Dr. Melissa Dunworth






We are excited to share this special video of Timber Hawkins enjoying her new bicycle!
Timber earned her bike by improving her reading skills by an incredible 27 months in just one school year. What an amazing accomplishment!
Timber's classmate, Pamela Solis-Palacios, also earned a bicycle after improving her reading by an outstanding 35 months in one year. We are so proud of both students for their dedication, perseverance, and commitment to learning.
These bicycles were generously donated by Carol Kerns in honor of beloved former Onalaska Elementary teacher Sherri Claywell. This thoughtful gift continues Sherri's legacy of encouraging students to reach their full potential through education and literacy.
Congratulations, Timber and Pamela! Your hard work has truly paid off, and we cannot wait to see where your reading journeys take you next. ๐๐ฒโจ
#OnalaskaProud #ReadingSuccess #PurpleAndGold #StudentAchievement #HardWorkPaysOff ๐๐
https://youtube.com/shorts/thkmDbkfVP0?feature=share
Our Middle School students wrapped up the week with an unforgettable Field Day on Thursday filled with games, laughter, teamwork, and plenty of Purple and Gold pride! ๐๐
Students enjoyed a wide variety of activities throughout the day, including four square volleyball, giant Jenga, yard games, snow cones, and many other fun challenges. The highlight for many students was the exciting foam party, generously provided by Guy Steele, owner and operator of Mr. Twisters/Shankz, which helped everyone cool off and celebrate an amazing day together.
Field Day would not be possible without the dedication of our incredible staff. Thank you to the teachers and paraeducators who spent the day encouraging students, leading activities, and making memories. We spotted Deb Richardson, Mr. Gerbracht, Mrs. Morast, Ms. Sweers, Mrs. Stingley, Dr. Dunworth, Mr. Southern, Carey Heuvel, Fred Sturza, Sheri Henderson, and Jennifer Reed helping make the day a success.
A special thank you goes to Carey Heuvel and Deb Richardson for submitting the wonderful photos that captured the fun, excitement, and smiles from throughout the day.
Thank you to everyone who helped create such a memorable experience for our students. What a great way to celebrate the end of the school year!
๐๐ Go Loggers! ๐๐
Facebook Post
๐โ๏ธ๐ Middle School Field Day 2026 ๐โ๏ธ๐
What a day! Our Middle School students had an absolute blast during Thursday's Field Day filled with games, laughter, teamwork, and lots of Logger spirit! ๐ฒ
Students enjoyed:
๐ Four Square Volleyball
๐ชต Giant Jenga
๐ฏ Yard Games
๐ง Snow Cones
๐ Friendly Competition
๐ซง And an epic Foam Party!
A huge thank you to Guy Steele, owner and operator of Mr. Twisters/Shankz, for bringing the foam party and helping make the day extra special!
We also want to recognize the amazing staff members who helped make the day a success. Thank you to Deb Richardson, Mr. Gerbracht, Mrs. Morast, Ms. Sweers, Mrs. Stingley, Dr. Dunworth, Mr. Southern, Carey Heuvel, Fred Sturza, Sheri Henderson, and Jennifer Reed for supporting our students and joining in the fun. ๐
A special shout out to Carey Heuvel and Deb Richardson for submitting the fantastic photos that captured so many great moments from the day. ๐ธ
And we'd like to give special recognition to Sheri Henderson, who is retiring this year. Thank you for your dedication to our students and school community. ๐๐
The smiles say it all. Field Day was a wonderful celebration of friendship, school spirit, and the incredible students and staff that make Onalaska such a special place.
#OnalaskaLoggers #LoggerPride #PurpleAndGold #FieldDayFun #GoLoggers ๐๐๐ฒ
Slideshow Intro Caption
๐๐ Middle School Field Day was packed with fun, games, snow cones, four square volleyball, yard games, and an unforgettable foam party! Thank you to Guy Steele of Mr. Twisters/Shankz for bringing the foam, and to Carey Heuvel and Deb Richardson for sharing these wonderful photos. Enjoy the memories! ๐ธ๐๐ซง๐๐๐ฒ
https://youtube.com/shorts/3wutlTWaF9s?feature=share
On Friday, our 2nd grade students enjoyed their annual Camp Read-A-Lot right in their classrooms. Students came dressed in cozy pajamas and brought along their favorite stuffed animals and blankets for a day full of learning and fun! ๐งธ๐๏ธ๐
Throughout the day, students participated in exciting camp-themed activities, including flashlight reading ๐ฆ๐, enjoying a delicious s'mores snack ๐ซ๐ฅ, and taking a math walk around the room to solve problems ๐งฎ๐ถโโ๏ธ๐ถโโ๏ธ.
Thank you to Mrs. Roxanne Smith for sharing these wonderful photos from such an exciting day. We love seeing our students engaged, learning, and making special memories together! ๐ฒโบโค๏ธ
#OnalaskaProud #CampReadALot #SecondGradeFun #LearningAdventure๐๐๏ธ๐พ









