September 18, 2026

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