Cardinal Community Newsletter

Parents/guardians of children turning 5 on or before July 31 should complete the online registration to enroll their student in Kindergarten. For those who are unable to complete the registration process online, DT offers in-person assistance at the Elementary Office.

Keep updated on the school website and our social media channels for reminders and more information!

Welcome back to Nest News, Week 9, Semester 2! Where you get your news from inside the nest!

Watch our digital media student, Austin Harris, walk you through a 'day in his life' as a DT student!

Check out the link below! 🎥

1. Elementary
   
2. Preschool Happenings
3. Special Education Update
4. Secondary News
5. Activities Update

Our elementary school has had a fantastic stretch of learning and community building to share!

Parent-Teacher Conferences — Nearly Perfect Turnout! We are proud to report an outstanding parent-teacher conference season — nearly every family across PreK through 6th grade connected with their child's teacher. Many classrooms achieved 100% participation, a true testament to the strong partnership between our D-T families and staff. A huge thank you to our teachers for their dedication in reaching every family! 👊

Kindness Month Celebration A special shoutout to Hy-Vee in Grand Island for generously donating 350 ice creams to celebrate Kindness Month! Students participated in a school-wide character activity — writing or drawing ways they show kindness, then seeking out peers to compliment and connect with. Older students even partnered with their kindergarten and 1st grade buddies to help them participate. The day wrapped up with ice cream and outdoor recess — a memory our kids won't soon forget! 🍦

Congrats to our 6th Grade Musical: Frozen! Our students were fantastic and the family and community support was second to none!

Report cards will also be heading home on March 20 — watch for those!

We are always looking for ways to improve communication between parents and our staff and make things easier for families. Our goal is to create a one-stop contact so parents do not need to reach out to multiple people.

REPORTING ATTENANCE CHANGES
For any attendance-related changes, please email:
Attendance-Elementary@dtcardinals.org

This includes, but is not limited to:
Illnesses
Vacations
Medical or dental appointments
Bus changes
Late arrivals or early dismissals
Any other schedule changes

When you email this address, the message will go to the appropriate staff members who will document the change, notify the necessary individuals, and communicate the update to your student’s teacher.

Prefer to Call? You are always welcome to call the Elementary Office to report attendance changes as well.

Thank you for helping us keep communication organized, efficient, and accurate for all students!

Congratulations to our February students of the month! These students were nominated by their classroom teacher for being safe, respectful, and responsible at DT! We are proud of you all!

PreK: Ellis Hayman, Foster Tingelhoff, Baylee Olivas

K: Brooks Hooker, Raelynn Hollister

1st: Paxton Kreutz, Abel Nielsen

2nd: Emma Kelley, Everlee Bruns

3rd: Gary Piersol, Junior Cooke

4th: Elle Vrooman, Camilla Duran

5th: Mila Weldon, Skylar Cougot

6th: Kinlee Pomplun, Lucas Streeter (not pictured)

Keep up the good work!

Doniphan-Trumbull is proud to celebrate Mrs. Rainforth, one of our amazing 3rd grade teachers! Known for her dedication, organization, and genuine care for every student, Mrs. Rainforth works tirelessly to build strong relationships and create a classroom where students feel valued and challenged to grow. Students, colleagues, and community members alike praise her warm heart, high expectations, and willingness to go above and beyond. Her co-teacher says it best: "She always does what is best for her students." We are so lucky to have you at DT, Mrs. Rainforth — congratulations! 🎉

Jordan Thies, a meteorologist from the local weather station, presented to the Kindergarten classes to help learn about weather that they were studying in their science unit. Everyone enjoyed learning about the different tools he uses to measure weather and some kids helped act out a thunderstorm. ⛅ ☔

For the clothing unit in the Preschool, our little cardinals learned more about cardinal athletics and jerseys. Mrs. Kuhlmann came into the classroom to share the types of jerseys/uniforms that some of the DT athletes wear! They named the letters, numbers, colors, and symbols they saw on them! These kids look up to the older students here and can't wait to be involved in activities in the future! GO CARDS!

