June 5, 2008

A Letter from Ms. Heffron June 5, 2008

The Spring Sing was simply wonderful – a magnificent tribute to the teamwork among the Specials Teachers and Danceworks (funded by the Cumberland PTO), and the enthusiastic participation of the students. The complete curricular integration of the program gave students in all grades a chance to learn about a part of the world along with cultural traditions and dances that were made even stronger by the diversity of our Cumberland families. Thanks to everyone who made this program possible and to you, our Cumberland families who came to be an audience.

Of course, getting to today was a challenge with the weather we had yesterday and this morning and I am so sorry for the inconvenience it caused to cancel yesterday's program. To avoid the possibility of this happening next year, we have a new plan. The Spring Sing will be held on the day it is scheduled. If the weather is good, we will be outside. If the weather does not allow us to be out, we will hold two inside performances on that very day. This will make it possible for everyone who has arranged to be off work or in from out of town to see the program. We will have 9:45 and 1:30 performances if we are inside and as we did this year (until our WFB web page host was struck by lightening this morning) we will use our Cumberland web page to post the up to date information. Just looking ahead….

As we approach next Friday and the last day of the 2007-08 school year, we have had approximately 788,480 student hours this year, enough for each child to make substantial learning gains or to develop a strong foundation for learning in kindergarten. We have celebrated successes and worked our way through challenges. Collectively, we are finishing stronger than we started.

Thank you for everything you have done this year to support your child(ren) and Cumberland. It is a great place to be!

Friday, June 13^th is the last day of student attendance. Dismissal is at 11:50.

Looking ahead (just in case this is the last letter):

· All school registration is Thursday & Friday, August 21 & 22^nd.

· First day of school is Tuesday, September 2^nd.

May 22, 2008

Notes from the Cumberland Office May 22, 2008

This week's 4^th and 5^th grade Learning Fair gave students an opportunity to display their learning about topics of interest in science and history. There was a wide range of projects from acid rain to historic battles as well as ties with the history of popular culture or music. Congratulations to all the students who participated.

Notes:

• Astronomy Night tonight: Mr. Windorski plans to set up his telescope tonight at 8:00 - 9:30 on the playground. It should be dark enough to see planets by about 8:30. At this time the weather forecast is calling for favorable conditions tonight.
• Family Fun Night is May 28^th at Cumberland from 3:30-6:30 pm. Tickets are on sale on Friday, May 23^rd and Tuesday, May 27^th from 8-9:30 and 2:30-3:30.
• Opening day for the WFB High School Blue Dukes Baseball is Friday, May 23^rd with the game at 5:30 at Cahill. The grills are going and the concession stand is open.
• Collection for children in Zambia: Ms. Sampe, an English teacher at WFB High School and her family are traveling to Zambia in July. They are collecting new or used (deflated) soccer balls, jerseys or t-shirts for distribution to the children in Zambia. Donations can be dropped off on June 3^rd and 4^th at Cumberland from 4:30-6:30.

Reminder: No school for students on Monday, May 26^th

May 1, 2008

Notes from Ms. Heffron May 1, 2008

There are great things happening at Cumberland School every day. I want to highlight two recent events. The 4^th/5^th grade Green Team participated in last week's Clean the Bay event. Team sponsor, Rose Palmer, was joined by 5th grade students: Jessica O'Neill, Marisa Brudny, Elizabeth Dean and 4th Grade Students: Jacob Chmiel, Conner Kimple, George Papajohn, Audrey Head, Zoey Knox, Madeline Yunker, Amelia Windorski. They were assisted by Mr. O' Neil, Mrs. Dean, and a contribution of gloves by Mrs. Papajohn. Thanks to this group for their community wide contribution.

The second event I am spotlighting is a writing contest that one of our fourth grade classes participated in. Sponsored by the Autism Society of Wisconsin, the Autism Awareness Essay Contest required students to write "My Friendship Including Autism" essays. Close to 1,000 entries were received from students in 3^rd-5^th grades . I am thrilled to announce that Delaney Brower, one of our 4^th graders in Ms. Mikkelson's room, was selected as the first place winner! The essays that students wrote are posted on a bulletin board outside Ms. Mikkelson's room, and the content of their writings shows how deeply students have been touched by autism, many by one of our Cumberland students. Working with this student's family, Molly Voiland, one of our Speech and Language therapists presented an autism awareness instructional unit to Ms. Mikkelson's classroom. The students' compassion and empathy are fantastic to see and everyone's efforts to create an accepting school community, including Ms. Mikkelson's and Ms. Voiland's, are wonderful.

