Wildcat Growl
December11, 2020
Future Ready Wildcats
De Soto High School staff and students endeavor to model the following core values:
INTEGRITY, INQUIRY, COMMUNICATION, PERSEVERANCE, and REFLECTION.
Principal's Message
Wildcat Students and Families,
Congrats to DeSoto High School Art Student, Julie Steeb. Julie received the Best in Show Award for her drawing, " A Story for Every Wrinkle " at the Tim Murphy 24th Annual High School Visual Arts Competition in Merriam, KS last week. Over 462 entries were entered, representing 18 High Schools in the Kansas City area. Congratulations!
We are excited to recognize 272 students as Academic Letter winners for the 2019-2020 school year. Students are awarded an Academic Letter if they achieve a 3.7 GPA for two consecutive semesters (Fall to Spring). The students are listed below. The certificate, and chenille script “D” letter or bar will be available for students to pick up after Winter Break. Congratulations to each student!
DHS Student Council is planning a fun districtwide service project benefiting the homeless with students from Mill Valley HS. The first event takes place at Chick-fil-A on the evening of December 15th. Check out the information posted below.
During the months of January, February, and March students will complete the process of course selection for the 2021-2022 school year. Directions and information will be shared via Canvas. Students and parents will review the course guide and select courses through Skyward - with students then meeting individually with their academic counselor to discuss how their course selection fits into their Individual Plans of Study (IPS).
In order to prepare for course selection, the entire Freshmen Class has an important IPS activity taking place next week. The ‘Matchmaker’ activity will take place through the Canvas course: Class of 2024, IPS.
We are excited about many of the programs offered at our new career center at 83rd and Mize Blvd. - Cedar Trails Exploration Center (CTEC). An optional Q&A session will be offered on December 14th for those interested. Information (including the Zoom link) will be posted here on the day of the event. A promotional video for CTEC can also be reviewed here.
Next year will also be the first year we will have both courses needed for students to be eligible for an AP Capstone Diploma. Students enrolled in the AP Seminar course this year will be able to take AP Research - a senior course in which students design, execute, present, and defend a yearlong research-based investigation on a topic of individual interest. They build on skills developed in AP Seminar by learning how to understand research methodology; employ ethical research practices; and collect, analyze, and synthesize information to contribute to academic research. Like AP Seminar, AP Research is a project-based course. Each student’s official AP Research score is based on their academic paper, presentation, and oral defense – similar to what a student may be asked to do in a post-secondary program.
Kind Regards,
Sam Ruff
Paraprofessional Substitutes needed!
USD 232 is in need of paraprofessional substitutes who are flexible and willing to substitute throughout the district on an as needed basis. Stay-at-home parents make great substitute paraprofessionals! The ideal candidate is caring, compassionate and dedicated to the students’ success by looking for ways to support the teacher and making a positive difference in the lives of our children. Becoming a para sub is a great way to support the district, our students and our teachers which is needed now more than ever.
To learn more about becoming a substitute paraprofessional for the district, please speak with your Principal or contact Human Resources at the USD 232 District Office. Ready to apply? Click here > Paraprofessional Substitutes for USD 232
Attendance Procedure and Tips
You can also call in a prearranged absence ahead of time. The 24-hour attendance voicemail
is 913-667-6259. We also ask that students missing school as a result of an appointment to verify the appointment by turning in an appointment note/slip. This helps us ensure the absence is excused rather than considered as a parent request. Students can turn the note into the school office when they return from the appointment or email the attendance secretary at mpartlowwilliams@usd232.org.
Dropping off forms or items for your student?
Congratulations to DeSoto High School Art Student, Julie Steeb
Julie received the Best in Show Award for her drawing, " A Story for Every Wrinkle " at the Tim Murphy 24th Annual High School Visual Arts Competition in Merriam KS last week. Over 462 entries were entered, representing 18 High Schools in the Kansas City area. The exhibit is free and open to the public Dec. 3–Jan. 2, 2020 at the Merriam Community Center 6040 Slater St. Merriam, KS 66202.
HOURS: M-TH 5 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday 5 a.m.–8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Face Mask Facts
Face masks are required to be properly worn by all individuals in K-12 schools by Kansas Executive Order 20-59.
Wearing a mask is an important tool to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. This evidence-based approach is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.
