WAVE 1-10-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

HAPPY 2025 AND WELCOME BACK

Here is an update on the Perfect Attendance Trek Bike Raffle. As of 1-10-25, eligible participants include:

1 – 5K student
6 – 1st grade students
2 – 2nd grade students
4 – 3rd grade students
5 – 4th grade students
4 – 5th grade students
5 – 6th grade students
1 – 7th grade student
2 – 8th grade students
4 – staff members

The Trek Bike Raffle will be held during the family picnic on Friday, June 6th.

SCHOOL SAFETY MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER

An efficient dismissal time requires the cooperation of the entire North Lake School Community. The chief priority is safely transitioning students to their next destination via bus, car, or foot. The District has many new and existing safeguards in place to make this process successful and safe.

All 5 buses must be staged and ready in the back parking lot before students are dismissed to load.
A staff member is stationed as a crossing guard at the three way stop on Park Road to assist student walkers.
DO NOT park on Park Drive or Highway VV. Please park in the parking lot or join the car line.
Students may enter vehicles in the car line on their own; however, parents who park should meet their child at Door A on the sidewalk. Please escort your child to your vehicle.

We are trying to best accommodate the increasing parent transportation issues while keeping kids safe. Thank you for your cooperation on behalf of the children and feel free to share this information with other parents, grandparents, and siblings.

KINDERGARTEN WITH MISS H

My name is McKaelee Hoehnen, but the students call me Miss H. I am so excited to be the long term sub at North Lake in Kindergarten! I love playing with my dog, Willow. She is a 7 month old golden retriever. I just graduated from Marquette University this fall, and I cannot wait to do my favorite thing of all, teaching!

Kindergarteners with Miss Hoehnen (left) and Mrs. Lesch (right).

FIRST LEGO LEAGUE STARTING SOON

Join our 4th season of FIRST LEGO League robotics at NLS! FLL is an exciting program that uses LEGOs to foster familiarity and enjoyment around STEAM topics. Send an email to gcornell@supportnls.org to get more information if your student is interested! The season will kick off in mid-January, so sign-up soon!

True Grit Award

Citizenship in Action

January Dates to Remember

13

Culver’s Night – 5-8pm

14

Literacy Night Workshop – 2:45-4:00pm

15

7th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Richmond – 5:30pm

8th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Erin – 4:30pm

School Board Meeting – Conference Room – 5:30 pm

16

Staff Meeting – 2:45pm

6th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Merton – 4:30pm

8th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Stone Bank – 5:30pm

17

End of 2nd Quarter

20

No School for Students – Teacher Inservice

21

Literacy Night Workshop – 2:45-4:00pm

5th Grade Boys Basketball – Merton Blue vs NLS – 4:30pm

6th Grade Boys Basketball – Erin Green vs NLS – 5:30pm

22

7th Grade Boys Basketball – Swallow vs NLS – 4:30pm

8th Grade Boys Basketball- Merton White vs NLS – 5:30pm

23

5th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Lake Country Blue – 4:30pm

6th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs North Shore Green – 4:30pm

24

NLEF Mother/Son Bingo – Lakers Library – 5:45-7:30pm

27

7th Grade Boys Basketball – Merton Blue vs NLS – 5:30pm

8th Grade Boys Basketball – Erin vs NLS – 4:30 pm

28

Literacy Night Workshop – 2:45-4:00pm

5th Grade Boys Basketball – Richmond Purple vs NLS – 4:30pm

6th Grade Boys Basketball – Richmond Gold vs NLS – 5:30pm

29

7th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Stone Bank – 4:30pm

8th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs North Shore White – 5:30pm

30

5th Grade Boys Basketball – Erin vs NLS – 4:30pm

6th Grade Boys Basketball – North Shore Black vs NLS – 5:30pm

A Note from Ms. Meister

Happy New Year 2025. Welcome back to school!

At this time of year, when many of us make resolutions and set new goals, it is the perfect time to think about setting academic learning goals.

The Literacy Lights the Night event provides an extra opportunity for students interested in reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is a great chance to celebrate the skills and creativity of our North Lake School student authors. Join us on Thursday, February 6th at 5:00pm in the school library.

The Science Fair Club provided an extra opportunity for students to explore fascinating topics, design cool experiments, and solve mysteries. Students will showcase their findings during the Science Fair Club presentations on Saturday the 8th at 9:00am in the MPR. Come to see and listen to all the interesting things they have discovered and learned.

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

The Leadership Group has been doing some fun things for the community, staff and students of North Lake School. We wanted to tell you about them! (written by Reese F. and Aubrey H.)

Gift Wrapping for North Lake Staff

Fun Spirit Days
- PJ Day
- Teacher Student Swap
- Crazy day
- And MORE!

Cookie Decorating Leadership Group Celebration

Some things planned in the near future are…

Visiting Heritage Senior Living
Stuffy Day
Helping NLEF Brainstorm Ideas

WAVE 12-20-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Happy Holidays from North Lake School

Picture Left to Right: Dr. Ackley, John Marchek – Member, Bob Gatchel – Treasurer, Marty Iverson – Clerk, Deputy Dan Adrian, Sue Schultz – President, Deb Schaber – Vice President, Sheriff Eric Severson.

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

The North Lake School District believes in a strong partnership with the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department. Deputy Dan Adrian received the North Lake School Community Service Award for his dedication to school safety. Deputy Adrian (pictured below in center) is transferring to a new role in the department, and Deputy Tanner Markut (pictured below on left) will take over as the Town of Merton deputy. Look for additional school safety updates early in the new year and know that keeping your children safe continues to be a top priority.

