



Let’s come together to celebrate the incredible alumni of Tomah and inspire the next generation to follow in their footsteps!
Nominations are now open for the Tomah High School Distinguished Alumni Award! This prestigious award seeks to honor alumni who have made significant contributions to their community, profession, or society, and who have exemplified the values of our school.
Recognizing our alumni through this award is a way to highlight the achievements of those who walked the same halls, sat in the same classrooms, and once participated in the same activities as our current students By honoring these individuals, we not only celebrate their success but also inspire the next generation of Tomah High School students to strive for excellence, leadership, and community involvement
Our Distinguished Alumni Award serves as a reminder of the impact that education has on shaping the future, showing students that their hard work, dedication, and dreams can lead to meaningful accomplishments. These stories of success give students tangible role models from their own community
A graduate of Tomah High School or attended for at least two years. A Tomah High School Alumni of at least ten years.
Someone with a record of outstanding achievement in their career field or fulfillment of personal educational potential. Has a history of outstanding leadership, character, and/or service to their community.
Candidate can be living or deceased
Do you know a Tomah High School graduate who has achieved excellence in their career, contributed to their community, or made a lasting impact? We want to hear from you! Nominations are open, and the process is simple: Submit the Nomination Form - Complete the form available on the district website or pick one up in the district office located at 129 W. Clifton St.
1 Tell Us About the Nominee - Share details about the nominee’s accomplishments, community service, career milestones, or other extraordinary achievements that make them a deserving candidate for this honor
2. The selected honorees will be recognized at a special ceremony and celebrated as role models for our students.
For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit www.tomah.education/distinguished-alumni or contact the District Communications Office at 608-374-5017
This past summer, the Tomah School Board made an exciting decision to establish a chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, which is a nationally recognized organization dedicated to honoring exceptional music students. Tri-M stands for Modern Music Masters, and its mission is to recognize students who excel both academically and musically, and to provide them with opportunities to develop leadership and service within their communities. The society is open to high school music students who have demonstrated excellence in their musical achievements and maintain a strong academic record. To become a member, students had to apply and submit their qualifications, which were then reviewed by the music department to ensure they met the high standards required for membership.
In December, the Tomah High School community celebrated a significant milestone: the induction of the inaugural members into the Tri-M chapter. During the ceremony, the new members were presented with certificates of candidacy and took an oath to uphold the values of Tri-M by committing to use their musical talents for the benefit of the community. Their pledge emphasizes the importance of music service and leadership, with an expectation that they will actively participate in promoting the arts and supporting fellow students through their musical endeavors.
As part of their responsibilities, Tri-M members will be visible at various school and community events, including all music department concerts, as well as competitions like Solo and Ensemble, department concerts, as
well as competitions like Solo and Ensemble. These students will serve as role models, using their skills not only to inspire others through performance but also by encouraging a culture of collaboration, creativity, and community involvement. We extend our congratulations to the founding members of Tomah's Tri-M Music Honor Society! Their dedication to both their academic and musical pursuits reflects the values that Tri-M upholds, and we are excited to see the positive impact they will have in both the school and broader community. Their leadership will be a guiding force for future students, ensuring that Tomah's chapter of Tri-M continues to thrive for years to come.
This fall the Tomah School District purchased Flex Farm towers from a company called Fork Farms, a mission-first food access technology company based in Green Bay, that develops innovative indoor hydroponic vertical farming technology The Flex Farms are indoor mobile vertical farms that can grow 25 pounds of fresh lettuce every 28 days in a very small space. They also offer hundreds of learning opportunities for students in the areas of STEM, nutrition, agriculture, sustainabilityandhealth
RepresentativesfromForkFarmsdeliveredtheFlexFarmstoTomahHigh School and began teaching them the basics around hydroponic growing and maintaining the Flex Farms, they also helped the students assemble their new hydroponic farms and get them ready for their first growth cycleoffreshlettuces
From sustainability, environmental awareness, nutrition, and STEM education, hydroponic gardening programs in schools offer a multitude of invaluable learning opportunities for students in many areas and across various grade levels.
Hydroponics in education also nurtures critical thinking skills as students may encounter various challenges throughout the hydroponic growing process. Students who maintain the hydroponic gardens sometimes need to troubleshoot issues such as pH imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, and crop cycles, encouraging them to analyze the problem and find solutions, which are important lifelong skills to learn.
