Richards Family News
September 16, 2024
Dear Richards Families,
We wrapped up our first full week of school and it has been wonderful to see our students thriving in their new classrooms!
One of the highlights of last week was our 5th Grade students welcoming our newest members, our 4K students. This tradition is a special way to foster a sense of belonging and community among our students.
We also had a successful picture day with our students looking sharp in their finest attire. In-person parent orientation was another highlight, providing an opportunity for parents to connect with teachers and learn about the year ahead.
We are excited to kick off our school year with our Recess Rally, today! We will also be holding our first all-school meeting on Thursday, continuing to build our school community and reinforce our values.
We are thrilled to welcome several new staff members to Richards this year and are excited to introduce them to you! Open this link to learn more.
The 2024-2025 School Year Calendar can be viewed here: LINK
Elementary Switch Days: There are No Student Days throughout the school year. To provide every student with a balanced experience of Library, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish instruction, we use “switch days”. The reason this is important is so students know when to bring an instrument for band or orchestra or wear appropriate footwear for physical education class. These are the switch days for the 2024-25 school year:
Tuesday 11/26 = Friday schedule
Wednesday 1/29 = Monday schedule
Tuesday 2/18 = Monday schedule
Wednesday 4/23 = Monday schedule
Healthy and positive school communities engage in respectful and productive communications. Through these communications, our goal is to partner with families in order to support all learners. Our teacher and support staff member work day is spent working directly with students and/or planning learning activities. Our elementary teachers plan instruction and review assessment information for six subject areas in addition to tending to the physical, social, and emotional needs of students. Responding in real time to phone messages or emails limits the capacity to fully engage in this primary work. To best support students and families, we will target a 24 - 48 hour work day response to communications from parents/guardians. For matters of public safety or emergencies please contact the Police Department. For all other matters that require immediate attention, please contact the school office directly. Thank you!
Student Services Newsletter: Our School Psychologist, Dr. Sam Purdy, and School Counselor, Ms. Haley Anderson, have created the fall Student Services Newsletter, which can be found in this LINK.
Volunteer Process: We are fortunate that many family adults and community members volunteer for Richards activities throughout the school day and during Richards PTO events. Your contributions make a huge difference and contribute to the positive experiences of students, staff and families. In keeping with our Focus Plan value of “Safety and Well Being”, we are implementing a new step in the process of being a volunteer. You may have noticed this during the online registration process.
If you are coming to Richards during the school day to volunteer in the classroom, to serve Fun lunch, chaperone a field trip, volunteer in the library or any other activity during which you interact with students, you are considered a volunteer and are required to apply through the online process. After-school PTO clubs, such as Lego club, during which students are present without their family adults, also fall under the volunteer category. A one time visit, such as for Star Student presentations, does not require you to apply under the volunteer process.
Volunteers submit an application through the district HR Department at this link. Next week’s Family Newsletter will include further detail about this new procedure. You are welcome to apply now, or to reach out to us with questions.
Show your Richards Spirit: We will continue the tradition of Mondays being school spirit day! Please wear your Richards gear on Mondays. The Richards PTO will be selling spirit wear throughout the year.
Join the PTO: We are excited for a new school year! If you haven’t already, we invite you to create an account in Membership Toolkit and join the PTO to gain access to the Buzz Book, our online school directory. Both steps can be completed at richardspto.membershiptoolkit.com. Your MTK account is free and ALL Richards families need a Membership Toolkit account. If you already have a MTK account, please make sure to update your teacher assignment so you receive all communications from your Room Parent!
Donate to the PTO! The best way to support PTO programming is through Direct Donations. Monetary donations from Richards families to the PTO make up a substantial portion of the PTO’s annual budget. PTO funding creates an alternate source of financial support for our school. By contributing to the PTO, Richards families help to create a channel of funding to help meet our staff and student needs. All the money the PTO raises goes directly back to Richards. Consider donating today by visiting the Membership Toolkit website or stopping by the front office!
Follow us! The start of the school year is upon us! Don’t forget to like, follow, and bookmark all of the Richards PTO accounts to stay informed!
