Cardinal Community Newsletter

The Doniphan-Trumbull Education Foundation will be sponsoring the “Launching Great Minds” Trivia Night again this year. The date is Saturday, November 22nd. The night’s schedule looks as follows:

• 5:00 PM Social Hour
  
• 6:00 PM Dinner
  
• 7:00 PM Trivia
  

There is a silent auction, prizes for each round, and cakes for auction from Red Bird as well. All proceeds go towards supporting student scholarships at D-T.

• Tickets are available for $30.00 each or $200 for a table of 8. The ticket gets you in the door, trivia, and a great meal of pulled pork, green beans, cheesy potatoes, and tea or water. Other beverages are available for sale from the Legion.

Our Digital Media Team at D-T continues to provide quality content for our students, staff, and community. Check out their latest efforts below and subscribe to their content.

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

We're thrilled to share some outstanding academic achievements from our recent assessments!

Our first-grade students achieved 100% proficiency, with not a single student requiring a reading plan. This remarkable accomplishment reflects the dedication and expertise of our incredible K-1 staff:

• Glenda Gant and Trish Shafer

• Carrie Braden and Steph Corwin

• Lori Rainforth, Cecilee Huelsnitz, and Shona Uden

• Our outstanding paraprofessional support team: Mindy Lavalleur, Sam Hester, Alondra Mora, Kody Bucy, and Jo Stolle

• Third Grade Growth: Our third-grade students demonstrated exceptional progress, gaining 15 points in math and an impressive 19 points in reading. Currently, 42% of third graders score in the high range for math, 46% for reading, and 58% in science.

• Sixth Grade Excellence: This is our highest-performing class, with 94% at benchmark in math and 97% in science.
• Science Strength: Students in grades 3-6 consistently exceed national norms in science.
• Math Acceleration: Our upper elementary students (grades 4-6) show strong acceleration in expected gains.

Technology Enhancements

• Third-grade students now have Chromebooks

• IXL has been upgraded to include science and social studies, and both teachers and students report finding it more beneficial than previous software

Morning Routines Making a Difference

• Our morning activity data shows that students love Wednesdays—coloring day! Students consistently name it as their favorite during daily check-ins, and we've noticed it creates our calmest morning atmosphere. The second favorite activity is STEAM space (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math), where students engage in hands-on learning. Our boys especially enjoy the Legos! Thank you to Kristi Rollen and friends for their generous Lego donation!

Musical Announcement

• The moment we've all been waiting for—our 6th grade musical reveal: We're performing Frozen! More details to come soon.

Congratulations to our September students of the month! These students were picked for being safe, respectful, and responsible at DT!

Preschool: Jaxxon Schafer, Ryker Smith, & Salem Lemirand

K: Cohen Lough & Owen Green

1: Broderick Huelsnitz & Natalie Hannon

2: Wes Hoffmann & Marlie Steinfeld

3: Presley Lough & CJ Hannon

4: Zona Cooke & Alex Mora

5: Adrienne Harris & Kodie Butcher

6: Cohen Butcher & Kade Kloepper

Keep up the great work!!

Thanks to our amazing sponsors, every student and staff member will be rocking their D-T Elementary t-shirts as we light up the gym and celebrate our incredible school spirit. Funds raised will help make favorite events like Pizza BINGO and the Spring Carnival shine even brighter — and give teachers extra resources for their classrooms.

We can’t wait to glow, grow, and show our Cardinal pride together! #DTglow #WeAreDT

🥶⛄ As the mornings get chillier and the afternoons warmer, it's that time of year when layers are key! To ensure our students can enjoy every moment of recess, please pack a jacket and an extra pair of pants in their backpacks. Let's keep our kiddos comfortable and ready for anything the day brings! 🧤🧥💨

We're excited to share the positive impact our preschool program is having on our youngest learners! Recent assessment data demonstrates that our preschool experience is setting students up for success as they transition to kindergarten.

Preschool Program Effectiveness

Of the 39 current kindergarten students, 32 attended preschool here at DT. These students' fall kindergarten assessment results show the strong foundation built during their preschool years:

• 27 out of 32 students (84%) are scoring well above benchmark
• 4 out of 4 students are scoring at benchmark
• 1 out of 2 students scoring below benchmark
• 0 out of 1 students scoring well below benchmark

This data clearly demonstrates that children who attend our preschool program enter kindergarten well-prepared and ready to learn!

