Central DeWitt School District -

Today the FFA Officers did an awesome event at DeWitt Randy’s Neighborhood Market! They hosted all the 2nd-grade students and teachers from Ekstrand and took them on a tour of the store. They visited the produce, meat, dairy, frozen food sections. They also visited the bakery where they each got a cookie after learning about how farmers grow the ingredients to make them! We want to thank Randy's Neighborhood Market for hosting the event! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #ekstrandelementary #ffa #wherefoodcomesfrom #farming #learningisfun

Sixth grader, Christopher Shenker (LEFT), and 4th grader, Erik Nicholas (RIGHT), were key contributors to the work of The Purple Bean this morning at CDIS! What’s The Purple Bean you ask? Operated by Mrs. Jackson and her students, the “coffee and more” store delivers snacks, drinks, and an unlimited amount of smiles across CDIS and CDMS throughout our school week! Not only is The Purple Bean essential to teaching valuable customer service skills, and marketing strategies to students, but it’s also widely appreciated among our employees! It’s outstanding to see the growth of The Purple Bean and its valuable impact on students! Incredible work, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #cdms #thepurplebean #saberssucceeding #learningvaluableskills #learningisfun

💜💛 We are excited to introduce our 2023 Homecoming Court! Congratulations to everyone! Find out who will be crowned Homecoming King and Queen on Friday between the freshman/sophomore and varsity football games. FRONT ROW (left to right): Quinn Schroeder (9), Zoey Rooks (10), Rylie Dunne (11), Brooke Bloom (12), Shamiyah Morgan (12), Victoria Rheingans (12), Margie Alger (12), Laura Martens (11), Kinley Birt (10), Briah Reuss (9) BACK ROW (left to right): Beck Maricle (9), Ryder Peel (10), Ben Boyd (11), Mitchell Maher (12), Wyatt Penniston (12), Alex Almanza (12), Landon Schroeder (12), Matt Boeding (11), Max Froeschle (10), Cooper Small (9) Photo courtesy of AH Photography #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #homecoming2023 #homecomingcourt #saberspirit #saberpride

CDHS students rocked their “Grease” gear today as part of the dress up days to celebrate Homecoming. Don’t forget CDHS students – tonight at the DeWitt Operahouse Theatre you can watch the movie, “Grease” for free! Everyone else can catch a live musical performance of “Grease” presented by the CDHS Theater Department on Nov. 10th and 11th at 7 p.m. in the CDPAC. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #grease #gogreaselightening #homecoming2023 #dressupdays #saberspirit #fallmusical

📣 Let us hear your SABER SPIRIT! It’s Homecoming Week at Central DeWitt and you won’t want to miss all the great events happening! Take a look: 💜 Monday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. – Free student event: Movie “Grease” at the DeWitt Operahouse Theatre 💛 Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. – Tuesday Tailgating in the student parking lot 💜 Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. – Manball in CDHS gym. Entry is two canned goods. 💛 Thursday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. – Homecoming Parade followed by the Powderpuff Football on the CDHS football field. Entry to the game is two canned goods. 💜 Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at CDPAC 💛 Friday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. – Freshman/Sophomore Football Game 💜 Friday, Sept. 15 at 7:15 p.m. – Varsity Football Game 💛 Saturday, Sept. 16 from 8-11 p.m. Homecoming Dance at CDHS #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #homecoming2023 #hoco #saberspirit #centralsabersloyalarewe #saberpride #letushearyoursaberspirit

Take a look at the CDHS September Newsletter to learn what CTE students are learning this semester as well as important dates this month! Click here to read: https://bit.ly/3P9oV2O #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #highschool #cdhsnewsletter #septembernewsletter

The 2023 HOCO Banner Auction is open! Bidding ends Friday, Sept 8th at 6 p.m.! The finishing touches will continue and winning bids will receive deliveries Monday, Sept. 11 just in time to celebrate Homecoming Week! Thank you for supporting our Sabers! http://cdhsart.betterworld.org/auctions/2023-hoco-banners #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsart #homecoming2023 #homecomingbanners #supportoursabers

We are thrilled to announce that Central DeWitt has partnered again with Paper to provide FREE, 24/7 access to 1-on-1 tutoring and writing support for all 7-12 students. There’s a lot to be excited about with Paper’s Educational Support System, including: • 1:1 live-chat tutoring sessions with subject-matter experts in over 200 subjects and four different languages, • Engaging educational videos and math games to expand student learning in and out of the classroom, • Expert review on any written work (essays, creative writing, poetry, lab reports, etc.), • Reading fluency and comprehension practice, • And so much more! Your student can access this incredible resource today! Have them go to https://app.paper.co/login/student, search for their school, and login to start a tutoring session. You and your student can also download the Paper mobile app for additional access anytime, anywhere. Not sure where to start? Learn more about Paper and sign up for a free live webinar here: https://bit.ly/461EjF0 We can’t wait to see all of the student growth that occurs with Paper! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdms #cdhs #papertutoring #freetutoring #sabersucceeding

