Richards Family News
October 21, 2024
Dear Richards Families,
What an exciting week of celebration! Our spirit days, aligned with the high school’s Homecoming week activities, culminated with Friday’s “Mini Homecoming Parade,” put on by the high school students. Thank you to everyone who coordinated and participated in the parade—our students had a blast celebrating our Blue Duke pride!
We also showcased our Richards Tiger pride! Thank you for joining us for a wonderful Family Fun Night last Wednesday. The music was rocking, the kids were dancing, the food was delicious, and the Scholastic Book Fair was a big hit! We are incredibly grateful to the Richards PTO for their outstanding efforts in making the night such a huge success for our community.
Great events like Family Fun Night only happen because of parents like you! If you're interested, we invite you to join a committee and help plan future events. The commitment for an event like Family Fun Night involves coordinating music and food, but the reward is much greater—seeing the joy on our students' faces when everything comes together.
Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences
Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on October 30 and 31. Scheduling a parent/teacher conference through your Family Access account is open through October 24. Sign up instructions can be found here. To maintain confidentiality and privacy, the names of families or students will not be visible on the filled or closed time slots. Conferences are 15 minutes in length. If you have trouble scheduling a conference, please contact the Office at 414-963-3951.
5K - 5th Grade In-Person Conferences (increased based on feedback)
10/30 from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
10/31 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
5K - 5th Grade Virtual Conferences
Grade: 10/31 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
- After you sign up, your child’s teacher will email you the conference link.
4K Conferences
Kubicki:
10/30 from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm, Virtual and 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm, In-Person
10/31 from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm, In-Person and 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Virtual
Petri:
10/30 from 8:00 am - 11:00 am, Virtual and 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm, In-Person
10/31 from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, In-Person
Our staff places high value on the time set aside for conferences and we request that all conferences be scheduled during the designated conference window. If a virtual conference is not workable, a conference scheduled on either date can take place by phone.
Staff prepare extensively for conferences, and this is the time allocated for conferences when teachers are not teaching. Teachers are not allowed to schedule conferences outside of this window. If your child’s teacher has any concerns and you are not able to attend during these times, they will send an email with a summary.
Two household parents/guardians sometimes request separate conferences. This is often problematic as the dialogue, discussion, and conclusions in each conference may vary. Therefore, parents/guardians are asked to attend one conference together and to sign up accordingly.
Upcoming No School Dates
Wednesday, October 30: Early Dismissal at 11:30am for 5K - 5th Grade, No School for 4K
Thursday, October 31: No School 4K - 5th Grade
Friday, November 1: No School 4K - 5th Grade
The 2024-2025 School Year Calendar can be viewed here: LINK
Illustrative Math Presentations: Families who reserved a spot to attend Math Night presented by Mr. Skinner and Mrs. Jones are reminded of the session details below.
Dates and Times:
● Monday, October 21st at Cumberland Elementary - Great Room 6:00pm to 7:00pm Grades K-2
● Tuesday, October 22nd at Richards Elementary - Great Hall 6:00 to 7:00pm Grades 3-5
Questions? Please contact Matt Skinner at Cumberland Matthew.skinner@wfbschools.com or Susan Jones at Richards Susan.jones@wfbschools.com.
Picture Retake Day: Did your child’s photo not turn out exactly like you had hoped? The good news is that our photographer can retake the picture! Retake Day will be held on Thursday, November 7th from 3:15pm – 5:15pm in the Gym.
· No appointment is needed.
· Students must be accompanied by an adult.
· Entrance: 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.
Be on the lookout for a donation drive form from the Richards PTO in your child’s folder. All the money the PTO raises goes directly back to Richards. To donate you can return the form in an envelope to school with cash or a check enclosed! You can also donate by visiting the MTK website or stopping by the front office.
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.
Reminder — Pretzel Sale Going on Now!
Richards Elementary PTO is selling pretzels from Milwaukee Pretzel Co. — owned by a local Richards family!
