Just in case...

Just in case you want another earning opportunity for Whitney:

Brought to YOU by Target

Did you know that Target is one of the communities most generous donators to education?  Did you know you can get Target to give more money to Whitney Elementary School?  Did you know you can do all of this AND save 5% plus free shipping at Target or Target.com?

Target's Take Charge of Education links your Target REDCard to a school of your choice.  Every time you use your Target RedCard it gives 1% of your total back to the school while also giving you 5% savings.  In August 2012, Target gave $138.65 to Whitney.  This was all because 12 people signed up for a REDCard and linked it to Whitney.  Can you imagine the impact if there were 12 more families that also linked their Target RedCard to Whitney?

Don't have a Target REDCard or you choose not to use a credit card?  No problem.  Target has two programs to choose from, Target REDCard  Credit and Debit.  All you need to do is link your checking account number to the Target REDCard  and Target will send you a REDCard Debit card to use at Target.

The Target REDCard  program is awesome for its work with schools in the community but it's even more awesome for the card holder.  Not only do you get 5% off your total purchase, you get free shipping from the website, 30 extra days to make returns and one of the best perks I just found out about...drumroll...Target lets RedCard holders shop 1 day early for Black Friday deals.  Instead of standing in line at 4am with everybody else, Target makes the list of deals available for RedCard holders on Wednesday November 21.  Wednesday REDcard holders are given 20 items they can early shop for from Target.com.  I don't know what the deals are but with free shipping included in the REDcard deal you have nothing to lose but a little internet shopping time by checking out the deals early.

Do you want to score even more money for the school?  Use the Target link on this page and the link will send the school an additional 5%.  That comes out to 5% savings for you and 6% cash for the school.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO to get the most savings is: make sure your Target REDcard is registered to give to Whitney and use the Target sites on this Blog.



Happy Hunting!

1st Quarter is Already Gone?!?

Where does the time go?  It seems like only yesterday my kids were driving me crazy in the house avoiding the summer haze. 

So far, Whitney has had 1 official fundraiser, a few bake sales, Trunk r' Treat and did you notice the transformation at the north end of the school's wings?  If I were a better Blogger I would have taken pictures of the school to share with the people who can't be here right now to witness the physical change.  The absolute, most stunning part about the new addition to me?  I can hardly tell where the original building stops and the new one was just added.  It is beautiful.  The kids think I'm crazy, what would be beautiful to THEM is getting the playground back.  Alas, it looks like the playground and the north end of the school will return on schedule.

Did you know that our 3rd graders get on a bus every Tuesday and Thursday and go to the Downtown YMCA for swimming lessons?  It is a free program geared towards teaching water safety and swimming appreciation.  I've noticed a change in the kids when they get back...tired, HUNGRY for a snack and more CONFIDENT.  I don't know why this is but the organizers of the swimming program are geniuses.  I'm still looking for an award to bestow on our school's and the YMCA's leadership for navigating our kids to safer waters.

Did you notice the bake sale table right at 7:00 for Trunk r' Treat?  It was sold out!  Did you miss your chance at some of the best looking cupcakes in the whole WORLD?  No worries; the PTO is sponsoring another bake sale the day of the election (Nov. 6) right outside the polling set up in the gym.  If you have baked goods you would like to share, please get them to the Whitney office no later than 8:45 Tuesday.  My only regret is that I have but one vote to give and I already voted by absentee ballot, so no cookies for me.

From now until Nov. 1 there is a book fair also taking place in the Whitney library.  Did you know that your book purchase makes a difference for our own Library?  For those of you who want to order books online, you can shop the Whitney Elementary Book Fair link until November 10.  A portion of all proceeds up until Nov. 10 will go to Whitney Elementary.  You can also ship FOR FREE directly to the school.

Happy Fall Everybody!  May the days be bright and just cool enough to snuggle up with a good book.

Nikki Rutledge
-Whitney Parent

Never Fear The End is Near!

We're mid-summer break and while you may fear the actual end of the world is at hand, never fear, the end of summer break is near.  (Tell your older kids this and they may indeed believe the end is near as well.)

To get you through the last bit of summer remember the fantastic programs offered by Boise Parks and Rec.