Central DeWitt Homecoming is next week and that means a whole week of fun dress-up days! Here is the schedule for all Central DeWitt schools starting on Monday, Sept. 11. Please note that CDHS dress up days are different than Ekstrand, CDIS and CDMS. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrand #homecoming2023 #dressupdays

CDIS FAMILIES! Check out what’s happening at CDIS in the September newsletter found here: https://bit.ly/3L8xM3u #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #cdisnewsletter #september2023newsletter

Fourth and 5th graders had a great time creating music with Boomwhackers during music class last week. Boomwhackers are tuned percussion tubes made of material which produce a specific note and pitch when they hit a surface. The length of the tube affects the pitch, so the shorter the tube, the higher the pitch. What a fun way to play music! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #cdismusicclass #learningisfun #boomwhackers

EKSTRAND FAMILIES! Get all the info and important dates you need in the September newsletter found here: https://www.smore.com/j7tcp #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #ekstrandelementary #ekstrandnewsletter

‼️ Due to current Track construction work, there will be no access to the HS football field this week. The Central DeWitt MS Football games on Tuesday, September 5th, and Thursday, September 7th, of this week, will be played on the HS Football Practice Field located on the far South side of our campus. Parents and spectators will sit on the East side of the field facing west. Bleachers will be available, but spectators are encouraged to bring lawn chairs/umbrellas. We encourage you to park on the South side of the HS parking lot and or near the CDCSD Administration Center to reduce the distance of your walk to the playing field. No admission will be charged for either middle school game this week. Concessions and restrooms will be open and available.

On Monday this week, we kickstarted our 5th-grade band program with our annual SUPER lesson at CDIS! Incoming band students received their instruments and participated in a one-hour band lesson with our guest lesson teachers. Thank you so much to our awesome band families and students who came to support this event and were ready to learn! Thank you to the middle school students who helped get set up and organized! We are so lucky to have awesome music teachers in the area who are always excited to come and help get the kids started on the right note - thanks to all of you as well! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #superlesson #cdissuperlesson #5thgradeband #saberssucceeding #cdisband

REMINDER: There is no school on Monday, Sept. 4. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend and look forward to seeing you again on Tuesday, Sept. 5! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #noschool #laborday #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelememtary

Start practicing your hand jive now because auditions for the fall musical, “Grease” are next week! Here is the audition schedule for next week: Monday 9/4 - Labor Day - rest up Tuesday 9/5 - • 4:45 - 5:15 p.m. - Pre-Production meeting - Anyone interested in working in a technical department (set, lights, sound, costumes, hair, make-up, marketing, design, etc.) with the set / tech / production students • 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Dance audition for All • 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Acting or singing auditions that cannot happen Wed or Thur. Contact Mr. Uttech to book a time. Wednesday 6th - • 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. - Dance Make-ups • 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.- Acting and Singing auditions in 10 min blocks. (See sign-up sheet) Thursday 7th - (all times are subject to running early / late based on turn out) • 5:00- 6:30 p.m. - Acting and Singing auditions in 10 min blocks. (See sign-up sheet) • 6:30-7:30 p.m. - Callbacks for students not available Friday. Friday 8th - (all times are subject to running early / late based on turn out) • 4:45 - 6:00 p.m. Call backs (as needed) • 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Casting Meeting (production staff only) Saturday 9th - • 12 p.m. - Final cast list published by noon. All high school students are invited to try out! Please contact Mr. Dunbar or Mr. Uttech with any questions. Anyone interested in technical theater please attend the pre-production meeting Tuesday at 4:45 p.m. Please feel free to join the CDHS Theater Google Classroom for more information. Classroom code = 4kvvtal We hope to see you soon! Mr. Dunbar and Mr. Uttech

