Climbing Together - 10/24
An official update from Superintendent Ben Barton
đź‘‹ Hey there, Hilltopper families! It sure feels like fall out there. I hope you're having a wonderful school year thus far! We've got a lot going on here at the district, including some timely announcements for you to be aware of. With that, let's get to it!
In this edition:
🏫 OMS Open House details
🏀 Onalaska Boys and Girls Club after school programming
đź“… 2026-27 school year start and end dates finalized
Onalaska Middle School Open House
We hope you can join us at Onalaska Middle School for an upcoming community open house! The event is being held on Saturday, November 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and will give attendees the ability to go on self-guided tours at their own pace to see the building’s updated learning and program spaces firsthand. There is no structured program for the event. School and district leadership will be on-site and available to talk about the project as well as answer any questions you might have.
Once you see the building, I believe you'll understand the difference its already making and will continue to make for our students and staff. Thank you for supporting our district and investing in our schools! This project wouldn't have been possible without you!
After-School Programming
The information below was sent to be shared with all district families by the Boys and Girls Club of Greater La Crosse
Program Fees
Annual Payment (November - May)
- When filling out the payment portion, press "Submit and Pay Later"
- There will be a prorated fee for members turning 7 during the 2025-26 school year
Grades K-5: $100
Teen Program (Grades 6-12): No cost
Registration can be completed without making a payment. BGC does offer scholarships and payment plans on request. A partial payment is due before attending the after school program. You can reach out to the BGC if you need financial assistance.
Once your registration(s) are complete, you will receive a confirmation email within 72 hours with a BGC Family Guide as well as transportation information. To best manage incoming communications, please be patient and do not reach out unless you have not received a confirmation email within 72 hours from when you registered your child(ren).
If you have any questions, please email Boys and Girls Club Onalaska Area Director Ericka Schmelzer at: ericka.schmelzer@bgclax.org
2026-2027 School Year Calendar
The start and end dates for the 2026-27 school year have been finalized and were approved by our Board of Education during Monday's meeting. The first day of school will be August 24, 2026 and our last day of classes will be May 28, 2027. You can find 2026-27 school year calendar here on our website.
Finalizing these dates is a pretty lengthy process. To start school prior to September 1, we need approval from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. We received that approval in September. Our District Calendar Committee, made up of school and district staff, reviewed dates and brought a recommendation to our Board of Education for final approval during their last meeting on Monday, October 27.
2026-27 will be the 2nd year in a row that Onalaska has started the school year prior to September 1. We sent an all families survey last summer looking for feedback and received strong support from both families and staff.
Topper Tips: Screen Time
Back in April, UWL professors and district parents Tesia Marshik and Ryan McKelley led a family program on screen time. In this edition of Topper Tips, we wanted to reshare that presentation in case you either missed it or wanted to take another look. Some key takeaways that we shared after we sent the video recording the first time around:
- Know what your children are doing online
- Set clear and consistent boundaries
- Model appropriate use of screens
If you would like to go back and watch or rewatch their presentation, click on the video below!