PARENT PICK UP IN THE PARKING LOT

The Town of Merton Highway Department has informed me that parked cars are getting in the way of town trucks, snow plows, and emergency vehicles. At dismissal time, please DO NOT park on Park Drive or Highway VV. Please park in the parking lot. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our students and families safe.

LITERACY LIGHTS THE NIGHT SIGN UP

The first writing workshop will be held on Tuesday, January 7th. Make sure to get your child signed up by January 3rd to participate in the 15th anniversary celebration of Literacy Lights the Night. There will be cake!

Flyers were distributed to all students on Wednesday, December 18th. Flyers are also located at the end of the WAVE and in the Community Bulletin Board.

GOODIE GALS

A group of 8th grade girls have formed a school service club. Any 8th grade student is welcome to join. The “Goodie Gals” first service was setting up and assisting during the 5-8 holiday concert rehearsal. The girls greeted guests from the Town Hall Library’s Memory Cafe program and made them feel welcome. The group will help with Literacy Night events early in the new year.

NEWSPAPERS NEEDED

Mrs. Lyons needs newspapers for paper mache projects in her art classes. Donate newspapers and bring to the office any time.

K-4 Holiday Concert

5th-8th Holiday Concert

Holiday Concert Encore

Achieving Outside NLS

Fiona Berghouse starred in the Box Theatre’s production of Willy Wonka.

Congratulations Fiona!

Culver's Night Cheer!

December Dates to Remember

23-31

NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK

January Dates to Remember

1

NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK

2

School Resumes

A Note from Ms. Meister

Wishing all a wonderful Winter Break!

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

Each year North Lake nominates a student for the Lake Country Optimist Club’s “True Grit” award. This year our recipient is Ava Hansen. Ava is true to herself at all times. With that comes sincere kindness and empathy, hard work and behind the scenes leadership. We are so excited to honor her with this award. She will be honored at an Optimist Club meeting on January 8th.

On a more serious note despite the joys of the holiday season, it has been a difficult and scary week in Wisconsin. The proximity of the most recent school shooting in Madison has many of us feeling unsettled. I found some great resources for how to talk to your child about traumatic events. One of the recurring pieces of advice here is to be sure your child is not watching and hearing the information on the news. Check in with them to see if they have questions or concerns. Reinforce the fact that we have a safety plan here at school. Ask questions about that plan if you have them!

How to Talk to Kids About Tragedies and Other Traumatic News

Helping School Age Children with Traumatic Grief

As always, please let me know if there are any ways that I can support your child! I hope you enjoy some extra time together during our winter break!

Take care-

Jill Lesch

WAVE 12-6

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE NORTH LAKE

U.S. News and World Report recently released their 2025 rankings for best middle schools in the state. North Lake continues to receive high accolades with the rank of 3rd. Learn more about the top Wisconsin schools in the U.S. News & World Report and thank your child’s teacher.

K-4 HOLIDAY CONCERT – TONIGHT!

CONCERT TONIGHT…Kindergarten through 4th grade students should wear nice, holiday clothing. Your child should look nice but please don’t dress too warmly as it gets hot with so many people in the big gym. Your child should arrive at his or her classroom by 4:30 p.m. The concert will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. Please plan on a one hour show followed by the Community Tree Lighting sponsored by the North Lake Rec Club at the Old North Lake Fire Department. It should be another EPIC experience for the North Lake School community.

MIDDLE SCHOOL (5TH-8TH GRADE) HOLIDAY CONCERT – DECEMBER 12TH

The middle school students will be performing a separate holiday concert Thursday, December 12th at 6:00 p.m. Students should arrive at the Choir/Band rooms at 5:40 p.m. The attire for the concert is nice, holiday clothing.

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE – LIFE SAVING MEDICINE

Jenelle Blavat spoke to students during their lunch hours on Tuesday about the upcoming Blood Drive on Monday, December 9th. The student body was encouraged to get their adults to sign up, and the winning homeroom will receive an incentive party. Please see the North Lake School website for sign up information in the Community section. Let’s get as much life saving medicine (blood) for our community as we can!

SOCK DRIVE CHALLENGE

Every season North Lake School likes to help others. This year, the Food Fellas have decided to collect socks for the homeless. Just drop your new, sock donations on the table by the office. The Food Fellas will serve hot cocoa on December 20th to the entire student body if 1,500 pairs of new socks are collected by December 18th. There is currently a high demand for men’s large and x-large socks. Mrs. Julie Hower will then collect the socks and distribute them at the Salvation Army’s Christmas Feast held on Christmas Day.

The success of the Food Fellas’ Food Drive this fall resulted in just under $1,000 of donated can goods by North Lake families. The Society of St. Vincent De Paul St. Teresa of Calcutta Conference thanked North Lake School for its assistance in checking expiration dates, sorting, and shelving.

NEW 3D PRINTER!

The Milwaukee Society of Plastics Engineers Education Foundation has awarded Mr. McConville a $2,000 grant to purchase a new 3D printer.

The science department’s old 3D printers will be donated to the Town Hall Library. Thank you to this terrific teacher for taking advantage of this opportunity for our community.

FORENSICS BEGINNING SOON…

Forensics season will be starting on December 11th for middle school students in grades 6th, 7th, and 8th. If your child is interested in participating, please see the informational flyer and permission slip at the end of the WAVE for more information.

Author Visit - Susan Sternkopf

Patriots Pen Winners

Next Culver's Night - December 9th

December Dates to Remember

6

K-4 Holiday Concert – 5:00 p.m.

