Supporting Our Students: Connecting Families with Food | | |
As the federal government shutdown delays November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, New London-Spicer Schools are taking steps to ensure that students and families continue to have access to nutritious food and support.
“Our priority is to make sure every student is fed and ready to learn.” said Superintendent Boelter.
All students in the district are eligible for free breakfast and lunch through the Minnesota Free School Meals Program, and families are encouraged to take full advantage of those meals. In addition, the district partners with The Link for the Wildcat Backpack Program to provide weekend meals/snacks for students. We would also like to connect any families dealing with food insecurity to other local and statewide resources including:
Our middle school, elementary school, and preschool students have also come together with The Link, local nonprofit, for their annual food drive which collects nonperishable food items for distribution to local families in need. Our food drives will run from Monday, Nov. 10 - Friday, November 14. Families can send donations with their students or drop off donations to our school offices.
Together, we can ensure every child has the support and resources they need to thrive.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
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Monday, November 10 - School Board Meeting
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Monday, November 10 - Boys Hockey, Girls Basketball and Gymnastics Starts
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Mon., Nov. 10 - Fri., Nov. 14 - PW & MS Food Drive
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Tuesday, November 11 - FFA Breakfast Veterans & Their Spouses
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Tuesday, November 11 - PW Veterans Day Program
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Wednesday, November 12 - PW PTO Meeting
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Friday, November 14 - Grade Check for 7-12
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Friday, November 14 - Blood Drive hosted by NLS NHS
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Friday, November 14 - CatPAC Series: Barricade Boys West End Party
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Monday, November 17 - Boys Basketball and Wrestling Start
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Thursday, November 20 - ASVAB Testing for 10th Graders
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Thurs., Nov. 20 - Sun, Nov. 23 - High School Musical: Mamma Mia! (Get Tickets)
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Tuesday, November 25 - Prairie Meadows Family Craft Day
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Wednesday, November 26 - No School: Teacher Workday
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Thurs., Nov. 27 & Fri., Nov. 28 - No School: Thanksgiving Break
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Satuday, December 6 - CatPAC Series: Anthony Shore Presents and Elvis Christmas
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Monday, December 8 - School Board Meeting
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Monday, December 8 - Truth in Taxation Meeting
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Our Wildcats turned Halloween spirit into community support!
Student Council members collected 874 pounds of food and cash donations for the Link Food Shelf during their annual Trick-or-Can. Thank you, New London-Spicer, for your generosity!
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NLS Graduates Earn Prestigious American FFA Degree
Congratulations to NLS graduates Emery Gabrielson and Adri Behl for earning the American FFA Degree, one of the highest honors in FFA! They were recognized at the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo on November 1, 2025.
The American FFA Degree honors students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, community involvement, and achievement through their FFA and supervised agricultural experience (SAE) projects. Less than one percent of FFA members nationwide receive this distinction.
Emery Gabrielson has been active in FFA since 7th grade, serving as chapter President, participating in judging teams, and completing SAE projects from family gardening to local businesses. Emery said receiving the award was “the best way to close my FFA career” and plans to complete her Business Economics degree at South Dakota State University.
Adri Behl joined FFA as a freshman and gained experience raising Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats, assisting at a veterinary clinic, and working at NDSU. She said “It's a great way to finish my FFA journey and to display all of my achievements throughout high school.” Adri plans to attend veterinary school.
Both graduates received a gold American FFA Degree key and certificate, joining a select group of national honorees and showcasing the dedication and talent of NLS students past and present!
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LOOKING FOR THE BEST FRUIT?
New London-Spicer FFA students are doing their annual fruit sale fundraiser - get pears, apples, citrus fruits, snacks and more!
Contact a FFA student or place an order directly online.
- Last day to order - November 17, 2025.
- Estimated delivery - Approximately December 15, 2025.
To order online, visit: https://shop.myfruitsale.com/collections/lyfb and enter code: LYFB-7015.
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Wildcat Activities
Congratulations to Wildcat Girls Cross Country on winning the Class A State Championship! The team competed at the state meet on November 1, held at Les Bolstad Golf Course on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Way to go Cats!
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Wildcat Volleyball is headed to the state tournament after winning the Section 3AA Championship on Saturday, November 1. The team defeated Jackson County Central in a thrilling 5 set match to secure the section title. The state volleyball tournament is November 5 - 8 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul. | | | | |
Congratulations to Autumn Tortorella (Volleyball) and to Abby Hjelle (Band) Wildcats of the Week!
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NLS 8th Graders Shine at Honor Band Festival
Ten New London-Spicer 8th grade band members represented our district at the annual 8th Grade Honor Band Festival on Saturday, October 25, hosted at ACGC. Under the direction of guest conductor Mr. Bryan Mara, recently retired from the Willmar School District and a Spicer resident, students from 12 area schools spent the day rehearsing and concluded with an evening concert.
Congratulations to our NLS participants — Charlotte Dimler, Claire Duchene, Liliana Hall, Audrey Moline, Cameron Monson, Oden Nelson, Sage Richards, Jill Skretvedt, Brynlee Wallner, and Bekah Westby — for representing the Wildcat Band with excellence. Thank you to Mr. Mara for sharing his expertise and passion for music with our young musicians.
