Wildcat Growl
September 4, 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
Wildcats and Families,
We are ready to start the 2020-2021 school year. This edition of the weekly newsletter contains important information for Optional Remote and Hybrid students/parents.
We recommend you review this Welcome Video for important procedural changes taking place this year. Additionally, please make sure all students have masks with them to wear on the first day of school.
We would like to welcome Cat Monroe to DHS. Mrs. Monroe will be joining us in the Social Studies department, teaching World Geography.
If you have viewed your schedule on Skyward, it looks very different than the past. That is because we added a C day to our schedule for our days that we combine Green and White classes. This caused some changes in how schedules are appearing and we are working to resolve it as soon as possible. Please note that your schedule can still change prior to the first day of school. Counselors are working to achieve balancing classes.
We look forward to seeing all our 'A' (De Soto) cohort students 'live' Wednesday, either in class (Hybrid) or via Zoom (Optional Remote).
Students who are Optional Remote, or Hybrid who are part of the 'B' (Wildcats) cohort must log in to your Green Day first block Zoom and Canvas course at 7:50 AM on Wednesday for attendance.
Go Wildcats!
Sam Ruff
1/2 Day Wildcat Kick Off for Freshman
Freshman car riders will enter through the main front entrance and Freshman bus riders will enter through the main back entrance. Students will be receiving their schedules shortly after their arrival to school.
Students who selected the Optional Remote learning model will be receiving the same important information via a live Zoom meeting, beginning at 8:30am.
Note: Please make sure students bring their MacBook and wear their mask.
We look forward to having a great school year with your freshman!
Online Student Orientation
Welcome to DHS! We are so excited for you to join the DHS community. Next Tuesday, September 8th, we will be hosting a new student orientation for online students beginning at 8:30 am via Zoom in order to better familiarize you with DHS as well as the schedule. This would be a great time to get any questions you may have answered. The Zoom link will be sent out at a later date.
The e-learning handbook can be found at the following link: https://www.usd232.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=17416&dataid=26620&FileName=USD%20232%20Secondary%20Schools%20eLearning%20Handbook.pdf
We look forward to "seeing" you next Tuesday!
DHS Staff
Attention Optional Remote Students:
Several of the courses offered to Optional Remote students have physical materials that students will need for the class. Examples of required materials might include: novels, art supplies, textbooks, etc.…
We have scheduled two different times for students and parents to pick-up materials.
- Tuesday, September 8 – from 1:00 PM to 3:30 PM,
- Thursday, September 10 – from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Materials pick-up will be a drive-through style pickup along the east side curb closest to the Media Center doors.
Learning Logs
What are Learning Logs?
1. Learning Logs document student daily learning activity time, and are completed by parents and/or students on a weekly basis.
- "Daily learning activity time” includes all learning events, and is not specific to “online” or “screen time”.
- A minimum of 360 minutes of learning activities must be documented per school day.
2. Learning Logs must be collected as part of district responsibility to the Kansas State Department of Education.
- Collection of Learning Logs is required as part of the student-count process.
Who must complete Learning Logs?
- All students in grades PreK-12 enrolled in the USD 232 Optional Learning platform, and
- All students in grades PreK-12 enrolled in the USD 232 In-Person Hybrid platform who are on extended absence.
When will Learning Logs be collected?
1. Learning logs will be collected by schools the weeks of September 14th, 21st, and 28th.
- If additional weeks are added, schools will send communication.
2. Learning Logs will NOT be collected the week of September 8th.
Where will Learning Logs be located?
- Elementary- Teachers will provide them in SchoolWork.
- Secondary- Teachers will provide them in Canvas.
- The specific teacher, to whom your student is responsible for providing completed Learning Logs, will be communicated by that staff member.
Please watch for detailed information soon, which will help families understand logistics regarding this state-required documentation of student learning.
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.
Needing a Locker?
We found that most students do not use their assigned hallway lockers throughout the year. As a result, we will not automatically assign a locker to every student. Instead, students interested in having a hallway locker assigned to them will need to request a locker by contacting our registrar, Amy Carver (ACarver@usd232.org).
Dropping off fees or forms?
Material drop off
DHS Guardians/Students
Students, who were unable to return 2019-2020 materials in May are now able to drop off materials at De Soto High School.
Starting on Aug. 31st during school hours (8-3:30/M-F) students can drop off library/textbook materials to the book carts located in the vestibule of the front main entrance of the high school.
Students who are unsure whether they still have items checked out are able to look up their account by logging into the library website: https://destiny.usd232.org/
Choose De Soto High School
Click on Log In (right hand corner)
Username: student username without @usd232.org (ex. sosnajen000)
Password: initials-lunch code (ex. js-00000)
Click on My Info to see library/textbook/resources checked out to student
Students with overdue materials from last school year will not be able to check out materials for this upcoming school year until all items are returned.
Please contact Ms. Sosna @ jsosna@usd232.org if materials checked out are considered to be lost. Student accounts will be charged accordingly for the lost materials.
Thank you,
Jennifer R Sosna
Library Media Specialist
De Soto High School
913-667-6250 ext 2218
RG Fiber internet service for De Soto families
Free or Reduced Cost Internet Program for De Soto Students & Families
The school district is pleased to share information about a new program to help students who do not have reliable, fast internet access at home. This program is for families who qualify for free or reduced meals at school.
Please click either the Spanish or English version below to find out more about this great offer for our DHS students and families.
Student Services
20-21 Schedule Change Requests
Beginning Monday, August 24th, the Schedule Change Request form will be available on the DHS Student Services website under Course Selection. Schedule requests will only be allowed if it meets the criteria below:
1. Errors made by the school in developing the schedule
2. The need for the school to balance class size
3. Medical reason with documentation
4. Placement for students into Reading Support, Special Services, or Directed Study Hall classes
5. Request to take courses to qualify for the Kansas Scholars/Board of Regents
6. Failure of a course required for graduation
7. Failure of a prerequisite, i.e., anything that would prevent a student from going on to a requisite course as published in the Course Guide
8. Request to add a course required for post-secondary admissions (with documentation from the college)
9. A student has failed with a teacher previously in a course, and he/she gets the same teacher for exactly the same course
10. Adding a required course in lieu of an elective class
11. Student enrollment in higher-level course
Students have until 3 pm on Tuesday, September 15th to turn their form into Student Services.
Notes from the Nurse:
Immunizations: Please email any copies of updated immunizations to me at the following email address: mfarverlightcap@usd232.org
Remember that all incoming Juniors need at least one of the Meningococcal vaccines AFTER their 16th birthday.
Medications be administered at school: If your child takes a regularly scheduled medication or an “as needed or emergency medication to be administered by the nurse at school, I must have a current signed doctor’s order. The medication must be in a prescription bottle clearly labeled with the student’s name and the medication. This can be brought the first day of class for the student. I am unable to administer medications with just the labeled prescription bottle. It MUST be accompanied by the signed doctor’s order. Please email me with any questions regarding medication administration.
Health conditions: To provide better care for your child at school, if your child has one of the following health conditions: diabetes, severe allergies or anaphylaxis, a seizure disorder or asthma. Please remember to complete the questionnaires on USD 232 website under Departments >Health Services> Important Information and Documents> Health Conditions.
Please contact me at mfarverlightcap@usd232.org with any questions.
Have a safe and healthy rest of summer!
Anne Lightcap BSN, RN
Technology Help Desk
Please remember that the fastest way to start getting a solution to any technical issues is to contact our help desk. This is also available to all students.
Technology Help Desk
Get help with district technology
Students and Parents: You can reach our Help Desk by calling 816-382-4840.
Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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.