WAVE 10-16-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

SCHOOL MEANS MORE

School means more when families are directly involved with the overall educational experience including events such as Fall Fest and the Book Fair. We need you to actively participate by volunteering, attending, and/or supporting North Lake School and North Lake Education Foundation. Sign up with a friend or make a new friend. Your efforts make a world of difference and your participation is what makes North Lake an exceptional place. Contact Mia Stremcha, President of NLEF and Jessie Roberts, Community Fellowship Committee, to get involved.

North Lake School Parent-Teacher Conferences

Fall 2026 Conference Sign-Up & Schedule

Parent-teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Please note: Teachers will take a dinner break from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Please click on the appropriate teacher link below to reserve your conference time slot. We look forward to meeting with you!

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: Mrs. Flores and Mrs. Richman
5th & 6th Grade:** Sign up with your child’s homeroom teacher below:
- Mrs. Andorfer | Mr. Kaczor | Mr. Byrne | Mrs. Herzog
7th & 8th Grade: Mrs. Duenk | Mr. McConville | Mrs. Minor | Mrs. Wagner
- Grades 7 and 8 conferences are held in a drop-in format from 12:00–7:45 p.m., allowing families to stop by at their convenience.

Special Education, Specials & Electives

The following teachers are available for drop-in visits throughout the afternoon and evening:

Physical Education: Mrs. Clauer
Music: Mr. Krieger
School Counselor: Mrs. Lesch
Art: Mrs. Franke
Special Education: Ms. Westcott, Mr. Wood

**Grades 5–6 Additional Note:**

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

APP IS WORKING!

The MyView App should now be working for the North Lake buses according to Dousman Transport.

The MyView instructions and code are located in the WAVE attachment section.

HALLOWEEN PARTIES & PARADE

All parties will be held on Friday, October 30th. Check with your child’s teacher for more info.

The K-4 Halloween Costume Parade begins promptly at 8:00 a.m. in the MPR. Please make sure to send the costume to school with your child.

Third Grade Solar Ovens

Next WAVE – November 6

The AP Update...

Building Strong Foundations: The Power of Home and School Collaboration

Elementary school lays the foundation for lifelong learning. Research shows that a strong partnership between home and school is one of the most influential factors in a student’s success.

North Lake School’s upcoming parent-teacher conferences on October 22 from noon – 8 p.m. present the perfect opportunity to collaborate and build this partnership.

Why Home and School Collaboration Matters

Collaborating with families creates a strong support system for students, offering several key benefits:

Academic Growth: Reinforcing lessons at home solidifies core concepts.
Consistent Expectations: Shared goals between parents and teachers give children clarity and confidence.
Open Communication: Regular updates build trust and keep everyone aligned on student progress.
Enhanced Social-Emotional Support: A unified approach helps identify needs early and supports overall well-being.

Thank you for partnering with North Lake School to help every child thrive!

Julie Westcott, Assistant Principal

Counselor's Corner...

Hello North Lake Families!

We have two things coming up here at North Lake that I want to tell you about. Hopefully your kids will tell you more about them too!

What: Red Ribbon Week

When: October 26-30

Why: Supporting health choices for our bodies and brains. We will do activities during Guidance and in homerooms. More details to come in the next WAVE!

Spirit Day: Wear Red on Wednesday, 10/28

What: Wave Families Activity

We will be gathering in groups of students K-8 with a teacher to do team building activities and a service project.

When: Thursday, October 22 (10:15-11:15 a.m.)

Why: To build community in our K-8 school! This will also give our older students a chance to be positive leaders.

Please let me know if you have any questions or feedback about either of these school initiatives. We are looking forward to celebrating healthy choices and building community!

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

Jill Lesch

School Counselor

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

October Dates to Remember

15-21

NLEF Book Fair

16

CFC Fall Event

21

5th Grade Girls Basketball – Swallow at NLS – 4:30 p.m.
School Board Meeting in Library at 5:30 p.m.

22

Early Dismissal – 11:30 a.m.

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

23

No School – Teacher Inservice

26

Red Ribbon Week
5th Grade Girls Basketball – North Shore Green vs NLS at Lake Country – 4:30 p.m.

