January 21, 2021

Messages from Dr. Kasmarick

As we enter the third quarter, we have some families moving from in-person to virtual and many families moving from virtual to in-person, which resulted in a change to the staffing structure at several grade levels. As we honor family choices of modality, it has been necessary to ensure that classrooms are balanced and that safety remains a high priority as we phase into more in-person learning. This rebalancing resulted in the shifting of almost 70 students between classrooms across grades 5K-5th. All of these families were notified yesterday (Wednesday). Our commitment to students remains strong, and we will do all that we can to ensure successful transitions for all.

• Week of 1/26: All modality and classroom changes take effect, blended week for all in-person classrooms. Students attend with their A or B cohort.
• Week of 2/1: Grades 4K-1 phase into 4 days, blended week for grades 2-5
• Week of 2/8:  Grades 2-3 phase into 4 days, blended week for grades 4-5
• Week of 2/15: Grades 4-5 phase into 4 days

This pandemic has pushed us to do many things we would never choose and these changes are difficult for all of us. We are one Richards community. We will support each other through this and we will become stronger!

No School Dates:  Please note the following January dates that school is not in session and the A/B cohort schedule for the week of January 25. 

• Friday, January 22: 4K No School. 5K- 5th Grade - Asynchronous Day, early dismissal at 11:35am. Lessons posted to Seesaw/Google Classroom may be a bit lighter than on a typical asynchronous day.
• Monday, January 25: No School 4K-5^th Grade
• Tuesday, January 26: Cohort A atttends in person
• Wednesday: January 27: Asynchronous Day for all grades
• Thursday, January 28: Cohort B attends in person
• Friday, January 29: Cohort B attends in person

School Spirit Dress Up Day - Tuesday, January 26th!  The Student Council Community Connectors & School Spirit Committees are happy to announce we have another School Spirit Dress Up Day ahead.  On Tuesday, January 26th, we’re celebrating heroes of all kinds. 

Do you have a favorite superhero?  Superman?  Captain America?  Wonder Woman?  Or do you have an Essential Worker who has been a hero in the last year you’d like to recognize?  Essential Workers are those people who have continued working in public even while many others have been working from home. These heroes might be Emergency Room Doctors, Veterinarians, Zookeepers, Teachers, Firefighters or Grocery Store Clerks.

Check out this short video created by our Student Council team as you consider what type of hero you want to celebrate on January 26th.  And note one of our Student Council members dressed as an Essential Worker - delivering the mail is hero's work!

Spring Conferences, scheduled this year on Thursday, February 25th from 12:00 - 8:00pm, are designed as optional (can be scheduled based on teacher or parent/guardian request) and can be used for a variety of reasons, including any changes in academic/social/emotional progress. These changes may include progress that has noticeably accelerated or levels of performance that exceed what is typical. This time is also available for any parents/guardians who would like to simply check in on how things are going. Conference signup details will be forthcoming in early February.

Noon/Recess Supervisors are needed at Richards Elementary School:  We encourage those interested to apply. Please click here or visit the WECAN website and search vacancy ID # 98095 for more information. 

4K Enrollment for the 2021-2022 School Year:  Richards recently hosted two 4K Virtual Visits where we welcomed current families as well as families that will be new to Richards in the fall!  If you missed the 4K Virtual Visits, please click here to view the slideshow presentation.  We hope you find this overview of our 4K Program informative.  Enrollment packets are available in the vestibule, just outside the Richards Office or online: 4K Enrollment Forms.  Please submit completed paperwork in-person (in the main office) during the hours of 7:30-3:45pm or via email to stephanie.haupt@wfbschools.com. 

From the PTO

Remember to Share Your Photos with the Yearbook: Since this has been a unique year, we will not have the number of photos that we typically do for our yearbook so we’re asking for your help. We would love to see what your students have been up to since the beginning of this school year! Please share photos of:

• first day of school
• virtual learning
• virtual class parties
• class projects
• our students working on any special projects, activities, or artwork for school
• or anything else you’d like to share with us!

Show us what you have! Email photos to Kristin at richards.yearbook@gmail.com.

Picture Retake Day: Picture Retake Day was held yesterday at school. If you couldn’t make it and still want to have your child’s picture retaken, please call Visual Image Photography at (262) 375-4457 to set up an appointment to have your child's picture taken at their studio in Cedarburg.

Update Your Teacher in Membership Toolkit: As we prepare to transition into third quarter, please be sure to update your child/children's teacher assignments in Membership Toolkit if your teacher has changed. This will ensure you are receiving all appropriate updates and messaging from your classroom Room Parent.

Virtual Lego Club Schedule: LEGO Masters! Starting this week, we are following a fun new LEGO Challenge schedule for the remainder of the school year! Take a peek, pick your favorites, and participate in any or all challenges! This is open to all grade levels and you do not need to sign up to participate. We can’t wait to see your creations! And, the FIRST CHALLENGE starts this week! Your challenge for this week is to build a CASTLE! Email your creation by the end of the week to richardslegoclub@gmail.com. Have FUN!

Spirit Wear Still Available: Are you looking for youth size short or long sleeve t-shirts with last year’s logo? There was a slight logo change for Richards, so we will be selling our on-hand inventory (last year’s logo) at a discounted rate [S/S tees: $5, L/S tees: $7.] Log into your Membership Toolkit account to purchase while supplies last.

