Pajama Day Showdown: Part 2
The Final Trophy and the Legend Lives On
As Pajama Day rolled on, the chaos spread across the district.
Superintendent Brenda Padgett arrived dressed as an inflatable Gingerbread Man, instantly raising the stakes. It was festive, cheerful, and only slightly hazardous in doorways.
Maintenance Director Jared Stevens, the 80-year-old man who keeps this school running like a machine, remained unshaken. Spirit Week or not, the building stayed standing. A true Logger legend.
Jerry Carlson, our Food Service Director, smiled through it all like the hero he is, likely feeding half the building while imaginary competitions raged.
HR Director Alicia Clevenger stood ready. Over prepared as always. Lawsuits. Medical issues. Mental breakdowns. Pajama-related grievances. She was prepared for anything this nonsense could bring.
Meanwhile, the High School Office Staff, Sara and Samantha, wisely stayed out of it. Peace was their choice.
High School Principal and Transportation Director Mr. Pilloud was so busy handling two jobs at once that he has absolutely no idea any of this happened. And honestly, that is probably for the best.
And then there was me.
Tori.
District Office Secretary.
Sweet. Innocent. Quietly posting these stories to the website.
Or am I?
As the day wound down, emails continued to trickle in. Photos. Claims. Confidence. Pajamas everywhere.
It was early release for Winter Break. The building buzzed with excitement. Logger Pride filled the halls. The Logger Way was alive and well.
I sat there at the end of the day, waiting on baited breath. What would the outcome of Pajama Day be?
And then it happened.
Mr. Markuson.
Ms. Ranger.
And the EMS Office Staff.
They did what they have done all week.
They declared themselves the champions.
Once again.
With a giant Grand Champion trophy. Homemade, of course.
Competition where there never was one.
Judging that never happened.
Self-proclaimed champions standing proudly in their pajamas.
And somehow, it felt right.
Because at the end of the day, this week was about joy. About laughter. About community. About Logger Pride. About doing things The Logger Way.
It truly is a Great Day to Be a Logger.
And somewhere in the background, I swear I saw Logger Bob nodding in approval.
Happy Winter Break, Onalaska.
Pajama Day Showdown: Part 1
The Calm Before the Chaos
Friday, December 19th.
Day 5.
Pajama Day.
I arrived bright and early this Friday morning for an early meeting, fully convinced I would be the first one through the doors besides the maintenance crew. I had that quiet, peaceful, end-of-the-week confidence.
But nope.
Mrs. Leavitt was already here.
Rachel, do you ever go home?
And then there was Mr. Blue. Our Technology Director. I truly thought for sure I would beat him in this morning, but once again, he had already been here long before the rooster even considered crowing. Honestly, what would we do without Mr. Blue keeping our internet alive?
I fired up my laptop, started my coffee, and began my day. And that is when it happened.
Email after email after email.
All about the final Spirit Day of the week. Pajama Day.
Now, Pajama Day is usually the most relaxed and cozy day of Spirit Week. Soft clothes. Slippers. Calm vibes. An easy win for everyone.
Except this was not that kind of Pajama Day.
No sir.
This day was about redemption.
This day was about pride.
This day was about winning.
At exactly 9:00 a.m., an email came in from Mrs. Richardson. Yes, that Mrs. Richardson. The one who had been mysteriously MIA for at least two days of these very real, yet completely nonexistent, competitions.
She was back.
And she was not alone.
The 6th graders, who had been quietly showing Logger Pride all week, boldly declared themselves the winners of today’s competition. At 9 a.m. no less. Early bird catches the worm, right?
The confidence was impressive.
Then came the twist.
In a move no one saw coming, the 8th grade entered the picture. Photos started rolling in. Pajamas. Props. Commitment. Pajama Day had officially escalated.
Word on the street is that the EMS Office Staff received an anonymous phone call of their own, tipping them off to what was happening on the middle school side of things. And just like that, the dynamic shifted.
Elementary Principal Mr. Markuson and Middle School Principal Ms. Ranger had been working together all week as a united front. But whispers began.
Had Ms. Ranger been quietly working toward her own unofficial championship?
Was a trophy being made behind the scenes for a competition that does not exist and never has?
Meanwhile, the EMS Office Staff reacted swiftly. In a dramatic and highly questionable move, the EMS Office was declared CLOSED to certain teachers. Gasp.
I personally told Mr. Markuson that if they wanted a clean sweep, they were going to have to step up their game.
