WAVE 4-25-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Peas

3 P’s OF OPEN ENROLLMENT

PIPELINE

The open enrollment window is closing on April 30th. While we have seen interest at all grade levels over the years, Lake Country Kindergarten (LCK) has had the highest percentage of open-enrolled students. LCK continues to be a positive community partner for North Lake School and contributes to the success of our rural K-8 district. 

PROGRAMMING

The needs in a K-8 are very different between the upper school and lower school including class sizes.  A benefit of open enrollment is a growing middle school student body, which allows us to offer more opportunities for our students, such as theater productions and clubs.  In the 2025-2026 school year, North Lake School plans to offer a brand new multimedia club as well as a school play in the month of May.

PERFORMANCE

We have not seen any increase in discipline concerns and more often our North Lakers are great role models to all new students and are very welcoming.  Our teachers foster positive learning environments which promote confident learners who build new friendships and a strong school community.  Our test scores are pretty good too!

SCHOOL SAFETY UPDATES

Your child will be participating in a FIRE DRILL in partnership with Merton Community Fire Department on Monday, April 28th.  

The onsite visit for CRITICAL INCIDENT MAPPING as part of the Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety grant is scheduled for April 30th.

A TORNADO DRILL will be held in May.

safety

TEACHER REQUESTS

There is only one way to make a teacher request for the upcoming school year.  You need to put your request in writing (e-mail is fine) to Dr. Ackley.  I am happy to honor requests whenever possible, but it is important that the requests are received in a timely manner.  Requests must be made by Monday, May 12th.  It is very difficult to accommodate requests during the summer or at the start of the school year for many reasons.

DRESS CODE

Weather is getting warmer but that does not mean midriffs and bottoms should be shown! Please review the NLS dress code found in the Parent-Student Handbook with your middle school child and go shopping if your child has outgrown his or her clothing.  Dress code violations are usually handled with a verbal warning but repeat violations will result in a behavioral referral.

dresscode
LIBRARY

WE LOVE THE TOWN HALL LIBRARY!

Our 6th graders had the opportunity to spend some time exploring their newly renovated Maker’s Space with Mr. Hunter.  Some of our favorite activities were programming the laser engraver, using the 3-D pens, creating Haikus and Black-out Poetry, and building on the Lego wall.  Just a reminder that all of these activities are available after school and on the weekends for you to experience as well!

LIBRARY
LIBRARY
LIBRARY
LIBRARY

TURN IN THOSE DONATIONS!

The collection drive for Tricia’s Troops is coming to an end on Wednesday, April 30th.  Reminder, the class that brings the most items will win a pizza party!  See the flyer located at the end of the WAVE for more information.

nls logo

FINAL WAVE DATES 

We are heading into the home stretch of the school year. 

Below is a list of the final WAVE dates for the 2024-25 school year.

May 9

May 30 – Final WAVE

4th Grade - Capitol Building Field Trip

capital building
capitol building

4th Grade Earth Day & Arbor Day

Earth Day

Track Meet Results - 4-14-2025

Student

Event

Place

Gabi Blavat

Girls 10 – 55 Meter Dash

3

 

Girls 10 – 100 Meter Dash

5

Elliot Daugs

Boys 12 – 400 Meter Dash

6

 

Boys 12 – 1600 Meter Run

7

Juliana Daugs

Girls 14 – 400 Meter Dash

1

Bennett Dundon

Boys 8 – 55 Meter Dash

2

 

Boys 6 -110 Meter Dash

3

Brycen Dundon

Boys 6 – 55 Meter Dash

3

 

Boys 6 -110 Meter Dash

3

Keagan Foerch

Boys 14 – 1600 Meter Dash

1

Reese Foerch

Girls 12 – 400 Meter Dash

1

Reid Foerch

Boys 12 – 800 Meter Run

4

Avonlea Kent

Girls 9 – Long Jump

4

 

Girls 9 – Javelin Throw

3

Finnley Kent

Girls 6 – Long Jump

2

 

Girls 6 – Javelin Throw

1

Hank Schmidt

Boys 7 – 55 Meter Dash

6

 

Boys 7 – Long Jump

2

 

Boys 7 – Javelin Throw

3

Parker Widenski

Girls 13 – 400 Meter Dash

3

 

Girls 13 – 110 Meter Hurdles

6

 

Girls 13 – Long Jump

12

JJ Wistl

Boys 3 & U – 55 Meter Dash

1

 

Boys 3 & U – 110 Meter Dash

1

 

Boys 3 & U – Long Jump

1

Achieving Outside NLS

Congratulations to North Lake alum Charlie Andorfer – and his UW Madison B volleyball club team – for winning Division III at the NCVF 2025 Volleyball Championships in Phoenix this past weekend.  Charlie was also recognized as the MVP of his division. 

