Whitehouse News - May 2025

Dear WHS Friends and Families:

Whitehouse School has been consistently honored at the state (Silver certification through the Sustainable Jersey Schools program) and national levels (U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School Award). These fine distinctions are largely due to the tireless efforts of Mrs. Wendy Reardon. Early last year, Mrs. Reardon worked with the H.S.A. and had our garden certified as an official School Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. Keeping our school’s focus on eco-friendly behaviors and work with preserving our environment have been well-supported in our district, in addition to the greater school community.

• We were approached in 2019 by New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Office. Mrs. Murphy wanted to visit Whitehouse School because she was impressed with our greening efforts. Then, in 2020, we were invited to be in her video with Governor Murphy and Vice President Al Gore, as we announced that New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have climate change education incorporated across the academic standards in the curriculum. [Click here to see the video!]

• Now, in 2025, a picture of Mrs. Murphy and our Cubs of Character remain on Governor Murphy’s educational website. [Click here to see it!]

• This year, we are being re-certified as a Silver Level school and hope to continue to maintain our prestigious status as a Digital Schools Star through the Sustainable Jersey Schools program!

• We reached the highest possible tier through the Raritan Headwaters Association as we became a Watershed Level River-Friendly School. The sign is next to our walkway.

• We received the National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools USA Silver Award.

• As we continue our green mission, we want to keep you informed as we share our programs and facility augmentations. We are grateful for the $5000 Investors Bank grant that allowed us to enhance one of our courtyards for outdoor learning!

• Girls Scouts rejuvenated the WHS Sensory Garden. They cleaned-up the area by repurposing select perennials, splitting ornamental grasses, etc. They also constructed a Mindfulness area, which consists of a sitting nook with a custom-made bench and a privacy partition. Other sections of the garden were enhanced with a free-standing rain chain and different wind chimes. Lastly, the white borders on the outdoor map were repainted.

• Over the years, we have received several small grants in the amount of $2,000 each, sponsored through PSE&G and supported by Sustainable Jersey Schools and the New Jersey Education Association. The money was utilized to purchase water bottle refilling stations. Staff members and students have had cold, filtered water available AND are able to reduce waste by using less plastic disposable water bottles.

• We truly enjoy our longstanding partnership with the Rutgers Master Gardeners. We have been using two tumbling composters and if we fill them, we will switch over to the one constructed by our Master Gardeners. It is a hand-built, three-compartment composter made by repurposing wooden shipping pallets. The options help us to make the process more efficient and effective when all grade levels work to grow vegetables, fruits, and plants in our school garden. We also have a rain barrel so we can utilize its collected water in our vegetable and flower gardens.

• Each morning, our Head Custodian, Mr. Errol Jimenez, raises the American flag & also displays the appropriate outdoor air quality flag based on official weather updates.

As we continue to seek ways to reduce our environmental impact, we are determined to try to change behaviors that better serve and sustain our environment. Thank you in advance for your support. If you would like to contribute in any area, please let us know.

Warmly,

Dr. Ann T. DeRosa

All WHS students celebrated Earth Day...

In Music, Our concert music focuses on water and the seasons.

In Art, first graders created a sculpture and learned about an endangered bird species.

In Spanish, kindergarten and first grade learned about recycling plastic, metal and paper. While second and third graders learned about the 3 R’s of the environment: recycle, reduce and reuse.

In Physical Education, students were engaged in different games related to Earth and how to help it: Recycle and Sort, Garden Tag and Trash Can Basketball.

In the Library, we read and discussed books helping the planet.

In the STEM Lab, Students created videos of Earth Day posters to promote helping our planet.

In addition, students enjoyed passing time in the Sensory Garden where they had the opportunity to observe nature using their 5 senses while enjoying the weather.

Kindergarten planted flowers from seeds into planting trays. They are watering the seedlings and feeding and caring for their red wiggler worm farms in the classrooms. The worm castings will be used when transplanting their flowers into the garden to support healthy growth for the seedlings.

First grade planted snap peas, radishes, onions, and lettuce. Mrs. Mielke, our Master Gardener teacher liaison, created a watering schedule for indoor and outdoor. The plants are under a fluorescent lighting system until they are ready to plant outside!

Second Grade pulled weeds and learned how to use weeding tools, what's a weed and what's not and the proper way to use the tools as we weed.

Third Grade transplanted young pea plants, lettuce plants, and more. Meanwhile, students are gaining an awareness of the garden food web and the importance of keeping it in balance.

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.

We are teaching the children to show LOYALTY during the month of May. Loyalty means being a good friend and sticking by someone, even when things are tough. Please partner with us and encourage your children to continue to show good character as they earn your permission to shade in pieces of their bucket-filler LOYALTY puzzle!