Amazon Smile: The holidays are over, but the pandemic is not, and we know many of you are still doing most of your shopping online! Please consider making your charity the Richards PTO on Amazon Smile! Amazon Smile purchases earn money for the Richards PTO every time you shop. Visit smile.amazon.com in your web browser. Make sure you select “Richards School PTO” as your charity organization. Shop and earn money for Richards at the same time!

Miltown Eats Offer Has Been Extended! The Richards PTO is partnering with Miltown Eats – a local home meal kit service. Richards families will receive 25% off the first delivery and the Richards PTO will receive $20 per family referral bonus for signs up who receive a meal. Visit their website miltowneats.com to browse what you would like to order and enter the code RichardsPTO to get the 25% off. This is a great way to make life a little easier for our families during these unusual times and also raise money for the Richards PTO! Questions? Contact Kristen at lafond19@yahoo.com or Erin at erin.haan@gmail.com.

Box Tops for Education: The Box Tops for Education program has changed the way we can earn cash for our school! Participating brands have changed their packaging from the traditional Box Tops clip to the new Box Tops label. Instead of clipping from packages and checking expiration dates, all Box Tops will be earned digitally by scanning your receipt. The new app features state-of-the-art technology that allows you to scan your store receipt, find participating products and instantly add Box Tops to our school's earnings online. Download the app on your phone, set your school to Richards Elementary School and scan your receipts. It’s easy and contact free!

District Announcements

COVID-19 Data Metric Dashboard: In an effort of transparency and communication with our staff and families, the District has created a COVID-19 data metric dashboard and weekly District update letter. Each week the District will publish a status update of active cases and those in quarantine due to exposure or presentation of COVID-19 like symptoms. Please note that information relative to any individual’s health is HIPPA protected and private, so we are taking steps to secure the anonymity of individuals. Student numbers will be published at a school level and for the district as a whole. In any school in which the number is <5 we will post an ** to avoid the likelihood of exposing the identity of an individual. We will provide a summary number for the district as a whole.

The dashboard on the COVID-19 website page and the Weekly Metrics Reports show the current week's data. All letters will be located on the Communications to Families page. It is our goal to update the dashboard and letter at the beginning of each week.

School Board Meeting: January 27, 2021: The community is welcome to view 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.

• Annual Meeting dates located under featured tab/documents
• Agendas located under featured or meeting tabs

WFB Public Education Foundation: Thank you for donating to the WFB Public Education Foundation Annual Appeal which raised over $13,000 in 2020! Run the Bay is another way to fund innovation in the WFB Schools. You can still donate directly, or NEW this year, you can keep up with the monthly Passport activities leading you to the virtual run in May by visiting https://www.educatethebay.info/donate/ or visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/educatethebay Please email educatethebay@gmail.com for sponsorship opportunities!

Medical Provider Sought for Human Growth and Development Instruction: In February 2017, the Whitefish Bay School District approved changes in the human growth and development (HGD) instruction based on the information provided by the Board established HGD advisory committee. The approved program change is to work with a medical provider to provide a portion of the human growth and instruction curriculum to our third through fifth grade students at both Cumberland and Richards Elementary Schools.

The Human Growth and Development course is in addition to the regular Health curriculum and is structured into three sections: Social and Emotional Development, Physical Growth and Development, and Preventative Safety Behaviors.

Qualifications:

• Holds a medical license and/or is registered as a nurse, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, pharmacist, or physician
• Education, ability to connect well with children, or teaching experience preferred

If interested in this position, please contact Maria Kucharski, Director of Teaching and Learning, for an application, at Maria.Kucharski@wfbschools.com or (414) 963-3927, by January 22, 2021.  Applications are also located on the District website www.wfbschools.com under the Teaching and Learning Services homepage.

Substitute Teachers & Substitute Paraprofessionals Needed: Opportunities exist in the District for parents/guardians to work as a paid substitute teacher and/or paid substitute paraprofessional (aide). If this type of opportunity is of interest to you, please see the attachments below. Please contact the Human Resources Office by email: hr@wfbschools.com or by phone: (414) 963-3960 to receive more information on the necessary steps to join the daily pool of substitute teachers and/or substitute paraprofessionals (aides).  

From the Recreation Department

Connects is now providing the following care options:

• 4 day/week Connects before and after care starting February 1st for K4 thru 1st graders participating in the Phase-In Plan
• Synchronous Virtual Learning Care from January 26th to February 12th for K4 thru 5th graders participating in the Phase-In Plan
• Group A/B Connects before and after care for 2nd thru 5th graders participating in the Phase-In Plan
• Wednesday Virtual Learning Care for 2nd thru 5th graders participating in the Phase-In Plan
• School's Out Care for all grades full-day care on No School Days

On the horizon...

• 4 day/week Connects before and after care starting February 8th for K4 thru 3rd graders participating in the Phase-In Plan
• 4 day/week Connects before and after care starting February 15th for all grades participating in the Phase-In Plan

If you would like to register, please visit our website for enrollment packets and forms. If you have questions, please contact Megan Kuehn at (414) 963-6806.  

Futura Spanish: Come join us after school at 3:30 on Tuesdays at the Lydell Community Center for eight weeks of exciting "Vamos a explorar!" ("Let's explore!"). Class will include practical travel vocabulary and important conversation elements like how to barter at a market and order at a restaurant. Futura's interactive, dynamic style will get students speaking "Real World" Spanish before you know it! Vamanos! Click here for more information.