Charlie Andorfer

Father/Daughter Dance Photo Gallery

father daughter dance

More Photos Located at End of WAVE

Counseling Corner

Hello North Lake Families,

As part of the Wisconsin Comprehensive School Counseling standards, one of the lessons that I do at each grade level is safety and protective behaviors.  We talk a lot about who our trusted adults are, when it is time to tell them about something uncomfortable or scary, and how to be safe.  

We will be doing these lessons in most grade levels in early May.  We will also be doing our Human Growth and Development lessons in grades 5, 6 and 8.  Stay tuned for more specific information and timing for Human Growth and Development.

Here is how protective behaviors are addressed at each grade level:

Kindergarten:  Safe/unsafe secrets, identifying trusted adults

1st grade:   Safety rules and identifying a support network of trusted adults

2nd grade:  Privacy circles and identifying safe adults to talk to in various situations

3rd grade:  Assertive communication, good secrets/scary secrets, who to talk to for help

4th grade:  Identifying what is appropriate/safe to share with others digitally and in person

5th grade:  Support network – who to talk to and when

6th grade:  Healthy relationships, when to tell an adult 

7th grade:  Healthy relationships, when to tell an adult 

8th grade:  Healthy relationships, types of abuse, when to talk to an adult

If you have any questions about this part of the curriculum, please contact me so that we can talk about it.  These are topics that are important to talk about at home, also!

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

April Dates to Remember

24

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – TEAL at Merton – 5:20 & 6:10

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – BLACK at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

25

Arbor Day Observed

28

7th Grade Girls Volleyball at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

29

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – TEAL at North Shore – 5:20 & 6:10

30

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – B Division at Erin – 5:20 & 6:10 

May Dates to Remember

1

7th Grade Girls Volleyball at North Shore – 5:20 & 6:10

5

6th Grade Field Trip to Zoo – 8:30-1:45 pm

5-9

Staff Appreciation Week

12

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 pm

14

3rd Grade Field Trip to Discovery World – 8:00-2:10 pm

16

1st Grade Field Trip to Zoo – 8:45-2:00 pm

21

4th Grade Field Trip to Old World Wisconsin – 8:40-2:00 pm

School Board Meeting in Conference Room – 5:30 pm

22

Lake Country Kindergarten’s Last Day of School

26

No School – Memorial Day

31

NLEF Golf Outing

LCK Enrolling
NLEF 4-4-25
Diner Only Option
CFC 4-25

Father Daughter Dance Photo Gallery

father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance
father daughter dance

WAVE 4-4-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Smarties

SNACKS

Mrs. Lesch and the Leadership group will provide snacks during FORWARD Testing to help motivate students. The Leadership students have selected granola bars, fruit bars, mints, and Smarties.

Our students will be taking the FORWARD assessments as follows:

8th grade: April 7th–10th and 14th–15th

7th grade: April 11th and 14th–16th

5th and 6th grade: April 7th–11th

4th grade: April 7th–10th

3rd grade: April 8th–10th

Breakfast and a good night’s sleep will help promote positive results and reduce test anxiety.

NEW, IMPROVED, AND EXPANDED

Middle school readers have asked for their own Book Fair which will include Teen Reads and YA content (young adult).  Because North Lake’s book fair catered to Kindergarten through 6th grade, there have been limited selection for our 5th through 8th graders.  However on April 7-9, a middle school only book fair will be located upstairs in the 5th and 6th grade science lab.  Ms. Meister reviewed the book list to make sure it matched North Lake’s carefully curated library standards while including a wider variety of genres like fantasy and science fiction.  

The regular book fair for Kindergarten through 4th grade will be held in the conference room April 10-16.  Please consider volunteering for these book fairs.  See the flyers located at the end of the WAVE.

Thank you to Mrs. Mia Stremcha for making the magic of books happen for all students. 

Read On!

Bikes

TREK BIKE RAFFLE UPDATE

There are 7 students in the running for the Perfect Attendance Trek Bike Raffle. 

2nd Grade – 1

3rd Grade – 1

4th Grade – 2

6th Grade – 2

8th Grade – 1

Mrs. Westcott is the only eligible staff member still in the running for the adult bike.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy, and Enjoy the RIDE!

yearbook order

LAST CHANCE!

The yearbook order from Empire Photography has been reopened.  This is the LAST CHANCE to order a North Lake School yearbook for the 2024-2025 school year.  The office does not stock extra yearbooks for purchase so please take advantage of placing your order through Empire by April 15th.  Please see the flyer at the end of the WAVE.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

North Lake School is partnering with Arrowhead seniors, Alya Brittnacher, Kara Volgeltanz, and Kiah Koplin-Potrykus for their Health Practicum Community Service Project.  All grades will be collecting donations for Tricia’s Troops Cancer Connection for the entire month of April.  

Most Needed Items:

  • Activity Books (crossword, word search, Sudoku)
  • Water Bottles – BPA Free (Camelbak, Contigo, Pogo, etc.)

