April Newsletter

March was an exciting and event-filled month at NDES, filled with opportunities for students to grow both academically and as readers!

Reading Month brought great energy into our building. We kicked things off with Read Across America Week and our “Tip-Off to Reading” assembly, which set the tone for a fun and engaging month. Classrooms embraced our March Madness reading activities, with students tracking their reading, competing in friendly challenges, and building excitement around books. Mystery Readers were a highlight, as students loved the surprise of special guests sharing stories.

Our Bingo for Books night was another great success. It was wonderful to see so many families come together to celebrate reading, enjoy time in the gym, and leave with books to continue building home libraries. Events like this truly showcase the strong partnership between our school and community.

We also had the opportunity to host our EMS/First Responder Breakfast, which was a great way for our students and staff to show appreciation for those who serve our community each day. It was a special morning and a great reminder of the strong support system we have in Lakota.

Currently, students in grades 3–6 are participating in state assessments. Our staff has worked hard to ensure students feel confident and ready to do their best.

In addition to reading activities, we continued building strong relationships and celebrating student success throughout the building. We also look forward to our upcoming dedication ceremony honoring Neil Dardis and the lasting impact he has had on our school and community.

As we move into April, our focus remains on strong instruction, continued growth, and finishing the year on a positive note.

Go Raiders and Go Chargers!

Mr. Sam Preble
Principal, Neil Dardis Elementary School

Lakota Public Schools is now collecting Preschool and Kindergarten Pre-Registration for the 2026–2027 school year. If you have a child who will be entering Preschool or Kindergarten next fall, please complete the form below. This information helps our school plan for class sizes, staffing, and programming for the upcoming school year. 👉 Pre-Register Here:

Practices: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday Held at Lakota High School from 3:30-5:15 (Practice times/locations may be subject to change if needed.)

Game Schedule: Please see the attached image for the full game schedule. Join Remind for updates and communication: 👉 https://www.remind.com/join/332f2ce

Click the link below to see what's on the menu!

We value strong communication between home and school. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns. Regular updates will be shared through our class apps and newsletters, and we encourage you to stay connected.

Classdojo is a FREE app, if it asks for you to pay, don't!

We absolutely love seeing your children at school every day, but their health and well-being—and the health of our school community—are our top priorities.

As a friendly reminder, if your child has been sick, they must be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for at least 24 hours before returning to school. This helps ensure a full recovery and prevents the spread of illnesses to others.

We kindly ask for your vigilance in monitoring any symptoms your child may experience and encourage you to keep them home if they are unwell. Together, we can keep our classrooms happy and healthy for everyone!