“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.”
–Dwight D. Eisenhower
Planning for next year and the rest of this one is in full force! Read below for all that is going on at our school and with the PTA.
We are so fortunate to have a wonderful Whittier Community. Thank you!
Whittier School PTA Executive Board
info@whittierschoolpta.org
whittierschoolpta.org
Order School Supply Kits Now
You’ve registered for school next year already (hopefully), so why not take care of the school supplies now too?
School supply kits from SCHOOLKIDZ are ready for ordering! Watch your child’s folder for information on how to order online, or visit shopttkits.com.
Questions? Contact Amy Cable or Peggy Tomchek.
Uncle Sam Whittier School PTA Wants You!
While NCAA March Madness is well behind us, our PTA is deep in the throes of May Madness! The Teacher Appreciation committee has been busy, and we thank them and everyone else who has participated or will be participating in helping to show appreciation for Whittier’s wonderful teachers and staff this week. As this year winds down, plans for next year’s PTA are ramping up. Be on the lookout for the new and improved (and online!) 2014-2015 PTA Packet in the next couple of weeks.
Have you been thinking about getting more involved in our PTA? If so, now’s your chance! Check out the following open committee chair positions for next year, and contact Rita Brezina and/or Valerie Hardy if you’re interested in—or have questions about—one of these important roles:
- Green Team: This student organization currently leads Whittier in protecting our planet through recycling drives, weekly “waste-free” lunches, and other projects. Green Team currently meets the last Tuesday of every month during lunch recess. The Green Team chair works with Whittier students to determine ways to raise awareness about environmental issues and to encourage Whittier’s students to take small steps toward living a “greener” lifestyle.
- Hospitality: The hospitality committee chair coordinates volunteers to contribute to lunches and dinners for Whittier’s faculty and staff on parent-teacher conference days. The committee also provides means of hospitality at other events if deemed appropriate.
- LRC Magazine Subscriptions: The LRC Magazine Subscriptions chair works with the LRC to identify subscription needs and collects magazine subscription donations so students have fun, new magazines for school use.
- Reflections: This is a National PTA program where participants in grades K-6 are asked to express themselves artistically based on a common theme. Students can write, compose, draw, paint, film, choreograph, or photograph something that fits the year’s theme. Whittier’s Reflections chair helps promote the Reflections program and coordinates the submission of student entries.
- Shopping with Benefits: This mutually beneficial fundraising program allows people connected to Whittier Elementary School to purchase gift cards from a variety of stores, restaurants, etc. with a portion of each sale going back to the school. The Shopping with Benefits chair is responsible for publicizing the Shopping with Benefits ordering deadlines and coordinating the orders.
- Whittier Wear: The Whittier Wear Chair (ha, that rhymes!) publicizes available Whittier spirit wear to students and their families, coordinates spirit wear orders, and distributes purchased Whittier Wear to those who have ordered it.
But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves! There is still one more PTA meeting for the 2013-2014 year. Mark your calendar and plan to attend this year’s final PTA meeting on Tuesday, May 20, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Jaguar Jungle (Whittier’s gym) and – as always – FREE BABYSITTING will be available in the art room. The meeting will begin with a special presentation about “Summer Slide” and ways for parents to help prevent this seasonal academic decline in their children. Following this parent education segment will be a brief general meeting. There are items to be voted on, so the more members in attendance, the better!
2 Liter Bottles Needed for Field Day
Save your 2 liter bottles and pass them on to Dana Kelley to be used at Field Day! She needs 40, and no single family wants to drink that much soda!
Market Day Pick Up Thursday
Market Day pick-up is this Thursday, May 15 at 1:30 in the Jaguar Jungle. If your freezer at home is running low on space, you may store items in the Market Day freezers at Whittier.
Also, volunteering an hour of your time to help pack orders is an easy way to get involved. We are always looking for willing volunteers! If you’re interested in helping out with Market Day this Thursday, please arrive at 12:30. Don’t forget to sign in at the office before heading to the Jaguar Jungle!
Contact Kellie Miller with any questions.
