![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/u/backgrounds/custom_bg-5dfbcd1654d0f20ec56332ba-dbed3acd6ecb.jpg)
Wildcat Growl
February 19, 2023
Our Vision:
De Soto High School ensures all students learn at a high level and have a positive sense of belonging, developing each student to be ready for their future.
Principal's Message
Wildcat Family,
Congratulations to Jasen Grammer, Ryan Schottler, Ashton Smith, Kaden Neal, and Will Lawson for competing in the KSHSAA State Swimming and Diving Championships. Ryan placed 12th in the 50 free and 11th in the 100 free. Jasen placed 6th in diving. Great job, Wildcats!
Congratulations to the 7 Wildcat Boys Wrestlers that qualified for the KSHSAA 5A State Tournament next weekend at Hartman Arena. The qualifying wrestlers include: Carson Jones, Casey Bowlin, Aidan Sullivan, Caleb VanBooven, Dylan Roy, Josh Tait, and Sam Torline.
Congratulations to the Wildcat Varsity Boys Basketball team for winning the 2022-2023 UKC Boys Basketball Championship. Congrats to Head Coach Matt Rice, Coach Erik Bell, and the entire program.
Great job to the DHS Boys Bowling team for winning the 2022-2023 UKC Bowling Championship. Colby Lovegren placed 1st, Antonio Miranda - 4th, and Colin Bode placed 6th for the Wildcats.
Reminder, in observance of Presidents' Day, we will not have school on Monday, February 20th. We will return to a White Day on Tuesday, February 21st.
Thank you to all the families who joined us for Parent-Teacher Conferences. If you were unable to arrange a conference, feel free to reach out to your student’s teachers to set up a time to meet.
The first day of spring sports is February 27th. Please make sure that all required Skyward forms are complete.
On Tuesday, February 28th during G1-G3, all juniors will be taking the ACT that is provided by the state of Kansas. As a reminder the ACT is used for college admissions, university scholarships, and can predict college readiness. This ACT test can be a reportable test that students can submit to colleges. Room rosters are posted in the commons. Students should check these so they know where to report by 7:50am on February 28th.
Our counselors are busy meeting with students regarding course selection for the 2023-2024 school year. If you have not already taken care of this important task, please schedule a time to meet with your counselor. The deadline is March 10th.
Each year the De Soto Teachers' Association offers a $400 scholarship to a De Soto High School student in honor of the Teachers of Excellence. The application can be found here.
Thanks, and have a great week!
Sam Ruff
Principal, DHS
Wednesday, February 22nd Collaborative Team Time Late Start
DHS Wrestling Qualifies 7 Boys for KSHSAA 5A State
Boys Bowling Earns UKC Title
Kira Lynch Placed 9th in UKC Girls Bowling
Wildcat Swimmers Qualify for 5-1A State Swimming and Diving
Jasen Grammer on the 1M Springboard
Ryan Schottler on the block
Attendance Information
We want to share some important information and reminders for parents. We added a new Attendance Office to the north student entrance (door #21). This new student-only entrance/exit will be where students should be dropped off or picked up during the school day (7:50 am - 2:55 pm). Visitors will continue to use the Main Entrance on the south side of the building.
Our Wonderful Food Service Staff
School Meals
Diamond Dancers Perform During Halftime
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 a self-directed 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.
Need to contact the Counselors?
DHS Counselors and Social Worker
Crissy Johns (A-G): CJohns@usd232.org
Abbey Heller (H-N): aheller@usd232.org
Kaitlin Britt (O-Z): KBritt@usd232.org
Joe Kordalski (Social Worker): Rkordalski@usd232.org
DHS Senior Only Scholarships
Scholarships for the De Soto High School Class of 2023 are now available. All applications can be found at https://www.usd232.org/Page/3287. Please follow the instructions for each individual application and submit by the deadline. All scholarship winners will be announced at the Senior Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, May 17th, 2023.
· DHS CAT Booster Scholarship: Application coming soon!
· De Soto Alumni/VFW Scholarship: Application coming soon!
· Olathe Health Center Health Care Scholarship: Deadline February 24
· De Soto Teachers Association Scholarship: Deadline April 15
· Shawnee Vision Care Scholarship: Deadline April 14
· McCarthy Auto Group Scholarship: Deadline April 14
· Trenton Hughes Scholarship: Deadline April 21
· Casey Blake Johnson Running Scholarship: Deadline April 21
· Jess Johnson Scholarship (Rotary Club): Deadline April 30
KC Scholars Scholarship
KC Scholars is a local non-profit organization that awards at least 250 college scholarships each year to current high school juniors. The amount of the award can vary but will range between $10,000 - $50,000. If you are a current high school junior and you mee the criteria below you are encouraged to apply. The deadline for the application is February 24th. For more information, please visit their website at https://kcscholars.org/traditional-11th-grade/.
- Be a current 11th grader during the application cycle;
- Be home-schooled or attend a public, charter, or private high school in the following six counties: Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte (MO) or Johnson and Wyandotte (KS);
- Be lawfully present in the U.S. or DACA eligible and DACA applied/approved;
- Have at least a 2.5 cumulative high school unweighted GPA (five semesters from 9th grade to the fall semester of 11th grade) or at least a 16 on the ACT or at least an 800 on the SAT); and
- Be considered low- or modest-income. Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation on the Federal Student Aid Estimator must be 12,000 or less. The calculation is based on household income, number of members in the family, and number of family members that will be in college at the same time. This is the amount of annual financial support a family can be expected to pay toward the student’s college education.
Boys State of Kansas
Applications are now available for Boys State of Kansas. Boys State is week-long camp opportunity for current sophomore/junior boys to strengthen confidence, inspire leadership, build bonds of friendship, as well as an introduction to civic responsibility. Students must be ranked in the upper half of their graduating class, be a self-starter, and be involved in school and community extracurricular activities. Students who attend Boys State are eligible for college scholarships. Applications are due March 31st. For more information and to access the application, please visit https://ksbstate.org/.
JCCC Scholarships for the Senior Class of 2027
Seniors who are planning on attending JCCC next school year, need to fill out the JCCC Scholarship application by April 1st. Students who fill out the application by the deadline will be considered for all JCCC Scholarships including the ones listed below. To qualify for JCCC scholarships, students must be degree seeking. To access the JCCC Scholarship application, please visit https://www.jccc.edu/admissions/financial-aid/aid-types/scholarships/.
- Presidential Scholarship: This scholarship will be given to one high school senior from DHS. Students must have a 3.5 high school GPA or higher to be considered. Tuition for two years and a book stipend each semester will be awarded
- JCCC CavGuarantee Scholarship: This scholarship is awarded to any resident of JCCC who graduates from high school with a 3.25 unweighted GPA. Students will be awarded $500 for each semester, fall and spring. The scholarship is non-renewable and non-stackable. Students who receive other institutional scholarships
- Kansas Promise Act Scholarship: Covers two years of tuition at JCCC if you promise to live and work in Kansas for two years after finishing your degree. For more information, please visit their website at https://www.jccc.edu/admissions/financial-aid/aid-types/scholarships/kansas-promise/.
Kansas ScholarShop
In partnership with Sallie Mae, Kansas State Treasurer’s office has launched the Kansas ScholarShop initiative. ScholarShop aims to restore hope and excitement for students seeking educational and career advancement after high school. With access to 6 million scholarships worth up to $30 billion; students can search and find scholarships, grants and awards tailored specifically to their deepest passions. For more information visit: https://kansascash.ks.gov/scholarshop.html
Cat Booster Club
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.