Central DeWitt School District -

🏆 Congratulations to these outstanding Central DeWitt Employees! #SaberSuperstars recognizes Central DeWitt employees who make a difference, positively impact the lives of those around them, and serve as a role model to others. Thank you for all you do at Central DeWitt Community School District! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #SaberSuperstars #saberpride #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #operations #nutritionservices #saberfamily #weloveouremployees

Congratulations to Evan Kinney and Tori Rheingans who were chosen as 2024 CDHS Prom King and Queen! What a great night full of fun thanks to so many who made the 2024 CDHS Prom possible! Thank you to the Central Dewitt Prom leaders Carolynn Bretschneider and Michelle Thines. This was Michelle’s final year organizing prom after seven years. Thank you for all of your time and creativity to making prom a wonderful experience for our students! We also want to thank the Central DeWitt After Prom committee and all the volunteers who put so much time and effort into making sure our students have a really fun, safe way to celebrate the whole night! Thank you to Ed Morse Chevy GMC of DeWitt who generously donated a car which was won by senior Emma Huyten as well as to all of the other local businesses and organizations who donated so many great prizes! To see more photos visit: https://www.cd-csd.org/article/1560977 and to watch the Grand March visit: https://www.youtube.com/live/2gwkN1gXQLQ?si=Vb2wAM-AlMxjJJCY and visit the Central DeWitt Prom and Central DeWitt After Prom Facebook pages to see more! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsprom2024 #prom2024 #cdhspromkingandqueen2024 #afterprom2024 #centraldewittafterprom2024 #saberpride

Since 1987 the CDHS Science Department has hosted the annual Science Bowl where teams from each grade level along with a faculty team put their science knowledge to the test. Teams buzzed in to answer questions from seven different categories including anatomy and physiology, physical science, earth science, field science, chemistry, biology, and physics. This year the faculty team came out on top followed by the freshman team in second place. Seniors and juniors tied for third leaving the sophomores in last place this year. It was a great effort by all teams and thank you to our CDHS science teachers for organizing the event and to Mr. Kreiter for hosting! FRESHMEN Tysen Steffens Kyle Olson Luke Hill Jacob Van der Merwe SOPHOMORES Adam Wilke Nile Hootman Ashton Schneider Noah Ericksen JUNIORS Livy Crandall Jenny Claussen Julia Fielding Lily Hartley SENIORS Isabelle Pierce Eliza Petersen Lauren Schladetzky Landon Schroeder FACULTY Mr. Donovan Mr. Mercado Mr. Schwartz Mr. Townsley #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #36thannualsciencebowl #sciencebowl #cdhssciencedepartment #centraldewitttradition #saberssucceeding

Our youngest athletes had a great time increasing their strength as well as learning about group play, cooperation and following rules during Young Athletes Play Day on Thursday! Play day is a great introduction to Special Olympics as the variety of activities students participated in represent the different sports offered by Special Olympics. Seven CDIS Unified Buddies did a great job helping the athletes throughout the event, too. What a fun experience for everyone! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #ekstrandelementary #cdis #centraldewittspecialolympics #unifiedbuddies #specialolympics #youngathletesplaydays #saberpride #saberssucceeding

💜💛 Congratulations to Spencer Lueders the March Central DeWitt Community School District Employee of the Month! For CDIS Principal Spencer Lueders, building positive relationships is a top priority. That’s why most mornings he begins his day around 4 a.m. to tackle administrative tasks so he can spend the school day interacting with students and staff. Even when he has emails to return or plans to read during the day, he can most likely be found completing those tasks while rolling his walking desk through the halls. He said he raised a few eyebrows doing this when he first became a principal, but it helps him be visible and build relationships with students. “I try to spend at least 70 percent of my day out in the hallways,” Mr. Lueders said. “There's always work to do as an administrator, but it's imperative to be out and get to know students.” Building relationships is something both students and staff see as Mr. Lueders’s greatest strength. Parents have also praised Mr. Lueders for the connections he has made with their children and the positive effect it has had on their child’s well-being and desire to attend school. While he tries to maximize the number of positive interactions he has with students, there are times when tough conversations are needed. But, because he has invested his time in getting to know students and shows he truly cares about every student, it makes these situations a little easier and often they turn into positive experiences. “I just look at it as each day is a clean slate,” Mr. Lueders said. “Maybe they made a decision that wasn't great before, but, you know, it doesn't mean that it's a bad year or a bad week or a bad day. And, it's important for kids to know that they're not a bad kid. When I talk with kids, we might spend a little bit of time talking about the past and using reflection, but it's imperative our mind and our eyes are focused on how we can change moving forward. Talking them through that is key.” Another thing that is important to Mr. Lueders is fostering a positive school environment that serves everyone. Mr. Lueders said having a positive environment “is everything” and he helps create that through “intentional kindness.” Students and staff agree saying that interactions with Mr. Lueders make them feel welcomed, appreciated, and supported. Mr. Lueders also contributes to a positive environment by encouraging staff to seek out and spread positivity, pushing them to grow professionally and supporting new opportunities that benefit everyone. “We want the school to be a really awesome environment for everybody,” Mr. Lueders said. “Academically we continue to help kids grow in a way that better prepares them for the future but we also are looking at the overall experience of our kids within our school district. Whether it's additional learning opportunities right where we are or thinking outside of the box to provide opportunities for kids. One example is the craft show, and those ideas are not generated by me. Those ideas are generated by kids and by our staff members.” The craft show was an opportunity for CDIS students to sell their hand-crafted items before school. It was brought about by a student who presented the idea to Extended Learning Program Teacher Mrs. Hahn, who in turn presented it to Mr. Lueders. After considering the learning opportunities that could come from this, CDIS made it happen with great success. Mr. Lueders credits this kind of innovation, passion, dedication and leadership shown by students and staff for most of the successes at CDIS. “We have an awesome staff that are here for the right reasons, and we're moving things in a really promising direction,” Mr. Lueders said. “For me, it's about the people that work within our buildings and the students that we serve. I wish I could just give the award to all of them because it's really their work. I'm just a small puzzle piece to what we're trying to do here.” #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #employeeofthemonth #marchemployeeofthemonth #districtemployeeofthemonth #saberpride #saberssucceeding

