The Wave – North Lake School District

WAVE 2-27-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

COUNT ME IN!

The community has responded to the cause of keeping our kids safe. Mrs. Danielle Herzog and Mrs. Kris Hughes are the newest members of the North Lake School District safety team and serving as AM drop-off crossing guards.

Be on the lookout for future ways to get involved with school safety.

K-6 VISUAL & VOCAL ARTS CONCERT

The K-6 Visual & Vocal Arts Concert is scheduled for March 13th at 5:00 p.m. with doors opening at 4:30 p.m. Students will perform 7 songs, showcasing fun, familiar, and fantastic pieces with an emphasis on harmony, including three-part harmony.

ART SHOW SNEAK PEAK

The Visual & Vocal Art Show is approaching on March 13th. If you would like a sneak peak of your child’s artwork, you may scan the QR code located in the image above. Mrs. Lyons was able to include all students’ artwork in this beautiful slideshow.

8th GRADE STUDENT GRADUATION PLANNING COMMITTEE

The North Lake School tradition of an 8th grade student committee planning the graduation ceremony has begun. The committee, which met for the first time today, will continue to meet every Friday. All 8th grade students are welcome to join. The graduation ceremony is scheduled for June 3rd at 5:30 p.m.

YEARBOOK ORDERS – DUE APRIL 15

Parents should have already received an email from Empire Photography to order your school yearbooks for the 2025-2026 school year.

If you have placed your order, GREAT!

If you did not place your order, you may place your order using the link below for the 2025-2026 school year. No yearbook orders were taken during registration at the beginning of the year, and no orders will be taken through the school office.

Yearbooks are $14.50 each, and payment is made directly to Empire Photography via the yearbook store. The yearbook store link is located below or at the end of the WAVE.

The last day to order your 2025-2026 yearbook is April 15th. No orders will be accepted after April 15th.

https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/northlakeschool

ENROLLMENT ROUND UP FOR 2026-2027

The North Lake School Board has approved the open enrollment seats for the 2026-2027 school year. If you or someone you know is interested in attending North Lake School whether in district or open enrollment, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the office to get the process started and to arrange a tour.

Open Enrollment begins February 2nd and ends April 30th. Please click on the link Wisconsin DPI to enter your applications beginning on February 2nd.

Anti-Bullying Dance Performance

Achieving Outside NLS

WHO SPILLED THE BEANS?

Dominic Moen, 4th grader, is the St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish Chili Cook-off Champion.

SCHOOL CHAMPION OF THE YEAR AWARD

Our very own Mrs. Donna Andorfer, 5th and 6th grade social studies teacher, received the School Champion of the Year Award from the Hartland Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, February 26th. Congratulations Mrs. A.!

Upcoming WAVE Dates

March 20

April 10

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Counseling Corner

Hi North Lake Families!

Earlier this year I wrote about the Zones of Regulation. This is something that we talk about in all of the primary grades. I refer back to it with the middle schoolers when we talk about the importance of taking care of big emotions and how not taking care of those affects our mental health, relationships, and decision making.

The goal in the Zones is not to avoid big feelings, but learn how to get our bodies regulated again and ready to be a good learner and friend. In first grade we make Cool Down Toolboxes that are filled with tools, feel good pictures, and whatever else helps us get back to the green zones. You can add to those toolboxes at home or make your own!

Each year we talk about some strategies that help us cool down. Here are some favorites you could try at home:

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.

Balloon Breath: Breath in through your nose. Breathe out through your mouth – pretending to blow up a balloon. Do this several times. (Breathing is SO helpful in regulating our bodies!)

Take a Break: Remove yourself from the situation that is causing you to be dysregulated. Come back when you are in the Green Zone.

We have so many other ideas that I can share. Let me know if you’d like me to give you some resources or work with your child on practicing some tools.

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

March Dates to Remember

2

Read Across America Week – March 2-7

7th Grade Boys AMSAC Tournament – March 2-7 at Richmond

8th Grade Boys AMSAC Tournament – March 2-7 at North Lake

4

Observance of Casimir Pulaski Day

6

Team/Group Photos – 9:30-2:30 p.m.

9

Culver’s Night 5:00-8:00 p.m.

13

K-6 Visual & Vocal Arts Concert – 5:00 p.m.

17

Observance of “The Great Hunger Day” in Ireland

18

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

20

Crazy Hair Spirit Day

27

End of 3rd Quarter

Mar 28 - Apr 6

No School – Spring Break/Easter Break – March 28 – April 6

School Resumes – April 7

WAVE 2-13-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

MORNING DROP-OFF PROCEDURES

To ensure the safety of all students and keep traffic moving smoothly, please follow one of the two approved drop-off methods:

Option 1: The Quick-Drop Line (Stay in Vehicle)

This is the most efficient way to drop off your child.

Pull Forward: Drive as far forward as possible toward the front of the line. This prevents traffic backups on the main road.
Stay in Your Car: Drivers must remain in the vehicle.
Safety First: Students should exit the vehicle quickly from the passenger side only directly onto the sidewalk.

Option 2: Park & Walk

If your child needs extra time or you prefer to walk them to the entrance:

Park in Parking Lot
Escort Required: You must walk your child across the parking lot.
No “Curbside” Parking: Please do not park your car in the drop-off lane or the handicapped parking spot (unless you or a child needs access to the handicapped spot)

Important Safety Rules

To protect our students and staff, please avoid the following:

No Alternate Drop-Offs: Do not let your child out of the car in any area other than the official drop-off line.
No Double Parking: Never bypass the drop-off line to let your child out in the middle of or next to the driving lane. This is extremely dangerous.
Drive Slow: Use patience and defensive driving.

Now Hiring – Crossing Guards

7:00-7:30 a.m. & 2:15-2:45 p.m. when school is in session
Contact the office for more information

SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD

The office continues to ask parents to please report ALL ABSENCES, TARDIES, AND PICKUP CHANGES directly to the office. Dojoing your child’s teacher is a courtesy to the teacher. Teachers will not be contacting the office for parents.

All students must go directly to the MPR if they are arriving early from parent drop off or bus service in the morning. Parents should stop by the office first if access to a specific hallway is needed.

Thank you for your cooperation.

WHAT A HOOT!

The all school owl naming contest is finished!

Drum Roll…

GOAL ACHIEVED!

Thank you to all who participated in the NLS Food Drive for the 100th Day of School. NLS collected over 1200 items which surpassed the goal of 100 items per grade level 4K-8 (1000). Donations will be delivered to the St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry located in St. Teresa Parish.

IT’S STARTING TO PILE UP!

If you are missing something, please remind your child/children to check the lost and found and come take a look when you are at school for parent teacher conferences next week.

CONSIDER BECOMING A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER

North Lake School is in need of substitute teachers.

One of the following is required:
1. A certified Wisconsin teaching license OR
2. A Bachelor’s Degree AND a Wisconsin Substitute Teacher license.
To be considered for this position, submit an electronic WECAN application.

