Hi Whiteside families!

 

Welcome to a New School Year at Whiteside!

 

September is always a time of excitement and new beginnings for our community. It has been an incredible first week of the school year, filled with joy as we welcomed back familiar faces and greeted new ones. While our school may be sparkly and new, nothing compares to the bright smiles on our students’ faces this week.

 

A very warm welcome to all students and families joining us at Whiteside for the first time! We’re thrilled to have you as part of our school family. This year, our newsletter will be emailed to all parents weekly, using the email address provided during your child’s registration. In addition, you may occasionally receive important updates from the school or district between newsletters, so please keep an eye on your inbox. To ensure you receive all communications, kindly make sure your email address is up to date with the school office.

 

We understand that returning to school can bring different emotions—excitement for some, and a bit of anxiety for others. We’re committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for every student. If you or your child need any support, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the office, our counselor, our vice principal, or the principal. We’re here to help!

 

We’re looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!

 

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.

 

Coming Events:

Sept. 9              Fire Drill

Sept. 19            Terry Fox Run

Sept. 19            Meet the Staff Night at 5:00 p.m.

Sept. 20            Non-Instructional Day

Sept. 27            Orange Shirt Day assembly

Sept. 30            National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Oct. 1               FSAs begin

Oct. 9               Individual photos

Oct. 10             Emergency Thursday (Fire Drill)

Oct. 14             Thanksgiving

Oct. 15/16        Outdoor Ed at Cheakamus

Oct. 17             Emergency Thursday (Earthquake Drill)

Oct. 23             Learning Conferences (11:50 a.m. dismissal)

Oct. 24             Emergency Thursday (Hold and Secure)

Oct. 25             Provincial Pro-D

 

WHITESIDE INFORMATION AND EVENTS

Class Placements

Thank you to everyone for your patience this week as our school team thoughtfully placed all our students into their current classrooms.  We are often asked how decisions are made regarding the organization of classes. During the first week we wait until we get an accurate count of all students and then depending on the number of classes that are granted to our school by the district, we then place students into classes. We consider each child's placement carefully based on the following criteria: academic, social, and emotional development, learning styles and strengths of students, integration of students with special needs, degree of independence in student work habits, students who do/do not work well together, and maintaining appropriate class size and composition. We moved into our classes this morning and enjoyed settling into our new rooms with our new teachers.

 

Student Lunches

Lunch time is an important part of our school day. Please help us create a calm, healthy, and positive lunch routine for our Wolfpack.

 

Providing a prepacked lunch helps maintain a consistent routine, which is so important for your child’s well-being and learning. When lunches are bought and dropped off, or when meals are cooked and brought to school, it can disrupt the flow of our day. These last-minute deliveries not only interrupt staff and students but also cut into valuable learning time.

 

Moreover, when students are uncertain about when or if their lunch will arrive, it can cause unnecessary anxiety and distraction. A healthy, prepacked lunch ensures that your child can focus on what matters most during the school day—learning and enjoying their time with friends.

 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this matter. By sending a nutritious lunch with your child each morning, you’re helping us create a more focused, calm, and productive environment for everyone.

 

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 September. Our first PAC meeting is at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 17.

Our 2024-2025 PAC executive:

• Co-Chairpeople – Sandeep Bhullar and Ken Loy
• Treasurer – Jaylene Sandhar
• Secretary – Carrie Viloria
• Hot Lunch Coordinator – Karen Au
• Social Media and Communications – Chris Ho

 

Hot Lunch

Our first hot lunch day will be Pizza Day on September 27^th. You can order online through Munch-A-Lunch. Ordering will open soon. More information to come.

 

School Supplies and Kindergarten Cooking Fees

Our school supply fee will be $33 this year. Our agenda fee will be $7. Our Kindergarten cooking and craft fee will be $22. We will collect these fees in the new school year. Other field trip and special programs may require additional fees to be collected next year as plans are made throughout the school year.

 

Outdoor Education – Grade 6 Camp

Our grade 6s will be going to Cheakamus near Squamish for their Outdoor Ed trip this fall. They will depart Whiteside early in the morning on October 15 and will return late in the afternoon on October 16. There will be a grade 6 parent information session on Monday, September 9 on Teams (online link will be emailed out). An information package with permission forms was sent home today. Please return all camp forms by Friday, September 13.

 

Whiteside Fundraising

After a summer of collecting empty cans and bottles, you can help raise money for Whiteside. 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 Package of Forms:

Next week, we will send 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.

  

Non-Instructional Day and The National Day For Truth And Reconciliation

Just a reminder that school will be closed for our first non-instructional day of the year on Friday, September 20^th. Whiteside will also be closed in observance of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on Monday, September 30^th. Our Orange Shirt Day assembly will be held on Friday, September 27^th.

 

Staffing Update

We are pleased to welcome our new and returning staff members who have joined the Whiteside community this year:

Mme Lai – Vice Principal

Mme Rogak – LFI Gr. 7

Mme Hartmann – LFI Gr. 6

Mme Dineen – Learning Resource

We are excited to welcome them to Whiteside!

