Climbing Together - 10/2
An official update from Superintendent Ben Barton
đHappy October, Hilltoppers. We're just a few days away from Homecoming and I could not be more excited to see all the Onalaska pride that will be on display throughout our schools and in the community. We've got a lot of content for you this week so let's get to it!
In this edition:
đ¤ An important note regarding our work to create a safe and welcoming environment
đ Homecoming information
đ Details on an upcoming FREE series for parents
Creating a Safe and Welcoming Community
A top priority in our district is creating a positive learning environment - one in which all students feel safe, respected, and like they belong. To do this, we must be diligent in keeping our school communities free from bullying, harassment, discrimination, or fear.
Our students play an important role in creating that culture. When they are kind, welcoming, and collaborative, they lift each other up. If they choose to bully, make threats, or bring inappropriate items to school, they disrupt learning, cause fear, and make our buildings feel as though they are not safe spaces. I take this very seriously. No one - not another student, staff, family, or community member - has the right to get in the way of another personâs learning or make them feel unsafe.
The districtâs mission is âWorking together to ensure high levels of learning for all.â Learning not only refers to what we do in the classroom, but also the âcommon senseâ expectations and actions that we, as humans, need to generally be aware of in life. This is an approach Iâve held throughout my career and I plan to continue emphasizing here in Onalaska.
What I mean by âcommon senseâ: Adults have learned there are words and actions you avoid in some settings such as saying âbombâ on an airplane or bringing a pocket knife through TSA. The same standards apply to our students. Itâs never okay to joke about weapons or violence or use discriminatory language - whether it be at school, at a game, or even in what might be thought of as a private text exchange. Likewise, itâs never acceptable for students to bring items to school that could be described as dangerous or unsafe.
Continuing off our mission statement, âtogetherâ refers to all of us - students, staff, and families. With that, I am asking for your continued support to maintain the environment we need for our schools to thrive. The best way to do this? Engage your children in crucial conversations on appropriate and inappropriate behaviors - including the words they use, their actions, and the items they bring to school. We cannot expect our students to know right from wrong on their own, especially in their earlier years. They need help from their peers, teachers, and families. They must be educated on what could be seen as hurtful or unsafe. They must feel confident and empowered to speak out - specifically when to intervene themselves and when to go to an adult. While our schools and staff do their best to teach these values, this is where your at-home discussions can make a difference.
Please know this message is not in response to concerning or worrisome activity running rampant in our schools. This is a high-achieving district with upstanding students and staff along with supportive families and community members. Simply put: Onalaska is the place to be and we want to keep it that way. From my perspective, one negative instance as described above is one too many. I believe setting expectations and sharing reminders on the importance of our school-to-home partnership, no matter the heaviness of the topic, is key to our continued success.
Thank you for all your time, attentiveness, and for engaging with us for the betterment of your childâs education. I hope youâre starting to realize âClimbing Togetherâ is more to me than the name of this newsletter or a catchy tagline. I wholeheartedly believe that anything is possible when we lock arms and march forward - through bad and good, adversity and triumph, in valleys and on the hilltops.
If you have any questions about expectations for behavior in our schools, please review your school's Student Handbook or contact your principal.
Speak Up, Speak Out
On the topic of school safety: Speak Up, Speak Out is an anonymous and useful reporting tool that students can use to report incidents of cyberbullying, violence, drugs or weapons possession or other areas of school safety that a student might be concerned about. While approaching an adult at school or home is our primary approach, this is another option. Click here to submit a confidential report. You can also go to the safety section on our website for more information on this program.
Homecoming 2025
Onalaska Homecoming is next week, October 6-10! I might be a little bias... but it's the best time of the year! Our schools are filled with energy, excitement, and pride as students and staff engage in a number of activities to celebrate Onalaska! This includes dress up days, school events, our community parade, and of course - the big game under the Friday night lights! Good information for our families to know can be found below. Go, Hilltoppers!
Dress Up Days
This year's theme is "Hit the road with the Hilltoppers!" Each day is focused on a vacation destination with a fun twist. While every school is taking part in dress up days, there are a few minor differences from building to building. Click on the links below for details from each school. We can't wait to see all the creativity and school pride!
Parade
We invite all family and community members to join us for our Homecoming Parade!
We'll have tunes from our fantastic marching band, high school students in clubs, activities, and athletics marching through the streets, and excited young learners lining the route to watch and cheer on the "big kids" in their school district. It's definitely a sight to see.
The parade will start at approximately 2:00 p.m. on Friday (10/10) afternoon. The route will start at Onalaska High School, go north on 8th Ave S, turn down the Irving Pertzsch drop off and pick up lane, then head south on Oak Ave S. back to OHS. Click here for a visual of the parade route.
Football Game
We play Tomah High School on Friday night (10/10) at 7 p.m. It's a can't miss experience as the crowd is loud, the energy is high, and our team plays their hearts out. Last year, our Hilltoppers won on a final minute score in an absolute thriller against Central High School, 42-38. Could we see more magic on the field this year? Be there to find out!
Interested in purchasing tickets ahead of time? Click here! We expect the stands to be packed with a sea of Onalaska purple!
EVENT REMINDER: Help with the FAFSA
A reminder to high school seniors interested in attending college and their parents on an important event being held TONIGHT. Here are the details from our school counselor team:
Onalaska High School is hosting a College Goal FAFSA completion event during conferences on Thursday, October 2nd at 6 p.m. in the LMC.
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is filed each year and is the only way to access federal and state grants, federal work study, and loans. Financial aid experts from local colleges will be available to answer questions and assist families in starting and completing the FAFSA. It is best if the student attends the event with a parent so the FAFSA can be submitted that evening. Students and a parent need an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA; if you do not have one already you could prepare for the event by registering for one now at www.fafsa.gov.
What to Bring:
School Chromebook (or personal computer)
2024 Federal Tax Return and W-2s
2024 Untaxed Income Records, such as child support or veteranâs non-education benefits
Information on savings, investments, business assets and farm assets (if applicable)
Driverâs License (if you have one)
Social Security Number (student and parents)
Date of birth (student and parents)
Month and year of parentsâ marriage, divorce, or separation
Please note: You do not need to register. Show up, bring the items above, and get that FAFSA completed!
Topper Tips: Speech-Language Development
Our wonderful team of Speech-Language Pathologists recently created a number of resources to help families better understand and support their child's speech-language development. Areas covered include:
- General tips for supporting your child's communication
- The difference of speech and language
- Specific milestones and development delays to be aware of
- Activities you can do at home to assist your young learners
Each topic is covered through a visual, easy-to-read flier. Easier for you to view these on the web? Click here! Otherwise, simply click on the attachments below! A big thank you to our Speech-Language Pathologists for putting these together!
Love & Logic Sessions
Please see the below flier for a FREE upcoming series of events on the Love and Logic approach to parenting! The first session is on October 23. Click here to see the rest of the session dates and to register!
