Cumberland Family News
October 1, 2024
A note about yesterday: It is a huge tribute to you, the parent/guardian community, that I (Ms. Heffron) received not a single email or call yesterday about the last minute inconvenience of no school. Thank you for your understanding and support!
As we shift from the longer, warmer days of summer to the crisp, shorter days of fall, the excitement for apple orchards, pumpkin and apple cider-flavored treats and the beautiful and changing colors of fall is in the air. Cumberland is embracing this transition with open arms, and we're looking forward to all the wonderful things this season has to offer.
One of those exciting opportunities is the start of fieldtrips! This week, our third and fourth graders had the chance to embark on their first field trips of the year; fourth grade to Old World Wisconsin and two classrooms of third grade to the Schlitz Audobon Nature Center. These excursions not only provided a break from the classroom routine but also allowed our students to connect what they are learning with real-world and enriching experiences. When they returned back to the building, the joy and excitement on their faces as they shared what they learned was contagious.
Field trips play a vital role in our students' education. They foster a love of learning, spark curiosity, and help our students develop critical thinking skills. By stepping outside the classroom walls, our students gain a deeper appreciation for the world around them and are better equipped to become lifelong learners.
Our first Fun Lunch is this Wednesday. For allergy and liability reasons, only students whose families signed up by the deadline (September 13th) will have Fun Lunch this week. The sign up form will be re-opened later in October with details and a link in next week's Family News letter.
The majority of Cumberland's playground was installed in the summer of 2001 and some pieces have reached the end of their expected functionality. A few elements have been removed. We are now planning for an eventual replacement of some of the major structures. We will also be removing the pebbles (We can hear your cheering) and replacing pebbles with wood chips and some poured in place surfacing. In an ideal world, a first phase of this work can take place in the summer of 2025. A committee is doing the planning work, the School Board is up to date with the progress, and (drum roll here, please).. the PTO has committed to allocating the profits from the fall Fun Run to the playground project. Kickoff for the Fun Run will be on October 3rd, and there will be grade wide incentives as there were last year. Your children will learn about this later in the week and we are very hopeful you will support this project for the playground update. The number of children and hours of play it has provided is astonishing and we want to continue providing play opportunities for children of all ages. Stay tuned for details from the PTO!
This year's school portraits have been scheduled on the following dates:
- Retake day for individual photos: Thursday, 11/7
Parents/Guardians of Elementary Students at Cumberland and Richards, Grades K to 5:
Please join Math Coaches Matt Skinner (Cumberland) and Susan Jones (Richards) as they provide an opportunity to engage in an overview of our Illustrative Math Program and the focus on game play/fluency practice at Math Center Time. This 60 minute workshop is provided so that participants will:
Gain an understanding of the instructional focus of Illustrative Math (IM) at school and at home.
Experience Illustrative Math Center Games (grade level specific) that build fact fluency and support strategic thinking
Focus on questions to be asked during game play to support student communications.
Dates and Times:
Monday, October 21st at Richards Elementary - Maker Space 6:00 pm to 7:00pm
Tuesday, October 22nd at Cumberland Elementary - Great Room 6:00 pm to 7:00pm
Note: Please plan to attend the session that is a “best fit” for your family needs. You do not need to attend the session provided at your child’s/children’s home school. The sessions are designed for parents/guardians to engage in Center Play with their children.
Please complete this Google Form to help us to plan for the event. Responses to the provided form would be appreciated by Monday, October 9th.
Questions about the event? Please contact Matt Skinner at Cumberland Matthew.skinner@wfbschools.com or Susan Jones at Richards Susan.jones@wfbschools.com for further information.
October:
11th - No School
30th - EARLY DISMISSAL, 11:30am
31st- No School
Show Your Cumberland Spirit!
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.
Whitefish Bay Football Game Expectations: LINK
- Fun Lunch! A reminder that the first Fun Lunch is coming up on Wednesday, October 2nd!
- Fall into Fitness Fundraiser, Let’s Build a New Playground! Our annual school fundraiser
kicks off this Friday! Starting October 4th, students can register at getmovinfundhub.com using
School Identifier: 62c827bc6b989. Once registered, complete your child’s student webpage, make
online donations using the red "donate" button, and share with friends and family. Proceeds will
help fund the construction of a brand-new playground for our school as well as support other
school events and resources. The fundraiser will culminate in our Fun Run on Friday, October 25th at 3:00 pm on Cumberland’s back lawn where students will run by grade to celebrate their efforts and fitness. For more details, check out our Run Guide.
- Cumberland Movie Night! Come watch the movie Inside Out with your Cumberland friends and
families on Friday, October 11th! The fields will open at 6 pm, and the movie will begin at 6:45 pm.
See the flier for more information.
- Homecoming Tailgate Party! Join with Cumberland families for a Homecoming Tailgate Party on Friday, October 18th from 3:30-5pm on the blacktop and East Lawn of Cumberland
School. There will be rally-sign making, fun music, lawn games, and concessions for sale to help
everyone get ready for the high school varsity football team's homecoming game that night at go
7pm. Go Blue Dukes!! Volunteers are needed for this event! If you have any questions or
would like to volunteer, please contact Jenny Scheels, jennifera.busch@gmail.com.
- Lego Club! The Cumberland Lego Club is back for the fall, and we could still use a few more
volunteers to help out! The club will meet on Thursdays from 3-4 starting on October 10th for three
weeks and then another three-week session starting on November 7th. You do not need to
volunteer for every meeting of each session (although you can if you want to!).
Lego club is free and open to grades K5-5th. The goal of the club is to provide a fun setting for kids
to play Legos with their classmates. If you have a Lego-loving child and are interested in
volunteering (or have questions), please reach out to: cumberlandlegoclub@gmail.com. Volunteers
will need to complete a brief safety training and background check. More information about student
sign-up for the club coming soon!
- Cumberland Composting is Back! Needed- Paper Bags for Composting: Do you have paper
shopping bags lying around? If so, we would love to take them! Please bring in your paper bags for
daily compost collection. Thank you!
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
Seeking Facilities Advisory Committee Members
The Whitefish Bay School District is engaging in a Long-Range Facilities Planning project. We are seeking community members to serve on the Facilities Advisory Committee to help guide us through this process. Members of the committee will attend bi-monthly meetings between January and August 2025. Please click the link provided to apply. If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Jamie Foeckler, Superintendent, at jamie.foeckler@wfbschools.com or 414-963-3921.
Click here to learn more or apply for the Committee.
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.
Next School Board Meeting: Wednesday, October 9th 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.