Back to School Information 2026-2027
August 26, 2026
Hello, WHS Parents and Guardians,
Just sending you well wishes and a few quick reminders to make our return to school a smooth one!
School Starts on September 3 at 8:25AM
September 2, 2026
K Bus Ride - 11:30AM @ WHS
Kindergarten Open House - 12-12:45PM
New Family Orientation Grades 1-3 - 12:30-1:00PM
Updated! Preschool Meet & Greet - 12:30-1:15 PM
Updated! Preschool Bus Ride - 1:15-1:45PM
Open House - 1:00-2:00PM
New Playground!!!
The crews are working hard as they complete the installation of our new playground! If you have not yet seen it, I can only describe it as epic! We will be speaking to students about playground safety on the first day of school since this playground is much larger and has many enhanced features. I have also collaborated with our Transportation Department and the Readington Police to establish ground rules for playground usage while buses are loading and still on the premises. If you allow your children to play on the playground after school, you must directly supervise them. Thank you in advance for your understanding as we partner to keep children safe and happy!
Warmly,
Dr. Ann DeRosa
WHS Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
Please expect bus delays for both the morning and afternoon routes for the first two weeks of school as our school community transitions back to school, and everyone gets acclimated to the bus routes. We appreciate your patience!
Morning Arrival
While we always encourage you to have your child ride the bus, if you choose to drive him/her to school, staff members will begin receiving your children in the side loop (facing Whitehouse Avenue) at 8:25 a.m.
Please remember that students are expected to independently exit the family vehicle on the passenger’s side (onto the pavement) and parents must remain in the vehicle. If your child needs your assistance, please park your vehicle in the parking lot and walk your child to the main entrance door.
Afternoon Dismissal
When teachers take attendance, they record where each child will go at the end of the school day. If there is a change in your child's regular dismissal pattern, you must notify the teacher in writing as soon as possible. It is most helpful if it is before 12:00p.m. It is always important for your child’s safety and emotional well-being that he/she knows where to go at the end of the day.
Again, we do encourage you to have your child go home on the bus each day. However, if you choose to pick-up your child at dismissal time, we ask that you park safely. Visitor spots are available in the parking lot. Once parked, you can access the building at the outside Gymnasium door, where your child will be awaiting your arrival. We aim to open the doors at about 3:15p.m. We will continue to implement the contactless sign-out, so please be patient with us as staff members learn to recognize the responsible adults who are picking up the children. Please know that the process will speed up as the days go on.
Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Important Upcoming Dates
September 3 - First Day for Students
September 4 - Wear Your Red Cub Shirt!
September 4 - Early Dismissal @ 1:00PM - Labor Day
September 7 - Schools Closed - Labor Day
September 9 - Kindergarten Back-to-School Night - 6:00PM
September 9 - Grade 1 Back-to-School Night - 7:00PM
September 10 - Grade 2 Back-to-School Night - 6:00PM
September 10 - Grade 3 Back-to-School Night - 7:00PM
September 16 - Picture Day!
September 21 - Schools Closed - Yom Kippur
September 25 - Cubby Spirit Day!
September 25 - Block Party!
September 28 - Book Fair Begins
H.S.A. NEWS
Welcome back to Whitehouse School! We hope everyone had a wonderful summer! Your H.S.A. has been busy behind the scenes planning some great events and getting ready for an exciting school year ahead. We’re looking forward to a year filled with community, connection, and lots of WHS fun!
We love hearing from our families! Whether you have a question, an idea, feedback, or would like to get involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
Carolanne Sherwood, WHS VP: Carolannes@readingtonhsa.com
Christina Shiminsky, WHS VP: Christinas@readingtonhsa.com
Valerie Pitts, Preschool VP: Valp@readingtonhsa.com
Danielle Jones, Preschool VP: Daniellej@readingtonhsa.com
Save the Date!
We have lots to look forward to! Mark your calendars for these upcoming H.S.A. events:
September 1 - Popsicles in the Park, 6:00 - 7:00PM - Pickell Park
For incoming Kindergarteners & their families! Come meet other WHS Kindergarten families, make some new friends, and enjoy a popsicle as we get ready to kick off the new school year! (Flyer attached)
September 2 - School Supply Kits
If you pre-purchased school supply kits, they will be delivered to your child’s classroom before September 2nd.
September 3 - Homeroom Representative Meeting, 7:00PM - Virtual
September 4 - 12 - H.S.A. Fall Clothing & Used Items Drive – WHS, TBS, or RMS
Ready for some fall clean-up? Our Clothing & Used Item Drive runs September 4–12. Please click here for more information.