28

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

30

End of 1st Quarter

K-4 Halloween Costume Parade – 8:00 a.m. in MPR

WAVE 10-2-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARD WEEK – OCTOBER 5-9

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

PARKING LOT SAFETY

As a reminder, Waukesha County installed NO PARKING signs along Highway VV because parked cars obstruct the view of cars exiting the parking lot onto Highway VV. This rule was a county decision to promote the safety of students especially in light of tragic school related accidents in the county last year.

REMINDER: DROP OFF – PICK UP

Please be PATIENT and RESPECTFUL during drop off/pick up times. And always, adhere to the Parking Lot Rules below to keep our school children safe.

SLOW DOWN as children are present

WALK with your child TO and FROM your parked vehicle

STAND on the sidewalk to greet your child

Students will meet parents in the carline in the pink striped “CANDY CANE LANE”

No parking on Park Road or Hwy VV per Highway Departments

Highway VV is EXIT ONLY – Enter the parking lot via Park Road

Staff crossing guards are identified with high visibility vests and signs
Please report all parking lot safety concerns immediately to the staff crossing guards

WELLNESS POLICY = MILK OR WATER ONLY

North Lake School is committed to serving healthy meals served with milk or water to our students. For students who do not participate in the federal milk program, drinking water is available for all students during meal times. Schools alone cannot develop in students healthy behaviors and habits with regard to eating and exercise. It is necessary for parents to be involved with the community wide effort to promote, support, and model healthy behaviors and habits. Thank you parents for not packing unhealthy drinks in cold lunches (e.g. Monster drinks, caffeinated drinks, sodas, etc.)

MYVIEW – BUS APP

Currently, the MyView app is unavailable for the NLS bus routes. Once Dousman has all of the routes set for the year, we will notify you when it becomes available.

Grade School Run Results

Next WAVE – October 16

The AP Update...

The Joy of Reading Together

Reading with your child is one of the single most effective ways to foster a lifelong love of learning, build rich vocabulary, and support academic growth across all grade levels. Whether your child is discovering letter sounds in early elementary or tackling complex literature in middle school, shared reading experiences build confidence and connection.

The Power of Reading Together at Home

Spending just 15 to 20 minutes a day reading together makes a lasting impact on your child’s learning journey.

Elementary (Grades 4K–3): Read aloud together daily, point out letters and sounds, and ask fun questions about the characters.

Middle School (Grades 4–8): Read side-by-side, listen to audiobooks on trips, discuss current articles, or chat about themes in their favorite books.

Julie Westcott, Assistant Principal

Counselor's Corner...

Hello North Lake Families!

Bully Prevention Day is Wednesday, October 7th. Students should wear ORANGE to show support to stop bullying. This is a topic that we talk about frequently with the students from the viewpoint of a target and a bystander. We remind the students of things they can do if they witness bullying or experience it themselves.

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.

We also talk about the difference between bullying and conflict.

Bullying = imbalance of power

Conflict = two people on an equal playing field who disagree with each other

In the policy above, we have a bullying reporting form. As parents you have the ability to fill one of these out if you have concerns. As a school we will then investigate and problem solve.

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

Harvest Fest Fun!

October Dates to Remember

4-10

Fire Prevention Week

School Board Week

7

Bullying Prevention Day

9

Observance of Leif Erickson Day

12

Observance of Christopher Columbus Day

Culver’s Night 5:00-8:00 p.m.

15-20

NLEF Book Fair

16

CFC Fall Event

21

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

22

Early Dismissal – 11:30 a.m.

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

23

No School – Teacher Inservice

26-30

Red Ribbon Week

30

End of 1st Quarter

WAVE 9-18-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

COMMUNICATION IS A TWO WAY STREET

Things are running smoothly. Parents, you are our partners in your child’s education. It is your responsibility to actively engage in the North Lake School community. Please read the Student/Parent Handbook, the WAVE, and the North Lake website. Visit your child’s teachers’ Google sites for weekly grade level information.

Finally, if your child is unhappy at school, do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher, Mrs. Jill Lesch (School Counselor), or Dr. Ackley for immediate attention and supportive next steps.