9

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

12

5-8 Holiday Concert – 6:00 p.m.

13

Ugly Sweater Day

17

NLEF Holiday Shop

18

NLEF Holiday Shop

Lake Country Kindergarten Holiday Concert – 5:30-6:30 p.m.

School Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m. in Library

19

NLEF Holiday Shop

20

PJ Day

23-31

NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK

January Dates to Remember

1

NO SCHOOL – WINTER BREAK

2

School Resumes

A Note from Ms. Meister

The scores are in. The 2023-24 DPI School Report Card has arrived! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) school and district report cards for 2023-24 are now publicly available. North Lake School is pleased with its continued five star ranking of “significantly exceeds expectations” on the state report card. The overall score was 86.9% and our achievement score was high at 92.2%. North Lake School upholds its tradition of high expectations and strong academic programming. We are proud of our student performance and staff commitment. Let’s keep up the good work!

Results for the Spring 2024 Wisconsin Forward Exam

This chart displays the percentage of students meeting grade-level expectations (Meeting and Advanced)

North Lake School ELA Math Social Studies Science
All School All School Grades 4 & 8 Grades 4 & 8

Spring 2024 82.9 79.3 86.1 74.7

If you have comments, questions, concerns please contact me.

Email: meinan@northlakeschool.org

Phone: (262) 966-2033 Ext. 134

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

Earlier this year I introduced you to the Zones of Regulation. When we talk about this here at school we start with identifying our zones/emotions. Once we have a good understanding of that we work on our “Get to Green” tools.

Here are a few of our favorites that you could use at home too!

Lemon Squeeze: Pretend to hold two lemons in your hands. Squeeze them and pretend that you are making lemonade. Count to five and release the lemons.

Finger Breathing: Hold one hand out and use your other hand to trace each finger up as you breathe in, and down as you breathe out.

Take a break: Ask for a break and set a timer to return. Try drinking some water on your break.

Scribble drawing: So fun! Ask your child about this one.

I hope these will help as your family navigates the excitement and potential stress of the holidays!

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

The holidays are rapidly approaching and the students’ excitement is already palpable. We have holiday concerts to look forward to, time with family and friends, and most importantly a time to rest and recharge over winter break.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share some important health updates with you to help ensure that we stay as healthy as possible and can all enjoy our holidays:

As mentioned in the last article, respiratory illnesses are a hot topic this year. Unfortunately with that, there has been a large upswing in pneumonia among our students (and nationwide). The most prevalent type is mycoplasma pneumoniae- this was commonly called “walking pneumonia”.

While most people are generally able to recover from this without the use of antibiotics (symptoms are often less severe and quite often appear as a chest cold) it is important to stay vigilant as it can progress. Several students have developed post viral complications that mimic asthma symptoms and have needed an inhaler along with antibiotic treatment.

Members of Mrs. Giesie and Miss Orendorff’s Kindergarten classes would like to remind you to wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least twenty seconds to get rid of those not so festive germs!

Have a happy and healthy holiday season!
Becca Soya
Special Education Aide and Health Room Support

WAVE 11-15-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

NLS MOVES FORWARD INTO THE 21ST CENTURY

Give us a call. The new phone system is now working and quite an upgrade. We are happy to answer your call, transfer to voicemail, and more. The new phone system further enhances school safety and security for a variety of reasons. Please be patient as the staff learns the new phone system and its features. We look forward to hearing from you and continue to prioritize communication in the best interest of you and your family.

LESSONED LEARNED – CHECK THE EXPIRATION DATES!

The Food Fellas organized another successful food drive for the North Lake Pantry. The 5th grade won the extra recess which included a 5th and 8th grade kickball game. This service event was a nice opportunity to bring upper school grade levels together! On a final note, the Food Fellas learned an important lesson to check expiration dates before delivery.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

The holiday concert season will be here before you know it.

K-4 Holiday Concert – Friday, December 6th at 5 p.m.
5-8 Holiday Concert – Thursday, December 12th at 6 p.m.
LCK Holiday Concert – Wednesday, December 18th at 5:30 p.m.

FORENSICS BEGINNING SOON…

Forensics season will be starting on December 11th for middle school students in grades 6th, 7th, and 8th. If your child is interested in participating, please see the informational flyer and permission slip at the end of the WAVE for more information.

LET IT SNOW…SKI CLUB COMING SOON

Good news, Sara & Mike Kretschmer are working with Little Switzerland to bring back the North Lake Ski Club. Be on the lookout for future information and a tentative start date on January 6th.

Election Day at NLS

Veterans Day Program

Veterans Day Brunch

Teacher - Student Swap Day

November Dates to Remember

18

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Richmond at Richmond – 4:30 p.m.

20

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Richmond vs NLS at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

School Board Meeting – Conference Room – 5:30 p.m.

21

Staff Meeting – 2:45 p.m.

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow vs NLS at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – Merton vs. NLS at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

25-29

NO SCHOOL – THANKSGIVING RECESS

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

I’ve been spending the last week talking to our students about gratitude and the research behind it. We have learned about how practicing gratitude helps us sleep better, be less worried and be happier. It’s even better when we share it with others!

Our world could use a little more happiness and appreciation for the big AND little things that surround us. I wonder what a difference practicing gratitude would make in the moods in our homes, our friendships, and our school!

Here is an idea from Robert Emmons – a gratitude researcher.

