The Whittier Way:  Be Safe - Be Respectful - Be Your Best 

Whittier is a PBIS school!  What is PBIS?  It began in 1997 when an amendment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) included the language, “Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports,” which described methods to identify and support desired behaviors in the school setting. PBIS seeks to reduce or eliminate challenging behaviors schoolwide through the encouragement of positive behaviors. It provides a framework to help ensure schools are safe places to learn, work and grow together.

Key components of the schoolwide PBIS approach at Whittier Elementary are well defined behavior expectations paired with thoughtful reinforcement.  At Whittier, students are taught what positive behavior looks like in all settings – in the classroom, in the hallways, on the school bus, in the lunchroom. Students learn and practice the skills needed for positive behavior, just as they learn and practice skills and strategies for math, science and reading. In our school hallways and classrooms, you will see brightly colored signs calling out positive behaviors that reflect “The Whittier Way” – Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Your Best!

What the April 2020 bond means for you

In April you will have the opportunity to vote on a bond for Everett Public Schools that will focus on improvements throughout the district in safety, space and STEM programs, while ensuring equity for all of our students. There are specific projects proposed for Whittier Elementary on the bond, as well as the schools your child may attend in the future. To find out specifically what will be happening in your schools, click on the links below:

Whittier Elementary bond projects

North Middle bond projects from 2016 bond

Everett High School bond projects

To see a comprehensive list of all projects on the bond, visit our projects listed by schools page.

PTA "Glow Light Dance" Thursday, February 27!
Our outstanding Whittier PTA will be hosting one of our biggest events of the school year in late February.  Get ready for the fourth annual Whittier PTA “Glow Light Dance!”  It will take place on Thursday, February 27, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria and gymnasium.  We hope to see you there for an incredibly fun night of dancing and fun!

Whittier PTA Family Bingo Night Tuesday, March 24

The Whittier PTA Bingo Night will take place Tuesday, March 24th, from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m in the Whittier cafeteria and gym.  Join us for a great night of family fun! 

Visible Learning Communities with Problem Solvers and Leaders

Whittier is very passionate about preparing and supporting all students to be college, career, and life ready.  This process requires thoughtful and intentional planning to build visible learning environments that foster our students’ ability to communicate effectively, problem solve complex tasks, and strengthen their decision-making skills as leaders.  

Whittier staff are continuously improving our instructional practices to ensure that we provide students with engaging and relevant learning experiences that are connected to real world learning. We also emphasize the key characteristics of perseverance and grit so that students develop the capacity to work through difficult situations and never give up. These are attributes that will help all students succeed at Whittier and in life.

New cell phone policy

The use of cell phones in the classroom can distract students from instruction, yet can be important to have accessible in case of emergency. With this in mind, the district has adopted a new policy 3246 and procedure 3246P which prohibits cell phone use in the classroom while still providing access for students in case of emergency.

Elementary school students who choose to bring cell phones to school may only use them before or after the school day. During the school day, they must be powered off and stored (e.g., in the student’s backpack, locker, other district provided storage). There will be storage in the classroom so, in the event of an emergency, the cell phones will be accessible without leaving the classroom.