See the flyer at the end of the Wave for more information on obtaining

a Wisconsin Substitute Teacher license.

NLS COMMUNITY PARTNER – MERTON AREA RUNNING CLUB

Track season is just around the corner. Please visit Mertonarearunning.club for registration information. There will be an open house on March 3rd from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Performance Running Outfitters.

NORTH LAKE SCHOOL FORENSICS TEAM

The MLFA Forensics season is officially underway, and our Lakers are already making waves! At last week’s Slinger Tournament, our team rose to the challenge—bringing home 5 individual medals, 8 blue ribbons, and 2 red ribbons in a field of nearly 500 students from schools across Southeastern Wisconsin.

For our 6–8 graders, this tournament was a powerful reminder of what happens when preparation meets confidence. We saw firsthand how practice pays off as our students stepped up, found their voices, and delivered with poise in front of their peers.

The momentum continues this week as we head to Indian Community School in Franklin for a small-school tournament. Once again, we can’t wait to watch our Lakers shine—speaking boldly, presenting with purpose, and bringing their very best to the front of the room. This season is just getting started, and the future is bright!

If you are interested in becoming North Lake’s Forensics coach next season, please reach out to Dr. Ackley for more information. The students would love to have you!

ENROLLMENT ROUND UP FOR 2026-2027

The North Lake School Board has approved the open enrollment seats for the 2026-2027 school year. If you or someone you know is interested in attending North Lake School whether in district or open enrollment, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the office to get the process started and to arrange a tour.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Lake Country Kindergarten Open House for incoming 3K and 4K families: January 29 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Open Enrollment begins February 2nd and ends April 30th. Please click on the link Wisconsin DPI to enter your applications beginning on February 2nd.

Chinese New Year

CHINESE NEW YEAR

Arrowhead Chinese Students including NLS alumni McKenzie Wood visited 7th grade social studies and hosted interactive Chinese culture stations for the Chinese New Year. Our students enjoyed learning about the culture and about high school.

Black History Month

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

1st Grade celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy for a week, focusing on his message of peace, kindness, and love, as well as discussing words like equality and fairness. Students heard parts of his “I Have a Dream” speech and created a portrait of MLK Jr. with a speech bubble for their own dream to make the world a better place.
2nd Grade read about Ida Van Smith, teacher, pilot, and pilot instructor. Students also learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jackie Robinson.
3rd Grade was introduced to the Tuskegee Airmen while practicing oral fluency and using text/graphic features. They also read about young people making a difference, specifically Marley Dias (creator of #1000BlackGirlBooks and Netflix’s Bookmarks) and Jahkil Jackson (founder of “Project I Am” to aid the homeless and author on bullying/self-worth).
5th and 6th Graders celebrated Black History Month by putting a spotlight on fascinating Black men and women. People like Langston Hughes, Maya Angelou, Nelson Mandela, Shirley Chisholm… just to name a few. We have dedicated a section of the 5/6 hallway so that anyone passing by can learn too.
7th Grade studied Apartheid as part of the Africa curriculum.

100TH Day of School

Literacy Lights the Night

Literacy Lights the Night Photo Gallery located at the end of the Wave

Upcoming WAVE Dates

March 13

March 27

A Note from Ms. Meister...

North Lake School conferences will be held on Thursday, February 19th from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a 30 minute teacher dinner break at 4:30 p.m. Click on the name/s below to reserve your spot. We look forward to seeing you at school.

Kindergarten: Mrs. Giesie Ms. Orendorff

1st Grade: Mrs. Tarkowski Mrs. Toczyski

2nd Grade: Mrs. Brittnacher Mr. Ray

3rd Grade: Mrs. Flannery and Ms. Kudis

4th Grade: Ms. Dankmeyer and Mrs. Richman

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

Mrs. Andorfer Mr. Kaczor Mr. Byrne Mrs. Ruck

7th and 8th grade: Drop-In Format

Spring conferences for 7th and 8th grade will follow an open “Drop-in” format. We invite you to stop by on February 19th at your convenience to visit with the team. Drop in Conferences will take place between 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. and then again from 6:00 – 7:45 p.m. If the 7/8 teaching team identifies a specific need for a more in-depth discussion regarding your student, we will reach out to you directly via email to schedule a dedicated time that works for both parties. Times between 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. will be reserved for these conferences.

Special Education, Specials and Elective teachers: Mrs. Clauer (Phy. Ed.), Mr. Krieger (Music), Mrs. Lesch (School Counselor), Mrs. Lyons (Art), Ms. 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.

Counseling Corner

Hello, North Lake Families!

We have some valuable community partnerships here at North Lake. I’d like to highlight some of those groups that have benefitted students in our Guidance classes and Leadership experiences. If you have any questions about these partnerships or have an idea of another experience that could benefit our students, please reach out to me!

Addiction Resource Council:

Lessons with our 8th graders focused on Resisting The Influence of drugs and alcohol. Information is shared about different substances and how to resist pressures

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness):

Introductory lesson with our 8th graders to kick off a research project. NAMI works to give information and destigmatize mental health conditions

Women’s Center of Waukesha:

Discussion of healthy and unhealthy relationships

DECA (Oconomowoc High School):

DECA students work on leadership opportunities with interested students and give them a taste of what it would be like to be involved in DECA in high school

Nurse Beth Gatzow:

Teachers CPR to our 7th and 8th grade students

Arrowhead High School:

Student groups visit to teach our students about topics anywhere from Lunar New Year to the risks of vaping

Heritage Senior Living Center:

Leadership group members visit Heritage to do activities with the residents and we invited residents to join us at North Lake for our concert reshearsals

We are fortunate to have all of these experts willing to partner with us and help our students grow!

Please visit me at conferences if there is anything that you’d like to check in on resources or ways that I can help your child.

Take care-

Jill Lesch

February Dates to Remember

16

Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday Observed

7 Grade Boys Basketball – NLS Black vs Richmond Gold – 4:30 pm

17

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

8 Grade Boys Basketball – Lake Country White vs NLS – 5:30pm

18

7 Grade Boys Basketball

NLS Teal vs North Shore – Green – 4:30pm

NLS Black vs Swallow Gold – 5:30pm

19

PJ Spirit Day

11:30 Dismissal – Parent Teacher Conferences – 12:00-8:00pm

20

No School – Mid-Winter Break

23

George Washington’s Birthday Observed

5 Grade Boys AMSAC Tournament at Lake Country

6 Grade Boys AMSAC Tournament at Swallow

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

8 Grade Boys Basketball – Lake country White vs NLS – 5:30pm

25

7 Grade Boys Basketball – NLS Black vs Richmond Purple – 4:30pm

School Board Meeting in Conference Room – 5:30pm

28

Science Fair Club Presentations – 9:00am

Literacy Lights the Night Photo Gallery

WAVE 1-30-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

CHARACTER

As we start the 3rd quarter, it is a good time to be reminded of the 2025-2026 core value: CHARACTER. Upper School students seem to need more reminders about appropriate behavior and studious activities. Although minor infractions seem small, all of these add up to larger behavioral issues with significant consequences. Student conduct standards are expected during the school day, at extra-curricular activities both home and away, and NLEF events.

