Celebrating FFA Week: A Community Tradition of Leadership and Learning

We’re proud to celebrate another successful FFA Week in our school community! Throughout the week, our FFA members showcased not only their dedication and leadership, but also the valuable skills they gain through agricultural education such as teamwork, responsibility, communication, problem-solving, and a strong work ethic that will serve them well in any career path.

Their hard work was on full display during a fantastic lineup of events, including the always-appreciated Staff and Alumni Breakfast, which brought generations together to celebrate the impact of FFA. The week wrapped up with a favorite tradition, the Petting Zoo that continues to bring smiles to students and staff alike.

Thank you to our FFA members and advisors for your commitment, organization, and enthusiasm. You represent our school and community so well, and we are grateful for the positive energy and leadership you bring each day!

CALENDAR

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Wednesday, March 4 - ASVAB Testing for Sophomores
Thursday, March 5 - HS Spring Play: Ken Ludwig's Gods of Comedy - Get Tickets
Friday, March 6 - HS Spring Play: Ken Ludwig's Gods of Comedy (Get Tickets)
Saturday, March 7 - CatPAC Series: Duelly Noted (Get Tickets)
Monday, March 9 - School Board Meeting
Monday, March 9 - Softball and Track & Field Practice Begins
Tuesday, March 10 - Senior Scholarships Deadline
Wednesday, March 11 - Donuts with Dudes at Prairie Meadows
Wednesday, March 11 - PW Kindergarten Program
Wednesday, March 11 - PW PTO Meeting
Friday, March 13 - Quarter 3 Ends
Friday, March 13 - Grade Check for Grades 7-12
Friday, March 13 - Grade 5 DARE Graduation
Monday, March 16 - Baseball and Golf Practice Begins
Mon., March 16 - Fri., March 20 - No School: Spring Break
Monday, March 23 - Boys Tennis Practice Begins
Monday, March 23 - No School: Teacher Workday
Tuesday, March 24 - Quarter 4 Begins
Tuesday, March 24 - PW Book Bingo Night

Upcoming Highlights

Yearbook Sales! From Friday night lights to fine arts performances, this book tells our story.

High School $60 each, Order here: https://bit.ly/3Obf2ol
Middle School $20 each, Order here: https://bit.ly/4a3r240
Elementary $18 each, Order here: https://bit.ly/45NvYax

High School

Senior Mock Interviews Provide Real-World Experience

On February 3, more than 100 seniors participated in mock interviews with local professionals, gaining valuable real-world experience while building confidence and strengthening their professional skills. This authentic learning opportunity allowed students to practice communication, receive feedback, and better prepare for their next steps after high school. We are grateful for our community partnerships and the time and expertise shared to support our students’ growth.

We extend our sincere thanks to the following professionals for sharing their time and expertise with our seniors:

Dave Baker — State Representative

Diane Barber — Magnifi Financial

Melissa Van Buren — Duininck

Carolyn Fiore — CentraCare

Keisha Frauendienst — O’Neils

Graysen Hunter — Jennie-O

Jennifer Lindquist — Willmar Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

Nicole Lydick — NLS School District

Datriana Mahn — Jennie-O

Renee Nolting — West Central Industries

Eric Shaw — NTE Global

Darica Schneider — Univar Solutions

Karly Seeley — CMJTS

Heather Thompson — Conway, Deuth & Schmiesing

Ryan Tillemans — NLS School District

Tricia Lilleberg — NLS School District

Hailey Wilkens — Bethesda

HS Spring Registration Information

This week students met to review course registration information and learn about the many class opportunities available for next year. Next week, teachers and counselors will be available to answer questions and provide support as students finalize their plans. Full online registration will open on March 9, and our counseling team remains available to assist students and families throughout the process.

To find out more about our NLS college credit options, please view this link.

Check out these videos prepared for you by our Counseling Team.

EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT

PARENT REGISTRATION INFO

Wildcat Activities

Congratulations to NLS wrestler Holton Hanson as he earned his ticket to compete in the State Wrestling Tournament by taking 2nd place at the Section 3AA Wrestling Tournament!

Congratulations to Wildcat gymnasts Kennedy Goracke, Delaney Barber, and Rylie Harrier! They did a great job representing NLS at the State Gymnastics Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 21.

BUY TICKETS

Middle School

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
NLS Middle School Book Fair
The NLS Middle School Book Fair will take place March 24–27. Students will have time during the school day to shop for books and explore new favorites.