GREEN THUMB NEEDED

Finally, do you love gardening, weeding, and nature in general? We are looking for volunteers to beautify the school in the fall and spring with general upkeep of the flower beds around the school and in the courtyard. Please contact Dr. Ackley for more information.

TRYING TO STOP THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS

If your child has a fever in the morning or is showing significant symptoms, do not medicate to mask fevers and then, send them to school. Please keep your child home until they are fever free for 24 hours. Generally, we have been sending students home within the first few hours of the school day in these situations.

GRANDPARENTS DAY PHOTO GALLERY

Located at the end of the WAVE

60 YEARS IN THE MAKING

Former North Lake kindergartener, Earl Cull, was in the very first kindergarten class at North Lake School in 1966. Prior to 1966, North Lake students started school in the first grade. Fast forward 60 years to 2026, Joey Cull, Earl & Dawn Cull’s grandson, is now in kindergarten.

NLS ROBOTICS LEAGUE

Join NLS FLL Robotics – design, build, code, test, and solve problems as a team! We’re stepping up our game! This isn’t the LEGO Club of years past – this is NLS Robotics! We’re looking for students who are serious about STEM and ready to learn robotics.

See flier attached for more details!

MYVIEW – BUS APP

Currently, the MyView app is unavailable for the NLS bus routes. Once Dousman has all of the routes set for the year, we will notify you when it becomes available toward the end of September.

NL HARVEST FEST – PARK ROAD CLOSURE

The Town of Merton will shut down Park Road for Harvest Fest.

Park Road starting by the Pavilion at North Lake Park to the tennis courts will close starting, Friday, September 18, 2026 thru Monday, September 21, 2026.

See the North Lake Harvest Fest flyer at the end of the WAVE for information on Harvest Fest.

Next WAVE – October 2

The AP Update...

Upcoming Fall Screening & Diagnostics

Over the next few weeks, North Lake students across all grade levels will participate in routine fall benchmark assessments to help our teachers get to know their learning strengths and needs.

In accordance with 2023 Wisconsin Act 20, all students in grades 4K through 3rd grade will take the aimswebPlus early reading screener. In addition, all students in grades K – 8 will be taking i-Ready Inform in math and reading.

How Families Can Support Assessment Days

No special studying or preparation is needed for the aimswebPlus reading screener or diagnostic assessments. You can best support your child by encouraging a good night’s rest before school days, providing a healthy morning meal, and reassuring your child that these check-ins are simply a tool to help their teachers learn how to support them best.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership. If you have any questions about early literacy screening or upcoming assessments, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.

Stay Tuned: The Joy of Reading Together

Julie Westcott, Assistant Principal

Counseling Corner

Hello!

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. I might be sick, 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, silly or excited.
Red Zone: I am not in control. I might feel angry or panicked.

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.
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 emotions 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

September Dates to Remember

18

POW-MIA Recognition Day

GOLD SPIRIT DAY

19

North Lake Harvest Fest

22

Student & Staff Picture Retake Day including LCK – 8:00a.m. – 1:00p.m.

28

Frances Willard Day

7th Grade Field Trip at Camp Whitcomb

Girls Basketball Practice Begins

GRANDPARENTS DAY PHOTO GALLERY

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR!

WAVE 9-4-26

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

WELCOME BACK

It was great to see all the smiling faces and start a new school year so smoothly. I have a few staffing updates to share with you.

Mrs. Margaux Franke is the new K-8th grade Art teacher.
Ms. Julie Westcott is expanding her role to include Assistant Principal.
Mrs. Jill Lesch is taking on Assessment and Gifted and Talented duties.

You can read more about these super staff members below.

BACK TO SCHOOL PHOTO GALLERY

Located at the end of the WAVE

SCHOOL SAFETY TRAINING

North Lake School partnered with the Village of Lac La Belle Police Department to improve our intruder response protocol. Detective Rob Kassens spent several hours with North Lake teachers physically practicing appropriate responses to threats. The teachers were very engaged and had excellent questions. North Lake students will participate in an announced LOCKDOWN DRILL next week.

