Whitewood Elementary

Student Council is sponsoring Dress-Up Days December 15th–19th!

Meade School District 46-1 will have a 2-hour late start today, Friday, Dec 12, 2025. This includes Sturgis Elementary, Sturgis Williams MS, Sturgis Brown HS, Piedmont Valley Elementary, Stagebarn MS, Whitewood Elementary, and the rural schools. Busses will be running 2 hours later than normal.

Whitewood Elementary’s PreK program has been awarded SASD’s Exemplary rating through the Preschools of Excellence program. This recognition reflects high standards in instruction, family engagement, classroom environment, and student readiness.

We’re proud of the work our staff puts in each day to create a strong early learning foundation for our youngest learners. Thank you to our families and community for supporting our program and helping make early childhood education a priority in Whitewood.

Pictured: Preschool students teamed up with third graders to make homemade playdough together!

The Whitewood Elementary Christmas Program is on Friday, December 12th!

PreK–2nd grade will perform at 6:00 PM.

3rd–5th grade will perform at 7:00 PM.

The PTO will be selling pizza by the slice for $2.00, along with drinks and snacks, between the two performances. We hope to see you there!

Check out the latest newsletter to stay up to date on what is going on at Whitewood Elementary! https://secure.smore.com/n/dwf4u

Don’t forget — Turkey Bingo is tomorrow night! Doors open at 5:00 PM. We can’t wait to see you there!

Today is National Diabetes Day! Whitewood Elementary is proud to have Lucille as part of our school community. Her strength and determination inspire us all. Lucille was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last year and has shown incredible courage throughout her journey.
To honor her and recognize Diabetes Awareness Month, we invite all students to wear BLUE on Wednesday, November 19th!

Please join us at Whitewood Elementary for our Veterans Day Program on Monday, November 10th at 10:30 AM. Our students will share songs and tributes in honor of the brave men and women who have served our country. All are welcome!

A big thank you to Black Hills Federal Credit Union for their $500 donation toward our new playground at Whitewood Elementary! We appreciate your support!

Check out our latest newsletter to stay up to date on what is happening at Whitewood Elementary!
https://secure.smore.com/n/ktqhy

Students had a SPOOKTACULAR time at the Fall Festival! Games, face painting, and so much fun filled the day. A special thank you to our PTO for sponsoring this event and to Mrs. Van Zee’s class from the Sturgis High School for helping make it a success!

Want to see more smiles and spooky fun? Check out the Whitewood Elementary Newsletter coming soon for more Fall Festival pictures!

GO SCOOPERS!!! Good luck to our Scooper football team — Whitewood Elementary is cheering you on!
https://youtu.be/eapLVFFeSIo

This Thursday, let’s all wear gold or yellow to show our support for Childhood Cancer Awareness!

💙 Who’s ready for a good old fashioned SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR?!?! 💙

📕 Whitewood Elementary PTO is bringing you the BEST. WEEK. EVER. Starting Monday, October 20th through Friday, October 24th in the library we will be offering all of the amazing Scholastic goodness in one local place 📚
Check out our Book Fair link to start pre-shopping, make a wish list, set up your child’s eWallet, or even receive 25% off online orders starting today! https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/whitewoodelemschoolrural

Monday -7:15-8:15; 3:00-6:00
Tuesday -7:15-8:15
Wednesday -9:30-3:30
Thursday -7:15-8:15; 3:00-6:00
Friday -7:15-8:15; 3:00-4:00

📖 Stop by the library and explore our wonderful selection of books!

Happy Boss’s Day to the best — Mr. Porterfield!

We want to express our genuine appreciation for your leadership at Whitewood Elementary. You create a positive and supportive environment for both staff and students, and we’re grateful for all you do every day.

A little background on the day: Boss’s Day was initiated by Patricia Bays Haroski, an employee at State Farm Insurance Company in Illinois. She registered Boss’s Day with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1958, hoping to create a day for employees to show appreciation for their supervisors. The date, October 16th, was chosen to coincide with her father’s birthday — who also happened to be her boss!

Although we may be uncertain of what the future holds, one thing is certain — we appreciate you every day, Mr. Porterfield!

– The Staff at Whitewood Elementary

Last week, we had a special guest appearance—Science Steve! Also known as SDPB Education Specialist Steven Rokusek, Science Steve put on a captivating show for Whitewood Elementary. He brought science to life with exciting demonstrations exploring physics, chemistry, and anatomy. Solo cups were flying, balls were hovering, and toilet paper was soaring over students as they laughed and learned throughout the show!

This week we celebrated Fire Prevention Week at the Whitewood Firehall! A special thank you to the Whitewood Volunteer Fire Department for hosting our students and sharing an awesome presentation on fire safety. Students got an up-close look at a firetruck, learned important fire safety tips, and even had the chance to explore some of the equipment firefighters use to keep our community safe.

Follow the link to stay up to date on what is happening at Whitewood Elementary!
https://secure.smore.com/n/r89az

👻🎃 Oh, BOO! Three spooky spirits dropped by today,
They crept through the halls in a ghostly way!

They snuck in the library reading some booooooks,
But ghosted when students tried to look.

They lurked on the playground, oh how they dare.
But found nothing but giggles and laughter to share!

They helped Mr. Bruce tidy without a fuss,
Floating through the halls without much of a muss.

Last but not least, they spooooked the front office crew,
Adding more mischief before they said, “Boo!”

They were dying to join in the wicked fun,
At Whitewood Elementary, the haunt has begun! 🕷️🕸️