CTE Cub Connections
Oct. 21, 2026
Dear Families,
It has been said that, “The days are long, but the years are short!” This is a phrase every parent hears, but few truly feel until time starts slipping through our fingers.
I was reminded of this recently when I went to Family Weekend at my son’s college. If you’ve ever driven through Sioux Center, Iowa, you might know that the speed limit throughout town is a strict 25 miles per hour. At first, coming off the highway, moving at that pace feels almost painfully slow. But after a few blocks, something shifts.
When you drive 25 miles per hour, you start to notice things you would normally breeze past. You see the details on the storefronts, the changing leaves in the yards, and the people greeting one another on the sidewalk. You aren't just passing through; you are actually experiencing where you are.
It struck me how much this mirrors our journey as parents. In the elementary school years, life often feels like driving 70 miles per hour on an open interstate. Between morning routines, drop-off lines, homework, sport practices, and dinner prep, it is so easy to focus entirely on the destination of getting through the checklist to end the day.
Standing on my son’s college campus was a good reminder of how quickly the odometer of life moves. Before we know it, the shoes left by the front door get bigger, the bedtime stories stop, and the hand-holding crossing the street fades away.
I want to encourage each of us to intentionally ease up on the gas pedal this season. Try to find moments to slow down to 25 mph in your home. Take an extra five minutes at bedtime to listen to a story about their day. Watch them play in the backyard or on the sports field without worrying about what needs to get done next.
When we slow down, we give ourselves permission to notice. We see the big milestones, but more importantly, we capture the quiet, everyday magic that makes up their childhood.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us every day. Let’s make a point to slow down and savor these sweet moments together.
Warmly,
Peter Knoebel
Principal
Please review the winter clothing expectations and reminders listed below as we want all students to have a good experience during the colder months ahead.
Grade Level Clothing Expectations:
• Grades K-2: Warm coats, hats, gloves/mittens, snow pants, and snow boots.
• Grades 3-5: Warm coats, hats, gloves/mittens, and snow boots.
Key Reminders:
- Label all of your child’s gear so it can be returned if it ends up in the Lost and Found.
- We are not able to accommodate students remaining indoors during recess unless they have a note from a doctor.
- Any child who doesn’t have snow boots will need to play on the blacktop during recess.
- Review the temperature guidelines for cold weather recess to help your child dress appropriately.
- -1 to -9 = Outdoor recess; potentially shortened recess
- -10 or below = Indoor Recess
Butter Braids & Cookie Dough Fundraiser
Our annual Butter Braid and Cookie Dough fundraiser is underway! Your support helps CEPO fund programs that directly benefit our students and school like school assemblies, field trip bussing, special class activities and more! There are two ways to submit orders:
Paper Order Forms:
Completed order forms and payment must be turned in to school no later than Friday, October 30 by 3:30 pm. Payments can be made with cash or checks made payable to CEPO. Paper order forms went home in the Friday, Oct 10 Friday Folder. Extra paper forms are available in the office.
Online Orders:
Families can set up an online site for orders and pay electronically by Friday, October 30.
CLICK HERE TO CREATE A ONLINE SELLERS PAGE.
Yes, families may submit both paper and online orders!
All orders and payments are due by Friday, October 30. Items will be delivered to CTE on Friday, Nov 20 for families to pick up and then distribute to those who ordered. Remember … these items need to stay frozen!
The people and places that support learning
Students learn in different ways. Classroom instruction, small-group learning and specialized services help meet those needs. Centennial’s two referendum questions address both the people who provide that support and the spaces where learning happens. Each question will be decided separately. Approval of one would not provide the funding proposed in the other.
FAQ's
Question 1 FAQ: Would the operating levy reduce class sizes?
Question 1 is intended to help maintain current staffing and class sizes. It would help maintain teachers, programs and student services as operating costs continue to rise.
Question 2 FAQ: How would facility improvements support student learning?
Question 2 includes improvements to functional learning and student-support spaces. These spaces would support activities such as small-group instruction, collaboration, and individualized learning. Proposed projects vary by school; see the district website for your school’s improvements (scroll to find your school’s project list).
