Whittier WildChat
June 13, 2018
Whittier School photo
We show respect. We make good choices. We solve our problems. It's what Wildcats do!

Upcoming Events
Spring Sing/Artwalk - Wednesday June 13, 6:30 
Please come join us for an art filled evening as we celebrate your creative and talented Wildcat artists and performers.

6:30- Enjoy art showcasing work from every student in each grade in the main hallway. Light refreshments will be provided.
7:00- Head to the stage to hear vocal performances by the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade classes.

Don't miss this opportunity to see and hear the creative talents that your Wildcats have put so much time and energy into all year long.

Join Us for Lunch on Friday, June 15th
Please join us for the Field Day BBQ on June 15th! We will have hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, baked beans, carrots, broccoli, watermelon and cookies. This costs is $3.00 for students and $4.75 for adults.

Lunch schedule (different than typical day):
2nd/3rd 10:25- 10:55
1st 10:35- 11:05 
4th/5th 10:45- 11:15
K 10:55- 11:30 (5 extra minutes)

Field Day is Friday, June 15th-World Cup Russia 2018
We are still short some volunteers and only have 2 grills coming. We need one last push to get the slots filledTo help make field day memorable for our Wildcats, simply follow our World Cup Russia 2018 link to Sign up Genius   Be a part of Wildcat history.

This year's theme is World Cup Russia 2018. Students are asked to embrace their classroom national team (shirts, hair dye, face paint, etc.) for this celebration of fun and activity.

Here is the schedule! As listed aboce, please note lunch times are different than the typical day

10:25-11:30 Lunches (schedules above)
11:40 unicyclists to gym prep for quick welcome ride
11:50 Classes ARRIVE on playground
11:55 Unicycle Welcome Performance
12:00 Activities Begin
2:05 Activities End... hopefully

2nd Grade Showcase on June 20th
2nd grade families are invited to join us on June 20 at 12:40 for the Second Grade Showcase. Each 2nd grade class will perform a play that promotes kindness and community. The performance will be on the stage. If you would like to volunteer to help, please email Ms. Steph. She could really use some extra hands.

PTA Information
Recess Volunteers Needed
Our new playground is amazing and could use some adult volunteers during recess from 10:30-12:10PM or any segment of that to help with our student's new enthusiasm. Sign in at the front office and thanks for coming to help!

Jog-A-Thon Thanks!
The 2018 Jog-A-Thon has wrapped up - and it was a huge success that supported two fantastic Seattle schools: the Bailey Gatzert Bears and the Whittier Wildcats. We met our goal to dedicate the first $10,000 raised to our sister school, Bailey Gatzert. That money will fuel family and student support programs and stock up their teacher and student supply cabinets before the first day of school this fall. And because you helped us raise more than $15,000 (and still counting!), everything beyond $10,000 will give us a headstart on funding programs at Whittier like math tutors, family nights, field trips, assemblies, and so much more. If you have a pledge envelope at home, you can still drop it off at the Whittier office. Lap cards have been returned to your runner's teacher and should come home via kid mail.

Thanks to our event sponsors, Turner Construction, Good Hangups, and CRD Design Build - and special thanks to Brooks Running for providing our race day swag and the water station. Runners couldn't have dunked each other so much without it. Thank you to the army of race day volunteers who transformed the playground into a high-speed track and kept it running smoothly; to our Jog-a-thon Team Sara Schmidt, Katie Dahlen, Amy Bryan, Elena Aldinger, Rachel Knecht, Justin Fenton, Mark Butler, Sarah Okun, Tony Toppenberg and Kelsey Toppenberg; to Whittier staff and teachers who supported this event; and to the fabulous Not-Its who helped us wrap it all up with a big-time dance party.

All in all, the Jog-A-Thon was a day of fun, fitness, and most importantly, bringing our community together. We couldn't have done it without your support, Wildcat families, and we can't wait to do it again next year!




Looking for Co-chairs for Fill-us-in Event
We are looking for two co-chairs to organize the Fill-us-in event held the week before school starts. You will get instructions from our knowledable former chairs and there is a big team of volunteers waiting to help you with the work. Please help us make sure that this event can happen so that we can continue to make sure that you have all your paperwork ready before the start of school and you get your teacher assignment ahead of time.
Please contact [email protected] for any questions or simply to volunteer. Thank you!

School News
Library Books Due and Summer Book Swap
Reminder that all library books are due back to the school library this Thursday, June 14th. Also, we are still excepting donations for the Book Swap that students will start taking part in tomorrow through next Thursday. Thank you! Mrs. Newcomb

New to the Whittier Website
A new page has been added to Whittier's website, Supporting LGBTQ Students. Seattle Public Schools has created policies and best practices designed to support LGBTQ students and families. We've created a central place to find this important information. We hope that sharing this will give families the tools they may need to support students.
 