In addition, case studies prove that indoor hydroponic growing in schools helps to increase children's willingness to try fresh fruits and vegetables because they are involved in the growing process.
Jesse Bender, the Food Service Director for the District, is dedicated to enhancing the Tomah school nutrition program by integrating farm-toschool initiatives These efforts focus on sourcing locally grown food, whichnotonlysupportsregionalagriculturebutalsopromoteshealthier, fresher meals for students Currently, the program features locally sourced beef from West Salem and produce grown directly in the school gardens.
Mr. Bender is advancing this initiative with the introduction of the Flex Farm hydroponic technology into the school’s kitchens With four Flex Farms in place, the nutrition team will be able to cultivate fresh, hyperlocal produce on-site, ensuring that the food served to students is grownjuststepsawayfromthepointofconsumption
This innovative approach strengthens the program's commitment to sustainability and local food systems. Students at Tomah High School plan to use the lettuce they grow in their Flex Farms this school year in the school’s cafeteria for all students to enjoy.
Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil in a nutrient-rich water solution. Growing hydroponically serves as a powerful educational tool in classrooms. Students can observe and document the entire life cycle of plants - from germination to harvesting - within a 30-day grow cycle.
Currently, Flex Farms are growing in more than 1,000 K-12 schools across the country providing both nutrition and education to students.
If you would like to donate towards the purchase of an additional Flex Farm tower, please contact JesseBender@tomah.education.
The Wyeville Walking Club kicked off at the start of the school year with an infectious energy that quickly caught on with students. What started as a simple way to encourage fitness has blossomed into a school-wide initiative that’s helping students build camaraderie, school spirit, and a sense of achievement. This year, it’s clear that the kids are fully invested in the challenge, and the results speak for themselves.
At the beginning of the year, the Walking Club set an exciting yet attainable goal: to walk 100 miles and “reach Madison.” This challenge was met with enthusiasm, and it didn’t take long for students to surpass expectations. The energy and determination from the students were contagious, and soon, the focus shifted to how much further they could go.
To keep students engaged and motivated, a fun incentive program was introduced. Students received a special incentive after completing their first mile: a Nike Shoe Keychain. Each time a student completed a lap, they earned a punch, and after five laps, they reached a full mile. To add to the excitement, every additional mile walked earned students a colorful foot charm to add to their keychain.
To ensure the motivation stayed high throughout the school year, milestone miles were introduced. Students celebrated achievements at the 10, 20, and 30+ mile markers, making the walking experience even more rewarding.
As the weather started to cool down, the Walking Club introduced new incentives to keep up the momentum. In October, students needed to walk five miles to earn a Pumpkin Charm, followed by a Turkey Charm in November for hitting the same goal. In December, the challenge was to walk five miles again to receive a Tree Charm. During the colder months of January and February, the miles required to earn charms were lowered to three. January’s incentive was a Snowman Charm, and February’s challenge was also to walk three miles to earn a Heart Charm.
The students’ enthusiasm didn’t just meet the challenge—it exceeded it! In September, the combined efforts of Wyeville students and staff resulted in an incredible 442 miles walked, a remarkable feat that shows just how determined the entire school community is. Every single student walked at least one mile and became an official member of the Walking extraordinary be a program that fosters community, achievement, and school spirit. Seeing how engaged the students have been, Wyeville set even higher goals for the months ahead.
At the end of each month, Wyeville celebrates the top walkers by showcasing their photos on the Wyeville Walking Club Bulletin Board These top achievers are received a glow-inthe-dark charm and a Wyeville Walking Club water bottle. The Building Top Walker is also received a prestigious Excellence Charm, recognizing their outstanding dedication.
As of now, Wyeville students and staff have walked an impressive total of 2,269 miles! This accomplishment is a testament to the school community’s commitment to health, fitness, and school spirit.
Way to go, Wyeville! Keep walking, keep achieving, and keep inspiring!
