Whitmore Elementary🐾

Happy April!

Thank you so much for joining us at the Color Run! What an awesome way to end the week and enjoy our last holiday break for the school year.

April and May are super busy months with all of the state testing requirements. Please ensure you know what days your child is assessing so you can help with getting a good night's sleep and encourage them to do their best. No testing anxiety here! Our Whitmore Wildcats are prepared to rock these tests!!

Attendance is Important!! We are having an attendance challenge. For the week of April 15th through the 19th, all students who arrive on time and are here every day during this week will be celebrated with an OtterPop Celebration! This is to ensure all students are at school to test. We should have 100% of students test. Whitmore Wildcats are ready!

Lost and Found. Please check our lost and found by the cafeteria for lost sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes, etc. It is still full.

6th Grade at Whitmore. If you are choosing to keep your 5th grader at Whitmore for next school year, please register now. We are allotted teachers based on enrollment. The sooner you register, we can plan accordingly to keep class sizes down.

Register for the 24-25 school year! All students must register for next school year. It takes just a few minutes and we are given teachers based on our enrollment numbers. If you have any questions, please reach out to our front office at 520-232-8000.

Magnet School Focus: Please check your email so you can register. Subsequent lotteries will run every 3 weeks through August 2024 or until seats are filled. Good luck!

Mark your calendar!

** April 1 – Variety Show interest forms go home

** April 2nd – AASA Testing - Writing Assessment

** Fire Drill and Lockdown drill practice this week (April 4th or 5th)

** April 5th – COURTYARD ANNOUNCEMENTS – Kindergarten takes the stage!

** April 1 – 19th: DIBELS window open (Kindergarten through 3rd grade)

** April 8th – DIBELS assessments will start (Kindergarten through 3rd grade)

** April 15th and 16th – ELA Assessment

** April 17th – 3rd Grade ORF (3rd grade reading fluency assessment only)

** April 18th and 19th – Math Assessment

** All students who arrive on time and have perfect attendance for testing week (April 15th – 19th) will be put in for prize drawings and an OtterPop party.

** April 20 – 27 – Scholastic Book Fair

** April 26th – Ice Cream Social @ 6pm

** April 29th – May 15th – 2nd through 5th grade IXL End of Year (EOY) window is open

** May 7th – Variety Show rehearsal

** May 14th – Variety Show

** May 20th - Kindergarten Promotion @ 9:00am; 5th Grade Promotion @ 1:15pm

** May 23rd – Last day of school

Connect with Whitmore:

via Whitmore Webpage

via Facebook @whitmorewildcatsTUSD

via Instagram @whitmorewildcats

via ClassDojo - Please let teachers know if you are not connected so they can assist you.

Reporting Absences/Attendance:

TUSD/Whitmore streamlined our attendance reporting procedures. Parents/guardians can now log into ParentVUE to enter a student's absence.

School Hours:

7:45am - Students may enter campus; Breakfast begins in the cafeteria

8:10am - First bell - Students line up and teachers lead to class

8:15am - Tardy bell rings; Class begins

8:30am - All gates are locked except the one closest to the office, off of the bus bay/Glenn St.

2:15pm - Gates are opened.

2:25pm - Whitmore dismisses

Bus Riders:

All students who ride the bus must have and wear an ID to get on the bus at home and at school. Please ensure your child keeps their ID with their backpack and school items so they have it available daily. This is their ticket to ride!

Cell Phones:

Students often come to school with their cell phones. However, Whitmore has a policy for cell phone usage. Students are NOT permitted to video record or take pictures of students at any time. This includes the bus! Once students arrive on campus, phones are to be turned off and kept out of view in a backpack. Phones shall not be turned on at any time. Students violating the policy may have the electronic device confiscated and be subject to disciplinary action.

Jennifer Figueroa, Principal

Whitmore Elementary School

Mrs. Sawyer and Mr. C support our strong PBIS program at Whitmore. Through positive behavior, students earn points to redeem for rewards. Students have a menu of items to choose from weekly. Teachers nominate students who are rocking kindness, safety, and responsibility!

Ms. Sawyer and Mr. C also provide student check-ins and small group support. If you think your child would benefit from these services, please contact either or both of them through Dojo or by calling 520-232-8046.

Congratulations to Ms. Kerstein's 5th grade class for being our "Cool Cat" Champions!

This year Whitmore has a partnership with COPE Community Services. COPE provides individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, and family support. We will have a recovery coach coming to Whitmore weekly to work with students who are enrolled with COPE. The recovery coach will be working with students on developing and practicing coping/social skills through individual and/or group support. If you think your family or child could benefit from these services, please contact Ms. Sawyer. This is a free family service provided by TUSD. If you have more questions or would like more information, please let us know.

Your Tax Dollars through Tax Credit help support our school:

• Digital Marquee. Coming soon.
• Track and Field. Lined Track for our sports teams
• Kickball Field. Similar to a small baseball field for our kickball team!

Thank you for your generous donations! Dollars go directly to students for students!

Parent Drop-off and Pick-up:

Enter the parking lot from Glenn (this is an entrance only). There are two lanes. The right lane is a valet and keeps moving as students exit their vehicle curbside. All students must exit the vehicle curbside to use the valet lane. If that is not possible, please park and an adult will cross in the cross walk. Do not park in the right lane. You must use a space to park.

The left lane is not a drop-off or pick-up lane. It is used to park into a parking space. Please do not let your child exit the car in this lane. The adult (usually Mrs. Fig or Mrs. Madrid) will assist in merging traffic. Do not merge yourself. Continue forward until the monitor guides you. Driver speed should be at a minimum speed to ensure student, family, and staff safety.

Our mission is to encourage, motivate, and support all students, families, and the community to meet each child’s needs – socially, emotionally, and academically so they develop into a mature, responsible, and respectful citizen.

Our vision - Safe Environment, Take Academic Risks, Get Involved with School Enrichment Programs (the school community), and Take Pride in Education by Respecting, Acknowledging, and Including students of all different backgrounds and differences.

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Address: 5330 East Glenn Street, Tucson, AZ

Email

Office: 520-232-8000

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