Welcome (back), Wildcats! We're so excited to start a new amazing year with our Whittier community! A few reminders, updates, and volunteer opportunities:

JOIN YOUR CLASSROOM
Add your student to our Konstella classroom today to connect with other families in your class this year (click here for instructions on how to use Konstella and join a classroom). Psst - Interested to be a Room Rep for your classroom? Reach out to learn more >>

BACK TO BUSINESS
We can't wait to welcome everyone at Back to Business for school pictures, community connections, and to pick-up key school paperwork. To make this event a success for our Whittier staff, we need 10 volunteers! Please sign up for a SHORT volunteer shift TODAY!

ANNUAL GIVE DIRECT DONATION CAMPAIGN
Whittier PTA is also launching this year's Annual Give during Back to Business. Annual Give is our direct donation campaign that aims to fundraise almost 65% of this year's fundraising goal to help fund essential staff and services, including art, math intervention and extension, nursing, literacy intervention, Whittier's new STEAM lab, and so much more. Look for more information in your Back to Business folders and near the PTA table at Back to Business.

WHITTIER PTA NEEDS YOU (YES, YOU!)
Our PTA does incredible things, from funding essential staff and services to hosting community events that create belonging to running after school enrichment programs (and so much more). But our team can't make these incredible events and programs happen without our community's financial and volunteer support. Some events, programs, and services are currently at risk due to a lack of volunteer support.

• Fall Carnival - We need a Chair and committee members to coordinate this beloved annual tradition (planned for 10/24 this year). If we don't have a Chair (or two!) and 3-4 committee volunteers by 9/25, we will have to cancel Fall Carnival for this year! 
• Spring Fling - We need 1-2 Chairs and committee members to coordinate this essential (and super fun) adult-only fundraiser (planned for 3/7/26 this year). This fundraiser typically generates 35-45% of our annual fundraising income; without it, Whittier PTA won't be able to confidently budget for large expenses next year (like essential staff and services). 
• Wildchat Editor - This remote volunteer role publishes content submitted by volunteers and our community to craft our regular community newsletter. Without a volunteer, we won't have this key communication tool this year.
• Communications Chair - This Whittier PTA board role receives and organizes communication requests and works with staff and volunteer partners to spread the word about events, opportunities, updates, and more. Without this role, our remaining volunteers have to take on the lift, compromising what we can get done.