Central DeWitt School District -

Last Thursday, all Central DeWitt sophomores had a chance to dive into post-secondary exploration! Students chose between visiting colleges — Black Hawk Community College, Scott Community College, and St. Ambrose University — or exploring local workforce options with Guardian Glass, Black Cat Wear Parts, River Valley Cooperative, P&K Midwest, and Kunau Implement. Workforce students also heard from current and past interns about senior year internship opportunities, while everyone wrapped up the day listening to a panel of Central DeWitt students share their high school and college journey experiences. Thank you to all the colleges, businesses, speakers, and staff who made this day possible! 💜💛 #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #SophomoreVisits #SabersOnTheMove #FutureReady #CareerandCollegeReady #PostSecondaryOptions #ExploringOpportunities #saberpride #saberssuceeding

🏐 Who do you think will win it all? The bracket is set, the teams are ready, and the competition is heating up! Join us TOMORROW NIGHT for the Students vs. Teachers Volleyball Tournament hosted by @centraldewittfbla! Each CDHS grade has its own team, but only one can rise to the top and take on the teacher dream team! 🗓️ Wednesday, April 30th 🕕 6:00 PM 📍 CDHS Competition Gym 🎟️ $3 Admission #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #centraldewittfbla #fbla #volleyball #studentvsteachersvolleyballtournament #everyoneiswelcome #supportoursabers #WhoWillWin

📣 Whether you're a seasoned cheerleader or just full of school pride, the middle school is looking for incoming 7th and 8th graders to join the CDMS Spirit Squad! Get ready to be part of something special and bring the energy that will keep Saber fans roaring! See flyer for details. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdms #cdmscheerleading #cdmstryouts #schoolspiritsquad #saberspirit #cheeronourSabers #schoolspirit

✨ With everyone dressed to the nines and the stage set for celebration, Prom 2025 was without a doubt an evening full of great memories our students will carry with them for years to come. Congratulations to our Prom King and Queen Parker Petsche and Laura Martens! And to Valerie Mickelson, who is now the proud new owner of a 2013 Nissan Sentra generously donated by Ed Morse Chevy GMC of DeWitt! 💜💛 It takes many people working together to create experiences like this — and we are lucky to have a community that shows up for our students in such a big way. Thank you to Junior Class Sponsors Carolynn Bretschneider and Natalie Andresen for all of the time, effort, and care you put into Grand March and Prom. We are also grateful to staff who chaperoned and our custodians who put in extra hours to help out. Also, a huge thank you to the Central DeWitt After Prom Committee and volunteers for creating a fun and safe way for students to continue celebrating into the night. We know this takes a year to prepare and your efforts are appreciated! And last but not least, thank you to the many parents, community members and local businesses who donated an incredible amount of prizes, food, and more to make After Prom so special. What a fantastic night! To see more photos from the evening visit our Facebook page! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsprom2025 #cdhsAfterProm #GrandMarch2025 #thankyoutoeveryone #weloveourcommunity #saberpride #saberspirit #Prom2025

🎥 We experienced a small hiccup with the Grand March live stream yesterday, but no worries — the full video is here for you to enjoy! And, stay tuned because we’ll be sharing more highlights from Grand March and Prom soon! https://youtu.be/SEUXq568DCM #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #Prom2025 #GrandMarch2025

🎓 Our next senior spotlight of the year is Isabelle Ostert, who 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 #saberssucceed

🏴‍☠️ Our 4th grade students set sail on an unforgettable adventure as they wrapped up their Treasure Island unit! From a school-wide treasure hunt to sharing their own adventure stories, it was a day full of imagination and fun. As part of the celebration, students proudly presented their book reports, hunted for hidden clues, and even enjoyed some tasty chocolate gold coins. Kudos to our 4th grade teachers for providing a creative and memorable way to bring literature to life! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdis #4thgrade #CDIS4thgrade #TreasureIslandDay #TreasureHunt #4thGradeAdventures #LearningIsFun #EndofUnitCelebration #GoldenCoinsAndGoodTimes #saberpride #saberssucceeding