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Quarter 2 Updates
As Quarter 2 gets underway, please note that we do not have official parent/teacher conferences scheduled. However, we are always happy to meet with you to discuss your student’s progress. To arrange a meeting, simply reach out to the office or contact your student’s teacher directly.
Middle School students will continue to go outside for recess throughout the winter when the wind chill is above 25°F. Please be sure your student comes to school each day with a coat, hat, and gloves so they can stay warm and enjoy outdoor time safely.
Food Drive
Our Student Council will be hosting the annual food drive again this year Monday, Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 14, with themed donation days: Monday – breakfast foods, Tuesday – lunch/dinner items, Wednesday – beverages, Thursday – snacks, and Friday – a $1 donation for the Wildcat Backpack Program or a food item of choice. Students are to bring items to their advisory teachers to participate in the contest of which advisory class brings the most! Let's support our community!
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This November, our students are coming together to support The Link Food Pantry in New London, helping families right here in our community. The food drive runs Monday, Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 14, with themed donation days: Monday – breakfast foods, Tuesday – lunch/dinner items, Wednesday – beverages, Thursday – snacks, and Friday – a $1 donation for the Wildcat Backpack Program or a food item of choice. At Prairie Woods, we’re adding a fun twist with our Cereal Box Domino Challenge—bring boxes of cereal and watch as we build a giant domino train with all your donations! Together, we can make a big impact, one box at a time. Let’s do this, Wildcats!
Please take time to talk with your child about the importance of dressing for the weather. Starting November 10 or if winter weather arrives earlier, we ask all families to please send winter hat, gloves, boots, and a warm coat with your child to school. We want to be ready for winter weather. We will plan to go outside for recess daily unless the temperature is below 0º or wind chills are below -5º.
Prairie Woods Elementary will host their annual Veterans Day Program on Tuesday, November 11 at 1:15PM in the gymnasium. All guests should enter through the flag pole doors.
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Ski Club Registration
Ski Club registration is officially open for the 2025 season! Don’t miss your chance to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount, available through November 20.
6-Week Ski Club Packages
hen registering, please be sure to select your package in the dropdown: You will see (After November 20) in the Price box. If you register before November 20, you will get the early bird discount. The discount will automatically be applied at checkout.
Each package includes a bonus week on February 6th (weather permitting).
- Member, Lift, Ski Rental & Bus
- Member, Lift, Snowboard & Bus
- Member, Lift & Bus
Add-ons available:
- Helmet Rental (seasonal) – Class Code: Helmet6-25
- Lessons for first 3 weeks – Class Code: SkiLess6-25
Ski Club Dates
Fridays — December 5, 12, 19, January 16, 23, 30
Bonus Week: February 6
Secure your spot today and get ready for a fantastic season on the slopes!
[ REGISTER NOW ]
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2025–26 CatPAC Series – Tickets On Sale Now!
We're set for another incredible season at the NLS Performing Arts Center! This year’s CatPAC Series brings a dynamic lineup of performances that span Broadway hits, rock ‘n’ roll classics, holiday magic, and interactive crowd favorites. Below are our second and third shows of the season!
Friday, November 14, 2025 – The Barricade Boys Broadway Party
🌟 Direct from London, four dazzling West End stars deliver powerhouse vocals, hilarious stories, and a musical mashup of Broadway favorites, pop, rock, swing, and Motown hits.
Saturday, December 6, 2025 – Anthony Shore presents an Elvis Christmas
🌟Anthony’s lifelong love of Elvis grew into an award-winning career that has taken him from sold-out shows across Europe to stages throughout the U.S. He now performs high-energy, crowd-pleasing concerts with his All-Star Band featuring a full horn and string section.
🕖 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 will be participating in the annual food drive again this year Monday, Nov. 10 through Friday, Nov. 14, with themed donation days: Monday – breakfast foods, Tuesday – lunch/dinner items, Wednesday – beverages, Thursday – snacks, and Friday – a $1 donation for the Wildcat Backpack Program or a food item of choice. Thank you for your support! | | | |
Progress reports were sent home last week! These reports provide a snapshot of your child’s skills at the beginning of the school year and help teachers set individualized goals for growth. Our preschool team assesses each child’s progress across four key developmental areas: literacy, math, fine motor, and social-emotional skills.
Expectations are tailored for our three-year-olds and four-year-olds to ensure goals are developmentally appropriate for each age group. Along with the progress report, families also received a Glows, Grows, and Goals sheet that highlights your child’s strengths and areas of focus for the first quarter.
Our overarching goal is kindergarten readiness, which includes a wide range of important skills. We strive to build a strong foundation for future academic success while nurturing independence, curiosity, and social-emotional growth. Among many other things, we want our preschoolers to be able to:
- Sit attentively, walk in a line, and follow directions in the classroom.
- Demonstrate independence by doing things for themselves, such as putting on shoes and coats.
- Express feelings appropriately, solve problems when conflicts arise, and ask for help when needed.
- Most importantly, we want each child’s first school experience to be one where they feel safe, supported, and excited to learn—all while having fun!
| | | Address: 101 4th Ave SW New London, MN 56273 | | | | | | |
