Whitman Family Newsletter
January 6, 2023
Hello Families!
Happy New Year! We kicked off 2023 with another round of our school-wide expectation rotations. Students circulated to different spaces in our school to review expectations, including a video of themselves meeting those expectations! We will be posting those videos on our website next week, and will be sure to send you the link so that you can watch them with your child!
I’d also like to start off the New Year by sharing our 2022-2023 Family Compact with all of you (see below). As a staff we are committed to making Whitman the best possible space for each of your children, this year and every year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone on staff for any reason!
Sincerely,
Heather Thompson
Whitman School Parent/Staff/Student Compact 2022-2023
Whitman Elementary Mission:
Whitman’s students, families, and staff are committed to creating a safe and healthy community of lifelong learners. All individuals are valued, respected, and empowered through the acknowledgement of both their academic and emotional strengths.
By having high academic expectations, Whitman students will be college and career ready.
Whitman Elementary Values: Community * Commitment * Empowerment
In order to achieve this mission and bring our values to life, we commit to:
Staff Responsibilities: I will…
Help students develop a love of learning by showing my enthusiasm for the subjects I teach
Nurture, celebrate and recognize the unique skills and talents of each student
Create a learning community that is respectful, responsible, and safe, where expectations are taught and reinforced fairly
Provide opportunities to practice and master the skills need to meet state standards, grade level benchmarks and become critical thinkers
Communicate regularly with families about their child’s social, emotional, & academic progress
Family Responsibilities: I will…
Nurture, celebrate and recognize the unique skills and talents of my child
Support my child to be at school every day on time, rested, and ready to learn
Spend time each day reading and/or talking with my child
Communicate and collaborate with my child’s teacher and other school staff
Attend family conferences
Attend school activities and/or volunteer at school when my schedule permits
Student Responsibilities: I will…
Celebrate and share my unique skills and talents
Come to school rested, on time, and ready to learn
Be prepared for class with finished homework and needed materials
Take pride in my work, persevere, and demonstrate a growth mindset
Follow classroom and school expectations
Demonstrate safety, kindness, and positive communication while on school grounds
Attendance Announcements
School starts at 8:45–please make sure your child is at school on time or a bit early if they would like to eat breakfast! Staff members begin supervising outside at 8:15 and students and families can enter the building starting at 8:30.
Our 100th day of school is coming up on February 16! Students who have met the goal of attending at least 90% of school days will be receiving a special prize that day! Please check in with Reggie or with Ms. Locarno if you would like an update on your child’s current attendance!
Important Dates
We are working to keep the calendar on our website up to date, so please check https://www.pps.net/whitman for a full list of upcoming events!
Here are some dates to keep in mind:
January 11: SUN Night, 4:30-6PM
January 16: NO SCHOOL, MLK Day
January 26: Family Movie Night, 6-8PM
Join the PTA today!
JOIN THE WHITMAN PTA TODAY!
1. Families Benefit — We use our funds for
events for students and families to take part
in shared experiences together.
2. The School Benefits — We also provide
Teacher Grants and donate to SUN.
3. Make Connections — Let your voice be
heard as we decide how to best provide
resources for the Whitman Community!
You can find this information and more about the
organization at http://facebook.com/ftwpta or email
us at: president@ptawhitman.org