🌼 Downtown DeWitt is about to bloom—and it’s all thanks to the green thumbs of CDHS horticulture students and the DeWitt Town & Country Club! With a little dirt, a lot of teamwork, and the guidance of these wonderful volunteers our students planted 99 hanging baskets that will brighten the streets all summer long. Way to go, Sabers! Special thanks to the DeWitt Town & Country Club for their help in making this annual tradition a success! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #horticulture #dewitttownandcountryclub #99hangingbaskets #makingourcommunitybeautiful #saberpride #saberssucceeding

On Monday, senior Katlin Truelsen visited each 2nd grade classroom to read her newly published children’s book — Buckin’ Bull Buddies! After storytime, each student received their very own copy to keep, thanks to a generous grant from The Education Foundation of Central DeWitt. Mrs. Sikkema’s class even got to Zoom with one of the real-life bull riders who inspired the story — an unforgettable moment for these young readers! Buckin' Bull Buddies is based on a true story about two Iowa bull riders who are best friends, share the same birthday, and both dream of winning a gold buckle. This project is part of Katlin’s FFA Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) in Ag Communications. You can grab your own copy of Buckin’ Bull Buddies at https://www.cacmediagroup.com/ or by reaching out to Katlin directly! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #ekstrandelementary #secondgrade #ffa #SAE #BuckinBullBuddies #SaberPride #SabersSucceeding

🎓 Our next senior spotlight is Dalton Ruffner, who has a bright future ahead of him! 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 #saberssucceed

🌷 Ekstrand Elementary is blooming with creativity, and our students are ready to shine at their upcoming Spring Fine Arts Nights. On Monday, April 28 at 6:30 PM, our Kindergarten and 1st grade students will take the stage with their performance, “Bada Bing, It’s Spring!” Then on Tuesday, April 29 at 6:30 PM, our 2nd and 3rd graders will entertain you with their concert, “Big Beautiful Planet.” And that’s not all — both nights will also feature a stunning display of student artwork! Join us as at the Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center to celebrate the talents and creative spirit of our Ekstrand students! #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #ekstrandelementary #finartsnight #springprogram #EkstrandFineArts #ekstrandart #studentart #saberartists #saberpride

We’re excited to share that the school board approved the 2025–2026 district calendar — and with it comes a few key changes we want to highlight! The first significant change to the calendar is that early outs will now be on Fridays instead of Wednesdays. This shift brings several benefits for students and staff: ▪️ Consistent learning time: Fridays typically have lower attendance and many students leave early for activities, so this change helps ensure more productive learning throughout the week. ▪️ Better logistics: Early outs on Fridays will improve transportation for evening events. ▪️Alignment with EICC and other partners: The change allows more students to enroll in the EICC academies, take EICC courses, and participate in other educational opportunities. ▪️ Focused planning time: Teachers will have more consistent instruction time and an opportunity to wrap up the week with intentional planning and professional development. Second, preschool will run Monday through Thursday, with no preschool on Fridays. This schedule provides a more consistent weekly routine for our youngest learners, which supports a smoother transition to a full five-day schedule when they start kindergarten. And, having Fridays off gives their growing minds a three-day break to rest and recharge, setting them up for more focused, meaningful learning when they return on Monday. We’re confident these changes will lead to a more effective, engaging, and balanced school week for everyone. This calendar along with our athletic and fine arts calendars are available on the district website, www.cd-csd.org, under “Calendars.” #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #schoolcalendar #districtcalendar #schoolcalendar2026 #saberpride #saberssucceeding

It's Work With Us Wednesday! 🚨Our Nutrition Services team is in urgent need of substitute staff to help keep things running smoothly in our kitchens. If you or someone you know is available to jump in and support our amazing team, we’d love to have you! Contact Nutrition Services Director Dede Wagener at dede.wagener@cd-csd.org. #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #workwithuswednesday #joinoursaberfamily #jobopportunities #nutritionservices #nutritionservicessubstitutes

🎓 Our next senior spotlight of the year is Rachel Clark, who has big plans for her future! 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 #saberssucceed

