Central DeWitt School District -

REMINDER: If you ordered rolls from the Central DeWitt CSD Special Olympics team fundraiser they must be picked up tonight at 5 p.m. at Central DeWitt Intermediate School! Thank you for supporting our Special Olympic athletes!

Mrs. Waleszonia's class designed their very own tree for the Festival of Trees this year! The students enjoyed showcasing their hard work and taking a memorable field trip to admire the festive displays. A huge shoutout to our talented Ekstrand Elementary students and Mrs. Waleszonia for spreading holiday cheer! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #ekstrandelementary #FestivalOfTrees #saberartists #fieldtrip #saberpride #saberssucceeding

We're proud to announce that 56 Saber Artists have their work on display at this year's Quad City’s Festival of Trees! A special congratulations to Sam Pfeifle who won 1st place in the 2D category! The Festival of Trees is at the RiverCenter in Davenport and runs through December 1st. Don't miss this opportunity to experience the creativity and talent of our artists. For more details, visit the official Festival of Trees website: https://www.qcfestivaloftrees.com/ SABER ARTISTS Sam Pfeifle, Dalani Beuthien, JJ VanDerGinst, Grant Olson, Caelynn Sherwood, Izzy VanDerGinst, Kennedy Lackas, Cam Zimmer, Izzy Heitz, Liv Gregoire, Asher Haedike, Natalie Janecek, Sydney McNealy, Amelia Griffin, Makayla Hardy, Ingrid Garcia Seba, Lily Hartley, Kenadi Olsen, Emma Pillers, Quinn Schroeder, Liam Kinrade, Gunner LaMaack, Breanna Perry, Tessa Lyness, Cali Dykema, Cal Kueter, Taylor Feuss, Emma Putman, Adalyn Leistikow, Jillian Hawthorne, Maelea Neilson, Camila Reyna, Dani Payne, Nicole Maher, Megan Schladetzky, Joellyn Dwinal, Audri Guldner, Ryder Peel, Willow Mueller, Joey Walker, Kerrigan Jefford, Jack Brassard, Libbi Neblung-Burmeister, Jack Butler, Jacqueline Wilke, Amya Gooch-Sims, Natalie Costas, Delaney Jacobsen, Seth Cummins, Austin Miller, Kinsley Robertson, Olivia Ortner, Carissa Schmidt, Adelynne Meyer, Bri Liphardt, Damien Schmitt #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #saberartists #festivaloftrees #saberpride #saberssucceeding

This past Saturday, Nov. 23rd, our Special Olympics Unified Bowling team shined when they competed in Cedar Rapids! Congratulations to all our athletes and their Unified partners for their amazing teamwork and accomplishments! We are so proud of you! Individual Bowler Results: 🥇 Athlete Marlee Michelsen (assisted by Unified member Klaire Gruntorad) - Gold 🥉 Athlete Gage Heston - Bronze 🥉 Athlete Skyler Raymond - Bronze Unified Doubles Results: 🥇 Athlete Joslynn Mulholland & Unified member Molly Morris - Gold 🥇 Athlete Cole Michelsen & Unified member Kennedi Green - Gold 🥇 Athlete Christian Jones & Unified member Nora Ubel - Gold 🥇 Athlete Erik Nicholas & Unified member Izzy Heitz - Gold 🥉 Athlete Christopher Shenker & Unified member Lily Gruntorad - Bronze #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #centraldewittspecialolympics #UnifiedParnters #SpecialOlympics #UnifiedBowling #GoTeam #SaberPride #sabersucceeding

Our FCCLA members had the opportunity to attend the Mississippi River Bend District Conference, where they engaged in meaningful sessions, developed leadership skills, and strengthened their understanding of FCCLA’s core values. FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America), is a national organization that offers intra-curricular resources and opportunities for sudents to pursue careers that support families. FCCLA has empowers members to strengthen families, careers, and communities by addressing personal, workplace, and societal issues through Family and Consumer Science education. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #fccla #familyandconsumerscience #futureleaders #supportingfamilies #saberpride #saberssucceeding