Core Value: CHARACTER

“We will model character through integrity, mutual respect, good conduct, positive attitudes, caring, and kindness.”

We have a lot to look forward to in the months ahead. Modeling good character will make everything North Lake School has to offer more enjoyable. We are the Lakers!

NLS: 100% HELPING COMMUNITY

We are having a 100th Day Food Drive Celebration during the week of February 2-6.

Every grade, 4K-8th, is encouraged to reach a 100 item grade level goal.

The St. Vincent DePaul Food Pantry located in St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish is in great need of the following items:

Canned mushrooms
Dinty Moore Stew
Cereal
Baking Items: Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Chocolate Chips
Paper Products: Paper Towel, Tissues
Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothpaste, Tooth Brushes

COUNT ME IN!

Please join us for the 16th annual Literacy Lights the Night on Thursday, February 5th from 5:00-6:30 p.m. in the Big Gym and Lakers Library. Our very own parent author, Allison Dunlop, will kick off the event and over 50 student authors will be showcased. Mrs. Toczyski has put her TLC into this event, so we hope to COUNT YOU IN! Donations for the 100th Day Food Drive can also be dropped off during Literacy Night.

YOUR CHILD’S SCREEN FREE BRAIN

This bitter cold has given us the opportunity to implement screen free in 2026 (screen free indoor recess). Special Education Director/Teacher and Structured Literacy Tutor, Mrs. Julie Westcott, whole heartedly supports screen free and endorses reading. Parents, read Mrs. Westcott’s recommended article:

This is your child’s brain on books: Scans show benefit of reading vs. screen time

Position 1: Instructional Aide

Hours: 9:45-2:30 p.m. during school days

Position 2: Extended Day Instructional Aide

Hours: 2:30-6:00 p.m. during school days

Learn more at WECAN.

ENROLLMENT ROUND UP FOR 2026-2027

The North Lake School Board has approved the open enrollment seats for the 2026-2027 school year. If you or someone you know is interested in attending North Lake School whether in district or open enrollment, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the office to get the process started and to arrange a tour.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Lake Country Kindergarten Open House for incoming 3K and 4K families: January 29 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Open Enrollment begins February 2nd and ends April 30th. Please click on the link Wisconsin DPI to enter your applications beginning on February 2nd.

Thank You For Board Games!

Upcoming WAVE Dates

February 13

February 27

A Note from Ms. Meister...

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 5th at 5:00 p.m. 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 28th at 9:00 a.m. in the MPR. Come to see and listen to all the interesting things they have discovered and learned.

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.

North Lake School conferences will be held on Thursday, February 19th from noon to 8:00 p.m. with a teacher dinner break from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m.

Mark your calendars to save the dates.

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

I spend time in the classrooms talking to students about careers all the way from Kindergarten to 8th grade! While their dreams range from “paleontologist” to “professional video game tester,” our goal is to help them explore ideas and learn about themselves.

That’s where Academic and Career Planning (ACP) comes in. ACP is a journey of exploration and self-assessment that helps students build a roadmap for high school and beyond.

The ACP Journey

Career exploration isn’t just for the big kids! Here is how we approach it at North Lake:

Kindergarten – 5th Grade: We engage in age-appropriate activities to explore different careers and help students learn about their own unique strengths.
6th – 8th Grade: Students begin using Xello, an interactive tool to document their learning, interests, and goals for future reference.

A vital part of our ACP curriculum is supported by Junior Achievement (JA), and we are looking for volunteers to help bring these lessons to life in our classrooms!

This is a fantastic opportunity to get a “behind-the-scenes” look at your child’s classroom while sharing valuable life skills. Here is what you need to know:

5 lessons total – 45 minutes per lesson
Teaching kit and support/training from JA is available

You don’t need to be a professional educator to make a difference—you just need a bit of time and a desire to inspire our students.

How to Get Involved

If you’re interested in volunteering or have a few questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher or contact me directly. We’d love to have you on board!

A big thank you to our volunteers who have already taught or have committed to teach JA: Mrs. Thieme, Mrs. Mecikalski, Mrs. Malosh, Mr. Cornell and Mrs. Wesemann. We appreciate your help!

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

February Dates to Remember

2

NLEF Kwik Trip Car Wash Fundraiser – February 2-13

Open Enrollment Application Period – February 2 – April 30

5 Boys Basketball – NLS vs Swallow Black – 4:30pm

6 Boys Basketball – NLS vs Erin – 4:30pm

7 Boys Basketball

Richmond Gold vs NLS Teal – 4:30pm

NLS Black vs North Shore White – 4:30pm

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

3

5 Boys Basketball – North Shore Green vs NLS – 4:30pm

6 Boys Basketball – Merton White vs NLS – 5:30pm

5

Literacy Lights the Night – 5:00-6:30pm

7 Boys Basketball

Lake Country vs NLS Black – 4:30pm

Erin Green vs NLS Teal – 5:30pm

9

Bus Driver Appreciation Week

7 Grade Boys Basketball

North Shore Green vs NLS Black – 4:30pm

NLS Teal vs Lake Country – 4:30pm

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

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 pm

10

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

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

11

7 Grade Boys Basketball

Erin White vs NLS Black – 4:30pm

Merton vs NLS Teal – 5:30pm

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

12

Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday

6 Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Lake Country – 4:30pm

8 Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Lake Country White – 6:30pm

16

Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday Observed

7 Grade Boys Basketball – NLS Black vs Richmond Gold – 4:30 pm

17

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

8 Grade Boys Basketball – Lake Country White vs NLS – 5:30pm

18

7 Grade Boys Basketball

NLS Teal vs North Shore – Green – 4:30pm

NLS Black vs Swallow Gold – 5:30pm

19

PJ Spirit Day

11:30 Dismissal – Parent Teacher Conferences – 12:00-8:00pm

20

No School – Mid-Winter Break

23

George Washington’s Birthday Observed

5 Grade Boys AMSAC Tournament at Lake Country

6 Grade Boys AMSAC Tournament at Swallow

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

8 Grade Boys Basketball – Lake country White vs NLS – 5:30pm

25

7 Grade Boys Basketball – NLS Black vs Richmond Purple – 4:30pm

School Board Meeting in Conference Room – 5:30pm

28

Science Fair Club Presentations – 9:00am

WAVE 1-16-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

SCREEN FREE IN 2026

North Lake School is committed to screen free indoor recess! I recently met with teachers and we discussed how to cut back on screen time at school, especially during unstructured times. At this time, all teachers are committed to screen free indoor recess time and are implementing learning activities that promote social interaction such as classic board/card games.

5K through 2nd grade already have an outdoor morning and lunch recess totaling almost 60 minutes. You may have heard about the draft legislation for 60 minutes of recess time in K-6th grades. Although that is a lot of recess for older students in an already packed school day, know that your kids are getting brain breaks and snack times in grades 3 through 6. Teachers are striving to read aloud, promote student conversation, and provide movement breaks during these times. Please consider donating your gently used games to support this mission! I am also interested in your insight and willing to listen to parent input on this important topic.