Our 6th Grade Science students visited the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge for an amazing day of outdoor learning. Students studied the many plants and animals that make up this beautiful area, explored the uses of various plants in their learning journals, and recorded their observations and discoveries throughout the trip.
At the end of the visit, students shared their reflections and favorite experiences with the whole group. Thankfully, the weather cooperated!
A big thank you to all of the teachers and chaperones who helped make this an incredible learning journey for our students.
https://youtube.com/shorts/UAay-qOkuxA?feature=share
Together, these amazing mentors invested 115 hours meeting with elementary and middle school students, offering encouragement, guidance, and a caring presence throughout the year. Through their optimism, wisdom, and leadership, they helped students build confidence, overcome challenges, and celebrate successes.
The impact of a positive role model can last a lifetime, and we are grateful for the time and heart our mentors shared with our students.
Thank you to our amazing mentors for investing in our students and helping make our school community stronger. Your generosity, encouragement, and commitment are truly appreciated! ๐
Interested in making a difference in a student's life? We are always looking for caring adults to join our mentoring team. If you are interested in becoming an Onalaska O.W.L. mentor, please contact Casey Peters or Heather Jacoby for more information at 360-978-4111.
https://www.onysd.wednet.edu/page/owl


Our elementary students had an incredible time during this year's Field Trip Frenzy, enjoying two days packed with fun, exploration, creativity, and community adventures!
Mrs. Roxanne Smith shared that her second graders kicked things off with an exciting game of BINGO before heading out on a walking adventure to the Mill Pond, where they enjoyed time at the park and cooled off with popsicles generously provided by our wonderful PTO. ๐ญโ๏ธ
Students also enjoyed walking field trips throughout the community, including visits to the fire station and other local destinations. Creative minds were hard at work as students created colorful chalk murals, and countless adventures and hands-on experiences kept our students engaged and smiling throughout the event. ๐จ๐๐ณ
Students in grades K-5 also gathered for a picnic at the middle school track. Sack lunches were provided by our amazing kitchen staff or brought from home, and every student received a bag of chips courtesy of our PTO. ๐ฅช๐โโ๏ธ๐
A special thank you to Mrs. Smith for sharing these moments, to our PTO for helping provide treats and snacks, and to all of the staff and community members who helped make Field Trip Frenzy such a memorable experience for our students. The smiles in these photos say it all! ๐
#OnalaskaSchools #FieldTripFrenzy #PurpleAndGold #StudentAdventures #ThankYouPTO #WeAreOnalaska ๐๐
https://youtube.com/shorts/IS8zI3kmwEc?feature=share
Join us this Saturday evening, June 13, from 11:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. as we open the Observatory for a night of exploring the wonders of the deep sky.
Our viewing plan includes a variety of fascinating celestial objects, including:
โจ Globular Clusters
โจ Planetary Nebulae
โจ Interstellar Nebulae
โจ Galaxies
Depending on attendance, we may keep the Observatory open a little later.
Please remember that all Observatory openings are weather dependent. Watch for updates if conditions change.
We hope to see you under the stars!