This past September, our entire student school district gathered for an inspiring me “Rachel’s Challenge,” which started in memory of Rachel Scott who was the first vic Columbine school shooting and emphasizes the power of kindness which Rachel herself as chain reactions in her journals Since then, our district has embraced Rachel’s Cha enthusiasm, empowering students to spread kindness through action and conne opportunity came from the highly competitive Stronger Connections grant the District re spring, awarded to only a few school districts statewide
After the presentation, approximately 100 the new Friends of Rachel club being starte more compassionate community These s peers, helped build Rachel’s Closet (a resou and participated in community service even a high school effort Students at the elemen "chain reactions" of kindness
These initiatives continue to spread across our district, with every grade level finding new ways to contribute to a culture of respect and care Tomah’s Kindness Committee has supported many of these initiatives
In January, Rachel’s Challenge returned to Tomah to provide full day Chain Reaction training sessions, to groups of middle school and high school students. With the help of community volunteers, six training days were held in total, filled with team-building activities, smallgroup discussions, and empowering exercises designed to foster connection, empathy, and understanding.
One of the highlights of the training was the“CrosstheLine”activity,where
students stepped forward if they related to a particular statement, helping to emphasize shared experiences and promote the understanding that no one is ever truly alone. The session encouraged introspection, highlighted the importance of showing kindness, and addressed bullying, with themes suchastakinglabelsoff,usingwordstoheal,andempoweringeachothertocreateacultureofrespect.
The Tomah School District is committed to sustaining the message of Rachel’s Challenge, ensuring that kindness and empathy remain central to our schoolculture.Inthefuture,wewillcontinuetointegratetheseimportantlessonsintoclassrooms,aswellasfosterstudent-ledinitiativesthatcontribute to a positive, supportive environment. THS counselor Lisa King shared, “From this training, students have been working on creating a mindset change in ourbuilding.Manyhavebeenmorewillingtostandupfortherightthingandencourageotherstodothesame.”
Themiddleschoolheldtwofulldaysofactivities,where160studentsand 36adultsparticipated.AmyKing,themiddleschoolassistantprincipal stated “The 'Chain Reaction Days' brought students, staff, and our communitytogether.Asanadultinthebuilding,Iknowthateverystudent carriesvariousbigandsmallstruggles;nowstudentsknowtheyarenot alone. I'm eager to see how this newfound sense of empathy and kindnesscanaffectourstudentculture!”
These high-energy, high-impact training sessions were centered on overcomingsocialandpersonalchallenges,buildingrespect,andhelping each student see how their words and actions can make a positive impact.Studentswereencouragedtostepoutsidetheircomfortzones, engagewithnewpeople,andreflectontheirownexperiencesinasafe, openenvironment,throughlargegroupandsmallgroupinteractions. AmyLangner,themiddleschoolprincipal,reflected,“TheChainReaction eventwastrulyaninspirationalexperience.Hearingabouttheresiliency andcompassionourstudentshaveshown,aswellasthestrugglesthey’ve
endured,washumbling.Theprogramallowedustoseeasideofour studentsthatwerarelyhavetheprivilegetowitness,anditdeepenedour understandingofthestrengththeycarrywiththemeveryday.”
These events left an impact on all involved, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Selena Meacham, a volunteer at the middle schooltraining, shared,“Iwasfortunate enoughtoattendtheeventatthe Cranberry Country Lodge. It was fun, humbling, educational, sad but also veryinspirational.Myonlywishisthateveryonecouldexperienceit.Shout out to the schools who did this and the Rachel Challenge advocates—it trulyisamazingwhattheyaredoing.”
We are excited to keep the momentum going as we work together to continue building a supportive, empathetic, and connected school community. Every action counts, and we are proud of our students for making a lasting impact with kindness, and we continually encourage themtokeepthechainreactionofkindnessgoing!
Students and staff shared takeaways from the Chain Reaction training days that included:
Your words and actions can make or break someone
You are not alone; we all have struggles
A hug, kind word, or high five can change someone's life
It's okay to cry
Find your people and love them call them when life gets hard
Bullying hurts, both physically and emotionally
Be the nice person
Many of us wear figurative masks to hide who we really are
You make an impact each day whether good or bad
Tomah High School Academic
team is having a stellar season, with the students proving their dedication, intellect, and teamwork through exceptional performances at both local and regional competitions.
InNovember,Tomah’sAcademicDecathlonteamcompetedintheLocalCompetition,wheretheysetanew schoolrecordbyearning19ribbons—themostinschoolhistory!Thecompetition,whichwasheldonline thisyear,sawsevenTomahstudentsplacingamongthetopthreeinvariouscategories.
