Celebrating our Grandparents

The first graders welcomed their grandparents and specials guests to a musical performance and then a snack in the classroom this week. 

MAP assessments at Whitehead

Students taking MAP assessments in the JWES computer lab.

All 1st through 6th graders are taking MAP assessments this month in reading and math. This is a digital activity that students take on a computer. The assessment results help teachers to monitor student's academic growth and adjust instruction to meet the needs of each student in the classroom. Reports showing student results will be sent home with each student after each assessment period. MAP will be taken three times a year , in the fall , winter and spring. If families have any questions they may contact their child's teacher to discuss the MAP assessment and results .

1st day for Kindergarten students

What an amazing day. The first day of Kindergarten brings such energy and excitement to our school. This morning our Kindergarten playground was filled with the smiling faces of 51 new Whitehead Whales. We are so excited to have them here at our school !

Unloading school supplies 

The Kindergarten playground is officially open. 

Miss Cabanilla greets each student ready to hand out name tags. 

The hallways and classrooms are ready for our new students.

Miss Grow takes pictures of her new Kinder students.

All of our K students learned where their seat is, and how to put away their backpack, and how to come in and for on the carpet. Important things to know if you are a Kindergartner. 

Then the gingerbread man ran away and the teachers and students were off around the school to look for him. They had to follow the clues along the way and got to meet all the adults in our school that are here to help them .

What great teamwork ! They found the gingerbread man hiding in the Principal's office. 

Mrs.Steele our Kinder teacher aide helped cut out the Gingerbread-man art projects we did today. 

The full day class had a great lunch in the cafeteria, though only the first day and with Mrs. Steele's help they were able to open all the packages and zippers . 

What a wonderful day of fun and learning in both of our Kindergarten classrooms !

The first day of school at Whitehead

What a wonderful start to a new school year. The students arrived to purple balloons at the entrance ways . We meet together as a school family in the multi purpose room to learn about our new school wide WHALE behaviors . 

Ask your child to tell you what the letters in W. H. A. L. E. stand for at our school.

Students are welcomed back to a new school year.

Families gather at the morning line up spot , waiting for the start of a new school year .

A family finds out their teacher's name from the JWES computer teacher.

Students entering their 3rd grade classroom.

1st graders take a tour of the school and meet the many staff members that are here to help them at school.

Every class practiced their evacuation/ fire drill on the first day of school.

Lunchtime !

This year we have added more adult teachers outside on duty to give students more adult help at recess.

On the playground at recess time .

What an awesome start to what will be a wonderful school year !!

PFA Purchases a New School Sign

The PFA at Whitehead ES purchased a new sign for our front entrance. Thank you parents for brining a new marquee to our campus. 

Our new sign will welcome back families at the start of this new school year. 

The new sign will be able to display messages for our families on both sides.

The old sign has welcomed visitors to Whitehead for many wonderful years.

Getting the scoop on your teacher !

Enjoying ice cream was one way over 70 families helped to support our school. 

Parents, and family members spent time getting to know each other at the PFA ice cream social.

Last night as I was welcoming families to the PFA ice cream social when I found myself smiling with joy .  All of a sudden our silent summer hallways were filled with laughter.  I wait all summer to hear that sound... the sound of students and the start of a new school year. For a principal , the first day of school is like Christmas morning. I get excited, and nervous and can't sleep the night before from anticipation of the 500 beautiful gifts we will receive on the first day of school . After seeing so many smiling faces last night, I am so excited for a new year to begin ! 

Ladybugs spotted at Whitehead

Our wonderful teachers returned to Whitehead today, to an infestation of ladybugs. Ladybug cupcakes, ladybug puppets, and ladybug erasers. The most important ladybugs were 13 brand new "Ladibug" document cameras that come to our classrooms thanks to a grant provided to our school from The EL Cord Foundation. 

These new technology teaching tools will connect to the computer and the LCD projector and allow teachers and students to project books or iPad images up on the big screen to just name one of the many uses. These visual supports will help to increase student engagement during instruction . So look for the "Ladibug" in your child's classroom and ask him/her how they are using it to learn.

The "Ladibug" document camera .

Today's meeting gave our teachers and staff members a chance to develop PBIS school wide expectations, and begin to discuss how to best integrate technology into teaching and learning.