• There are 15 parks in Boise offering free lunch to kids ages 1-18, Monday through Friday now through August 10.
• Those same parks rotate a FREE van called the VanTastic program.  The van is loaded with activities including sports, games and ART too!!
• While you're thinking about the parks it might be a good time to give them a little love while you're there.  Take a plastic grocery bag and have your kids focus on a TerraCycle item for Whitney's www.terracycle.net collection.  Always popular to pick up around the playground for me are candy wrappers, Capri Sun drink pouches and cheese wrappers from picnickers.

School really is starting soon and the school supply shopping is just starting to get hot.  Shopko used to be my one and only store I could count on for the best prices on the best supplies like Crayola Crayons and markers.

Here are the lowest prices I've ever bought some of these items and what I'm seeing them at right now:


                           Lowest Ever         Right Now
Crayola Crayons:  .24                      .39
Crayola Markers:  .79                       .99
Scissors:                .49                       .79
Elmer's Glue:         .25                       .39
Rulers:                   .10                       .99
Glue Sticks:           .10                       .10
Color Pencils:        .79                       .99
Notebooks:            .10                       .19

Will these prices go lower?  Most probably yes.

Are there limits on these items?  Yes, watch the store carefully.  For example: ShopKo will sell you more than the limit of 4 Crayola Crayons but the 5th pack and more will all cost you the normal retail ($1.49).

Hey, these are fantastic prices!  What happens if I go a little crazy and I get enough school supplies for 30 kids?  You will be our hero!  Drop those extra school supplies off at the front desk at Whitney (or any other elementary school in the nation).  If you find a school that turns you away, please let me know, I want what they're having.

Hang in there and keep those kids safe!  Remember the sunscreen and cherish the time you have with them now.  Soon enough there will be one last summer vacation and then they will be off to college!

-Nikki Rutledge
Whitney Parent

4/20 The Whitney Way

It was a 4/20 to be proud of; one for the books.  In fact, it was one of those 4/20's you could write home about in unabashed pride because it was done the "Whitney Way".

At approximately 3:00 on 4/20/2012 I heard kids, about a dozen or so, in front of my house.  It was way too early for the elementary school kids to be out and way too joyous for the junior high kids.

And there they were, Mrs. Sara Winn's 6th grade ELL class on a special mission throughout the Whitney neighborhood, picking up trash and carrying forth their Stop Joseph Kony message.  For a few weeks prior, the kids set about a penny drive in all of the Whitney Elementary School classrooms to raise money and awareness.  On April 19th they had a sell out bake sale raising $146 to send support to the Invisible Children of Africa being terrorized, traumatized and tortured on behalf of warlord Joseph Kony.  The kids on 4/20 walked the neighborhood equipped with trash bags and sidewalk chalk to remind people of the call to action for 4/20, if you saw this, then you got the message:

So, why did Whitney take up this cause?  We have some wise old souls in small sneakers at Whitney with first hand knowledge of Joseph Kony and how his cronies operate in Africa.  They have raised money and awareness because somebody has to.  And, they're just kids.

So what's next?  We as adults should take note of what our kids at Whitney are doing for humanity's sake, all on their own initiative.  Go to the Invisible Children | Kony 2012 website, take the pledge to make the next steps in the pursuit of warlords who cowardly steal children in the night and murder their innocence.

What's next for these particular kids?  I guarantee you, big things.

--Nikki Rutledge
Whitney Parent

Whitney is special because...

...we treat everybody with kindness and respect!  Thank you to our special faculty, staff and students!

Thank YOU!

Thank you to everybody who took the time to vote yesterday in the temporary supplemental levy for the Boise School District.

Even if you voted "no," while we may not agree, your act of going to the polls and making a choice shows that you care about Boise and what happens in the future.

The supplemental levy has passed and we can expect the budget levels we have now to not dip further in 2012-2013.

Nikki Rutledge
-Whitney Parent

Election Day - March 13, 2012

UNLESS someone like you
cares a whole awful lot,
nothing is going to get better.
It's not.

-Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Today is the day to vote for the temporary, supplemental Boise Schools Levy.

If you need help finding your polling place, please see: http://www.adaweb.net/Clerk/Elections.aspx

Take your photo id with you.  You can still register to vote at the polling place.

Have a great day!