The class that brings the most items will win a pizza party!  See the flyer located at the end of the WAVE for more information.

FATHER/DAUGHTER DANCE

Be sure to check out the Boots and Beauties flyer at the end of the WAVE for more information about this year’s Father/Daughter Dance on April 11th. 

Father daughter dance
nls logo

FINAL WAVE DATES 

We are heading into the home stretch of the school year. 

Below is a list of the final WAVE dates for the 2024-25 school year.

April 25

May 9

May 30 – Final WAVE

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR 2025-2026 

The open enrollment period for non-district residents runs from February 3-April 30.  If you know of anyone who is interested in applying to the North Lake School District, please use the links below to apply online and submit directly to DPI.  Families who are currently open enrolled, do not need to complete this process.

Open Enrollment Overview

Online Instructions for Open Enrollment Application

Begin Application Here

open enrollment

A Note from Ms. Meister

forward exam

It’s time for FORWARD testing.

North Lake Students in Grades 3-8 will be participating in the Wisconsin Forward Exam assessment during the statewide testing window, March 17th to April 25th. State assessments, including the Forward Exam are required by both State (Wis. Stat. § 118.30) and Federal ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Law. 

Testing Schedule

  • 8th grade: April 7th-10th and 14th-15th
  • 7th grade: April 11th and 14th-16th
  • 5th and 6th grade: April 7th-11th
  • 4th grade: April 7th-10th
  • 3rd grade: April 8th-10th

The Leadership team will help kick off testing for each grade level by providing each student with a healthy brain food snack. Thank you student leaders!

Each student is required to have wired headphones for this testing. 

The assessment tests students in the areas of English/Language Arts and Mathematics. Students in grades 4 and 8 will also be assessed in the areas of Science and Social Studies. One or more subtests may be administered daily during the identified time frame, and it is very important that your son or daughter be in school during this time. Students not in school on the scheduled testing days will be scheduled for a make-up test prior to the close of the testing window.

The assessments measure the knowledge and skills students should have for their grade level. Students’ performance on the assessment will not affect any of their current grades. Please encourage your child to take the test seriously and do the best they can. The results of these tests will be used to help school staff make determinations regarding services to best support students.

The Information for Families brochure gives more information about the assessment. Once again, it is very important that your son or daughter be in school during this time.

 If you have any questions, please contact your child’s classroom teacher or Nancy Meister.

Counseling Corner

You are not alone
friendships

Hello North Lake Families,

We are in the business of teaching students important academic and life skills here at school.  Sometimes in order to be able to do this there is a need to help students and families address mental health needs in order for the student to fully access those academic strengths.

Here at school I talk with all students about mental health and suicide prevention topics in developmentally appropriate ways.  With the younger students, we have lessons about who to talk to or what to do if you are feeling sad, frustrated, or angry.  In the older grades we will have more direct conversations about what to do if a friend talks about suicidal thoughts or if you are struggling.

These are the lesson topics that we cover at each grade level.

K: Identifying feelings and how to express them

1: Problem solving tools and how to manage worries

2: Feelings – healthy and unhealthy ways of expressing them

3: Effective communication – how to ask for help

4: Support system – who and when to ask for help

5: Support Network lesson – who to talk to in different difficult situations

6: Stress management and who to talk to if your feelings are getting overwhelming

7: Education on ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell)

8:  Discussion about mental health and ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Tell)

One way that you can follow up with this at home is to talk about that ACT acronym.  It is the way that we should all respond if we have a worry about a friend.  It can be applicable at all ages!   Let your friend know you notice there is a problem, that you care about them and will assist them in getting help by telling an adult.  Above all, do SOMETHING.  ACT!

As always, let me know if there is anything I can do to support your child!  We partner with the GALS Institute.  They provide the opportunity for students to see a therapist here at school to make appointments easier to access.  Let me know if you have any questions about this!

Jill Lesch

School Counselor

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

April Dates to Remember

7

NLEF Middle School Book Fair

7th Grade Girls Volleyball at Merton – 4:30 & 5:20 

8

NLEF Middle School Book Fair

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – TEAL & BLACK at North Lake – 4:30, 5:20 & 6:10

678 Boys Volleyball at Kettle Moraine – 4:30 & 6:10

9

Prisoner of War Remembrance Day

NLEF Middle School Book Fair

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – A Division at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – B Division at North Shore – 4:30 & 6:10

10

NLEF K-4 Book Fair

11

NLEF K-4 Book Fair

NLEF Father/Daughter Dance – 6:30-8:30 p.m.

14

American’s Creed Day Observed

NLEF K-4 Book Fair

7th Grade Girls Volleyball at Swallow – 5:20 & 6:10

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

15

NLEF K-4 Book Fair

5th Grade Field Trip JA Biztown – 8:25-2:15 p.m.