Place your orders and pay on Membership Toolkit now through Monday, 10/28. Click on ‘Richards PTO Store’ to place orders. Milwaukee Pretzel Co. has challenged us to beat our total sales from last year. If we can do it, they’ll give us 75% of the sales from this fundraiser (instead of 50%)!!
Pretzel order pick up is on Thursday, 11/21 from 3-6pm at the main entrance of Richards Elementary. Enter through the front doors by the office. You MUST be able to pick up this day or have someone pick up your order. Pretzels must be consumed or frozen the same day. Any orders not picked up will be donated.
Pretzels are the perfect item to take to your Thanksgiving celebrations, as a gift to the host, or have pretzels as a treat after Thanksgiving! Pretzels can be frozen for up to 6 months — perfect to have on hand for an afterschool snack, movie night, or while watching a game!
Please consider selling to family, friends, and neighbors. Collect payment from them and submit the orders on your Membership Toolkit account. You can then pick up the pretzel orders and deliver them on Thursday, 11/21.
Questions? Please reach out to Kristin George - kristincerbins@hotmail.com
Thank you for supporting Richards Elementary PTO!
Green Team: Did you know that last year Richards Elementary recycled 360 pounds of items not recyclable through traditional curbside recycling programs?
Through Terracycle, the Richards community was able to recycle toothbrushes, toothpaste/floss containers, applesauce pouches and children's clothing. Continuing with these programs this school year, there are collection bins in the front entrance for our dental and children's clothing programs. Please make sure all toothbrushes/containers are empty and dry (no dental picks please) and that any clothing items are clean. If you have any questions on these programs, please reach out to Emily Bandsma (ecbandsma@gmail.com).
FIRST LEGO League Explore: This year's FIRST LEGO League Explore challenge is SUBMERGED, which will inspire students to use their STEM and collaboration skills to explore life beneath the surface of the ocean. Teams will meet for approximately 12 weeks beginning as early as mid-November, culminating in an optional spring expo where students can showcase their creations.
FLL Explore is open to Richards students in grades 2-4. As space is limited and a minimum of two volunteer coaches are needed per team, preference will be given to students whose parent(s)/guardian(s) are able to coach. Teams will be formed based on the availability of students and coaches. Cost is approximately $50/student. If the cost presents a financial hardship for participants, please reach out to Stephanie in the Richards office.
Registration ends October 28th! No experience or STEM background is needed as long as you share an enthusiasm for LEGOs. Sign up here: Richards FIRST LEGO League Explore Registration Form
A special thank you goes out to Mathnasium & the WFB Civic Foundation for their generous donations this season, which will support upgrading and expanding this popular program!
From the Cultural Arts PTO Committee
The Cultural Arts Committee is in the beginning stages of planning a Cultural Night at Richards on Thursday, February 27th! This event will feature the different cultures represented at Richards through our families and will give students the opportunity to learn about different cultures from one another. This event will be coordinated by the Cultural Arts committee, but its success depends on family participation. If your family would possibly be interested in participating in this event by hosting an information table, running a cultural game, or something else related to your personal culture, please click on this link and complete the short survey by Wednesday, Oct. 30. If you have any questions please contact Katie Cizauskas at ktcizauskas@gmail.com.
Dine Out Fundraiser at Daily Dose Whitefish Bay on 10/31!
Mark your calendar for Thursday, 10/31 and join us for a Halloween Day off of school Dine Out fundraiser at Daily Dose Whitefish Bay! Stop in to grab a smoothie, juice, or other delicious treat between 7am-2pm and Daily Dose Whitefish Bay will donate 20% of the proceeds to the Richards PTO. Please mention the Richards PTO fundraiser.
Questions? Email Kristin George - kristincerbins@hotmail.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
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 9 Board Meeting Takeaways
Next School Board Meeting: Wednesday, October 23 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.
Bay Gives Back Food Drive: Please support our community food drive! Bags were delivered over the weekend and collection day is next Saturday, October 26th. We are proud to say that 120 WFB High School students are volunteering to make this drive a success! Learn more in this Video Link and thank you for your support!