 
Whittier Elementary School 2018 Physical Education Summer Enrichment Program- Spots still available
P.E. in the summer? Why not? Download the registration form(also available on Schoology and outside the gym) for more information. Return form to Mr. Pule. Limited enrollment of 44.
Camp Details: Mr. Bryan Pule, Whittier's PE specialist, and Ms. Barbara Bruecher, Olympic View's PE specialist will offer a 4-day (Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri...) program at Whittier.
  When: Monday 7/2, Tuesday 7/3, Thursday 7/5, Friday 7/6 (no session on Wednesday, July 4th)
Time: 9:00am-12 noon
Who: Students currently enrolled at Whittier K-5th grade during the 2017/18 school year.
Where: Whittier Elementary School Gym/Playground
Camp Objectives:
The program will provide a "success-oriented" experience with emphasis on individual skills building, small and large group activities, and the creation of a safe, cooperative environment where students will explore new challenges, improve skills, and participate in various healthy activities. It is our goal to build confidence, ability, and a true love of physical activity that will develop into a life-long habit.

District News
Levy Survey
To prepare for the levies AND improve our overall communication effectiveness, families have been asked to participate in this online survey https://tinyurl.com/SPS2018English. The survey will take 5-7 minutes. The survey closes on June 22. A Spanish language version is also available https://tinyurl.com/SPS2018Espanol.
Survey results will be instrumental in guiding our levy communications. Past levies have supported critical education programs that are not fully funded by the state, such as:
  • Teachers and instructional assistants
  • Bilingual and Special Education services
  • Textbooks and classroom supplies
  • Safety, building security, transportation and other operations necessary to meeting student needs
  • Student activities such as athletics, music, drama and art that are outside of the regular school day
On behalf of the Communications and Engagement team, thank you!

2017-18 District Calendar 
Notes From the Front Office
Volunteer Tea Date Change
We have recently changed the date for the Volunteer Tea. It will now be held on Mnday, 6/18 from 2:30-3:30. Invitations have been sent out with this information.

Please see the improtant dates above for all the end-of-year events.

Wanted: Lunch & Recess Volunteers
Lunch and recess times provide important social, emotional and physical breaks for our students. We are at lunch and on the playground with your children everyday but can always use extra help to:
·  Monitor play to ensure safety
·  Help students with playground equipment
·  Assist students who are learning new games and social settings
·  Referee sports games on the playground
·  Encourage kids to eat
·  Remind students to stay in their seats
·  Open food containers
·  Assist students with cleaning up and putting away their lunches
·  Grant bathroom permissions

Volunteering at lunch and/or recess is a fun way to help out, and a great way to be involved in your child's school day!

~~~~~IT'S GREAT TO BE A WILDCAT~~~~~

-Miss Monica & Miss Rebecca
Community News & Events
Volunteers Needed to Install Roxhill Elementary's New Playground Safety Surface
Just in case Whittier volunteers didn't experience enough time moving wood chips, we have an opportunity at EC Hughes in West Seattle this weekend for two-hour shifts.
Open to all-ages -- but you have to promise not to climb on anything. Join Friends of Roxhill Elementary at the renovated E.C. Hughes Elementary, where we are moving in the fall, on Saturday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Address: 7700 34th Ave SW)
Many hands make light work - we're planning for 50 to 60 people for each two-hour shift. It's Father's Day weekend -- invite your whole family to come on down! Sign up here:
http://signup.com/go/QixMZHL

Whittier Kids Summer Camps -  spaces still available!
Open to all kids entering Kindergarten-5th grade. Join us for a summer full of engaging weekly themes, acitivities, and interesting field trips! Learn new skills, explore new friendships, and provide your child a chance to grow and learn in a safe, fun neighborhood environment. 
Questions? Email [email protected]


Barking Dog Parents Night Out- Wednesday, June 13



Thank You!!
Thank you Kelsey Toppenberg and Justin Fenton for organizion another great Jog-a-thon. The kids had a blast raising money for our greater Seattle community.

Lunch Menu
View the June lunch menu here.
Calendar
Wednesday, June 13th-6:30
Spring Sing and Art Walk

Friday, June 15th
Field Day

Monday, June18th-2:30-3:30
Volunteer Tea

Wednesday, June 20th-12:40
2nd Grade Showcase

Thursday, June 21st-8:15 am
End of Year celebration and 5th Grade Graduation

Email us  with upcoming event details.
Shopping for Whittier
Support our Wildcats by shopping! (Really!) These retailers donate a % of your purchases to Whittier...
 

-AmazonSmile - Select "Whittier PTA Seattle Council" during the easy set-up at smile.amazon.com. Bookmark it and click it every time you shop! (Tech support tip: Amazon Smile only works on browsers, not the Amazon app.)


-Fred Meyer - 
Link your Fred Meyer Rewards card to Whittier PTA (NPO# 85919). You keep your Rewards points!


-Ballard Market - 
Look for the jar labeled Ballard Market receipts on the table in the lobby and stuff your collected receipts inside.

Get Involved

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