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – BLACK at Merton – 4:30 & 5:20

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – A Division at Richmond – 4:30 & 6:10

678 Boys Volleyball at Lake Country – 5:20 & 6:10

 

16

NLEF K-4 Book Fair

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – A Division at Merton – 4:30 & 5:20 

17

Patriots’ Day Observed

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – TEAL at Lake Country – 5:20 & 6:10

18-21

No School – Easter Break

22

Environmental Awareness Day

Bus Driver Appreciation Day

678 Boys volleyball at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

23

4th Grade Capitol Building – Madison Field Trip – 7:30-2:15 p.m.

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

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – B Division at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

24

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – TEAL at Merton – 5:20 & 6:10

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – BLACK at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

25

Arbor Day Observed

28

7th Grade Girls Volleyball at North Lake – 4:30 & 6:10

29

6th Grade Girls Volleyball – TEAL at North Shore – 5:20 & 6:10

30

8th Grade Girls Volleyball – B Division at Erin – 5:20 & 6:10 

LCK Enrolling
Yearbook order
Frenemies
book fair
volunteers
NLEF 4-4-25
Diner Only Option
CFC 4-4-25
Father daughter dance
father daughter dance

WAVE 3-21-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Spring Break

NO SCHOOL – SPRING BREAK

North Lake School and office will be closed for Spring Break, March 24-28.  

School will resume on Monday, March 31st.  

March 31st is also the beginning of the 4th quarter.

nls logo

FINAL WAVE DATES 

We are heading into the home stretch of the school year. 

Below is a list of the final WAVE dates for the 2024-25 school year.

April 4

April 25

May 9

May 30 – Final WAVE

TRACK CLUB REGISTRATION

North Lake School is continuing its partnership with the Merton Area Running Club.  Coach Jill Bradley does an outstanding job with students, and the first practice is right around the corner on April 2nd at Arrowhead.  Click the Merton Area Running Club link to sign up.  Go Lakers!

Running

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR 2025-2026 

The open enrollment period for non-district residents runs from February 3-April 30.  If you know of anyone who is interested in applying to the North Lake School District, please use the links below to apply online and submit directly to DPI.  Families who are currently open enrolled, do not need to complete this process.

Open Enrollment Overview

Online Instructions for Open Enrollment Application

Begin Application Here

open enrollment

First Lego League

First Lego League

8th Grade Boys Basketball -

2nd Grade Silver Division

Boys Basketball grade 8

Photo Gallery - Concerts

Spring Concert

More Photos Located at End of the WAVE

A Note from Ms. Meister

Spring Break Reading

Don’t forget to pack your favorite books over Spring Break!  It is a great time for reading in the car, on the plane, or on the beach.

Enjoy your Spring Break!

Counseling Corner

friendships

Attention 3rd and 4th Grade Parents!

We notice that the social dynamics start to get tricky for girls starting in 3rd and 4th grade and we wanted to do something proactively to support the girls in this tricky time.  We are offering an opportunity for 3rd and 4th grade girls to come together for a workshop sponsored by the Gals Institute.  

Feeling left out, struggling to fit in, or just trying to figure it out will all be addressed

at #Frenemies101 at North Lake School in the Library.

This fun event includes interactive activities that will address all aspects

of making, keeping, and maintaining healthy relationships on and off

social media.

Save the date:  April 14th from 2:30-5:00

Watch for more information coming home after spring break.

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

Take care-

Jill Lesch

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

Sun

Spring break is a time for students, families, and staff alike to take a much needed pause from their usual routines and activities as many families are heading on adventures here and abroad.  

The links below provide information on the current health concerns.  I encourage you to give these a thorough read and make whatever decisions you feel are best for your family.

Measles & Travel

Overview of Measles

Have a wonderful break!

March Dates to Remember

21

End of 3rd Quarter

K-2 First Stage Theater – 11:00-2:00 p.m.

24-28

No School – Spring Break

31

Brewers Day

LCK Enrolling
Frenemies
Book Fair
NLEF insert 3-21
dinner only
CFC 3-21-25

PHOTO GALLERY - CONCERTS

K-4 Concert

Concert k4
k4 concert
k4 concert
k4 concert
k4 concert
Concert k4
Concert k4
Concert k4
k4 concert
k4 concert
Concert k4
k4 concert
Concert k4
Concert k4
Concert k4
concert k4
Concert k4
concert k4

5-8 Concert

concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
Concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
concert 58
Concert 58
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Concert 58
concert 58
concert 58

WAVE 3-7-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

safety

MAJOR SCHOOL SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

The North Lake School District is committed to building security and school safety.  Recently, all glass windows in the front office have been reinforced with shatterproof film.  This improvement provides protection of communication infrastructure in the event of a critical incident and may also thwart any threat as the first point of contact.  Shatterproof film is now installed on all windows and doors in the major entrances and the office.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of School Safety awarded the North Lake School District with funding to support the “Digital Mapping of School Buildings Program.”  A digital map or critical incident mapping of our K-8 campus makes it easier for law enforcement and first responders to get an accurate view of the grounds, available safety assets, security resources, evacuation points, and other user defined information.  This improvement will accelerate incident response times.  