JoannaStrykerledthecharge,sweepingtheHonorsDivisionandsecuringfirstplaceinallcategories, includingOverallHonors.ShealsosetschoolrecordsforherScienceandMathscoreswith800and886 points,respectively.GwynRobertsonmadeasignificantimpactaswell,ranking4thinthestatewideVarsity Divisionandtakinghomemultipleribbons.RossKillgoearnedsecond-placefinishesinseveralsubjects, includingEconomicsandScience,andfinishedsecondoverallintheHonorsDivision.
TheTomahteam’sperformanceattheLocalCompetitionwasaproudmoment,settingahighbarfortherestof theseason.
REGIONALCOMPETITIONVICTORY:ANEWSCHOOLRECORD!
"I'msoproudofTomah's NerdClub!They've workedharder,achieved more,andbeenanoverall enthusiasticandfun grouptocoachthisyear!"
-Mr Juliot
ThemomentumcontinuedinJanuaryasTomah’sAcademicDecathlon teamclaimedvictoryattheRegionalCompetition,outscoringtheir closestrivalsbyover5,000points,andsettingateamrecordwith35,000 points—anunprecedentedachievement.Thisvictoryearnedtheteama spotattheupcomingStateCompetitioninGreenBayonMarch6th. IndividualperformanceswerealsoexceptionalattheRegional Competition. Gwyn Robertson earned eight ribbons, including a bronze overall for Varsity, while Ross Killgo tied the school’s Science score record with 800 points and earned a bronze overall in the Honors Division. Raydan James earned six ribbons, including gold for the essay portion, and took home silver overall for Varsity.
The top scorer of the competition was none other than Joanna Stryker, who secured 10 ribbons, including a gold overall for the Honors Division, and tied her school record in Math with a score of 886.
Tomah High School has now earned a total of 38 ribbons at the Regional Competition — another school record — and the team’s performance has set the stage for an exciting State competition.
Members from the Local Competition Team pose for a photo during a meeting
Back Row (L to R): Zoe Pergande, Joanna Stryker, Abigail Gordon, Ross Killgo, Collin Branch, Charlie Waring
Front Row (L to R): Isabella Hilt, Isabella Floyd, Lucy Jankowski, Natalie Olson
Collin Branch
Vincent Brom
Isabella Floyd
Zoe Gonzalez
Abigail Gordon
Elius Hennegan
Charles Hilt
Isabella Hilt
Lucy Jankowski
Raydan James
Riley Kaspari
Ross Killgo
Andrew Linberg
Warren MacDougall
Natalie Olson
Kush Patel
Zoe Pergande
Lillian Riedesel
Gwyn Robertson
Joanna Stryker
Makenna Uhing
Charlie Waring
Tomah’sAcademicDecathlonteamisheadingto theStateCompetitioninGreenBaythismonth, wheretheywillcompeteagainstthebestteams acrossWisconsin.Withtheirstrongshowingin theRegionalCompetition,theteamispoisedto continue their success at State. The 2025 NationalAcademicDecathlonCompetitionwillbe heldinDesMoines,Iowa,May1-3,andthetop fourteamsqualifyforinpersoncompetition, whiletheremainingteamswillcompetevirtually. TomahisworkinghardtoqualifyforNationals, wheretheteamwillfacethecountry’stop academictalentsinathrillingandchallenging competition.
The Tomah Athletic Department sincerely thanks the Burnstad Family The Tomah Athletic Department sincerely thanks the Burnstad Family for their generous donation, which will go toward the purchase of new for their generous donation, which will go toward the purchase of new scoreboards for the Middle School gymnasium and High School small scoreboards for the Middle School gymnasium and High School small gymnasium. This thoughtful contribution will enhance the experience gymnasium. This thoughtful contribution will enhance the experience of our student-athletes for years to come, providing them with a more of our student-athletes for years to come, providing them with a more professional and exciting atmosphere for their competitions and professional and exciting atmosphere for their competitions and helping to foster school spirit and pride. helping to foster school spirit and pride.
TheAcademicDecathlonteam’ssuccessisaresultofnotonlytheiroutstandingindividualperformancesbutalsothesupportandcollaboration withintheteamThestudentsspendmonthspreparingforthecompetition,divingintotensubjectsrangingfromMathematicsandLiteratureto ArtandScienceThougheachstudentstudiesindividually,theycometogetherweeklytopracticespeeches,conductmockinterviews,andshare theirknowledgeinacollaborativeenvironmentInadditiontotheiracademicachievements,studentsarebuildingimportantlifeskillssuchas teamwork,timemanagement,publicspeaking,andcriticalthinkingFormanystudents,theexperienceofcompetingintheAcademicDecathlonis oneofpersonalgrowthandanunforgettablepartoftheirhighschooljourney.