Featuring Mallorie, Skye, Rugar & Harley from Miss Finleyโs class ๐ค๏ธ
https://youtu.be/rUnEsMdTm4s
Our Middle School textile arts students have spent the school year learning new skills, expressing their creativity, and putting countless hours into their quilt projects. Mrs. Dunworth has compiled a special video showcasing their amazing work, and we couldn't be more proud of what these students have accomplished!
From the first stitch to the final quilt, each project reflects dedication, patience, and artistic talent. Thank you, Mrs. Dunworth, for inspiring and encouraging our students throughout the year, and congratulations to our textile artists on a job well done!
๐ฅ Take a look at this year's quilt projects and celebrate the creativity and hard work of our Middle School students. We hope you enjoy the showcase as much as we do! ๐๐ชก๐งต
#OnalaskaPride #StudentCreativity #TextileArts #MiddleSchoolArtists #Quilting #LearningByDoing #StudentSuccess
https://youtu.be/InrE_RCN3_U
Our middle school scientists had an exciting hands-on learning experience during dissection day! Mrs. Richardson shared this great photo of three students who were all smiles after the activity and summed up the day perfectly:
๐ฌ "Best day ever!"
Learning comes to life when students have the opportunity to explore, investigate, and discover firsthand. Experiences like these help build curiosity, critical thinking skills, and a deeper understanding of science.
Great job, Mrs. Richardson, and way to embrace the excitement of learning! ๐๐งช๐
#OnalaskaSchools #FutureScientists #HandsOnLearning #MiddleSchoolScience #LearningInAction #BestDayEver
๐ฅ๐ 2026 Egg Drop Challenge Success! ๐๐ฅ
This year, our 6th grade students were invited to participate in the annual Egg Drop Challenge alongside the 7th and 8th gradersโand they rose to the challenge in impressive fashion!
Students in Mrs. Richardsonโs and Mr. Gerbrachtโs Middle School Science classes, with assistance from Mrs. Walster, applied creativity, engineering, and scientific thinking to design devices that would protect their eggs from impact. Their hard work, problem-solving skills, and innovation were on full display throughout the competition.
๐ 1st Period Winners
๐ฅ Best Design: Scarlett C.
๐จ Creative Design:
Avery P.
Annabelle L.
Kyanna K.
๐ 2nd Period Winners
๐ฅ Overall Best Survival Design:
June B.
Laura H.
Paislee M.
๐จ Most Creative Design:
Evie L. B.
Aria J.
Zane M.
๐ฌ Scientific Design:
Shelby B.
Paige B.
Kennlie C.
Congratulations to all of our participants for accepting the challenge and demonstrating outstanding creativity, perseverance, and scientific thinking. Our 6th graders embraced the opportunity to compete alongside older students and showed that great ideas and determination can lead to outstanding results.
๐ธ Thank you to Mrs. Richardson for providing the information and photos, and to Mrs. Richardson, Mr. Gerbracht, and Mrs. Walster for helping make this hands-on STEM learning experience a success.
โญ Special appearance by Mrs. Johnson, who helped make the event even more memorable!
#EggDropChallenge #STEMEducation #MiddleSchoolScience #FutureEngineers #StudentSuccess #OnalaskaPride ๐ฅ๐๐
Our Annual 5th Grade Wax Museum took place on Tuesday, June 2, in the elementary gym, and our students did an amazing job bringing history to life! From presidents and explorers to scientists, athletes, musicians, inventors, and more, each student stepped into the role of a notable figure and shared their story.
You might spot familiar faces like JFK, Mother Teresa, Norman Rockwell, Betsy Ross, William Shakespeare, and many others throughout this slideshow! ๐โญ
๐ Great job to all of our 5th graders for their hard work, creativity, and outstanding presentations.
โWhich famous figure do you recognize?
๐ Which exhibit would have been your favorite to visit?
Leave your answers in the comments below! ๐๐
#OnalaskaProud #5thGradeWaxMuseum #LearningComesToLife #FutureLeaders #ElementaryExcellence
https://youtube.com/shorts/MIS8f1_zZpU?feature=share
Wayne and Doug are both highly respected, deeply appreciated, and will be greatly missed. Thank you for everything you've done for Onalaska Schools. Congratulations on your retirement!


On May 29, students at Onalaska Elementary and Middle School had the opportunity to explore a wide variety of careers during our annual Career Day!
With 21 presenters sharing their experiences, students learned about professions including medicine, veterinary care, photography, electrical work, culinary arts, automotive repair, and many more.
Middle school students attended presentations and visited career booths to ask questions and learn about different career pathways. Elementary students welcomed professionals into their classrooms for engaging and interactive presentations.
A special thank you to all of our presenters for taking the time to inspire our students and help them explore future possibilities. Career Day was filled with learning, curiosity, and meaningful connections that will leave a lasting impact on our students.
Take a look at some of the highlights from this amazing day!
https://youtube.com/shorts/khkb_O8MerY?feature=share
#OnalaskaSchools #CareerDay #FutureReady #LoggerPride