Nikki Rutledge

-Whitney Parent

At Risk Kids

Reading my O Magazine (Oprah) today, something struck me, not hard, but it left an impression.  There was a piece with results of a project kicked off in the December issue, "Gifts that Made a Difference."  There were organizations featured to which O Readers could donate and each organization had a specific cause like books to Africa, musical instruments to kids, trees to Alabama to help recover from the 2011 tornadoes but the one that caught my eye were the 1,333 field trips made possible for high risk youth by donations to createnow.org.

I have absolutely no quibble with these organizations or these donations and Lord, I am on my knees praying Oprah never sees this nor takes offense.  Each of these foundations provides wonderful services.  Each of these individual groups working together makes the world a better, safer, nicer and friendlier place.  We should all take note of people who donate time, energy and money for any cause they believe will make a positive difference.

I don't have a problem with these organizations or what they do I'm bewildered by how we put kids into a box labeled "at risk".

Isn't every kid at risk?

At risk of drugs.  At risk of abuse.  At risk of hunger.  At risk of homicide.  At risk of bullying.  At risk of suicide.  At risk of illiteracy.  At risk of teasing.  At risk of illness.  At risk of teen pregnancy.  At risk of becoming a crime victim.  At risk of becoming a criminal.  At risk of falling through the cracks.  At risk of poverty.

Maybe I have just been listening to too much Lady Gaga; Praise Be Girlfriend, SING IT!  www.bornthiswayfoundation.org.

But...what if we changed the equation?  What if our biggest fear was that our kids were at risk of becoming obnoxiously more successful than us?  At risk of becoming so much smarter?  At risk of writing the great American novel and then repeating that success shamelessly young?

I just paid my income taxes.  Today.  I put my envelope in the blue mailbox and kissed my money goodbye.  I wish I could say it stinks, it sucks, I'm outraged!  But I'm not.  It's just money and really, it's not as though I spent the money buying another pair of shoes I don't need.  I sent the money off to pay for Idaho schools and roads.  If they had had a "donate $5 for Idaho schools," I would have sent $5.

There is an election March 13, 2012, this Tuesday, for the Boise Schools Supplemental Levy.  If you vote "Yes" it will raise your property taxes by about $7 per month BUT it will maintain the same funding in Boise Schools as we have right now (no more, no less).  If you vote "No" the Boise School district will have no choice but to eliminate teacher jobs and student programs.

If you vote YES! you can keep class sizes small with teachers involved and engaged in your child's educational progress.

If you vote no all of our kids are at risk.

http://yesforboiseschools.org/

Oh!  You actually can send a donation to Boise Schools via their Foundation: http://www.boiseschoolsfoundation.com/donations/

March 7 - Absentee Voters Listen Up

What is that thing you have to do March 7?

Frolic in the dawning spring? (Yes, but later, LATER; FOCUS)

Wish your brother Happy Birthday? (No, that's just me.)

REQUEST YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT!

March 7 is the deadline for REQUESTING and RECEIVING an absentee ballot for the Boise Schools Levy (unless you plan to vote "No" and then it's March 8--okay, I'm kidding; no matter how you plan to vote it is MARCH 7.)

You can get your ballot at :
www.idahovotes.gov/VoterReg/absentee.pdf
Registered voters can request an absentee ballot until 5 p.m. March 7. 
Ballots must be returned to the county elections office by 8 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, March 13.
If you choose to vote on election day:

The polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 13.

Redistricting may have changed the location of your polling place.

To find your polling place, go to www.idahovotes.gov or call Ada County Elections at 287-6860

Oooh...I hope my polling place hasn't changed.  They think I'm funny there.  Last time I voted they asked me to stay and entertain them.  Few people ever ask me to stay.

-Whitney Parent

Nikki Rutledge

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/02/25/2008965/volunteers-push-boise-levy.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/02/25/2008965/volunteers-push-boise-levy.html#storylink=cpy

Risky Business

"My description of myself, whether I'm the CEO of a very competitive industry or whether I happen to fly aerobatics in airplanes, it's all one package.  I mean, it's the personality that comes through in my business and my personal life."  -Steve Appleton 1960-2012

Steve Appleton said that in response to concerns raised after his first airplane crash in 2004.

According to news media this week, "That crash left some wondering if the CEO was taking too many risks, considering he is head of a major corporation."

Critics described Appleton as a risk taker; allies described him in equal terms.  Business partners depended upon that quality.

Risk is defined as both a noun and a verb: exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance; to venture upon; take or run the chance of.

