25-26 WBES Parent Newsletter
October 17, 2025 - Issue 11
Whitesburg Elementary Schools
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
Week of October 20 - October 24, 2025
October 20, 2025
ELA ACAP Practice (2nd-4th Grade)
2nd-3rd Penmanship Checkpoint 1 Window begins (10/20-24)
October 21, 2025
ELA ACAP Practice (2nd-4th Grade)
October 22, 2025
Science Acap Practice (4th Grade)
Title 1 Parent Advisory Committee Meeting at 10:00
Orange/Blue BBQ at 5:30
October 23, 2025
Science ACAP Practice (4th Grade)
Fall Photo Make-ups
October 24, 2025
ACAP Practice Make-ups (2nd-4th Grade)
Upcoming Dates (dates subject to change)
Oct 27-31 Red Ribbon Week
Oct 28 Spelling Bee
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 Title 1 Parent Focus Meeting - Importance of Family Dinner at 5:30
Nov 13 Intruder Drill
Nov 19 Title 1 Parent Advisory Committee Meeting at 10:00
Nov 19 Progress Reports go home
Nov 20 Thanksgiving Meal
Nov 26-28 Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec 5 Hazardous Materials Drill
Dec 8 PTA Board Meeting
Dec 10 Winter Concert (K-2) – 5:30
Dec 10 Title 1 Parent Focus Meeting - Family Game Time - at 5:00
Dec 12 Lion Shop
Dec 15 AR Point Cut-off
Dec 17 Title 1 Parent Advisory Committee Meeting at 10:00
Dec 17 AR Party
Dec 18 PBIS Party
Dec 18 Classroom Christmas Parties
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
WBES Mission: Inspire, Engage, Empower
Whitesburg Parents and Guardians,
It has been a great week of teaching and learning at the Burg!
Our practice state testing, ACAP, is the next two week for 2nd-5th grade. Please encourage your children to take this testing seriously and do their very best. As you know, the scores from this test now determines whether a child is held back in 3rd grade if their score is not proficient in ELA (AL Lit Act). We use the data from this practice test to determine instruction for each child. We do not want to waste a student's or teacher's time with instruction on something the student already know just because they did not try on this test. If this happens, the student will become bored and may then become a behavior problem.
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.
WBES Mission: Inspire, Engage, Empower
Best Faculty/Staff Ever!
WHITESBURG ELEMENTARY IS BRICK HOUSE STRONG! ALL STUDENTS DO ALL ASSIGNMENTS!
Character Word of the Month
Our Student's of the Month SHINE BRIGHT!
Faculty/Staff of the Month - Mr. Jake Eckenrode
The Sparkly Spoon Award
Ms. Woods' class received the Sparkly Spoon Award this week. Thanks to her class for being a part of making our cafeteria "SPARKLE and SHINE BRIGHT!"
It's coming! The Annual BBQ and Bingo...with Silent Auction!
Sponsored by YOUR Whitesburg Schools PTA
Everyone is invited to join us for our annual BBQ and Bingo event NEXT Wednesday evening, October 22, from 5:30 to 7:00 pm in the Whitesburg Cafeteria! Bring all your kids, grandparents, neighbors, and friends! FREE bingo cards will be provided to all, along with a HUGE stock of bingo prizes. Additional bingo cards can be purchased for $1 at the door.
We'll offer BBQ meals including pulled pork and pulled chicken from Lawler's and home-grilled hot dogs. Each meal comes with a side, a cookie, and a drink. Sides include mac and cheese, potato salad, and chips.
Now for the exciting part! We'll have SILENT AUCTION items up for bidding during the event. Here's a preview of a few of the amazing items donated by our generous community partners:
Reserved parking place in the school's front parking lot! (Yes, you saw that right! Reserve it now for future events this year! Sponsored by our principals)
$100 Terreme gift card
Buff CIty Soap basket
An Acer Chromebook laptop!
Vouchers for 1 month of unlimited classes at Pure Barre
Trash Panda tickets
Vouchers for Flow Trampoline park
And more!
(Credit card, Apple Pay, cash, and check are all accepted!)
Pre-order your meal today by clicking HERE. We will also be taking food orders at the door.
Mobile Clothing Closet
The mobile clothing closet will be visiting Whitesburg on 11/14. If you would like a permission slip and have not received one, please visit the front office. Permission slips are due by 11/7. The clothing closet will visit with pre-packaged items for those with a signed permission slip on 11/14. If you have any questions please reach out to Ms. Atkinson, michelle.atkinson@hsv-k12.org.
Mobile Closet Flyer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fhqJjXSHACmU5HQMHyhcM-0ZU322IoSo/view?usp=sharing
Mobile Closet Flyer - Spanish
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13vyzjbyIHi_bdLNWaCHKEWcye95ANrFL/view?usp=sharing
Classroom Christmas Parties will be on 12/18
Teacher Wishlists and Favorites
I know a lot of you want to help your teachers, but just do not know how. Please see the link below to see all of the teacher's favorites things and also their Classroom Wishlists. Please encourage your teacher throughout the year. Little "happy's" can make their day!
Students cannot be dropped off in the parking lots for arrival-This is unsafe!
Supplies Needed
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
Student breakfast and lunch are free at the Burg!
Slushies
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.)
23-24 Whitesburg Elementary's Alabama State Report Card Grade
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.
Bullying
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
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!
Huntsville Schools Mission Statement
The mission of Huntsville City Schools is to inspire, engage, and empower all students in becoming creative problem solvers, active citizens, and life long learners through rigorous curriculum and relevant instruction within a supportive environment. Vision: high expectations, character driven, and student centered. Core values: service minded, transparent, resilient, accountable, team focused, equitable, goal oriented, inclusive, and creative.