December 8, 2022

Messages from Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Petersen

Dear Richards Families,

At our all school meeting we shared a December focus of Gratitude and Generosity. Students were able to share what gratitude and generosity meant to them and what they were grateful for. We shared THIS VIDEO that had the students moving with the beat and singing the song by the end! Our December challenge is to write to someone telling them why you are thankful for them and to help, if possible, with our weather gear drive below!

Here is a VIDEO of our students and staff singing our school song!

We are so thankful for all the students, staff, and parents involved in making our 5th grade Student Council a success. The purpose of Richards Student Council is to promote leadership skills, set examples of good citizenship, and be positive role models for the entire school community. As you can see in the pictures below, the students are meeting the purpose and making Richards a great place to be! Our team is so thankful for the PTO who donated our fabulous Richards SC T-shirts this year.

Announcements (repeats):

Seeking Noon Supervisors: We are looking to hire additional compensated lunch/recess supervisor(s). Please spread the word and if you have any questions, feel free to contact Chad Nelson at chad.nelson@wfbschools.com.

A Special Message from our 5K Teachers:

Dear Richards Families,

December is National Giving Month. Can you help? The Richards 5K community is organizing a drive to collect new cold weather gear for the kids in our neighboring MPS community during the month of December. Through December 22,  the 5K classes are collecting new children’s size mittens, gloves, scarves, and/or hats. Please drop them off in the main entrance vestibule. We hope we can count on you to help keep our friends warm this winter!

Reminders:

In addition to the parking information shared recently, as inclement weather approaches and we have more traffic at arrival and dismissal, please ensure for safety that students get out and enter on the sidewalk-side of your vehicle when dropping and picking up, and then use the crosswalks to cross the street.

We have noticed an increase recently in students coming to school and needing to be sent home for various illness reasons. Please click here and read below for more specific information on deciding if your child should be at school.

Student Illness:

• FEVER: A child may have a fever in the evening, then be without a fever the next morning. If sent to school, the fever may return later in the school day. The Whitefish Bay School District's policy states to exclude a child from school with a temperature of 100.4 or greater. Please keep your child home until fever-free for 24 hours without the help of fever-reducing medication.
• VOMIT: The 24 hour rule also pertains to students who vomit due to illness.
• COMMUNICABLE DISEASES: Students are excluded from school with communicable diseases including: Pertussis, Hand Foot and Mouth. This is not an all inclusive list. Contact the Clinic with questions.
• PERSISTENT COUGH, COUGHING SPELLS, VOMITING, EXHAUSTION, DIARRHEA: These are all reasons to keep a child home. If these signs and symptoms (S&S) continue, medical evaluation is appropriate.
• SORE THROAT: Irritation of the throat can be caused by persistent coughing, post-nasal drainage (drainage down the back of the throat from sinus and nasal passages due to a cold, allergies, or sinus infections), or throat infections such as Streptococcus bacteria (Strept Throat). Medical evaluation is important to rule out Strept infections.
• ANTIBIOTIC MEDICATION THERAPY: Medication Antibiotic Therapy is sometimes prescribed by the child's physician to treat bacterial infections. If antibiotics are prescribed the child must be on them for 24 hours before returning to school.

Clinic Information: The Richards Clinic oversees daily attendance. All absences, including students arriving to school late or leaving before the end of the school day should be reported to the Clinic at: richards.clinic@wfbschools.com or 414-962-6810.

Winter Gear: Winter is upon us and we want students to be prepared for recess. In general, and especially in our youngest grades, we expect students to wear outside what they brought to school. In grades 1-5, when the temperature rises above 50 degrees students can choose whether a coat is needed. In short, please send students to school with the winter gear they'll need to stay warm at recess. We are outside unless it is raining or (actual temp or windchill) is below zero. Please note that in order to play in the snow and leave the blacktop, students will need to have on snow pants and boots. Additionally, please label all winter gear with your child’s name.

Incoming 2023-2024 4-Year-Old Kindergarten Visit at Richards Elementary School: Whitefish Bay Resident families of students who turn four on or before September 1, 2023 are invited to a 4K Visit at Richards Elementary School on Friday, December 9, 2022 at either 9:15 am or 1:30 pm. The event hosted by Mr. Nelson, Richards Principal, will include a welcome from our 4K teachers, a short story with our Library Media Specialist, and a Question and Answer session. Check out our flyer for more information and RSVP here.

4K Enrollment will open on Monday, December 12th, 2022. Enrollment will be completed online via the WFB District Enrollment webpage. Families that submit completed enrollment paperwork (including proof of residency and verification of your child’s original birth certificate) by noon on January 6th, 2023 will be included in a random drawing for placement in the morning session.

From the PTO

Our Richards Students + Staff NEED You!

The PTO budget is behind last year’s direct donations at this time, and about 50% down from the total year. Please consider making your tax-deductible donation today! So far this school year, the PTO has approved over $8,000 in Special Disbursements (specific needs requests from Teachers and Support Staff). In addition we’ve been able to support the Student Council and continue programming such as the Lego Clubs, Author Visits, and so much more! We look forward to being able to continue saying “YES!” to support our students, teachers and administration. We would very much appreciate your help with saying “YES!”

Please click https://richardspto.membershiptoolkit.com/story/339304 for more information on our Impact or https://richardspto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/12845 to donate. Thank you!

Shout out to our PTO Fun Lunch Volunteers!  Thank you volunteers for saving a few minutes of our Friday morning routines - next Fun Lunch is December 16th!

District Announcements

Greetings District Community,

In our efforts to improve communication and transparency with our community, we are asking community members and district families to complete the linked survey. The focus of this survey is improving our District website. The survey will be available until December 19th at noon. Thank you in advance for your time and feedback.

With winter break right around the corner and with the cold and flu season upon us, we hope everyone remains healthy while making new memories. Please see the linked district letter related to Fall & Winter Break Health Safety.

COVID Testing Expansion: The District is excited that our free, on-site COVID-19 testing program is continuing through the 2022-23 school year for district students and staff. Beginning on Monday, December 5th, family members of students and staff will also be eligible for testing at the District testing site. Please visit our website for the most updated information and to register for a test. 

Note: COVID testing will not be available on December 23 - 26, and December 30 - January 2.

District Seeking Community Member for Communications Advisory Committee: The District is seeking a Community Representative to serve on the Communications Advisory Committee.

The School District of Whitefish Bay is committed to ensuring the ongoing engagement of the entire school district community by building upon the District’s tradition of excellence with a communications plan that focuses on its unique situation.

Remaining committee meetings for the 2022-23 school year are Wednesday, January 25th at 4:00 pm and Wednesday, May 10th at 4:00 pm. Please complete the linked interest form if you are interested in serving on the committee. The interest form is available until 3:00 pm on Monday, January 9th.

School Board Meeting: December 14, 2022: 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