“Habit simplifies our movements, makes them accurate, and diminishes fatigue.”
–William James
Keep up your good habit of reading Whittier Weekly and taking care of PTA business every Tuesday! The year is almost over, but there is still plenty to stay on top of for now. 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!
Online Book Fair Open Through May 9
Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Scholastic Book Fair last week at school! If you didn’t find a book you were hoping for (those Minecraft books went at lightning speed!), you are in luck! The Online Book Fair will remain open through May 9, so follow this link to check out what is available. There are a lot more titles available on line than even at the school book fair.
Questions? Contact Jen Mielke.
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.
Market Day Specials
Please don’t forget to order from Market Day this month! Place your order online or submit the form to school by Monday, May 12. As always, you may store items in Whittier’s Market Day freezers if needed.
This month’s promo is a free Micro Fiber Drying Mat with a $40 purchase, plus a free 4-pack of Cheesecake Pops with a $90 online purchase. Ordering from Market Day is an easy way to help earn money for our school.
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.
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.
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
- Wednesday, May 7: Walking Club Store (weather permitting)
- Friday, May 9: Fun Lunch – Potbelly
- Friday, May 9: End of Online Book Fair
- Monday, May 12: Market Day orders due
- Thursday, May 15: Market Day pick up 1:45 – 2:50
- Tuesday, May 20: PTA Meeting & Good-bye Summer Slide presentation
- Wednesday, May 21: All LRC books due
- Friday, May 23: Fun Lunch – Brown’s Chicken
- Monday, May 26: No School – Memorial Day
- Tuesday, June 3: Field Day
- Thursday, June 4: Jaguar Jog Committee Meeting