TREK BIKE UPDATE

As the second semester starts on Tuesday, January 20th, this is a reminder of the Perfect Attendance Trek Bike Raffle. The Trek Bikes will be custom fit for the winners.

Number of Students/Staff Eligible for Perfect Attendance:

Kindergarten – 1

1st grade – 1

2nd grade – 2

3rd grade – 0

4th grade – 2

5th grade – 3

6th grade – 3

7th grade – 0

8th grade – 2

Teachers – 2

There will be two bikes: 1 for students and 1 for staff.

ENROLLMENT ROUND UP FOR 2026-2027

Next week, the North Lake School Board will approve open enrollment seats for the 2026-2027 school year. If you or someone you know is interested in attending North Lake School whether in district or open enrollment, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the office to get the process started and to arrange a tour.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Lake Country Kindergarten Open House for incoming 3K and 4K families: January 29 – 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Open Enrollment begins February 2nd and ends April 30th. Please click on the link Wisconsin DPI to enter your applications beginning on February 2nd.

U.S. MAP QUILT DONATION

Thank you to Kathleen Hughes, grandmother of 7th grade student Martin Hughes, for the colorful United States Map Quilt. The quilt is a wonderful addition to the upstairs cafe area and complements the Social Studies curriculum in both 5th and 8th grade.

SCHOOL CHAMPION – VOTE NOW!

Our very own Mrs. Donna Andorfer, 5th and 6th grade Social Studies teacher, has been nominated for the School Champion Award given by the Hartland Chamber of Commerce.

The School Champion Award recognizes an outstanding educator, administrator, or school staff member who demonstrates exceptional commitment to education and community involvement, making a lasting impact on the lives of students and the Hartland area.

To vote for Mrs. Andorfer…

Click here to vote: Kudos Awards

Click here for more information: Website/more info.

Voting is open until January 30th. Congratulations on the nomination Mrs. Andorfer and Good Luck!

Upcoming WAVE Dates

January 30

February 13

February 27

A Note from Ms. Meister...

January is the time for mid-year assessments. Your child may have talked about aimswebPlus or i-Ready. These assessments are teaching tools. They provide valuable data for instructional planning, measuring student progress, and identifying needs. Best practice dictates using current information about students in order to plan instruction. Mid-year is a good time to gather more information while there is still plenty of time in the school year to make a difference.

Family support is a significant factor in student success. Look for results coming home in the coming days. The results from these assessments provide families with information about student performance in the content areas of reading and math.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, talk with your child’s teachers and please feel free to contact me at school. Call: (262) 966-2033 Ext. 1134 or email: meinan@northlakeschool.org.

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

Do you know what the word GRIT means? The dictionary defines it as courage and resolve; strength of character. We work on grit with students daily here at school. To them it looks like working through the discomfort of doing something that is difficult, sticking to a task even when it is frustrating or they don’t understand it the first time. How can you talk about grit with your kids at home? It’s hard to let them struggle but that is where confidence is built and learning takes place!

We are lucky to have the opportunity to nominate students for the Optimist Club’s True Grit award each year. This year we honored two of our 8th graders. Some things that their teachers said about them include things like:

Always pushes herself and is up for a challenge
Faces challenges with courage and confidence
Always a self advocate
Positive attitude while being kind hearted and polite

These words describe AraBella and Meira – our two “True Grit” award recipients. We are so proud of them!

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

We will be holding an eye exam Wednesday, January 28th in partnership with the Stone Bank Lions Club. Grades 4K-2 will be tested and families with students in grades 3-5 can choose to opt-in. Please email me at: soyreb@northlakeschool.org if you would like your 3-5th grader to get tested or have any questions. Please see attached link for more information on the importance of vision screenings.

Vision Screening Parent Resources

___

Becca Soya

January Dates to Remember

16

End of 2nd Quarter

Kids Swap w/Teachers Spirit Day

19

No School for Students – Teacher Inservice & Staff Meeting

20

Literacy Night Workshop-2:30 pm

5 Boys Basketball

NLS vs Merton White—4:30 pm

6 Boys Basketball

NLS vs North Shore—4:30 pm

8 Boys Basketball

NLS vs Lake Country—4:30 pm

21

7 Boys Basketball—Teal

Swallow vs NLS Teal-4:30 pm

7 Boys Basketball—Black

Merton vs NLS Black-5:30 pm

School Board Meeting in the Conference Room —5:30 pm

22

5 Boys Basketball

NLS vs North Shore-4:30 pm

6 Boys Basketball

Stone Bank vs NLS—4:30 pm

8 Boys Basketball

North Shore vs NLS—5:30 pm

23

NLEF Mother/Son Magic Show—6:00-8:00 pm

26

5 Boys Basketball

Swallow vs NLS—4:30 pm

6 Boys Basketball

Richmond vs NLS—5:30 pm

7 Boys Basketball

NLS Teal vs Richmond Purple—5:30 pm

Erin Green vs NLS Black—6:30 pm

8 Boys Basketball—NLS vs St. Bank—4:30

27

Literacy Night Workshop

2:30 pm

5 Boys Basketball

NLS vs Richmond—4:30 pm

28

Vision Screening —8:30 am

5 Boys Basketball

Merton Blue vs NLS—4:30 pm

7 Boys Basketball

NLS Black vs Swallow—4:30 pm

NLS Teal vs North Shore Black-5:30pm

29

6 Boys Basketball

NLS vs Merton Silver—5:30 pm

7 Boys Basketball

NLS Teal vs Erin White—4:30 pm

WAVE 12-19-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

HERO ALERT

Western Lakes Fire Department honors Elijah Lenling, 7th grader at North Lake School, and described him as “A quick thinking young hero who proved that bravery comes in all sizes.” Elijah kept his family safe in the threat of a potential fire and put into practice his fire safety education. Elijah’s response is exactly what fire safety experts hope for in a fire emergency.

STAYING ALIVE

North Lake School District’s nurse, Beth Gatzow, recently taught CPR to 7th graders as part of the Health curriculum. Students enjoyed hands-on practice with the mannequins named Mini Anne and learned how to operate the AED machines.

PRIDE IN OUR COUNTRY

Quartermaster Mike Steger of VFW Marshall-Johnson Post 5158 and North Lake School District 2025 Community Award winner presented the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest Winners with $100 on Thursday, December 11th. Congratulations to 7th grade students, Aubrey Hoffman and Halle Hinrichs.

SLATE

Michael Shannon, our IT Director, attended the SLATE Conference (School Leaders Advancing Technology in Education) this December. Mike enjoyed networking at the state-wide level and is building relationships with new and existing vendors.

WINTER BREAK REMINDER

North Lake School will be closed for Winter Break December 22nd through January 2nd.

School will resume on Monday, January 5th.