Other notes:

• 5^th grade Band-O-Rama, 7:00 tonight at the WFB High School. This 5-12 event is the first ever joint band event. See you there!
• WFB Middle School presents a Salute to Broadway May 9, 10, and 11 in the gym. Tickets are $5.00 and are on sale at the Middle School office. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7:00 and Sunday at 2:00. Seating is limited to 250 per show.
• Everyday Math Skills Link book orders are included in today's folder. These books provide summer practice for the grade level that your child is currently in. Orders are due May 13^th.
• 2008-09 Volunteers for the Cumberland Library are being sought. A form is in the folder.
• Used Book Donation, May 5^th-30^th: The Cumberland Community team asks Cumberland school students to donate gently used books to the Lisbon Avenue Health Center which provides healthcare services to underprivileged families. Part of the Center's mission is to promote reading and many student who go to the center do not have any books at all. Students can help by donating anything from picture books to chapter books. Donation containers will be in the main lobby. Questions? Contact sponsors Mrs. Riedl, Mrs. Rassmusen, Mr. Moore or Mr. Burgos.
• Spirit Day Changes: May 9^th is now wear cougar clothing or green day. May 16^th is Favorites Day and June 6^th is still Beach Day.

April 24, 2008

Notes from Ms. Heffron April 24, 2008

We had a Student Council led assembly this week and it was exciting to see the high numbers of 4^th and 5^th graders who are involved this year. In addition to the student written skits, poems and snippets about school spirit, community efforts and being green, we also had the chance for our first all school singing of the new Cumberland School Song. Along with Ms. Steiner, students Emma Levy, Libby Stecker, Josie Trettin, and Hannah Petterson wrote our new song to the tune of Inch by Inch. I'll send the lyrics home next week. The assembly was inspiring and gave everyone opportunities to see the positive things happening here.

Awareness of and sensitivity to bullying is a topic of an ongoing concern. Please be assured that it is an area we take seriously and we know you do, too. We want to continue to work together with you to make sure the environment is a safe and nurturing one for everyone here at Cumberland. In alignment with the anti-bullying curriculum already in place through our guidance department, another critical component is that students report to school staff if something occurs. In this way, I can be sure that I see the big picture of events that may be related. As we emphasize this message of reporting with students here at school, it is really helpful when you reinforce it at home, too. Thanks for all you do.

Reminders:

• Green Day in the Bay, this Saturday, April 26^th, 9:00-10:30am
• Run the Bay: Registrations due tomorrow, April 25^th.
• May 14^th: AM school for students. 11:50 dismissal

April 17, 2008

Ms. Heffron's Letter April 17, 2008

Yesterday, I gave students clarification about some playground procedures and I would like to share them with you as well. Students may bring playground balls from home to use during recess. While here, though, the balls are used in the same way as all school equipment which means following the school rules including allowing others to play. This means, for example that a student may not select who can or can't be involved in a football game because it is her/his personal football. The game needs to be open, as is required with our school equipment. Because of safety considerations, students are not allowed to bring baseballs or softballs, nor bats or tennis racquets.

On a related topic, in the morning before school begins, no ball playing is allowed on the blacktop. The high volume of traffic, including parents with strollers, makes it hazardous for the energetic games that students engage in. We also appreciate students and adults walking bikes and scooters on the playground, for the same reasons.

Before it warms up enough to need the answers, these are a few points that come up each year and I offer them for your review:

• A guideline for clothing choices is "Not too much exposed skin." This means no short shorts, tank tops, spaghetti straps, halters or strapless tops. There are two reasons for these guidelines. The first is the risk of injury to bare skin and the second is disruption to the learning environment, particularly in the older grades.
• Shoes: Students still need PE shoes which should be tennis shoes. During recess, most

students like to be quite active and it is difficult to run or climb in shoes with heels or open backs.

Have you noticed the perennials starting to poke out of the dirt out front? What a welcome sight!

Notes:

• Spanish PJ Party(La Fiesta de Pijama) is tomorrow, Friday, April 18^th from 6:00-7:00pm. Be sure to bring a blanket and a water bottle.

• The 5th Annual Lake Bluff Children's Rummage Sale will be held in the Lake Bluff School Cafetorium on Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 am to noon (11:00 am - noon: fill a bag for $3.00). Thousands of items on sale include infants' and children's clothing, toys, furniture, games, books, sports equipment, videos and more! Proceeds benefit Lake Bluff PTO. Lake Bluff School is located at 1600 E. Lake Bluff Blvd, Shorewood (one block west of Oakland, 2 lights north of Capitol Drive).

• Harry Schwartz Bookstores along with the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, is sponsoring a talk/book signing with Richard Louv at the Jewish Community Center on Thursday, April 24 at 7pm. Mr. Louv, a nationally known author of the book, Last Child in the Woods, is changing the way we think about or children's connection with the natural world. For more information, call (414) 352-2880x0 or (262) 241-6220.
• Don't forget to register for "Run the Bay" on May 10^th. It is a fun time and a great way to support the schools. Registration brochures are in the office.
• 2008 Pre-College Workshops and College Fair sponsored by PACE is Thurs., April 24^th from 6:30-9:00pm @WFBHS in the Rotunda.
• Advocates for Education is sponsoring speaker Philip Chard on Thursday, April 24th @ 7:00pm at WFB Public Library. See link below for more information:

Advocates for Education-Philip Chard

April 10, 2008

Notes from the Cumberland Office April 10, 2008

If you are in the office during the next week, take a good look at the beautiful scarves the fifth graders have made with Ms. Purney. Using the Japanese Shibori process of dying fabrics, the students sewed Habotai silk scarves with various styles of stitches then applied a dye paste and liquid dyes to color mix on the scarves. The students have created gorgeous patterns of color. They rival anything seen in the art museum display cases!