In compliance with the state order, USD 232 requires the wearing of masks at all times, with few exceptions. Exemption requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and require medical verification. Requests can be made by contacting our nurse at 913-667-6250 or mfarverlightcap@usd232.org.
K-State Extends Priority date for Scholarships:
It's not too late to complete your K-State application and be considered for one of K-State's many scholarship opportunities. They are extending their priority date for general university scholarship and award consideration to January 5th.
K-State offers more than $46 million in four-year renewable and one-time awards each year. Students can apply today to become the next Wildcat and receive full scholarship consideration and get access to sign up for housing, as the portal is about to open!
If you would like to attend one of the workshops during a Saturday session, please see below:
- Application Workshop – they can join us from their computer, and we will walk them through the application. We will also waive the $40 application fee just for attending.
- Q&A with Current Students - students will share why they chose K-State and what their college experience has been like during COVID.
KCKCC What to Expect Wednesdays:
Join KCKCC on Wednesday nights at 6 P.M. on the KCKCC Admissions Facebook page for a Live interactive event, "What to Expect Wednesdays"! Join our Admission Coordinators as they dive into topics like the enrollment process, college terms and how to get involved. The Coordinators will answer questions from parents and students as they come in live! This is a great way for students and parents to get started on their transition into the collegiate experience!
District Recommendation for Students Returning from Quarantine or Isolation
If a student is gone from school due to a COVID-19 quarantine or isolation, the district is recommending that students disinfect their textbooks, library books and MacBook at home before coming back to school.
Thank you.
Wildcat Families,
It is my hope that as we work our way through the end of our first week of students working remotely there are pieces to their new routine that are falling into place. We understand that the changes and adaptations to their schedules can be difficult. This often takes time to take shape and can be a bit unpredictable. When I spend time talking with students about growing their abilities to adapt to stress and adversity and to show resiliency there are 4 keys points that I work into the conversation that I wanted to highlight this week.
Making Connections: The restrictions and missed opportunities that COVID has placed in our lives has been a big social interruption. Making connections and maintaining those over a longer periods of time with restriction can disrupt our social successes and leave us feeling less fulfilled. I encourage student to be more intention in how and when they are reaching out to their friends and family in additional to being thoughtful of how this time is used. This is also the same for the connections they are experiencing with teachers and staff at DHS. Of late, I’ve noticed a greater reluctance in students reaching out to teachers for clarification or in general about their course work. While it can feel repetitive the more we can model and role play what those Zoom calls and email should look and sound like can really help remove some of the barriers and build effective paths of communication.
Accepting that change is a part of life: When we remain in the mindset that nothing should be going wrong and that this experience should be over, with an end date in mind we are putting ourselves in the position of feeling stuck. When I talk with students about their outlook I can observe in a fairly quick manner that talking through these persistent thoughts helps to identify actions they can take to move forward. I use the phrase “name it to tame it” as a way of identifying feelings/emotions, putting those into words and then brainstorming strategies to make forward progress.
Taking care of yourself: While this is often a topic we discuss it is often behavior that I see not happening for a variety of reasons. Feeling overwhelmed tends to keep us in a state of hyperarousal which can compromise our ability to make thoughtful decision and heathy choices. Focusing on the basics of our health like; balanced eating, positive coping skills, restful sleep, getting outdoors, exercising, practicing open communication and having fulfilling social interactions are all pieces to building a more balanced self. As you have likely experienced these often take time and practice to then become habit.
Looking for opportunities for self-discovery: As we adjust to the changes in remote learning there is the possibility that our schedule have gaps or holes in them. I encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and pursue and new interest like art, music, writing, journaling or participating in various other mindfulness activities. Here’s the link to a site that helps summaries mindfulness and how it can be used to support our success. http://mindfulnessforteens.com/
The following is a short article on how teens are using their down time and the implications it can have on their ability to feel recharged.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/well/family/teenagers-downtime-free-time-choices.amp.html
Feel free to reach out if there are questions you have or concerns regarding your student’s mental health.
Joe Kordalski, LMSW
rkordalski@usd232.org
x. 2434
Securly App
Parents can have peace of mind in knowing your student’s search history and time on their device. See your student’s online activity in real-time and catch up with weekly email snapshots by signing up with the Securly app. Follow the link for more information and directions.