One very accessible form of expressing gratitude is through the practice of Gratitude Texting. To use this strategy, begin by reading over your texts from the previous day. Then write a new text of thanks or appreciation to five people whose texts you read. Most likely people will respond in kind with a text of thanks. Teach this practice to your children and encourage them to text gratitude thoughts to their friends and family. By talking with your children about this, you can open up the conversation to explore how important little moments of thoughtfulness can create big feelings of connection for oneself and for others.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving! THANK YOU for sharing your children with me!

As always, let me know if there is anything I can do to support your child!

Jill Lesch

School Counselor

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

WAVE 11-1-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

School safety continues to be a top priority for the North Lake School District. School staff participated in CPR training on October 17th led by School Nurse, Beth Gatzow. On the non-student contact day (10-25-24), the North Lake School staff participated in a half day school emergency response and school threat training conducted by Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department and Kettle Moraine School District School Safety Team.

The key takeaways from this intensive training include:

Understanding the dynamics of previous school shootings
Empowering teachers as first responders
Thinking “when-then” vs. “what if”
Locking all doors & stopping the prop!

The number one safety rule is DO NOT PROP DOORS OPEN and all doors should be locked! An astute 5th and 6th grade science teacher said, “Shootings can happen anywhere so I am always thinking as well as aware of who is in the building. I am not afraid to question an adult if I don’t know them, and the Raptor name tags are really helping to identify visitors such as Jerry the phone guy.”

Future waves will explain additional communications in a crisis.

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM – NEW START TIME

The Monday, November 11, 2024 Veterans Day Program will begin at 8:00 a.m. The program will last just under an hour and parents are welcome to attend the program. The entire student body will participate in the program and should dress up in patriotic colors – red, white, and blue. The brunch honoring veterans and their adult family members will immediately follow in the Lakers Library. Thank you in advance to the CFC for its careful preparations and attention to detail.

PICTURE RETAKE DAY – NOVEMBER 11TH

Empire Photography will be at North Lake School for Picture Retake Day on Monday, November 11th.

Pictures will be taken of students who are new to North Lake School or need to have pictures retaken. Please contact the office if you would like your child’s picture retaken so we are aware of the number of retakes.

HURRAY, HURRAY…WILL THERE BE A SNOW DAY?

Traditional snow days still exist at North Lake School. This tradition means it is a day off of school to stay home in your nice warm pajamas with hot cocoa. North Lake School follows the Arrowhead Union High School closures for inclement weather. Parents will receive an automated phone call and an email when school is closed.

NORTH LAKE SCHOOL

SPIRIT WEAR STORE

COMING SOON FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

NLEF Book Fair

NLEF Fall Fest

Halloween Parade

Minions Before and After

November Dates to Remember

1

End of 1st Quarter

5

Election Day

7th/8th Girls Basketball – NLS vs Richmond at Richmond – 5:30 p.m.

6

NLEF Poinsettia Fundraiser – November 6-20

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Richmond vs NLS at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – North Shore vs NLS at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

11

Veterans Day Celebration – Program 8:00 a.m. – Brunch 9:00 a.m.

Picture Retake Day

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Swallow at Swallow – 4:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – Lake Country vs NLS at Erin – 4:30 p.m.

Culver’s Night – 5-8 p.m.

13

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Stone Bank vs NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow vs NLS at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

15

Teacher-Student Outfit Swap

18

NLEF Food Drive – November 18-22

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Richmond at Richmond – 4:30 p.m.

20

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Richmond vs NLS at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

School Board Meeting – Conference Room – 5:30 p.m.

21

Staff Meeting – 2:45 p.m.

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow vs NLS at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – Merton vs. NLS at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

25-29

NO SCHOOL – THANKSGIVING RECESS

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

We had a great week celebrating healthy choices here at North Lake.

We focused on these things as a full school:

What are healthy choices we can make every day?
What can we say if people are trying to get us to do something that we don’t feel comfortable with?
Who are the people who help us to make good choices (family, friends, etc.)

I was impressed to see that the students focused as much on their emotional and social health as they did their physical health. This is something we talk about in middle school health classes, but it seems that they’ve already started thinking that way. Yay!

We use Natural High as a resource with middle school students, but this would be a good resource for younger students also. It consists of celebrities talking about their “natural high” – the thing that makes them feel good without the use of alcohol or drugs. We could also call those resilience factors. It’s never too early to start talking about and building those positive experiences!

As always, please let me know if there are any ways that I can support your child!

Take care-

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

WAVE 10-18-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

You should have received the signup links for parent teacher conferences on Tuesday, October 15th. However, your voices have been heard and day time conferences might not be the best for working families. Due to changes with the Arrowhead calendar, North Lake School had to adjust our conference schedule this semester. Afternoon and evening conferences will return in spring.

The partnership with parents is a priority and finding mutually agreeable time outside of 8-4pm on October 24th is not a problem. If you need alternate arrangements for a conference, please contact your child’s teacher.

Click on the links below to access the parent teacher conference sign ups if you have not already signed up.

Kindergarten: Mrs. Giesie Ms. Orendorff

1st Grade: Mrs. Tarkowski Mrs. Toczyski

2nd Grade: Mrs. Brittnacher Mr. Ray

3rd Grade: Mr. Budde and Ms. Kudis

4th Grade: Mr. Byrne and Mrs. Flannery

5th and 6th grade: Sign up with your child’s homeroom teacher**

Mrs. Andorfer Mr. Kaczor Mrs. Richman Mrs. Ruck

7th and 8th grade: sign up with the teacher(s) of your choice

Miss Mays Mr. McConville Mrs. Minor Mrs. Wagner

Special Education, Specials and Elective teachers: Mrs. Clauer (Phy. Ed.), Mr. Krieger (Music), Mrs. Lesch (School Counselor), Mrs. Lyons (Art), Mrs. Westcott and Mr. Wood will all be available for drop-in visits. Feel free to stop by their classroom or office.

