January 19, 2023

Messages from Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Petersen

The entire fourth grade is reading and writing biographies, so we are hosting our Wax Museums this week. The Wax Museum is a recently-formed tradition to celebrate all that we learned during our biography unit.

The students are dressed as the characters they are writing about and they deliver a one-minute speech from the character's point of view when you step on the “button” in front of them. Students dress up for the occasion and you can see in the pictures below the effort and enthusiasm they have put into becoming their character.

It was a great fourth grade event attended not only by parents, but first grade classroom buddies as another connection with their older peers and our 3rd graders got a preview to build excitement for next school year!

2nd and 3rd Grade Concerts: We are looking forward to 2nd and 3rd grade general music concerts on Thursday, February 16, 2023. 2nd grade will perform at 5:30pm (5:15pm arrival) and 3rd grade will perform at 6:15pm (6pm arrival). The concerts will take place in Richards Great Hall. Students are asked to dress up for their performance.

Tiger Times: Our 5th Grade Student Council Newsletter Committee has been hard at work creating the first issue of the 2023 Tiger Times. Click here to view the newsletter. Enjoy!

Announcements

Music for Munchkins: The annual Whitefish Bay Concert will be this Sunday, January 22, 2023. Admission is FREE and the public is encouraged to attend. Please see the attached flyer for more information.

Upcoming No School Dates:  School is not in session on the following January dates. Click here to view the 2022-23 School Year calendar.

• Friday, January 20 -  No School 4K. Early Release Day 5K - 5th Grade.  Students dismissed at 11:30am.
• Monday, January 23 -  No School 4K - 5th Grade

Coming Soon - the Annual Richards School Learning Fair!

The Richards School Learning Fair is open to any interested student in third to fifth grade.  The Learning Fair offers students the opportunity to explore understandings about the world around them through science, math, and history projects. Students may work with partners across classrooms and across grade levels. All work on the Learning Fair is done at home, outside of school.

Our Learning Fair experience is not competitive.  Participation can offer a great sense of growth and accomplishment for a child.  Project work will be entirely done at home on an independent basis.  Students can work as an individual or with one partner, providing both partners share an equal commitment.

Students exhibit their work on a 36” X 48” display board for the fair.  Three-sided, free standing display boards are available for purchase at Office Depot or Winkies. Sample presentations may be seen on the shared slide set linked below.

Here is the schedule:

• January 9 to 20th: Return commitment form/permission slip and project planner with detailed, step by step information on project included. Parent signature is required!
• January 20 to March 14th:  Conduct needed research on chosen topic and gather data.  Students should use a provided Project Checklist to pace and guide their work during this time. 
• March 15th: Learning Fair takes place in the Great Hall.

This is an event for all interested students in Grade 3 to 5.  Taking part in the learning fair is purely voluntary, and all work on this extra-curricular activity will take place outside of the classroom.  Mrs. Jones, the Richards Elementary Math Coach/MTSS Coach met with students in Grades 3 to 5 the week of January 3 to 6th to provide an overview and needed paperwork for applying to be a part of the experience. 

Information about the Learning Fair, added access to applications for the Learning Fair Projects and support materials may be found at our School Website under the Programs Tab or you may access that site in this link.

Students will have 8 weeks to prepare their Learning Fair Projects and their hard work and new learning will be on display here at Richards Elementary on Wednesday, March 15th, from 4 to 6pm.  Questions or concerns?  Please contact Mrs. Susan Jones at susan.jones@wfbschools.com.

From the PTO

Calling all 2nd Grade Lego Makers!  We are preparing for our next Lego Club for 2nd Graders! Lego Club is a free extracurricular activity run by the Richards PTO. Each grade will get a chance to spend three consecutive weeks imagining, creating, and building with their peers. Lego Club will run on Mondays from 3:05-4:00 and students will be dismissed directly from their classrooms. Unless prior arrangements are made, parents are expected to pick their child up from Lego Club at 4:00. 2nd Grade Lego Club dates will be: February 6, February 13, and February 20.  We will also be looking for parent volunteers to assist. Registration for 2nd Grade will open next Thursday, January 26 and will run through Thursday, February 2. Questions? Email Lego Club Chair Asli Cooper at aslicooper@gmail.com.

District Announcements

Increased Online Monitoring:

Greetings Whitefish Bay District Families,

The Whitefish Bay School District continues to prioritize safety in our schools. Going into the 2022-23 school year, we will continue past practice of providing a safe environment for all students.  To enhance the culture of safety in our schools and in our greater community, we are excited to share that the District is partnering with Lightspeed Alert to improve upon our online monitoring system of student devices for specific safety indicators. The District previously had a different system in place to monitor student devices for safety indicators. Switching to Lightspeed Alert is an enhancement of previous practice that was already in place.  Through a combination of artificial intelligence and highly trained safety specialists, Lightspeed Alert monitors student technology devices for concerning indicators. Safety specialists then determine a level of risk for any concerning content that is identified. When a threat is deemed imminent, appropriate interventions, including contacting District personnel and/or law enforcement, will occur immediately.  The goal is to enact an intervention before a potential incident occurs. Additional information about Lightspeed Alert can be found on this link.

School Board Meeting: January 25, 2023: 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

Bay Ball 2023 Early Bird Ticket Sale: Bay Ball 2023 early bird tickets are on sale now! Save $10 a ticket, visit bayballwfb.com/partytime to purchase yours today.

Please join us Saturday, April 15th at 7pm in the WFB High School Field House for an evening of friends, food, fun, music, and dancing, all in support of educational excellence in Whitefish Bay.

Bay Ball is a fundraising event co-sponsored by the WFB Public Education Foundation and The School District of Whitefish Bay. The proceeds from Bay Ball 2023 will be used for the District's Technology Improvement Plan. Visit bayballwfb.com to learn more about Newline Digital Displays, and how supporting Bay Ball will help get them into classrooms faster!

Interested in sponsoring the event? You have until February 1st! Show our community how your business or your family recognizes the importance of supporting our public schools. Visit bayballwfb.com and click on “Become a Sponsor.”  Questions about anything Bay Ball related? Email bayballwhitefishbay@gmail.com.

From the Recreation Department

WNS Junior Wolfpack Girls Lacrosse: Registration Now Open - Practices Start February 19. Teams are forming for 3rd - 8th graders. No experience necessary. WNS also offers a spring clinic for 1st and 2nd graders. We are hosting a "Try It Day" on January 29. Our program focuses on empowering girls to develop skill, athleticism, heart, determination, and a love for the game of lacrosse. Register through the WFB Recreation Department.  Check out our flyer! Questions? Please email wns.jr.wolfpack@gmail.com