North Lake School continues seeking opportunities to improve school safety in the best interest of your child(ren).

8TH GRADE STUDENT GRADUATION PLANNING COMMITTEE MEETINGS

It is that time of year to start planning for the 8th grade graduation ceremony on June 4th at 5:30 p.m.  For over two decades, the 8th grade class has planned their graduation ceremony with administration.  I am looking forward to hosting the first student planning session on Friday, March 7th at 11:00 a.m. in the conference room.  The committee will meet every Friday during the lunch hour until graduation.  It is always a pleasure to work with the future graduates and their unique ideas that reflect their class.

graduation day

ART SHOW SNEAK PEAK 

The Visual & Vocal Art Shows are approaching on Thursday, March 13th for grades 5-8 and Friday, March 14th for grades K-4. 

If you would like a sneak peak at your child’s artwork you may scan the QR code located at the end of the WAVE.  Mrs. Lyons was able to include all students’ artwork in this beautiful slideshow.  

Art Slideshow 2025

SPRING VOCAL CONCERT & ART SHOW SCHEDULE

The 5-8 Spring Concert is on Thursday, March 13th at 6:00 p.m.  Students should arrive at the choir room at 5:40 p.m. Students should dress up and look nice. The concert will be about 45 minutes in length.

The K-4 Spring Concert is on Friday, March 14th at 5:00 p.m.  Students should arrive at 4:30 p.m. to their homerooms. Students should dress up and look nice. The concert will be about 45 minutes in length.

Spring Concert

TRACK CLUB REGISTRATION

North Lake School is continuing its partnership with the Merton Area Running Club.  Coach Jill Bradley does an outstanding job with students, and the first practice is right around the corner on April 2nd at Arrowhead.  Click the Merton Area Running Club link to sign up.  Go Lakers!

Running

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR 2025-2026 

The open enrollment period for non-district residents runs from February 3-April 30.  If you know of anyone who is interested in applying to the North Lake School District, please use the links below to apply online and submit directly to DPI.  Families who are currently open enrolled, do not need to complete this process.

Open Enrollment Overview

Online Instructions for Open Enrollment Application

Begin Application Here

open enrollment

YEARBOOK ORDERS

This is the first and only opportunity to order yearbooks for the 2024-2025 school year.  No yearbook orders were taken during registration at the beginning of the year.

Information for ordering the 2024-2025 North Lake School yearbook will be emailed directly to you by Empire Photography, February 8th.

Yearbooks are $14.50 each, and payment is made directly to Empire Photography via the yearbook store.  Orders may also be placed through the yearbook store link below or QR code located at the end of the WAVE.  

The last day to order your 2024-2025 yearbook is March 15th.  

 https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/northlakeschool

yearbook order

A Note from Ms. Meister

forward exam

Looking ahead…thinking FORWARD

North Lake students in Grades 3-8 will be participating in the Wisconsin Forward Exam assessment during the statewide testing window, March 17th to April 25th . State assessments, including the Forward Exam are required by both State (Wis. Stat. § 118.30) and Federal ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Law. 

The Information for Families brochure provides more information about the FORWARD exam. 

North Lake students in Grades K-3 will be participating in fundamental reading skills screening during the spring statewide testing window, March 16th to July 31st. All 5K through grade 3 learners must take the universal reading screener on or before the 45th day of school in the fall, once mid-year, and on or before the 45th day prior to the last day of school in the spring. Screening will be completed at North Lake School by April 17th.

The Early Reading Screener Family Communication Letter provides more information.

Our North Lake students will be taking these assessments following Spring Break during April. Please make every effort to have your children in school during this time.

Stay tuned for more information in future Wave newsletters.

Counseling Corner

leadership

Hello North Lake Families!  

Our Leadership Group planned an outing to the Heritage Senior Living Center in Hartland.  We had a great time playing bingo and singing with the residents there.  They also delivered Valentine’s that were made by all students at North Lake.  The students who participated realized that filling someone else’s bucket also filled theirs.  It was a wonderful experience.  We are hoping to continue this partnership in the future!

Heritage Field Trip
heritage field trip

Next Leadership Spirit Days:

3/17:  Wear Green

3/31: Brewers Day

Take care-

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

March Dates to Remember

10

Volleyball Practice Begins

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

13

5-8 Visual & Vocal Arts Concert – 6:00 p.m.

14

K-4 Visual & Vocal Arts Concert – 5:00 p.m.

17

“The Great Hunger Day” in Ireland observed

Green Day

19

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

21

End of 3rd Quarter

K-2 First Stage Theater – 11:00-2:00 p.m.

