalks create challenges for pedestrians to cross safely, cause sightline obstructions, and make it difficult for drivers of oncoming vehicles to see them, posing a significant safety risk — especially during this time of year with less daylight. Bylaw enforcement officers may be issuing tickets for vehicles stopping on marked crosswalks.

 

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Richmond School District 38 is excited to welcome Kindergarten registration applications for children born in 2019, turning 5 in 2024. These children will begin Kindergarten in September 2024. Please visit our website www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten for more information about our online registration process, required documents, important dates, and FAQs.

We encourage families to complete their registration within the Priority 1 registration window, which spans from November to January, to maximize their chances of securing a spot at their catchment school. All registration applications received any time during the Priority 1 registration period will receive placement decisions by February 2, 2024.

 

Videos detailing Kindergarten registration have been made available on our District website, providing new parents with guidance on 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 www.sd38.bc.ca/kindergarten.

 

Thank you and please share this information with your friends and family who have Kindergarten aged children!

 

FEEDING FUTURES

Recently, the provincial government announced a new Feeding Futures School Program Fund, designed to assist schools in the development and enhancement of school meal programs and other nutritional supports for students. If you would like to request support for your child at school, please reach out to our principal, Brett Cameron (bcameron@sd38.bc.ca). We currently provide breakfast and lunch options for students daily. All requests will be treated with dignity and your privacy will be respected. We want to work with families to ensure that your children have everything they need to be successful at school. Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can help.

 

 

CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT

If your child is arriving late to school, please check in at the office through the front entrance.

If your child needs to leave school early, please sign your child out at the office and wait at the front entrance for them.

 

WEST COAST RECESS

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.

 

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

During our darker winter months, 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. Please drive slowly through the drop-off area.

 

Coming Soon:

 

Jan. 29              Pro-D day

Jan. 30              Spirit Day - Toque Tuesday

Jan. 30              Family Literacy event

Feb. 16             Pro-D day

Feb. 19             Family Day

Feb. 28             Pink Shirt Day

Feb. 28/29        Early dismissal for conferences

Mar. 14            Last day before Spring Break

April 2              Whiteside re-opens

May 1-3            Grade 6 Outdoor Education trip

May 17             Pro-D day

May 20             Victoria day

May 21             Gr. 7 Day at McRoberts

June 4              Gr. 7 rafting trip

June 27             Last day of school for students

 

Have a great weekend!

 ~Whiteside Elementary