Last week the PTO Cultural Arts committee brought in a great assembly. The group, Imagination Theater, does short skits that dramatize and demonstrate specific techniques for dealing with teasing. Interactive, the "Ease the Tease" programs had students recognizing and reinforcing the use of seven specific techniques. These are: Agree with the facts, Answer with a compliment, Take it as a compliment, Ignore, Use an I message, Say, "So," and Use self talk. These approaches are parallel to strategies taught in our guidance program so students will be hearing and practicing the skills throughout the year. There was also emphasis on telling an adult when these strategies alone do not stop the teasing. Ask your child about the assembly to hear more. Thanks to the PTO for this valuable program.

In today's folder, 3^rd-5^th grade parents will find the WKCE results. This is the testing students did in early November. Overall, our students did very well as we have come to expect. Students are still to be commended for their efforts and for taking the tests seriously. Tony Frontier, the WFB Director of Instruction, does an in-depth analysis of the results for this year, as well as longitudinally. Before the end of the year, I will send more detailed information about our overall results.

If you have not sent back your Student Placement Information Form and you want to do so, please send it in by tomorrow. The form is optional and your child(ren)'s teacher certainly knows much about his/her learning and classroom structural preferences from working with her/him for three-quarters of a year. Thanks.

After a small kindergarten class two years ago, we are looking to set records with next year's incoming K4 class. We are currently planning five sections for the 116 students who are enrolled! I will closely monitor the K4 and K5 enrollments over the next months to be sure we are ready for everyone who comes. Enrollment is a primary factor in calculating the amounts of various financial aids we receive so this is good budgetary news. Evidently that group two years ago was an anomaly.

Notes:

• On May 1, 2008 at 7:00 pm at the Whitefish Bay Field House our instrumental music program will present the first ever BAND-O-RAMA. Our band students in grades 5-12 will join together to present a fun filled evening of music. Each band, (elementary, middle and high school) will present 2 numbers and will then join together for a rousing rendition of On Wisconsin. This concert takes the place of the May 21^st concert.
• An informational meeting for the Whitefish Bay Junior Blue Duke Football program will be held on Tuesday April 29^th, at 6:30 PM, at LYDELL School, room 17. The program is open to all children entering 5^th through 8^th grade in fall of 2008. If you have any questions please call: Carl Fuda @ 414-687-8934, Doug Weas @ 414-276-5555, Vik Gottlieb @ 414-416-7285, or Scott Beck @ 414-397-8286
• Spring Cougarwear! The deadline to order your new t-shirts and water bottles is Monday, April 14. There are order forms in the office. For more information contact Shelly Heller at 967-0604 or shellyh22@wi.rr.com
• Reminder: The PTO is starting to plan for next year's PTO activities, and we would appreciate it if you could complete and return the PTO Committee Volunteer Sign-up form as soon as possible.
• PACE(Parents Avocating For Cultural Equality & Education Excellence) is hosting a Pre-College Workshop and College Fair on Thursday, April 24th @ WFBHS. See the link below for more information:

PACE Flyer

April 3, 2008

Ms. Heffron's Letter April 3, 2008

Welcome back. While I hesitate to jinx it, initial appearances are that Spring Break may have provided healing time from those icky bugs that were going around. I want to think we are emerging from the winter temperatures so I will do one last Lost and Found display and then donate things that are not claimed by the end of next week.

Notes:

• Snow Day Make Up: To compensate for the snow days that we had, students will attend school for the morning only of May 14^th. Dismissal will be at 11:50.
• April 16^th: Late Start Collaborative time. 9:15 student start
• Fishing Clinic: The Wisconsin Council of Sport Fishing is hosting one hour clinics on Saturday, April 12^th. Further information is available at http://dnr.wi.gov/fish/kidsparents/learningopportunities.html
• From Katherine Murray, Cumberland PTO-School Board Liaison:

On Wednesday, April 9, in room 47 at Whitefish Bay High School at 7:00 p.m. the Whitefish Bay School Board will be receiving public comment on the proposed 2008-09 Budget Adjustment Plan. Should you have comments, suggestions or questions, this would be the time to attend as the budget adjustment plan will be voted on at a Special School Board Meeting on April 23. The proposed adjustment plan can be viewed on the school district's website under School Board, the Current Meeting Notes.

The Regular Business Meeting will immediately follow the School Board Listening Session. During the Information Reports/Discussion Items portion of the agenda a proposed process and timeline for review of the School District Facilities Study Committee report will be presented. This report is available on the school district's website on the bottom left hand side of the home page. The charge to the committee included:

• Review of school district and community needs for curricular, athletic and recreational indoor facilities in light of current and future needs.
• Develop a comprehensive plan based on any identified needs for remodeling, repurposing and adding to facilities on school district campuses.
• Consider implications of facilities use by other community agencies, organizations and groups.

After a thorough review of the report, the School Board could decide to bring a referendum to the community in April 2009.

Room 47 is accessed easily from the rear parking lot. The agenda is available on the School Board website.