Messages from Dr. Kasmarick
We are 629 Tigers strong this year! In addition to 32 new students in grades K5-5, we welcomed several new staff members. I'd like to highlight a few of them this week:
In our specials department, Tom Gard has joined the district as the band director at the high school and both elementary schools.
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Also in our specials department, Andrea Beck is teaching art classes at both Richards and Cumberland. As you may know, she is also the parent of three Kiddos at Richards!
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As a final addition to our specials department, Hannah Esch is filling in for Alyssa Wilda while she spends time at home with her new baby girl. Ms. Esch will be with us through Festival of Lights, so you'll meet her then if not sooner!
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Alanna Koritzinsky has joined our special education team as a teacher, supporting students in grades 3-5.
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Margaret West has joined our office team. Please say hello the next time you're passing through!
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All new team members are adjusting well, and enjoying the caring, collaborative, and energetic Richards community. Please join me in welcoming them!
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Parent Teacher Conferences
Richards Fall Parent Teacher Conference dates are just around the corner:
K4: October 24, 25, 26
K5-5th: October 25, 26
If you have not yet had a chance to sign-up for conferences , please call the school office (414-963-3951) to schedule your conference.
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Mark your calendars - there is no school next Thursday, September 21.
Students in grades 1-5 will return to school on Friday, September 22.
Friday, September 22 and Monday, September 25 are K4 & K5 Kindergarten Assessment Days. Half of the class attends the full session on these days. K4 & K5 classroom teachers will be sending home information detailing which day your child will attend. Keep your eyes peeled for that communication!
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Milk for Kindergarten Students
The attached document titled New Milk Requirements contains information about new USDA guidelines on milk served at school. Page two has a Milk Requirements Summary that nicely summarizes what is allowed for each age group.
In Summary:
- Students in K4 and K5 can only be served unflavored low-fat (1%) and unflavored fat-free (skim) milk.
- Students above 6 years old can be served unflavored low-fat (1%), unflavored fat-free (skim), or flavored fat-free (skim) milk.
In accordance with these guidelines, we will not be serving chocolate milk to our kindergarten students this year. Students in grades 1-5 will continue to have an option for chocolate milk.
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Life Threatening Action Plans
If your student has a life-threatening allergy, we want to be certain we have an action plan in place, should an event occur. If you haven't already, please complete the form attached to this week's Thursday Folder and return to Alexis Camacho and Sandy Strye in the Clinic. Thank you for your timely attention to this new procedure!
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DreamBox Learning for Math at Richards School
We are pleased to tell you that our Richards School students in grades K4 – 5 will continue to have the opportunity to work with the on-line math program DreamBox for the 2017– 2018 school year. DreamBox Learning can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This means that not only will children have access to DreamBox at school, but they can also access the program for free online using a home computer or an ipad. Details about how to access DreamBox at home and set-up a free DreamBox parent account can found through the letter linked below.
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World Language 1st-5th
Adjustments were made to the Elementary World Language Program based on last year's pilot. See the attachment below for an update. Today, 2nd-5th graders are bringing home a language selection form. Please complete and return that form to the classroom teacher by Monday, September 18.
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From the Richards PTO
Want more information about an upcoming event? Did you lose a form? Check out richardspto.org for events, forms, dates, volunteer sign ups, and more!
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Fun Lunch
The Fun Lunch program will be starting soon. Proceeds from this year’s Fun Lunch will go to the Richards PTO. This year the Fun Lunch program has again teamed up with California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) and is also welcoming Cousins Subs.
The weeks that CPK provides the meals, students participating will receive their selection of Cheese Pizza, Mac and Cheese or Salad with Chicken! They will also be served carrots, applesauce, bottled water and a Rice Krispie Treat or Oreos!
CPK is continuing to generously offer a free meal to Richards students when they dine-in with their family! Students who participate in the Fun Lunch program will receive a free kid’s meal when THEIR family is dining. A raffle ticket will be given to each dining student for a chance to win an embroidered chef coat! Raffle tickets will be randomly selected and chef coats will be presented at Fun Lunch. Students that wear their chef coat to CPK will be allowed to make their own pizza! Please note: Only students dining with their families will be discounted and an adult entrée must be purchased for every kid’s meal. This offer is not valid with any other offers or discounts, and is not valid to groups or sports teams.
The weeks that Cousins Subs provides the meals, students participating will receive their choice of a 5-inch sub or a salad in addition to a nut-free snack, a Rice Krispie Treat or Oreos, bottled water, and an apple.
Please note that every student will receive a form that needs to be returned regardless of participation in Fun Lunch. Please watch for these forms in the Thursday Folder. The form will need to be returned to your child(ren’s) teacher by 9/29. The first Fun Lunch is scheduled for 10/20.
As with many PTO sponsored events, volunteers are important. Many have already signed up to volunteer. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Amanda or Verna (addresses below) to have your name added to the list.
If you have any questions on the Fun Lunch program, please contact Amanda Flegner amanda.flegner@gmail.com or Verna Pazaras at vernapazaras@mac.com.
Thank you for your support!
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Save the Date! Newcomers Meet & Mingle, Thursday Sept. 21, 6pm-8pm
Are you new to Richards School? Or would you like to come help welcome newcomers? Come meet new and old friends at our Richards PTO Newcomers Meet & Mingle at The Bay restaurant, 342 E. Silver Spring. This is a great chance for parents (especially those with K4 and K5 kiddos, and any families new to the area) to enjoy an evening out and get to know each other.
Come enjoy:
- extended Happy Hour specials
- ongoing drawings for gift certificates & gift bags from more than a dozen local businesses
- live music starting at 8:30pm
- we'll kick it off with free appetizers
Hope you can stop by! For more information, please contact Beth Bruch at richards_newcomers@yahoo.com.
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Box Tops For Education
This is a reminder, if you had a chance to clip and collect some Box Tops over the summer, you can turn them in now! A brown paper bag was provided at the end of last year - you can use this or any bag of your choice!
Each Box Top earns Richards 10 cents. Over 200 products carry Box Top labels and you can find a complete list at www.btfe.com. Make sure your Box Tops are clean cut, not expired or torn. You can even ask your family and friends to help collect Box Tops!
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District Announcements
Greetings Parents and Guardians,
We are looking for a parent representative on the School District of Whitefish Bay Communications Advisory Committee. Parent Pam Bednarczyk was the parent representative but has stepped down from the committee as her youngest graduated from WFBHS last year. We thank Pam for her wonderful contributions to this committee and now we need to find a replacement.
This committee meets once in January and once in April from 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM. This year's dates are yet to be determined. We are looking for a parent with a background or experience in the area of communications.
Background on the Committee - The School District of Whitefish Bay is committed to ensuring the ongoing engagement of the entire school district community by building upon the school district’s tradition of excellence with a communications plan that focuses on its unique situation.
Communicating about schools and school districts is a unique type of communications endeavor in that the District must not only inform, but also be transparent in its work to students, parents, taxpayers, and even those with whom the district does not have a direct connection.
This committee reviews the overall communication plan, engagement data, and provides recommendations for improvements.
If you are interested in serving on this committee please contact District Administrator Dr. John Thomsen by September 22 (414-963-3901). Thank you for your consideration.
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WFB High School Orchestra Boosters offers Portraits in the Park. Please see the link below for details.
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