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Wildcat Growl
April 9, 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 Ellie Brown and Ryan Jenkins for being the Wildcats of the Month for March. We also want to congratulate French Teacher, Sue Smith, and Paraprofessional, Jennifer Wegner for being named the staff Wildcats of the Month for March.
The Johnson County Arts Council Shooting Stars ceremony took place on April 2nd. Congrats to Sydney Bonnstetter who took 2nd place for Literature. Great job!
Several DHS students participated in the 2023 Kansas Economic Challenge State Championship Competition. Multiple Wildcats earned the title as State Champions. Congratulations to Evan Marincovich, Nick Budimlija, Nate Meyer, Maite Foss, and Austin Chase! Great job, Mr. Byers and students!
This Wednesday, April 12th is the last 2-Hour Delayed Start Day, scheduled for all USD232 schools. Students will begin school two (2) hours later than normal and need to be at school for the first block (White 1) at 9:50 a.m. This schedule differs from our recent High School Collaborative Team Delayed Start Wednesdays.
Seniors, don’t forget to order your activity patches for your graduation stole. Information was emailed to you over Spring Break. The deadline to order the patches and honor cords is April 14th.
The USD232 is hosting a Career Fair for students at MVHS on April 20th. Any DHS students interested in attending need to contact Ms. Heller in Student Services (aheller@usd232.org). The deadline to sign-up is April 18th.
The DHS Prom will occur on April 22nd at the Ball Event Center in Olathe, Kansas (21350 W 153rd St, Olathe, KS 66061). Ticket sales ($30) start Tuesday, April 11th.
We are excited to invite you to Spotlight-DHS, from 6-8:30 pm on April 26th, where we will be celebrating our students' achievements and hard work throughout the academic year. This event promises to be a memorable one, filled with performances, academic demonstrations, and recognition of our senior students' postsecondary plans.
Our talented students have been preparing for weeks to showcase their amazing talents in music, fine arts, and drama. You don't want to miss the opportunity to witness their amazing performances and applaud their efforts. In addition to the performances, we will also have academic demonstrations that showcase the hard work and dedication of our students in various fields of study.
We will also be recognizing our senior students' postsecondary plans, as they take the next step in their journey. It is a proud moment for us to see our students excel and move forward in their careers, and we want to celebrate their accomplishments with the entire community. We look forward to seeing you all there and celebrating our students' achievements together.
Senior parents interested in helping with Gradfest - please contact Caroline Friday (mcfriday@usd232.org). Thank you!
Thanks, and have a great week!
Sam Ruff
Principal, DHS
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad State Results
While our overall placement left something to be desired, the team learned some valuable lessons in avoiding procrastination and bringing extra materials for last-minute build repairs.
Science Olympiad
Our two senior members, Alex Boresow and Lauren Fandre, were able to experience one last victory to end their four years with the team, receiving bronze medals in “Dynamic Planet.”
Other student participants included Isabelle Butler, Isabella Holwick, Daniel Morozov, Cael Province, Diego Diaz, Evan Johnsson, Matthew Barber, and Devin Murrell. Please congratulate these students.
Julie Steeb
DHS students Julie Steeb was selected to represent DHS in the Statewide Youth art Month Art exhibition and Blick Art Competition held at the Alice Sabatini Gallery in Topeka, KS. Julie Steeb received the second place award in the High School Art division.
"Burned Out" by Julie Steeb
Emerald Morton
DHS students Emerald Morton, "Me and Clarence" was selected to represent DHS in the Statewide Youth art Month Art exhibition and Blick Art Competition held at the Alice Sabatini Gallery in Topeka, KS.
Lee Barth
DHS students attended the regional Washburn University Art Day and had work entered in the Art Competion. DHS Student, Lee Barth was awarded first place in the Digital Art Category for "The Tower".
"The Tower" by Lee Barth
eMagine Festival
The eMagine Festival is a digital art festival hosted by Olathe Northwest every year. This year, Adrianna (Anna) D’Andrea’s submission for the Story Animation category called “Our Cat” was selected as the winner. She is hoping to attend the Awards Ceremony on April 15th at Olathe Northwest High School. Click here to check it out.
2023 Kansas Economic Challenge State Championship Competition
Wildcat CTE-Business Education students competed in the 2023 Kansas Economic Challenge State Championship Competition held on Thursday, April 6th at Wichita State University. De Soto High School was represented by two different teams of Accounting students that prepared and then delivered presentations to judges on a Case Study in their respective competition division.
Congratulations to Evan Marincovich, Nick Budimlija, and Nate Meyer!
2023 Kansas Economic Challenge State Champions (Adam Smith Division)
Congratulations to Maite Foss and Austin Chase!
2023 Kansas Economic Challenge State Champions (David Ricardo Division)
Each student received $100.00 in cash for 1st place.
*The competition is sponsored by Kansas Council for Economic Education.
Prom Dress Giveway:
The First Baptist Church of Grandview is hosting a prom dress giveaway. The event will have dresses, jewelry and shoes at no cost to the student. Students are encouraged to bring and donate any old dresses that they may have to donate to this cause. The church is located at 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. Below are the dates and times the venue will be open:
- Thursday, April 13th, 4 pm to 7 pm
- Saturday, April 15th, 10 am to 1 pm
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.
School Meals
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.
· De Soto Alumni/VFW Scholarship: Deadline April 22nd.
· 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
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
UMKC 2023 Pharmacy Summer Camp!
UMKC is hosting a a one-day, activity-packed experience giving students a glimpse of not only what it's like to be a pharmacist, but also an opportunity to see firsthand what it's like to study at one of our three UMKC Pharmacy campuses providing hands-on exercises and the ability to learn about the wide variety of pharmacy career practice areas! Any student who has completed 9th grade or above, current college students, or individuals looking for career change are encouraged to attend! The cost is $40 and students can choose from one of the following locations:
- Friday, June 2, Columbia, MO (University of Missouri Campus)
- Friday, June 16, Springfield, MO (Missouri State University Brick City Campus)
- Friday, June 23, Kansas City, MO (UMKC Health Sciences Campus)
For more information, visit UMKC Pharmacy Summer Camp
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.