Make Your Voice Heard on November 3

On Tuesday, November 3, I encourage all eligible New London-Spicer voters to get out and vote. This election includes an operating levy question that is important to the future of our schools and the educational opportunities we provide our students.

I also want to clarify an important point about the ballot language. Minnesota law requires the ballot to state that voting “YES” means you are voting for a property tax increase. However, because of seasonal recreation tax aid, the proposed operating levy is expected to result in zero additional school-district property taxes for local property owners. The required ballot language is established by state law, and it does not reflect the anticipated impact of this aid on our local tax bills.

You will also see a separate Minnesota Constitution amendment question regarding the Permanent School Fund. This is different from the NLS operating levy. The amendment concerns the constitutional provisions governing the state's Permanent School Fund, while the operating levy concerns funding for New London-Spicer Schools. I encourage voters to learn about both questions and consider the potential impact of each.

Please take time to review the information available, ask questions, and make a plan to vote on November 3. Every vote matters, and an informed community helps support strong schools and opportunities for our students.

Thank you for your continued support of New London-Spicer Schools and our community.

Jamie Boelter, NLS Superintendent

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Saturday, October 24 - 8th Grade Honor Band Festival in NLS PAC ($2 at the door)
Tuesday, October 27 - Prairie Meadows Fall Festival
Thursday, October 29 - Quarter 1 Ends
Thursday, October 29 - Four Cats in A Cottage Book Launch at PW Media Center
Friday, October 30 - No School: Teacher Workshop
Friday, October 30 - Grade Check for Grades 7-12
Monday, November 2 - No School: Staff Development Day
Monday, November 2 - NHS Induction
Tuesday, November 3 - Quarter 2 Begins
Tuesday, November 3 - No School For PreK Only
Tuesday, November 3 - No Evening Activities: Election Day
Wednesday, November 4 - Finance Committee Meeting
Saturday, November 7 - CatPAC Series: Platinum Duets (Get Tickets)
Monday, November 9 - School Board Meeting
Monday, November 9 - All Building Food Drive: Breakfast Food Item Donation
Tuesday, November 10 - PW Veterans Day Program & Classroom Visits
Tuesday, November 10 - All Building Food Drive: Lunch/Dinner Food Item Donation
Wednesday, November 11 - Annual Veterans Day Breakfast hosted by NLS FFA
Wednesday, November 11 - All Building Food Drive: Beverage Item Donation
Wednesday, November 11 - PW PTO Meeting
Thursday, November 12 - All Building Food Drive: Snack Food Item Donation
Friday, November 13 - All Building Food Drive: $1 Donation to Wildcat Backpack Program
Friday, November 13 - NHS Blood Drive
Wednesday, November 18 - ASVAB Testing for 10th Graders
Thursday, November 19 - Lockdown Drill for K-12 Students
Thursday, Nov. 19 - Sunday, Nov. 22 - High School Musical On Stage! (Get Tickets)

Early Voting Extended Hours

Early voting has extended hours this weekend, Saturday, Oct. 24: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., so it's easy to fit in between games, errands, and chores.

Kandiyohi County Office Building (400 Benson Ave SW, Willmar)

Can't make it Saturday? You have more chances:

• Weekdays: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Oct. 27: open until 7 p.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 31: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Sunday, Nov. 1: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Monday, Nov. 2: open until 5 p.m.

• Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3: polls open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (find your polling place at pollfinder.sos.mn.gov)

On the ballot is the NLS operating levy, which would bring in about $1 million a year for our classrooms starting in 2027 while keeping the current school tax rate for local property owners.

Learn more: NLS Referendum W ebsite
Questions? Call the Superintendent's office at (320) 354-2252

Buy Tickets!

PreOrder Book

High School

First Quarter: The Final Stretch

As we approach the end of the first quarter on October 29th, students should take stock of their progress and be proactive. We encourage students to check their grades, complete missing assignments, and reach out to teachers for support when needed. A little extra effort now can make a big difference as we finish the quarter and prepare for the next.

Smart Glasses, Same Expectations

A few students have been wearing Meta glasses during the school day. These fall under our cell phone guidelines and should not be worn during class. Please direct students to place them in the classroom phone pouch or store them in their bags.

Online & Hybrid Course Framework Committee

To support expanded learning opportunities for next year, we have assembled a committee to develop a comprehensive framework for our online course offerings and to explore potential hybrid learning models. They will establish clear guidelines and instructional standards to ensure course quality and student success. Our goal is to have these expanded online and hybrid options finalized in time for inclusion in this winter’s high school registration guide.

