Happy Friday, Whiteside!

It was a short but great week of learning at Whiteside! Our school showed their Olympic spirit by joining us in their country’s colours and watching the games. Our student-led learning conferences, Pink Shirt Day, and Lacrosse Week will soon springboard us into March and Spring Break. We look forward to longer days, better weather, and great learning! 

Coming up: Early dismissal on Wednesday, February 25^th at 11:50 a.m.

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:

Cody’s Reflections on Whiteside’s Olympic Watch Party (Feb. 18^th at 8 am)

I went to the school with my mom to watch the hockey game.  I liked it. It was Canada vs. Czechia.  The Canada team was wearing a red team uniform with a black maple leaf.  The Czechia team uniform was white with red on their arms and legs.  Canada won by 4:3. It was my first time to watch a hockey game.  I think it was fun because they always bump together.  I wish Canada can win the gold medal. 

Coming Events at Whiteside:

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 26 – PAC Hot Lunch – Yummy Slice

February 27 – PAC Hot Chocolate sale

February 27 – Grade 7 Snowshoe trip @ Mt. Seymour

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

March 3/4 - McRoberts Basketball Jamboree

March 4 – K hearing screening

March 12 – Concours in the gym in the afternoon

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 – Welcome to Kindergarten

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

Learning Conferences

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

Many classes will be hosting student-led conferences. They are a powerful way to get students actively involved in their learning journey! They provide a platform for students to showcase their work, reflect on their progress, and set goals for the future. This process helps students develop ownership, self-reflection skills, and confidence in communicating their learning. It also strengthens the partnership between students, teachers, and parents in supporting student success.

IMPORTANT: Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed

Thank you to our PAC for providing these yummy meals. We need more volunteers to join us on our PAC hot lunch days to organize and distribute the meals to our students. Without the hard work of this team, our hot lunches can’t happen. If you can help, please email our team at jameswhitehotlunch@gmail.com.

Scholastic Book Fair – February 24-25

Next week is our 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 library on Tuesday, February 24^th from 2:45-4:30 and Wednesday, February 25^th from 11:50-4:00.

 We are excited to celebrate our love of books together at the Book Fair. We look forward to seeing you there!

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 24: DeBeck (boys at DeBeck)

McRoberts’ Strikers Jamboree on March 3 and 4.

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/. 

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 and ensure allergies are noted on your child’s profile. Our Universal Hot Lunch Dates are:

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 Chow Mein/Veggie and Edamame Chow Mein)

June 17 (Shepherd’s 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.

Whiteside’s Got Talent

Ms. LB and Ms. Johnson host our annual talent show at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 13 in the gym. We look forward to showcasing the amazing talents and abilities of our Wolfpack. Families are encouraged to attend.

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 visionaries.

 https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/black-history-month.html

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 29 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 on Tuesday mornings at 8:10 a.m. 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. Our next PAC meeting is online at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21.

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.

DISTRICT INFORMATION AND UPDATES

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…

The Story Behind Pink Shirt Day

Pink Shirt Day began in 2007 in Nova Scotia, when a Grade 9 student was bullied for wearing a pink shirt to school. After seeing this, two high school seniors, David Shepherd and Travis Price, decided to take a stand. They bought 50 pink tank tops and distributed them to their classmates to wear the next day in solidarity. The school arrived in a "sea of pink," sending a powerful message that bullying would not be tolerated. Today, we continue to wear pink to symbolize that kindness is one size fits all and that we stand together for inclusivity.

~Whiteside Elementary