September 25 - WHS Fall Block Party - 5:00–7:00 PM
Join us for an evening of music, food, fun, friends, and carnival activities! Registration opens Wednesday, September 2! We’ll also have a Book Fair Preview & Sale during the Block Party – bring your whole family to shop the books!
September 28 through October 1 - WHS Scholastic Book Fair - WHS Library
October 7 - H.S.A. Business Meeting
Join us for a public meeting where the H.S.A. will share updates on district-wide initiatives, along with news from each school. It’s a great opportunity to gain insight into the H.S.A. activities happening across our children’s schools.
October 16 - WHS Trunk or Treat
Come dressed in your Halloween best and enjoy decorated trunks, dance contests, crafts, food, prizes and fun for the whole family! More information coming soon.
November 22 - District-wide Holiday Market & Vendor Fair
** Full Calendar of Events and Details Coming Soon**
Help us Stock the WHS Staff Lounge!
New this year! With many new staff members joining the WHS family, we thought this would be the perfect time to give our Staff Lounge a little refresh! We’ve created an Amazon Wish List with snacks, drinks, supplies, and other items we think our wonderful WHS staff could enjoy and use throughout the year. Participation is completely optional, and we appreciate any and all donations that help us make the staff lounge a welcoming space for the people who do so much for our children each day!
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1W0ZF5KIIUIJF?ref_=wl_share
Seeking WHS Event Chairs for our annual Winter Shoppe!
We are currently seeking volunteers to chair our annual Winter Shoppe. If you’re interested or want to learn more about the commitment, please reach out to Carolanne and Christina (Carolannes@readingtonhsa.com & Christinas@readingtonhsa.com)
Readington H.S.A Parent Survey: We Want to Hear from You
The Readington H.S.A. is always looking for ways to better support our students, families, and schools. We invite all Readington families to complete our brief Parent Survey and share which H.S.A. events they enjoy most, what they would like to see more of, and any new events, programs, or activities they would like us to consider.
Your feedback will help us make thoughtful decisions and plan experiences that reflect the needs and interests of our school community. Complete the Readington H.S.A. Parent Survey Thank you for helping us make the Readington H.S.A. even better! Complete the Readington H.S.A. Parent Survey
Homeroom Representative Update
Thank you to everyone who signed up by the August 15 deadline to serve as a Homeroom Representative! For classes where more than two parents volunteered, a lottery has been held. Those who volunteered for a class will be notified of the results this week.
Selected Homeroom Representatives will need to attend a virtual meeting on Thursday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m. A link and additional details will be shared directly with those selected. Thank you for volunteering to support our teachers, students, and school community!
INVEST In Your Child Membership Drive Begins September 1
Join the Readington HSA’s INVEST In Your Child membership fundraiser and make a meaningful difference for our students! Choose the membership level that works best for your family, with options starting from $25. Every contribution helps provide enriching experiences, programs, and opportunities for Readington Township students. All donation amounts are kept confidential, and every family’s support makes a difference. Click here for more information.
HSA Fall Clothing Drive
Clean out your closets while helping support our schools! The Readington HSA Fall Clothing Drive will run from Friday, September 4 at 8:00 a.m. through Saturday, September 12 at 12:00 p.m.
Donations may be dropped off at RMS, TBS, or WHS. Tarps will be placed at each location and ready for your donations.
We are accepting gently used clothing for men, women, and children, along with shoes, accessories, linens, small toys, stuffed animals, strollers, bikes, scooters, and other approved items.
Please see the flyer for the complete list of accepted and prohibited donations.
Please share the drive with your family and friends. Questions may be directed to mcnulty.j@gmail.com.
August 19, 2026
Just a friendly reminder that the Parent Portal will open today at 2:00PM. At that time, please be sure to address any mandatory online forms, and then you will be able to access your child’s class assignment. Looking forward to an amazing year!
H.S.A. NEWS
Welcome back to Whitehouse School! We hope everyone had a wonderful summer! Your H.S.A. has been busy behind the scenes planning some great events and getting ready for an exciting school year ahead. We’re looking forward to a year filled with community, connection, and lots of WHS fun!
We also have a few exciting updates to share about our H.S.A. team this year! Our very own Missy Mest has moved on from her role at WHS and is now serving as H.S.A. President, overseeing all Readington Township schools. At WHS, we have a wonderful new addition to the H.S.A serving as CO-VP alongside Carolanne Sherwood, please welcome Christina Shiminsky. In addition, Valerie Pitts and Danielle Jones will serve as our Preschool Vice Presidents, supporting the preschool programs at WHS and throughout the district.