Wildcat Activities

NLS Volleyball Team - Conference Champions!

Congratulations to the NLS Volleyball Wildcats on their conference Championship. This is the Wildcats first time as Conference Champions since 2014! Our Wildcats ended the regular season 22-1. Good luck as you enter sections.

Congratulations to Brooke Glauvitz on qualifying for the state meet with her 2nd place finish in the Section 6A individual tennis tournament.

Brooke will compete on Thursday, October 29 at 8AM at Inner City Tennis 4005 Nicollet Ave.

State meet information & tickets are available on the MSHSL website:

State Meet Information

Middle School

Quarter one is off to a great start! MS Families received communication regarding our grading system, Infinite Campus navigation, and WIN (What I Need) class purpose and support.

In October, our focus has been on Bully Prevention. Key events included an inspiring mental health presentation by Kaysha from Minding Your Mind (via Duck Cup) and targeted advisory lessons.

MCA Report Sheets from last spring's state testing have been mailed home. For any questions or concerns regarding grades or student progress, please reach out to your student's HomeWIN teacher or Principal Zimmerman.

Recess Equipment Donations:

We are collecting gently used athletic balls (basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and volleyballs). Our 5-8th grade has recess every day and we use these items daily. Donations can be dropped off at the Middle School Office.

Thank You!

We deeply appreciate our community's generous support during our fall fundraisers, which directly enhances educational opportunities for students.

Prairie Woods

Our school strives to be a place where every child feels safe, valued, and respected. We all play a vital role in teaching children how to build positive relationships, resolve conflict, and stand up for others. Ultimately, we want everyone to treat each other with kindness. We ask that families take time to reinforce the Kindness Strategies our students are practicing at school during Bullying Prevention Month.

Strategies for Kindness

Children learn kindness through the examples we model and the skills we practice with them. Here are a few simple ways we’re building kindness into everyday life:

Teach ways to respond if someone is being mean or bullying. Encourage children to use a firm voice to say, “Stop. That is not okay,” when it is safe to do so. Teach them to walk away and get help from a trusted adult when needed. At school, we teach “Stop, Walk, and Talk” to the students.

Continue reading our PW Newsletter by clicking here.

Please reach out to your child’s teacher or Mr. Juhl with any concerns so we can work together to support your child.

R = Responsibility O = Ownership
A = Good Attitude R = Respect

Congratulations to our Prairie Woods Elementary ROAR Students of the Month for September! These students demonstrate ROAR behaviors each and every day. Keep up the good work!

Community Education

We are excited about some of the new opportunities coming up!

Along with our youth recreation and enrichment programs, we have some great new options for adults:

Nutrition Classes – Learn practical tips and information to support healthy habits.
Ukulele – Pick up a new instrument and have some fun learning the basics!
Spanish – Build your Spanish skills in a fun and welcoming environment.

And for our youth, Ski Club registration is still open! If your child is looking for a fun winter recreation opportunity, there is still time to join us on the slopes this season.

Community Education is for everyone. Whether you’re looking to stay active, learn a new skill, try something different, or get your kids involved, we hope you’ll find something that interests you.

Watch for our newest programming and registration information. We’d love to have you join us!

Next Up In Our CatPAC Series Lineup!

Our second show of the season, Platinum Duets featuring Phil Thompson and Tristana Ward, is coming soon! We are especially looking forward to the Rock and Roll Christmas Spectacular. NLS gets to host the kickoff show for a production that sells out nine days in a row at the Paramount in St. Cloud—and you can see it right here at home! We’ve already sold more than 350 tickets, so get yours soon!

November 7, 2026 - 7PM
Platinum Duets starring Phil Thompson & Tristianna Ward

🎟️$30 - Get Yours!

December 18, 2026 - 7PM
Rock 'n' Roll Christmas Spectacular

🎟️$35 - Get Yours!

Prairie Meadows

October is always a great time to be at Prairie Meadows! Our Cub Kids Preschoolers have been learning about fire safety and enjoyed a special visit from the New London and Spicer Fire Departments! They loved checking out the fire trucks, learning about what firefighters do, and talking about what to do in case of a fire. Everyone even got a chance to sit inside a fire truck! A big thank-you to the New London and Spicer firefighters for such a fun and educational morning!

Miss Stacy’s and Miss Janelle’s classes had a great time learning all about pumpkins! They explored the different parts of a pumpkin, discovered what’s inside, and learned how pumpkins grow!