WES- Family Newsletter 9/3/26

9/4 & 9/7 - School Closed - Labor Day Weekend

9/21 - School Closed- Yom Kippur

9/22- Picture Day

9/23- Picture Day

10/12 - School Closed- Staff Development

September 3, 2026

Dear Whiton Families,

Thank you for all of your support and understanding during our opening week of school.  Our students have been doing an amazing job working with our staff to learn the school routines and procedures.  Mr. Rand, vice-principal, Ms. Stewart, guidance counselor, Ms. D'Antonio, social social worker, Officer Chris, and I all stopped into classes yesterday to introduce ourselves and let the students know we are here to support them.  The same is true of our families, please reach out to us if we can help to support.

As a reminder, our district will be using parent square as a form of communication for parents/guardians. Please check your settings to ensure that you have selected the options for text and email that best fit your preferences. You can receive messages instantly or at a time your prefer and also select how you would like to receive your messages. If you download the app, you can also receive instant notifications.

Every Day Matters - please use this link to learn about what our students are saying!

All parents/guardians are required to use Genesis to report student absences. If your student will be absent for any reason, please be sure to record the absence in Genesis. More information can be found in our handbook. To report an absence in the Genesis Parent Portal:

All visitors must sign in using the iPad located in the entryway. Please have your driver’s license available for scanning. Once you have completed the sign-in process, you will be buzzed into the main office where you will receive a visitor badge.

Because we can only accommodate a limited number of visitors in the entryway at one time, you may need to wait outside the main entrance while we clear the lobby of visitors or dismiss students. Please plan accordingly and allow extra time to complete the sign-in process and enter the building.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone.

Please use the parking spaces just outside our main parking lot when dropping off or picking up students. At no time should vehicles drive through or be parked in the bus lanes, as these areas must remain clear.

Please make sure to email the office (wesoffice@branchburg.k12.nj.us) and your student's teacher(s) should there be a change in your student's dismissal by 2:00pm of these changes.

Please meet our guidance counselor, Ms. Stewart and review information on Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) here.

Please find information here about when your student is sick and please do not send your student with a fever. If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Bonaduce (nbonaduce@branchburg.k12.nj.us).

In the near future, Ms. Sam Gale, our school librarian, will be sharing information for volunteer opportunities in the library.  Please find her newsletter here. 

LABEL, LABEL, LABEL

Please remember to label all of your students’ belongings. This will make it much easier to identify and return items quickly if they are lost or misplaced.

Student portraits are scheduled for Tuesday, September 22 and Wednesday, September 23. All students will have their individual photo taken with their homeroom class. Teachers will let you know which day your student’s class is scheduled.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to place online orders before Picture Day. Please note that all students will have their photo taken, regardless of whether an order has been placed. If you are unable to order online ahead of time, students may bring a completed order envelope on Picture Day.

For those who do not place an order in advance, there will be a limited window after Picture Day to order photos online.

Here is more information from our Photographer. Flyers will be sent home next week.