 

Richmond School District Student Accounts

Over the next week, our school district will send an email with your child’s login name for our SpacesEDU, and Microsoft 360. Not all classes use these online tools. As your child settles into their class, your classroom teacher will be able to assist logins and passwords. This is NOT an account for the MyED parent portal. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

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.

 

West Coast Recess:

During recess and lunchtime breaks, students are expected to always be outside 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

This year, Whiteside is so proud and excited to participate in the Terry Fox School Run on Friday, September 19^th. To date, our school has raised thousands of dollars for cancer research! Terry never quit on his dream of a world without cancer, and neither will we. This year, our goal is $1000, and you can donate in support of cancer research https://schools.terryfox.ca/32913/donate while building fantastic school spirit! Thank you for supporting our school in the fight against cancer and showing your no-quit attitude in honour of Terry! #terryfoxschoolrun @terryfoxfoundation

 

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.

Here are some tips for drivers, pedestrians, and parents from ICBC to make travelling to and from school safe for everyone.

 

 

DISTRICT INFORMATION AND UPDATES

 

Opt-In to District/School Text Message Communication

The Richmond School District implemented a new communication tool that will enable both the district and our school to send you text messages.  This is being implemented to improve the ability to deliver time-sensitive information to you, including emergency notifications.  Given the significance of this communication tool, we strongly encourage you to opt-in for this service. NEW families will receive a text to opt-in (this is not spam and we recommend you accept).

 

If you would like to opt-in at any time, you can choose to opt-in by sending a text message to 978338 with the comment ‘Yes’.

 

Student And Family Affordability Fund

The provincial government recently announced a renewal of one-time funds for the Student and Family Affordability Fund. This fund is designed to assist families who require financial assistance with school-related costs in the following areas:

• school and course fees.
• school supplies and course materials.
• field trips.
• school-related extracurricular opportunities. 
• clothing and footwear required for sports and school activities. 

Please reach out to our principal, Brett Cameron, (whiteside@sd38.bc.ca) if you need assistance.  As always, all requests will be treated with dignity and your privacy will be respected. We want to work with our families to ensure that our students, your children, have everything they need to be successful at school. Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can help.

 

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.

 

 

THE MORE YOU KNOW…

Restorative Justice

What is restorative practice?

Restorative practice is a way of working with conflict that puts the focus on repairing the harm that has been done. It is an approach to conflict resolution that includes all parties involved. Restorative practice (sometimes referred to as restorative justice) is often an approach to conflict resolution that we use at school. We will share more information about restorative practice in future newsletters.

 

Parking Lot Safety Tips

Drivers 

Stick to the Speed Limit
A 30 km/h speed limit is in effect in school zones from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every school day, unless otherwise posted. In playground zones, a 30 km/h speed limit is in effect every day from dawn to dusk.

Scan Crosswalks and Intersections from Left to Right as You Approach
Watch for pedestrians waiting to cross, especially during school hours.

Leave Your Phone Alone
Distraction is the leading factor for drivers in crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists.

Notice if Other Drivers are Slowing Down or Stopping
If a vehicle is stopped in front of you or in the lane next to you, they may be yielding to a pedestrian, so proceed with caution and be prepared to stop.

Give Yourself Enough Stopping Distance
You need more time to stop when you're driving fast. At a slower speed, motorists have better chance to react when children or others are crossing the road. This could be the difference that saves a life.

Watch for School Buses
When their lights are flashing, vehicles approaching from both directions must stop.

 

Pedestrians 

Cross Only at Marked or Controlled Crosswalks
Do not jaywalk or cross when it isn’t your turn.

Look Both Ways Before Crossing the Street
Ensure it is safe to cross from both directions of traffic before setting foot on the crosswalk.

Make Eye Contact with Drivers Approaching the Crosswalk
Be certain they see you and that they’ve committed to slowing down to a stop.

Double-Check Lights and Signals are Working at Controlled Crosswalks
Make sure that the flashing traffic lights are operational and haven’t timed out before crossing.

Wait Until the Crossing Guard Says It’s Safe to Cross
If your school has a crossing guard, follow their instructions before crossing – they will make sure it’s safe before guiding you across.

 

Parents 

Let Your Child Enter and Exit Your Car on the Side Closest to the Sidewalk
It’s safest to drop off and pick up as close to the sidewalk as possible. Do not allow your child to cross mid-block.

Before Starting Your Car, Check for Small Children Hidden from Your View
Walk around your car and always look carefully for pedestrians when backing up.

 

COMMUNITY INFORMATION AND EVENTS:

City of Richmond – Public Works Open House (Saturday, September 7) – for sharing with families

This annual family city event will take place on Saturday, September 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s a free and fun-filled day that is for all ages and will feature:

 

• Real-sized heavy equipment such as dump trucks, graders and excavators
• Lafarge Kidcrete hands-on cement display
• Free kids food coupon and enter to win a grand prize by completing the Kids Passport – pick up a copy at the Greeting Station
• Lunch and snacks for purchase from one of the food trucks
• Live music and entertainment
• Richmond Fire-Rescue and other community partners onsite
• ParticipACTION Community Challenge booth
• Kidstruction zone
• Kids play area and games
• Lawn care display

 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

 ~Whiteside Elementary