Richards Family News

Dear Richards Families,

Last Friday, our 5th graders embarked on an exciting field trip to Junior Achievement BizTown! This unique educational experience offered our students hands-on exposure to the world of business, finance, and entrepreneurship, laying the foundation for future success.

In the weeks leading up to the trip, our students worked hard to prepare. They dove into lessons on running a business, managing finances, and collaborating as a team. They even participated in interviews for their BizTown roles, stepping into positions such as CEOs, CFOs, and more!

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible parent volunteers who made this day possible. Your time, guidance, and support were instrumental in ensuring the trip’s success. We deeply appreciate your commitment to enriching our students’ learning experiences.

This unforgettable day at BizTown will surely be one of the cherished memories from their time at Richards!

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 opens on Monday, December 9, 2024. 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.

REGISTER HERE: Registration ends December 15th.

For any questions please feel free to reach out to Maya Ceniceros and Rachel Adar at: mvceniceros14@gmail.com and rachel.adar@wfbschools.com

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.

November 20 Board Meeting Takeaways

Next School Board Meeting: Wednesday, December 11 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/