What’s new this year:

E-Wallets for easy, cashless shopping (family can add funds too!)
Share the Fair donations to help other students purchase books
Teacher Wish Lists to support classroom libraries

Students can also participate in fun Book Fair challenges for a chance to earn prizes or a free book.

Learn more! Set up an e-wallet or preview books here: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/newlondonspicermidschl

Mrs. Slagter is teaching Origami in 6th Grade Art. They were learning the Hat fold, Kite Fold, and Samuri Fold.

7th Graders had a guest speaker, Katie Pederson, Retail Manager/VP from United Prairie Bank in Spicer. She shared about financial literacy topics, credit, banking and more. Students prepared for the speaker in Mr. Regnier's financial literacy unit in history related to economics.

NLS 5th Grader's D.A.R.E Graduation will be held on March 13, 2026 at 8:30 AM in the NLS PAC. Everyone is welcome!

Prairie Woods

Our Annual Book Bingo event will be taking place on Tuesday, March 24 in the High School Cafeteria. Scholastic Book Fair shopping will take place from 5:00 pm-8:00 pm. Please enter the High School District Office doors and go up the stairs to get to the Book Fair. FAMILY BOOK BINGO will begin at 6:30 pm and last one hour.

Join us in celebrating I Love to Read Week which will be March 2 - March 6. We have a variety of fun dress up days planned.

Reminder: Pickup for the Club Choice Fundraiser items is scheduled from 2:50PM to 5PM on Wed., March 4 at PW.

Outdoor Recess: When we return from spring break, we will move back to dismissing for recess from the cafetorium after lunch instead of returning to the lockers. We realize we may need to shift if a snow storms occurs.

Community Education

Summer PALS and Lil' PALS Registration will open on Monday, March 30. All Summer registrations will need to be completed by May 8.

We will open Summer Recreation Registrations in early April. If you are attending PALS/Lil' PALS your summer recreation registrations will need to be completed by May 8.

There is a baseball meeting for families on Monday, March 2 at 7PM in the HS Cafeteria. The softball meeting has been moved to Monday, March 9. There will be a meeting held by the softball association on Monday, March 9 in the Prairie Woods Cafetorium.

We want to inform families that the Zylstra Summer Camp will not be offered this year. After thoughtful consideration, the Zylstra team has decided to pause programming for this summer season. We are grateful for the partnership and the positive impact the camp has had on our youth. We look forward to the possibility of working together again in the future and appreciate your understanding.

2025–26 CatPAC Series – Tickets On Sale Now!

Another incredible season is underway at the NLS Performing Arts Center! This year’s CatPAC Series has a dynamic lineup of performances that span Broadway hits, rock ‘n’ roll classics, holiday magic, and interactive crowd favorites. Below are our fourth and final shows of the season!

🎶Saturday, March 7, 2026 – Duelly Noted

Get ready for an unforgettable night of music, energy, and fun! Duelly Noted brings both sass and class to the stage with a dynamic performance featuring your favorite hits from the ’60s to today. Known for their engaging style and interactive shows, this talented duo keeps audiences singing, dancing, and laughing all night long. From crowd requests to sing-alongs, Duelly Noted delivers a one-of-a-kind experience that will have everyone on their feet!

🎶Saturday, April 7, 2026 - A John Denver Tribute presented by Ted Vigil

Celebrate the timeless music of John Denver with an unforgettable tribute performance by Ted Vigil!

Experience beloved classics like “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Rocky Mountain High,” “Annie’s Song,” “Thank God I’m a Country Boy,” and many more, brought to life with heart and authenticity.

Ted Vigil, an accomplished singer, songwriter, and tribute artist, has been performing since the age of ten, honing his craft in concert, symphonic, and jazz bands. His moving performance captures the spirit, warmth, and sound of the legendary John Denver in a night fans won’t forget.

🕖 All shows begin at 7:00 PM

📍 NLS Performing Arts Center

💛 Sponsored By: Dooley’s, Jennie-O, Rambow, and Willow Creek Counseling

🎟️ Tickets Available Now! www.nls.k12.mn.us/ticketsales

Prairie Meadows

We were excited to welcome Superintendent Boelter as part of I Love to Read Month! He spent the morning in our preschool classrooms, reading to each class and sharing his love of books with our students.

We also enjoyed a wonderful Muffins in the Morning event. Moms, aunts, grandmas, and special friends joined us for a fun-filled morning of muffins, coffee, crafts, and play. Our preschoolers absolutely love when special guests are able to join them at school—it makes the day even more meaningful! We’re already looking forward to Donuts with Dudes coming up in a few weeks. We can’t wait for more smiles, laughter, and special memories together!