24-28

No School – Spring Break

31

Brewers Day

Art Slideshow 2025
LCK Enrolling
NLEF Gold Outing Registration
Sponsorship Packages
Win VIP Seats
cfc newsletter

WAVE 2-20-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Literacy night

LITERACY LIGHTS THE NIGHT

A special thank you to Mrs. Toczyski and Miss Orendorff for coordinating this year’s Literacy Night.  The stories were sweet, and the cake was delicious!

More photos located at the end of the WAVE.

science fair

SCIENCE FAIR PRESENTATIONS

The Science Fair was a huge success, and the kids did a fantastic job.  Thank you to Kwik Trip for donating donuts and coffee, and Culver’s for donating kids meals.  Congratulations to all the participants!  See you next year!

More photos located at the end of the WAVE.

Science Fair club

5 YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP

If you or your neighbor knows of a rising five year old, kindergarten student, please contact the school office so that we can plan for the upcoming school year.  We are currently enrolling students for the 2025-2026 school year in all grades, 5K-8th.

Kindergarten roundup

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR 2025-2026 

The open enrollment period for non-district residents runs from February 3-April 30.  If you know of anyone who is interested in applying to the North Lake School District, please use the links below to apply online and submit directly to DPI.  Families who are currently open enrolled, do not need to complete this process.

Open Enrollment Overview

Online Instructions for Open Enrollment Application

Begin Application Here

open enrollment

YEARBOOK ORDERS

This is the first and only opportunity to order yearbooks for the 2024-2025 school year.  No yearbook orders were taken during registration at the beginning of the year.

Information for ordering the 2024-2025 North Lake School yearbook will be emailed directly to you by Empire Photography, February 8th.

Yearbooks are $14.50 each, and payment is made directly to Empire Photography via the yearbook store.  Orders may also be placed through the yearbook store link below or QR code located at the end of the WAVE.  

The last day to order your 2024-2025 yearbook is March 15th.  

 https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/northlakeschool

yearbook order

A Note from Ms. Meister

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences tonight, February 20th from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Counseling Corner

love and logic

Hello North Lake Families!  

Last call for joining me for a Love and Logic parenting course.  All sessions cover different topics within the Love and Logic framework but if you need to miss one that is just fine.  We will catch you up!

Dates:  2/24, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17, 3/31, 4/7

Time:  6:00-7:30 p.m.

If you are interested, please fill out this registration form.

Hope to see you there!

Take care-

Jill Lesch

lesjil@northlakeschool.org

February Dates to Remember

20

George Washington’s Birthday Observed

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

21

No School – Mid-Winter Break

24

AMSAC Boys Basketball Tournaments – February 24 – March 1

5th Grade – Merton

6th Grade – Erin

28

Stuffy Day

March Dates to Remember

3

Read Across America Week – March 3-7

AMSAC Boys Basketball Tournaments – March 3-8

7th Grade – Stone Bank

8th Grade – North Shore

4

Casimir Pulaski Day

7

NLS Team/Group Pictures – 9:30-2:30 p.m.

10

Volleyball Practice Begins

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 p.m.

13

5-8 Visual & Vocal Arts Concert – 6:00 p.m.

14

K-4 Visual & Vocal Arts Concert – 5:00 p.m.

17

“The Great Hunger Day” in Ireland observed

Green Day

19

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

21

End of 3rd Quarter

K-2 First Stage Theater – 11:00-2:00 p.m.

24-28

No School – Spring Break

31

Brewers Day

Read across America
LCK Enrolling
wave insert
Golf outing
NLEF golf outing
CFC 2-20-25

PHOTO GALLERY

Literacy Lights the Night

literacy night
literacy night
literacy night
literacy night
Literacy night
literacy night
Literacy Night
Literacy night
literacy night
Literacy night
literacy night
Literacy night
Literacy night
Literacy night
Literacy Night
literacy night
literacy night
Literacy night

Science Fair Presentations

science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair
science fair

WAVE 2-7-25

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Black history month presentations

NORTH LAKE SCHOOL CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

The Goodie Gals (8th grade school service group) planned and presented multiple lessons to Kindergarten, 4th grade, and 6th grade this past week.  Important lessons were learned through literature, reenactment, and art activities.  Students connected with the historical Civil Rights Movement and the practical day to day social experience.  There were heartfelt discussions at every level and a genuine interest in respect for all.  The 8th graders demonstrated maturity and facilitated critical thinking and reflection especially in 6th grade.  This K-8 connection is a great opportunity for students to mentor younger students.

Black history month
Black history month
Black history month

SCIENCE FAIR CLUB PRESENTATIONS

We are excited to invite you to our Annual Science Fair, where creativity and curiosity come to life! Our talented students have been hard at work on amazing projects, and we can’t wait to share their discoveries with you.

Join us for a morning of fun, learning, and innovation. We will have water, coffee and donuts courtesy of Kwik Trip! Don’t miss this opportunity to see firsthand the incredible projects our students have created. We hope to see you there!

When:  2/8

Time:  9 a.m. – 11 a.m. 