When we became parents we took on a role as guardians, to protect our children and to help them avoid the chance of injury or loss.  As a parent, it's difficult to watch my children grow and take chances.  In light of Steve Appleton's fatal airplane crash Friday morning, it might be natural to hug our children closer to us and encourage them to become more risk averse.  

On this same Friday my oldest child's teacher invited us to an author's party.  The kids all took turns reading their writing out loud in front of their peers and their peers' parents.  They were taking a risk and they will become better students because of it.

Steve Appleton knew the risks of stunt flying and experimental planes.  Appleton had already been in one plane crash and knew our time on earth is not infinite.  As we are all born, so shall we all die.  Appleton made a choice to either go quietly or go doing something he loved.

Before we create a bubble around our most precious cargo, let's be sure of one thing: the risks they take today under our watchful, measured eyes can provide them with lifelong memories and experiences that make them better students and people.  Let's provide them with the opportunities to take risks because risks are still okay.  Risk taking builds companies and countries alike.  Risks change the world.

Go forth and ride bikes on the Greenbelt, read poems in front a group, ride a horse, volunteer.  For all the parents: take a risk and join us for the Supplemental Levy Whitney Night on the Phone Banks!  Hug your kids and live life.  Enjoy being here just because you can.

Make a Difference

"A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance.  Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies—just to make a difference."  

President Barack Obama, State of the Union 2012

We can all point to a teacher who has changed our lives.  Let's make sure the budget shortfalls, handed down to us from our State Legislature, don't negatively change their lives right here and right now.

On March 13, 2012 vote with Whitney's PTO in support of the Boise Schools Supplemental Levy.

On February 9th from 6:30 - 8:30, join us for an hour or two on the Yes! for Boise Schools Supplemental Levy phone banks to educate Boise citizens and drum up support for the upcoming vote.

Supplemental Levy Volunteer Opportunity

We are looking for volunteers to help support the Supplemental Levy.  Please send your contact information to Nikki Rutledge or Rebecca Howard if you can join Whitney teachers and parents for "Whitney Night" at the Supplemental Levy Phone Bank.

Come 10 minutes early for instructions.

One Night Only!

Details: February 9, 2012 from 6:30-8:30 in the condominiums on Crescent Rim close to the Depot.

Location: http://www.crescentrim.com/location/

This type of action is crucial to passing the Supplemental Levy which, will keep our class sizes small and maintain the extraordinary standard of education our kids enjoy today.  This levy only maintains existing funding, it does not expand Boise School's coffers.

Given the information from Governor Otter's State of the State, there will be no action to restore funding to schools across Idaho.  It is important to protect our kids when and where we can and right now that means passing this Supplemental Levy for Boise Schools.

Even if you are only able to come for an hour, please do come to the phone bank and enjoy meeting and volunteering with teachers and other parents.  Ours is a common interest, our kids and their education.

Nikki Rutledge: nicolerutledge@cableone.net

Rebecca Howard: rebehoward@mac.com

The vote is March 13, 2012 and we need your support to educate our Boise voters about the levy and how it helps all citizens, big and small, corporate, public and private.

Happy Northern Hemisphere Winter!

I thought about turning the Blog over to somebody else.  I have had the worst case of writer's block, thinking I have nothing to tell you about when in truth, there is so much.

My sister bought my sons a hamster with a fabulous abode yesterday.  I thought we had outdone ourselves back in my day when we submerged my old "My Little Pony" castle into the giant wire and wood enclosure we had for our rodentia.  This new creation has tubes, a loft and a curly slide up to a fantastic wheel that doesn't squeak!  No sooner had the hamster and ultra fancy house been un-crated, built and hamster made at home when one of the kids started making remodeling designs.  A new tube section here, a new houses added here; you get the picture.  Though there was no mention of a roommate for the hamster, just more square inches of living space for the lone rodent.

That started me thinking, I've been doing the same thing.  I've been thinking about hydroponic solar powered radiant heat flooring added to the garage and converting it to a game room or maybe radiant heat flooring added to the patio.  Either way I could extend my vegetable growing season or take back my living room from my children.  More square feet; remodels; more space for more stuff that we don't need!

