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Upcoming Events
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Wednesday, August 31, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Whittier Elementary Playground
New families are invited to join veteran Whittier parents and students to learn more about Whittier. Restrooms will not
be available; please plan ac
cordingly.
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Fill Us In is This Week!
Wednesday, August 31, 2:30pm - 6:30pm
Whittier Elementary Gym
2:30pm - 3:30pm NEW FAMILIES ONLY
3:30pm - 6:30pm All families encouraged to attend
- Submit required school and district paperwork
- Receive your child's teacher assignment (paperwork must be complete)
- Learn about PTA events and opportunities
- Learn about after school enrichment and childcare options
- Drop off donations for the Bailey Gatzert School Supply Drive
Remember to bring your checkbook if you are making (optional) payments for PTA membership, a Chinook Book and/or Spirit Gear purchase, and/or a contribution to Whittier's Annual Give campaign. All checks should be written to Whittier PTA.
Today (Tues., Aug 30th) is your last chance to pick up paperwork packets in advance of Fill Us In. Packets are available 7am - 6pm at Whittier's entrance.
If you are not able to attend Fill Us In, your child's teacher assignment card will be in the mail to you immediately following the event.
NOTE: We are not able to accept your child's school supplies at Fill Us In this year. Please bring them to class on the first day of school unless your teacher communicates otherwise.
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Whittier Wildcat Welcome
Tuesday, September 6, 2pm - 4pm
Whittier Elementary Lunchroom
NEW FAMILIES ONLY
2:00pm - 3:00pm
- Enjoy light refreshments, meet Principal Melissa Schweitzer
- Kindergarten students meet their teachers, visit classrooms
- Older students have Q&A, school tour w/ Principal Schweitzer & staff
3:00pm - 4:00pm
If you missed Fill Us In, complete required paperwork & learn about PTA events and opportunities.
First Day Jitters
Monday, September 12th, 7:55am - 8:45am
Whittier Elementary Lunchroom
Whittier parents are invited for coffee and treats (provided) after drop off.
Back to School Potluck / Fall Family Movie Night
Friday, September 16th, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Whittier Elementary Playground / Gym & Lunchroom
Bring the whole family and a dish to share. "Mr. Peabody & Sherman"
starts @ 7:30.
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PTA Information
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Bailey Gatzert School Supply Drive
Bailey Gatzert Elementary is Whittier's sister school. Each year we run a school supplies drive, holiday gift drive and book drive to support their school. Please consider picking up a few extra supplies (list below) and drop them in the labeled boxes at Fill Us In on Aug. 31st or by the Whittier office once school begins. The drive ends Friday, September 16th.
- Binders (1 inch)
- Colored Markers
- Colored Pencils
- Composition Books
- Expo Markers
- Glue Sticks
- Plastic Homework Folders
- Kleenex
- Pencils
- Pencil Boxes
- Scissors
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School & District News
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Whittier Bell Times
REMINDER: Whittier's school day will begin at 7:55am and end at 2:05pm.
Delayed Kindergarten Start
Seattle Public Schools is offering one-on-one teacher visits to every kindergarten family districtwide. To make time for these one-on-one teacher visits, the first day of school for every kindergartner will be Monday, Sept. 12.
Kindergarten teachers will meet with each family on Sept. 7, 8
or 9. Teachers will contact families in late August to schedule their 30- to 40-minute visit.
Students in grades 1-5 will start on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
Free and Reduced Price Meals
All students who qualify for free and reduced price meals receive meals for free. Submit an application for free or reduced price meals before the start of the school year to ensure your application will be processed before classes begin. Submit your application on the SPS Nutrition Services webpage
.
Contact the SPS Nutrition Services Office at 206-252-0675 with questions.
School Supply Lists
School supply lists are posted on the Back to School page of the Whittier website. Please bring school supplies to class on the first day of school unless your teacher communicates otherwise.
While you are shopping, consider purchasing a few extra supplies for the School Supply Drive in support of Bailey Gatzert.
Staffing Updates
From Mary Pat, Whittier's Administrative Secretary:
Hello Whittier Families!
It's so difficult for me to write this but I want to let you know that September 1st will be my last day at Whittier. As many of you know, I have very elderly parents and this allows me to take care of them on a consistent basis.
It has been a pleasure to work with you and your children.
I consider myself so lucky to have been a part of such a wonderful family here.
Mary Pat
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Whittier welcomes Parker Eldin Jaynes, new baby boy to Access Teacher Mr. Jaynes. Parker was born
June 29th
. Congratulations!
2016-17 District Calendar
Family Communications Changes - Fall 2016
In Fall 2016, SPS is launching its SchoolMessenger InfoCenter to enable families to customize how they receive communications from their school(s) and the district. Every family is automatically enrolled to receive all messages. This allows schools and SPS to use phone calls and email messages for non-emergency related issues in addition to emergency notices. Families are able to opt-out of non-emergency calls by updating their InfoCenter account preferences. Learn complete details
here.
