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Math Night is Tomorrow Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 6:30 (registration opens at 6:15)
*Picture Re-take Day is Friday November 6, 2015*
Monday November 10 and Tuesday November 11 School is IN Session
*Students will remain at school on October 30, 2015 and will not be dismissed at lunch to change into Halloween Costumes. Students can change into their costumes at school. The Halloween Parade will take place at school and parents are welcome to attend*
1. Kindness Palooza
2. Wreck
3. Reflections
4. Math Night
5. Student Council Updates
1. Kindness-Palooza
Monday, November 2nd, 2015
6:30-8:00 PM
We are looking forward to seeing Whittier families next Monday at our culminating event for One Book, One School: Wonder. The Kindness-Palooza will have family projects available, such as writing thank you letters to currently deployed military via Operation Gratitude and constructing Kindness Keychains. We will also have representatives that work with various local charitable organizations to teach our students about how they can get involved in showing kindness to others. The organizations at Kindness-Palooza will include Night Ministry (working with the homeless), Bernie’s Book Bank (books for at-risk children), West Suburban Humane Society, Ronald McDonald House, World Relief (working with refugee families), and Feed My Starving Children (food bank). Below you will find wish list items from each organization if your family would like to come prepared with a donation, though donations are not necessary to attend the event.
Night Ministry Wish List
Gently-used coats (all sizes)
Gently-used winter hats
Gently-used gloves
Gently-used scarves
Fruit
Bread
Granola bars/Snack items
Bernie’s Book Bank Wish List
New or Gently-used Children’s Books
West Suburban Humane Society Wish List
Paper towels
Laundry detergent
Bleach
Anti-bacterial hand soap
Dish-washing liquid
Food: Purina or IAMS Dry Cat or Dog Food, Kitten and Puppy Formulas (these brands only for animals with special dietary needs)
Any canned cat/dog/kitten/puppy food
KMR (kitten replacement milk)
Small baby bottles and nipples
Dog and cat toys (washable and indestructible)
Cat litter
Stamps
Garbage bags (13 & 30 gallon sizes)
Batteries (AA, 9-Volt, and C)
6” paper plates
Lint traps
Monetary donations always appreciated
Ronald McDonald House Wish List
Individually-wrapped snack foods (chips, cookies, granola bars, trail mix)
Keurig K-Cups (regular and decaf)
Garbage bags (33, 13, and 4 gallon sizes)
Liquid laundry detergent
Lysol wipes or spray
Hand sanitizer (any size)
Tin foil, Saran Wrap, wax paper, and plastic food containers
Ziploc bags (all sizes)
To-go food containers
Food-handling gloves
Liquid dishwashing detergent
Liquid hand soap
Baking soda
Individual packets of liquid coffee creamer
Individual mini-boxes of cereal
C-Fold paper towels, toilet paper, and paper towels
Napkins
Gift cards (Target, Jewel, local restaurants, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, gas cards)
World Relief Wish List
World Relief’s Top Needs as of now include:
Adult male winter coats (there is an URGENT need for this at this time)
Twin bed sheets (not extra-long)
Razors and shaving cream
Hand lotion
Alarm clocks
Cutting boards
Men’s deodorant
Lamps
Dressers (pick-up at your home can be scheduled)
Adult-sized bicycles in working order
Diapers
You and your neighbors could get involved in putting together your own Good Neighbor Kits, small household items that new families need upon arrival to this country, visit http://worldreliefdupage.org/good-neighbor-kits.
2. It’s time for WRECK!
What is WRECK? It is Whittier Robotics and Engineering Club for Kids, a unique free class sponsored by the PTA. Each week we build a Lego model using a motor, gears, and sensors, then we program it with Lego WEDO software to bring the model to life. WRECK is open to 3rd and 4th grade students — both boys and girls — and will meet on Wednesday evenings, from 6:30-7:30 in the Whittier REC Room (yes, WRECK in the REC Room, also known as Room 1). The fall session classes will meet on 11/4, 11/18, 12/2, 12/9 and 12/16, with additional classes in the new year.
Please e-mail Andy Knudsen at andyknudsen@gmail.com to sign up. If your student was in the class last year, the models will be a repeat, but the kids are still welcome.
3. Reflections – Let your imagination fly!
Calling all fine arts enthusiasts!! The deadline for Reflections submissions is nearing. Please be sure to turn in your fine arts submission by Oct. 30th. Art pieces can be turned in to your classroom teacher or to the Whittier School office. Please be sure that the art work is covered in cellophane for protection, and that you attach a completed Reflections entry form to the art work before submitting.
A BIG thank you to Mr. Belonio for hosting 2 lunchtime workshops to get students started on their Reflections artwork!!
Complete rules for each category can be found here under the “Local Leaders” heading:
http://www.illinoispta.org/
Please contact Wendy Carter with any questions at wendylcarter@att.net or 630
4. Math Night – Wednesday October 28th
Why learn math??? Because math is all around us in our real lives!
Come on out and play some math games that show how math works for us in the real world at Whittier Elementary’s Family Math Night!
4th-6th graders are invited, along with their parents, to participate in a night of math games at Whittier on Wednesday, October 28. Sign in at the Jaguar Jungle between 6:15-6:30. Games begin promptly at 6:30!
Parents of 4 – 6 graders will receive an e-vite this week. We hope all can come, but please RSVP so we know how many people to expect.