Current Preschool Student Progress

Our current preschool students are also showing strong growth in early literacy skills:

3-4 Year Olds:

• 75% scored at or above benchmark overall
• Strong performance in Comprehension (75%), Language (69%), Vocabulary/Oral Language (63%), and Alphabet Knowledge (62%)

4-5 Year Olds:

• 56% scored at or above benchmark overall
• Notable strengths in Alphabet Knowledge (61%) and Phonemic Awareness (61%)
• Areas of focus include Language (47%), Comprehension (47%), and Vocabulary/Oral Language (30%)

Our preschool team continues to provide individualized instruction and engaging learning experiences to help every child reach their full potential. We're proud of the strong start we're giving our youngest community members!

For more information about our preschool program, please contact the elementary office.

Our preschoolers had a blast at the Scarecrow Patch exploring pumpkins, scarecrows, and all things fall!

Targeted Improvement Plan Report

• D-T did not have any indicators contributing to our NE Counts Determination that were identified “at risk”

NE Counts Determination

• Meets Requirements

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!

We are excited to share outstanding results from our Fall NWEA assessments, which show impressive achievement across reading, math, and science at Doniphan-Trumbull Secondary.

Our upper-level students demonstrated exceptional performance in reading:

• 69% of juniors scored at the 60th percentile or better, with no students in the lowest 20th percentile

• 64% of seniors reached the 60th percentile or higher

• Notably, no freshmen scored in the lowest percentile, showing strong foundational skills

Math achievement stands out as a particular area of strength for our school:

• 68% of our ENTIRE student population scored at the 60th percentile or higher

• Seniors led the way with an impressive 84% at the 60th percentile or above

• Juniors followed closely with 74% achieving this benchmark

• Freshmen (72%) and sophomores (69%) also showed strong performance

• 7th graders demonstrated solid achievement with 61% at the 60th percentile

Beyond achievement scores, we're proud of the growth our students are making:

• 71.9% of juniors met or exceeded growth expectations in math

• Nearly 70% of freshmen exceeded their growth targets in math

• Over 60% of 8th and 9th graders met reading growth goals

• Strong science growth was evident in 9th grade (58.1%) and 7th grade (52.6%)

Note: Students with already high achievement scores may find it challenging to show additional growth on standardized measures.

Student engagement remains a cornerstone of our school culture. This fall, participation in activities and Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSOs) remains robust:

• 76% of sophomores are involved in fall sports or activities

• 77% of juniors participate in at least one CTSO

• Many students demonstrate exceptional commitment by participating in multiple organizations

Research shows that students who engage in extracurricular activities achieve higher academic success, better attendance, and improved social-emotional skills. We're proud that our students are taking ownership of their educational experience both inside and outside the classroom.

These assessment results reflect the hard work of our students, the dedication of our staff, and the support of our families and community. Thank you for your continued partnership in education!

🍁Everyone who participated in the Fall Festival Cake Contest really outdid themselves. Each cake was beautifully crafted and full of fall spirit. Thank you to all our talented bakers for sharing your creativity with us! 🎃

Awards:

Grand Prize (Overall Winner): Emma Hoppe, Charlee Richter, and Kinley Kaczor

1st: Miriam Garcia and Maria Fagundes

2nd: Lily Elsbury, Shayla Hernandez Mencho, and Katie Christensen

3rd: Peyton Saylor, Gracelyn Jones, Haden Kenny, and Jacob Zakrzewski

Our students had an amazing experience at the Health Science Career Fair with Mrs. Rader! They explored healthcare programs across many disciplines, discovered diverse career opportunities, and learned valuable insights into the healthcare field. From understanding the differences between physical therapy and occupational therapy to hearing firsthand perspectives of healthcare professionals, this was an inspiring day!

#Cardinals #HealthSciences #DT #CareerFair

During the last week of September, the DT FFA held Farm Safety Demonstrations for all K-12 students to highlight ways to stay safe on and around farm equipment. A special thanks to Titan Machinery, Ag Services of Doniphan, and Happold Farms for providing the equipment!

Last month, the Doniphan-Trumbull FCCLA went to UNK for their Fall Leadership Conference. They participated in breakout sessions, introduced themselves to other members from other state chapters, and participated in leadership activities.

This year, our Mechatronics program grew to include two additional courses, completing the full program of study at Doniphan-Trumbull! To make this possible, we needed to add PC computers that could run the required programming software, since our MacBooks were not compatible.

A special thank-you to the Jim and Faye Rasmussen Donor Advised Fund for their generous $4,000 donation toward the purchase of these much-needed computers. Their support ensures our students have the technology and tools they need to continue learning and exploring in this exciting field!