**Grades 5-6**

If you would like to meet with teachers in addition to your child’s homeroom teacher, please contact that teacher directly to schedule a time slot.

SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Temporarily, the office and teachers’ rooms are not accepting voicemails. We are working to solve this issue. Thank you for your patience and please communicate via email or by speaking to a live person during the hours of 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS

All Halloween celebrations will be on Thursday, October 31st. K-4 families are invited to attend the parade at 8:00 a.m. in the MPR. The majority of classroom parties at North Lake School are student led. Homeroom teachers will communicate party specifics.

SCHOOL SAFETY UPDATE

The home of the Lakers has a new sign!! School safety is always a top priority including school security during afternoon and evening hours. It is important to direct visitors towards the athletic/event entrance after hours. The new athletic/event entrance school sign will help the night custodial crew by limiting and streamlining access to the building.

FIRE PREVENTION WEEK

What a special treat to have Mr. & Mrs. Richman’s son, Dylan, here to provide fire prevention instruction to our student body. Dylan is a firefighter and EMT for the Village of Merton Fire Department. Students were able to inspect the fire truck and try on the fire fighting gear. Thank you Dylan and fellow firefighters for a memorable experience in fire safety.

FALL FEST DECOR

It is wonderful to have a partnership with Center Oak 4-H. Thank you to its members for the fabulous Fall Fest decorations at the front entrance of the school. See you at Fall Fest tonight!

FOOD FELLAS FALL FOOD DRIVE
October 21-October 30th

The 8th grade boys service club, “FOOD FELLAS,” is kicking off its first event of the 2024-2025 school year with a food drive. The food collection begins on Monday, October 21st through October 30th. There will be a grade level competition and the winning grade earns an extra recess with the Food Fellas on Halloween.

Grade	Food Category
3K & 4K LCK	Canned Mushrooms
Kindergarten	Peanut Butter & Strawberry/Grape Jelly
1st Grade	Chunky Soup
2nd Grade	Progresso Soup
3rd Grade	Dinty Moore Stew
4th Grade	V8
5th Grade	Canned Potatoes
6th Grade	Canned Tomatoes
7th Grade	Granola Bars
8th Grade	Breakfast Cereal

Mini Makers: Kindergarten - 4th Grade

WCTC 8th Grade Field Trip

October Dates to Remember

18

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

Kindergarten Field Trip to Glacier Rock Farms – 8:30-1:30 p.m.

NLEF Fall Fest – 6:00 p.m.

21

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

22

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

23

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

School Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m. in Lakers Library

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Richmond – 5:30 p.m.

24

NO SCHOOL – Parent Teacher Conferences – 8:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m.

25

NO SCHOOL – Teacher Inservice

28

Red Ribbon Week

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow vs NLS – 5:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – Erin vs. NLS – 4:30 p.m.

29

Red Ribbon Week

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Lake Country – 5:30 p.m.

30

Red Ribbon Week

Wear Red Day for Red Ribbon Week

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs North Shore – 5:30 p.m.

31

Red Ribbon Week

Halloween Parade – 8:00 a.m. in the MPR

A Note from Ms. Meister

Parents and Guardians:

You will receive your child’s Individual Student Report (ISR) for the Spring 2024 Forward exam at parent teacher conferences on October 24th, or it will be sent home with your child on Monday, October 28th. The ISR provides information about your child’s performance on the Wisconsin Forward Exam. The Forward Exam was administered at North Lake School during the spring of 2024 in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics for students in grades 3-8, and science and social studies for grades 4 and 8. As part of the Wisconsin Student Assessment System, the Forward Exam is a large-scale, standardized achievement test designed to assess what students know in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards.

Remember that the ISR is just one of many indicators of your child’s academic performance. In order to obtain a more complete picture of your child’s areas of strength and growth, it is important to consider information from a variety of sources.

Please contact your child’s teacher/s or me with any questions.

Nancy Meister

(262) 966-2033 Ext. 134

meinan@northlakeschool.org

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

We are getting ready to celebrate Red Ribbon Week here at North Lake during the week of October 28-November 1. Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. Here at North Lake School, we focus on healthy choices and decision making with the younger students. The older students also talk about decision making, refusal skills, and drug/alcohol facts.

Activities will take place in Guidance class, Health class, announcements, and discussions in homerooms. We will also have a Wear Red Day on October 30th. Please join us in wearing red that day – it will let your children know that you support healthy choices, also!

It is always a good time to have conversations with your child about these topics, but Red Ribbon Week can give you a natural connection with what we are doing here at school. The Red Ribbon Campaign shares a statistic that children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. Keep talking to your children!

As always, let me know if there is anything I can do to support your child!

Jill Lesch

School Counselor

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

As much as we would like to try and cling onto the last vestiges of summer, there’s no denying that we’re headed straight into cold and flu season. We continue to do our best to keep our students and staff healthy while here at school but need your support at home to help mitigate what is looking to be a rough year for respiratory infections; COVID, influenza, RSV, but especially “whooping cough” (pertussis). The Department of Health Services Bureau of Communicable Diseases has reported a dramatic uptick in cases of “whooping cough” already this year.

