According to Harvard Health Publishing, “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships” (health.harvard.edu).

With World Kindness Day coming up on November 13th, and Thanksgiving right around the corner, the month of November is the perfect time to put the spotlight on expressing gratitude and practicing kindness. Each day, at the close of the Whitlow Morning News, I tell the students and staff to “be kind whenever possible…because it’s always possible” (one of the many quotes about kindness on the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation website). The practices of gratitude and kindness are linked to empathy, and research (A LOT of research!) indicates that empathy is a key component of leadership and overall success in the workplace and in relationships (both personal and professional). And as educators and as parents, we want our children to hone all of the skills they need to be successful in life. The great thing about gratitude and kindness is that you don’t even need to “teach” it, you just need to model it…and there are so many easy ways to do that!

So I challenge every staff member and every parent to give thanks and to demonstrate kindness during the month of November (and really, every day of the year!). Our children/our students watch and listen to everything we do and say, so why not model practices that are proven to enhance leadership skills and overall success in life! Plus, research also shows that it will make you feel pretty good as you engage in these practices. 😊 As for me, I am grateful for the opportunity to be the Principal of Whitlow Elementary. I’m grateful for the staff, the students, the parents, and the community…grateful for all of the talent, dedication, and love that built this Whitlow community long before I came along to join the team.

Go Wolves!

Dawn Bush

Mrs. Dawn Bush

Whitlow Elementary School

Principal

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The Whitlow Way at Home

Be a leader. Be Respectful. Be a Problem Solver.

At Whitlow, we work to teach our students the Whitlow Way and what that looks like around the school. Students are celebrated and recognized each quarter at our Pack Party day for demonstrating the Whitlow Way. Parents, you can encourage the Whitlow Way at home as well! Leadership, respect, and problem solving are important life skills we want our students to utilize inside and outside of school. We encourage families to talk about what the Whitlow Way might look like at home and practice using the same terminology that we use here at school. We love seeing our wolves showing the Whitlow Way everywhere they go!

Retake day is for all students who were not present for Fall Picture Day or if you are not satisfied with the pictures from the original date.

Q: What if I ordered a picture package, but would like my child to take new pictures?

A: No problem. You will need to return your original package to the photographer on the retake day. A new package will be produced from the new image and will be delivered in 3-4 weeks to the school.

Q: I purchased digital images but would like to retake. Can my student retake?

A: Sure thing! Digital images are delivered to your Shutterfly account once the order has been completed, usually around 2-4 weeks after Retake Day. An email will be sent from Shutterfly advising the images are ready. Both the original and retake images will be available within your Shutterfly account (see “Where can I download my digital image?” above for more information).

• If the 2-4 week timeframe after Retake Day has passed and images still haven't been delivered via email, please start the claiming process here. Enter the email address used to make the purchase on My.Lifetouch.com and follow the instructions to access digital image(s) on Shutterfly.

Have more questions that aren't answered here? Click here for more FAQs.

We’re looking for information about our “Wonderful World” at Whitlow Elementary School. We want to learn more about the cultures and families that complement our school community so we can celebrate the diversity that makes the Wolfpack so special! If you haven't already filled this form out, please share with us.

If you missed our Wolfpack Dad breakfast last month and are interested in joining our pack, please click on the link HERE. Thank you!

PeachSkinSheets is partnering with Forsyth County to support our schools and provide families a great nights' sleep on their award winning sheets. From November 3-12, 2023, school families will receive a Special Holiday Discount - $35 OFF all sizes, all 32 colors. $105 set for only $69.95.

It's all Online with home delivery only at partnerwithpeachskin.com. Simply use our school code at checkout. Every time you or any of your friends use our code, our school will receive $20 per set donation. Great for Gifts! PeachSkinSheets "The Softest Sheets Ever".

What is PeachSkinSheets - Click Here

November 3-12, 2023
partnerwithpeachskin.com

code: WES1