Today Superintendent Lightle stepped into a new role as school bus driver. From elementary to high school, students were surprised to see him behind the wheel. Our elementary students showed their approval with big smiles and a thumbs up. It was a wonderful reminder that leadership means being ready to help wherever needed. Thank you to Superintendent Lightle and all of our dedicated staff who make sure students arrive safely every day. #BeGretnaGreat

3 months ago, Gretna Public School District
Superintendent Lightle sitting at the driver seat on the bus all smiles waiting for the students to drive them home for the day
Superintendent Lightle and elementary student smiling on the bus as he gets ready to drive them home
Middle School student waving as he gets on the bus Superintendent Lightle is driving
Students boarding the school bus on their way home with Superintendnet Lightle driving
Bus full of elementary students giving a thumbs up as Superintendent Lightle speaks to them from the driver seat
Students boarding the school bus on their way home with Superintendnet Lightle driving
Congratulations to ACE Students of the Month!
Throughout the month of September, our focus was on the pillar of Respect. These students consistently demonstrated positive behavior, consideration for others, and a commitment to our GPS Rules. We are proud to recognize their efforts!
3 months ago, WENDI KISTLER
Picture showing Aspen Creek Students of the Month in the area of Respect.
After learning about the Solar System, Fifth Grade received a visit from Gifford Farm's planetarium!
3 months ago, LAURA HEINKE
This is a picture of Ms. Ferzley's class posing inside the planetarium.
This is a picture of Ms. Ferzley's class listing to the speaker before entering the planetarium.
This is a picture of Mrs. Heinke's class listing to the presenter before entering the planetarium.
This is a picture of Mrs. Heinke's class in front of the planetarium.
Thank you for making our Book Fair amazing and creating memories that will last a lifetime! Your support is appreciated!
3 months ago, DELAYNE SPURGIN
Red logo with yellow smiley face with the text "Thank You for supporting our Book Fair!" This is a flyer thanking parents and students for coming to the yearly book fair.
Donuts with Grown Ups tomorrow morning!
3 months ago, DELAYNE SPURGIN
Flyer with three donuts showing the event going on during the book fair. The event "Donuts With Grown Ups" will be on September 9th from 7am-8am. Text along the bottom says to join for donuts, coffee, juice, and books

The ACE Race is just around the corner! Information was sent home with students this week. Be sure to check backpacks.

3 months ago, WENDI KISTLER
Flyer showing information about the ACE Race, our fundraiser being held on September 19th.
To learn the difference between observable and inherited traits in plants, Ms. Maly's third grade class looked at flowers to see the differences. Students observed that flowers can have different colors, petals, leaves and stems. They then took the flowers apart and counted the petals to see that although they are the same type of flower they can have different amounts of petals depending on the traits the flower got from its parent.
3 months ago, DELAYNE SPURGIN
Four students sitting in a circle counting the number of petals on a rose.
Four students working together at a table to count the number of petals on a daisy.
Four students sitting on the floor working together to count the number of petals on a chrysanthemum flower.
Five students sitting at a table working together to count the amount of petals on a carnation.
The worksheet students filled out over the types of traits projected onto the board.
Donuts With Grown Ups will be next week!
3 months ago, DELAYNE SPURGIN
Flyer with three donuts showing the event going on during the book fair. The event "Donuts With Grown Ups" will be on September 9th from 7am-8am. Text along the bottom says to join for donuts, coffee, juice, and books
It is book fair season! Visit to the Aspen Creek Elementary School Scholastic Bookfair September 2nd - September 12th. The Book Fair will also be open for the Donuts with Grown Ups event on September 9th from 7:00am - 8:00am.
4 months ago, DELAYNE SPURGIN
Blue and yellow flyer showing the text, "Come to our Book Fair" by Scholastic. It features characters from the book "DogMan." The book fair is open Tuesday, Sept. 2nd - Friday, Sept. 12th from 7:30am - 3:30pm. Students can shop before or after school and during their Library class each week.

Aspen Creek Elementary offers a variety of clubs for 3rd–5th graders! As each opportunity approaches, sponsors share information at school, and students bring details home should they be interested.
Parents: check in with your child to see if there’s a club they’d like to join.
If you have any questions, contact information for sponsors is included on the flyer.

4 months ago, WENDI KISTLER
Image sharing all the clubs that will be offered this school year at Aspen Creek Elementary.

This morning, all Gretna Public Schools librarians came together to collaborate, share ideas, and prepare for the start of the school year. It was great to see them working, chatting, and catching up. This dedicated group is passionate about connecting students with books, resources, and opportunities to learn. We are so fortunate to have such talented individuals who are excited to welcome students back and inspire a love of reading. #BeGretnaGreat

4 months ago, Gretna Public School District
Middle School and High School librarians gathered in Gretna High School library posing for a picture
Elementary librarians sitting at a table in the library collaborating and smiling at the camera

This morning, Gretna Public Schools staff gathered at Gretna East High School to enjoy breakfast, great company, and the chance to reconnect before the new school year begins.

In the auditorium, Superintendent Travis Lightle reminded us of our WHY, the reason we show up, connect, and make a difference every single day. Every interaction is an opportunity to create a lasting memory for a child and to give them the most powerful gift we can: unconditional acceptance.

He reminded us that the students who challenge us the most are often the ones who need us the most. Our mission this year is clear: ensure EVERY child feels seen, valued, and accepted.

We also celebrated staff for their years of service and recognized those who received letters for outstanding work. What a wonderful way to begin the year together.

Thank you to Ranae Duncan for capturing these moments.