LITERACY LIGHTS THE NIGHT SIGN UP

We want to COUNT your child in for this year’s Literacy Lights the Night! Please complete the sign up form by TODAY, Friday, December 19th to participate. See the WAVE attachments for additional forms.

Writing workshops will be held after school every Tuesday in January beginning January 6th. We look forward to COUNTING YOU IN on Thursday, February 5th for the 16th annual Literacy Lights the Night from 5:00-6:30 p.m.

LET IT SNOW…SKI CLUB INFO!

Good news, Sara & Mike Kretschmer are once again working with Little Switzerland for the North Lake Ski Club. Sign up links are listed below.

Sign up link: https://shop.littleswitz.com/groups

Group Code: NORTHLAKE2526

See the Ski Club Flyer located at the end of the WAVE

Wishing Everyone a Safe & Happy Holiday Season!

Holiday Concerts Photo Gallery

Holiday Concerts Photo Gallery located at end of WAVE

Upcoming WAVE Dates

January 16

January 30

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Wishing all a wonderful Winter Break

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

Happy Holidays to all of you! As the school year pauses, I hope you and your family enjoy some well-deserved, relaxing family time. This season is a wonderful opportunity for a slower pace and meaningful connection with those you love.

We are always focused on nurturing the whole child. Building strong relationships with peers and adults is an important part of developing resiliency and self-confidence in our students.

Here at school, I try to create opportunities to foster these connections through things like leadership group activities, lunch bunches and working together for a common goal in the classroom.

A recent, wonderful example of this was the 3rd Grade Game Day, hosted by our very own “Kindness Club.” Students learned new games, practiced good sportsmanship and developed leadership skills while having fun!

I look forward to continuing these valuable relationship-building initiatives in the new year. If you would like me to work on connections with your child, please let me know. There are a lot of ways that we can do that in a fun way.

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

December Dates to Remember

12/22 -12/31

Winter Break : December 22-January 2

January Dates to Remember

1/1 - 1/2

Winter Break : December 22-January 2

5

School Resumes: January 5

6

Literacy Night Workshop – 2:45 pm

9

Kids Swap w/Teachers Spirit Day

12

Culver’s Night 5:00-8:00 pm

13

Literacy Night Workshop – 2:45 pm

15

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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

6 Boys Basketball – Merton Blue vs NLS – 5:30 pm

8 Boys Basketball – NLS vs Stone Bank White – 4:30 pm

16

End of 2nd Quarter

19

No School for Students – Teacher Inservice

HOLIDAY CONCERT PHOTO GALLERY

5-8 Holiday Concert

K-4 Holiday Concert

WAVE 12-5-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

K-4 HOLIDAY CONCERT – TONIGHT!

The Holiday Concert for Kindergarten through 4th grade students is TONIGHT, December 5th!

Students should wear holiday attire. 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 4:40 p.m. The concert will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. Please plan on a 40 minute performance.

Following the performance, the Community Tree Lighting sponsored by the North Lake Rec Club will be held at the Old North Lake Fire Department. It should be another awesome experience for the North Lake School community.

MIDDLE SCHOOL (5TH-8TH GRADE) HOLIDAY CONCERT – DECEMBER 11

The middle school students will be performing a separate holiday concert Thursday, December 11th 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.

CULVER’S ANYONE?

Join Mrs. Richman and Mrs. Andorfer Monday, December 8th for Culver’s Night! The flavor of the day is Crazy for Cookie Dough.

FREE FOR THE GIVING!

The Red Cross Blood Drive is scheduled for Monday, December 15th from 2:00-6:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose room. Jenelle Blavat will also be speaking with students during the lunch hour on December 8th on the importance of the Red Cross Blood Drive and the need for donors.

All presenting DONORS will receive a $15 Amazon Gift Card by email, coupon for a FREE pint of Culver’s custard, and a coupon for a FREE Bundtlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes!

All students who recruit a donor will receive a FREE Sky Zone 30-minute jump pass and a coupon for a FREE Bundtlet from Nothing Bundt Cakes! Mill Street Café is also donating a hot chocolate party to the class with the most donors.

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! For more information, see flyer at the end of the WAVE.

NLEF HOLIDAY SHOP – COMING SOON!

The NLEF Christmas Shop opens on December 9, 10, and 11 for students to purchase Christmas gifts.

More information is located in the flyers at the end of the WAVE.

FORENSICS SIGN UP

Forensics season will be starting December 10th for middle school students in grade 6th, 7th, and 8th.

If you are interested in participating, please see the informational flyer at the end of the WAVE for more information.

LET IT SNOW…SKI CLUB INFO!

Good news, Sara & Mike Kretschmer are once again working with Little Switzerland for the North Lake Ski Club. Sign up links are listed below.

Sign up link: https://shop.littleswitz.com/groups

Group Code: NORTHLAKE2526

See the Ski Club Flyer located at the end of the WAVE

Upcoming WAVE Dates

December 19

January 16

January 30

A Note from Ms. Meister...

LITERACY LIGHTS THE NIGHT SIGN UP

We want to COUNT your child in for this year’s Literacy Lights the Night! Please complete the sign up form by Friday, December 19th to participate. Forms were sent home with your child Friday, December 5th or see the WAVE attachments for additional forms.

Writing workshops will be held after school every Tuesday in January beginning January 6th. We look forward to COUNTING YOU IN on Thursday, February 5th for the 16th annual Literacy Lights the Night from 5:00-6:30 p.m.

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

Are you aware of our mental health provider partner – GALS Institute? GALS therapists have a space here at North Lake where they meet with their clients – our students! This is still an insurance/privately covered service. We just provide the space to GALS and the convenience of appointments during the school day to make therapy more accessible to busy families. This also helps with a therapist-family-school partnership that makes the therapeutic follow up more cohesive.

GALS also provides workshops for students at their building in Wales. Here are some upcoming workshops that are taking place over winter break. I’ve gotten positive reviews from families and students who have attended some of these workshops in the past – check them out!

For Parents:

Gals Institute Parent University – Calm to the Chaos: workshop is led by two of our Therapists who work with children and families to help them during this stressful Holiday Season, as well as during the winter break to ease chaos and anxiety around the change in schedules and break from school. (Virtual option available).

For the Children:

DIY craft day to give parents (and children) a break to come and enjoy some fun activities and tools to help them navigate the holiday season.
Frenemies 101 workshop: help girls with any issues they might be dealing with in their friends groups (social media, bullying, boundaries, examples of a good fried, etc)
Calm Cool Capable workshop: boys will be working on anger management, emotional regulation and calming techniques when stressors arrive.

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

December Dates to Remember

5

K-4 Holiday Concert – 5:00 p.m.

8

7th Grade Girls AMSAC Tournament – December 8 – December 13

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

9

NLEF Holiday Shop

10

NLEF Holiday Shop

11

NLEF Holiday Shop

5-8 Holiday Concert – 6:00 p.m.

12

Mismatch Spirit Day

15

Blood Drive – 2:00-6:00 p.m.

17

LCK 3K & 4K Holiday Program – 5:30-6:30 p.m.

