March Newsletter
NEIL DARDIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | March 2026
A Note from Mr. Preble – Principal
February was a busy and productive month at NDES!
During American Heart Month, students learned about keeping their hearts healthy by staying active, making good choices, and showing kindness to others. It was great to see classrooms tying wellness and character together throughout the month.
We also completed our winter STAR360 assessments. These check-ins help us see how much students have grown since fall and where we need to continue focusing our instruction. Overall, we’re seeing positive growth across grade levels, especially in foundational reading skills. We’ll continue working on fluency, comprehension, and math problem-solving as we move into the final quarter of the school year.
Parent-Teacher Conferences gave us a valuable opportunity to connect with families about student progress and next steps. We appreciate the partnership and open communication.
Now we head into March which is always one of our favorite months! Reading Month kicked off with Read Across America Week (March 2–6) and our school-wide “Tip-Off to Reading” assembly. Students can participate in dress-up days as we celebrate reading together.
Our March Madness reading activities will continue throughout the month with classroom NCAA themes, Mystery Readers, and of course our annual Bingo for Books on March 12 from 6:30–7:30 PM in the gym. It’s always a fun evening for families and a great way to celebrate reading as a community.
The week of March 8 will be STAR360 Fluency Week, as we continue building strong, confident readers.
Important dates:
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March 12 – Bingo for Books (6:30–7:30 PM)
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March 13 – End of Quarter 3
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March 18 – No School (LPSD Inservice)
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March 19–20 – No School (Spring Break)
As always, thank you for encouraging reading at home. Even a few extra minutes each night truly makes a difference. We’re looking forward to a strong finish to the third quarter and a great month ahead!
Go Raiders and Go Chargers!
Mr. Sam Preble
Principal, Neil Dardis Elementary School
Hearts Around the World
Ms. Johanson's Second Grade Class collected cards from 30 states and 7 different countries! Thank you to everyone that participated and sent cards!
STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION VISITS THE LAKOTA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
As part of his mission to visit all public schools in North Dakota, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Mr. Levi Bachmeier, visited Lakota on Friday, February 13, 2026.
Mr. Bachmeier stated his campus visit at Lakota High School meeting with the district’s administrative team (Dr. Kelly D. Peters-Superintendent, Mr. Beau Snyder-Secondary Principal, Mr. Sam Preble-Elementary Principal, and Mr. Jason Sorlien-School Board President) and local community leaders from the Lakota City Council (Mr. Bill Solberg-Mayor and Mrs. Amie Vasichek-City Auditor). During this visit, Mr. Bachmeier asked several questions related to supporting public education, what is the outlook for our rural schools in North Dakota, teacher recruitment/retention, housing demands/developments in small towns, and he asked how he and his office could highlight and promote the positive things we are doing in our district. With the next legislative session starting in January, we know budget issues are going to dominate a lot of the discussions and decisions made by our local elected officials. Mr. Bachmeier stressed the importance of reaching out to local legislatures, inviting them into our buildings, and highlighting all that we are doing so they can see firsthand, the value and payoff of our tax dollars at work here in Lakota.
After completing the administrative visit, Mr. Bachmeier took a tour of Lakota High School, he visited several classrooms, and asked/answered questions of students in various classes. This is an exciting time for our school with our American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance project just starting. Lakota Schools was able to secure a $1M grant from the Department of Commerce to remove architectural barriers at Lakota High School by installing an elevator and renovating several bathrooms to provide handicap accessibility. It was great for Mr. Bachmeier to see the construction crews in action as we start this much-needed project.
After touring classrooms and the visiting with students at Lakota High School, Mr. Bachmeier took a short walking tour to Neil Dardis Elementary School. During our walk to the elementary school, we discussed the collaborative roles the school district and the Lakota City Council play working together to support the joint ventures we have in the Lakota Daycare Center and the Lakota Community Center. The success of both facilities is only possible through open discussion, share responsibilities, and positive working relationships.
At Neil Dardis Elementary School, Mr. Bachmeier spent time visiting with several instructors, paraeducators, and support staff members gaining insight in their roles in the district. Mr. Bachmeier stepped into several classrooms, visited with students in the classes and in the halls as they hurried to and from their classes and outside for recess. It was great to highlight several instructors who are advancing their education degrees, to discuss the employees going back to school through the state-sponsored Para-to-Teacher Program, and our local “Grow-Your-Own” Program where the Lakota School District is helping offset educational expenses for instructors going back to school to fill the various employment needs in our district.
We finished the tour by having lunch at Neil Dardis Elementary School with several instructors and students enjoying pizza day. The discussion was filled with more questions related to funding, teacher education programs, and ideas for increased/improved support from the State Superintendent’s Office, and highlighting our successes and goals for the future of our district. Overall, we had a great visit with Mr. Bachmeier, and it was a wonderful opportunity to highlight our local schools, demonstrate student engagement in our classrooms, discuss teacher retention/recruitment issues facing North Dakota, and to learn more about our new State Superintendent of Public Instruction. We hope Mr. Bachmeier visits our district again in the future.
Grade 3
1st Place – Emiliano Ortiz Rodriguez (Lakota)
2nd Place – Emmett Locken (Dakota Prairie)
3rd Place – Avalyn Preble (Lakota)
4th Place – Zackery Johnson (Dakota Prairie)
5th Place – Huxley Breazile (Lakota)
Grade 4
1st Place – Gracie Flom (Dakota Prairie)
2nd Place – Jaina Peavy-Roberts (Dakota Prairie)
3rd Place – Ryder Vough (Dakota Prairie)
4th Place (Tie) – Aizen Malonzo (Lakota)
4th Place (Tie) – Owen Eidsness (Lakota)
Grade 5
1st Place – Aubry Ulland (Lakota)
2nd Place – Hendrix Dahl (Dakota Prairie)
3rd Place – Ahnalee Kueber (Dakota Prairie)
4th Place – Crosby Hendrickson (Dakota Prairie)
5th Place (Tie) – Gracie Schneider (Dakota Prairie)
5th Place (Tie) – Keagen Breazile (Lakota)
Grades 6–8
1st Place – Hadley Strand (Dakota Prairie, Grade 8)
2nd Place – Pepper McKay (Dakota Prairie, Grade 6)
3rd Place – Fiona Klein (Dakota Prairie, Grade 8)
4th Place – Emmitt Engen (Dakota Prairie, Grade 6)
Join us at the NDES cafeteria for a hot breakfast and a morning of appreciation as we say THANK YOU to our EMS, firefighters, law enforcement officers, and all first responders who help keep Lakota safe.
We are grateful for your service, dedication, and commitment to our community.
Join us for a fun evening of bingo, great prizes, and celebrating the joy of reading with our students and families. It’s always a wonderful night filled with excitement, laughter, and plenty of books going home with kids.
We hope to see you there!
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!