From the Department of Health Services:

At first, a person with whooping cough may seem like they have a cold. Early symptoms include:

Low‐grade fever
Slight cough

After about a week, the cough gets worse. The cough causes other symptoms, such as:

Difficulty breathing
Needing to take a deep breath that makes a “whoop” sound
Vomiting

**Babies are more susceptible to pertussis and developing complications from it because their immune system is not fully developed at this point; their symptoms may look like they’re gasping for air or stop breathing for a moment as opposed to the traditional cough.

If you suspect your child may have “whooping cough”- please keep them home from school and take them to your healthcare provider as soon as possible.

Let’s move forward with confidence this cold and flu season and ride the wave of wellness!

Becca Soya
Special Education Aide and Health Room Support

WAVE 10-4-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

RUMORS

Please contact the office or me if you have questions or concerns about North Lake School related matters. Parents may see things on social media or hear rumors that are 100% incorrect. The 2024-2025 school year is off to an extremely successful start and remains steadfast to the strong values and traditions that our school community expects. Parents, I urge you to ask me about things you hear that seem unexpected. Let’s continue to move FORWARD with open communication.

MEET MRS. SOYA

The educational and medical needs of students have increased at North Lake School. Mrs. Becca Soya is currently working as a special education aide as well as providing health room/office support. The Soya family decided to open enroll for the current school year and reside in Hartland. Mrs. Soya may answer the phone when you call the office or she may call you if your child experiences a mild injury during the school day. Mrs. Soya’s hobbies include camping, hiking, and knitting.

NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD WEEK – OCTOBER 7-11

Sue Schultz – President

Debra Schaber – Vice President

Marty Iverson – Clerk

Bob Gatchel – Treasurer

John Marchek – Member

The North Lake School Board consists of five members and meets monthly. The chief role of a school board is to hire employees and to set policy. The North Lake School Board consistently makes decisions with your child’s best interests in mind and takes a great amount of pride in their service. The week of October 7th is a nice opportunity for students, staff, and parents to say thank you.

5K Bus Safety

7th Grade Camp Whitcomb Field Trip

North Lake Harvest Fest Parade

October Dates to Remember

7

Wear Blue Day for Bullying Awareness

Fire Prevention Week

School Board Appreciation Week

10

8th Grade Field Trip – WCTC – 8:15-11:00 a.m.

14

Culver’s Night 5:00-8:00 p.m.

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Richmond – 4:30 p.m.

16

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Lake Country – 4:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Swallow – 5:30 p.m.

17

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

No Learning Lab – Staff Meeting – 2:45 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Stone Bank – 5:30 p.m.

18

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

Kindergarten Field Trip to Glacier Rock Farms – 8:30-1:30 p.m.

NLEF Fall Fest – 6:00 p.m.

21

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

22

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

23

NLEF Book Fair – October 17-23

School Board Meeting – 5:30 p.m. in Lakers Library

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Richmond – 5:30 p.m.

24

NO SCHOOL – Parent Teacher Conferences – 8:00 a.m – 4:00 p.m.

25

NO SCHOOL – Teacher Inservice

28

Red Ribbon Week

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow vs NLS – 5:30 p.m.

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – Erin vs. NLS – 4:30 p.m.

29

Red Ribbon Week

7th/8th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs Lake Country – 5:30 p.m.

30

Red Ribbon Week

Wear Red Day for Red Ribbon Week

5th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS vs North Shore – 5:30 p.m.

31

Red Ribbon Week

A Note from Ms. Meister

The partnership we build together between school and family is important for student success. Parent Teacher Conferences are a great way to share information about your child and receive information from teachers about academic performance and progress.

Mark your calendars – Sign ups coming soon

North Lake School conferences will be held on Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 8:00am to 4:00pm with a teacher lunch break from 12:00 to 12:30pm.

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

Next week we will be wearing blue to recognize Bullying Awareness Day on Wednesday, 10/7. I’ll be talking at all grade levels about bullying prevention. This includes how to be an upstander, how to have empathy for others, and what the actual definition of bullying is.

Here is the student friendly version of the bullying definition included in our school policy. It’s a good one to go back to with your kids if they are concerned about bullying.

Bullying is when someone is mean on purpose, like by saying hurtful things or being rough. They do it to make someone feel scared or sad, and they might do it over and over. Bullying can hurt someone’s feelings or make it hard for them to enjoy school or feel safe.

There are different kinds of bullying:

Physical bullying: when someone hits, kicks, or breaks your things.

Verbal bullying: when someone calls you names or says mean things.

Psychological bullying: when someone spreads lies about you, tries to control you, or makes you feel left out.

Cyberbullying: when someone is mean to you using computers or phones, like through messages or on websites.

Bullying is never okay, and it’s important to tell an adult if you see it or if it happens to you.

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns about how we handle bullying situations here at North Lake.

Take care-

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

WAVE 9-20-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

HARVEST FEST AND PARK ROAD CLOSURE

I hope to see everyone out and about at Harvest Fest 2024. North Lake School’s leadership club will host our float again this year, and the Richmans will tow the float. Look for the FORWARD logo t-shirts. Please be aware that the entrance to Park Road from Highway 83 will be closed on Friday, September 20th and Monday, September 23rd. A final reminder for parents to NOT enter the school parking lot from Highway VV AND demonstrate safe driving by slowing down while obeying traffic signs. The safety of the North Lake School Community is a shared responsibility!

END THE PHONE BASED CHILDHOOD NOW

The North Lake School staff strives to be good role models for our students. This value includes modeling appropriate phone usage by adults in the building. Research shows rising rates of anxiety and depression in all ages, especially adolescents of 10-14. I encourage parents to provide opportunities for their children to have more in person socialization and less online socialization. The majority of school discipline issues are related to online technology and could be prevented by parental limits/supervision.

