Wildcat Growl
March 13, 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 Parents,
We want to congratulate the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams for a great season. Winning the sub-state tournament qualified each team for the 5A KSHSAA State Tournament in Emporia. All the members of both teams and the fans in the student sections were great representatives of DHS. We are all very proud of you.
We also want to congratulate the coaches. The girls’ coaches include Ryan Robie (Head Coach), Bruce Yarbrough, Beau Gadwood, Steve McGinnes, and DeAnne Thaemert. The boys’ coaches include Matt Rice (Head Coach), Erik Bell, Max Taulbee, and Andre Alston. Great job, coaches.
We are excited to be able to announce that Amanda Sweet is being recognized as the USD232
Secondary Teacher of the Year. This recognition also qualifies Mrs. Sweet for the 2021 Kansas Teacher of the Year program. Congrats, Mrs. Sweet!
If you have not gotten an opportunity to review recent information sent out by the district concerning COVID-19, you can find the latest information HERE.
We have found students are texting parents directly when they feel ill asking to be picked up or released from school without seeing the nurse. In an effort to track illness and encourage students to remain in school, please ask your son or daughter to go to the nurse’s office if they are feeling sick. If the nurse believes the student needs to go home, please know that she will call you to discuss your student’s care. If you choose to take your student home or release them from school without utilizing the nurse, please know the absence will be recorded as a parent request. Students are allowed five parent requests per year before the absence will be recorded as unexcused. Thank you for your support as we work to keep all students healthy and in the classroom. If you should have any questions, please let us know.
The end of the third quarter is Friday, 3/13/2020. Spring Break begins Monday 3/16/2020 and continues through Monday, 3/23/2020. Students return to a Green day on Tuesday, 3/24/2020. The DHS main offices are closed: Friday, March 13, 2020, at 3:30 PM through March 23, 2020.
Kind Regards,
Sam Ruff
Congratulations Amanda Sweet!
Amanda is the USD232 Secondary Teacher of the Year! Dr. Harwood just visited to surprise Amanda and recognize her in the middle of AP Lit. Congrats Amanda!
Girls Varsity Bowling
The ladies did well landing in the middle of 96 competitors (we had the 2 individuals go). Thank you to our senior Mason Johannes for helping the ladies have the best season so far and setting a new school record for total score. Mason Johannes has a scholarship for bowling at Baker University.
Girls Varsity Basketball
Boys Varsity Bowling
Boys Varsity Basketball
Journalism State Bound Students
Big congrats to the following students. We had nine students qualify in 11 categories for the Kansas Scholastic Press Association state journalism contest on May 2 in Lawrence.
Abby Knuth – sports writing
Sydney D'Andrea – editorial cartoon
Abig Yarbrough – yearbook copy & yearbook sports
Camryn Robbinson – feature writing & news page design
Lynlee Hutchison – news writing
Natalie Nusz – news writing
Erin Pickert – yearbook sports
Megan Brownell – student life photo
Lauren Stanton – student life photo
Jazz Band got Superior Rating at KU!
Jazz Band got Superior ratings and 4 Outstanding Solo awards at KU today! This is the first time in many years that we have achieved those marks at a jazz festival, and is more impressive because more than half of the band is freshmen. It looks like it could be a pretty good group over the next few years.
Corinne Daise - Finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program
Forensics Tournament
Hunter Finerty and Kaitlin Torres made it to semifinals at the Olathe Northwest Forensics Tournament on 3/7. This is one of the largest and one of the most competitive tournaments in the state, so this is an impressive achievement for both of them. Hunter was among the top 24 impromptu speakers and Kaitlin was among the top 24 original oration speeches at this NIETOC (National Individual Events Tournament of Champions) qualifying tournament.
Applications for Ambassadors and Mentors (A&M Crew) for 2020-21
Applications for Ambassadors and Mentors (A&M Crew) for the 2020-21 school year can be submitted through March 24, 2020. A & M Crew members serve DHS as Freshman Focus Mentors, provide building tours for new students, volunteer for event support throughout the year, and assist with peer tutoring during after school Study Tables. One teacher recommendation form is required with all applications. Any DHS student who will be a junior or senior during the 2020-21 school year is eligible to apply. Current A&M Crew members will need to reapply. Any questions can be directed to Abby Adams aadams@usd232.org . To apply online: Click Here. To have teachers submit the Teacher Recommendation Form: Click Here.