Later that morning, I saw it happen.
Maximum dad-style pajamas. Confidence unlocked.
And with that, the stage was set.
What would happen next?
Who would declare victory?
Would there be peace, or one final scandal?
To be continued…
Christmas Character Day Catastrophe: EMS Office Declares Victory Again, Produces Yet Another Trophy, and the Madness Continues
Day 4 of Christmas Spirit Week, Thursday, December 18th, and just when the community thought things might calm down after the Crazy Sock, Hair, & Sweater Day Scandal of 2025… the Elementary and Middle School office staff said, “Absolutely not.”
Welcome to Christmas Character Day, where holiday magic meets questionable decision-making and where the EMS office, led once again by the unstoppable duo Ms. Ranger and Mr. Markuson, has outdone themselves… again.
The Costumes: Terrific? Wellllll… Yeah.
Before we dive into the scandal, it must be acknowledged that the costumes were, in fact, fantastic. Truly. Impressively coordinated, thoughtfully crafted, and bursting with enthusiasm.
And yes, eyewitness accounts confirm that Mr. Markuson showed up as Olaf, snowman optimism and all, which means he is now officially a walking spoiler alert for the inevitable chaos that follows him everywhere he goes. Ms. Ranger and the EMS crew were right beside him, fully committed to the Christmas Character theme with enough energy and sparkle to power the district’s Christmas lights.
Did they put effort into every day of Spirit Week?
Sure.
Did they bring enthusiasm?
Absolutely.
Did they embody school pride, cheer, and THE LOGGER WAY?
…OK, fine. You have a point.
But Here’s the Problem…
Once again, the EMS office has declared themselves the winners of a competition that:
Did not exist
Was not announced
Had no rules
Had no judging panel
Had no participating opponents
Had no reason to exist in the first place
And somehow they managed to produce ANOTHER homemade trophy. This is becoming a pattern. A concerning one. A glitter-filled, glue-gun-fueled pattern of self-celebration that no one can seem to stop.
At this point, even the district laminator might file a complaint from overuse.
The Community Reaction
All I can do is shake my head.
When will this madness end?
And yet…
And yet…
As the story continues unfolding, something unexpected is happening. A shift. A ripple in the holiday-tinsel-covered universe.
Readers across the community are starting to whisper:
“Well… good for them, honestly.”
“I mean, those costumes were adorable.”
“Maybe they should win.”
“They made the trophy with love!”
“That Olaf suit must’ve been hot. Give the man an award.”
Is this… support?
Are the principals and the EMS office crew becoming the underdog heroes of Spirit Week?
The same group who rigged every competition that didn’t exist?
The same group who out-crafted, out-planned, and out-trophied everyone?
Somehow, incredibly, unbelievably… people are starting to cheer for them.
But Make No Mistake
At their core, these stories remain what they were always meant to be:
Competitions that never existed
Judging that never happened
Champions who crowned themselves
And trophies created in-house with gusto
The EMS Office:
Self-Proclaimed, Back-to-Back, Multi-Day, Multi-Event, Totally Imaginary CHAMPIONS.
And Now… The Cliffhanger
There is one day left in Spirit Week.
Day 5: Pajama Day.
A simple day. A cozy day.
A day that should be calm, quiet, and drama-free.
But we said that about Day 1.
And Day 2.
And Day 3.
And now Day 4.
So the real question becomes:
Will Pajama Day finally bring peace?
Or will Ms. Ranger, Mr. Markuson, and their unstoppable EMS office crew unleash one final trophy-fueled finale to end all finales?
Stay tuned.
The pajamas may be soft…
But the competition is about to get fierce.
Even if it isn’t real.
The Great Crazy Socks, Hair, & Sweater Day Scandal of 2025: EMS Strikes Again Under the Fearless Leadership of Ms. Ranger and Mr. Markuson
Wednesday, December 17th, will forever be remembered as the day the Onalaska School District woke up, chose chaos, and then doubled down.
The day began with a 2-hour late start thanks to a windstorm the night before. Power was out in many parts of the county. Roads were covered in debris. The entire district was operating at about half speed, fueled by caffeine and determination.
But did that stop the Elementary and Middle School office staff?
It did not.
While most of us were still finding our keys, the EMS office, led by their fearless leaders Ms. Ranger and Mr. Markuson, was already hard at work preparing for the next chapter in their legacy of questionable victories.
