Richards Family News
November 4 2024
Dear Richards Families,
What an incredible week, last week! Thank you for joining us in the fun of our dress-up days and for helping to build such a strong sense of community and joy here at Richards. Seeing our students’ excitement and creativity was truly special and has brought so much energy to our school!
We also had the privilege of meeting with many of you during parent-teacher conferences. Your partnership means so much, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to connect and collaborate on each child’s growth and success. Together, we’re building a strong foundation for our students’ learning journey, and we appreciate all you do to support us. Thank you for being a part of our Richards community!
Friendly Reminder: New Volunteer Process Begins December 3rd
To all our Richards volunteers, thank you for your invaluable support! Starting December 3rd, all volunteers must have their approved volunteer card upon check-in. This step helps us ensure student safety in alignment with our Focus Plan.
Who Needs a Volunteer Card?
If you’re volunteering in classrooms, chaperoning field trips, or involved in PTO clubs where students are present, please complete the volunteer application via the District HR Department at: https://www.wfbschools.com/district/volunteering.cfm. This approval is valid for two years.
Thank you for helping keep Richards a safe and welcoming place for all.
Veteran’s Day: On Veteran's Day, November 11th, we are honored to host a veteran educator speaker at this monthly school meeting. Their presentation will align with our November theme of gratitude. To ensure a focused and meaningful presentation, we will not be hosting additional guests this year.
Incoming 2025-26 4-Year Old Kindergarten (4K) Visits
Whitefish Bay resident families of students who turn four on or before September 1, 2025 are invited to a 4K Overview at Richards Elementary School on Friday, December 6, 2024 at either 8:40am or 1:30 pm.
This event, hosted by Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Petersen, will include a welcome from our 4K Teachers, a short story with our Library Media Specialist and time for Q & A. More information can be found in this flyer.
Please join us! RSVP via this link. Please contact the Richards Office (414-963-3951) with any questions.
Family Math Night - Shared Resources: Thank you to all who attended Family Math Night on October 21st and 22nd. During these events, students and family members engaged in game play focused on fact fluency.
Here are the resources we used:
● Google Slides of the presentation
● Family Letters from IM - letters sent out by teacher before a new unit
● Summary letters of key concepts at each grade level
● Games for Fluency Practice at Home by Grade - activities and resources from family night
Please note the games are built in stages and the goal is fluency. If it is too easy or challenging you can adjust a stage up or down. Think about making game play a weekly activity. Similar to how we ask students to read for a bit of time each night, added practice in playing Math Games can support fact fluency skills at home. Playing Sorry, Trouble, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Top It (previously called War in the form of addition, subtraction or multiplication practice),Monopoly etc are always options for turning math facts and skills into family time at home!
Should you have any questions, please reach out to Matthew Skinner at Cumberland Elementary (matthew.Skinner@wfbschools.com) or Susan Jones at Richards Elementary (susan.jones@wfbschools.com).
Picture Retake Day: Student Picture Retake Day will be held after school on Thursday, November 7th from 3:15-5:15pm in the Gym. Please note that students should be accompanied by an adult and that no appointment is needed. Enter at Door 1 (front, center door off of Santa Monica Blvd.), turn right to the Gym. Our photographer will also be taking first time photos for those students who missed picture day in September. Questions? Email Allison at richards.yearbook@gmail.com.
Interested in viewing your child(ren)'s school photos? Visit https://www.vipis.com/
Click on “View and Order Photos”, type in “Richards Elementary School” under “Start by Searching for Your School or Organization.” Click “View now” on the box “School Portraits - Grades 3K-12”. Scroll down and complete the search fields and click on “Search” to submit. A student ID number will be required (which can be found under the Student Info Tab on Family Access). Select your image for yearbook/composite, and purchase portraits. All orders will be delivered to your home. If you need further assistance, contact VIP at support@vipis.com.
Richards Lost and Found: The Lost and Found has grown by leaps and bounds this fall. Please encourage your child(ren) to check the tables in the main lobby before this Friday, November 8. All unclaimed items will be donated to charity after that date. Please label your child(ren)'s items. This helps us locate the owner when items land in the Lost & Found. Thank you!
Elementary Switch Days: There are many no student days on Mondays and Fridays throughout the year. To provide every student with a balanced experience of Library, Art, Music (including Band and Orchestra), Physical Education, and Spanish instruction throughout the school year, we introduced a "days equalized" calendar.
Tuesday, 11/26, will be treated as a Friday. The reason this is important is specific to students who need to bring an instrument or wear appropriate footwear for physical education. We will give you notice before each switch day throughout the school year.
A Message from the Richards Health Room
Student Illness:
FEVER: A child may have a fever in the evening, then be without a fever the next morning. If sent to school, the fever may return later in the school day. The Whitefish Bay School District's policy states to exclude a child from school with a temperature of 100.4 or greater. Please keep your child home until fever-free for 24 hours without the help of fever-reducing medication.
VOMIT: The 24 hour rule also pertains to students who vomit due to illness.
COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: Students are excluded from school with communicable diseases including: Pertussis, Hand Foot and Mouth. This is not an all inclusive list. As these impact other students, please contact the Health Room for awareness or with questions.
PERSISTENT COUGH, COUGHING SPELLS, VOMITING, EXHAUSTION, DIARRHEA: These are all reasons to keep a child home. If these signs and symptoms (S&S) continue, medical evaluation is appropriate.
