๐๐บ Christmas in Hawaii Day: The EMS Office Strikes Again ๐บ๐
Just when the school community thought the EMS office had peaked during Color Wars, Tuesday, December 16th arrivedโฆ and with it, Christmas in Hawaii Day; a spirit day so vibrant, so festive, and so thoroughly embraced that the hallways felt one ukulele strum away from turning into a full luau.
Naturally, this level of excitement could only mean one thing:
The self-proclaimed winners were back.
๐ The Trophy Nobody Asked Forโฆ But Everyone Now Knows About
The EMS office staff, never ones to shy away from high-level arts and competitive mischief, unveiled a brand-new handmade trophy: crafted with such dedication, flair, and questionable amounts of rhinestone adhesive that it glimmered with the confidence of a thousand Christmas in Hawaii Days or something like that.
And who proudly hoisted this masterpiece above their heads?
None other than the dynamic principal duo: Mr. Markuson and Ms. Ranger.
With leis around their necks and victory in their eyes, they paraded through the building like two holiday cruise directors who had absolutely assigned themselves the title of Christmas in Hawaii Day Champions. Was this an actual competition?
No.
Did that stop them?
Absolutely not.
The proclamation of victory echoed through the halls long before anyone had even realized there was something to win.
๐ธ Sixth Grade: Bringing the Aloha
While the principals were basking in the glow of their unofficial triumph, Mrs. Richardson was busy capturing the real magic happening in the Middle School. Her photos perfectly bottled the spirit of โHawaiian Christmasโโsmiles, color, joy, and enough festive tropical energy to make Santa consider switching from a sleigh to a surfboard.
The students showed up in full forceโdecked out in holiday leis, floral prints, Santa hats, and enough cheer to light up the entire island of Oสปahu. Their enthusiasm radiated through every picture, proving once again that when EMS students show up, they show UP.
๐ด A School-Wide Aloha Celebration
And the rest of OSD? They didnโt hold back either.
Teachers, students, staffโeveryone leaned into the theme with the same enthusiastic unity we saw during Color Wars. The building buzzed with holiday warmth, laughter, and more Hawaiian shirts than any December day in the PNW should reasonably contain.
Never mind that it wasnโt a competition.
Never mind that no judges were appointed.
Never mind that there were no rules, no scoring system, and absolutely no reason for a trophyโฆ
The EMS office, backed by their handcrafted symbol of triumph, made sure the day ended with a dramatic flair worthy of the EMS legend they are steadily building.
Once again, Christmas in Hawaii Day became the perfect blend of fun, chaos, and school-wide joyโjust another unforgettable chapter in the ongoing saga of Onalaska spirit. Go Loggers!
Just when the school community thought the EMS office had peaked during Color Wars, Tuesday, December 16th arrivedโฆ and with it, Christmas in Hawaii Day; a spirit day so vibrant, so festive, and so thoroughly embraced that the hallways felt one ukulele strum away from turning into a full luau.
Naturally, this level of excitement could only mean one thing:
The self-proclaimed winners were back.
๐ The Trophy Nobody Asked Forโฆ But Everyone Now Knows About
The EMS office staff, never ones to shy away from high-level arts and competitive mischief, unveiled a brand-new handmade trophy: crafted with such dedication, flair, and questionable amounts of rhinestone adhesive that it glimmered with the confidence of a thousand Christmas in Hawaii Days or something like that.
And who proudly hoisted this masterpiece above their heads?
None other than the dynamic principal duo: Mr. Markuson and Ms. Ranger.
With leis around their necks and victory in their eyes, they paraded through the building like two holiday cruise directors who had absolutely assigned themselves the title of Christmas in Hawaii Day Champions. Was this an actual competition?
No.
Did that stop them?
Absolutely not.
The proclamation of victory echoed through the halls long before anyone had even realized there was something to win.
๐ธ Sixth Grade: Bringing the Aloha
While the principals were basking in the glow of their unofficial triumph, Mrs. Richardson was busy capturing the real magic happening in the Middle School. Her photos perfectly bottled the spirit of โHawaiian Christmasโโsmiles, color, joy, and enough festive tropical energy to make Santa consider switching from a sleigh to a surfboard.
The students showed up in full forceโdecked out in holiday leis, floral prints, Santa hats, and enough cheer to light up the entire island of Oสปahu. Their enthusiasm radiated through every picture, proving once again that when EMS students show up, they show UP.
๐ด A School-Wide Aloha Celebration
And the rest of OSD? They didnโt hold back either.
Teachers, students, staffโeveryone leaned into the theme with the same enthusiastic unity we saw during Color Wars. The building buzzed with holiday warmth, laughter, and more Hawaiian shirts than any December day in the PNW should reasonably contain.
Never mind that it wasnโt a competition.