They also visited the Cardinal Warehouse workroom to see how they make apparel right here in our school! We saw how they print onto leather patches, press the patch, and finish the product. They made stocking hats for each preschool student with their very own name on the front! Thank you, DT Cardinal Warehouse! 🎽
#TheCardinalWay

Preschoolers celebrated Dr. Seuss Read Across America Week. Thank you to all of the guest readers, especially the 5th and 6th grade student council members. 📚📚

Thank you TLC Vet Clinic and Miss Marty for sharing a baby goat, lamb, and Golden Retriever as the preschoolers learn about different types of animals and pets. 🐐 🐶

If you know of a child who lives within the boundaries of the Doniphan-Trumbull Public School District, who may have a disability, and may need but is not receiving Special Education or 504 services, please contact Nancy Niles, PO Box 300, Doniphan, NE 68832 (402-845-2730).

This student led store offers clothing, rugs, home decor, kitchen items, cookies, and gently used clothing. Many items are made by students and can be personalized to meet your needs. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesdays at 108 E Plum in Doniphan, NE!

A recent visit to the Joslyn Art Museum gave our Advanced Art students the chance to slow down, observe, and bring new ideas back to the classroom. 🎨 🧑🏻‍🎨

Our Science Olympiad students had a great day at UNK! Congratulations to our two 3rd-place finishing teams!
🧪Rylan Eberle, Xander Foster, and Makenzie Carmin - Experimental Design
⚡️ Konner Epp and LJ Martin - Circuits Lab

30 of our DTHS Cardinals competed at ACTIONS Day at Central Community College in Hastings. They battled with students from area schools on a wide variety of academic tests, setting a SCHOOL RECORD total of 22 trophies earned for finishing in the top 5 of each test! 💡📚💥

We are incredibly proud of the students who are stepping up and investing in their growth as leaders this spring! Doniphan-Trumbull began its annual Leadership Class open to student volunteers, and the response has been outstanding — with 44 students signed up for the program.

Led by Coach Conner, the class gives students the opportunity to dig deep into what leadership truly means. Each week, participants explore one of eight essential leadership traits — including communication, trust, accountability, and commitment — while also reading chapters from It Takes What It Takes by Trevor Moawad. Coaches Atkinson, Umphreys, Thede, and Blake have also been part of the conversations, sharing their own insights and perspectives along the way.

The heart of the class centers on a powerful message: real leadership isn't about halftime speeches. It's about the small, consistent actions that happen every day — often when no one is watching. Students are also being challenged to define their own personal values as leaders and understand how those values will shape their success on and off the field.Coach Conner says this class is his favorite part of the spring — and it's easy to see why. Watching our Cardinals take the initiative to grow as leaders and people is exactly what the Cardinal Way is all about. We can't wait to see how this group continues to develop!

Cardinal Cup Competition Heats Up! The Cardinal Cup race is on — Mr. Barth's 7th grade class and our Seniors are currently leading the pack! Spring sports, attendance, and tardies will all factor into next month's standings, so every Cardinal has a chance to make a difference. Stay tuned!

Students Headed to State! We have Cardinals representing D-T at multiple state competitions this month — congratulations and good luck to all!

• 🏥 State HOSA — March 9–10
• 🎨 LPC Art & Band — March 21
• 🌽 State FFA — March 25–27
• 👩‍🍳 State FCCLA — March 29–31

Looking Ahead Spring is a busy season! Mark your calendars for the FFA Barnyard on April 1 and Prom on April 11. State testing season is also approaching — NSCAS on April 9 & 19, ACT on April 15, and NWEA the week of April 20. Our teachers are prepared and ready!

Perkins Grant Funding

Perkins Request day is March 19th. We are sending Lane Kelley to represent DT. This is the day that the consortium will determine how our Perkins funds will be spent. D-T teachers — Mr. Kelley, Ms. Atkinson, Mrs. King, and Mrs. Rader — will attend the State NCE Conference in June, all through our Perkins Grant. We're proud to invest in our staff!

