Mrs. Allgood's 1st grade class had some special visitors this week!










Ms. Boeselager's Guardian Group made an empathy tree yesterday, since our schoolwide focus this month was on empathy!






Mrs. Singh came and did music therapy with Mrs. Johnson’s 3rd grade class this week!



Mrs. Hirsch's 3rd graders have had some fun theme days in their classroom for their countdown to winter break❄️🎄🎅🏼







Mrs. Hirsch's 3rd graders have had some fun theme days in their classroom for their countdown to winter break❄️🎄🎅🏼








🎄 Rudolph came to visit our 1st graders yesterday! 🦌



Mrs. Dickes came to share some Holiday Cheer to Ms. Boeselager's Kindergarten class today! Her class loved the story she read!


The kids have brought so many creative ideas to life this quarter! Their original pieces inspired many others to give it a try as well in art class!




The students in Mrs. Kudlacek's 5th grade class were able to play BINGO with our friends from APACE today. Everyone was excited when a special visitor came to visit!






Attention: We Are Hiring School Bus Drivers!
Our school district is looking for caring, dependable individuals to help transport our students safely to and from school each day.
If you enjoy working with children and want a meaningful role in your community, we’d love to have you on our team! Apply at www.gpsne.org

Third graders celebrated completing their 2nd quarter reading incentive with a hot cocoa and movie party today!🎥☕️📚❄️




Dr. Kendra Schneider Named New Director of Special Education
Gretna, NE – December 9, 2025
Gretna Public Schools is thrilled to announce Dr. Kendra Schneider as the new Director of Special Education, effective July 1, 2026, following Paul Duin’s retirement. Dr. Schneider has served as Assistant Director since 2021, leading program supervision, compliance, and professional learning initiatives.
“I’m extremely excited to serve as the Director of Special Education for Gretna Public Schools,” Dr. Schneider said. “Paul Duin has been an incredible mentor, and I’m honored to build upon the strong foundation and high-quality programs established by him and Deb Siemers, the previous Director of Special Education. I look forward to working alongside our talented special education team, collaborating with families, and ensuring every student receives the support they need. Gretna Public Schools’ commitment to excellence in special education is evident, and I’m eager to contribute to our continued growth and success.”
Superintendent Travis Lightle added, “We are excited to announce Dr. Schneider as our new Director of Special Education. Her leadership over the last five years has led to positive changes in our district, and our department’s retention rate remains the envy of the state because of it. Dr. Schneider’s experience and genuine dedication to Gretna Public Schools make her the ideal person to continue advancing our programs.”
Dr. Schneider brings more than 20 years of experience in special education and also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She holds a Doctorate and two Master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska and is actively involved in statewide initiatives advancing special education.
Gretna, NE – December 9, 2025
Gretna Public Schools is thrilled to announce Dr. Kendra Schneider as the new Director of Special Education, effective July 1, 2026, following Paul Duin’s retirement. Dr. Schneider has served as Assistant Director since 2021, leading program supervision, compliance, and professional learning initiatives.
“I’m extremely excited to serve as the Director of Special Education for Gretna Public Schools,” Dr. Schneider said. “Paul Duin has been an incredible mentor, and I’m honored to build upon the strong foundation and high-quality programs established by him and Deb Siemers, the previous Director of Special Education. I look forward to working alongside our talented special education team, collaborating with families, and ensuring every student receives the support they need. Gretna Public Schools’ commitment to excellence in special education is evident, and I’m eager to contribute to our continued growth and success.”
Superintendent Travis Lightle added, “We are excited to announce Dr. Schneider as our new Director of Special Education. Her leadership over the last five years has led to positive changes in our district, and our department’s retention rate remains the envy of the state because of it. Dr. Schneider’s experience and genuine dedication to Gretna Public Schools make her the ideal person to continue advancing our programs.”
Dr. Schneider brings more than 20 years of experience in special education and also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She holds a Doctorate and two Master’s degrees from the University of Nebraska and is actively involved in statewide initiatives advancing special education.

Mrs. Kuzel’s 2nd grade class is trying out their boat making skills! They crafted boats out of tin foil and are seeing how many pennies they will hold before they sink. The winner was a tie between Kash and Clay at 108 pennies each!



Kindness club decorated coffee sleeves for The Beanery today! If anyone goes to purchase a warm beverage the next few weeks, they might be lucky enough to receive some extra holiday spirit from GES kids🥰







Our 4th grade students of the month for gratitude! Nominated by their peers and teachers for their positive attitudes and genuine thankfulness!

Mrs. Hirsch's 3rd grade class used Cheez-Its to measure and learn about the area of shapes!




Happy Thanksgiving from Ms. Buffington's Kindergarten class!

Happy Thanksgiving from our Kindergarten team!!
Happy Thanksgiving from our AM and PM preschool classes!


Happy Thanksgiving from Mrs. Johnson's 3rd grade class!