#RememberYourWhy #BeGretnaGreat #EveryChildEveryDay

4 months ago, Gretna Public School District
Gretna East auditorium filled with all staff gathering for speech for new year
a group of staff members sitting in auditorium seating at GEHS smiling for camera
Gretna East cafeteria tables filled with staff members gathering for breakfast
circle of 4 staff members laughing and talking with each other
Superintendent Travis Lightle shaking hands with a staff member earning 20 years of service award
GPS board members in cafeteria talking to staff members
two staff members sitting in auditorium seating smiling at the camera
staff members seated in the auditorium waiting for speech to start
a long table in cafeteria filled with staff members laughing together and talking
board member with staff members talking in groups in cafeteria

This morning, our incredible District Office staff gathered in the parking lot before heading to the all staff workshop at Gretna East High School. These behind-the-scenes leaders work tirelessly to keep the district running smoothly and when things don’t go as planned, they’re often the first to take the brunt of it. Still, they show up with smiles, solutions, and a strong spirit of collaboration. Their work is often underappreciated, but their impact is immeasurable. We’re grateful for every one of them. #BeGretnaGreat

4 months ago, Gretna Public School District
a group of nine district office staff members who are all smiles standing in the parking lot of the district office headed out to the all staff meeting
Gretna Public Schools Parents/Guardians,

We are currently experiencing high traffic on NebSIS Family as many parents/guardians are logging in to view schedules and letters. As a result, some users may notice that their documents are loading slowly. They should appear once system traffic decreases.

If you have already completed Student Verification, please do not submit it again. We kindly ask for your patience and recommend trying again later. If schedules or letters are still not loading after a few hours, please feel free to contact us for assistance.

Thank you so much for your understanding, and we apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

Gretna Public Schools Administration
4 months ago, Gretna Public School District
Gretna Public Schools logo with a "G" and text reading NebSis delays high traffic alert
My name is Delanie Ferzely and I am so very excited to be teaching 5th grade at Aspen Creek this upcoming school year! I recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where I majored in both elementary and special education. I was the little girl playing school all of her childhood, so my dreams are really coming true. This will be my first year teaching, and I am so excited and gracious for the opportunity to start at ACE!
4 months ago, WENDI KISTLER
Photo of Delanie Ferzely, new 5th grade teacher.
Hello, my name is Julie Kuzel and for the past eight years I have worked with students in grades 3-5 as a special education para at Aspen Creek. I am thrilled to be transitioning into my new role as a 4th-grade teacher this fall. My husband, Jason, and I have lived in Gretna for the past 20 years and have three kids that attend Gretna Public Schools. Our daughter Claire, will be a junior in high school and our twin sons, Ethan and Ryan, will be 8th graders this year. I am particularly excited for this school year since I had the privilege of working with the upcoming fourth graders while they were in third grade. This year promises to be full of discovery, creativity, and learning — I can't wait to see what we accomplish together!
4 months ago, WENDI KISTLER
Picture of Julie Kuzel, new 4th grade teacher.
Hello! My name is Justin Leifeld, and I’m proud to be joining the team at Aspen Creek. I was born and raised in Humphrey, Nebraska, and recently graduated from Midland University. This will be my first year as a classroom teacher, and I couldn’t be more excited to begin this journey.

Before stepping into this role, I worked as a paraprofessional at ES2 Independent, where I developed a strong passion for supporting student growth. I’m looking forward to creating a positive, welcoming, and safe learning environment where all students feel valued and inspired to learn.

I’m thrilled to be part of the Aspen Creek community and can’t wait to meet my students and their families.
4 months ago, WENDI KISTLER
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New staff continued their training this week with a focus on foundational reading skills. Led by our incredible district reading specialists, teachers explored practical strategies to help students become confident, capable readers. #BeGretnaGreat

5 months ago, Gretna Public School District
Large group of new teachers gathered for training on new reading techniques all smiles and collaborating between desks.
classroom of new teachers sitting at desks all eyes on presenter at the whiteboard showing reading techniques
group of seven teachers sitting in classroom at desks collaborating and smiling with each other
Presenter speaking to new teachers in front of classroom while staff is sitting at the student's desks
Large classroom of teachers laughing and sharing ideas with each other

District Leaders Gather at DLR to Prepare for the New School Year
This week, all building administrators came together at DLR for a district-wide leadership meeting. The day focused on collaboration, strategic planning, and student-centered goals. These meetings provide a valuable opportunity for our leaders to align efforts, share insights, and prepare for a successful year ahead.

We are grateful for their continued leadership and dedication to building strong school communities.

#BeGretnaGreat

5 months ago, Gretna Public School District
photo of GPS administration sitting at tables with laptops at DLR for back to school planning
photo of GPS administration at DLR for back to school planning
This week, we’ve been welcoming new team members to Gretna Public Schools as they begin their onboarding and orientation process. Whether in the classroom, administration, support roles, or operations, these dedicated professionals are learning about our district’s mission, values, and commitment to student success. We’re proud to grow our team with passionate individuals who play a vital role in building a strong foundation for a lifetime of success for every student. #BeGretnaGreat #NewStaff #GretnaPublicSchools #BuildingOurFuture #TeamGretna
6 months ago, Gretna Public School District
New Staff Members learning about technology at Gretna Public Schools
New Staff at Gretna Public Schools in a large conference room learning about technology provided to students and staff
New GPS staff at tables with their laptops learning about technology during onboarding
Bright new staff faces at the onboarding at the administration building
New GPS Staff getting one on one help as needed during onboarding
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Televisions on wall in conference room with several new staff members learning about GPS technology during onboarding
New Staff at Gretna Public Schools getting hands on with their technology equipment