Why are we so focused indoors though?  I get it, it's cold out but when it's 100 degrees we find ways of adjusting and still go outside.  So, it's time to bundle up and go outside.  After all, it's not Grand Forks, North Dakota where the average temperatures for January are -9/-19.  So, I bought a crazy hat over the winter break on a special trip to my favorite crazy hat store.  My kids have new dinosaur hats their Nana knit for them.  We have coats, mittens and we have the will.  Now, what are we doing outside?

Things to do in the cold of Boise:

1. Check out the new cross walk flags around Whitney Elementary School brought to you by the Whitney PTO.  Grab a flag to alert cars that you are in the crosswalk and deposit in the container on the other side.  Why did we do this?  It has been observed that while cars usually stop for adults we have witnessed cases where kids wait at the crosswalk in vain for cars to stop.  Holding a flag, they clearly signal to the cars their intent to cross and cars are stopping to let them cross.
2. Bare tree peeping.  Trees are interesting during every season.  For example, you can see nests in trees when the leaves have fallen.  In fact trees are a very interesting math lesson.  It may look like branches spindle out chaotically but nature is an accomplished mathematician and engineer.  Everything from trees to forests and mountains to rivers are shaped into geometric shapes called fractals.  It's a type of symmetry that uses "iteration" to grow larger and balance itself.  For every branch on one side of a tree a twin grows on the other.  Your veins do the same thing.  It's the way things keep from collapsing as it grows. 

3. Walk with wildlife.  During winter deer from the upper foothills traverse the dangers of civilization to get to the Boise river.  If you are up to some nature, take the Greenbelt East of Municipal Park.  Take caution though, it's rare but the stray moose and small bear have also retreated into the city when they cannot find food.  Moose and bear are best viewed at a great distance with animal control between you and the animals.  Cap off  your visit to the MK Nature Center.  The Nature Center grounds are always free from sun up to sundown and provide a different landscape in winter.

4.  Take a neighborhood walk and see if you can pick up the following for the TerraCycle program at Whitney: candy wrappers, chip or cookie bags.  Keep your eyes peeled for stray change for your own piggy bank.  Back in my college days there was something called the Found Money Fund started by Dr. Terry Anderson.  No, you won't find a fortune in lost money overnight but like our TerraCycle program it's the stuff that is forgotten and tossed aside that really adds up.  Since fall 2010 our "garbage" from TerraCycle has earned the school $373.

5.  Go star watching; you don't even have to go as far as Los Angeles or Sun Valley!  Drive just outside the city lights to experience a winter sky, it is different from a summer night sky.

6.  And for the inside types, the Boise Public Library always has something going on at one of their branches: http://www.boisepubliclibrary.org/News_and_Events/Events/

7.  Since I went down the path of indoors, did you know that both Lowes and Home Depot have free workshops for kids: https://www.lowesbuildandgrow.com/ and http://www.homeimproverclub.com/kidsworkshops.aspx

8.  Explore the Yes! For Boise Schools site http://yesforboiseschools.org/ and talk to your kids about what it means to have small class sizes.  You can print a sign for your car or home window: http://yesforboiseschools.org/levy_facts_pdf/WindowSign.pdf and talk to your kids about the importance of voting on March 13, 2012.

9.  Take a family trip to the Ada County Landfill: http://www.adaweb.net/SolidWasteManagement/SolidWasteandLandfill/Location.aspx  Open Monday through Saturday and closed Sundays, the landfill can spark a discussion with your family about your own home's waste management.  Always think about other uses for things you are about to throw out.  Waste not, want for not.

10.  Do you have perfectly great fantastic things taking up space in your house that you haven't touched in many years?  What about art supplies?  The school is currently taking art supplies from your stash.  As a recovering professional crafter (I once sold crafts online at www.etsy.com, the online hand crafter's paradise), I acquired an enormous stash of fabric.  Over the weekend I "de-stashed" or what my husband would characterize as "de-crazied".  The PTO requests art supplies by January 26, however, talk to your kids' teachers and find out what their needs are.  

11.  I know, lists are usually in 10's but 11 sounded like fun.  Check your families ancestry and involve your kids.  There are free internet searches and you can use ancestry.com for limited periods for free.  I always had an idea of who my family was.  It turned out to be completely wrong.  Yes, some of my family recently came to the U.S. from Sweden and some were Irish immigrants via Canada (believe it or not a few nuns as well) and there were still some scalawags and scoundrels but that was just a handful of my family.  The deeper I dug, the more surprised I became.  Dive in with your kids and make history relate.