Where:  Multi purpose room (cafeteria) at North Lake School! 

Science Fair club

5 YEAR OLD KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP

If you or your neighbor knows of a rising five year old kindergarten student, please contact the school office so that we can plan for the upcoming school year.  We are currently enrolling students for the 2025-2026 school year in all grades, 5K-8th.

 

Kindergarten roundup

OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD FOR 2025-2026 

The open enrollment period for non-district residents runs from February 3-April 30.  If you know of anyone who is interested in applying to the North Lake School District, please use the links below to apply online and submit directly to DPI.  Families who are currently open enrolled, do not need to complete this process.

Open Enrollment Overview

Online Instructions for Open Enrollment Application

Begin Application Here

open enrollment

YEARBOOK ORDERS

This is the first and only opportunity to order yearbooks for the 2024-2025 school year.  No yearbook orders were taken during registration at the beginning of the year.

Information for ordering the 2024-2025 North Lake School yearbook will be emailed directly to you by Empire Photography, February 8th.

Yearbooks are $14.50 each, and payment is made directly to Empire Photography via the yearbook store.  Orders may also be placed through the yearbook store link below or QR code located at the end of the WAVE.  

The last day to order your 2024-2025 yearbook is March 15th.  

 https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/northlakeschool

yearbook order

Mother & Son Bingo Night

Mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo
mother son bingo

4K Kindness Cart

Kindness Cart

At Your Service

staff match day

Front:  Dr. Liesl Ackley, Superintendent; Julie Westcott, Special Education Director  

Back:  Janelle Osowski, District Secretary; Cindy Lofy, Speech Pathologist; Katie Daugs, School Secretary & Health Room Aide; Kelley Berlin, School Psychologist; Jen Sellhausen, Business Manager; Nancy Meister, Director of Teaching & Learning

Missing:  Becca Soya, Special Education Aide/Health Room Assistant

February Dates to Remember

8

Science Fair Club Presentations – 9:00-11:00 pm

10

Bus Driver Appreciation Week

Culver’s Night – 5:00-8:00 pm

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

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

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

11

Bus Driver Appreciation Week

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

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

12

Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday Observed

Bus Driver Appreciation Week

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

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

13

Bus Driver Appreciation Week

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

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

14

Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday Observed

Bus Driver Appreciation Week

17

5th Grade Boys Basketball – Merton vs NLS – 6:30 pm (make up game)

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

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

18

5th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs Swallow Black – 5:30 pm

6th Grade Boys Basketball – NLS vs  Swallow Black – 6:30 pm

19

School Board Meeting in Conference Room – 5:30 pm

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

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

20

George Washington’s Birthday Observed

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

21

No School – Mid-Winter Break

24

AMSAC Boys Basketball Tournaments – February 24 – March 1

5th Grade – Merton

6th Grade – Erin

26

Stuffy Day

A Note from Ms. Meister

Parent Teacher Conferences

North Lake School conferences will be held on Thursday, February 20th 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: Miss Hoehnen 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), 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!

In Guidance this month we have been talking about growth mindset in most classrooms.  This would be a great time for you to talk about it with your child!

We talk about:

Growth mindset:  the belief that intelligence and abilities are not static

  • Failure is a chance to learn
  • Effort and practice help you overcome obstacles

Fixed mindset: the belief that abilities are predetermined

  • Challenges and failures are seen as signs they aren’t “good enough” or that they simply aren’t capable of improving.

What can you do to encourage a growth mindset?

  • Praise Effort, Not Just Results: Instead of saying “You’re so smart,” try saying, “I’m proud of how hard you worked on that.”

  • Embrace Mistakes as Learning Opportunities: “What did you learn from that mistake?” or “How could we try a different approach next time?”

  • Model a Growth Mindset Yourself: “This is tough, but I know with practice I can improve.”
  • Encourage Problem-Solving: “What could you try next?” or “What’s another way we could solve this?”

By fostering a growth mindset at home and school, we give our children the tools to face life’s challenges with confidence, grit, and a belief that they can grow and improve.

As always, please let me know if there are any ways that I can support your child!  I will be around for conferences, so let me know if you’d like to set up a call or Google Meet.

Take care-

Jill Lesch

Riding the WAVE of Wellness

Sun

REMINDER: will be holding an eye exam Thursday, February 13 in partnership with the Stone Bank Lions Club**

4K and Kindergarten will be tested and families with students in grades 1-5 can choose to opt-in. There is still time to sign-up.

Please email me at: soyreb@northlakeschool.org if you would like your 1-5 grader to get tested or have any questions. Please see attached link for more information on the importance of vision screenings.

___

Becca Soya
Special Education Aide and Health Room Support

vision screening
LCK Enrolling
NLEF
Golf outing
NLEF golf outing
CFC

WAVE 1-24-2025

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Safety patrol

SUPER SAFETY PATROL

School safety continues to be a top priority at North Lake School. 

