Dear Whitford Families,

Welcome to 2023. We hope your holidays were full of exciting memories and fulfilling events that enrich your lives and create happiness. The arrival of and the immense potential of 2023 is daunting and exciting. Did you know that Whitford opened its doors 60 years ago this coming September. For a 60 year old, we look pretty good.

The end of our first semester is coming very soon. Now is the time for students to connect with their teachers to ensure that they have provided enough evidence to show their learning toward learning targets taught. Please take a moment and spend some time with your little ones (or not so little ones) to evaluate their success rate and evidence provided. In short, we hope that there are no surprises for anyone. With good connections and communication enhance learning, accountability, and goal setting.

We thank you for your continued support and encourage each of you to engage and connect as you are able.

Respectfully,

Zan Hess

Please come to Whitford’s Parent Teacher Organization meeting on January 10 beginning at 7:00PM

Topics of Discussion

•Whitford Branding and Bond Modernization Projects •Discussion of future parent interest meetings

•Updates on Volunteering

We are turning 60 in 2023. Help us plan for an awesome year!

Mr. Wilson took his 8th grade Choir class to McKay to sing holiday songs in December. Thank you Mr. Wilson for sharing your talents with others.

Where Everybody Belongs (W.E.B.) is a leadership and community-building program that we have this year at Whitford. 8th grade leaders have a small group of 6th graders that they met on the first day of school and stay connected with all year long through advisory visits, fun activities, casual check-ins, or school-wide events. Our goal is to make our school a fun, safe, and supportive place to be for everybody!

WEB’s most recent event was a Hot Chocolate Social to celebrate winter break. Watch this video to see some of the fun we had:

https://youtu.be/sr26NSnF9rs

Mr. Smith's 7th grade technology classes seen below designing and coding their original video games. They create the story for the game, design the characters and levels, and code all the movements and interactions. Making learning fun.

In 6th Grade Technology Class with Ms.Otermat & Mr. Smith, students are working diligently on their animation project. Before they began their project they learned about the history of animation and created a simple animation using google slides and a basic flipbook. They began researching and learning about what makes a basic story before planning their final animation project. They got to choose between creating a traditional flipbook or a google slideshow which they will then record and then we will be showcasing their work in a gallery walk.

Whitford's Speech and Debate Club!

We know you have a voice, and now you have an opportunity to practice using it. Whether you're a strong communicator already, or hoping to become one, this is a chance to stretch your speaking skills, practice your powers of persuasion, and excel in eloquent expression. All in a safe, supportive, friendly environment! We'll compete, we'll collaborate, and we'll dive deep into fun and interesting topics.

Thursdays 4-5pm

Yoga Club

Tuesdays 4-5pm

Stock Market Club

What would you do if you were given $100,000 to invest in the Stock Market? Would you be able to double your money or lose it? Can you do better than your friends? The Stock Market Game gives you a chance to experience the ups and downs of investing using real-time prices and compete with other students across the nation. No previous experience is needed. You can compete on your own or with a team. Prizes for the top winning team! The game runs January through April.

Tuesdays 4-5pm

To sign up for Yoga, Stock Market, or Debate, please fill out the google form below.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe2k1dw9bfmMxHNIQ3ZydGv2fyNphU41mPpilRfKop4nzvvHg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Additionally MESA club will be starting in February. Please contact Lindsay Laing to sign up for MESA Club.

MESA Club is starting on Tuesday February 7th from 3:50-4:50! MESA is an equity focused, college preparatory program centered around STEM challenges. If you love science, engineering and coding this is the club for you!

MESA uses Human Centered Design to solve the world's problems. This year's theme is "Designing for Environmental Justice." Students will form their own teams to brainstorm ideas, build and test prototypes and ultimately present their ideas at PSU during our culminating event MESA Day in the spring! In addition to utilizing their STEM skills students also work with individuals in STEM careers and participate in college and career visits through the MESA program.

If you are interested in joining MESA please email Mrs. Laing at lindsay_laing@beaverton.k12.or.us

Hi! Here are some pictures of N8IVE Club making Fry Bread- Led by Kristen Wood. It was amazing!

Whitford's Black Student Union club celebrated Kwanza.

Portraits that tell a story. Ms. Cavarino's students used text to create a Portrait of a person whose words made positive impact. The images are made entirely of text. Languages used include English, Spanish, and Thai

The upcoming days off from school are great times make appointments to get your students up-to-date on their immunizations.

February 15, 2023 - Exclusion day. All children who are not up-to-date or complete with their immunizations will be excluded from their school or child care facility.

if your child needs vaccines before the February 15th exclusion day, vaccine appointments are available at Virginia Garcia Clinics.

IMMUNIZATION EXCLUSION DAY INFORMATION

Virginia Garcia School Based Health Center (at Beaverton High School) will have immunization appointments available:

January 11th 8:20-12:00

January 18th 8:20-12:00

January 25th 8:20-12:00

Phone Numbers: (be sure to say you are calling for a BSD student)

Virginia Garcia School Based Health Center: (503) 356-3985

Virginia Garcia main clinic: (503) 352-6000

Looking for a quiet place to study or work on a project in a small group of up to 4 people? The main Beaverton City Library offers study cubes that you can reserve for up to two hours per week. Visit http://www.beavertonlibrary.org/StudyCubes for full details and to make a reservation! Study cubes without reservations are available on a first come, first served basis.

Did you know, you can use your student library card to unlock…e-books?

Download e-books and audiobooks on your phone, tablet or computer. Choose from popular titles, graphic novels, and much more. Don’t miss our collection of e-books for teens.

Beaverton City Library | 12375 SW 5th St | Beaverton, OR 97005

503-350-3610 | www.BeavertonLibrary.org

Resolve to Be More Active! Welcome back to school! January is a perfect time to try walking or biking to school -- for your health, your community, and the planet! 1 mile of walking each way to school equals 2/3 of the daily recommended 60 minutes of physical activity. Get your steps in while decreasing the traffic and air pollution around your school and neighborhood.

• Check out your school's preferred walk/bike route on our interactive Safe Routes to School maps.Middle School Maps
  
• When you're out and about, keep your EYES and EARS OPEN, phones down and heads up. Know what’s going on around you. Have fun with your active commute!
• Need more tips and inspiration? Follow the Beaverton Safe Routes to School Facebook page

1/10 -- PTO meeting 7PM (Including Bond Modernization)

1/13 Staff Development/Workday - No Students

1/16 MLK Jr. Day - Schools Closed

1/26 7:00p - 8:30p • Play -- Suess Odyssey

1/27 7:00p - 8:30p • Play -- Suess Odyssey

1/27 2:00p - 3:30p • Play -- Suess Odyssey

1/28 7:00p - 8:30p • Play -- Suess Odyssey

2/3 Grading Day - No Students

2/4 Second Semester Begins

2/15 Immunization Exclusion Day

2/15 Parent Teacher Conference 5PM-8PM More information to follow

2/16 Parent Teacher Conference 8AM-8PM More information to follow NO school for students

2/17 No school for students due to parent teacher conferences

2/20 • Presidents' Day - Schools Closed

2/21 • Staff Development/Workday - No Students