Here are the students that were nominated for the Cardinal Way in February..... LaDanian LaBuff, Makenea Adams, Peyton Saylor, Hunter Lewis, Clayton Heil, Preston Brandt, Niley Cruz Rustrian, Destiny Cruz Rustrian, Roxy Hoagland, Rylen Eberle, Lauryn VanDiest, Bladen Rainforth, Kim Olena, Makenea Adams, Austin Brandt, Jack Poppe, Deadra Rader, Kayden Olena, Landon Bartlett, Blake Bivens, Zoey Burson-Cooke, Rory Callahan, Kinsley Gehle, Carson Hinrichs, Lane Hoffman, Wyatt Johnson, Dylan Kaslon, Aiden Long, Owen Sawicki, Brynlee Shafer, Miles Smith, Easton Weidner, Bentley Cusatis, Julian Garcia, Clayton Heil, Taylor Knott, Zoey Kramer, Levi Leapley, Wyatt Massing, Zaylie Meyer, Kanton Olson, Addisen Schleicher, Owen Zakrzewski, Gabe Turley, Kaura Reiners, Grayson Moorman, Christian Einsel, Haiden Bucy, Hailey Knott, Lauryn VanDiest, Corey Leapley, Harrison Winfield, Gracie Ridgeway, Ian Kohmetcher, Elena Dietz, Molly Bressler, Izaiah Mullen, Koda Kaiser, Krista Hudelson, Wyatt Massing, Kayden Olena, Bri Dunning, Marley Schliecher, Addy Bishop, Claire Schultz, Zoe Yost, Kendall Pholenz

These students displayed positive attitudes, excellent class participation, listened well, and followed directions. They also showed great effort in the classroom and were willing to help their peers. Keep up the strong work!!

Winners of the #cardinalway award are......Koda Kaiser, Haiden Bucy, and Clayton Heil.

Congratulations and keep up the good work!

Here are the standings for the Cardinal Cup from early March!

Our Intro to Education students had the absolute best time reading!

Senior, Alyssia Piersol, is pictured reading to Mrs.Hoffman’s 2nd grade, Junior, Brielle Bruns, with Mrs.Braden’s 1st grade, and Senior, Baylee Larson, with Mrs. Corwin’s 1st grade class. These students help in the classrooms at least once a week and gain valuable experience. Moments like these are why they want to teach. ❤️📖

What a winter sports season it has been — our Cardinals have plenty to celebrate!!

🏆 Dance Team — STATE CHAMPIONS! Congratulations to our Dance Team for winning the State Championship in the High Kick division for Class C2/D. Way to go, Cardinals!

🏀 Boys Basketball The Cardinals wrapped up a phenomenal season with a 20-5 record. A special congratulations to Coach Buhr, who reached the milestone of 200 career wins this season!

🤼 Boys Wrestling — Five State Medalists! These wrestlers brought home hardware from the state tournament:

• Easton Weidner — 3rd Place
• Riley Bishop — 4th Place
• Asher McKenna — 4th Place
• Bentley Cusatis — 5th Place
• Cameron Sipp — 6th Place

⛳🏃🏻‍♂️Sports Are Underway! Boys Golf has 17 participants, and Track & Field is off to a strong start with 23 girls and 28 boys. Junior High track practice began March 16. This year we have 23 Junior High girls and 23 Junior High boys competing!

📣 Coming Up: Cardinals will be competing inTrack & Field at the Concordia Indoor Invite (March 20). Go Cardinals!

Winning the first round of sub-district play against Minden on February 24, boys varsity basketball coach, Coach Buhr, added another achievement in his coaching career! He reached 200 career wins! 🏀

Congratulations! Doniphan-Trumbull is proud of you! 🏀

Congratulations to the cheer team on a successful trip to state, where they secured a 9th-place finish!! We're so proud of the dedication they’ve shown all season long! Way to finish the season on a high note!

Great job to these speech members for their performance at the Lou-Platte Conference speech meet.

Deadra- 6th in Varsity Humorous

Taylor- 5th in Varsity Serious

Preston- 4th in Varsity Extemp

Taylor and Deadra- 6th in Varsity Duet

Way to go!!!

Some of our HOSA Members traveled to Creighton University to participate in the State HOSA Leadership Conference. Students competed in individual and team events. They attended different seminars on topics like mental health and VR for Occupational Therapy, as well as toured Creighton's newest Health Science Facility. They had a great experience with good competition! Kaser Johnson and Brody Cummings placed 3rd in Creative Problem Solving and qualified for Nationals in Indianapolis this summer! Hailey Knott and Lauryn VanDiest placed 4th (one spot away from qualifying for Nationals) with their Public Service Announcement. 🩺🥼 Other competitors included:

HOSA Bowl: Baylee Larson, Camryn Engel, Maddie Groff, and Claire Schultz

Respiratory Therapy: Kendall Pohlenz

Occupational Therapy: Brielle Bruns

Home Health Aide: Maddie Groff

Mental Health Promotion Team: Morgann Watts, Ava Delgado, Hailey Hoffman

Great job to our healthcare loving Cardinals!

