Curriculum Night – Thursday, September 9th
Whittier’s Curriculum Night this year is scheduled for Thursday, September 9.
Parents of students in grades K, 2, 4, and 5 will attend from 6:00-6:40pm.
Parents of students in grades 1, 3, and 6 will attend from 6:45-7:25pm.
Parents will enter the building through the main entrance. All parents and staff will be required to properly wear a mask while inside the school.
FAMILY FUN – Fundraiser at Skuddlebutts
Take the night off from cooking and support the Whittier PTA. Our first family fun fundraiser will take place on Curriculum Night, this Thursday, September 9th at Skuddlebutts. The fundraiser runs all day. You can order for pick up or delivery. 20% of what you spend on orders, as well as gift cards, comes back to Whittier. Use code “fundraiser” if you order online or complete the form being sent home on Tuesday.
Contact Megan Landers with any questions! meghanlanders1@gmail.com
Whittier Experiences Are Back!
Those new to Whittier in the last two years might be wondering, what are Experiences?
Whittier Experiences are a fun way to build community among students and parents while also fundraising for the PTA. Typically twice a year you are invited to host or sign up for Experiences, which are funded and organized by Whittier families and/or staff. The hosts cover the cost of the event and then all registration fees collected from those signing up for the event go to the PTA. Past experiences have included student focused events (movie night, bingo, kickball, etc.), while other experiences have been geared towards families or adult only events (yoga, volleyball, cooking, etc.) This year we are hoping to offer both virtual and in-person events. Mr. Krugman just asks that we follow District 58 guidelines for events, so we can do in-person experiences but we need to then follow social distancing and masking (indoor).
If you are interested in hosting or want to know more, please contact Lindsay Monco at lindsay.x.monco@gmail.com. We are looking for host volunteers asap, so we can open sign-up sooner than later and take advantage of hosting some events outdoors.
GIRLS DAY OUT – Thursday, September 30th, 10AM- 8PM
Join participating downtown Downers Grove businesses for a fun day of shopping and dining! The businesses will donate 10% of all hall pass purchases made that day back to the Whittier PTA. More details coming soon!
Your PTA Admin “To-Do” List
1) Join the PTA 2021-2022: This is where you can sign up to purchase a paper copy of the directory, advertise in the directory (paper and/or the Directory Spot mobile app), make an Angel Donation, and/or sign up to get more involved in the various Whittiercommittees and events. If you’d like a paper form or if you have ANY questions, please let me know. https://whittierschoolpta.org/join/
2) Enter/Update your Directory information: If you were already in the directory, I have updated the student grades for 2021-2022. Once I get class lists, the teacher assignments will be updated. If you have no additional updates, you don’t need to do anything. If your contact info has changed, please update it here. To gain access to the directory, you must first join the PTA (step #1 above). If you have already joined the PTA this year or in the past, you should have a DirectorySpot account. You will receive an email from DirectorySpot when your account is first set up, but if you miss it you can go directly to https://www.directoryspot.net and create an account or reset your password. Just be sure to use the same email that you used to register for the PTA. We are still offering the option to purchase a printed directory, available when you register for the PTA. You will need to join the PTA annually. The directory is used for Whittier families only, and can be used to contact classmates and parents and MAY NOT be used for solicitation.
Note: You need to update your info from a PC, not a mobile device. Let me know if you’d rather I do it for you.
3) Join our PTA Facebook page: This is a great way to connect with other Whittier families and send quick messages and get updates. Feel free to let us know of other Whittierfamilies that may want to join. https://www.facebook.com/groups/127540600656517/
Contact Ann Russel with any questions! annkherrick@yahoo.com.
Whittier Weekly Submissions
If you would like to submit something to be put in the Whittier Weekly please have your submission in by the Sunday before to be put in our weekly addition on Monday. Please use the link below for any submissions. Questions? Contact Cindy Maquet at cindymaquet@hotmail.com https://whittierschoolpta.org/references/documents-and-forms/whittier-weekly-submission/
PTA Committee Positions Open
We have several committee positions open, as listed below. If you are interested, please contact Mandi Torello or Sarah Forillo. acraig1014@gmail.com or sarahforillo@gmail.com
Communication
Responsibilities include keeping the PTA’s website updated, assisting with sign ups as needed, and managing other communication tools such as the PTA’s Facebook page and WhittierDirectory. Volunteers also work with other committee chairs on how to make timely updates on the website. Annually, the person responsible for the directory gathers the information and creates a printable directory. If you are interested and want to learn more, contact Ann Russell
Target Number of Volunteers: one person or a team
Estimated Time Commitment: 2 hours (start of the year) / 1 week thereafter
Required Availability: Flexible
Outside Programs Coordinator (Chess Scholars, Language Labs, Young Rembrandts)
Whittier offers our students several programs on a for-fee basis after school one day per week through external organizations. PTA members help liaise between the school and these external organizations for session scheduling and information distribution purposes. One PTA parent volunteer must also be present each week during chess in order to assist with attendance and overall supervision.
Target Number of Volunteers: 1
Estimated Time Commitment: Minimal (coordinator)
Required Availability: Weekday Afternoons
Math & Science Night
Math Night is an event for 4th-6th graders and their families to explore math concepts in a fun, hands-on way outside of the traditional classroom setting. Science Night is an all-school event for students and their families to interact with science concepts in a tangible and exciting manner. PTA members serving on the Math & Science Night committee plan, prepare for, and lead various sessions at the events.
Target Number of Volunteers: 10-20
Estimated Time Commitment: A few hours (early planning) / Significant (the week of the event)
Required Availability: Flexible (early planning) / Weekday Evening (night of event)
Walking Club
The Walking Club promotes fitness for Whittier’s students. Each student participant can earn one Walking Club “dollar” per lap completed during their recess time on Walking Club dates (Walking Club runs in the fall and spring only). Students can then spend their earned “dollars” in the Walking Club “store” when it is made available to them. Committee member duties may include printing/preparing the Walking Club dollars, buying the prizes for the Walking Club store, keeping inventory of the prizes, and scheduling parent volunteers to help track students’ laps, distribute dollars, encourage the kids to walk, and distribute prizes.
Target Number of Volunteers: 1-5
Estimated Time Commitment: 1 hour per week (when Walking Club is in season)
Required Availability: From 11:25 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. on Wednesdays (Fall and Spring Only)