Recent improvements include:

  • Increased lower and upper school staff at dismissal
  • Shatterproof film on all office glass including windows and doors
  • New cross walk signage
  • Ongoing staff training 
  • Monitored building access and Raptor Visitor Management System

“See Something, Say Something” is a shared responsibility of the North Lake School community.  

I would like to create a school safety FAQs in future WAVES.  Parents, please submit questions or concerns that I can answer.  I would especially like to inform our youngest and new families about the Board approved safety and security plan.  

band

MIDDLE SCHOOL BAND OPPORTUNITY

North Lake School has formed another community partnership to support the fine arts, specifically instrumental music.  Middle school students are invited to join the Lake Country Lutheran Thunder Band, directed by Becky Garlock.  There are 7 January and February large group sessions (Mondays – 6:30-7:30 p.m.) culminating in a March concert.  More information can be found in the Community Bulletin Board.

North Lake Dancers
Dancing to Taylor Swift - 22

Dance Group

January Dates to Remember

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

January is the time for mid-year assessments. Your child may have talked about aimswebPlus, i-Ready, or semester exams. 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.

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

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

love and logic

Hello North Lake Families!

Would you like to learn more about:

  • how to avoid power struggles and arguments with your kids?
  • how to set enforceable limits?
  • how to stay calm when your kids do upsetting things?
  • how to help your kids learn from their mistakes?

These are the things that we will talk and learn about during our upcoming Love and Logic parenting course which I will facilitate.  

If you would consider attending this 6 week course, please fill out this attached form.  I will be in touch to give more details as they come! 

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

Sun

**We will be holding an eye exam in February in partnership with the Stone Bank Lions Club** 4K and Kindergarten will be tested, and families with students in grades 1-5 can choose to opt-in. Please email me at soyreb@northlakeschool.org if you would like your 1st-5th grader tested or have any questions.

Cold Weather and Managing Asthma
Wintertime can be particularly rough on those who have asthma. When someone with asthma breathes in the cold air, it can cause the muscles in the airways to constrict rapidly and quickly bring about classic asthma symptoms including shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing.

For many of our students who have had one of the long lasting respiratory illnesses floating around this season, it is particularly important to take extra precautions when dealing with the extreme cold we’ve been having. 

Encourage your children to do the following if they are experiencing some sort of respiratory distress:

  • Keep your nose and mouth lightly covered with a face mask or scarf to help warm the air before breathing it in
  • Stay inside if it’s very cold outside
  • If you have an inhaler and start experiencing symptoms, use it immediately to keep your asthma from worsening

___

Becca Soya
Special Education Aide and Health Room Support

LCK
NLEF Wave insert
Golf outing
NLEF golf outing
CFC news

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.

Bikes

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. 

safety

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).

New K teacher

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!

First Dive

True Grit Award

True Grit Award

Citizenship in Action

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

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 authorsJoin 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!
pj day
  • Cookie Decorating Leadership Group Celebration 
cookie decorating
cookie decorating
cookie decorating

Some things planned in the near future are…

  • Visiting Heritage Senior Living
  • Stuffy Day
  • Helping NLEF Brainstorm Ideas
First Lego League
LCK
NLEF insert
Golf Outing 2025

WAVE 12-20-24

Dr. Ackley’s Message . . .

Happy Holidays from North Lake School

community service award

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.

Deputy Dan Adrian

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.

no parking

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.

birthday cake

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.

Goodie Gals

NEWSPAPERS NEEDED

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

newspaper

K-4 Holiday Concert

K-4 Holiday Concert
HOliday concert
Holiday concert
k4 holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday Concert
k4 holiday concert
k4 holiday
k4 holiday concert

5th-8th Holiday Concert

HOliday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Holiday Concert
Holiday concert
Holiday Concert
Holiday concert
Holiday concert
Honliday concert

Holiday Concert Encore

Holiday Families
HOliday friends
Holiday friends
HOliday friends
Holiday friends
Holiday friends
Holiday friends
Holiday families
Holiday families

Achieving Outside NLS

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

Congratulations Fiona!

 

 

Willy Wonka
Berghouse

Culver's Night Cheer!

Culver's Night December

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

snowman

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.

student

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

Literacy Night
Literacy night
Literacy Night
LCK
Science Fair
Ski
ski
Community and fellowship
gals
Golf Outing 2025

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.

us new logo

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.

music snowflakes

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. 

Holiday concert

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!

blood drive

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.

socks

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.

McConville
public speaking - forensics

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

STernkopf author visit

Patriots Pen Winners

Patriot pen

Next Culver's Night - December 9th

Toczyski
Culvers

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

scribbles

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

Sun

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

washing hands
Washing hands
North Lake Tree Lighting
Artsonia Holiday 2024
Forensics information
Forensics Sign up
Science Fair
Ski
ski
Wave insert NLEF
Community and fellowship news
Holiday Shop
HOliday shop
gals
Golf Outing 2025