Language Stars Early Enrollment
Enrollment is under way for Foreign Language next year. Sign up now and receive 10% off! View the Language Stars early enrollment 2014-15.
30-week season, beginning September 8, 2014
Spanish for K-2nd Mondays, 7:40-8:20
Spanish for 3rd-5th Mondays, 7:40-8:20
Any questions, please contact Jen Watts.
Family Fun End-of-Year Picnic
Save the date and mark your calendars! The Family Fun committee is hosting an end-of-the-year picnic at McCollum Park on Sunday, June 8, from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
An Evite with details is coming soon. If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Quinn.
Thank you to everyone who attended the last few Family Fun Nights. We raised $400 at Panda Express, $272 at Potbelly, $515 at McDonald’s, and a whopping $1,904 at Chipotle!
Goodbye Summer Slide
Whittier Parents! Come hear a special presentation from Whittier’s Reading Specialist Christy Gergits and classroom teacher Debbie Krygeris on Goodbye Summer Slide. The presentation will be at the May 20th PTA meeting at 7:00 p.m. prior to other PTA business. All parents/caregivers are invited to attend and learn about the reality of the summer slide in reading, math, and writing, and hopefully gather some creative ideas to keep your children engaged in literacy and math activities throughout the summer months.
LRC Books Due May 21
All Whittier LRC books are due May 21. The LRC is getting new carpeting this summer, and we need to have everything boxed up before the school year ends. We appreciate your support in returning things early.
Playground Committee Meeting
Interested in participating on the Playground Committee? Meet at Papa Passeros on Cass Ave. in Westmont next Thursday, May 22, from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. We will keep it to an hour.
Want to learn more before the meeting? Not sure if you can make it? Contact Pamela McGinn. Hope to see you there!
Jaguar Jog 2014
Save the date and mark your calendars now! The 2014 Jaguar Jog will be held Sunday, September 28!
Would you like to help plan this fun community event? Please join us for the first committee meeting on Wednesday, June 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Corinne Potter’s house. All are welcome!
Questions? Please contact Chie Nicholson and Corinne Potter, whittierjaguarjog@gmail.com.
Variety Show Date Set for Next Year
Mark your calendars: the 2014 -2015 Whittier Variety Show will be Saturday, November 15, at the Tivoli Theater. Don’t worry, more details will come with plenty of time to get our little stars ready!
Green News
Remember that Waste Free Wednesdays will continue for the rest of the school year. Please pack lunches with reusable containers and nothing to throw away. (Yogurt tubes and string cheese are NOT waste-free)
Are your children missing jackets, gloves, or other items? Don’t spend money and resources replacing them until you check out the Lost and Found bin inside the front doors of school. There are countless items in there! Unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the year.
Spring Walking Club
Get the kids in their walking shoes every Wednesday for the rest of the school year so they can participate in the Walking Club again at lunch recess (weather permitting). As before, they will earn Jaguar Bucks ($1/two laps) to buy fun prizes at the Walking Club store that will be open twice more this year. The next Walking Club Store will be open this Wednesday, May 7, so make sure they are keeping track of those Jaguar Bucks!
Community News
Please see the attached flyer for more information about the Fun In the Sun community event on May 18 at the DGSRC. Please contact Melissa Rausch if you would like to volunteer at this event. High school students are welcome to volunteer as well!
Mark Your Calendars
- Thursday, May 15: Market Day pick up 1:45 – 2:50
- Sunday, May 18: Beverage Bonanza Event – Scavenger Hunt
- Monday, May 19: Beverage Bonanza Event – Legacy Art
- Tuesday, May 20: PTA Meeting & Good-bye Summer Slide presentation
- Wednesday, May 21: All LRC books due
- Thursday, May 22: Playground Committee Meeting
- Friday, May 23: Fun Lunch – Brown’s Chicken
- Monday, May 26: No School – Memorial Day
- Wednesday, May 28: Last Walking Club Store
- Tuesday, June 3: Field Day
- Thursday, June 4: Jaguar Jog Committee Meeting
- Sunday, June 8: Family Fun End-of-Year Picnic
- Wednesday, June 11: Last Day of School – dismissal at 11:40