Attheheartoftheteam’ssuccessistheirdedicatedacademicadvisor, MicahJuliot,whoisonhis13thyearwiththeprogram.Mr.Juliothas been instrumental in guiding the team through their rigorous preparation and fostering an environment of mentorship and collaboration.Hisleadership,alongsidethestudents'hardwork,has been key to the team’s accomplishments this season. His encouragementandsupporthavehelpedthestudentspushtheirlimits, achievetheirgoals,andcreateapositive,motivatingatmospherewithin theteam.
Theteam’sachievementsareatestamenttothededicationofeach student,theguidanceoftheirmentors,andthesupportoftheentire Tomahcommunity.AstheyprepareforStateandbeyond,wewishthem thebestofluck!
Staytunedforupdatesontheirprogressastheycontinuetorepresent TomahHighSchoolwithexcellenceandpride!Youcanfollowtheirstory andotherhighlightsfromacrossthedistrictonourFacebookpageor websiteNewsfeed.
A favorite event for our third graders year after year is the highly anticipated Invention Fair This event sparks excitement and creativity in our students, and it's a highlight of the school year. At the class level, each student is given an Invention Fair packet filled with all the rules, guidelines, and helpful information they need to develop their own invention that solves a real-world problem.
The process begins with brainstorming, where students identify a problem that they feel passionate about solving. What makes this challenge even more exciting is that students have the option to create an invention that has never been seen before, or they may take an existing idea and make it better or reimagine it in a new way. The possibilities are endless!
On the day of the event, students present their inventions to their classmates and a panel of judges. These judges are carefully chosen from our local community and include members of the high school’s National Honor Society. The students’ inventions are evaluated on five key criteria: 1) Originality, creativity, and neatness - How fresh and inventive is the idea? Is it presented in a clear and organized way? 2) How it solves a problem. Does the invention effectively address the issue or challenge it was designed to solve? 3) Explanation of how the invention works - Can the student clearly explain the function and purpose of their invention? 4) Maintaining eye contact - How well does the student engage with the audience and judges during the presentation? 5) Majority of the work is done by the student - Does the invention showcase the student's personal effort and involvement in the process?
After all the classroom presentations, the judges select a winner from each class based on their performances. These class winners then move on to represent Tomah at the Regional Invention Fair, which is held at Kickapoo Elementary School. The Regional Fair took place this year on February 18th, where students had the chance to showcase their innovative ideas with others in the region. It’s an inspiring event that not only nurtures students' creativity and problem-solving skills but also gives them the chance to shine in front of a supportive community of judges and peers.
Congratulations to the 2025 winners!
Jacobie Butler (Warrens), Jordyn Darge and Mason Bullard (Miller), Bentley Madison (Camp Douglas), Aubrianna Mainu, Oliver Castro, and Leilani Berndt (LaGrange), Piper Brohaugh and Isabella McCarthy (Lemonweir), Mereck Emery (TAMS), and Sophiyah Hughes (Wyeville).
At their Regular Board meeting on January 20, 2025, the Board of Education approved the 2025-2026 School Calendar with (35) onehour student early release Wednesdays
The 2025-2026 School Year one-hour early release for students on Wednesdays provides teachers with dedicated time to meet in their grade level and content area collaborative teams and for professional development activities. Tomah Area School District is dedicated to the Professional Learning Community framework with three big ideas driving the work of a PLC- (1) ensuring high levels
of learning for all students, (2) educators working collaboratively and taking collective responsibility for the success of each student, and (3) a results orientation – evidence of student learning
The 2025-2026 School Calendar onehour student early release Wednesdays are shaded on the school calendar. Elementary school students will be released from their buildings at 2:00 pm next year on the shaded Wednesdays Camp Douglas would release at 1:45 p m
Tomah Middle School students will be released from the building at 2:18 pm next year on the shaded Wednesdays.
Tomah High School students will be released from the building at 2:21 pm next year on the shaded Wednesdays.
The Board of Education did not approve continuing the 45-15 calendar. Lemonweir Elementary School students and faculty will follow a traditional calendar beginning next year.
To align with our Professional Learning Community process, the 4K Timber Pups calendar instructional days move to a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday format next year
2025-2026 School Year calendars are available on the district website www tomah education/calendar