Prom Fundraiser
Junior and Senior Information
PROM
Our Roaring 20’s Prom will be at the Ball Conference Center in Olathe on April 25th at 8pm. No entry past 9pm. Outside guest forms must be turned in by April 17th! If students plan to bring an outside guest, forms must be turned in before tickets can be purchased.
AFTER PROM
Due to very little student interest for the past several years, Booster Club will not be taking the lead on organizing this event. The DHS Booster Club is prepared to make a monetary donation to help fund this event. Unless several parents want to plan After Prom for DHS, there will be NO After Prom this year.
If you have any questions please email or come see Mrs. Friday. mcfriday@usd232.org
Homework Request Information
When your student is absent from school, please encourage your student to reach out to teachers requesting assignments missed due to the absence. Certainly parents can also reach out to teachers, but part of becoming an independent learner is communication, being organized and advocating for yourself. If your student is experiencing a longer term absence (a week or more), our counselors are available to assist in this process.
Five Day Exclusion
The seven day exclusion policy for influenza (flu) has changed from seven days to five days. Students and staff who are diagnosed with the flu will be excluded for five days, starting with the first day of symptoms. For example, if a staff member feels ill on Sunday and goes to the doctor and is diagnosed with flu on Wednesday, the five day exclusion starts on Sunday.
Students and staff must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication to bring down the temperature. If a staff member has followed the five day exclusion, but still has a fever on day six, the staff member must still be excluded until fever free with medication.
ACT Registration Deadline:
- To register for the ACT, students need to go to www.actstudent.org.
- Additional test dates this year are: June 13th and July 18th
Message from Student Services
College Credit Deadlines Approaching:
Students who are enrolled in DHS Classes that count toward college credit, need to be aware of the upcoming deadlines. Please visit the College Credit/Dual Enrollment page for more information
For more information on each of these programs and how to enroll please click here.
Scholarship Information:
Looking for money to help pay for college? Check out the DHS Student Services Scholarship page! Throughout the year scholarships will be posted that are available to seniors. There is also a “Scholarship Search Tips” that can help aid the search process. Click here to go to the page.
College Visits:
If your student will be going on a college visit, students must fill out a College Visit Form. Forms are available in Student Services or online by clicking here. Students are to take the form with them on the day of the visit and bring it back signed by an admissions representative.
JCCC Scholarship Application: Deadline April 1, 2020
Seniors: if you are going to JCCC next year, don’t forget to fill out the JCCC scholarship application. The Scholarship Priority Deadline is April 1. There are millions of dollars available for a variety of degree and program areas. With just one application, students could be eligible for hundreds of JCCC scholarships.
In addition, Johnson County high school graduates are eligible for:
- CavGuarantee Scholarship (3.25+ GPA)
- Guarantees $500 for their first year at JCCC
- President’s Scholarship (3.50+ GPA)
- Covers 12 credit hours and $300 for textbooks each semester and is renewable
Course Selection Information:
- Course Selection Change FINAL Deadline: Students will have until April 3rd to make any changes in their course selection for next school year. After this deadline, no schedule changes will be allowed unless it meets the specific criteria that is listed on the course selection form.
Scholarships for Seniors:
All of the local scholarships that are available to DHS seniors will be posted on the Student Services website by the end of February. These scholarships include: De Soto Teachers Association, DHS Cat Boosters, VFW, Casey Blake Johnson Running Scholarship, J. Trenton Hughes Memorial Scholarship and a few others. Please note the application deadlines are in April, but each scholarship has different deadlines. Winners are announced at Senior Breakfast/ Awards Ceremony in May.
“A Diamonds’ Family Vacation” – Spring Show 2020
Join the Diamonds on a vacation like no other. The Diamonds’ Spring Show will take you around the world, featuring routines from their award winning competition season as well guest performances from the Jr. Diamonds, Diamond Dudes and more! Tickets go on sale March 23rd.
Show Date/Location: Saturday, April 4th @7:00pm in the De Soto High School Theater. Enter through the Main and North De Soto High School entrances.
Tickets: $5.00 in advance (through Diamonds Dance Team Members) or $8.00 at the door.
De Soto Wildcats Customized Yard Sign
DHS - "Start thinking about warmer weather with a NEW Wildcat Yard Sign!"
Order Forms Now Available. The 2020 Spring Order Deadline will be Tues, March 24th.