Cardinal Community Newsletter
Monthly Informational Newsletter - August 2026 - Vol 3.1
📢 2026–27 School Meal Prices Are Set!
Each spring, we set meal prices for the upcoming school year so families have plenty of time to plan ahead. Following guidance from the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE), the board has approved the following prices for 2026–27:
🍳 BREAKFAST
• Student Breakfast: $1.95 (↑ from $1.85)
• Adult Breakfast: $2.75 (↑ from $2.60)
🥗 LUNCH
• K–6 Lunch: $2.95 (↑ from $2.85)
• 7–12 Lunch: $3.25 (↑ from $3.15)
• Adult Lunch: $4.90 (↑ from $4.75)
Increases range from 3.2% to 5.8% — and our prices remain at or below the ESU 9 regional average. Here's how we compare:
• Elementary Breakfast avg: $2.09 → Ours: $1.95 ✅
• MS/HS Breakfast avg: $2.13 → Ours: $1.95 ✅
• Elementary Lunch avg: $3.03 → Ours: $2.95 ✅
• MS/HS Lunch avg: $3.34 → Ours: $3.25 ✅
These nominal increases help our Nutrition Department work toward being a self-sustaining program over time — something we're committed to as good stewards of our community's resources.
Call for Bond Election
During the most recent board meeting, our school board approved and adopted a resolution calling for an election to be held in conjunction with the Statewide General Election on November 3, 2026, for the purpose of issuing one or more series of general obligation bonds of the District to finance certain capital improvements for the District. This means the board would like the voters to decide if there will be a large capital investment into facilities, and this would be financed by selling bonds. More information will be forthcoming about the details of the project. In short form, it is academic focused, with the addition of a cafeteria and kitchen. Renovations are included in this and the board intendeds to use some building fund towards the project. If you have an interest in being on the information committee for this project, please email Dr. Braden.
- Elementary
- Preschool Happenings
- Special Education Update
- Secondary News
- Activities Update
😎 Elementary Update 😎
Welcome back, Cardinal families! As we kick off another exciting school year at Doniphan-Trumbull Elementary, here is a quick look at what’s happening around the building:
Academic Progress & Teacher Focus
Reading & Math Screener: K–3 teachers and our DIBELS team completed training for a new statewide universal screening tool to better target reading and math growth. 📚
Targeted Support: Teachers are implementing bi-weekly "gap analysis" checks to closely monitor student growth, identify learning needs, and tailor instruction to support specific student groups. 😁
Staff Appreciation: A huge thank you to Jaclyn, Trisha, and Shawna for all their hard work behind the scenes with online registration and enrollment! 💻
REPORTING ATTENDANCE CHANGES
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.
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!
🎈🎈 Preschool Update 🎈🎈
Preschool News 🙃
Open House was held on August 12th from 5:00–6:30 PM, alongside the required teacher home visits.
Class enrollment for the 3–4 year old class currently has 13 students, while the 4–5 year old classes have 13 and 14 students. 🎒🍎
Child Find
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).
- Free/Reduced Meal Application
- Upcoming Dates
- 2026-2027 Academic Calendar
2026-27 Academic Calendar
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.
Communication
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Watch the Cardinals
Tune into the Cardinals and livestream their games. If you are looking for away streaming, check into the calendar link at the top of the www.dtcardinals.org webpage. We make every effort to post livestream links within our calendar.