🌟 Happy Administrative Professionals Day! 🌟 Today, we celebrate the incredible administrative staff who keep our schools running smoothly every single day. From answering phones to managing schedules, supporting students, assisting staff, and juggling a million tasks behind the scenes all with a smile — your work does not go unnoticed. Thank you for being the heart of our district. Your dedication, organization, and care make a world of difference in the lives of our students, staff, and families. 💜 We appreciate you today and every day! 💛 #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #luckytohaveyou #weloveouradministrativeprofessionals #youarethebest #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay #saberpride #ThankYou

👑 We’re thrilled to introduce the 2025 CDHS Prom Court! Congratulations to Laura Martens, Anna Rickertsen, Adeline Bloom, Lauren Walker, Matthew Boeding, Parker Petsche, Max Burgmeier and Brady Herington! King and queen will be announced at Prom on Saturday, April 26th. 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/Z12p40TfNI0?feature=share #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdhsprom #cdhspromcourt #grandmarch #cdhsgrandmarch #cdhsafterprom #saberpride #saberssucceeding

✈️ SABER COMMUNITY! This is a reminder that students and community members have a chance to join an EFTour to Iceland in the Summer of 2026. Now is the time to start saving for the trip if you would like to join our Adventure Crew. More information about the tour can be found here: https://www.eftours.com/tour-website/2806194FX You can also contact Mr. Mercado for more information at eddie.mercado@cd-csd.org.

Today, CDHS celebrated 12 incredible seniors who have officially committed to continuing their athletic journeys at the collegiate level! At the Signing Day event, athletes thanked those who have helped them along the way before signing their letters of intent. Whether on the court, mat, field, or track, these athletes have worked tirelessly to earn this achievement. We’re proud of your dedication and can't wait to see all that you will accomplish at the next level! ADALYN APPLEBY Sport: Cross Country and Track School: Drake University MAX BURGMEIER Sport: Football School: Iowa Western KADE BURZLAFF Sport: Baseball School: Grand View University CADEN HUFF Sport: Baseball School: Grand View University CALLAN HURSEY Sport: Wrestling School: St. Ambrose University RYAN MCGARRY Sport: Basketball School: Wartburg College CALEB OLSON Sport: Track School: Wartburg College GRACE PATTERSON Sport: Wrestling School: Loras College ANNA RICKERTSEN Sport: Dance School: St. Ambrose University LAUREN WALKER Sport: Basketball School: University of Northern Iowa RYAN WATTERS Sport: Basketball School: Winona State University CHRIS WRAGE Sport: Wrestling School: Loras College #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #seniorsigningday2025 #saberathletes #saberpride #saberssucceeding #onceasaberalwaysasaber

🚌 Happy School Bus Driver Appreciation Day! 🚌 Today we give a big THANK YOU to the dedicated drivers who start their mornings before the sun rises to make sure our students get to school safely and with a smile. Your patience, kindness, and commitment to safety do not go unnoticed. You’re the first friendly face many students see each day, and the last one before they head home. Thank you for everything you do! Let’s give it up for our amazing bus drivers! 👏👏👏 #gosabers #centraldewittcsd #cdhs #cdms #cdis #ekstrandelementary #centraldewittbusdrivers #SchoolBusDriverAppreciationDay #ThankYouDrivers #WeAppreciateYou

💜💛 Thank you to The Education Foundation of Central DeWitt for awarding over $60,000 in grants to our teachers and students this year! The 2025 grant recipients were honored last Thursday at the annual Education Foundation Appreciation Reception, catered by Ms. Sullivan and her talented CDHS culinary students. Guests also enjoyed a special presentation from sixth-grade students, who demonstrated one of the drones purchased with grant funding from the Ed Foundation. It was an exciting, first-hand look at how impactful these grants are in directly enhancing student learning. Over the past 31 years, the Ed Foundation has awarded more than $889,000 in grants to Central DeWitt educators — an incredible investment in our schools and community. A heartfelt thank you to them, and the donors who make these opportunities possible. And, congratulations to this year’s recipients! To see a list of the grants awarded please visit https://www.cd-csd.org/article/2159887