REMINDER: To keep all spectators safe, we remind you of our student spectator expectations at high school football games. These expectations will be enforced at all home football games. • An adult must accompany all students in 6th grade and under. • Student spectators will not be allowed to play games in the open areas. • Please do not let your child bring equipment to games (footballs, scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, etc.). Any items that make their way to the game will be confiscated, and a parent can pick them up from school the following week. • Students will be asked to sit in a designated area according to the building they attend. Intermediate students will be in the bleachers on the stadium's north side, and middle school students will be in the bleachers closest to the scoreboard. It is the expectation that students will stay in the assigned seating area and watch the football game. Students may also sit with an adult in other areas. • Ekstrand students will not have an assigned area. Students in Preschool through 3rd grade and younger will sit with their parents. The grassy areas on the home side are a great space for families with young children. Still, we also understand the fun of sitting with friends, so we are asking for parent support to keep them close to the area you are sitting in and encourage them to watch the game instead of running around. Thank you for supporting our students, staff, schools, and activities! Go, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrand #studentexpectations #football #saberfootball

Congratulations to CDIS special education teachers Theresa Wainwright and KateLynn Hartman who were featured in the Iowa Department of Education’s Spotlight Literacy! Not only are they dedicated to making sure our students have what they need to succeed in reading, but they also help students gain confidence to accomplish great things. Thank you for your commitment and hard work! We are lucky to have you in our Saber family! SPOTLIGHT LITERACY ARTICLE KateLynn Hartman and Theresa Wainwright from Central DeWitt Intermediate School were nominated for Spotlight Literacy. Both teachers serve 4th-6th graders with reading disabilities. The nominator shared, “I am nominating them because they work so hard to ensure that their students have access to grade level ELA standards and texts despite the barriers that their reading disabilities may present. They are champions of accessible educational materials and work collaboratively with their teachers to educate them and support their consideration of providing accessible texts. Theresa and KateLynn do an excellent job of training students how to use available assistive technology to support reading and writing, as well as teaching their students how to self-advocate for these accommodations. They both also have great conversations with parents to explain why AT is important and dispel the myth that "AT is cheating." They set high expectations for achieving grade level ELA standards and instill self-confidence in their students. Both Theresa and KateLynn do an excellent job of simultaneously ensuring access to text in the classroom while at the same time working tirelessly and effectively to build their students' independent reading skills.” KateLynn Hartman, entering her 10th year of teaching special education in DeWitt, Iowa was honored to receive this recognition. She works with Levels I/II 4th, 5th, and 6th graders with mild/moderate learning disabilities. She has spent the last 10 years working toward helping her students with disabilities gain access to grade level text without needing as much adult support as in the past through the Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) Initiative: “Any time I see a struggling student become more confident and more independent due to the correct reading accommodations being in place, my cup is full!” Theresa Wainwright is starting her 25th year as a Central DeWitt Community School District special education teacher. She grew up in DeWitt, attended school there, married, and is now raising her children in the same town. Theresa shared, “My number one goal for each of my students is to help them be their best advocate when it comes to what they need to be successful in the classroom. My passion and motivation come from my students. They are the reason I do what I do each and every day in and out of the classroom.” She also shared that assistive technology has been monumental for her students. It helps “level the playing field” for them in the classroom by building confidence and independence for their learning. Theresa shared her feelings about the Spotlight Literacy nomination she received, “Reading the words brought tears to my eyes because I just do what I do and want what is best for every student I come in contact with, even if it is not a student on my roster.”

At a fun-filled, energetic assembly last Friday, CDIS kicked off its new “Golden Paw” Positive Behavior Recognition Program which focuses on promoting positive SABER behavior. The new incentive program brings emphasis to displaying our SABER behaviors (Safety, Accountability, Believe in Yourself, Everyone Matters, Respect) as an individual, classroom, and building-wide level. Students who demonstrate SABER behaviors have the chance to earn Super Saber Cards that will be placed in a raffle every two weeks. Winners from the raffle have the chance to eat lunch with the principal, eat lunch with the school counselor, or even pick up new SABER swag. At each grade level, classrooms have the ability to accumulate "Golden Paw" nominations for their SABER behaviors across all settings of CDIS. At the end of every month, the 4th-grade, 5th-grade, and 6th-grade classroom nomination leaders will be the recipients of a "Golden Paw" traveling trophy and a whole class incentive. Lastly, CDIS will be setting nomination goals as an entire building periodically throughout the school year. If the building reaches its goal, an incentive such as dying Mr. Lueders' hair a fun color, pieing a staff member in the face, or another building-wide incentive will be earned! What a great way to create a positive school environment! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #goldenpaw #supersabers #saberbehavior #positivebehavior #rewardprogram #saberssucceeding

Please note there will only be one football game against Northeast this Friday, Sept. 1. at 7 p.m. Let's fill the stands to cheer on our Sabers! Let’s go, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewitcsd #cdhs #saberfootball #centraldewittvsnortheast