Richards Family News
November 2, 2026
Dear Richards Families,
Thank you for making time to connect with your child’s teacher during parent-teacher conferences. These conversations are an important part of our home and school partnership, and we appreciate the time and care you put into supporting your child’s learning and growth.
As fall continues, our Lost and Found is filling up quickly! With chilly mornings and warmer afternoons, it’s easy for coats, sweatshirts, and other belongings to get left behind. Please take a moment to check for any missing items, and remember to label your child’s coats, jackets, and other winter gear to help us return items to their owners.
We are also beginning to look ahead to colder weather and snowy days. We head outside for recess unless it is raining or the actual temperature or wind chill drops below zero. Students who want to play in the snow and venture off the blacktop will need snow pants, boots, hats, and mittens or gloves. Having these items at school each day helps ensure everyone can enjoy outdoor recess comfortably. Please label these items as well!
Finally, as we move into the colder months, we know sniffles and seasonal illnesses tend to make their way into our classrooms. Below are a few helpful reminders from our Health Room to help keep our school community healthy.
Thank you for your continued partnership and for all the ways you help make Richards such a special place to learn and grow. We hope you and your family enjoy the beautiful fall days ahead!
Health Room Reminders
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. As these impact other students, please contact the Health Room for awareness or 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.
Health Room Attendance Reporting: The Richards Health Room 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 Health Room at: richards.healthroom@wfbschools.com or 414-962-6810.
Upcoming No School Dates: Mark your calendars, school is not in session on the following dates.
- November 25 - 27 - Thanksgiving Break
- November 30 - No School (Staff Professional Learning Day)
Incoming 2027-2028 4-Year Old Kindergarten (4K) Visits
Whitefish Bay resident families of students who turn four on or before September 1, 2027 are invited to a 4K Overview at Richards Elementary School on Friday, December 4, 2026 at either 8:40am or 1:30 pm.
Mr. Nelson and Ms. Petersen host this event, which will include an overview of the 4K Program at Richards, an opportunity to meet our 4K teachers and key staff members, a story in the library, and a Q & A session. More information can be found in this FLYER.
Families interested in attending the event are asked to RSVP via this LINK. Please contact the Richards Office at 414-963-3951 with any questions.
Please help us spread the word to friends and neighbors!
Picture Retake Day: Did your child’s photo not turn out exactly like you had hoped? Retake Day will be held in the Great Hall on Tuesday, November 10 from 3:15-5:00 pm. Students must be accompanied by an adult, no appointment is needed. During the school day, our photographer will also be taking first time photos for those students who missed Picture Day in September.
To view photos, follow the link to the Richards VIP photo page. For best results, please make sure your child's name and student number are entered exactly as it is in your Skyward account. You’ll be able to select your image for the Richards yearbook and place your online order. If you have questions about ordering photos, please contact VIP customer service directly at customer.support@vipis.com or by phone, 262-375-4457.
Wear Red, White and Blue on November 11: We invite students and staff to wear red, white and blue in honor of Veterans Day on November 11, with appreciation for all who have served our country.
Meet the Richards Pupil Services Team! Please open this LINK to view the Fall 2026 Welcome and Informational Letter from our Pupil Services Team.
GET YOUR SPIRITWEAR BY NOVEMBER 5!
The Spiritwear store is open for one last chance to stock up before the holidays! Whether you’re shopping for yourself, a student, or looking for a great holiday gift, be sure to follow this link and place your order by November 5.
Please contact Kristin Fischer with any questions: klfischer622@gmail.com
FUN LUNCH: THIS FRIDAY!
Our next Fun Lunch is this Friday, November 6! If you missed the original ordering window, you can still request a late order by this Friday, October 30.
Late orders must be requested at least one week before the scheduled Fun Lunch date by emailing Jacob Wruck at jacob.wruck@gmail.com.
Upcoming Fun Lunch Dates & Late Order Deadlines:
● Friday, November 20 → Order by November 13
● Friday, December 4 → Order by November 27
● Friday, December 18 → Order by December 11
● Friday, January 15 → Order by January 8
● Friday, January 29 → Order by January 22
Questions? Please contact our Fun Lunch Chairs:
Janaki Shah – janaki.y.shah@gmail.com
Kelly Moore – kellybrookemoore@gmail.com
JOIN THE HUNGER TASK FORCE COMMITTEE!
Richards’ annual Hunger Task Force food drive and benefit dinner is back for 2026–27, and we’re looking for a handful of 3rd grade parents to help us plan it! As the host grade this year, 3rd grade parents are invited to join the committee and help shape everything from the food drive to dinner-night fun — no experience necessary, just enthusiasm for a great cause. Committee work runs now through the spring — the lightest lift is in the next couple of months, with a heavier lift once the new year begins.
And when the food drive and benefit dinner roll around this spring, the whole school community is invited to pitch in and celebrate together!
Interested in joining the committee? Reach out to David Krems and Alex Stankiewicz Krems (alexandra.stankiewicz@gmail.com), this year’s Hunger Task Force Co-Chairs, by Monday, November 9.