Please contact Wendy Carter or Michelle Rafacz with any questions at wendylcarter@att.net or mdemum
6. Student Council
Food Drive This Week – October 26-30th
Newbery Award winning author Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan) just released her newest title: Crenshaw, an amazing, heartfelt story about a boy Jackson and his imaginary cat friend, Crenshaw. Crenshaw helps Jackson deal with his family’s eviction and homelessness as well as food shortage and hunger. Applegate has written what we predict is another award-winning story, and to respond to the local need in Downers Grove, the WhittierStudent Council and LRC, along with Anderson’s Bookshop, will sponsor a canned/staple food drive next week. A table will be located in the hallway by the bulletin board along with collection bins in the LRC too. Please help us support individuals and families in our area that are struggling to secure sufficient food. We know the Whittier community is always so supportive of our efforts, so thank you in advance for your generous support.
The Reading Games Update!
Dear Whittier Families-
We are very excited to announce that team reservations for this year’s Reading Games competition will open on Monday, November 2nd at 9:00 A.M. The Reading Games is a competition for 3rd-8th grade students in District 58. To compete, students form teams of 5-8 students. Teams can be composed of students in mixed grades, as well as mixed schools (i.e.: a friend or two from Lester School can be on a team with students from Whittier; the team can have a few 4th graders with a few 5th graders and 3rd grade students too). Just remember – the team has to decide which book list to read before reserving a spot on Monday, November 2nd. So go to The Reading Games website and take a look at List 1 (selected for 3rd-5th graders) and List 2 (selected for 6-8th graders) and as a team, decide which list of books you’d like to read. No matter what grade team members are in, the team can choose to read either list (i.e. it’s ok for a 6th grade team to select list 1 boo ks). The LRC and Mrs. Krygeris have quite a few of the books available, so you can look at them in person or read reviews of each on the Amazon or Barnes & Noble websites.
We hope to have many teams from Whittier represented at this year’s The Reading Games on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at O’Neill Middle School. So recruit your team, choose a book list, find a team parent to help organize your team, and reserve your spot early on Monday, November 2nd. Reservations open at 9 A.M. and we expect the spots to fill before noon. Please consult The Reading Games website for more information. “Let the books be in your favor!”
Mark Your Calendars
- Monday, October 26 – Friday, October 30: Red Ribbon Week / Student Council Food Drive
- Tuesday, October 27, 2015: Variety Show TECH Rehearsal 3:00-6:00 MANDATORY
- Tuesday, October 27, 2015: RRW: Blue & Gold Spirit Day
- Wednesday, October 28, 2015: Rockin’ It Bully and Drug Free Day – Dress Like a Rock Star
- Wednesday, October 28, 2015: Math Night
- Thursday, October 29, 2015: RRW – Sports Day, Wear Your Favorite Team Colors
- Friday, October 30, 2015: Halloween Celebration -1:30 Parade, 2:00 Room Parties AM Kin 10:00 Room Party
- Friday, October 30, 2015: End of First Quarter
- Monday, November 2, 2015: Reading Games Registration Open
- Tuesday, November 3, 2015: Variety Show Stage Crew Dry Run 3:00-5:00 MANDATORY
- Wednesday, November 4, 2015: Variety Show Dress Rehearsal 3:00-6:00 MANDATORY
- Monday, November 2, 2015: Reading Games Open at 9:00 AM
- November 2, 2015 – November, 2015: Student Council – Extra Candy Drive
- Monday, November 2, 2015: One Book One School, Whittier Reads, Kindness Palooza 6:30-8:00 pm
- Friday, November 6, 2015: Variety Show School Performance
- Friday, November 6, 2015: Picture Re-Take Day
- Friday, November 6, 2015: Blue and Gold Spirit Day
- Monday, November 9, 2015: Board of Education Meeting 7:00
- Thursday, November 12, 2015: Variety Show Tivoli Rehearsal 3:00-5:00 MANDATORY
- Thursday, November 12, 2015: 1st Grade Dress the Turkey
- Friday, November 13, 2015: Blue & Gold Spirit Day
- Friday, November 13, 2015: Report Card Day
- Saturday, November 14, 2015: Variety Show at the Tivoli 10:00 am
- Tuesday, November 17, 2015: Intramurals (grades 5-6)
- Thursday, November 19, 2015: PTA Fall Book Fair (3-8)
- Thursday, November 19, 2015: Parent / Teacher Conferences
- Friday, November 20, 2015: PTA Fall Book Fair (3-6)
- Friday, November 20, 2015: Blue & Gold Spirit Day
- Monday, November 23, 2015: Parent Teacher Conferences
- Monday, November 23, 2015: PTA Fall Book Fair (8-12)
- Tuesday, November 24, 2015 – Friday, November 27, 2015: Thanksgiving Holiday, No School
- Tuesday, December 1, 2015: Intramurals (Grades 5-6) 2:55-3:55
- Friday, December 4, 2015: Blue & Gold Spirit Day
- Monday, December 7, 2015: Music Program Grades 5 and 6 at 9:00 am
- Tuesday, December 8, 2015: General PTA Meeting
- Monday, December 21, 2015 – Sunday, January 3, 2016: Winter Break, No School
- Monday, January 18, 2016: Martin Luther King Day, No School
- Tuesday, January 19, 2016: General PTA Meeting
- Friday, February 12, 2016: No School
- Tuesday, February 16, 2016: General PTA Meeting
- Friday, March 4, 2016: Teacher Inservice, No School
- Saturday, March 12, 2015: Reading Games
- Tuesday, March 15, 2016: General PTA Meeting
- Friday, March 25, 2016 – Sunday, April 3, 2016: Spring Break, No School
- Friday, April 8, 2016: Spring Fundraiser LP4P 2
- Tuesday, April 19, 2016: General PTA Meeting
- Tuesday, May 17, 2016: General PTA Meeting
- Monday, May 30, 2016: Memorial Day, No School
- *Friday, June 3, 2016: Last Day of School
- *June 6 – June 10 possible emergency days