Last Thursday, a team of Central DeWitt students represented our high school at the IAHSEA Esports state tournament at Orpheum Theatre in Marshalltown. It was a close match, but lost to the tournament's top-ranked team from Council Bluffs, as well as another tough match to Marshalltown High School. Congratulations to Killian McManus, Mitchell Belk, Daven Gard, Diedrick Chance, Wyatt Jensen, Jaxon Martin, Connor Scott, Jason Claussen, Jaxyn Dingbaum, and James Neuberg on a great season! Now they move onto the winter Esports season – good luck, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #esports #statetournament #fallseason #saberpride #saberssucceeding

🏆 Congratulations to our November 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

🎵 This morning, CDHS celebrated Marie Klostermann, Brady Herington, and Matthew Boeding before they headed to the All-State Music Festival happening this weekend! • Marie debuts as one of the top 5 contra clarinet performers in the state. • Brady returns for his second year as one of the top 14 bass clarinet players in Iowa. • Matthew makes his first appearance after being an alternate last year, marking CDHS's first vocalist performing a the festival in nearly 10 years! 📅 The concert is Saturday, Nov. 23rd at 7:30 p.m. at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, and will be rebroadcast on IPTV Thanksgiving (Nov. 28th) evening at 7 p.m. Enjoy every moment, Sabers! We're proud to have you represent Central DeWitt! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsband #allstatemusicfestival #saberssucceeding #saberpride

🎓Our next senior spotlight is Laura Martens! Laura has an exciting future ahead of her! The Senior Spotlight is created by CDHS AmeriCorps Student Leaders Lauren Walker, Parker Petsche, and Natalie Cagle. In this role, these students 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

Stop by the DeWitt Operahouse Theatre from now until Dec. 7th to see the creativity and hard work of our amazing CDHS Saber artists! Congratulations to all of these talented students who had their artwork selected for the show: Amelia Griffin, Sam Arnold, Lexi Thisakhone, Kwazi Tanner, Asher Haedike, Avery Heilig, Will Henningsen, Ella Bloom, Colton Sawyer, Ana Henningsen, Zoye Alter, Blake Caudill, Lucas Burken, Leah Brown, Ryan Paulsen, Lyla Hey, Blake Nelson, Jacob Moore, Ryder Peel, Ellie Lake, Niya Miller, Jaelyn Sinclair, Kody Schutterle, Blake Kent, Brooklyn Dykstra, Delaney Jacobsen, Jordan Smith, Willow Mueller, Camila Reyna, Jayden Anderson, Dalani Beuthien, Tori Brassard, Cali Dykema, Payton Kaczinski, Aiden Gregoire, Sophia Hovey, Kayla Kuehl, Brayden Lampe, Karine Lisnichenko, Christian Long, Olivia Lopez, Shayna Lopez, Miles Manatt, Yeva Matiitsiv, Chloe Mayer, Grant Olson, Griffin Reed, Caelynn Sherwood, Tessa Stevens, Jeffrey VanDerGinst, David Voss Way to go, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsart #saberartists #dewittoperhousetheatre #firstcentralartgallery #saberpride #saberssucceeding

Thank you to Nurse Practitioner Heather Ohnemus for visiting our 6th graders to give them an inside look at the medical diagnosis process—sharing how healthcare professionals identify illnesses and care for patients. This visit was part of the 6th grade Amplify Yellow Fever unit, where students have been exploring the causes, symptoms, transmission, prevention methods, and historical impact of the disease. What an incredible way to connect classroom learning with real-world practices! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #6thgrade #Amplify #AmplifyYellowFeverUnit #interactivelearning #realworld #learningisfun #weloveourcommunity#saberpride #saberssucceeding

