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Principal’s Message
January 23, 2026
Dear Whiton Families,
It is with great excitement that I share that our very own Ms. Kelly Boyle has been nominated as a Teacher Who Makes Magic. Ms. Boyle consistently goes above and beyond in her role as a coach, supporting all of our teachers, and works tirelessly to provide her students with individualized instruction tailored to their needs. We are incredibly lucky to have her as part of our school community and are thrilled to celebrate this well-deserved honor with her.
Our third graders have been working hard on persuasive writing, and as you can imagine, many of the letters I received were passionately trying to convince me that they should never have homework—ever! As I wrote responses to each of them, it gave me a chance to reflect on the many important reasons homework plays a role in learning.
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Builds responsibility
Homework teaches students to manage their time, follow directions, and complete tasks independently.
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Reinforces learning
Practicing skills at home (like reading, math facts, or spelling) helps students remember what they learned in class.
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Develops good study habits early
Small, regular assignments help students learn how to study and prepare for more challenging work later on.
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Encourages family involvement
Homework gives families a chance to see what their student is learning and support their education.
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Improves confidence
When students successfully complete homework, they feel proud of themselves and more confident in their abilities.
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Strengthens independence
Homework helps students learn how to work on their own and solve problems without constant help.
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Prepares students for future grades
Having homework in elementary school makes the transition to older grades upper elementary, middle and high school easier.
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Supports practice beyond the classroom
School time is limited; homework allows extra practice without pressure.
I wanted to share these thoughts with you in case your student comes home and asks about homework!
Sincerely,
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As a reminder, tonight is the PTO Me & Mine Dance for our second and third grade students - we hope to see you there! |
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| School Reminders/ News |
 ART NEWSLETTER
Please find a newsletter from Mr. Boehm here.
 NURSE REMINDER
Your student must stay home if they have a temperature of 100.4 or higher. The student may not return to school if they have received fever reducing medication. Students must be fever free for 24 hours before they can return to school. Please find more information here.
The nurse is looking for clothing donations if you are cleaning out your closets. If you have extra pants (girls/boys) in small or medium, the nurse would love them! Thank you for your consideration.
 LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS
The Whiton library is welcoming volunteers. This is a great opportunity to help with shelving books, assisting students with book checkouts, and guiding students in finding books on the shelves. Because initial training is needed, Ms. Gale is looking for anyone who is able to volunteer on a regular or semi-regular basis - Here is the sign up. Any questions, please email Ms. Gale - sgale@branchburg.k12.nj.us.
 CAFETERIA VOLUNTEERS
Parents/guardians interested in volunteering in our lunch room should use this PTO sign up link here through March. Please make sure to read the very important information about volunteering located on the sign up.
 SCHOOL SPIRITWEAR
Great news! Our School Spirit wear can be purchased at anytime! The orders will be processed on the 1st and 15th. Please find the link to order here.
 LOST AND FOUND
Reminder: As the colder months approach, please label your student’s belongings to make it easier for us to return misplaced items.
When picking up students early, please ensure that all emails to the office/teachers and early dismissal notices entered in Genesis are submitted by 2:00 p.m. to prevent a delay and allow for a timely dismissal.
 Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJ Barnabas Health hospital, will host its annual Cardiac Athletic Screening on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the hospital’s Cardiac Diagnostic Testing Department, located on the second floor of the main hospital on Rehill Avenue.
The free screening is available to young athletes ages 14 to 18 and is designed to help identify potential risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest.
Screenings will be conducted by RWJUH Somerset cardiologists, nurses, and technicians and include a cardiovascular history review, physical examination, blood pressure screening, body measurements, and an electrocardiogram (EKG). Echocardiograms will be performed when clinically indicated.
The cardiac screening is free of charge, but advance registration is required. A parent or guardian must accompany each student. To register, please call 908-685-2414.
Please find more information here.
COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD
Please find community information on our school website here.
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| PTO/BEF Events |
PTO EVENTS
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Upcoming Calendar Dates:
2.13- Single Session- Staff Development
2.16- School Closed- President's Day
2.25- Second and Third Grade Science Fair
3.27- Single Session- Staff Development
3.30-4.3- School Closed- Spring Break |
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