ONGOING COMMUNICATION

One of the 2024-2025 District Initiatives is ZERO TOLERANCE FOR BULLYING. North Lake School will be hosting HAWS bullying lecture series for grades 3, 4, and 5. More information will be coming home soon. The District has also upgraded the Bullying Reporting Form, so families can access it online as well as in hard copy. It is extremely helpful and more successful when parents report bullying concerns early and often as well as in a timely fashion. When working with children, problems are easier to solve in the moment.

SCIENCE FAIR CLUB

Unleash your creativity and solve mysteries…join the brand new Science Fair Club! The Science Fair Club is led by two valuable volunteers, Mrs. Stephanie Delaney and Mrs. Susan Malack. The club is open to 5K – 8th grade and will be held on Wednesdays after school. Specifics can be found on the flyer attached at the end of the WAVE and in the WAVE attachments.

PICTURE RETAKE DAY – SEPTEMBER 24TH

Empire Photography will be at North Lake School for Picture Retake Day on Tuesday, September 24th.

Pictures will be taken of students who missed picture day or need to have pictures retaken.

See flyer at the end of the WAVE for more information.

MYVIEW – BUS TRACKING

MyView is now available for the 2024-2025 school year.

School safety is always a priority at North Lake School, and this priority includes bus transportation. MyView is real time, map based bus locator and available as an app on your smartphone or tablet. Parents can create alert zones around drop off and pick up points. When your child’s bus enters an alert zone, you will receive a notification. No more worries about where your child’s bus is located!

Please see the attached instructions at the end of the WAVE or the WAVE attachments on the right side for detailed information. You will need the School Code – ADTC1 and your child’s student number which can be found in Skyward.

WHAT TO DO IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT?

Always call the office to let Mrs. Daugs know if your child is absent, tardy, or leaving early.
Call 262-966-2033 to report your child’s absence.
You may also contact your child’s teachers to let them know about the absence.
Classroom communication tools like Dojo or Google Classroom should not be used for reporting absences.
Preplanned absences should be reported to the office as soon as you know your dates.

BRING YOUR OVER THE COUNTER STUDENT MEDICATIONS TO THE OFFICE

Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medication will be administered when parents have provided the Medication Administration Authorization Form AND the over-the-counter medication. The office does not stock over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, Pepto-Bismol, etc. Thank you for your cooperation.

Grandparents Day Lunch

AHS Grade School Cross Country Run Results

The North Lake students turned in a fantastic performance at this year’s AHS Grade School Cross Country Run. Here are the results:

Girls 5th & 6th Grade Team – 2nd Place

Boys 5th & 6th Grade Team – 1st Place

Girls 7th & 8th Grade Team – 2nd Place

Boys 7th & 8th Grade Team – 2nd Place

Boys 7th & 8th Individual Winner – Keagan Foerch

September Dates to Remember

20

Crazy Hair Spirit Day

POW-MIA Recognition Day

21

North Lake Harvest Fest and Parade

24

Picture Retake Day including LCK 3K & 4K

27

Frances Willard Day

30

7th Grade Field Trip to Camp Whitcomb – 8:00-2:00 pm

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

We are in the full swing of our school year and it’s been fun reconnecting with the students through Guidance classes, small group meetings and having them drop in to fill me in on their latest news!

I start the year in most classes talking about the Zones of Regulation – a helpful tool for understanding and managing emotions. We talk about these zones a lot!

Here they are:

Blue Zone: My body is running slow. Feelings could include sad, tired, or bored..
Green Zone: I am ready to learn and be a good friend! I might be calm, happy, or focused.
Yellow Zone: Warning! I am starting to feel out of control. I might be frustrated, anxious, or excited.
Red Zone: I am not in control. I might feel angry or terrified.

Your child will be learning about these zones. Here are some things you could do!

Ask about the Zones: Ask your child what we have been doing in class with the zones.
Create a Zone Chart: Develop a chart with your child to track their emotional state.
Teach Coping Strategies: Identify strategies for each zone, like deep breathing or calming activities. We call these our “Get to Green” tools.
Model and Practice: Share your own emotional states and coping methods.

Let me know if you’d like more ideas or resources about the Zones of Regulation.

As always, please let me know if there are any ways that I can support your child!

Take care-

Jill Lesch

WAVE 9-6-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

MOVING FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE

It was a warm welcome on Tuesday. What a joy to see so many new and returning students to celebrate our great K-8. Thank you to the NLS teachers and support staff for setting the school year up for success!

The 2024-2025 school year core value is: “CONFIDENCE”. “We are not afraid of failure because we learn from it. We will accomplish our goals because of our ability to persevere.”

The school theme which expresses the core value in child friendly terms is: “FORWARD.” The North Lake School District is moving forward with the financial confidence of a successful referendum, a growing student enrollment, and a historical celebration of its 110th birthday!

2024-2025 DISTRICT INITIATIVES

There are two major 2024-2025 District Initiatives:

1. Perfect Attendance = Trek Bike Raffle

Research shows that regular attendance at school positively impacts academic performance and strengthens social relationships. North Lake School wants to recognize the importance of regular attendance this school year. Those students and staff members with perfect attendance will be entered in a raffle to win a Trek bike on June 6th.

“The world is run by those who show up.” ~ Ben Franklin

2. Bullying = Zero Tolerance

Communication is key and families are encouraged to report any student concerns early and often. 99% of the time uncomfortable situations improve when students, parents, teachers, and school leaders are ALL brought into the conversation. The North Lake School District Bullying Reporting Form has been streamlined and is supportive of zero tolerance. The Bullying Reporting Form is located at northlakeschool.org under Parent/Important Resources and available in hard copy from the school office. Do Not Fear the Form! We want to help solve problems.

