Principal's Corner

Welcome to 2024!

As we kick off the new year, let's reflect on our achievements and continue working towards our school year goals at Lura A. White Elementary School.

Our primary focus is educating students. We assessed them at the beginning of the year to tailor supports based on the results. Continuous monitoring and adjustments were made, leading to sufficient gains. Mid-year assessments in January will guide us in maintaining this momentum.

Your support at home is invaluable. Attendance and work habits are crucial. Ensure your child attends school regularly and on time. Responsibility is key; remind your child to complete and return homework promptly. Encourage putting in their best effort on assignments and projects.

Prioritizing the social-emotional well-being of our students is paramount at our school. The crucial role of teacher-student relationships in fostering a sense of belonging is evident, emphasizing its significance. Access to our counseling department for support, along with educational initiatives centered on social-emotional well-being, plays a key role in the daily operations of our school community. We are fortunate to have two amazing School Adjustment Counselors who contribute significantly to making this happen.

Offering diverse extracurricular activities contributes to the holistic development of each child. Success in holistic learning is bolstered by engaging opportunities like the Panther Leadership Team, First Lego League, Gr. 4/5 Chorus, Gr. 5 Band, and after-school clubs. Special thanks to Mrs. Amy Vangilder, Mr. Schilp, Mr. LaPointe, Ms. Walters, Mr. Gross and Mrs. Atwood for leading the First Lego League, and appreciation to ASPTO for providing enjoyable after-school clubs.

We would like to thank Mrs. Swenson for her efforts in providing musical direction for our "Winter Solstice Concert"! The mood was festive and most importantly it was great to have our families in the building enjoying the festivities!

As we move into the last half of the year, we're excited about the opportunities ahead. Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with hope and a brighter future!

Mrs. Lewis, Principal

Dr. Donaher, Assistant Principal

Jan. 1 - No School "Happy New Year!"

Jan 2 - Welcome Back to School

Jan 2 - School Committee Meeting HS @ 6:30 p.m.

Jan 9 - ASPTO Meeting 7:00 p.m. MS or Zoom

Jan 10 - 90 minute release day 1:45 p.m.

Jan 11- Spirit Day - Dress like your teacher

Jan 12 - 1st Trimester PBIS School-wide Rally

Jan 15- No school - Martin Luther King Holiday

Jan 16 - Panther Leadership Team Meeting 3:30- 4:15 p.m.

Jan 17 - School Comm. Meeting MS 6:30 p.m. @ 9:30- 10:00

Jan 18 - PTO Restaurant Night - Anthony's Coal-fired Pizza - Littleton

Jan 19 - Great Kindness Week Assembly Kick-off

Jan 19 - 90 Minute Early Release - 1:45 dismissal

Jan 22-26 - Great Kindness Week Events

Jan 23 - Personal artwork submitted to Mrs. Lewis (see below for details)

Jan 24 - SEPAC Meeting 6:30- 7:30 virtual

On the horizon:

Feb. 2 - LAW Family Dance Party

Feb. 5 - 100th Day of School - if no days off due to weather

Happy January! Before the holidays, students continued to be briefed on all school expectations as they pertain to the school, classrooms, recess, bathrooms, and the bus. Students have been working hard to be great community members and have been earning green and gold PAWS to use at the School Store.

In the month ahead, we will continue to educate and reinforce these expectations at our Friday Schoolwide Weekly Meetings. At home, please have a conversation with your student(s) about all school expectations including what it means to be a safe passenger on the school bus--this would be very helpful!

As always, I am here to help and support--please do not hesitate to reach out. I am looking forward to the month ahead. For now, I hope that you all have a safe, healthy, and enjoyable November!

Coming up this month in January, students will engage in the first PBIS Rally. The tradition lives on! We can't wait to enjoy the fun, all in the name of promoting good behavior and a great learning environment for our students.

Be You & Be Well,

Dr. Donaher

Our Panther Leadership Team has been quite busy this past month. During our last meeting, we created placemats for the paraprofessional gratitude breakfast and crafted decorations for our "Winter Solstice Concert" held on December 21st. When PLT members return from the break, they will have the opportunity to sign up to assist in grades K, 1, and 2 during their own recess.

A heartfelt thanks to the parents/caregivers of our PLT members for generously providing a delightful breakfast spread for our well-deserving paraprofessionals. PLT members actively participated in setting up the breakfast and served our paraprofessionals. Additionally, we composed a special song dedicated to the paraprofessionals and performed it during the breakfast. You can watch the video capturing our PLT members having a wonderful time during this event. Our next meeting is scheduled for January 16th, where we will plan for Kindness Week and the Winter Carnival.

T-shirts are expected to arrive by January 10th, just in time for our members to wear as they contribute to the first PBIS rally on January 12th.

The Great Kindness Challenge is an organization that advocates for global kindness and provides an abundance of resources to promote this virtue. Our K-5 students represent the future, and we aim to nurture their creativity and passion for helping others, fostering a commitment to making the world a better place through kindness and a concern for a fair and just world.

As educators, we hold a unique position, empowering our students to acquire the necessary skills for leadership while identifying their personal strengths that make them unique assets to each other and future communities. During Kindness Week, our goal is to extend the act of kindness by demonstrating to students what it means to coexist peacefully with others and promote kindness and fairness through their actions.

**Kindness Assemblies**

The Kindness Week events will be introduced to our students through an assembly in our gym on January 19th. Students will attend the assembly to learn about the wonderful activities planned for Kindness Week. The assembly will feature inspirational videos showcasing acts of kindness and engaging motivational activities to get students excited about being "kind"! These assemblies will take place during our weekly school-wide meetings.

More details about the special events will be provided as we approach "Kindness Week" in a separate newsletter.

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We did this last year and it was a huge success. Students were so proud of their artwork.

January 30th is National Art Day. Students will submit their favorite piece of art. It will be uploaded into a slideshow and played at lunch on Jan.30th for all to see! I will share the slideshow in the February Newsletter so you will have a chance to enjoy it as well. We will also display their favorite piece of art on the walls in the cafeteria. The art piece can be done at home or in school. All art pieces will need to be submitted in-person or email to Mrs. Lewis by Jan. 23rd. elewis@asrsd.org

Thanks to Mrs. Goddard for providing wonderful art projects to display in our hallways!

LAW Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mission Statement:

At the Lura A. White Elementary School we value diversity, equity, and inclusion. We celebrate the uniqueness of each individual, embrace diverse backgrounds and respect differing points of view to build a strong inclusive community. As we learn together, we draw on the differences in who we are.