The Scandal Unfolds
Despite the chaos of the morning, the EMS crew managed to dominate, or possibly rig, the completely nonexistent competition for Crazy Socks, Hair, & Sweater Day.
Not only did they win a contest no one entered, for a contest no one judged, in a competition no one knew existed, they also brought home the trophy. The trophy they made. Again.
This marks the 3rd homemade trophy awarded to the EMS office for a contest that does not exist. At this point, their trophy shelf is beginning to tell its own outrageous story.
A Suspicious Phone Call
The situation became even more questionable after an anonymous tip was phoned in yesterday afternoon. The caller claimed that the EMS office was actively recruiting students for their team. Not subtle recruiting. Not casual recruiting. Real recruitment efforts, possibly involving charm, bribery, or the silent intimidation abilities that only office staff possess.
Coincidentally, or not, no student photos were submitted for official comparison. Not one. The timing of the tip is interesting. The lack of student submissions is even more interesting. The EMS victory is the most interesting of all.
We are not officially accusing anyone, but the anonymous caller seemed quite convinced that something unusual was happening behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, the Students Showed Up in Full Force
Even without entering this alleged competition, students embraced the spirit of Crazy Socks, Hair, & Sweater Day with enthusiasm and creativity. Highlights included:
Hair styled to hold a full plate of hot chocolate and a donut
Cupcake hair complete with sprinkles
Hair so tall it might qualify as a minor engineering project
Socks bold enough to be museum-worthy
Sweaters that made an unforgettable impression
Had the contest been real, these students would have been unbeatable.
And the Staff?
Some of the staff showed up looking like the week had personally challenged them to a duel. But after everything that happened since Monday, who wouldn’t look a little crazy?
The Results (As Declared by EMS)
In a stunning turn of events that shocked absolutely no one, the EMS crew proudly declared themselves the winners once again. Under the leadership of Ms. Ranger and Mr. Markuson, they accepted their handcrafted trophy with confidence and zero hesitation.
This brings their total to three trophies for contests that remain entirely imaginary. Impressive, in its own way.
The Legacy Continues… For Now
There are still two more spirit days left, and at this point absolutely anything is possible. This staff has already proven that they cannot be trusted around crafts, competitions, or glitter without creating another scandal. And speaking of scandal, eyewitness reports have already confirmed that Mr. Markuson has been spotted preparing his Olaf costume for Christmas Character Day on Thursday, December 18th. If that is the starting point, what on earth will the ending look like?
Will there be more trophies mysteriously appearing on the EMS shelf?
Will the EMS office continue their undefeated streak in contests that do not exist?
Will the students finally revolt and demand oversight, accountability, or at least a real judging panel?
Only time will tell, and with this crew, the story is far from over.
Just when the school community thought the EMS office had peaked during Color Wars, Tuesday, December 16th arrived… 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.
🏆 The Trophy Nobody Asked For… 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.
📸 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 “Hawaiian Christmas”—smiles, color, joy, and enough festive tropical energy to make Santa consider switching from a sleigh to a surfboard.
The students showed up in full force—decked out in holiday leis, floral prints, Santa hats, and enough cheer to light up the entire island of Oʻahu. Their enthusiasm radiated through every picture, proving once again that when EMS students show up, they show UP.
🌴 A School-Wide Aloha Celebration
And the rest of OSD? They didn’t hold back either.
Teachers, students, staff—everyone 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 wasn’t 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 trophy…
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 joy—just another unforgettable chapter in the ongoing saga of Onalaska spirit. Go Loggers!
Due to flooding, both Morton and White Pass School Districts are closed today. As a result, our Boys Basketball game with MWP has been canceled. We will provide an update once a new date has been scheduled.
Please use caution and stay safe. Do not drive through standing or running floodwater. Turn around, don’t drown.
Dear Onalaska Families,
At approximately 1:30 p.m. today, our district enacted a modified lockdown at the high school out of an abundance of caution.
A member of our maintenance team observed an individual on district property who did not have permission or a clear purpose to be there. The employee immediately notified our School Safety Officer (SSO)Wetzel, who responded to the scene and attempted to contact the individual. When the individual refused to comply and continued walking on school property, the high school was placed into a modified lockdown as a precautionary measure, and a call was placed to 911 reporting a disorderly subject trespassing.
During this time, the individual escalated in behavior and became aggressive toward another member of our maintenance team. SSO Wetzel maintained control of the situation until Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived. The individual was soon located and taken into custody.
