Whitehouse News - October 2026

We are excited to celebrate the upcoming Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for our new playground and recognize everyone who helped make it possible. A special thank you to River Valley Recreation, our dedicated Playground Committee (Mrs. Carolanne Sherwood, Mr. Brian Stelter, Mr. Ray Egbert, and Grade 1 Teacher, Mrs. Kristy Pieloch), and the student focus group, whose ideas helped shape the design and features. The new playground promotes social interactions, as well as physical and cognitive development with swings, slides, climbing ropes, and equipment that builds core muscles, balance, coordination, and strength. Students can also explore xylophones, sound beads, a tic-tac-toe panel, mirrors, lookout domes, and other problem-solving activities that encourage creativity, communication, and collaboration. The playground is handicap-accessible and includes a vibration slide originally designed for children with hearing impairments. Another enhancement is the solid-surface flooring, which supports students with mobility concerns. The new surface also replaces the traditional wood chips, making it a more durable floor that is easier to maintain. This playground is more than a place to play, as it is a space where students can build confidence, strengthen their bodies, develop friendships, and solve problems! We are extremely grateful to the school community for passing the referendum, and to all of the other individuals who contributed their time, ideas, and support in bringing this vision to life!

We truly appreciate the continued support and dedication of the Readington Township Police Department. Pictured here, Sergeant Gregory Wester helps students as they practiced how to safely evacuate the bus during a recent drill.

Whitehouse School promotes acts of good character, which makes us a "bucket-filling" school, a concept we adopted which was made famous based on Carol McCloud's picture book. Over the years, as we developed our own approach to character development, we wanted to involve parents in the discussion surrounding the specific character trait that we focus on each month. We do this through our bucket puzzle sheets. Students are expected to complete their school-wide homework by shading in pieces on their bucket puzzle coloring sheet as they show that trait throughout the school day and at home! During the month of September, 100% of WHS students in preschool through third grade submitted their bucket puzzle homework with a parent signature, demonstrating 100% parent participation and support in reinforcing the character education trait at home.

October is Friendliness Month! Our goal for October is for every class to reach 100% by showing kindness, including others, helping friends, and making WHS a welcoming place for everyone.

Be sure to check out our Great Bucket Race bulletin board to see how each class is progressing toward the finish line! This beautiful display was created and generously donated by the MacConnell family, courtesy of their company JMDesigns27@gmail.com.

Each month, in our newsletter, you can also find a bucket to print and color, along with information about our spotlighted character trait of the month.

Let’s fill those buckets and reach 100% each month all year!

Please encourage your children to continue to show good character as they earn your permission to shade in pieces of their "friendliness" bucket puzzle!

The WHS Book Fair was a wonderful success! Students had so much fun browsing the shelves, discovering new favorites, and sharing their excitement about reading. A huge thank you to our Home School Association and all of the volunteers who gave their time to organize and run the fair. Your hard work helped bring the joy of books and reading to our Whitehouse School community! Pictured below from the left are Mrs. Jessica Haines and Mr. & Mrs. Brian Stelter. Also, below on the bottom right is Grade 3 Teacher, Mrs. Laura Terranova as she shops with her children.

A huge thank you to our wonderful Home School Association for hosting another fantastic Fall Block Party! It was a fun-filled evening that brought our WHS families together to enjoy time with friends and celebrate our amazing school community. We are so grateful to the HSA and all of the volunteers who helped make this special event possible! Pictured below is the Patel family capturing the memory under the Whitehouse School archway!

Children were greeted by Cubby as we celebrated our first Spirit Day of the year! Students showed their school spirit and unity by bringing their very own Cubby or “stuffy” to school. The building was bursting with excitement, smiles, and school pride! Be sure to check out all of the exciting Spirit Days listed below.

Meet some of the people who make Whitehouse School such an amazing place!

Each month, three staff members are randomly chosen and are showcased in this segment.

The mission of Whitehouse School is to provide children with a nurturing environment where they will feel safe and accepted. Our school community encourages respect and builds independence while fostering academic and personal growth, while creating a love for learning.