Whitewood Elementary

As the leaves change and our mornings turn chilly, please make sure your child is dressed for the weather. Layers and a jacket are perfect for keeping them warm at the start of the day.

When South Dakota winter finally decides to arrive, please be sure your child comes to school prepared for the cold! A winter coat is a must. Boots, hats, gloves or mittens, and snowpants are highly recommended when snow arrives. We want students to stay warm and comfortable while enjoying outdoor recess.

One last important reminder: Please label your child’s winter gear! Even a simple piece of tape with their name on it inside their boots or on their winter clothing can help us return lost items to the right owner.

Students will be outside for recess unless it is pouring rain or a windchill of below zero degrees. There is a sign at the front door for students to look at when they arrive, it will be green for outside recess or red for inside recess.

This month we’re celebrating Shelly Mikkelson, Principal of Whitewood Elementary and our four rural schools: Central Meade County, Elm Springs, Opal, and Hereford Elementary!

Before joining Meade, she taught in the Belle Fourche School District for over 20 years! That’s a lot of lessons, leadership, and probably a few extra cups of coffee! ☕

Shelly is deeply rooted in our rural and Whitewood communities — she’s truly one of our own!

Congratulations to the October Wranglers!! 🎉

Kindergarten: Emberly

First Grade: Maverick

Second Grade: Kadence

Third Grade: Eli

Fourth Grade: David

Thank you Sonset Station in Whitewood for donating gift cards for our Wranglers of the Month! Each Wrangler of the Month will receive a $5 gift card as a special reward for being a role model student.

Whitewood Elementary students had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a firetruck while learning some very important fire safety tips from our very own Whitewood Volunteer Fire Department!

Thank you to our local firefighters for taking the time to visit with our students, teach them about fire safety, and give them an up-close look at the important work they do in our community!

What a perfect morning for Walk or Bike to School Day on October 7th! The choir took their practice outside and serenaded families as they walked and biked to school. A big thank you to the Whitewood 8-10 Club for volunteering as crossing guards!

Thank you Deb at the Whitewood Pubic Library for all you have done for Whitewood Elementary students and for the Whitewood community!

When you win a Whitewood Elementary PTO raffle and get a ride to school from the Whitewood Police Department, you don’t just get a ride… you get the full chauffeur experience! Door opened, personal escort, and a ride to school in style! Who needs a limo when you’ve got our local police department? Thank you, Officer Bach!

Talk about a HOT Ride to School! Jenaya won the PTO raffle and got to roll into school in style aboard a Whitewood Fire Department fire truck! Forget the school bus—this is one way to make sure everyone notices your arrival! Thank you Aaron and the Whitewood Fire Department for the sweet ride!

A huge thank you to the Sturgis Golden K Kiwanis for your generous donation! Thanks to your kindness, we were able to purchase new books for our book vending machine!

Talk about a sweet deal! Ms. Dena will be baking fresh, in-house cookies for $1.00 on Friday, November 20th!

📅 Friday, November 20th
⏰ 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM
💵 Cash only
🍪 $1.00

All are welcome to honor our veterans on November 11th at 10:30AM!

TURKEY BINGO IS BACK!

Don’t miss out on a Whitewood community favorite! The Whitewood Elementary PTO is hosting Turkey Bingo on Thursday, November 19th!

📅 Thursday, November 19th

🚪 Doors open at 4:45 PM

🎱 Bingo starts at 5:30 PM

Here’s what you need to know:

🎟️ Reusable bingo cards: $5.00

🌶️ Chili and cinnamon roll meal: $5.00

🥩 Beef raffle tickets: $10.00 each

🍪Parents, we need your help! If you’re able, please bring a dessert to donate as a bingo prize! Pies, cookies, brownies, bars, or any other delicious treats are welcome.

Bring your game face and get ready to WIN YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER!

Don’t forget about the beef raffle! For just $10 per ticket, you could win a ranch-raised beef bundle courtesy of Frederickson Ranch near Spearfish! Burger, steaks and roast...oh my!! Tickets may also be purchased at anytime in the school office!

Grab your family and friends, come hungry, and join us for an evening of bingo, good food, and so much fun! We can’t wait to see you there!

Each month, we’ll highlight one of our amazing staff members! This month, we’re featuring our First Grade teacher, Miss Marr!

Miss Marr lives in Spearfish and began her teaching career in 2019 at Central Meade School. This is her first year teaching at Whitewood Elementary, and we are so excited to have her! In her free time, she enjoys music, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

To get to know Miss Marr a little better, we asked her four questions:

Favorite Food? Mexican

What is your favorite thing about your job at Whitewood Elementary? My favorite thing is my new school family that have so warmly welcomed me! (And the kids of course! 💗)

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Bora Bora

What would be your super power? Clone myself!

We have been taking full advantage of the beautiful October weather! With the sunshine and warmer temperatures, recess has been a great opportunity for students to get outside, run, play, and enjoy time with their friends. There’s nothing better than a little fresh air and extra time to burn off some energy during the school day.

Mrs. Heilman's kindergarteners had a terrorific fall gathering! From decorating cookies and bowling with pumpkins to enjoying so many other fun fall activities, the kinder class had a frightfully fun time! Thank you to our spooktacular parents who volunteered their time and talents!

Mrs. Silvernail's second grade class has been working on a class project for Unit 1 in reading. They have been learning about how community members can show how they care for each other. Students created a class newsletter with a partner to include what they thought was the most important points. It was fun and a lot of hard work! Here are just a few samples:

Mrs. Meredith's 3rd graders were ready for some pumpkin science fun! Students started by estimating their pumpkins’ weight, number of seeds, circumference, height, and more. Then came the exciting part—cutting off the tops, scooping out the seeds, and measuring everything again to see how close their estimates were!

Mrs. Silvernail’s class visited the Whitewood Public Library for story hour, and boy, did they have a frightfully good time! Mrs. Hill’s choir class joined in on the fun, singing a spooky song complete with instruments. Story hour was filled with music, cookies, and Halloween fun!

Thank you to all who supported student council for the popcorn and water sales!

The next PTO meeting will be Monday, November 2nd at 3:30 in the staff lounge. We hope to see you there!!! If your child is a student at Whitewood Elementary they will have free access to the after school program during the meeting.

By 1964, when the reorganization was finalized with the Meade School District, Whitewood Elementary became a K-6 school. Students in 7th through 12th grades were bused to Sturgis, like today. The Whitewood Senior Center was opened in 1973. To keep ties strong between the community and the students, teachers and students ate lunch with the senior citizens once a week! How cool!

Email: meadewhwoffice@k12.sd.us

Website: https://www.meade.k12.sd.us/whitewood-elementary/
Location: 603 Garfield Street, Whitewood, SD, USA
Phone: 605-269-2264