I am extremely proud of our administrators and staff who followed all safety protocols to keep students secure. Special recognition goes to SSO Wetzel for his steady leadership in maintaining safety, as well as to our maintenance team for serving as the eyes and ears around our schools and acting quickly to notify our safety officer.
The safety of our students and staff remains our top priority. Thank you for your continued support and trust as we work each day to keep our schools safe.
Sincerely,
Brenda Padgett
Superintendent
Article and pictures contributed by Dessirae McBee
Submitted by Linda Hatfield Southern
Original picture from the Chronicle
WELCOME BACK LOGGERS
🎉🏫 You’re Invited! 🏫🎉
Ready to kick off a brand-new school year?
👉 Come meet the staff,
👉 make new connections, and
👉 jumpstart your high school journey at our Open House! ✨
📅 Wednesday, August 27
📍 Onalaska High School
⏰ Freshman Orientation – 4:30 p.m. (Gym)
⏰ OHS Open House – 5:30–6:30 p.m.
It’s the perfect chance to explore the school, find your classes, and get excited for everything ahead. 💜💛
#OnalaskaPride #BackToSchool #openhouse #OnalaskaLoggers #ItsAGreatDayToBeALogger
🌟 Become a Youth Mentor with the O.W.L. Mentoring Program! 🌟
Do you have a heart for helping others? We're searching for passionate, caring adults to join our O.W.L. Mentoring Program and make a lasting impact on the next generation.
✨ Why Mentor?
Youth mentoring leads to powerful results:
✅ Better academic performance
✅ Higher college enrollment rates
✅ Improved self-esteem & confidence
✅ Healthier choices & reduced substance misuse
✅ Brighter outlook on life and school
💬 As a mentor, you’ll be a role model and trusted guide—providing encouragement, support, and consistency. No special experience required! Just bring your compassion and commitment—we’ll provide all the training and support you need.
💡 Be the person you needed when you were younger.
Your time and heart can truly change a life.
👉 Ready to get started? Visit the O.W.L page
and fill out a volunteer form today!
We are excited to share some great news! Thanks to the incredible support from our community, we received so many applications for van drivers that we are no longer in need of additional regular drivers.
✨ Thank you to everyone who stepped up to help our students get to and from school safely! Your response truly shows the strength of our community.
That said, we are still in need of:
Substitute Van Drivers
Bus Drivers
Substitute Monitors
The best way to become a full-time driver or monitor is to start as a substitute. Many of our current staff began as subs, and it’s a great way to get your foot in the door while supporting our students.
👉 https://jobs.redroverk12.com/org/2048
Onalaska School District is hiring Van Drivers for the new school year!
✔ Flexible hours
✔ Extra income
✔ Make a difference for kids in our community
Start date: Aug 27th
👉 Apply today: https://jobs.redroverk12.com/org/2048
As we get ready for the new school year, we need your help in making sure everything is up-to-date in Skyward!
✅ Child Income Survey – Please log in and complete this form for Free/Reduced Meals. This is also where you’ll need to check the ASB and Athletic Fees boxes if your Middle or High School student is playing a sport. These boxes are important for determining waivers for the school year. Even if you’ve already filled it out, please go back and double-check that those boxes are marked.
✅ Update Your Information – While you’re there, review and update addresses, phone numbers, and emails for both you and your student.
✅ Stay Informed – Watch your Skyward account for upcoming paperwork and important dates throughout the year.
✅ Volunteer Forms – Take a moment on our school website to submit a volunteer form. These expire every year on June 30, so now is the perfect time to get yours completed for the 2025-26 school year!
Thank you for helping us start the school year smoothly!
~Mr. Hoffman
Over the past few days, including the weekend, individuals have been doing donuts in the back preschool parking lot. This area was recently repaired, with significant time, effort, and resources spent to fix potholes and provide our bus drivers with a smooth and safe surface for student transportation.
Unfortunately, the recent damage now requires our maintenance staff to revisit and repair the area again—diverting time and resources away from other important work.
While we understand that some may see this as harmless fun, this type of behavior is unacceptable on school property. We have video evidence and have identified those involved. We are asking that you please contact the school directly so we can address this internally.
If no one comes forward, this matter will be turned over to the sheriff’s office for further action.
We appreciate the community’s continued support in helping us maintain a safe and respectful environment for our students and staff. Voicemail is ok or send an email to Jared Stevens at jstevens@onysd.wednet.edu
