Richards Family News

Dear Richards Families,

Last week, our school community came together for an All-School Meeting centered on empathy. A heartfelt thank you to Ms. Jill Doering for her inspiring presentation, Understanding Hearing Loss and Building Empathy: Fostering Inclusion and Awareness in Our Communities. This impactful experience helped our students grow in their understanding of empathy and inclusion.

This week, our classrooms are excited to share time with their buddies!

Research shows that students learn best when they feel connected to a caring school environment. One way we nurture these connections is through our Classroom Buddies program, where older students are paired with younger ones. These partnerships create opportunities for meaningful relationships across grade levels.

Through Classroom Buddies, older students develop a sense of responsibility, trustworthiness, and competence, while younger students feel cared for and supported. Together, they cultivate kindness, connection, and a shared sense of belonging that strengthens our school community.

We are so proud of the positive impact both the All-School Meeting and Classroom Buddies have on fostering a compassionate and inclusive environment at Richards!

December 21 – January 3: Winter Break

January 6 – School Resumes, 4K – 5th Grade

January 20 – No School 4K – 5th Grade

January 24 – Early Dismissal at 11:30am, 5K – 5th Grade. No School, 4K

January 27 – No School 4K – 5th Grade

Click here to view the 2024-2025 School Year Calendar.

Cindy Nelson Memorial Blood Drive: Richards School, along with the Richards PTO, will be hosting the annual Cindy Nelson Memorial Blood Drive on January 21, 2025. Cindy Nelson was a beloved teacher at Richards and touched many lives through her love of teaching and her long-standing dedication to our school. Throughout her life, Cindy was a consistent supporter of the Blood Center of Wisconsin. We are thrilled to keep that tradition going in her honor. Please find more information and a link to sign up to become a donor in the flyer below.

Student Council Highlights: Check out the latest news and highlights from the 5th Grade Student Council linked here.

Parking Reminders: There is very limited parking on N. Santa Monica Blvd. so that authorized emergency vehicles and buses can access our building. We need your help in following these signs.

Please do not park or idle in locations not intended for parking.

There are a number of handicap parking spots on E. Belle Avenue. These spots are intended only for children and adults with disabilities and for buses that are used to transport children with physical, chronic or medical conditions. These spots, by law, can only be used if you have a handicapped tag. Do not park or idle in handicap spots without a handicapped tag, even for “just a second” and/or to drop off children.

Many families park near Richards on the surrounding blocks, where there is plenty of space.

New Volunteer Process
To all our Richards volunteers, thank you for your invaluable support! As of 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.

Fun Lunch Volunteering Clarification: Fun Lunch volunteers are considered visitors and do not need to complete the volunteer application. Please see below from our HR Volunteer Website:

Who is a visitor? A visitor is one who acts in the capacity of a parent or guardian of a WFB student to assist with a special event at their student’s school. A special event is defined as an event that occurs infrequently (less than two times a semester) throughout the school year, such as fun lunches, class parties, and guest speakers

Thank you for helping keep Richards a safe and welcoming place for all.

4-Year Old Kindergarten (4K) Enrollment Open for the 2025-2026 School Year

4K Online Enrollment for the 2025-26 school year is now open.

Visit our website for more information about the enrollment process.

Historically, there has been more interest in the morning session than there are seats available in classes. Therefore, a lottery system determines those who will be enrolled in the morning session.

In order to be included in the lottery drawing for the morning session, families must complete an online Enrollment Application and indicate your preference for the morning session. This process includes uploading required Immunization and Residency Verification documents to the application and presenting your student’s birth certificate to Richards main office in person before noon on Friday, January 10, 2025.

High Interest Day is a vibrant event that is loved by the entire Richards community!

While we are staying on as this year's Chairs, we are looking for 1-2 volunteers who would like to take a more active role in planning this year's event and potentially lead in future years. We've loved bringing this event to life, but we also think it could benefit from fresh eyes and new leadership at some point!

If interested, please let us know ASAP. This is not a crazy time-intensive role but there are a couple time periods where things are busiest [mid-March-mid April (excluding Spring Break) with a little prep work mid December]. Types of tasks you would be helping out with may include:

• Corresponding with past year's presenters and soliciting new presenters (if need be) [this will take place soon, before the end of the year]
• Liaising with the school - typically Chad Nelson and Katie Petersen - to coordinate details and provide necessary information to the teachers and student body
• Richards Family News + social media (FB/Insta) messaging
• Creating "course guide" for students to review the session options/info
• Assigning courses to students (we primarily use an online program for this)
• Assembling day-of name tags for each student
• Being present "day-of" to sit back and enjoy watching all of your hard work come to life.

Thanks for reading and we hope to hear from you soon!

Katie Walsh (katiewortman@gmail.com) and Lisa Taub (Lisabers@gmail.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.

December 11 Board Meeting Takeaways

Next School Board Meeting: Wednesday, January 8 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.

• Meeting dates located under featured tab/documents
• Agendas located under featured or meeting tabs

Our district is working to develop a plan to ensure our facilities are best suited to meet the needs of our students, staff, and community. Based on feedback from our community and our district’s goals, we’re focused on developing ideas around collaborative spaces and modernized learning environments. We invite you and your family to share their thoughts with us through the opportunities outlined below:

Student Focus Groups

Your student’s perspective is essential as we plan improvements to support your academic, social, and future goals. We want to hear your student’s ideas on how updates to classrooms, common areas, and other school facilities could enhance their experience at their school.

Please let us know if you would like your child (grades 3 - 12) to participate in a focus group by clicking here to add their name and your agreement to allow them to participate in the group during the week of February 24-28. The focus group will include 5-7 students and be about 15-20 minutes long with a facilitator and notetaker. If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Jamie Foeckler, jamie.foeckler@wfbschools.com, 414-963-3901.

Community Member Focus Groups

We are excited to invite you to participate in a focus group as we develop a plan to ensure our facilities best meet the needs of our students, staff, and community. Your insights are invaluable as we evaluate the condition of our school buildings, evolving educational practices, projected enrollment trends, and other factors to shape recommendations for repairs and updates to facilities to the school board and administration.

The focus group will occur during the week of February 24-28 and will last approximately 15-20 minutes, facilitated by a leader/notetaker. If you would like to participate, please click here to confirm your participation. For any questions, feel free to reach out to Dr. Jamie Foeckler, jamie.foeckler@wfbschools.com, 414-963-3901.

Thank you for your support in improving our schools!

WFB Public Education Foundation Annual Pledge

The WFB Public Education Foundation’s 2024 Annual Fall Pledge Drive kicked off on October 9th! The Foundation provides immediate support to Whitefish Bay Schools and helps fund innovative educational projects, continuing teacher education, student scholarships and provides emergency funding.

Your donations are vital to the District’s long-term growth and success. With your support, we can help ensure continued academic, artistic and athletic excellence.

The campaign takes place October 9 – December 31. Show your support for our students and our schools by donating at www.educatethebay.com TODAY!

Website: https://www.wfbschools.com/schools/richards/
Location: 5812 North Santa Monica Boulevard, Whitefish Bay, WI, USA
Phone: 414-963-3951
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WFBSchools/