Instagram: @RichardsPTO_WFB
Facebook: @RichardsPTO
Membership Toolkit: richardspto.membershiptoolkit.com
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
- Encore Room Parent
- Lego Club
- 3rd Grade Hunger Task Force
- Family Engagement
- Family Fun Night
For more information please email the PTO at richardsptowfb@gmail.com or visit the PTO website.
Richards Spirit Wear Online Sale is going on now and will remain open through Monday 9/16. Don't delay to secure your order! Storefront link: HERE
Help your family support their Richards spirit with great apparel and accessories offered in youth as well as adult sizes. Students also have a weekly spirit wear day on Mondays to show their spirit at school!
Orders will be available for pick up at the Burghardt’s Fox Point location in mid-October or you may ship to your home directly for a nominal fee. You will receive email notification directly from Burghardt’s when your order is ready for pick-up. Our next in-person sale will be at the October school-wide Family Fun Night!
If you have any questions, please contact Spirit Wear Co-Chairs: Laura Schroeder lschroeder805@gmail.com or Leigh Anne Staley leigh_anne_staley@yahoo.com
Don’t be Tardy for the Fun Lunch Party, Sign up for Fun Lunch!
There are six Fall Fun Lunch dates scheduled for students in grades K5-5th, with a separate sign-up for spring.
● October 18
● October 25
● November 8
● November 22
● December 13
● December 20
California Pizza Kitchen caters Fun Lunch with a choice of an individual cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, or salad with grilled chicken, ranch dressing and goldfish crackers. All lunches include carrots, applesauce, and dessert (Oreo cookies or Rice Krispie treat). CPK lunches are peanut-free.
Each Fun Lunch costs $7.00 for orders placed through October 4th. Orders placed for existing students after October 4th are $8.00 per lunch.
Fun Lunch may only be ordered on our Membership Toolkit Website: FUN LUNCH
Please select a menu item for each Fun Lunch date. If your child is not participating in Fun Lunch, please complete the form and select “Not Participating on This Day” for any days you are not ordering Fun Lunch, and you will not be charged for those dates. After you have made your menu selections, click “Add to Cart.” The system will not let you proceed unless you have made a menu selection for each date. Repeat these steps for each of your children in grades K5-5. Proceed to check out, even if your child is not participating in Fun Lunch.
We cannot provide refunds or “to-go” orders if your child is not in the building on a Fun Lunch day. If participating presents a financial hardship for your family, please contact Stephanie Haupt in the Richards main office (414) 963-3951.
Questions? Contact Fun Lunch chairs
● Janaki Shah - janaki.y.shah@gmail.com
● Kelly Moore - kellybrookemoore@gmail.com
Reminder: CPK is generously offering a free meal for Richards students dining in with their families. Students participating in the Fun Lunch program will receive a free kid's meal when dining with their family. Please note that the discount is only applicable when students dine with their families, and an adult entree must be purchased for every kid's meal. This offer is not valid with any other discounts or offers (including the CPK rewards program) and is not valid for groups or sports teams.
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
Whitefish Bay Football Game Expectations: LINK
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.
September 4 Board Meeting Takeaways
Next School Board Meeting: Wednesday, September 18 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.
Reminder: Enhanced Technology Safety
To enhance the culture of safety in our schools and in our greater community, the District continues to partner with Lightspeed Alert to improve upon our online monitoring system of student devices for specific safety indicators. See the following link for more information - LINK
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. If your family is interested in signing a waiver, please contact your healthcare provider or the district nurse.
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.
The WFB Music Parents Association (MPA) now represents 4th and 5th grade strings and band parents at both Cumberland and Richards! The MPA is the district's 2nd largest parent organization and has been in operation since the 1950s. We provide resources for our awesome music directors and music students. We are always looking for volunteers. The easiest way to help is to join MPA here.
Our fall open meeting is on September 23rd at 7pm in the high school band room. Please join us! Questions? Contact Gretchen Seamons at wfbmpa@gmail.com for more information!