On October 15th, Mrs. Rader took the Freshman to the "Connecting the Dots" career simulation at Hastings Community College, hosted by the Nebraska Extension Office. The goal of this immersive event is to network with postsecondary education options, military representatives, business, and industry representatives from our local area throughout 16 career clusters. They connected with these representatives to find out what specific career information they might need regarding their respective interest areas.

They also host sessions on building resumes, motivational skills, and workshops designed to help students think critically about their strengths and how those specific skills can translate into an effective work environment for them.

Our team brought creativity to life, including an animal, a setting, and an inanimate object, into this year's painting. The annual Hastings College Mural Competition is a day of artistic creation, collaboration, and competition for high school students. Our students of Charlee Richter, Emma Hoppe, Miriam Garcia Gutierrez, and Alexa Holder created this amazing piece of artwork!

September 17th is Constitution Day and our students celebrated the US Constitution by having a competition to unscramble the Preamble!

#WeAreDT #TheCardinalWay

D-T students had an opportunity to explore future careers with Mrs. Utecht. Last month, students toured several of Omaha’s highlights. They gained insight into industries involving innovation, sports, and the arts. Thank you, Mrs.Utecht and the DT Education Foundation for making this opportunity possible! #CareerExploration #FutureReady #TheCardinalWay

Congratulations Emmett Dzingle, Zayne Henderson & Blake Bivens for your award!

Last month in the volleyball game against Ravenna, Charlee Richter earned her 1000 career kill! Congratulations on reaching an incredible milestone! Way to represent DT!

#1000CareerKills #TheCardinalWay #DTVolleyball

Last month, at the Girls Golf Ravenna Invite, Kayli placed 11th and Kim placed 13th, both receiving medals. Kim knocked 8 strokes off of her previous personal best and Addi knocked 33 strokes off her previous personal best! Great job ladies!

Stay connected with DT Activities through Bound for the latest schedules, results, and announcements throughout the fall and upcoming seasons.

• Sevyn 1st place finish!
• Kaser 1st place finish!
• Bladen 5th place finish!
• Carter 7th place finish!
• Jacob 14th place finish!
• Boys team 1st place finish!
• Congratulations! Way to represent DT!

1. Staff Spotlight
2. Option Enrollment Capacity Limits Established
3. Food Pantry
4. Internet Safety Webinar for Parents
5. Upcoming Dates
6. 2025-2026 Academic Calendar

Mrs. Steffen is one of the amazing staff members here at Doniphan-Trumbull. Her dedication and passion for teaching inspire us every day!

📝Courtesy of the D-T Digital Media Team

The Legislature updated the option enrollment statutes three years ago. One of these updates now requires a Board to adopt a resolution before October 15 to "declare a program, a class, or a school unavailable to option students for the next school year due to lack of capacity." Recommend classes with no capacity for additional students due to staff limitations be closed to option enrollment. Special Education is now determined on a case-by-case basis. This is an updated legislative requirement that requires the resolution to be in place by October 15th or there are no limits to option enrollment.

There were significant changes from previous years with regards to maximum option enrollment. As of now, with the limited policy exceptions, the following grades are closed to new option students: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 3rd Grade, and 8th Grade. All other grades have a maximum of 2 students per grade, expect 12th grade has only 1 student. Again, this is only for new option students into D-T. Information regarding accepted students will be communicated to families around March 15, 2026.

(402) 845- 2282 or email nniles@dtcardinals.org

Project Hunger provided $3,463 of food this fall to restock the Kind Nest Food Cupboard. This

does not include the monthly HyVee certificates for a gallon of milk, a dozen eggs, and a loaf of

bread.

Thanks to FCLA and Mrs. King for donating 2 birthday bags to the Food Cupboard.

Talk to Your Children: We encourage families to discuss these upcoming drills at home. Help your children understand that these practices are important for everyone's safety and preparedness.

Stay Connected: Ensure your contact information in Infinite Campus is up to date so you receive all emergency communications.

Questions or Concerns?

Our school office is always available to address any questions or concerns you may have about our safety procedures. Don't hesitate to reach out.

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.

• October 24 - No School - Fall Break
• October 24 - State XC Meet in Kearney

The Board of Education approved the 2025-2026 Academic Calendar at their most recent board meeting. Dates of note are included below:

🚨Aug 14 - First Day of School

⛄Dec 22-Jan 5 - Winter Break

🎓May 9 - Senior Graduation

😎May 19 - Last Day of School

The full calendar is linked here: https://www.dtcardinals.org/page/calendar-year-at-a-glance