Ready to Shine? Run for Nicollet Royalty
This post deserves its own shout out - A big thanks to our Spring Break Bus Drivers (Dale Scharping and Ken Zins). On a 5 point scale - these two easily earn a 7! During our weeklong journey they endured snow, ice, rain, heavy fog, traffic jams, heat, long stretches of day/night driving and high winds. Never once was there a concern or any doubt. As an added bonus Dale planned our trip route and interpreted sights along the way. Great job drivers, thanks for looking out for our kids and keeping us all safe the whole way.
We entered Minnesota around 7am this morning. Exhausted and tired, we receive a warm and friendly greeting by the City of Nicollet just after 9am. The Band/Choir Spring Break '26 road trip is over - but the memories will last a lifetime.
The bus has been quiet tonight. At midnight there was an early morning rest stop stretch before entering the greater St. Louis metro area. At exactly 12:30am we crossed over the familiar waters of the Mississippi and thus entered the Gateway to the West. Stopping just south of Cedar Rapids, IA at 4:30am its starting to feel like home as we find just to keep warm we need more than a t-shirt. It’s hard to believe we only have about 4 hours left of our weeklong experience.
Leaving St Augustine - Fla. this morning at 8:30am - the Band/Choir Spring Break ‘26 Road Trip is on their way home. Entering Georgia at 10:30am they visited a welcome stop for free apple chips and Sweet Peach Tea. Continuing on only stopping to refuel and eat they drove through TN. Entering KY they made a pit stop around 8:20pm just outside Fort Campbell. They are expected to reach the southern tip of Illinois around 10:00pm.
With a full day exploring Universal Studios yesterday - we waved goodbye to Orlando and rolled out to Ron John's in Coco Beach. On the way we glimpsed the Kennedy Space Center out the window. A quick group photo at Ron's and we were in the Atlantic Ocean! A high of 79 degrees, a clear day and a bright sun gave us memories and sunburn. After a couple hours - we left for St. Augustine to see Castillo de San Marcos (the oldest masonry fort in the nation). As the fort closed, we ended our day having one last meal together as a group before we return home.
After performing - Students and chaperones were released to the park to enjoy. After the evening Mardi Gras parade (actor and TV host - Mario Lopez was in the lead float!) we made our way back to the park. Students were all back on time, we found our bus and came back to the hotel to relax, swim and get ready to explore the park again for tomorrow!
Our performance at Universal Studios went fantastic this morning. We all wish you could have been there, the students were terrific! Right after our performance we slipped over to the universal globe for a snapshot, then then we explored the park!
The Band/Choir trip has made it to our destination - Universal Studios. We are now warming up for the biggest performance of our trip. We are not nervous. We are Ready and Prepared. We will head outside shortly to perform. It is 72 degrees and Sunny (high of 84 in Orlando today)
Aside from brief breaks including a drive through downtown Nashville, the Band/Choir road trip has been on the move since St. Louis. In the last few hours we visited the great states of KY, TN, GA (visited a Buc-ee's at 12:30am) and reached Florida this morning around 6:30am. It's foggy and a cool 55 degrees.
Nicollet students proudly performed yesterday afternoon at the historic Illinois Veterans home in Quincy. After an overnight at a hotel along the Mississippi River, this morning we packed and were on the road to St Louis just after 7:30am. We arrived at the Arch at 10am, got our tickets and took the trams to the top. It's a clear day so the view is great. It's also a warm one today currently 81 degrees! (High expected of 88).
Today was the championship round of our Book March Madness competition! Students gathered in the theater to listen to the final two books and then cast their votes for their favorite.
After much excitement and a VERY close vote, the 2026 winner was Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o
After much excitement and a VERY close vote, the 2026 winner was Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o
Students from Mr. Rudenick’s Life Sports class were at the Wow Zone this morning for bowling and billiards. The students showcased some impressive bowling scores!
After 2 years of planning the time has come. The Band/Choir trip is off! Our Spring Break Road Trip started today at 6:30 am. We are ready and excited for Adventure!
On St. Patrick’s Day in the magical Land O’ Kindergarten we hosted a Leprechaun Family Reunion. Each family member had a challenge for us to solve in order to get their pot of gold!
The Math Masters program helps middle school students strengthen their math and problem-solving skills through engaging lessons and challenging activities. It builds confidence, encourages critical thinking, and prepares students for advanced math studies. Today, Nicollet students participated in the Math Masters competition. ➗📚🏆
This afternoon the Conservation Crew received a tour of the Nicollet Conservation Club building. Students learned what the Nicollet Conservation Club does and a little bit about what makes Swan Lake such a uniquely amazing geographical wetland area. After finishing a tour students made pizzas and had ice cream and cake while completing a Kahoot filled with wildlife questions.
Last week, our first and second graders teamed up for an exciting day of Winter Olympic fun! Students competed in a variety of events, including ice skating, bobsledding, ski jumping, curling, and hockey. They even designed and created their own gold medals to celebrate their hard work. The day concluded with a festive closing ceremony, where students enjoyed their “Olympic flame” (Cheetos!) and shared their favorite events. It was truly a fun-filled and memorable day here at NPS!
Last week our 5th graders took the stage as they performed their Readers Theater for our kindergarten students! 🎭📚
They showed amazing expression, teamwork, and confidence while our kindergarteners were the sweetest audience. We love seeing our older students lead and inspire our youngest learners! 💛✨
They showed amazing expression, teamwork, and confidence while our kindergarteners were the sweetest audience. We love seeing our older students lead and inspire our youngest learners! 💛✨
Today our K–5 students blasted off into a world of mystery and laughter as they watched “Detective Cosmo Jones, Intergalactic Private Eye and the Googly Gang: The Case of the Missing Bingleberries.” 🚀🕵️♀️
Presented by the talented performers from Minnesota State University, Mankato, this interactive play showcased creativity, humor, and out-of-this-world characters that kept everyone engaged from beginning to end.
Presented by the talented performers from Minnesota State University, Mankato, this interactive play showcased creativity, humor, and out-of-this-world characters that kept everyone engaged from beginning to end.
