December District Newsletter

As a Village, we share the collective responsibility to enhance a culture of safety for all.

Winter and Cold Months in the Community

Pedestrians, remain alert when traveling in our community. Dress for conditions, which includes wearing appropriate footwear with good traction and wearing easily visible colors and/or a light when visibility may be more challenging. Put your phones down and keep your eyes up. Use sidewalks and crosswalks, and be sure to watch for snow and ice. Follow traffic signals by crossing the street only when you see a walk signal, or after making eye contact with a driver whose vehicle is stopped at a stop sign. Avoid crossing the street mid-block or moving between parked cars.

Bicyclists, it is important to remain focused while riding your bike. Biking during the winter may not always be the best option due to snow and ice, so be sure to check the weather forecast before leaving home for the day. Since you travel very quickly, your surroundings can change in less than a second. Be sure to ride your bike single file and on the correct side of the street. Use hand signals to alert those around you to your direction. And always be sure to wear a properly fitted helmet, in case of a fall or other accident.

Drivers, please remember that driving a vehicle is a great responsibility. As a driver, you have the ability to accelerate and change direction more quickly than someone walking or biking. Your vehicle is much larger than someone who is walking or biking, which means that additional responsibility lands with you to ensure that everyone remains safe while traveling. Maintain constant focus on your surroundings by ignoring alerts from your cell phone while you are driving.

Be aware of cold weather conditions, keeping in mind that it takes longer to come to a stop when there is snow and ice on the roads. Obey all traffic laws and traffic signs, and be sure to look around an extra time before braking, accelerating, or changing direction.

In preparation for driving during winter, it is helpful to make sure you have the following in your vehicle: ice scraper/snow brush, sand and shovel, jumper cables, flashlights, first aid kit, cell phone charger, boots, gloves, blankets, and warm clothes.

Parents/guardians and community members, please model safe traveling behaviors for children and demonstrate how to plan ahead and use good judgment when traveling. This includes to and from school and picking up/dropping off students. Children easily pick up on both positive and negative habits and look up to adults around them, often emulating their behaviors. Please also remember to look out for our many students as they travel throughout the community. We want everyone to arrive safely at their destination.

Let's be safe together.

Thank you to the 140 students, staff, family members, administrators, and community members who attended the District's Community Conversation: Visioning the Future of Whitefish Bay School District on November 16, 17, and 18. We are excited to compile the feedback and themes gathered from the event. The District website will be updated as information is compiled. Thank you again for helping to plan the future of the District!

Whitefish Bay resident families of students who turn four on or before September 1, 2024 are invited to a 4K Overview at Cumberland or Richards Elementary School on Friday, December 8, 2023 at either 8:40 am or 1:30 pm.

This event will be hosted by the Elementary School Principals and include a welcome from 4K Teachers, a short story with Library Media Specialists and a question and answer session. Please use this link for more information and to RSVP for this event. You may also contact Cumberland (414-963-3943) or Richards (414-963-3951) with any questions.

4K Online Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year will open on Monday, December 11, 2023. 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, elementary schools use a lottery system to determine 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 your school’s main office in person before noon on January 5, 2024.

As a learning community, we are continually looking to improve student learning and engagement across our District. The District Focus Plan continues to be the enduring mission of Whitefish Bay Schools. Our District goals focus on the following areas: (1) Academic Achievement and Engaging 21st Century Learning and (2) A Supportive Environment and Whole Child Development. We strive to support each student academically and assist them in building relevant transferable skills in a supportive environment to nurture whole child development.

The school report card is one resource we use to reflect on our strengths and areas for improvement. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is required by state statute (Wis. Stat. 115.385) to generate a school report card and district report card for every publicly funded school and district in the state. The report cards are intended to help schools and districts use performance data to celebrate successes and improve their efforts to prepare students for their futures.

The current school year report card is primarily based on last year's performance data during the 2022-23 school year. Cumberland, Richards, the Middle School, the High School, and the Whitefish Bay School District all were rated as "Significantly Exceeds Expectations."

• View the Cumberland Report Card
• View the Richards Report Card
• View the Middle School Report Card
• View the High School Report Card
• View the District Report Card

Should you have any questions related to the District or School Report Cards, please reach out to Dr. Jamie Foeckler at jamie.foeckler@wfbschools.com.

Come hear about each one of our school’s continuous improvement efforts at each of the Annual School Reports. All School Reports will take place at the High School LMC at 7PM.

Each of our schools has developed and refined a school improvement plan aimed at ensuring an aligned and collective commitment around all students' learning and growing in a supportive and caring environment.

• Richards, December 13, 2023
• Whitefish Bay High School, January 10, 2024
• Cumberland, February 14, 2024

In 2003, Whitefish Bay School District made a commitment to monitor and reduce its energy consumption. Through Board Policy and a partnership with Cenergistic, Inc. (formerly Energy Education, Inc.), we developed a baseline of energy usage for each of our schools, began to make changes and track the impact. The linked report shows the district's level of energy conservation from August 2003 through July 2023.

Since 2003, Whitefish Bay School District has saved an estimated $5,281,704 as a result of energy conservation and efficiency efforts.

On September 10th, the Community Garden hosted its Annual Garden Harvest Appreciation Open House. The event is a celebration of all the staff, garden sponsors, donors, and volunteers who work hard to make the community garden an excellent place to engage. The 2023 growing season raised almost $3,000 dollars in sponsorships and donations, and held 72 work sessions. Our volunteers put in 400 hours of time planting, harvesting, maintaining, and cleaning up, and it showed. Thank you to the generosity of our community and local businesses, we look forward to another year of growth, partnership and produce!

The School Board and School District invite you to attend School Board Meetings. Board meetings begin at 7PM in the High School Library Media Center, unless noted otherwise.

• December 13 -- Business & Committee Meetings
• January 10 -- Regular Business Meeting

Subject to change. Please view BoardDocs for up to date meeting notices and agendas.

Curious about what is discussed at School Board Meetings? Linked below, you'll find key takeaways from the most recent School Board Meetings. Additional information can be found in BoardDocs.

• November 8th Regular Business Meeting
• November 15th Business & Committee Meetings

Cumberland students in grades K5 through 2nd enjoyed a visit from author David LaRochelle and illustrator Mike Wohnoutka! See more photos.

Richards fourth graders recently traveled to Madison for a tour of the Wisconsin State Capitol. They also participated in a Makerspace activity at the Wisconsin Historical Society and visited The Wisconsin Veterans Museum. See more photos.

Whitefish Bay Middle School held its annual Veterans Day assembly on November 10th. Guests included Veterans from the community and Zablocki VA Medical Center. Major General Paul Knapp, Commander of the Wisconsin National Guard served as the keynote speaker. See more photos.

High School students recently participated in a career experience day at Fiserv Forum! Students had the chance to explore a variety of high demand careers and connect with professionals who work in a wide variety of jobs across multiple industries.

Activities Newsletters are shared throughout the school year on the High School's website. Check back frequently to stay up to date with athletics and activities! Read More.

Do you have good news to share with the school district? We would love to hear from you.

Email: districtnews@wfbschools.com
Website: https://www.wfbschools.com/
Location: 1200 East Fairmount Avenue
Phone: 414-963-3921
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WFBSchools/