THERE IS STILL TIME FOR LAST SUMMER READ…

End the Phone Based Childhood NOW. Parents, I encourage you to read this important article if you have not yet had the chance. The September 20th WAVE will highlight key takeaways from the read and suggest small changes starting here at school. As always hard copies are available in the office for your convenience.

SCHOOL SAFETY DRILLS

Back to school means practice drills to keep students safe. There was an announced fire drill on Thursday and there will be an announced lockdown drill during the week of September 9th. Please contact the office if you have any questions about school safety.

WHAT TO DO IF MY CHILD IS ABSENT?

Always call the office to let Mrs. Daugs know if your child is absent, tardy, or leaving early.
Call 262-966-2033 to report your child’s absence.
You may also contact your child’s teachers to let them know about the absence.
Classroom communication tools like Dojo or Google Classroom should not be used for reporting absences.
Preplanned absences should be reported to the office as soon as you know your dates.

BRING YOUR OVER THE COUNTER STUDENT MEDICATIONS TO THE OFFICE

Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medication will be administered when parents have provided the Medication Administration Authorization Form AND the over-the-counter medication. The office does not stock over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl, Pepto-Bismol, etc. Thank you for your cooperation.

LEARNING LAB

Our school library and computer lab are now open Monday through Thursday from 7:00-7:30 a.m. and 2:35-4:00 p.m. This is a community project and we welcome students, parents, and guardians to join us in the school library for homework help and computer usage. This program is not for childcare. It is open for specific study and research purposes. Students younger than 4th grade must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Parents and guardians are asked to pick up their children promptly at 4:00 p.m. at Door G.

Correction: AHS Cross Country Run

Parents, if your child is running in the AHS Cross Country Run, please sign up at northlakeschool.org and select the AHS XC RUN in the upper right corner of the website. Information for the run is not being taken by Mrs. Clauer this year as stated on the flyer.

All sign-ups are due on the website Google form by Wednesday, September 11th.

Flyer located at the bottom of the WAVE for more information.

September Dates to Remember

6

NLEF Pizza Fundraiser – September 6-20

9

Culver’s Night – 5-8 pm

11

September 11 Observance Day

13

Grandparents Lunch

16

Mildred Fish Harnack Day

17

U.S. Constitution Day

18

Wisconsin Day

Budget Hearing – 5:30 pm followed by Annual Meeting & Regular Board Meeting

20

Crazy Hair Spirit Day

POW-MIA Recognition Day

21

North Lake Harvest Fest and Parade

24

Picture Retake Day including LCK 3K & 4K

27

Frances Willard Day

A Note from Ms. Meister

Welcome to a new school year and all the new and exciting things to learn!

It’s been great to see our students moving FORWARD with CONFIDENCE through the school hallways, in their new grade level, and new classrooms with new teachers and new friends.

Our exceptional North Lake staff provides engaging instruction across the curriculum in the classroom every day. So plan to arrive on time and attend every day. I’ll look forward to seeing everyone learning in school.

To contact me, I am available at: meinan@northlakeschool.org or (262)966-2033.

Nancy Meister

Director of Teaching and Learning

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

It’s been a great week. I love getting the students back in the building!

Each year, I like to remind families and students of my role here as School Counselor. I am here as an advocate for students and a support for families and teachers. I see all students throughout the year as I deliver Developmental Guidance and Health lessons. Students will also have opportunities to take part in small groups on various topics, as well as to request to see me individually. I am here to be a resource for you, also! If you have questions or concerns about your child socially or emotionally, please let me know. If you would rather that I do not meet with your child individually or in a small group, please let me know as soon as possible.

We’ve been spending time this week as a school reviewing the expectations of the Wave Way. You can find these resources under the “PBIS” section of the North Lake website.

Our Leadership Group spent time together before school started planning for this year. I will update you more on that, but wanted you to know that we have planned our first spirit day already!

CRAZY DAY

9/20

Crazy hair! Mismatch clothes!

Show your spirit and have fun!

We are excited for a great school year at North Lake! Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help your child find success academically, socially and emotionally. We are all in this together!

Take care-

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

Category: The Wave

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

True Grit Award

Citizenship in Action

January Dates to Remember

13

14

15

16

17

20

21

22

23

24

27

28

29

30

A Note from Ms. Meister

Counseling Corner

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Happy Holidays from North Lake School

K-4 Holiday Concert

5th-8th Holiday Concert

Holiday Concert Encore

Achieving Outside NLS

Culver's Night Cheer!

December Dates to Remember

23-31

January Dates to Remember

1

2

A Note from Ms. Meister

Wishing all a wonderful Winter Break!

Counseling Corner

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Author Visit - Susan Sternkopf

Patriots Pen Winners

Next Culver's Night - December 9th

December Dates to Remember

6

9

12

13

17

18

19

20

23-31

January Dates to Remember

1

2

A Note from Ms. Meister

Counseling Corner

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Election Day at NLS

Veterans Day Program

Veterans Day Brunch

Teacher - Student Swap Day

November Dates to Remember

18

20

21

25-29

Counseling Corner

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

NORTH LAKE SCHOOL

SPIRIT WEAR STORE

COMING SOON FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

NLEF Book Fair

NLEF Fall Fest

Halloween Parade

Minions Before and After

November Dates to Remember

1

5

6

11