Never mind that no judges were appointed.
Never mind that there were no rules, no scoring system, and absolutely no reason for a trophyโฆ
The EMS office, backed by their handcrafted symbol of triumph, made sure the day ended with a dramatic flair worthy of the EMS legend they are steadily building.
Once again, Christmas in Hawaii Day became the perfect blend of fun, chaos, and school-wide joyโjust another unforgettable chapter in the ongoing saga of Onalaska spirit. Go Loggers!
ALERT! Due to wide spread district power outages and debris in roadways, Onalaska school are on a 2 hour delay! No early release and no out of district transportation.
Holiday spirit level: extra foam with sprinkles. ๐๐คฃโ
Thanks, Backroads Coffee, for letting our students deck the cups (not just the halls)!
Thanks, Backroads Coffee, for letting our students deck the cups (not just the halls)!
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Mrs. Gerbracht and Miss Sanders classes were the winners of the Elementary Food Drive. For K-2 Mrs. Gerbracht's class brought in 196 items and for 3rd-4th grade Miss Sanders class brought in 678 items. Today they received a special pizza party served by MS students who brought in the least amount of items during the food drive.
~Ms. Peters
~Ms. Peters
Christmas Spirit Week is coming up, December 15 to 19. Join us as we celebrate each day with a fun theme. On Monday, students should wear their assigned grade-level color for Color Wars. Check out the flyers for more details. Letโs make this a joyful week across the district.
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In Mrs Gerbrachtโs class Chloe won the token to get a book for the month of the November. Thanks Peak Credit Union! Congratulations Chloe!!
First Grade Friendsgiving: A Feast of Friendship and Gratitude
The first grade classrooms came together for a celebration that was as sweet as pumpkin pie! All three first grade classes gathered in one room to share a very special Friendsgiving meal โ a full spread of delicious foods and desserts lovingly prepared by families and staff.
Laughter and smiles filled the room as students sat side by side, sharing turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a variety of treats that could rival any Thanksgiving table. Tiny voices chimed with excitement, and the joy of togetherness could be felt in every corner.
This Friendsgiving was more than just a meal โ it was a beautiful reminder of what the holiday season is all about: friendship, kindness, and gratitude. Watching the students share food, pass plates, and giggle with their classmates was truly heartwarming.
As the children enjoyed every bite, their teachers couldnโt help but smile, knowing that these moments of community and connection are what make school days so special.
From full plates to full hearts, our first graders made this Friendsgiving one to remember!
Thank you Mrs. Rushton, Mrs. Price, and Mr. Perkinson for making this special meal happen.
https://youtu.be/5t2ayujeKIM
The first grade classrooms came together for a celebration that was as sweet as pumpkin pie! All three first grade classes gathered in one room to share a very special Friendsgiving meal โ a full spread of delicious foods and desserts lovingly prepared by families and staff.
Laughter and smiles filled the room as students sat side by side, sharing turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and a variety of treats that could rival any Thanksgiving table. Tiny voices chimed with excitement, and the joy of togetherness could be felt in every corner.
This Friendsgiving was more than just a meal โ it was a beautiful reminder of what the holiday season is all about: friendship, kindness, and gratitude. Watching the students share food, pass plates, and giggle with their classmates was truly heartwarming.
As the children enjoyed every bite, their teachers couldnโt help but smile, knowing that these moments of community and connection are what make school days so special.
From full plates to full hearts, our first graders made this Friendsgiving one to remember!
Thank you Mrs. Rushton, Mrs. Price, and Mr. Perkinson for making this special meal happen.
https://youtu.be/5t2ayujeKIM
he Onalaska girls 4th grade basketball team finished the Lewis County rec league undefeated 8-0! So proud of these girls and all their hard work this season!
Pictured (from left to right)
Back row: Coach Rachel Cooley, Chloe Lines, Claire Kinsman, Loretta Cooley, Brinley Nakano, Rylee Aiken, Coach Alicia Nakano
Front row: Jordy McNurlin, Allie Brager, Jo Kinsman, Abby Kinsman, Reign Cartwright
Submitted by Kristine Brager
Pictured (from left to right)
Back row: Coach Rachel Cooley, Chloe Lines, Claire Kinsman, Loretta Cooley, Brinley Nakano, Rylee Aiken, Coach Alicia Nakano
Front row: Jordy McNurlin, Allie Brager, Jo Kinsman, Abby Kinsman, Reign Cartwright
Submitted by Kristine Brager
Celebrating Harper: Our Dog Days of Summer Contest Winner!
Today was an exciting day at Onalaska Elementary as we celebrated first-grader Harper, the winner of this yearโs Dog Days of Summer contest! Harper completed all four weeks of her summer school homeworkโand turned everything in on timeโearning her a spot in the final drawing and ultimately taking home the top prize.