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Community News & Events
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After School Enrichment Classes @ Whittier
After school enrichment classes will be offered
at
Whittier during the 2016-2017 school year, facilitated by staff from Loyal Heights Community Center / Seattle Parks and Recreation.
Programs will cover a wide variety of interests and activities.
Programming will begin the week of Sept. 19; registration begins Sept. 6.
More details will be available in coming weeks and Loyal Heights staff will be available at Fill Us In (see event details under Upcoming Events above) to answer questions.
Additional resourc
es for before and after school childcare and enrichment can be found under the
Services
and/or
Student Activities
tabs on the Whittier website.
Kids University
Registration for afterschool enrichment programs with the YMCA at the Phinney Center is now open! These programs have been designed to accommodate the new earlier afternoon bell times for local elementary schools in 2016-2017. The Y will provide transportation right after school from Whittier.
Kids University staff is fun and attentive, there is a wide selection of dynamic classes, and programs run as late as 6:00 p.m.
You can select days of the week and pick-up times that work best for your family's schedule.
Official registration is open
.
Email us
with questions.
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Volunteer Information
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Open 2016-17 Volunteer Positions
Team up with a friend and contribute your own flavor to the Whittier community. Volunteers are needed ASAP for the following events and activities:
- PTA Volunteers Co-Chair (year-long position)
This is a PTA Board position for 2016-17
- Spirit Gear Sales (primarily August and September)
Seeking assistant to shadow in 2016, lead in 2017
- 2016-17 WildChat Editor (year-long position)
Seeking an Editor for the weekly PTA e-newsletter
- Back to School Potluck (Friday, Sept. 16)
Seeking set-up and clean-up volunteers
- Food Drive (Monday, Oct. 24 - Friday, Oct. 28)
Seeking Co-Chair(s) to manage communication and collection
- Fall Carnival (Fri, Oct. 28)
Seeking Co-Chair(s) to shadow in 2016, lead in 2017
- 2016-17 School Yearbook (year-long position)
Seeking an Editor(s)
Contact Whittier's
volunteer coordinators to grab one of these opportunities, or to inquire how your talents can be put to use at Whittier.
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Thank you!
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A big THANK YOU to Outreach Co-Chairs
Tracy Yetter and
Gail Olson Laing for organizing (and hosting several of) Whittier's Summer Play Dates, and to the following parents for hosting new families on the playground during August:
Kate Mathews, Kelsey Toppenberg, Amy Bryan, Chantelle Moran, Ann Ilgen, Emily Clark and Katie Lyden.
THANK YOU to
Mary Pat and Rebecca in the front office, and the
PTA Board for preparing updated documents for back-to-school paperwork packets; and to
Kate and Andy Mathews, James Goldsmith, Sascha Demerjian, Kelsey Toppenberg, and Amy and Travis Bryan for "stuffing" the packets in advance of Fill Us In. A big THANK YOU as well to
Adriane Berman for helping to create online forms for the PTA!
A lot of work goes into the ongoing effort of keeping Whittier's website up-to-date with useful information. MANY THANKS to
Becky Dobbins for organizing and maintaining this treasure trove of information for Whittier families.
I
f you have someone you wish to thank, or to whom you'd like to give a virtual high-five, please
email us
.
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Calendar
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6:00pm - 7:30pm, Playground
Summer Play Date
Tuesday, Aug. 30 (final day!)
7am - 6pm, Whittier entrance
Fill Us In Packet Pick-up
Wednesday, Aug. 31
2:30pm - 6:30pm, Gym
Fill Us In
Tuesday, Sept. 6
2:00pm - 4:00pm, Lunchroom
Whittier Wildcat Welcome
Wednesday, Sept. 7
First Day of School
1st-5th Grades
Sept. 7, 8 or 9
Family Connections Meetings
(for Kindergarten Families)
Wed., Sept. 7 - Fri., Sept. 16
School Supply Drive
(for Bailey Gatzert Elementary)
Monday, Sept. 12
First Day of School
Kindergarten
Monday, Sept. 12
7:55am - 8:45am, Lunchroom
First Day Jitters
Friday, Sept. 16
6pm - 9pm, Playground & Gym
Back to School Potluck & Fall Family Movie Night
Wednesday, Sept. 28
2-hr Early Dismissal
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Contact Us
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Contact the
WildChat Editor
with questions about or submissions to this newsletter.
WildChat content should be submitted via email no later than Mondays at noon for Tuesday publication.
Please use the SafeUnsubscribe link at the bottom of this message if you do not wish to receive further issues of the WildChat.
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