Welcome to a new school year!
We hope this message finds you doing well and that you’ve had the opportunity to relax and enjoy some of the many things the summers in Wisconsin provide. It's so exciting to reconnect with students and families very soon.
Our staff is already busy planning and preparing for what we know will be another great year here at Waubesa. It's such a joy to welcome our 3rd grade Class of 2034 and any new students to the McFarland School District, and welcome back our 4th graders, Class of 2033, and our 5th graders, Class of 2032.
Please take a moment to review some important New School Year details, dates, and events:
Registration: Annual Registration for existing students will open August 6 and will remain open through August 21. Please do NOT attempt to register your child before that time. We are currently only accepting on-line registrations/enrollments for NEW students.
Classroom Placement/Teacher Assignments: You will receive an email with your child’s classroom teacher name on Wednesday, August 14th. Please note that a lot of time and effort goes into the placement process, and after providing the opportunity to provide input in your child’s placement each spring, we cannot honor requests to change classrooms once these assignments come out.
“Welcome Back Event” on Thursday, August 29, from 5:30-7:30.
- WIS: Last Names L-Z 5:30-6:20 and A-K 6:40-7:30
- CEPS & IMMS: Last Names A-K 5:30-6:20 and L-Z 6:40-7:30
- You and your student will be able to come into the building, find their classroom, drop off supplies, meet their teacher, and enjoy some ice cream. This is a casual time to drop off supplies and enjoy time with staff, classmates, and other families. If you would like to share valuable, individual information about your student with their teacher(s), please send them an email.
EC-12 July Communication: this message was sent to all EC-12 families on July 8, that included some important summer and new school year information.
Weekly Communication from Waubesa:
Our "Waubesa Weekly" communication will be sent on Sunday evenings via Smores. This newsletter will include any announcements for the upcoming week, important updates, and frequently referenced links.
First Day of School: The first day of school is Tuesday, September 3rd, and is a full day of school. It is a required attendance day for all students. Breakfast is served each morning from 7:25 until 7:55 in the cafeteria. If your child is not having breakfast, they may be dropped off after 7:25. Playground supervision will be provided from 7:25 until 7:47, when the first bell rings, signaling students into the building. When the second bell rings at 7:55, all students should be in their classrooms. Our end of the day dismissal bell rings at 2:55.
Attendance/Absences: As long as your child is feeling well, getting them to school every day and on time is one of the best things you can do to support their progress. That said, if your child is ill, has an appointment, etc., please follow the Absence Request Process on Infinite Campus to note your child’s attendance accordingly. Families are asked to follow our absence protocols before 8:15 a.m. If you fail to report an absence by 8:30 a.m., school personnel will contact you either at home or at work to confirm your student’s absence or tardiness.
School Supplies: Supply lists are updated on the school website. You may also choose to order a supply kit through our PTO by clicking here. Please plan to bring these items to our “Welcome Back” night!
Daily Snacks: An optional snack time is scheduled daily for students. If you would like your child to have a snack, please send them with one each day in either a prepackaged or resealable container. We encourage you to send healthy snacks that are quick to eat and make minimal mess, like veggie sticks, whole-grain crackers, granola bar, fruit snacks, fruit slices, etc. We cannot provide snacks for all students, so if your child wants one, please send one. All snacks must be peanut and tree nut-free as they are eaten in our classrooms. In addition, we encourage each child to bring a reusable water bottle to drink from throughout the day.
Allergy Information: All McFarland schools are latex-free, and only Mylar or similar latex-free materials are allowed in the buildings. In addition, all classrooms and office spaces are peanut and tree nut-free; the cafeteria is the only location where peanuts/tree nuts are permitted. Alternative tablespaces are provided as an option upon parent/guardian request in the cafeteria for students with peanut and tree nut allergies. Please contact our WIS Health Assistant Sadie Frank at frankm@mcfsd.org if you would like to request this accommodation for your child.
Nelson’s Bus Service: Please call 608-205-9040 for bus schedule information and questions.
Visitor Information: With safety being our top priority, the following guidelines are in place for visitors to WIS.
Due to space limitations, we do not accommodate lunch visitors in the lunchroom. If you’d like to eat lunch with your student, you are able to check out your child for the lunch period; please call our main office that morning to set up.
Parents and guardians may pick students up early for appointments, etc. Please notify the main office and classroom teacher by phone or email by 7:45 AM on the morning of the early pick-up.
Other non-parent/guardian adults may only pick students up during the day with prior parent/guardian permission. The parent/guardian must call or email the main office on the morning of the early pick-up. The parent/guardian is also responsible for making sure the visitor knows that a photo ID will be required.
If a visitor arrives without prior parent/guardian permission, they will be directed by our office staff to contact the parent/guardian who must then call the office before being allowed to visit for lunch or pick-up the child.
Volunteers: We are happy to welcome parents/guardians and other community members who wish to volunteer in our district. Interested individuals may begin the process by completing a Volunteer Application Form and an administrative assistant will follow up with you. A background check is required for all individuals who will have access to students in the course of their volunteer work. For more information on volunteering please visit the District website.
On behalf of our entire Waubesa staff, we look forward to another successful and enjoyable year of learning with your student(s). Our staff is committed to your student(s) and can’t wait to partner with you to see how they learn and grow this year. Thank you for taking the time to read the information in this newsletter.
Thank you for your support as we make the 2024-25 school year the best year of learning experience yet!
Please reach out if you have any questions.
Corey Shefchik - Principal
Brooke Hauser - K-5 Associate Principal
