Hello Whiteside Families,

Welcome back to a new year of learning and fun! It has been an incredible first week, and our school is once again filled with the best sound in the world: the laughter and joy of our students. Seeing all their bright, smiling faces—both familiar and new—has been the perfect start to our year.

A Special Welcome to New Families

A very warm welcome to all the students and families joining our community for the first time! We are so happy to have you as part of our Wolfpack and look forward to getting to know you.

Staying Connected

To keep you informed, our school newsletter will be emailed to you every week.

• Check Your Inbox: Please keep an eye on your email for our weekly updates, as well as other important information from the school or district.
• Update Your Contact Info: To ensure you don’t miss anything, please make sure the office has your most current email address on file.

We Are Here to Help

We know that the start of a new school year can bring a mix of excitement and nervousness for students (and parents!). Our top priority is creating a safe, supportive, and caring environment for every child. If you or your child need any support, please never hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher, the office, or our administration team. We are always here to help.

We are looking forward to a fantastic year of partnership and learning with all of you!

Warmly,

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.

Coming Events:

Sept. 12 – Terry Fox Run

Sept. 15 – HUB Cycling for div. 1-6

Sept. 22 – Non-Instructional Day (school closed)

Sept. 25 – Meet the Teacher Night from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Sept. 29 – Orange Shirt Day Assembly

Sept. 30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (school closed)

Oct. 8 – Individual photos

Oct. 13 – Thanksgiving (school closed)

Oct. 22 – Early Dismissal (students dismissed at 11:50)

Oct. 24 – Provincial Pro-D (school closed)

Oct. 27-31 – School wide dance classes 

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.

Terry Fox Run

This year, Whiteside is so proud and excited to participate in the Terry Fox School Run on Friday, September 12th. 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

We will begin collecting Toonies for Terry (coin donations at school) on Tuesday.

If Whiteside raises $1000, our beloved music and band teacher, Ms. LB, will cut 8” off her hair!

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 online at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16.

Our 2025-2026 PAC executive:

Co-Chairpeople – Sandeep Bhullar and Sofia Shivji

Treasurer – Jaylene Sandhar

Secretary – Carrie Viloria

Hot Lunch Coordinator – Karen Au

Social Media and Communications – Chris Ho

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.

School Supplies and Kindergarten Cooking Fees

Our school supply fee will be $35 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.

Staffing Update

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

Mme Jien – LFI 7

Mme Cheng – EFI 2/3

Ms. Masakai – Gr. 5/6

Ms. Fu – EA

Ms. Kumar – EA

Ms. Yasir - NHS

We are excited to welcome them to Whiteside!

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.

DISTRICT INFORMATION AND UPDATES

N/A

THE MORE YOU KNOW…

Terry Fox

Our Terry Fox run is coming up soon. Did you know:

• He Ran a "Marathon a Day" on a Unique "Hop-Skip" Gait. To compensate for his prosthetic leg, Terry developed a distinctive running style. He would hop on his good leg and then swing the prosthetic leg forward in a "hop-skip" motion. This meant he put significantly more strain on his natural leg, but it was the only way he could cover the incredible distance he did—the equivalent of a full marathon (42 km or 26 miles) every single day for 143 days.
• He Started His Run in Relative Obscurity. When Terry Fox dipped his leg in the Atlantic Ocean in St. John's, Newfoundland, on April 12, 1980, almost no one knew who he was. There was very little media attention, and for the first few weeks, he ran through small towns with little fanfare, often facing harsh weather alone. His fame grew organically as Canadians began to hear about his incredible journey and were inspired by his determination, turning his quiet start into a national phenomenon.

Back to Routines:

Returning to school is a big adjustment for our Wolfpack. There are some small things everyone can do to help rebuild successful school year routines at home:

Re-establish Consistent Home Routines First.

A predictable home schedule is the foundation for a smooth school day. As we return to school, focus on consistency.

• Bedtime is Key: Start a consistent, relaxing bedtime routine that allows for plenty of sleep. A well-rested child is far more resilient and able to handle the demands of a new school day.
• Prepare for the Day the Night Before.
  • Morning chaos is a major source of stress for both parents and kids. Preparing as much as possible the night before creates a calm start to the day and helps your child feel organized and in control.
  • Pack Together: Have your child help pack their backpack with their lunch, snacks, and any necessary items the night before. This builds independence and ensures they know what they have.
  • Lay Out Clothes: Let them choose and lay out their clothes for the next day. This simple step eliminates one major decision from the morning rush, making everything go more smoothly.

Have a great weekend!

~Whiteside Elementary