March 13, 2008

Principal's Letter from Ms. Heffron March 13, 2008

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Last night, the music department hosted the annual Fifth Grade Band, Orchestra and Choir program. Band and Orchestra are optional for student's participation. The Fifth Grade Choir includes all 98 fifth graders. Under the tutelage of Ms. Steiner (Choir), Mr. Loebl (Band) and Mr. Brodie (Orchestra), the students have developed great musical skills. And, hearing such a large group sing – WOW! This class has voices that gel particularly well. In addition to being a true pleasure, this performance is a passage for many of our families, families whose fifth graders are the youngest in their families. At the end of this year, we will be bidding farewell to the families of the following students. We thank each of you for your contributions and involvement here at Cumberland.

Frank	Anton	Tevin	Hudnall
Christopher	Arritt	Aaron	Jankins
Jake	Barnes	Nina	Jankins
Alexis	Beamon	Jamelah	Johnson
Anna	Belke	Lakeisha	Johnson
Jennifer	Breese	Joseph	Kaszubowski
Jamal	Brown	Andrew	Kim
Marisa	Brudny	Anna	Lauko
Katherine	Burns	Tyler	Lee
Sierra	Caine	Daneen	Marbley
Joseph	Carson	Sarah	Marks
Conner	Clairborne	Faith	Morgan
Max	Comerford	Robert	Murray
Peter	Corrao	Amanda	Pandl
Robinson	Creighton	Kaitlin	Pappas
Logan	Crizer	Christopher	Pritchard
Emily	Daykin	Mitchell	Rogers
Calin	Dumitrescu	James	Schiro
Anna	Edwards	Michael	Shaykevich
Darnell	Geralds	Japhet	Smith
Olivia	Giddings	Amanda	Vallee
Taylor	Godden	Samuel	Weber
Shel-Don	Graham-St. Louis	Tiernan	Wilkinson
Aaron	Grych	Pammie	Yang
Anna	Hillam

Notes:

• STUDENT INTEREST DAY IS BACK and scheduled for the afternoon of May 8th.Thank you to the over 20 parents and grandparents who have agreed to participate in this school wide event. Beth Matkom still is in need of about 8 or 9 more speakers. If you have a career or hobby you could share with children please give Beth a call 967-9770 or email her at ematkom@wi.rr.com.

• Dogs: Please be respectful of the district's no dogs on school property policy. We also have many students who are afraid or allergic to dogs, and the narrow sidewalks and emerging mud out front create even smaller areas for students to wait or walk. If you walk with your dog when you drop off or pick up your child, please arrange a meeting place that is not in our front area or on school grounds. With the snow and ice, it is simply not possible for you to keep the dog far enough away from the students. Thank you so much ahead of time.
• Spring Break: March 20^th, Thursday, is a half day for students with an 11:50 dismissal. Spring Break is March 21^st-30^th.

March 6, 2008

Principal's Letter from Ms. Heffron March 6, 2008

We have more than 630 students at Cumberland School and along with these students come families and approximately 85 employees at Cumberland. As you would anticipate in any group of this size, someone is always sick and it is not uncommon for things to be transmitted from one person to the next. Within the past few days, besides the stomach and cold maladies, we have had confirmed cases of Influenza B among our Cumberland community. According to a local pediatrician, symptoms of Influenza B can include fever lasting 4-7 days, headaches and sometimes sensitivity to light. Of course, only a doctor can diagnose Influenza but I can say with confidence that we have been seeing many students with fevers and headaches in the clinic here. Looking for ways to minimize the spread of things here, I have been advised that keeping children out of school until they are truly fever free for twenty-four hours (without medication) is absolutely critical.

As a parent, I know the challenges of deciding when to keep children out of school and when to send them. And, as children get older, they have their own opinions. "I feel fine," can mean "I don't want to be out of school another day because I miss my friends and I don't want to miss any more class or have to do makeup work."

I am asking for your help. If your child is sick, please keep her/him home until they are really well enough to be back at school. This means that there is no fever, your child's symptoms are not so severe that they will disrupt your child or the class (a persistent cough, for example), and s/he has built up any lost endurance so as to make it though the day. We have experienced many students coming back after a several day absence, only to end up in the clinic straight away in the morning needing to return home. This is disruptive to you, too, as we then have to ask you to come to get your child.

I know that what I am asking has challenges; children can look okay at home and not at school, fevers can return unexpectedly, child care for sick children can be difficult to obtain, and at other times I have asked you to encourage regular school attendance. Thank you ahead of time for your efforts as we seek the balance between all these factors.

Peggy Flemming, or for those of you who are much younger than me – Michelle Kwan, would be very happy with the state of our fields right now as they are virtual sheets of ice. For everyone less skilled or not on ice skates, including all of our students, we are keeping students off the large ice lakes to avoid injuries.

Notes:

• SUCCESS PARENT MEETING: You are all invited to the home of Michael and Lynn Short (5646 N. Shore Drive) on Tuesday, March 11^th at 7:39 PM to meet our newly trained District Parent Liasion, Terri Hart-Ellis. Also, Ellen Feider will be on hand to give a district update on the Special Ed Department. Please bring any summer camp ideas you have (names or brochures of camps will be helpful.)
• Whitefish Bay Boy Scout Troop 400 is having its annual Fish Fry this Friday March 7th from 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM at the United Methodist Church 819 E. Silver Spring Dr.

Dine in or carry-out available.

• RUN THE BAY….IT'S A BALL! Sponsored by the Whitefish Bay Public Education Foundation: Mark you calendar for Saturday, May 10, 2008 at 9:00am to awaken your spirit with the 3^rd Annual Run the Bay…It's A Ball, Run/Walk to celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of Whitefish Bay High School. This spectacular 5K Run/Walk meanders through the charming streets of Whitefish Bay passing all our District schools, finishing at our fabulous new Sheldon B. Lubar Stadium.

Post Run food and festivities will congratulate you home. Be family fit in the Bay, have fun, and support our District. All ages are welcomed to join. Registration will be forthcoming.

Visit the website at www.wfbschools.com or call Nancy Le Grand at 332-3999 or Jackie Thompson at 332-5471.