Our Transition Alliance Program (TAP) Specialist Ann Green recently collaborated with Mrs. Regenwether's students on activities designed to strengthen their advocacy skills. TAP is a program focused on assisting eligible students to become career and college ready though specialized job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, post-secondary training opportunities, self-advocacy instruction, job placement and independent living skills. We are so fortunate to have Mrs. Green’s expertise and support guiding our students toward success. Thank you, Mrs. Green, for making such a positive impact! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #TAPspecialist #TransitionAllianceProgram #TAP #careerandcollegeready #saberssucceeding #saberpride

💜💛 Congratulations to our November 2024 District Student of the Month Eva Burke! She is featured in today's edition of The Observer thanks to our friends at First Central State Bank. Eva Burke has been named Student of the Month, a well-deserved recognition for her outstanding dedication, leadership, and commitment to both academics and extracurricular activities. Known for her intellectual curiosity and willingness to challenge herself, Eva is a model student who continually goes above and beyond in all that she undertakes. As a participant in Honors Math and English/Language Arts, Eva thrives in academically rigorous environments. She embraces the challenges of advanced coursework, which push her to think critically and creatively. Her teachers describe her as a deep thinker who sets high expectations for herself and consistently supports and encourages her classmates. Eva’s respect and kindness extend beyond the classroom, as she consistently conducts herself with maturity and integrity in all her interactions. In addition to her academic pursuits, Eva is highly active in the school community. She demonstrates school spirit through her involvement in cheerleading for football, wrestling, and basketball, bringing energy and enthusiasm to every event. A dedicated athlete, she is also a member of both the cross country and track teams, showcasing her resilience and teamwork on and off the field. Eva’s commitment to inclusion is evident in her role as a Unified Buddy with Special Olympics, where she partners with students of all disabilities to foster meaningful friendships and support inclusive activities. Her compassion and dedication to building an inclusive environment make her a positive role model among her peers. Recently, Eva had the opportunity to expand her leadership skills by attending a Iowa Youth Symposium. The eighth-grade teachers at CDMS are proud to nominate Eva Burke for the Student of the Month, recognizing her as an exemplary student who embodies Central DeWitt’s values of excellence, respect, and inclusion. Congratulations to Eva for this well-earned recognition! #gosabers #cdcsdstudentofthemonth #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #firstcentralstatebank #studentofthemonth #sabepride #saberssucceeding

Congratulations to 7th grader Makena Rickertsen and 8th grader William Vickers who were recently selected for participation in the 38th annual Opus Honor Choir Festival! Over 2,400 students were nominated by their directors for 720 positions in the four Opus Honor Choirs. Selections were made by means of a recorded audition. The 2024 Opus Honor Choirs will perform at 4 p.m. on November 21st in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in the Iowa State Center in Ames. Makena was selected as a soprano 1 to sing in the 7th & 8th grade Treble Clef Honor Choir. William was chosen as a baritone to sing in the 7th & 8th grade Bass Clef Honor Choir. This is a very prestigious achievement and we’re proud to have you represent Central DeWitt! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdms #cdmschoir #opushonorchoir #saberssucceeding #saberpride

Central Dewitt senior parents! Show some love for your senior and buy an ad in the 2024-2025 yearbook! It’s easier than ever this year due to Saber Publications new online software! You can now design your own ad online or simply send the pictures and your special message to the pubs staff over email. Please use Safari as your web browser. 📷 Steps for Publications staff to design your Ads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SwAK9Pq9vQ 📷 Steps for parent-designed Ads https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9V4kvUaAGQ Yearbook website: https://yearbookforever.com/ Please email jon.fisher@cd-csd.org or pubs.staff@cd-csd.org if you have any questions! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsyearbook #saberpublications #pubstaff #yearbookads #classof2025 #seniorparents #seniors #saberpride

It’s time to nominate Central DeWitt employees for the November Employee of the Month! This district-wide program gives CDCSD parents, students and community members the opportunity to help us recognize our outstanding employees. Nominations are due Friday, Nov. 22nd! Nomination form: https://forms.gle/ksRVLaYC6XBXkAbw7 #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #employeeofthemonth #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #nominateanemployee

