Messages from Dr. Kasmarick
The weeks between now and summer break are busy on all fronts! At Richards, the next few weeks include the Art Show this evening, our May School Meeting on May 2 (to include a sampling of the Middle School Musical, This Island Jr.), Teacher Appreciation Week May 7-11, Milk & Cookies and Scholastic Book Fair on May 9, the 4th Grade Orchestra Concert on May 10, and Band-o-Rama on May 15.
Run the Bay, coming up on May 5, is a fabulous community event, and includes a school spirit challenge between Richards and Cumberland. As of a few days ago, based on the number of registrants, we were not winning that challenge, so Spirit the Tiger laced up to build excitement (see richardspto.org). Please consider signing up to represent Richards in a fun and active way!
After a bit of rain tomorrow, there is sunshine projected for the weekend. Enjoy it!
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Attention School District of Whitefish Bay Parents and Community
The School District of Whitefish Bay is requesting your participation in a brief (3 to 5 minute) community-wide survey. The District is committed to timely and meaningful communication in a manner that makes sense for you. Your participation in the survey will help the District improve communication practices.
All responses are anonymous. We have no way of tracking individual respondents, and we will be analyzing the results only in the aggregate. Please click on the link below to begin the survey, or copy and paste the link into your web browser. Your opinions are important to us; thank you for your help. The survey will remain open through April 27.
The survey link - http://bit.ly/2FJhdvk-WFB-Schools
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Parent/Guardian Engagement Survey
As an important component of our District Focus Plan, the WFB School District invites parents/guardians to provide feedback to us about a variety of topics related to our schools. As this survey is conducted annually, the results provide important insight into our work with students and families both at the elementary level and across the K-12 experience.
We highly encourage you to take the survey, found at this link. It should take approximately 10 minutes. Each adult in the household is encouraged to take the survey separately. The survey will remain open until April 27th. Thank you for taking the time to share your input.
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Human Growth and Development Adult Elementary Education Sessions: May 2, 2018
The School District of Whitefish Bay believes that the family plays the most crucial role in human growth and development education. The schools support parents/guardians and children in their efforts to develop an understanding of human sexuality and the family. Beginning last school year, the WFB School Board approved that the HGD information will be taught by a Medical Provider in grades 3-5. The District has hired a licensed school nurse, who worked at Children’s Hospital and has had previous experience offering human growth and development education.
We are offering a free adult education meeting to review what is being covered in our HGD program the following week with our students, along with suggestions on how to talk to your child about HGD topics at home.
Session Information:
Feel free to attend any session, even if it is not your home school.
10:30-11:15am Richards Elementary, 5812 N Santa Monica Blvd., Room 5
6:30-7:15pm Cumberland Elementary, 4780 N. Marlborough Drive, Great Room
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Richards All School Art Show
Richards families are invited to the Annual All School Art Show tonight, Thursday, April 26 from 4:30-6:30pm in the Great Hall. Hope to see you there! More details in the link below.
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Pennies for Patients
The Richards Student Council Pennies for Patients fundraiser will continue until May 4th. This Friday, April 27th students are encouraged to wear NEON clothing to bring awareness to the fundraiser. Please continue to send in your spare change and/or bills to benefit the Lymphoma/Leukemia Society. Thanks!!
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Helping an Anxious Child: Best Practices for Parents
All children experience anxiety. Anxiety can be useful or burdensome, depending on its intensity and chronicity. When a child’s anxiety interferes at school, home or in other situations, parenting can be critically important in fostering change. Licensed Professional Counselor, Angela Miller, a specialist in treating anxiety, will present evidence based interventions parents easily can use to assist their children in learning to manage their fears and anxiety. She and her colleague, Dr. Michael Mazius, will use role plays to demonstrate and discuss the finer points of these interventions. Please join us for an interesting morning of learning and sharing.
This presentation will take place in the Richards Great Hall on May 1st from 8:15-9:15am.