18

Ugly Sweater Day

19

Pajama Day

12/22 -1/2

Winter Break : December 22-January 2

School Resumes: January 5

WAVE 11-14-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

SHINING BRIGHT!

Thank you to the NLEF Community Fellowship Committee for the exceptional Veterans Day brunch and Quilts of Valor presentation.

MIKE STEGER ~ COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENT

At the Veterans Day Program, the keynote speakers were Aubree Hoffmann, August Barke, Martin Hughes, and Ava Hansen. The students did a presentation on the history of the VFW and taught us about Buddy Poppies. The presentation concluded with Mr. Mike Steger receiving the 2025 North Lake School District Community Award for his good works.

Mr. Steger is a past commodore and officer of Marshall Johnson Post 5158. He has given back to our school community through his leadership with the Patriots Pen Contest and participation in the HONOR GUARD‘s posting of the colors at our Vet’s Day ceremonies over the past decade. Congratulations to Mr. Mike Steger and the VFW Marshall Johnson Post 5158 located at 231 Goodwin Avenue, Hartland.

Mike Steger is located first in line in the center of the picture above.

Veterans Day Photo Gallery

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM & BRUNCH PHOTO GALLERY

Located at the end of the WAVE

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE NORTH LAKE

U.S. News and World Report recently released their 2026 rankings for middle schools in the state. North Lake continues to receive high accolades with the rank of 9th. Learn more about the top Wisconsin schools in the U.S. News & World Report and thank your child’s teacher.

TECH TALK WITH OFFICER CHOCHOLA

On Thursday, the 7th and 8th graders participated in a tech talk on safety and smart usage with Officer Steven Chochola of the Chenequa Police Department. Officer Chochola has a specialty background in digital evidence and was an SRO at his former agency so this presentation was right in his wheelhouse. The topics covered included sextortion, evils of group texting, and social media smarts.

Parents, please take a moment to check in with your middle schooler on this informative presentation.

CLOSED FOR THE WEEK

There will be no school November 24-28 for Thanksgiving Recess.

School will resume on Monday, December 1st.

COATS & CONCERTS

North Lake School is partnering with Lake Country Caring to collect gently used or new children’s coats. There is an immediate need in our community, and the North Lake Lakers always step up for those in need!

We will be collecting children’s coats through Friday, December 5th. Please drop off your donations at the table by the office and at the K-4 Holiday Concert.

The holiday concert season is just around the corner. Mark your calendars!

K-4 Holiday Concert – Friday, December 5th at 5 p.m.
5-8 Holiday Concert – Thursday, December 11th at 6 p.m.
LCK Holiday Concert – Wednesday, December 17th at 5:30 p.m.

NLEF HOLIDAY SHOP – COMING SOON!

The NLEF will once again hold the Christmas Shop on December 9, 10, and 11 for students to purchase Christmas gifts.

More information will be sent home with students after Thanksgiving break, and flyers are located at the end of the WAVE.

NEW AFTER SCHOOL CLUB

Dungeons & Dragons Club begins Monday, November 17th. D&D will be available for all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Lakers Library.

The Dungeon Master is our very own 8th grader, Alex Underwood.

FORENSICS SIGN UP

Forensics season will be starting December 10th for middle school students in grade 6th, 7th, and 8th.

If you are interested in participating, please see the informational flyer at the end of the WAVE for more information.

LET IT SNOW…SKI CLUB INFO!

Good news, Sara & Mike Kretschmer are once again working with Little Switzerland for the North Lake Ski Club. Sign up links are listed below.

Sign up link: https://shop.littleswitz.com/groups

Group Code: NORTHLAKE2526

See the Ski Club Flyer located at the end of the WAVE

Upcoming WAVE Dates

December 5

December 19

A Note from Ms. Meister...

The scores are in. The 2024-25 DPI School Report Card has arrived! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) school and district report cards for 2024-25 are now available on the DPI Report Cards website. I am happy to report that North Lake School significantly exceeds expectations with an overall score of 86.3.

Results for the Wisconsin Forward Exam

Percentage of North Lake School students scoring meeting or advanced

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

Email: meinan@northlakeschool.org

Phone: (262) 966-2033

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

With Thanksgiving around the corner, we talk a lot about being thankful, but did you know the many benefits that gratitude brings to you?

Opens the door to better relationships
Improves physical health
Increases happiness
Improves sleep
Fosters resiliency
Improves self-esteem

What if we all took some time to practice gratitude deliberately with our families all year long? I wonder what a difference it would make in the moods in our homes, our friendships, and our school!

The students came up with some ideas of how to practice gratitude all year long:

Have a gratitude journal next to their beds to write in each night
Write notes to people to thank them for being important in their lives
Have a family gratitude jar or journal to add to at dinner time

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

Jill Lesch

School Counselor

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

November Dates to Remember

17

NLEF Raise Right Gift Card Fundraiser – November 17th – December 5th

Coat Drive – November 17 – December 5

19

NLEF Poinsettia Sale Ends

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

20

6th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

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

24-28

Thanksgiving Recess

December Dates to Remember

1

6th Grade Girls AMSAC Tournament – December 1 to December 6

5

K-4 Holiday Concert – 5:00 p.m.

8

7th Grade Girls AMSAC Tournament – December 8 – December 13

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

9

NLEF Holiday Shop

10

NLEF Holiday Shop

11

NLEF Holiday Shop

5-8 Holiday Concert – 6:00 p.m.

12

Mismatch Day

15

Blood Drive – 2:00-6:00 p.m.

17

LCK 3K & 4K Holiday Program – 5:30-6:30 p.m.

18

Ugly Sweater Day

19

Pajama Day

12/22 -1/2

Winter Break : December 22-January 2

School Resumes: January 5

Veterans Day Photo Gallery

WAVE 10-31-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

CHANGE FOR CHANGE

Thank you for your support of our “Change for Change” project. North Lake School raised an amazing $3,315.45! With the help of the Bartosz family, this money will be given to Beat Childhood Cancer and the Little Warrior Foundation to support a recently approved trial benefiting kids with Ewing sarcoma as well as other cancers (neuroblastoma, pediatric brain tumors, and osteosarcoma). Approved trials are rare for childhood cancers and the timing of North Lake’s successful Penny Wars couldn’t be better. We are so proud to be a part of this important work.

Winners were…

Kindergarten: Had the most positive points at $419.58

3rd grade: Raised the most overall money at an amazing $798.60!

The winners receive a breakfast buffet hosted by the Leadership Group.

We are so proud of all of you for having fun AND helping people!

END OF 1ST QUARTER

It has been a successful start to the 2025-2026 school year. Believe it or not, today is the last day of the 1st quarter. Report cards will be posted in Skyward, Friday, November 7th. As a reminder your child’s report card will be posted in Skyward under the Portfolio tile. If you need help with your Skyward login, please contact the office.

THANK YOU!

Center Oak 4H once again provided the beautiful fall decorations in the front of our school.

Awesome job!

