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Richards Thursday Folder
May 30, 2024
Dear Richards Families,
We hope you had a fantastic time at "A Day at the Museum" today! I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the encore teachers for their incredible effort and dedication in making the Fine Arts Festival such a success.
It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying lunch together, admiring the students' amazing artwork, and engaging with the museum exhibits. The performances of singing and dancing by each grade level were the perfect way to conclude the day. The event truly highlighted the vibrant and supportive community we have here at Richards School!
Last Day of School
June 13 - Last day of school for 4K
June 14 - Last day of school 5K - 5th Grade, Dismissal at 11:30am
From the Richards Library: Student book check out wrapped up for the year last week and all books were due back on May 28. Reminder slips are being sent home this week for overdue materials. Please return all materials as soon as possible!
2024-2025 School Year
NEW Student Enrollment: 4K - 5th Grade new student enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year is now open. Visit our website for more information about the enrollment process.
Is your student NOT returning for the 2024-25 School Year? Another important part of our planning for next year is to project as accurately as possible our student enrollments. Please notify the Richards office if your child will not be returning to Richards next year. (Stephanie.Haupt@wfbschools.com) Thank you!
The 2024-2025 School Year Calendar is linked below for family reference.
2024-2025 Online Registration & Prep for Success Information: Online Registration opens July 23 and closes August 12. Classroom teacher assignments and welcome letters will be posted in Family Access on Monday, August 19th. Prep for Success days are September 3rd, 4th, and 5th. On these days, 5K-5th grade students come to school once to meet individually with the teacher and to complete assessments. Based on family survey input, families will schedule these appointments. Prep for Success scheduling is available starting on August 19th. Directions for accessing Family Access, teacher assignments and Prep for Success scheduling will be sent in mid-July.
4K students have a separate Prep for Success schedule, details in the link below.
2024-2025 Smart Watch Guidelines: A concern about students wearing smart watches at the elementary and middle school levels has surfaced as an issue within the daily instructional environment during this year. Within the classroom environment, concerns about student’s social emotional health and the lack of student interpersonal connections are linked with smart watch/smart phone accessibility. Our elementary schools and middle school have worked to try to navigate smart watches as that device has increased the ability to communicate like a cell phone (since many students who don’t have a cell phone at least have a smart watch for basic communication).
We are having our elementary schools and middle school update their guidelines to reflect that students will be required to keep their smart watches turned off and in their backpacks/lockers in the 2024-2025 school year. As always, if parents need to contact their child for urgent matters at any point in the school day, they can contact the main office. Please feel free to reach out to your principal if you have any questions.
Winkie’s School Tools: Get ready for next school year! Families have the option of purchasing school supplies through Winkie’s, with a percentage of sales donated back to Richards. Orders placed this spring will be available for pickup at Winkie’s in August. The School Tools Order Forms are linked below and can be returned to Winkie’s or to Richards by June 1. Questions? Contact Winkie’s at 414-964-2130 or Richards at 414-963-3951.
Compost Crusader Fundraiser
We are extending the compost soil fundraiser through Compost Crusader. Currently, we've sold enough bags to support two months of our Fun Lunch composting program. Each 35lbs bag is $18 with $4 for each bag sold coming back to the school. Deadline to order is now May 31. For any questions, please reach out to Emily Bandsma at ecbandsma@gmail.com.
Room Parent Sign Up Open
Are you looking to become more involved at Richards next year? Consider being a Room Parent! The main responsibilities include providing communication from the PTO to classroom families via Membership Toolkit, coordinating teacher gifts on behalf of the classroom, and assisting the teacher as needed. Sign up is available now by clicking HERE. Questions? Contact Lindsay Weber at lindsayruth.weber@gmail.com
Attention 5th Grade Families!
Congratulations to all of your future Whitefish Bay Lions! What a wonderful accomplishment to be advancing from Elementary School to Middle School! As you begin your summer vacation, please bookmark all of the Whitefish Bay Middle School PTO accounts to stay informed, especially for the start of the school year! Questions? Please email the WFBMS PTO at wfbmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com
Facebook: @WFBMSPTO
Instagram: @WFBMSPTO
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.
May 22 Board Meeting Takeaways
School Board Meeting: June 5, 2024: 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.
· Meeting dates located under featured tab/documents
· Agendas located under featured or meeting tabs
New Immunization Requirements: The Department of Health Services has updated immunization requirements for school-aged children. These requirements for school-age children will go into effect at the beginning of the 2024–2025 school year.
Changes include:
· Meningococcal (MenACWY-containing) vaccine has been added as a requirement for students entering seventh grade, and a booster dose for eligible students entering 12th grade.
· If a child has had chickenpox, a parent report of chickenpox disease is no longer acceptable for exemption from the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine requirement. Children must have a diagnosis of chickenpox from a qualified health care provider (M.D., D.O., N.P., or P.A.) to be exempt from this requirement, however existing exemption options still apply.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services website includes additional information. We encourage you to contact your healthcare provider if you have specific questions, or to schedule an appointment for a vaccine.
WFBHS Grad Grams: Who do you know who is graduating from WFBHS this year? Your sitter? Your neighbor? The kids you coached in soccer? Send them each a Grad Gram message! Create a note that will be bound in a special book for each senior and delivered at graduation practice. The WFBHS Parent Association is taking orders for Grad Grams through June 3. Please see the order form below to participate in this fun tradition that is a highlight for our WFB seniors.
Bay Gives Back: EOY School Supplies Drive: As the end of the year approaches, Bay Gives Back is organizing a school supplies collection drive. Please consider donating gently used or unused school supplies so we can help support students throughout the greater Milwaukee community this upcoming fall. Collection boxes will be located on each floor at Richards from June 3-13. More details in the flyer below. Thank you for donating!
The Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation invites students, families and community members to enjoy the start of summer at the Ice Cream Social June 19. The celebration is from 6-8 p.m. at Old Schoolhouse Park across from the Public Library on Marlborough. The Whitefish Bay Village Band will perform. First scoop of ice cream, music and fun are free! Please join us!