Peak, the generous sponsor behind the Dog Days of Summer program and our brand-new book vending machine, joined us for a special unveiling of the machine this morning. Representatives from Peak, along with their beloved mascot, Dollar Dog, helped reveal the new vending machine and congratulate Harper on her hard work.
As the contest winner, Harper was awarded the very first token to use in the vending machine. With her classmates, Peak reps, school administrators, two of our school board members, Superintendent Padgett, and her proud parents cheering her on, Harper used her token to select the very first book from the machine!
Peak also took time to interview Superintendent Padgett and hosted a fun photo shoot with Mrs. Padgett, Harper, and our board members to capture the excitement of the moment. In addition to her special token, Harper received a prize from the school for her dedication and efforts during summer learning.
We are so proud of Harper and grateful to Peak for their continued support of our students and literacy programs. What an amazing way to kick off a year full of reading and learning! ๐โจ
Today was an exciting day at Onalaska Elementary as we celebrated first-grader Harper, the winner of this yearโs Dog Days of Summer contest! Harper completed all four weeks of her summer school homeworkโand turned everything in on timeโearning her a spot in the final drawing and ultimately taking home the top prize.
Peak, the generous sponsor behind the Dog Days of Summer program and our brand-new book vending machine, joined us for a special unveiling of the machine this morning. Representatives from Peak, along with their beloved mascot, Dollar Dog, helped reveal the new vending machine and congratulate Harper on her hard work.
As the contest winner, Harper was awarded the very first token to use in the vending machine. With her classmates, Peak reps, school administrators, two of our school board members, Superintendent Padgett, and her proud parents cheering her on, Harper used her token to select the very first book from the machine!
Peak also took time to interview Superintendent Padgett and hosted a fun photo shoot with Mrs. Padgett, Harper, and our board members to capture the excitement of the moment. In addition to her special token, Harper received a prize from the school for her dedication and efforts during summer learning.
We are so proud of Harper and grateful to Peak for their continued support of our students and literacy programs. What an amazing way to kick off a year full of reading and learning! ๐โจ
Who knew reading buddies were tetherball pros? ๐๐ A lively recess on the 3โ4 playground!
๐ Onalaskaโs Annual Food Drive Results Are In! ๐
Last week we wrapped up our annual districtwide food drive, and weโre thrilled to share the results! Together, our Ony students and staff collected an incredible 2,225 food items to support our community! ๐ฅซ๐๐
๐ Elementary took the win with a whopping 1,649 items collected โ amazing job! Their reward? A well-deserved pizza party, served by our Middle School friends, who brought in the fewest items this year (better luck next time, MS! ๐๐).
All donated food went to the Onalaska Backpack Program and the Salkum Food Bank, both of which directly support Onalaska families in need. ๐
๐ A huge shoutout to Mrs. Stingleyโs Leadership class for organizing, collecting, counting, and delivering all the donations. You truly embodied the Ony spirit of giving back!
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๐๐ Mrs. Padgett shared a beautiful Dรญa de los Muertos story with our kindergarteners today โ smiles, laughter, and learning all around! ๐๐ธ๐๐ฏ๏ธ๐
We had a special guest visit our second grade class today! A big thank you to Trooper Miloff for taking the time to read a story to our second graders!
Submitted by Mrs. Smith
๐ Happy Halloween from Onalaska School District! ๐
We wish everyone a safe and fun evening! ๐ป
Donโt forget โ we hope to see you at the PTOโs Trunk or Treat tonight at 4:00 PM! ๐๐ฌ๐ท๏ธ
We wish everyone a safe and fun evening! ๐ป
Donโt forget โ we hope to see you at the PTOโs Trunk or Treat tonight at 4:00 PM! ๐๐ฌ๐ท๏ธ
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Library Day in Preschool ๐โจ
Library Day is one of our preschoolersโ favorite times of the month! The excitement fills the classroom when our friends from the Timberland Library come to visit, bringing a fresh selection of books for students to check out and enjoy.
Each month, the librarian thoughtfully chooses stories that tie into the class lesson themesโhelping students explore new ideas, build vocabulary, and discover the joy of reading in fun, hands-on ways.
Itโs always a special day filled with curiosity, imagination, and smiles as our young readers dive into new adventuresโone story at a time! ๐
Library Day is one of our preschoolersโ favorite times of the month! The excitement fills the classroom when our friends from the Timberland Library come to visit, bringing a fresh selection of books for students to check out and enjoy.
Each month, the librarian thoughtfully chooses stories that tie into the class lesson themesโhelping students explore new ideas, build vocabulary, and discover the joy of reading in fun, hands-on ways.
Itโs always a special day filled with curiosity, imagination, and smiles as our young readers dive into new adventuresโone story at a time! ๐
