25-26 WBES Parent Newsletter

Email: lisa.jones@hsv-k12.org
Website: https://www.huntsvillecityschools.org/schools/whitesburg-elementary
Location: 107 Sanders Road Southwest, Huntsville, AL, USA
Phone: 2564287780
Facebook: facebook.com/WhitesburgElem
Twitter: @whitesburgElem

Aug 29 ½ Day Student

Sep 1-Oct 31 1st-2nd BOY Numeracy Screeners Window

Sep 10 Progress Reports go home

Sep 15-20 Bookfair

Sep 15 Hispanic Heritage Month begins

Sep 15 PTA Board Meeting

Sep 17 Grandparent Breakfast

Sep 18 Fire Evacuation Drill

Sep 22-26 College and Career Week

Sep 24 Fall Photos

Sep 26 College and Career Day

Sep 29 AR Point Cut-Off

Sep 30 Buddy-a-Thon stuffing in Lion’s Den

Oct 1 Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Oct 1 School Principal’s Month

Oct 1 Kindergarten BOY Numeracy Screener Window

Oct 1 AR Party

Oct 2 PBIS Party

Oct 2 Custodian Appreciation Day

Oct 3 Severe Weather Drill

Oct 6-10 Fall Break

Oct 13 PTA Board Meeting

Oct 13-24 4th-5th BOY Forefront Fractional Screeners Window

Oct 17 Report Cards go home

Oct 22 Orange/Blue BBQ

Oct 23 Fall Photo Make-up

Oct 27-31 Red Ribbon Week

Oct 31 ½ Day Student

Nov 1 Native American Heritage Month

Nov 10 Veteran’s Day Program

Nov 10 PTA Board Meeting

Nov 11 Veteran’s Day Holiday – No School

Nov 13 Intruder Drill

Nov 19 Progress Reports go home

Nov 26-28 Thanksgiving Holiday

Dec 5 Hazardous Materials Drill

Dec 8-18 ACAP Practice Window

Dec 8 PTA Board Meeting

Dec 10 Winter Concert (K-2) – 5:30

Dec 12 Lion Shop

Dec 15 AR Point Cut-off

Dec 17 AR Party

Dec 18 PBIS Party

Dec 19 ½ Day Student

Dec 22-Jan 2 Winter Holiday

Jan 1 School Board Appreciation Month

Jan 6 Students Return

Jan 6-16 MOY IReady Window

Jan 6-Feb 6 K-2 MOY Numeracy Screener Window

Jan 6-16 4th Grade MOY Forefront Fractional Screeners Window

Jan 7-16 MOY DIBELS Window (K-3)

