The Wildcat Word
January 2026
Whitney Families,
Happy New Year! I hope that you had a great holiday and break. We are close to completing 2nd quarter and report cards will be sent home on January 30th. If you have any questions about your child's report card, please reach out to your child's teacher. Although we do not schedule a conference with all families at this time, teachers are available to meet in person or by phone before or after school. When the reports come home, please review them for growth, celebrate the successes, and use them to make a plan for improvement, if needed. A great way to improve in reading is to read for 20 - 30 minutes a day. A good way to improve in math is to be able to fluently recall math facts.
You should also be receiving a phone call regarding your child's middle of the year reading benchmark scores.
Although it's been a fairly warm winter so far, please make sure that your child is appropriately dressed for outdoor recess. We go outside each day unless it is 25 degrees or lower, with wind chill. If it's extremely cold outside we may decide to dismiss students that are picked up out front from the cafeteria.
Mr. Hunt
Principal
We are pleased to announce a new partnership with Hyundai of Yakima to support and encourage strong student attendance. For the remainder of the school year, Hyundai of Yakima will generously donate one bicycle each month. All students who earn perfect attendance during a given month will be entered into that month’s raffle for a chance to win the bike. The bike for the month of January is currently on display atop the book vending machine in the cafeteria.
December K-2 STUDENT OF THE MONTH WINNERS
December 3-5 STUDENT OF THE MONTH WINNERS
December K-2 CHARACTER OF THE MONTH WINNERS
December 3-5 CHARACTER OF THE MONTH WINNERS
Top AR Readers K-2
Top AR Readers 3-5
Social Media and Kids Ages 8–11: What Families Should Know
Many children ages 8–11 are starting to use social media, games with chat features, and video apps. While these tools can be fun and help kids stay connected, research shows that too much or unsupervised use can cause problems for children’s mental health, behavior, and learning.
How Social Media Affects Young Students
Children between ages 8 and 11 are still learning how to handle big feelings, friendships, and peer pressure. Because of this, social media can affect them more strongly than teens or adults.
Research shows that children who spend more time on screens and social media may experience:
- More stress, sadness, or anxiety
- Trouble sleeping
- Difficulty paying attention at school
- Lower self-confidence
Mental Health Concerns
Even young children can be affected by serious mental health issues linked to online activity.
- Sad or scary content: Kids may see posts or videos about self-harm, running away, or violence, even if they are not looking for them. This can be confusing and upsetting.
- Self-harm exposure: Research shows that seeing content about cutting or suicide can increase emotional distress, especially for children who already feel sad or lonely.
- Big emotions without support: Young kids may not understand what they see online and may not know how to talk about it.
Peer Pressure and Friendship Problems
Social media can make friendships harder for kids this age.
- Pressure to fit in: Kids may feel they need to act, dress, or talk a certain way to be liked online.
- Hurt feelings: Being left out of group chats or seeing friends post without them can cause sadness or anger.
- Online bullying: Mean comments or teasing online can happen at any time, even after school hours.
Social Isolation
Even though kids may be online a lot, research shows they can still feel lonely. Spending too much time on screens can take away from:
- Playing outside
- Face-to-face friendships
- Family time
- Creative play
These activities are very important for healthy growth at this age.
Uncensored and Unsafe Content
Many platforms are not designed for children under 13. Without strong filters, kids may see:
- Violent or frightening videos
- Bad language
- Dangerous challenges
- Inappropriate images
Late-Night Screen Use
Using devices at night can:
- Make it harder to fall asleep
- Cause kids to feel tired or moody the next day
- Affect learning and behavior at school
How Families Can Help
Experts recommend:
- Setting time limits for screens and social media
- Keeping devices out of bedrooms at night
- Using parental controls and privacy settings
- Talking often with children about what they see online
- Encouraging offline activities like sports, reading, and family games
Social media is not all bad, but young children need guidance, limits, and support to stay safe and healthy. When families and schools work together, kids can learn how to use technology in positive ways.
If a child ever seems very sad, withdrawn, or upset about something online, talking to a parent, teacher, or school counselor can make a big difference.
-Mrs. Padilla
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!
Beyond the Bell: Family Routines That Nurture a Child’s Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is the belief that abilities can be developed through effort, persistence, and learning from mistakes. Families play a powerful role in nurturing this mindset at home. This Beyond the Bell: Family and Caregiver Resource features age-appropriate strategies to get started.
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.
YSD Family Resources
Find useful District information for families on the Yakima School District family resources page. This includes the District Handbook, Translation Services, and Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying policies.
Character Education
Character education is our shared responsibility. It teaches the ways that we can live and work together as families, friends, neighbors, and communities. Each character word of the month aligns with our Profile of a Graduate (un graduado de Yakima).
