Cumberland Family News

Last week's shortened week was still full of action. Thank you to all families who made time to meet with teachers, in person or via Zoom. We value our partnerships and are thankful for opportunities to share with you your children's success and next steps. Wednesday's Halloween costumes were the most school appropriate that we have seen in recent times. Students were ear to ear smiles as the weather cooperated for the parade, and the large and appreciative audience made it even more fun. Thank you to the PTO for providing a conference dinner for teachers who had a very long day on Wednesday, and to all who made the Book Fair possible and such a success. The Scholastic Dollars go towards the purchase of needed items for our classrooms, both books and more. One child was heard to say last week, "I thought the Book Fair was the best day of the year, and now I get to wear my costume AND go to the Book Fair. This is even better than the best day!"

With the first quarter behind us, we are now looking to help families learn about the 4K program through an Incoming 4K Visitation. All resident children who will be 4 on or before September 1, 2025 qualify to attend the 4K program. Please see details of this event (see flyer) and if you know of WFB families who do not yet have children in school, please pass the information on to them.

Friendly Reminder: New Volunteer Process Begins December 3rd
To all Cumberland volunteers; thank you for your invaluable support! Starting December 3rd, all volunteers must show 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 after school clubs where students are present without family adults, please complete the volunteer application via the district HR Department Volunteer process link. This approval is valid for two years.

Kind Regards, Jayne Heffron and Rebecca Salomon

View your School Portraits, and select your yearbook/class picture before Retake Day!

• The final deadline is two weeks after retake day; if you do not pick an image VIP will choose a yearbook image for you

• To view your student’s school portraits look for an email sent to you by “Visual Image Photography”, or go to vipis.com student ID number may be required(which can be found under the Student Info Tab on Family Access)

• Retake pictures will be taken on November 7th. This is for students who have not yet taken a Yearbook Portrait this year, or for students who have reported a need for a new picture

• Retake photos will be added to your online image gallery about a week after photo day

• If you have any questions, please email support@vipis.com

Here is a direct link to your schools landing page on our website, vipis.com

https://www.vipis.com/group/de6ac513/cumberland-elementary-school

Lost and Found goes away at the end of the day November 6th:

November 27-December 2: No School/ Thanksgiving Break

December 23- January 3 : Winter Break

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. )

Fridays will continue to be our Cumberland Spirit Days! Students are encouraged to wear their Cougar Wear or any green shirt. The Cumberland PTO will be holding spirit wear sales throughout the year.

Fun Lunch: Fun Lunch is this Wednesday, November 6th ! The NSFD will stop by for a visit during

Fun Lunch, too!

Stone Creek Coffee Fundraiser: Hey Cumberland families! Want to get a jump start on your

holiday shopping or stock up on warm beverages for winter? You are in luck as the Stone Creek

Coffee fundraiser is back by popular demand!

In addition to the other amazing Stone Creek Coffee blends (see flier), and the “Cougar Blend” in

our own custom bag (which features the Cream City Roast), we are also pleased to offer gift cards,

so stock up today!

We anticipate orders arriving about two weeks after the closure of the fundraiser, and they will be

available for pick-up by mid-December. The pick-up will be in the main vestibule at Cumberland.

Email notifications will be sent when your orders are ready; they will be in individually packaged

bags by family.

Please order through the PTO Website. The fundraiser will run from Monday, 11/4 through

Monday, 11/25. Thank you for your support! Wishing you and your families a happy holiday season!

Questions/Concerns? Please email Andrea Billings (chua_andrea@yahoo.com) or Emily Davidson

(emilyrwdavidson@me.com).

support our school in the process. Shop the sale directly from the PTO website and pick up your

order after school on the Cumberland blacktop on 11/21!

Hot Cocoa Social! Please join us immediately after school on Friday, November 15th at 3:00pm for our annual Hot Cocoa Social! Grab a warm cup of cocoa and mingle on the blacktop.

We need Volunteers for Lunch Composting: Spots are now available for October and November! Let's start the year strong! Link to Signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4DAAA82BAAFAC07-50860503-daily#/

LIKE, Follow, and Update your Family Information!

 Be sure to LIKE our Facebook page- Cumberland PTO

 Please visit the PTO website for all PTO updates at www.cumberlandpto.com

A VERY BIG THANK YOU to each and every one of you for making our Book Fair amazing and creating memories that will last a lifetime! Your students shopped, you shopped, many of you helped to set-up, organize, work, and pack-up the Book Fair! We couldn't have done it without you! Our students and teachers all have new, exciting books to enjoy! The Cumberland Book Fair is always a special experience for everyone involved! Thank you again for helping us make it happen! We'll see you again in May for a ONE DAY ONLY Book Fair! :). Until then, Happy Reading!

Thanks so much,

Chelsea

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.

School Board Policy 723.4 provides for the closing of schools and cancelation of school activities due to weather or other emergencies. This policy covers cancellation for the entire or part of a day.

In general terms, the policy empowers the District Administrator to close schools or dismiss students early in the event of an existing or predicted hazardous weather or other emergency situation. The authority governs both emergencies affecting a single building and the entire district. The policy ensures clear communication to families and groups during a time when the weather emergency makes such communication especially important. When school is closed or dismissed early due to weather, school district-sponsored activities and all Recreation Department classes and activities are also canceled. If an emergency is caused by a factor other than weather, school sponsored activities may be conducted depending on safety conditions.

Please note the following:

• The decision will always be made to protect students from the potential harm of severe weather or other hazards.

• The District will very likely remain open during all weather Advisories. The data reveals that if the District closes during weather advisories we would need to make up many days extending the school year into late June or July.

• When possible, the decision to close school will be made by 6:00 a.m. and to dismiss early by 11:00 a.m.

• School Messenger will be used to send an automated phone message to families and school district personnel.

• Employees should report to work as outlined in their employee group handbook.

• In the event of a “cold day” Instructional Employees will be notified in the school messenger call and email whether or not to report to work.

• Major TV and radio stations will be contacted and asked to announce closings.

• The school district Facebook and website will indicate if school is not in session.

• Announcements will be made only when school is canceled or dismissed early. No announcements are made when school is following a normal schedule.

• Communication during any emergency is critical to safety. Please do not phone the school unless absolutely necessary. Such phone calls delay operations and tie up phone lines and time needed to deal with the emergency or hazardous conditions.

• The district will work closely with police, fire, highway personnel, and other offices regarding decisions about dismissal.

• Parents/Guardians should be certain that their children are properly clothed, instructed and otherwise prepared for emergencies. If you will not be at home, please have an alternate safe location arranged. Listen to radio and TV reports during times of severe weather.

• Each school has an emergency plan and conducts periodic fire, tornado, and emergency response drills.

• If parents/guardians disagree with a decision to hold school on a bad weather day because they think it is too hazardous, they are urged to keep their students at home.

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 13th 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

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

Website: https://www.wfbschools.com/schools/cumberland/
Location: 4780 North Marlborough Drive, Whitefish Bay, WI, USA
Phone: 414-963-3943
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WFBSchools/