Staff continued safety training with our District nurse, Beth Gatzow, with CPR and AED simulations.

PARENT COMMUNICATION

The North Lake School District prioritizes protecting your child’s confidentiality in the digital world. Therefore, teachers will communicate via phone, email, and Google classroom/sites. Class Dojo became a distraction from teaching and learning. Thank you for your continued support and engagement in your child’s North Lake education.

Please join us in congratulating Ms. Julie Westcott on her appointment as our new Assistant Principal.

Many of you already know Ms. Westcott well through her dedicated service as our special education teacher and Pupil Services Director. In this new capacity, she will be adding the Assistant Principal role to her existing responsibilities, ensuring a seamless transition and continuity of care for our students and programs.

Ms. Westcott is incredibly excited to begin working with students, parents, and staff in this expanded role.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Jill Lesch on her new appointment.

Mrs. Jill Lesch has extensive experience with student data. This skill set will enhance her expanded role to include District Assessment Coordinator and Gifted & Talented Coordinator.

Feel free to contact Mrs. Lesch with questions about your child’s academic, behavioral, and social development.

Please join us in welcoming Mrs. Margaux Franke, our newest staff member.

Mrs. Margaux Franke is an artist and designer. She formerly worked as a corporate designer and design manager for Trek. Mrs. Franke has 2 sons, 2 dogs, and 1 husband. Mrs. Franke’s favorite color is grey because when the light reflects the color grey it can look blue or green or purple.

Let’s “Learn it all” with Mrs. Franke in K-8th grade art classes. You can see her own art at Roots in Oconomowoc.

LEARNING LAB

Beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2026 our school library will be 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.

Students younger than 4th grade must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The space is open for quiet reading, individual or group assignments and projects, specific study and research purposes. Parents and guardians are asked to pick up their children promptly at 4:00 p.m. at Door G.

BRING YOUR OVER THE COUNTER STUDENT MEDICATIONS TO THE OFFICE

Students are not allowed to self medicate over the counter medications at school. These items should not be in student lockers. All medications must be stored in the office and given by the healthroom staff.

Non-prescription (over-the-counter) medications 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. Please drop off your own medication in the office. Thank you for your cooperation.

GIRLS BASKETBALL PAPERWORK DUE

This is a reminder that all 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th grade girls basketball paperwork is due Tuesday, September 8th to the office or Mrs. Tarkowski.

At this time, North Lake will not have any teams as no one has signed up. Let’s represent Lakers!

NLS ROBOTICS LEAGUE

Join NLS FLL Robotics – design, build, code, test, and solve problems as a team! We’re stepping up our game! This isn’t the LEGO Club of years past – this is NLS Robotics! We’re looking for students who are serious about STEM and ready to learn robotics. See flier attached for more details!

MYVIEW – BUS APP

Currently, the MyView app is unavailable for the NLS bus routes. Once Dousman has all of the routes set for the year, we will notify you when it becomes available toward the end of September.

ANNUAL NORTH LAKE DADS’ OPEN

How it started…A handful of North Lake dads. One tee time. One idea.

On the first day of school this year, four of us planted the seed for what we hope becomes a great North Lake tradition — the Annual North Lake Dads’ Open.

We teed it up at Fairways of Woodside, played some golf, had plenty of laughs, and quickly realized: We need to do this every year.

The first event came together last minute, and a lot of dads who wanted to join simply couldn’t make it.

So let’s plan for next year!

Mark your calendar.
Take off the first day of school.
Come meet and connect with other North Lake dads.

The first group teed off. Now let’s fill the course.

NL HARVEST FEST – PARK ROAD CLOSURE

The Town of Merton will shut down Park Road for Harvest Fest.

Park Road starting by the Pavilion at North Lake Park to the tennis courts will close starting, Friday, September 18, 2026 thru Monday, September 21, 2026.

See the North Lake Harvest Fest flyer at the end of the WAVE for information on Harvest Fest.

Next WAVE – September 18

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 7th/8th grade 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.

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!

GOLD DAY

9/18

Wear your gold to show your support for ending childhood cancer!

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