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2018-2019 School Year
It's hard to believe, but planning for the 2018-19 school year is upon us and we look forward to welcoming a new group of 4-year old kindergarten students! If you know of any students who are eligible to be part of this group (4 years old by September 1st and residing in our attendance area), please encourage them to contact us if they haven’t already!
New student 5K-5th grade registration is also in progress, please visit our website for enrollment forms or call the school office at 414-963-3951 for more information.
If, for any reason, your student(s) will not be returning to Richards for next year, please contact the office at 963-3951 as soon as possible.
The creation of class placements is a complex process that involves several staff members and multiple revisions. The Optional Class Placement Input Form is linked below for parents/guardians to provide information you feel will be helpful in the class placement process. Please return completed forms to school by Friday, May 11.
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From the PTO
SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR—ONE DAY ONLY!
Join us after school on Wednesday, May 9 from 3:15pm-8pm for a one day Book Fair. All proceeds from this book fair go directly back to the classrooms. There will be lots of great titles for all ages! We look forward to seeing you there.
Want to volunteer? Go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e4aabaf2da64-spring2.
Questions? Contact Amy Sarnowski amysarnowski@yahoo.com, Carrie Osswald cseelman@yahoo.com or Jen Willems jenwillems1@yahoo.com.
Please join us for Milk and Cookies, Wednesday, May 9th at 6pm in the Great Hall. This is our annual welcome event for incoming K4 and K5 families. Enjoy milk, cookies, and the magical talents of Tom Burgermeister! Don’t forget to stop by the Spring Scholastic Book Fair happening in the gym. Both events are sponsored by the Richards PTO. Questions? Email Ann Reabe: areabe@hotmail.com.
Hey K4 and K5 parents! Will you please donate cookies for this event? Click on the link to sign up. Thanks! http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D44AFAC2BA1FF2-2018
Calling all 3rd through 5th graders who are fans of "Magic:The Gathering!"
Does your son or daughter love this game? Would they like to gather with fellow students after school to play under the supervision of a Richards teacher? Ms. Karen Eyers has kindly offered to host (3rd through 5th grade students only, please!) on Thursdays after school throughout the month of May. Your child can meet in Room 203 from 3:20-4:30 p.m. on May 3, May 10, May 17, May 24, and May 31. You and your child are responsible for coordinating their transportation home.
Please contact Kelly Arnold with any questions: kellygreen963@gmail.com.
Reminder: 5th Grade Parents!
Before we know it, our Richards 5th graders will be moving onto middle school! As in years past, the last week of school is filled with fun and events that are sure to send them off with a smile. 5th grade parents, if you haven't done so already, please send in your signed permission slips for the week's events, as well as a $25 payment that will help cover costs for the events during this special week. We also need your help with photos! Please start going through your old photos of your 5th graders at Richards and emailing them to us! Lastly, if you still would like to help out with these events, please email Bridget Hanson or Wendy Welsh (bridget_hanson@msn.com wendywelsh100@gmail.com).
You can email your photos to:
5thgradetigers2018@gmail.com
- Digital photo from K4 or K5: (from any school) will be used for then/now portion in memory book
- Digital photos from their life at Richards: photos including other kids from Richards (field trips, recess, first day of school...)
- Baby picture: should be an actual photo
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week, May 7-11!
Each year there is one week we celebrate our Richards teachers, staff and crossing guards, to show them how much we appreciate all they do for our children. This year, Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week will be May 7-11 and the Richards PTO has exciting plans! Each day, the PTO plans a special activity, including breakfast, a catered lunch, gifts and sweet treats. Everyone gets excited for the daily raffle as well, and this is where we can use your help!
You should have received an orange colored flyer in your child's Thursday folder weeks ago with additional information on how you can help. If you did not receive the flyer or need another copy, visit the PTO website. Thank you in advance for helping make Teacher and Staff Appreciation week a big success!