CDHS students in the Horticulture class had the opportunity yesterday to design and make their own corsages and boutonnières for prom tonight! Thank you to Kasey Stock from Flowers on the Side who brought her expertise to the classroom to teach and help students with their flowers. They all turned out great! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #horticultureclass #prom2024 #promcorsage #promboutonnières #saberssucceeding

Saber artists recently competed in a high school invitational at Clinton Community College. Four artists were given distinguished awards for excellence in their various categories: Drawing, Painting, and Graphic Design. Saber artists placed in all three categories! Congrats to all of our Saber artists! View the artwork here: https://bit.ly/3PKhQXx GRAPHIC DESIGN Audrey Wilke(1st place), Megan Daniels (2nd place), Emma Pillers, Joey Coiner, Brooke Crank, Marisa Fee, Izzy Heitz, Emma Holmes, Kerrigan Jefford, Liam Kinrade, Trevor Marcus, Blake Nelson, Olivia Ortner, Emily Sons DRAWING Daria Prymachova (2nd Place), Livy Crandall, Nazahra Gambleton, Alex Hathaway, Hannah Moore PAINTING Audriana Guldner (2nd place), Amelia Griffin, Emma Holmes, Kayla Kuehl, Clara LeConte, Olivia Lopez, Hailee Peters, Abigail Tobey #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsart #saberartists #highschoolinvitational #clintoncommunitycollege #saberpride #saberssucceeding

🎓 Meet senior Nicholas Reemtsma another one of our seniors who is on the path to success after graduation! Way to go, Nicholas! The Senior Spotlight is created by CDHS AmeriCorps Student Leaders Aubrey Vance and Tori Rheingans. In this role, Aubrey and Tori serve as a resource for their peers in planning and preparing for post-secondary options. They help with scholarships, college applications, FAFSA, work-based learning opportunities, and more. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #seniorspotlight #americorpsstudentleaders #careerandcollegeready #postsecondaryoptions #saberssucceeding

REMINDER! The deadline to participate in the Superintendent Search Survey is this Sunday, April 21st. If you haven’t already, please read the original message from the CDCSD School Board below and then click this link: https://tinyurl.com/CentralDeWittSupt From the CDCSD School Board: Central DeWitt Community School District is seeking a new Superintendent beginning the 2024-25 school year. The search will begin immediately and conclude with the hiring of our next district leader this spring. The School Board requests feedback from the Saber family, including parents, students, district staff, and community members, on the qualifications and traits of this individual. This is your opportunity to provide your opinion in this process. You will be asked your “role” in the district/community, please check all that apply and consider each of your roles when providing feedback. Survey results will influence the interview questions and guide the school board in the selection process. The deadline to complete the survey is April 21st. Survey link: https://tinyurl.com/CentralDeWittSupt Thank you for taking the time to complete this short survey and provide input on this incredibly important decision. Sincerely, Central DeWitt School Board Mike Zimmer, President Angela Rheingans, Vice President Geoff Blandin, Director Roger Hill, Director Dan Smicker, Director

Last week CDHS students Emma Pena, Olivia Ortner, Dalton McCollam, Mya Campbell and JJ Coates participated in the inaugural Scott Community College Culinary Showcase. Teams of four high schoolers made from area schools were led by SCC culinary students to create a variety of dishes. It was great to see Central DeWitt graduate Robert Burken as one of the SCC students working with the high school students! Great job, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsculinarystudents #scottcommunitycollege #sccculinaryshowcase #saberpride #saberssucceeding

🎓 Meet senior Lilly Fuglsang who has great advice for younger students! Way to go, Lilly! The Senior Spotlight is created by CDHS AmeriCorps Student Leaders Aubrey Vance and Tori Rheingans. In this role, Aubrey and Tori serve as a resource for their peers in planning and preparing for post-secondary options. They help with scholarships, college applications, FAFSA, work-based learning opportunities, and more. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #seniorspotlight #americorpsstudentleaders #careerandcollegeready #postsecondaryoptions #saberssucceeding