SORE THROAT: Irritation of the throat can be caused by persistent coughing, post-nasal drainage (drainage down the back of the throat from sinus and nasal passages due to a cold, allergies, or sinus infections), or throat infections such as Streptococcus bacteria (Strept Throat). Medical evaluation is important to rule out Strept infections.
ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATION THERAPY: Medication Antibiotic Therapy is sometimes prescribed by the child's physician to treat bacterial infections. If antibiotics are prescribed the child must be on them for 24 hours before returning to school.
Reminder to Families: Families play a key role in the prevention and management of head lice, including examining their children’s hair and beginning immediate treatment if lice is detected. To prevent the spread of lice, families should regularly check their students for lice, particularly if they suspect contact with someone who has lice. If lice is found, please notify the school health room as soon as possible. It is also encouraged that families contact others who have been in close contact with the person.
In accordance with District protocol regarding cases of lice, if multiple students in one building are found to have lice, families of students in the impacted grade level(s) will be notified.
Should your student be found to have lice or any communicable disease, please notify your school’s health room as soon as possible to assist in mitigating spread.
Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school community healthy!
Richards Health Room: 414-962-6810
District Nurse: 414-962-6648
Health Room Information: The Richards Health Room oversees daily attendance. All absences, including students arriving to school late or leaving before the end of the school day should be reported to the Clinic at: richards.healthroom@wfbschools.com or 414-962-6810.
Volunteers Needed! The PTO could not run without the help of volunteers. If you are interested in becoming more involved with the school and PTO, the following committees are in need of volunteers:
- Sporting Events
- Lego Club
- Family Engagement/ Family Movie Night
For more information please email the PTO at richardsptowfb@gmail.com or visit the PTO website.
Green Team: Richards Fall Clean-Up, Nov. 9th from 12-2pm.
Bring your rakes, leaf blowers and tarps, and join us for the Richards Fall Clean-up. We will be focusing on raking the front grounds of the school and cleaning out the butterfly gardens for winter. Rain date will be Nov. 10 from 12-2pm. All children volunteers must be supervised by an adult. Please see the sign-up link or email Emily Bandsma with questions: ecbandsma@gmail.com
Dine Out at Panera Bread on 11/5!
Mark your calendar for Tuesday, November 5th and join us for a Richards Dine Out fundraiser at Panera Bread in Glendale! Dine in or pick up dinner between 4-8pm and Panera Bread in Glendale (5595 N Port Washington Rd) will donate 25% of the proceeds to the Richards PTO. If ordering online, on the app, or in the in-store kiosk please use code: FUND4U. If placing your order in person or over the phone, please make sure to mention the Richards PTO fundraiser.
Questions? Email Kristin George - kristincerbins@hotmail.com
Are You Interested in Making a Difference?
Join the steering committee for the 20th Anniversary Hunger Task Force Food Drive and Dinner!
The HTF Dinner is a proud tradition for our 3rd grade class for nearly two decades, this service project empowers students to learn about and combat hunger in our community. We need your help with planning and logistics to make this the BEST YEAR YET!
Committee Meeting Dates:
First Meeting: Dec 10, 2024, 6-7:30 PM
Second Meeting: Jan 14, 2025, 6-7:30 PM
🗓️ Event Details:
Food Drive: February 10 - March 7, 2025
Benefit Dinner: March 6, 2025
Ready to Make a Difference?
Contact: Maxine Webb mywebb08@gmail.com or Lynn Raines lynnraines318@icloud.com
*Although the HTF Food Drive and Dinner is hosted by the 3rd grade, we welcome parent volunteers from any grade.*
Student Attendance FAQ
The linked document includes answers to frequently asked questions related to student attendance, excused and unexcused absences, make-up work, and more. Please carefully review the linked information. 2024-25 Student Attendance FAQ
School Board Meeting Takeaways: Curious about what is discussed at School Board Meetings? Linked below, you'll find key takeaways from the most recent School Board Meeting. Additional information can be found on the Board of Education website.
October 23 Board Meeting Takeaways
Next School Board Meeting: Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00pm, at Whitefish Bay High School Auditorium. Click here to view the 2024-2025 School Board Meeting dates.
The community is welcome to attend School Board meetings to gain a better understanding of School District business and the role of the School Board. The public is also invited to address the Board during the public comment portion as indicated in Board meetings. Meeting agendas are posted within BoardDocs two days preceding each meeting.
Cancelation of School Activities due to Weather or Other Emergencies
As cooler weather arrives in Wisconsin, please review the linked communication from Dr. Foeckler related to Policy 723.4: Emergency School Closing. Additional information about school closings can be found on the District website.
Bay Gives Back is continuing its partnership for a third year in a row with Cass St. Elementary School in Milwaukee's Lower East Side neighborhood. Each Thanksgiving they help provide the fixings for Thanksgiving meals for their families most in need. We are looking for 50 families to sponsor a meal this holiday season. You will be tasked to buy a list of items needed to help a family make a Thanksgiving meal (turkey not included). We will be collecting these meals on November 19th and 20th after school in the High School Rotunda from 3:45-5:30.
If you and your family would like to help us bring some holiday cheer this year please sign up using this link! An email with all the specifics will be sent after signing up!
