The Whitney Reporter
Mr. Stacho's Newsletter - January 20, 2017
Whitney PTA names Founder's Day Recipient!
Attention Parents of 5th Graders
There will be an informational meeting regarding the end of the year 5th Grade Recognition Ceremony and the Albion Woods Party. The meeting will be on Thursday, February 23rd at 5:30 p.m. in the Whitney Media Center. An outline of these activities will be shared and there will be an opportunity for parents to sign up to volunteer to help coordinate these events. Hope to see you there.
Mr. Schibley's Guidance Newsletter
COMMUNITY SPAGHETTI DINNER - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Learning All About Coding with Mrs. Lewis in the Library!
During the winter months the Whitney Elementary School students will each have an opportunity to try coding (computer programming) as part of our library curriculum. One week, instead of their regular Learning.com lesson, they will go to code.org and try an “Hour of Code” program. These programs have the students write the code to have characters perform various tasks. As the students progress through the program the lessons get more difficult. They go from issuing simple commands to incorporating conditional blocks, looping and using predefined function blocks. There are many benefits to the students besides an introduction to computer programing. These include logical thinking, troubleshooting, problem solving and drag and drop skills. If your child would like to continuing learning to code they can go to this free website, code.org or you can search for additional online resources.
Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences - February 9th and 15th
Spring parent/teacher conferences will be held at Whitney on Thursday, February 9, 2017 and Wednesday, February 15, 2017 from 4:45 – 7:45. Conferences request forms will be coming home in the weeks before conferences. We’ll see you there!
I came across this article about Parent-Teacher Conferences from iMom.com and thought I’d share it with you.
5 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Parent-Teacher Conference
Parent-teacher conferences are important tools for keeping our children on-track educationally, resolving conflict and building relationships. But more than a few of these meetings jump the tracks and end up unproductive or worse.
Here are some of the common mistakes we parents make that can torpedo our conference time and ultimately, short-change our kids:
1. Talking about other children or their performance. Your child's teacher is legally bound to protect the confidentiality of students. So bringing up or asking the teacher to discuss another child's grades or compare him to your child is out of line.
2. Going in with your "Mama Bear" instincts on. We parents can be very protective of our children at times, and it can make us look and act a little, um, crazy. Remind yourself before you go into a conference that even if there is a problem, it's probably the result of a misunderstanding. Realize that your child's teacher is on your team, and wants to see your child succeed.
3. Assuming that your child gave you all the facts. We're not suggesting that your child may be dishonest (but if he/she was, it wouldn't be the first time in recorded history). But he/she is a kid. They forget things. They misread people and situations. If you go into your parent-teacher conference with your mind all made up about what has happened and what needs to be done going forward, you may wind up with egg on your face. Listen as much—or more than—you speak.
4. Thinking like a 6th Grader. One of the most beloved teachers I ever knew taught 6th grade—a year fraught with hormonal changes, emotions, zits and other tragedies. At her first meeting with all of the parents, she would say, "Your children are getting on a hormonal roller coaster, and they can't help it. It's important for you to stay behind on the ground." Meaning that she was counting on the parents to think like adults and defuse the drama—not stir it up. So, before you go in, ask yourself if you're seeing things like an adult who knows that "this, too, shall pass," or if you've been dragged onto the roller coaster.
5. Refusing to believe that your baby could be wrong. Even the best kids drop the ball—or the assignment—sometimes. It's part of growing up. If they came into the world perfect, they wouldn't need us, now would they? So don't discount your teacher's take on your child, his/her academic performance, or his/her behavior too quickly. Remember—you're seeing them through the eyes of a mother or father. The teacher is seeing them through a lens that, while not infallible, is probably more objective.Full Day Kindergarten Parent Meeting
Kindergarten Registration Information
Do you know anyone who will be starting Kindergarten next year (2017-2018 school year)? Here are the registration dates:
Whitney - Friday, March 17, 2017
Registration will be held from 8:00 am until 12:00 pm at the administration building. If a parent can't make their scheduled day, they can come on any other day that week. They can also schedule an appointment for registration after that week.
Parents need to complete the online registration before their registration date. Registration form for the 2017/2018 school year will be online sometime in February.
Please note the updated Board Policy for Kindergarten Entrance Requirements which states that students must be five no later than August 1 to attend kindergarten.