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From the Recreation Department
- New sessions of the Young Rembrandt's afterschool art classes start on May 3rd. Don't forget to sign up!!!
- Lydell Preschool Open House will be held on Saturday, May 19 from 10:00-11:30am. More details in the link below.
- Looking for your child to have a memorable summer here in Whitefish Bay? Ms. Megan (from Richards Connects) will be teaching Art and Nature camps in the beginning of the summer for incoming 1st-5th graders. Programming is half day or full day and is held in the Richards Art Room. For incoming kindergartners, Richards Elementary hosts K-Camp. K-Camp is open from 7:30am-5:30pm. Campers take two field trips a week: one via foot and one via bus. Loads of fun! See the Rec Guide for more details on all of our lovely camps!
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District Announcements
Whitefish Bay High School Grad Grams
Who do you know that is graduating from WFB HS this year? Your sitter? Your neighbor? Your favorite Sendiks Bagger? The kids you coached in soccer? Send them each a sweet Grad Gram message! The WFBHS Parent Association is taking orders for Grad Grams from May 1 - May 31. For $1 you can send a quick note that will be bound in a special book for each student and delivered at graduation practice. Please see the attached flyer to participate in this very fun tradition that is a highlight for our WFB seniors.
RUN THE BAY: SATURDAY, MAY 5TH: SHOW YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT!
It’s almost time for Run The Bay! Team Cumberland currently leads the school spirit competition. If Team Cumberland holds on this would put an end to the Team Richards streak! The students participating from the elementary school with the greatest number of registrants will receive a voucher from The Roman Candle Pizza for a kids slice! Registration Fees: 10K- $30, 5K- $25, Kids Run- $10. For more information and to register: www.runthebay.org
RUN THE BAY: Volunteers Needed
In order to safely put on RUN THE BAY race day help is needed including: race day registration, course set up, aid stations, on course personnel, and race clean up. All volunteers that sign up and perform day of race services will be entered to win one of four $25 gift cards to Noodles and Company.
Volunteer to sign up here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4da4a82ea4f49-runthe1
Recycle Day in the Bay: Saturday, May 5 from 9-12noon. More details in the link below.
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Upcoming REDgen Events
How to Talk to Kids about Difficult Topics – Dr. Deborah Gilboa, MD
Creating Resilient Children One Conversation at a Time, April 26 6:30-8:00 PM
Harry and Rose Samson Jewish Community Center (JCC) 6255 North Santa Monica Boulevard, Whitefish Bay
REDgen and the JCC present Dr. Deborah Gilboa, MD, internationally respected parenting and youth development expert and founder of AskDoctorG.com. An industry leading speaker, author, social influencer, and media personality, she inspires audiences with relatable stories and easy tools to develop crucial life skills in children, teens and young adults. Dr. G is also the author of the critically acclaimed book, How to Get the Behavior You Want… Without Being the Parent You Hate! The presentation is geared toward parents however educators may also benefit from the information presented.
Suicide: The Ripple Effect – Film Screening
- Tuesday, May 1 7:00 – 900 at Oriental Theater in Milwaukee
- Wednesday, May 9th 12:00 – 2:00 at Marcus North Shore Theater in Mequon
- Wednesday, May 16th 7:30 – 9:30 pm at Ridge Theater in Waukesha
Join REDgen and Terry McGuire, founder of Giving Voice to Mental Illness, Inc, as they present this film. The film chronicles the story of Kevin Hines, who at age 19 attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. Since then Kevin has been on a mission to use his story to help others stay alive and find recovery. The film carries a message of hope and healing. There will be Q & A as well as discussion on the topic following the film. The target audience for this film is parents and educators as well as 13-year-old students and older. Parents – please view this trailer and determine if the film is appropriate for your child. Suicide - The Ripple Effect. Please use the link to reserve your seats. http://suicidetherippleeffect.com/usascreenings
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