Hi Cushing families,

I wanted to take the time to briefly share some academic updates and opportunities with you. Starting Monday, we will begin our annual spring assessments. While these assessments are a required and necessary part of our school year, they are also an opportunity for us to celebrate our student’s hard work and growth in their learning over the school year. Your student's grade level will determine which assessments they are required to take this spring; spring assessments include:

Also on Monday, registration for Summer Academy begins at 8:00am. More information can be found later in this newsletter. 

Have an enjoyable weekend! 

Star Slip Winners!

Summer Academy Course Guide Online
Online Registration opens at 8:00am on Monday, March 16.  Click HERE for more information.

Fast Facts:
- Summer Academy 2026 Dates: June 15-July 24 (no classes 7/3)
- Summer Academy hours: 8 a.m. to 12:35 p.m.
- Courses for grades 5K-8 will be broken into two sessions each three weeks long. Families will still be able to sign up for all six weeks or choose to only do one session. 
- Location: Wales Elementary and Kettle Moraine High School Campus
- Online Registration opens March 16, 2026

Let’s Celebrate Reading - Spirit Days

Down Syndrome Awareness Day - "Rock your Socks"
Down Syndrome Awareness Day is March 21.  We’re going to celebrate on Friday, March 20!  Wear mismatched, brightly colored socks to celebrate the day! The shape of chromosomes resembles socks, and individuals with Down syndrome have an extra chromosome—symbolizing the "extra" sock in the Rock Your Socks tradition.

Long Term Art Substitute

We are excited to share that Ms. Diane Triscoe, a long time KMSD substitute teacher, will be serving as our Art Long-Term Substitute. Ms. Triscoe has been a substitute teacher within the district for years and has experience running an art club outside of school. She'll be our art teacher for the duration of the school year. 

Family Support
As you may have heard, one of our families recently experienced a sudden loss with the passing of their father, James Cochrane.

To support the family during this difficult time, we are organizing a meal train to help lighten their load. If you would like to provide a meal or offer your support, please sign up using this Meal Train/Sign-Up Form.

Thank you for your kindness and for keeping the Cochrane family in your thoughts.

Forward Testing
Between March 16th and April 24th, 2026, Wisconsin students in grades 3-8 and 10 will take the WI Forward Exam, a state assessment that measures student learning in key subject areas. The test helps schools understand student progress based on Wisconsin Academic Standards in the following subjects:

- Grades 3, 5, 6, and 7 – English Language Arts (ELA) & Math
- Grades 4 and 8 – ELA, Math, Science & Social Studies
- Grade 10 – Social Studies

This exam is not factored into student grades, but it is used alongside other assessments to help educators structure instruction to meet student needs.

You can find more information about the Wisconsin Forward Exam here:
- Informational Brochure for Families
- Why Wisconsin Requires Standardized Testing

As we approach the Forward Exam testing period, we want to ensure that all our students are well-prepared and supported. If you have additional questions about your child’s grade level test schedule, please reach out to their classroom teacher.

A few reminders and tips for parents/guardians ahead of testing:

No Electronic Devices in Testing Environment: Please remember that electronic devices, including smartwatches, are not allowed in the testing environment to maintain fairness and integrity.

Option to Practice at Home: While teachers will provide practice tests in class, some students may benefit from additional practice at home. You can access practice materials here.

Encourage Restful Sleep: Adequate sleep is crucial for optimal performance. Please ensure your child gets enough rest in the days leading up to the test to help them stay alert and focused.

Healthy Eating Habits: Nutritious meals and snacks play a significant role in maintaining energy levels and concentration. Please provide balanced meals, especially on test days, to support your child's well-being.

Celebrate Effort and Manage Stress: Regardless of the outcome, celebrate your child's effort and hard work in preparing for the test. Your support and encouragement are invaluable. Encourage positive self-talk and maintain a positive attitude to help alleviate any stress.

Thank you for partnering with us to ensure our students' success.