NLS & AHS SCHOOL STORE

The following links are for the NLS & AHS school stores to purchase spiritwear. This is not a fundraiser.

https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/NLfall25

https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/NLAHS25

Shipping and handling fees will be charged on all orders; however, all items will be delivered to NLS not individual homes. Items will be given to students if a homeroom is selected. If you do not want this to go home with a student, please enter the following information.

Recipient Type: Parent

Enter Distribution Group: Other

Pickup time, date, and location will be determined at a later date for orders not sent home with students.

Please make sure to have your orders in by November 7th to ensure Christmas delivery. Orders will not be accepted after November 7th.

If you have questions regarding the school store, please contact Kari Staus at kstaus@bsnsports.com or Sara Wesemann.

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM – CORRECTED START TIME

The Tuesday, November 11, 2025 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 festive decorations and beautiful brunch!

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.

LET IT SNOW…SKI CLUB INFO!

Good news, Sara & Mike Kretschmer are once again working with Little Switzerland for the North Lake Ski Club. Sign up links are listed below.

Sign up link: https://shop.littleswitz.com/groups

Group Code: NORTHLAKE2526

See the Ski Club Flyer located at the end of the WAVE for more information.

NLEF Fall Fest

More NLEF Fall Fest Photos at the end of the WAVE!

Happy Halloween from K-4th

Halloween Parade

More Halloween Parade Photos at the end of the WAVE!

Upcoming WAVE Dates

November 14

December 5

December 19

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

We’ve been spending some time talking about bullying prevention in all grades recently. We talk a lot about the power of being an UPSTANDER when we see something happening that is unkind. We practice different strategies and talk about how much power we can have to make someone’s day better.

Take a minute to talk to your child about what you do when you see something happening that is unkind. It could be as simple as changing the subject or supporting the target of the bullying. It might also mean telling someone who can help or saying “Stop – I don’t like that” in an assertive way.

This is a great website you can use as a prompt for some discussion.

Bystander Revolution

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

November Dates to Remember

3

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

4

6th Grade Girls Basketball NLS at Swallow – 5:30 p.m.

5

NLEF Poinsettia Fundraiser – November 5th – 19th

6

6th Grade Girls Basketball – Richmond at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th Grade Girls Basketball – Richmond at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

10

6th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS at Swallow – 4:30 p.m.

Culver’s Night 5:00-8:00 p.m.

11

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

6th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS at North Shore – 4:30 p.m.

7th Grade Girls Basketball – NLS at Stone Bank – 6:30 p.m.

14

Stuffy Spirit Day

17

NLEF Raise Right Gift Card Fundraiser – November 17th – December 5th

19

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

20

6th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

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

24-27

No School – Thanksgiving Recess

NLEF Fall Fest Photo Gallery

Halloween Parade Photo Gallery

WAVE 10-17-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

GUESS WHOOOO?

The North Lake School District received a most generous gift from Paige and Lexi Anderson’s grandparents, Debra and Dave Parkhurst. There is a unique story to accompany this gift, and the proper channels were taken to accept this donation for educational purposes. This will help enhance our curriculum units on life science, ecology, and more specifically, food chains and animal adaptations. Paige and Lexi are planning an all school naming contest for the new NLS Great Horned Owl.

“NOW WHAT?” NOT “WHAT IF?”

You heard about the evacuation drill in the last WAVE. The 5th and 6th graders were very thoughtful and engaged during the drill. I encouraged the students to talk with parents about their questions and response in the event of an emergency. During school safety training, staff practices the “NOW WHAT?” in various scenarios. You can spend all day asking “WHAT IF?” However, law enforcement teaches us to think about “NOW WHAT?” better protecting the students and staff.

North Lake School conferences will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025 from 12:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a 30 minute teacher dinner break at 4:30pm. Click on the name/s below to reserve your spot. We look forward to seeing you at school.

Kindergarten: Mrs. Giesie Ms. Orendorff

1st Grade: Mrs. Tarkowski Mrs. Toczyski

2nd Grade: Mrs. Brittnacher Mr. Ray – Contact via Dojo

3rd Grade: Mrs. Flannery and Ms. Kudis

4th Grade: Ms. Dankmeyer and Mrs. Richman

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

Mrs. Andorfer Mr. Kaczor Mr. Byrne 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), Ms. 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.

REPORTING ABSENCES CORRECTLY

DAILY ABSENCES MUST be reported via PHONE CALL/VOICE MAIL to the SCHOOL OFFICE at 262-966-2033 for state reporting purposes prior to 7:30 a.m.

Please do not email or text individual staff members. This is important because the staff member may not be present to record the information. If you are Dojoing or emailing teachers, this is a courtesy, but does not fulfill state reporting purposes nor guarantee that the teacher is informing the office.

Please CALL THE OFFICE to report attendance for your children at 262-966-2033.

LOST AND FOUND

Cooler weather may have you thinking sweatshirt time! Can’t find it?

Please remind your child/children to check the lost and found in the commons and come take a look when you are at school for parent teacher conferences next week.

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS

All Halloween celebrations will be on Friday, 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.

SKI CLUB

The Ski Club will be returning this year and will once again be at Little Switzerland.

More info will be coming soon!

Fire Prevention Week

Upcoming WAVE Dates

October 31

November 14

December 5

December 19

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Temperatures dropping and sunlight waning make it a wonderful time of year to curl up with a good book. Perfect time for a book fair! Research shows children who choose books that interest them are more motivated and empowered to read and learn even more. Thank you Mia Stremcha and the volunteers for making this happen at North Lake School.

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families!

We are getting ready to celebrate Red Ribbon Week here at North Lake during the week of October 27-October 31. 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.

Here are the topics that we discuss at each level:

Kindergarten and 1st grade: Identifying safe/unsafe things to put in our body

2nd grade: Medicine safety

3rd grade: Peer pressure strategies

4th grade: Decision making

5th grade: Peer pressure resistance strategies

6th grade: Natural High – building resiliency

7th grade: Peer influence – making good choices even when it’s difficult

8th grade: Drug/alcohol information and resistance strategies

Activities will take place in Guidance class, Health class, announcements, and discussions in homerooms. We will also have a Wear Red Day on October 29th. Please join us in wearing red that day – it will let your children know that you support healthy choices, also!

Please stop by and see me at conferences!

Jill Lesch

School Counselor

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

I would like to take a moment to address a current health concern, in some of our classrooms, as there have been questions about policies. Please take a moment to read a release from Beth Gatzow, our district nurse:

“We have noticed an increase in cases of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease going through a few of our classrooms. Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease presents with fever/cold symptoms first, followed by blisters/sores in the mouth, palms of hands, and bottoms of the feet. It is spread for the 24 hours leading up to the fever and for the 24 hours after the fever has broken (without the use of fever-reducing medications).

Students must be fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications before they return to school. If students have open sores on their hands, please contact the office as return criteria may be different due to infectious disease risks.

At the present time, there is no exclusion criterion for a student who is fever-free, but still has open sores in his/her mouth. If the number of cases continues to rise, this may change.