This week, we’re celebrating American Education Week! Education shapes the future by empowering students to follow their passions and grow into leaders who will make a difference in our community. We’re thankful for the amazing teamwork in our schools, laying a strong foundation for success—teachers who inspire, staff who support, and a community that values education. Together, we’re shaping a future where every Saber can thrive! 💜💛 #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #schoolpride #AmericanEducationWeek #SaberPride #EducationMatters #StrongerTogether #saberssucceeding #empoweringstudents

Please consider rounding your total up this week at Randy’s Neighborhood Market to support National Honor Society and their Thanksgiving Basket service project! Thanks to your generosity in past years NHS has been able to provide a Thanksgiving meal plus other necessities to over 30 local families in need, and they hope to again this year. We appreciate the support of our community and your willingness to help others! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #nationalhonorsociety #nhs #thanksgivingbaskets #randysroundup #supportoursabers #weloveourcommunity

We are thrilled to share that our Esports team has once again qualified for the state tournament in Marshalltown on Thursday, Nov. 21st! Our 11th-ranked Rainbow 6 Siege team advanced to the tournament by defeating the 6th-ranked team from Abraham Lincoln High School in Council Bluffs, IA. Now the Sabers will likely face off against the top overall seed from Thomas Jefferson High School, also in Council Bluffs. This is the first season our Esports team has competed in this game title. A hearty congratulations goes out to the following team members: Senior captains Killian McManus and Mitchell Belk, fellow senior Daven Gard, juniors Diedrick Chance, Wyatt Jensen, Jaxon Martin and Connor Scott, and freshmen Jason Claussen, Jaxyn Dingbaum, and James Neuberg. Way to go, Sabers! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsesports #Esports #statetournament #headedtostate #statebound #goodluckatstate #saberpride #saberssucceeding

We proudly recognize Karl Burmester, also known as “Mr. B,” as our district’s October Employee of the Month. With an impressive 41 years of teaching experience, including 26 years at Central DeWitt, Mr. Burmester’s career has been marked by unwavering dedication to students, both in and out of the classroom. After retiring as a health and physical education teacher in 2016, he transitioned to transportation shortly after, where he continues to impact the lives of students and their families in remarkable ways. Mr. Burmester's dedication to helping every child feel comfortable and safe is evident in the extra steps he takes. When one young student faced challenges with transportation, Mr. Burmester took the time to visit the student’s classroom, engaging the child in story reading and playing to help build comfort and trust. He worked patiently through rides that were stressful for the student, handling each moment with calmness, patience, and a genuine care that did not go unnoticed by the student’s parent. Now that student looks forward to riding with "Mr. B" to school each morning. For Mr. Burmester, driving isn’t just a job—it’s a continuation of his work as an educator. “Transportation is an extension of the classroom,” he says, reflecting his dedication to building strong relationships with both students and their parents. On each ride, he creates a learning environment by reciting the ABCs or counting to 100 with the young students, turning the journey to and from school into a fun and educational experience. Beyond his role in transportation, Mr. Burmester has a long history of service in athletics. He has coached girls’ basketball, served as the assistant coach for boys’ track, and remains involved as the assistant coach for girls’ track at Central DeWitt today. Dedicated to student and community safety, Mr. Burmester is also a certified CPR instructor. He offers CPR training throughout the community and for our district’s bus drivers, aiming to ensure as many people as possible are trained in CPR. We are grateful to Mr. Burmester for the outstanding care, calmness, and dedication he brings to his role. His work is a testament to the positive difference that a compassionate and dedicated individual can make in our students' lives. Thank you, "Mr. B," for being an invaluable part of our school community! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdcsdemployeeofthemonth #employeeofthemonth #october2024employeeofthemonth #saberssucceeding #sabersuperstar