Discover Cushing Tour - April 13
Our second Discover Cushing event will be Monday, April 13th from 5pm-6pm. If you know anyone interested, please have them save the date and RSVP via this Google Form.

Cushing 4K Open House - May 6
Join us for our 2026 4K Open House at Cushing! 

Wednesday, May 6, 5:00–6:00 PM

Explore classrooms, try fun centers, meet our staff, and learn more about our 2026–27 4K program. This event is open house style and great for families new to the district, new to Cushing, or anyone interested in learning more about our 4K program!.

Please complete our RSVP form if you plan to join us!

We hope to see you there!

We’re Looking for TWO MORE Science Day Volunteers!
We will be hosting our annual Science Day on the morning of Tuesday, May 12th here at Cushing. This year Science Day will be held at Cushing for ALL grades K-5. 

We are looking for TWO more volunteers to run various science themed stations. One for Kindergarten and One for First Grade. 

Interested participants are asked to create an engaging presentation and/or activity that lasts 45 minutes. There will be 2 rotations so you'd do the same presentation twice to approximately 20 students each time. Lunch will be provided to thank all volunteers for their time!

Interested?  Fill out THIS form.  

Questions? Please reach out to Sarah Ramsey at ramseys@kmsd.edu.

Yearbooks
Click HERE to order your yearbook. The deadline to order is April 17.  All yearbooks will be handed out at school at the end of the year.  

If you can’t remember if you ordered a yearbook at the beginning of the school year, reach out to Mrs. Mirek.  Even if you’re 99.9% sure you placed an order, it doesn’t hurt to reach out just to be on the safe side.

Camp Invention
Give your child an unforgettable adventure! The all-new 2026 Camp Invention® program is coming to Cushing Elementary the week of 7/27/2026- 7/31/2026 where rising K-6 campers will tackle hands-on STEM challenges that spark creativity and collaboration. They’ll team up with robotic capybaras, build a DIY space rocket and more! Visit invent.org/mylocalcamp to secure your spot! ! For a limited time, save $25 off with promo code FUN25 through 3/31. Payment plans are available.

Child Protection Unit
The Second Step program is used in your child’s classroom during classroom counseling lessons. This program teaches children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn. 

To help make our school even more safe and supportive, we use elements of the Second Step Child Protection Unit. In these lessons, students learn three types of skills:

Personal Safety. Students will learn important safety rules, such as safety with guns, sharp tools, and fire, and when riding on wheels or in cars. They will also learn ways to help them decide if something is safe or not.

Touching Safety. Students will learn about safe, unsafe, and unwanted touches, and rules about touching private body parts. Private body parts will only be described as the areas that your swimsuit covers. We will not be using specific body part names. They will also learn to say no to unsafe or unwanted touches, and to tell an adult if someone breaks rules about touching private body parts.

Assertiveness. Students will learn the Recognize, Report, and Refuse model, practice asking an adult for help, telling an adult about an unsafe situation, and being assertive to get out of unsafe situations. 

Your child will bring home activities and Home Links to help you understand what they are learning at school regarding safety. Please contact me if you have any questions about the Child Protection Unit. Thank you for helping us to make our school a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn. 

Sincerely,
Danielle Walker, School Counselor
P: 262-646-6700 x8121
walkerd@kmsd.edu

Hello Cushing Stars Families!

Please consider helping show our appreciation to our Teachers and Staff by providing them with a few items to replenish the break room so it's full when they return from Spring Break!

We are collecting goods now through March 27th.  Feel free to drop any items that cannot be directly shipped in the Cushing Lobby labeled " Teacher Appreciation" anytime before 3/27/26.

Thank you for your generosity! Here is the Cushing Break Room link!

~ The Teacher Appreciation Committee

Join Box Tops for Education HERE.

All meeting dates are now available on the Cushing school calendar and can be synced to your phone. Meetings take place in the Cushing Activity Center

Meeting summary and minutes can be found HERE

OR visit us at http://kmsd.edu/cushingpto for more information