We love hearing from our families! Whether you have a question, an idea, feedback, or would like to get involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out:
Carolanne Sherwood: Carolannes@readingtonhsa.com
Christina Shiminsky: Christinas@readingtonhsa.com
Valerie Pitts: Valp@readingtonhsa.com
Danielle Jones: Daniellej@readingtonhsa.com
Save the Date!
We have lots to look forward to! Mark your calendars for these upcoming H.S.A. events:
September 1 - Popsicles in the Park - 6:00 - 7:00PM - Pickell Park
For incoming Kindergarteners & their families! Come meet other WHS Kindergarten families, make some new friends, and enjoy a popsicle as we get ready to kick off the new school year! Please click here for more information.
September 2 - School Supply Kits
If you pre-purchased school supply kits, they will be delivered to your child’s classroom before September 2nd.
September 3 - Homeroom Representative Meeting 7:00PM Virtual
September 4 - 12 - Clothing & Used Items Drive
Ready for some fall clean-up? Our Clothing & Used Items Drive runs September 4–12. We accept much more than just clothing, more details on accepted items coming soon!
September 25 - WHS Fall Block Party - 5:00–7:00 PM
Join us for an evening of music, food, fun, friends, and carnival activities! Registration opens Wednesday, September 2! We’ll also have a Book Fair Preview & Sale during the Block Party – bring your whole family to shop the books!
September 28 through October 1 - WHS Scholastic Book Fair - WHS Library
October 7 - H.S.A. Business Meeting
Join us for a public meeting where the H.S.A. will share updates on district-wide initiatives, along with news from each school. It’s a great opportunity to gain insight into the H.S.A. activities happening across our children’s schools.
October 16 - WHS Trunk or Treat
Come dressed in your Halloween best and enjoy decorated trunks, dance contests, crafts, food, prizes and fun for the whole family!
November 22 - District-Wide Holiday Market & Vendor Fair
** Full Calendar of Events and Details Coming Soon**
Help us Stock the WHS Staff Lounge!
New this year! With many new staff members joining the WHS family, we thought this would be the perfect time to give our Staff Lounge a little refresh! We’ve created an Amazon Wish List with snacks, drinks, supplies, and other items we think our wonderful WHS staff could enjoy and use throughout the year. Participation is completely optional, and we appreciate any and all donations that help us make the staff lounge a welcoming space for the people who do so much for our children each day!
Shop the Staff Lounge Wish List here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1W0ZF5KIIUIJF?ref_=wl_share
INVEST In Your Child Membership Drive Begins September 1!!
Join the Readington H.S.A.’s INVEST In Your Child membership fundraiser and make a meaningful difference for our students! Choose the membership level that works best for your family, with options starting from $25. Every contribution helps provide enriching experiences, programs, and opportunities for Readington Township students. All donation amounts are kept confidential, and every family’s support makes a difference. Click here for more information.
Homeroom Representative Lottery is Now Open!
The Readington H.S.A. (our district’s PTO) is recruiting Homeroom Representatives for grades Pre-K - 5th grade. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out this form (once for each child for which you are volunteering as HR Rep) no later than August 21st.
Homeroom Representatives are the classroom parents for each class in the elementary grades. Responsibilities include coordinating parent volunteers for class activities such as celebrations and field trips. Homeroom Reps also assist the H.S.A. and the teachers with communication to families about important events. Homeroom Representatives are also expected to volunteer at various H.S.A. events throughout the school year. If you think this opportunity would be a good fit for you, please volunteer! Often two parents split up the work, and one handles communication and the other does classroom activities. A lottery will be used for those classes that have more than two parents volunteer to be Homeroom Representative.
If you were selected to be a Homeroom Representative, you will be notified the week of August 31st and will need to attend our Homeroom Representative meeting on Thursday, September 3rd at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be virtual and a link will be shared on August 31st.
August 18, 2026
Welcome Back to School!
Dear WHS Families,
It is time to begin another tremendously rewarding school year! It should prove to be filled with fun and wonder, as we strive to ensure that your children thrive in our care. At 2:00PM tomorrow, you should be able to access information in the Parent Portal, including your child’s new teacher assignment. Additionally, please see the links below to access my Welcome Back letters and other important information.
Warmly,
Dr. Ann T. DeRosa
Whitehouse News - Aug/Sept 2026
Letter to Students from Dr. DeRosa!
Whitehouse School Parent Handbook
August 12, 2026
Important Information for All Whitehouse School Parents
We hope that you are having a fabulous summer! The school year is fast approaching. Parents will be provided access to the Genesis Parent Portal on Wednesday August 19, 2026 at 2:00 PM to complete forms and view teacher assignments. Details will follow next week.
Kindergarten Bus Ride (Please click link.)
Grades 1-3 New Family Orientation (Please click link.)
WHS School Supply Lists (Please click link.)