FALL CLEAN UP!
It is time for the annual Richard's Campus Fall Clean Up! Come join anytime between 9:00am-11:00am on Sunday, November 8th. Please sign up to volunteer: LINK
Any questions please email Alyssa Fourness at: alys.laws@gmail.com
INTERNATIONAL NIGHT
The Cultural Arts Committee is planning for our 3rd annual International Night in the Richards Great Hall on Thursday, February 18th from 5:30-7pm! This event will feature different cultures represented at Richards through our families and give students the opportunity to learn about our students' diverse backgrounds. This has quickly become one of our favorite family events at Richards, and we hope to make this year as successful as the last! This event is coordinated by the Cultural Arts committee, but its success depends on family participation. If your family would be interested in participating in this event by hosting a table, please click on this link and complete the short survey by November 16th.
If you have any questions please contact Seema Afsari at seema1018@gmail.com or Blanca Guzman at blancaguzro@gmail.com.
LOST AND FOUND
The Lost and Found rack is again at capacity with dozens of sweatshirts and jackets. Please stop by before school or after school before 3:45 pm to claim items by Thursday 11/5. Any unclaimed items will be donated; labeled items will be returned to your child in their classroom the following week. Email richardslostandfound@gmail.com with questions.
Order adhesive name labels from Mabel's Labels; Richards PTO gets 20% back on all purchases (make sure to select Richards Elementary via the "Support a Fundraiser" tab or during checkout).
GET INVOLVED AT RICHARDS!
Come to a PTO Meeting
Everyone is welcome at PTO meetings and we would really love to see as many people there as possible. Meetings are held at 7pm on the third Monday of each month in the Great Hall.
Next meeting: Monday, November 16 @ 7pm - we hope to see you there!
Stay connected
Don’t miss out! Follow us to see what’s happening and keep up with the latest PTO news:
- Instagram: @RichardsPTO_WFB
- Facebook: @RichardsPTO
- Membership Toolkit: richardspto.membershiptoolkit.com
If you have any questions, or need help navigating any of the above, please reach out to richardsptowfb@gmail.com. We are ALWAYS happy to help! Thank you for supporting Richards Elementary PTO! Have a great week everyone.
The Richards PTO
Whitefish Bay residents will go to the polls on Tuesday, November 3, to vote on a $90 million facilities referendum for our school district.
Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and you must bring a valid photo ID to vote. Polling locations in Whitefish Bay will include:
Whitefish Bay Public Library, 5420 N. Marlborough Dr. (Wards 1-4)
Whitefish Bay Village Hall, 5300 Marlborough Dr. (Wards 5-6)
Bay Shore Lutheran Church, 1200 E. Hampton Road (Wards 7, 9, 11)
Cahill Square Park, 1001 E. Fairmount Ave. (Wards 8, 10, 12)
For election information, including registration policies and voter resources, visit the official MyVote Wisconsin Portal at myvote.wi.gov, or check the Village of Whitefish Bay’s election page at www.wfbvillage.gov/270/Election-Information.
If at least 50% of voters approve the proposed referendum, we will move forward with a series of capital improvement projects, including a multi-year plan to rebuild and renovate the century-old Middle School at its current site.
Referendum revenue would also support updates at the High School campus, including replacing failing HVAC systems and upgrading the fire sprinkler and alarm systems. Fire protection and alarm system updates are also planned at Cumberland and Richards Elementary Schools.
More information about the proposed referendum, including answers to FAQs and a property tax calculator, is available at www.wfbreferendum.org.
Whitefish Bay School Board Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 11 at 7:00pm, in the Whitefish Bay High School Library Media Center. Click here to view the 2026-2027 School Board Meeting dates.
October 27, 2026 School Board Meeting Takeaways
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.
Emergency & Inclement Weather School Closing Information: Please see the linked letter for information related to emergency school closings, most often inclement weather closings.
WFBHS Theater Presents: & Juliet - Join Us!
Created by the Emmy-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love – her way.
Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including “Since U Been Gone,” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life,” “That’s The Way It Is,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – all from the genius songwriter/producer behind more #1 hits than any other artist this century. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it. Can’t wait to see you there!
When: 7:00pm on November 6, 7, 12, 13, and 14 & 2:00pm on November 8
Where: Whitefish Bay High School Auditorium
Tickets: $20 for Adults, $15 for Senior Citizens, & $10 for Students
Ticket Information: WFBHSTHEATER.COM
Bay Give Back Thanksgiving Meal Drive: Bay Gives Back is looking to sponsor 100 families this year by providing them all the fixings they would need to make a Thanksgiving meal (turkeys already provided). We are partnering with Cass St. Elementary for the fifth year in a row (Milwaukee Public K-8 School on the Lower East Side) to support their families most in need this holiday season.
Click here to sign up to sponsor a family.
An email with all the information you need to know will be sent upon completion of the form.
Thank you for helping us spread joy this holiday season by helping make this event happen. Please let us know if you have any questions.