Jan 9 Report Cards go home

Jan 12- Mar 13 ACCESS and Alt ACCESS Window

Jan 12 PTA Board Meeting

Jan 14 Lock Down Drill

Jan 19 MLK Jr Day – No School

Jan 30 100th Day of School

Jan 20-30 5th Grade MOY Forefront Fractional Screeners Window

Jan 22 Class Portraits

Feb 1 Black History Month

Feb 6 Severe Weather Drill

Feb 9-13 Bookfair

Feb 9 PTA Board Meeting

Feb 10 Tall/Small Ball

Feb 11 Progress Reports go home

Feb 11 Kindergarten Cap and Gown Photos

Feb 13 Half Day Students

Feb 26 Black History Program

Mar 1 Women’s History Month

Mar 2-6 Read Across America Week

Mar 2-Apr 3 ACAP Alt. Window

Mar 9 AR Cut-off

Mar 9 PTA Board Meeting

Mar 11 AR Party

Mar 12 Spring Photos

Mar 13 PBIS Party

Mar 16-20 Spring Break

Mar 16-Apr 24 ACAP Summative Window

Mar 21 Down Syndrome Awareness Day

Mar 24 Fire Evacuation Drill

Mar 26 Color Run

Mar 27 Report Cards go home

Mar 27 Color Run Make-up

Mar 30 ELA ACAP Week

Apr 1 Month of the Military Child

Apr 1 Paraprofessional Appreciation Day

Apr 2 Autism Awareness Day – Wear Blue

Apr 3 ½ Day Student

Apr 3 School Librarian Appreciation Day

Apr 6 Math ACAP Week

Apr 13 Science ACAP Week

Apr 13 PTA Board Meeting

Apr 15 Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

Apr 15 Purple Up Day

Apr 22 Field Day – PK – 2nd

Apr 22 Administrative Professional Appreciation Day

Apr 22 Weather Drill

Apr 23 Field Day – 3rd-5th

Apr 24 Weather Day

Apr 27-May 8 EOY iReady Window

Apr 27-May 6 EOY DIBELS Window

Apr 27 Field Day Make-Up

Apr 28 School Bus Appreciation Day

Apr 29 Progress Reports go home

May 1 Asian Pacific Islander Month

May 1 Mental Health Month

May 1 Principal Appreciation Day

May 1 Parent Coordinator Appreciation Day

May 4-8 Teacher Appreciation Week

May 8 Teacher Duty Free Lunch

May 6 Bomb Evacuation Drill

May 11 PTA Board Meeting

May 13 AR Cut-off

May 14 Awards Day

May 15 5th Grade Clap Out

May 15 Grissom Clap Out

May 18 AR Party

May 19 PBIS Party

May 21 ½ Day Student – Student Last Day

May 21 Report Cards go home

Whitesburg Parents and Guardians,

What a great first week of learning we have had at the Burg!

Our beginning-of-year DIBELS and iReady assessments will begin on Monday. Please encourage your child to give their very best effort. These assessments are a key tool for teachers—they guide instruction and help us identify areas where students may need extra support. If a student doesn’t do their best, it may result in them having to repeat lessons or receive additional instruction on skills they have already mastered. We want to use instructional time effectively for both students and teachers.

We’re excited to launch our Buddy-A-Thon fundraiser this week! Students will attend a kick-off event during school on Wednesday and will bring home a flyer (linked below) with all the details. The fundraiser will run from Wednesday, August 19, 2025 through Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

Funds raised will help us purchase outdoor classroom materials for our students.

This is an easy, fun fundraiser—students send emails to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, or anyone who might want to help. Their goal is to raise enough to “Build a Buddy” (similar to Build-A-Bear) and add accessories if they wish. While students are earning their Buddy, they are also helping our school fund exciting lessons and resources.

Once you register your child, be sure to:

• Include your own email address so you can also make a donation.

• Share your fundraising link on social media to help reach the goal faster.

On September 30, students will choose and build their own 16” Buddy, complete with a heart insert and birth certificate—an event they will never forget!

Please register Wednesday night and send those emails through the easy Mega Blast platform. Thank you for your support!

Let's continue to strive for excellence in everything that we do.

Thank you for your support! I am blessed to serve with you at the BURG!

Shine Bright Whitesburg!

Thanks,

Mrs. Jones

WBES Purpose of Whitesburg Elementary is to inspire, engage, and empower all students to a successful future.

WBES Vision of Whitesburg Elementary School is to be recognized globally as a model school offering transformative opportunities for students.

WBES Mission of Whitesburg Elementary is to provide a safe and supportive learning environment characterized by quality staff, rigorous academic instruction, innovative programs, outstanding extracurricular opportunities, and exceptional resources.

Ms. Respess' class received the Sparkly Spoon Award this week. Thanks to her class for being a part of making our cafeteria "SPARKLE and SHINE BRIGHT!"

We need 19 more parents to take the survey. Please, please, please take a moment to click on the link below for our Title 1 Beginning of Year Parent Survey. It will only take a couple of minutes and will help us out.

To ensure the safety and well-being of all students, Alabama public schools must follow strict state laws and district policies regarding medications and health procedures during the school day.