Yesterday kindergarten classrooms were filled with excitement when the students saw their grandparents arrive for Grandparents Day! During their time together kindergarteners and their grandparents enjoyed doing several activities including coloring, reading books aloud to each other, different types of crafts, and playing board games. Thank you to all who participated and made Grandparents Day special! #gosabers #centraldewitt #ekstrandelementary #kindergarten #grandparentsday

Mark your calendars! Our talented K-12 students have been working hard on their upcoming spring performances which are sure to hit the right note with all audience members! See the schedule below. All performances are held in the Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center. Thank you for supporting our students and we look forward to seeing you there! • THURSDAY, APRIL 18TH AT 6:30 P.M.: 4th and 5th Grade program • MONDAY, APRIL 22ND AT 6:30 P.M.: K-1 program, “Baby Beluga” • TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD AT 6:30 P.M.: 2-3 program, “Wing It!” • SUNDAY, APRIL 28TH AT 7 P.M.: CDHS Band Concert • TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH AT 6:30 P.M.: CDMS 7-8 Band Concert • THURSDAY, MAY 2ND AT 6:30 P.M.: 5-6 Band Concert • TUESDAY, MAY 7TH AT 6:30 P.M.: CDMS 7-8 Vocal Concert • SATURDAY, MAY 11TH AT 7 P.M.: Swingin’ Sabers Jazz Band Concert • MONDAY, MAY 13TH AT 6:30 P.M.: 6th Grade Vocal Concert • TUESDAY, MAY 14TH AT 7:30 P.M.: CDHS Chorus Concert #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #springconcerts #springprograms #musicstudents #intstrumentalmusic #vocalmusic #talentedsabers #saberpride #sabersucceeding

👑 Meet the 2024 CDHS Prom Court! Congratulations to Brooke Bloom, Isabelle Pierce, Tori Rheingans, Evan Kinney, Mitchell Maher, and Wyatt Penniston! King and queen will be announced at Prom on Saturday, April 20th. The Grand March will begin at 5 p.m. in the Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center on Saturday and will be live streamed here: https://youtube.com/live/2gwkN1gXQLQ?feature=share Prom will be held at TYCOGA Winery and Distillery located at 2585 195th Street in Dewitt following the Grand March. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Students must arrive at TYCOGA by 7 p.m. Entry will not be allowed after that time. Due to the large number of students expected carpooling is encouraged as you will not be able to park on the gravel road. Prom ends at 10 p.m. After Prom begins at 10:30 p.m. with the LAST entry at 12 a.m. Have a safe and fun night, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsprom #cdhspromcourt #cdhsafterprom

Earlier today, CDHS recognized seniors who have chosen to continue their athletic career at colleges and universities after graduation. At the Senior Signing Day assembly students thanked those who have helped them along the way before signing their letters of intent. Congratulations and best wishes, seniors! BROOKE BLOOM Sport: Tennis School: Wartburg College ROYCE BUTT Sport: Wrestling School: Undecided MADISON EDENS Sport: Wrestling School: Newberry College HANNAH PETERS Sport: Track and Field School: Mount Mercy GUS PICKUP Sport: Football School: Loras College TRISTIAN RHEINGANS Sport: Track and Field School: Iowa State University #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #seniorsigningday2023

Central DeWitt will dismiss at 1:30 on Tuesday, April 16, due to the incoming weather. This will allow us to get students home safely before the storms arrive. Please plan accordingly and stay safe out there. Thank you. Dr. Dan Peterson, Superintendent

Congratulations to these awesome CDIS students who represented us at the Coe College Honor Band on Saturday, April 13th! Students spent the day rehearsing with other awesome students from area schools. They also got to work with guest conductors including composer Carol Brittin Chambers. Way to go, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #coecollegehonorband #saberpride #saberssucceeding

🎓 Meet senior Nathan McGarry who is making big plans for his future! Way to go, Nathan! The Senior Spotlight is created by CDHS AmeriCorps Student Leaders Aubrey Vance and Tori Rheingans. In this role, Aubrey and Tori serve as a resource for their peers in planning and preparing for post-secondary options. They help with scholarships, college applications, FAFSA, work-based learning opportunities, and more. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #seniorspotlight #americorpsstudentleaders #careerandcollegeready #postsecondaryoptions #saberssucceeding

A group of seven Central Dewitt students from Mr. Law's business classes participated in Design Dash at the University of Iowa. The event was held on April 7th and was hosted by U of I to “engage high school students and educators in one-day, fast-paced entrepreneurial excursions.” During Design Dash, students worked in teams with business and industry leaders to learn more about the business world. They also were tasked to solve problems and tasks to help further their knowledge and experience of real-world business situations. Congratulations to Emily Sutton, James Woolard, Taylor Houser, Joseph Burken, and Jacob Moore for receiving Best of the Best awards for their Challenge! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #business #designdash #saberpride #sabersucceeding

🏆 Congratulations to our March 2024 #SaberSpotlight students! #SaberSpotlight recognizes Central DeWitt students who stand out in the classroom and represent what it means to be a SABER! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #SaberSpotlight #studentssucceeding #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary