Welcome
On behalf of our outstanding teachers, staff and dedicated school community, I would like to thank you for visiting the R. D. White site! R. D. White Elementary, a National Blue Ribbon school since 2003 as well as a California Distinguished School and a 2011 Title I Academic Achievement recipient, has continuously focused on student achievement, character and ethics and enrichment opportunities. While we are very proud of our success, we recognize that it is the concerted effort of teachers, parents, and staff that contribute to student achievement. We are fortunate to have a dedicated parent-teacher community which values collaboration, innovation and our School Site Council is comprised of staff and parents and works together to make decisions which positively impact our students in terms of academic supports, allocations of funds, and site planning. Our PTA works diligently to support students and staff through fundraising which provides assemblies, playground equipment, library books, supplemental classroom materials and more. The fundraises to specifically support our computer lab assistant and our art teacher. Through this effort, students attend computer lab once a week and receive art instruction twice per month. Finally, the Safe Routes to School Committee focuses on addressing our students' ability to arrive and leave school safely and to increase walking and biking to school for their health and well-being. Through the SRTS efforts, students are dropped off in the Mustang Valet, a structured drop off system manned by parents and staff each morning. In addition, SRTS supports monthly "Walking School Buses" to encourage students and their families to walk to school.

Our outstanding teaching staff dedicates countless hours planning an academically challenging curriculum for our students with a focus on reading comprehension and writing. Our goal is to find the giftedness in each child and to help him/her maximize their talents in whatever arena that may be. The Foreign Language Academy of Glendale (FLAG) is new to us this year with two Armenian Dual Immersion classes in kindergarten and K/1 on our campus. We offer multiple intervention opportunities for students who struggle academically including small group instruction with a reading specialist and certificated personnel working with 3rd-5th graders. We have clustered high achieving students in three unique classroom settings: K/1 Accelerated Class, 1st/2nd/3rd grade Accelerated Multiage Class and 4/5 GATE Class. Three Special Day Classes provide settings for special needs students on a general education campus and the Resource Specialist Program offers pullout for targeted instruction. R. D. White offers many enrichment opportunities before, during and afterschool. o much to be proud of and to celebrate! Spanish language class is offered for students in grades 4 and 5 in a weekly before-school program. Armenian language is offered afterschool through the D & M Foundation. Our performing arts programs include Bob Whites (grades 4-5) and Hummingbirds (grades 1-3) choral groups which take place afterschool. In grades 4-5, students have an opportunity to participate and perform in the instrumental music program. The visual arts program "Arts Attack" is taught by Mr. Mike, an art teacher, for every class twice per month. The computer lab class and library are visited by every classroom on a weekly basis. Physical Education is provided by our classroom teachers in grades K-3 and by a specialized PE instructor for grades 4-5 (twice a week). Afterschool programs(fee-based) include Chess Club, Ballet, Lego Robotics, Math, SKyHigh Dance and Science. We look forward to expanding these programs for our students to round out their educational experience.

Every student has an opportunity to perform and be recognized during the year in our Flag Ceremonies, a tradition that brings our families and community together once a month, typically the last Friday. At Flag Ceremony, we celebrate student successes, such as our Top Accelerated Readers, Student of the Month, Mustang Merit recipients, participants in PTA Reflections' program, Math Field Day, Spelling Bee, and Mustang Valet assistants. Every trimester we hold an Awards Ceremony where we recognize students in Club 34 (all 3's and/or 4's on their report cards), Perfect Citizenship, Perfect Attendance and Academic Club of Excellence (ACE award) for outstanding academic achievement.
We have so much to be proud of and to celebrate!

Suzanne Risse
Principal