Medication Administration

· Written Orders Required

o School nurses must have a completed and signed Parent/Prescriber Authorization Form (PPA) on file before any medication can be kept or given at school.

o This applies to both prescription and over-the-counter medications.

· Prescription Medications

o Must be in the original container with current prescription label from the pharmacy.

o Must match the orders (PPA) provided by the licensed prescriber.

· Over-the-Counter Medications

o Must also have a signed authorization form (PPA).

o Must be in the original, unopened container, and not expired.

o If OTC requires less than a 2-week duration, and FDA approved, a parent/guardian signature is only required. If needed for more than 2-week duration and/or the medication is not FDA approved, a health care provider’s signature is required.

Medical Procedures

· Provider Orders Required

o Any medical procedure (such as blood glucose checks, catheterization, nebulizer treatments, g-tube feedings, etc.) requires written healthcare provider orders on file.

o Orders must be updated and not expired.

o Medical conditions require an Individualized Healthcare Plan (IHP) completed by the parent and school nurse.

Important Reminders

· Students may not carry or self-administer medication unless specifically authorized by the prescriber, parent, and school nurse (e.g., asthma inhalers, EpiPens- emergency medication or medications for chronic health conditions only).

· For your child’s safety, please deliver all medications directly to the school nurse.

· New orders are required when they have expired and whenever medication changes occur.

Our Commitment

Your child’s health and safety are always our highest priority. By following these guidelines, we can make sure every student receives safe, appropriate care while at school.

Questions? Please contact your school nurse for guidance or to obtain the required forms.

Huntsville Literacy Council's (HLC) mission is to improve literacy rates and promote a love of reading at an early age. They believe that literacy is the foundation for success in all areas of education.

There are volunteers from HLC who will begin working with some of our Burg students to help give them the extra push they need to become proficient readers.

They need your help! Anyone that would like to volunteer with HLC would be very beneficial to them and to WBES student's academic success. If you are not able, please pass this information along to anyone you think would be a good fit. The time involved would be approximately and hour a day, two to three days a week.

Please see their website for more information. I have also added Ms. Junia Haymond's, HLC Secretary and Treasurer, contact information below.

Junia@huntsvilleliteracy.com

256-860-6288

Please know that we cannot use school funds for certain items. Please see the below list for items we are constantly needing. It would be appreciated if you could donate these items.

Paper towels

Clorox Wipes

Kleenex

All Purpose Cleaning Spray

We will sell slushies each Friday afternoon.

· $1 for 5oz cup

· $5 for souvenir Whitesburg Elementary Plastic Cup. This cup can be reused each Friday for a $2 refill.

(Slushie Friday's intention is not a fundraiser. It is for student encouragement and celebration. However, we do make a little money off of the sales, and that money goes into WBES's General Budget and is used for student incentives.)

The official State of Alabama School Report Card grade for Whitesburg was released today. Our official score is an 82, which is a "B." While we are excited to have a "B," let's continue to strive to increase that score with a goal of raising our "B" to an "A." We will continue to work with our students to be grade level proficient. Parents can help us by working closely with the teachers to get ideas of how you can help you child at home, encouraging them to do their very best every day, and to make sure they are in attendance each day.

Any intentional and repeated act of unwanted aggressive or demeaning behavior involving a real or perceived power imbalance, in which one or more people intentionally and repeatedly cause physical or psychological harm to another person. To be considered bullying, the conduct must also place a student in reasonable fear of harm or of damage to property, have the effect of substantially interfering with educational performance or school operations, or create a hostile, intimidating, threatening, or abusive educational environment.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book gifting program that mails free, high-quality books to children from birth to age five, no matter their family’s income.

Please use the link below to sign you child(ren) up. It is no charge and the child will receive a free book each month.

https://imaginationlibrary.com/check-availability/?#selectedCountry=US

We also have our "Goodnight with Dolly" video series you can share with your child in the meantime. Happy reading!