The Wildcat Word

Whitney Families,

As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, we are delighted to welcome you back to another exciting academic year at Whitney Elementary. September is a month filled with new beginnings and fresh opportunities for our young learners, and we couldn't be more thrilled to embark on this educational journey with your children. Throughout this newsletter, you will find a wealth of information, updates, and insights into the exciting events and initiatives planned for the month ahead.

We encourage you to stay engaged, ask questions, and actively participate in your child's educational experience as we work together to foster a love for learning and personal growth. We are committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education, and we look forward to a month filled with growth, discovery, and shared achievements. Together, we can make this a memorable and successful school year for all!

Mr. Hunt

Principal

Spetember 24 - Noon Release - Staff Professional Development

October 13 - Outdoor School for 5th Grade at Camp Dudley

October 22 - Noon Release - Staff Professional Development

October 27 - 31 - Conference week / Noon Release

Please check out the Events section of ParentSquare to see the most updated information.

Support:

Every year we have students that get wet, muddy, or have accidents. To support these students we try to have clothes readily available so that we don't need inconvenience parents and have kids wait in the office for someone to show up. At this time we are in need of boys and girls clothes, shirts, pants, and underware specifically, as well as coats to restock our supply.

With the change in weather coats and jackets tend to get left on the playground more often and end up in our lost and found. Help us, help you ensure that these items get back to their rightful owner by writting your child's name in the inside of the item with permanent marker.

Reminders:

• School starts promptly at 8:45, please drop off your child by 8:40am to ensure that they can get into class and eat breakfast on time.
• If you are a kinder parent and would like to get out of your car to pick up your child please show up early enough to park in the kinder lot.
• If you are in the pickup line please stay in your vehicle.
• If you are waiting by the flagpole to pick up your child please stay in the grass and don't crowd the sidewalks as students are having to walk in the road to get around parents.

We recognize that being a parent requires a significant commitment of time, especially during the week with family activities, sports, dinner, reading with your child, and bedtime routines. To help keep communication clear and accessible, the Booster Club budget and expenditure proposals will be shared through our school newsletters. There are also annual mandatory expenditures that are required to keep our Club complients with state requirements such as registration as a nonprofit and liability insurance. We currently have $15,883.10 in our Booster Club account. Volunteer opportunities for upcoming events will be posted on ParentSquare and added to the Events Calendar. Please consider and vote on the following proposals which will close on September 26th:

A kindergarten pumpkin patch field trip provides students with a real-world, hands-on learning experience about plants, seasons, and agriculture, often featuring activities like hayrides and corn mazes. $800 will cover the cost of transportation and entry for all of our kindergarteners to attend. If approved all kindergarteners would have the opportunity to visit the pumpkin patch.

One of the ways we acknowledge positive student behavior at Whitney is by rewarding students with PBIS Rewards Points. Students are able to redeem the points they earn with experiences and items in the school store. The school store is currently running low on inventory and needs to restock items. While the store does take donations, we are asking for $3,000 to restock the school store. If approved we would order additional items for the School Store.

Science on Wheels travels across Washington bringing engaging STEM programming to grades K–8 with a focus on interactive and hands-on programs that bring the joy of scientific exploration to life and empower learners to see themselves in STEM. Whole-Day Experience Cost: $3,995. If approved we would set up a date for them to come and present.

When a movie is shown inside a school for non-educational purposes, a license is required. A Public Performance Site License makes it possible for our school to show movies in the gym for movie night. The cost of a Public Performance Site License for 1 school year is $578. If approved we would be allowed to show movies in the gym for movie nights and during field day.

We are planning on having a Movie Night in the next month. Typically we allocate $600 for the intial movie night for food and drinks that can be purchased at the concession stand. We usually net around $300 - $400 per movie night after expenses have been deducted, which basically pays for the licensing costs each year. If approved we would allocated $600 to purchase the food and drinks for the next movie night pending we have a movie license.

Did you know that at Whitney Elementary, our staff has set an attendance goal for students? Our aim is for students to attend school 85% of the time.

Consistent attendance is crucial for keeping up with studies and laying the groundwork for future success. Missing school days can really hold a child back from grasping important concepts and skills. Being in class allows students to fully engage in activities, discussions, and projects that are essential for learning and development. So, returning to regular attendance ensures that students get the continuous support and instruction they need from their teachers to reach their full potential academically.

But attendance isn't just about academics. It's also about social development and emotional well-being. When students attend school regularly, they have more chances to interact with their peers and teachers, which helps them develop social skills and emotional resilience. These interactions create a sense of belonging and community, which is especially important after times of isolation.

At Whitney Elementary, our staff is dedicated to providing your child with the best educational opportunities possible. By making sure your child attends school regularly, you're helping them get the most out of their education and setting them up for success in the future. Let’s work together to ensure that students at Whitney Elementary are in class and ready to learn!

Be Here, Win Big!

Whitney is celebrating families of students who show up and shine with raffle prizes the whole family can enjoy - gift cards to your favorite restaurants and shops, board games/family activities, and other cool surprises.

Why:

• Every day that a student is in class means more learning more friends, and more fun!

• Win cool prizes for the whole family.

How to enter:

• Come to school on time everyday

• Miss no more than 1 school day per month

When is the raffle drawing?

• Winners will be drawn on the last school day of every month.

Parents and families:

Help your child get to school on time every day - attendance adds up to success!

Good attendance = better grades + strong habits + more opportunities + more smiles + prizes!

Families and Friends of Whitney Wildcats,

As a PBIS school, we honor our students' great behaviors with PBIS points which they can then cash in for prizes from our Wildcat Store. Students have reported that the store is a big motivator. We would love your support to keep our store stocked with items our students are excited to earn. Please review our Amazon wishlist if you would like to make a donation.

Our Attendance Goal this year is that 85% of Whitney students have less than 18 abscences. Please help us make this goal a reality by bringing your child to school every day! Below is a report of our current attendance data which shows that we are not trending towards our goal of 85%. Please help us make attendance a priority by bringing your students to school every day unless they have a fever of over 100 degrees, vomiting, or diarrhea. Last year we had 69% of our students had less than 18 absences.

This year our 5th grade students will be participating in the Outdoor Learning Grants Program to develop and support outdoor educational experiences for students in all geographic regions and include high levels of accessibility for students with disabilities.

From reducing stress to improving mental and physical health, outdoor-based learning helps kids thrive. Research shows that kids who participate in outdoor educational activities are more likely to graduate, are better behaved in school, and have more relationships with peers, higher academic achievement, more critical thinking skills, and more direct experience of scientific concepts in the field. They also have better leadership and collaboration skills and a deeper engagement with learning, place, and community.

Our 5th grade students will travel to Camp Dudley on October 13th for a full day experience. We need 3-4 parent volunteers per class. Volunteer packets are linked below or you can pick them up in the office. Specific information rearding the trip will be sent to parents of 5th grade students via ParentSquare.

Beyond the Bell: Help Your Child Feel a Sense of Belonging at School—Starting at Home

Helping children feel a sense of belonging in school begins at home. This Beyond the Bell features strategies families and caregivers can use to model empathy, encourage social skills, and support identity development, equipping kids to navigate school life with security and joy.

• Click HERE for English

• Click HERE for Spanish

Click here to check out Whitney Wildcat custom tees, hoodies, and accessories. Don’t forget to use the discount code at checkout. New discount codes are displayed across the top of our apparel page.

Visitors

Please check in at the office if you would like to join your child for lunch.

Volunteers

If you would like to volunteer in your child's class you must have an application on file with the Yakima School District. The application requires a background check. You can pick up a Volunteer applications from the office or attached below.