Please ensure that you are not sending your students to school with a fever and you are waiting a FULL 24 HOURS fever-free WITHOUT the use of fever-reducing medication.”

I would like to add that the fevers generally associated with Hand, Foot, and Mouth are low grade (under 102°F) and that even after the fever is gone and the blisters dry up- the virus can still be spread through feces/stool for weeks. It’s of paramount importance to reinforce washing your hands properly with your children.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call us- but in reinforcing our theme of “Count Me In” for the 2025-2026 school year, can I “Count YOU in” to help keep our student body as healthy as possible?

Becca Soya – Health Room Aide

October Dates to Remember

17

Sports Day

NLEF Book Fair

Kindergarten Field Trip, Glacier Rock Farm – 8:30-1:00 p.m.

NLEF Fall Fest – 6:00-8:00 p.m.

20

NLEF Book Fair

21

NLEF Book Fair

6th Grade Girls Basketball at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th Grade Girls Basketball at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

22

NLEF Book Fair

7th Grade Girls Basketball at Richmond – 5:30 p.m.

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

23

11:30 Dismissal

Parent Teacher Conferences – 12:00-8:00 p.m.

24

No School – Teacher Inservice

27

Red Ribbon Week

6th Grade Girls Basketball at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

7th Grade Girls Basketball at NLS – 5:30 p.m.

29

Wear Red Day

7th Grade Girls Basketball at Erin – 4:30 p.m.

30

Red Ribbon Week

6th Grade Girls Basketball at NLS – 4:30 p.m.

31

Red Ribbon Week

End of 1st Quarter

WAVE 10-3-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD WEEK – OCTOBER 6-10

The North Lake School Board helps make decisions that have a tremendous impact on your children’s future and the quality of life in our community. Please thank the North Lake School Board for their service and dedication. School board meetings are typically the third Wednesday of the month, and the dates are located in the calendar on the North Lake School website.

North Lake School Board Members

Marty Iverson – President

Debra Schaber – Vice President

John Marchek – Clerk

Bob Gatchel – Treasurer

Rich Hawkins – Member

SCHOOL SAFETY

The 5th and 6th grade students and staff practiced a school evacuation drill on Wednesday, October 1st. Students exited the building as they would during a fire drill and proceeded to the designated evacuation area, St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish Center. This site provides secure shelter in the unlikely event of an all school evacuation. The 5th and 6th grade group was purposefully selected to provide ongoing leadership for future years.

Building access and visitor management continue to be top priorities for the District. There are systems in place to control access, promote purposeful observation, and work closely with law enforcement. School doors are locked. Visitors are screened and limited. All staff are trained to use common sense, be observant, and demonstrate vigilance during the school day.

Finally, all local law enforcement including Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department, Village of Chenequa Police Department, and Town of Merton’s contract with Village of Lac La Belle Police Department have fob and master key access to North Lake School in case of emergency.

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

Daily attendance information has been falling through the cracks this school year.

ABSENCES MUST be reported via phone call/voice mail to the school office at 262-966-2033 for state reporting purposes prior to 7:30 a.m.

Please do not email or text individual staff members. This is important because the staff member may not be present to record the information. If you are Dojoing or emailing teachers, this is a courtesy, but does not fulfill state reporting purposes nor guarantee that the teacher is informing the office.

Please CALL THE OFFICE to report attendance for your children at 262-966-2033.

BUMP – SET – SPIKE

Thank you to the Meisner family for the recent addition to the playground. The volleyball net is being enjoyed by the students.

Staff Spotlight

I am Danielle Herzog, and I am delighted to be joining the North Lake School team as an Interventionist, working with students in grades 4-8. I’m looking forward to collaborating with my new colleagues and the North Lake families to support our students in achieving their goals.

For the past 16 years, I have been dedicated to education in the Brookfield, WI area, with experience teaching both 2nd and 6th grade. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Education with a minor in Mathematics from Mount Mary University. Now, I am excited to bring my skills to North Lake School to assist small groups and individual students in math and literacy.

My family and I are already part of the North Lake community, with my son attending the school and my two daughters at Arrowhead High School. In our free time, we enjoy paddle boarding, puzzles, watching soccer, hiking, and spending time outdoors.

I am enthusiastic about this new role and look forward to contributing to the success of North Lake School.

7th Grade Camp Whitcomb Field Trip

Change for Change

Kindergarten Teachers Totally In Sync

Upcoming WAVE Dates

October 3

October 17

October 31

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 to save the date.

North Lake School conferences will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025 from noon to 8:00pm with a teacher dinner break from 4:30 to 5:00pm.

Counseling Corner

Hello!

In many classes this month we are talking about The Zones of Regulation to help students understand and manage their feelings. This is a concept that students seem to connect with quickly. Please ask them about it! They should be able to tell you about each of the zones and their “Get to Green” strategies.

The Zones help your child describe how they are feeling:

Color	Zone description	Feelings
Blue Zone	Low and Slow	Sad, sick, tired, bored
Green Zone	Go!	Calm, happy, focused, ready to learn.
Yellow Zone	Slow Down!	Stressed, frustrated, worried, nervous, silly, overly energetic
Red Zone	Stop!	Angry, terrified, aggressive, overwhelmed.

Look for worksheets coming home with your child in the next few weeks. Those will help you know what your child’s “get to green” tools are for each zone. This simple language helps them to know that all feelings are okay – we just need to figure out how to get ourselves back to calm. If you would like more resources, let me know!

Take care –

Jill Lesch

October Dates to Remember

6

Fire Prevention Week

School Board Appreciation Week

9

Leif Erickson Day Observed

13

Christopher Columbus Day Observed

NLEF Coffee & Tea Fundraiser – October 13-31

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

16

NLEF Book Fair Begins – October 16-22

17

Sports Day

NLEF Fall Fest – 6:00-8:00 p.m.

22

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

23

11:30 Dismissal

Parent Teacher Conferences – 12:00-8:00 p.m.

24

No School – Teacher Inservice

27

Red Ribbon Week

29

Wear Red Day

31

End of 1st Quarter

Category: The Wave

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Anti-Bullying Dance Performance

Achieving Outside NLS

Upcoming WAVE Dates

March 20

April 10

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Counseling Corner

March Dates to Remember

2

4

6

9

13

17

18

20

27

Mar 28 - Apr 6

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Chinese New Year

Black History Month

100TH Day of School

Literacy Lights the Night

Upcoming WAVE Dates

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Counseling Corner

February Dates to Remember

16

17

18

19

20

23

25

28

Literacy Lights the Night Photo Gallery

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Thank You For Board Games!

Upcoming WAVE Dates

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Counseling Corner

February Dates to Remember

2

3

5

9

10

11

12

16

17

18

19

20

23

25

28

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Upcoming WAVE Dates

A Note from Ms. Meister...

Counseling Corner

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

January Dates to Remember

16

19

20

21

22

23

26

27

28

29

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Wishing Everyone a Safe & Happy Holiday Season!

Holiday Concerts Photo Gallery

Upcoming WAVE Dates

A Note from Ms. Meister...