Congrats to our DT Quiz Bowl teams on an excellent Lou-Platte Conference competition! The High School team is the undefeated LPC CHAMPIONS and the Jr. High team earned 3rd place!

The speech team's season came to a close at the district meet!
Congrats to Freshman, Deadra Rader, for her 5th place finish in Varsity Humorous Prose.

Great season, speech team! We are proud of you!

1. Staff Spotlight
2. Positions Available at DT
3. Facility Improvement Survey Results
4. Parent Internet Safety Presentation
5. Upcoming Dates
6. 2025-2026 Academic Calendar

Doniphan-Trumbull Public School is growing our team! We're hiring for several exciting positions:
🔧 Skilled & Technical Sciences Teacher – Launch our expanded welding & construction programs!
🏈 Junior High Football Coach
🏐 Assistant High School Volleyball Coach
🍽️ Kitchen Manager
📚 At-Risk Student Interventionist
🚌 Bus Drivers (substitute and activity routes)

Why Join the Cardinal Family?
✅ EXCELLENT AQuESTT rating (2024)
✅ Competitive salaries & comprehensive benefits
✅ Supportive, close-knit community
✅ Small class sizes & personalized student support
✅ Conveniently located off I-80 near Hastings & Grand Island

Whether you're passionate about teaching, coaching, student support, or keeping our operations running smoothly, we have a place for you! Join nearly 500 students and a dedicated staff making a difference every day.

📞 Call 402-845-2282 or visit dtcardinals.org (click CAREERS) to apply today!
#NebraskaEducation #NowHiring #TeachingJobs #CoachingJobs #SkilledTrades #SchoolJobs #RuralEducation #JoinOurTeam

Facility Improvement Survey Results‼️ 📣

The Board of Education wanted to thank the 177 community members that participated in the recent survey for Facility Improvements. Your voices matter, and we are grateful for both your participation and the thoughtful context many of you provided with your responses.

The level of engagement we received demonstrates what makes our district special: people care deeply about our schools’ and our community's future.

This video details the results of the survey, key takeaways, and next steps.

This process has reminded us that our strength as a district lies in our shared commitment to doing right by our students. We are grateful to serve a community that engages so thoughtfully in difficult decisions.

Thank you again for your time, your honesty, and your investment in Doniphan-Trumbull Public School. We will continue to keep you informed as our planning evolves.

Digital Media Team

February 16, 2026

On August 28th, our 5th–12th grade students had the opportunity to hear from Bobby Truhe of KSB School Law. He shared valuable insights about internet safety and helped students understand the potential risks and consequences of unsafe or inappropriate online behavior. We are grateful for his time and expertise in helping our students make smart and responsible choices online.

• April 3 - No School, Easter Break
• April 6 - No School, Easter Break
• April 11 - Prom
• April 21 - 12:30 pm dismissal - hosting DT track meet for high school
• April 23 - 12:30 pm dismissal - hosting DT track meet for junior high
• April 25 & 26 - School Musical
• April 30 - Academic Honors Night

Each year, the Doniphan-Trumbull Board of Education reviews and approves the district's academic calendar, and we're excited to share what's ahead for next school year!

This year's calendar includes a few thoughtful updates designed to maximize student learning time, support family planning, and provide consistent schedules throughout the year.

Access the calendar here: https://aptg.co/mGy15p

Mark Your Calendars!

• 🚨Aug 13 - First Day of School

• 🏫 First Day of School (Preschool): August 19, 2026

• ⛄Dec 21-Jan 4 - Winter Break

• 🎓May 8 - Senior Graduation

• 😎May 20 - Last Day of School

Here's what families can expect:

• 175 student days / 185 staff days — in line with Nebraska requirements and teacher contract parameters.

• Two-week Christmas break — returning again this year, consistent with last year's calendar.

• Adjusted spring break — three days have been grouped together for a more meaningful mid-spring break.

• Early dismissals moving to 12:30 PM — formerly 1:30 PM — will now be 12:30 PM dismissals, giving families a more predictable and consistent schedule on early-release days.

• Minor adjustments to parent-teacher conferences — updates were made to maximize instructional days and provide greater consistency for families with minimal disruption to the school week.

• One schedule note for May — D-T will host the LPC Track Meet, which results in one adjusted student day for that event.

• We're proud of a calendar that balances student learning time, staff professional growth, and family planning needs. Look for the full approved calendar to be shared soon!

• Questions? Reach out to the district office — we're happy to help.