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Wildcat Growl
July 30, 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
Wildcats and Families,
We are excited to get the 2023-2024 school year started. It was great to see so many of our students, families, and alumni back in the building during in-person enrollment last week. If your student missed enrollment, there will be additional opportunities for students at the beginning of the year. Students can pick up their parking passes from the Main Office. New students will get their MacBooks from the Media Center once school starts. Picture retakes will take place during the second week of school, and semester 1 schedules (drafts) become available via Skyward on August 3rd.
We are hosting an Open House for 9th-grade students and parents on August 7th from 6:00 pm-8:00 pm. We will begin with a brief presentation in the PAC, followed by an Activity Fair in the auxiliary gym and an opportunity for students and parents to walk the building.
The August 14th deadline for Juniors/Seniors to register to take the fall ACT at DHS on October 17th during Future Ready Day is approaching. Please review the previous Skyward communication (sent 7/20) for details.
The first day for 9th-grade students is Wednesday, August 16th. We call this day Wildcat Kick-off. This is a half day of school. Doors will open at 7:30 am and the day begins at 7:50 am. Students will be dismissed at 11:07 am. Students will only need to bring something to write with for Wildcat Kick-off (laptops/bookbags are not needed). Students will also receive a Forever Green T-shirt to keep/wear for a class picture taken at Wildcat Kick-off.
The first full day for all students is Thursday, August 17th, and will be a Green Day. Doors open at 7:30 am, and classes start at 7:50 am. Students are dismissed at 2:55 pm. Information about traffic flow around DHS at arrival and dismissal can be viewed here.
Schedule Change Requests: Draft student schedules will be available to view online in Skyward on August 3rd. Please note that students' schedules will not be finalized until the end of the day on August 15th for 9th graders and the end of the day on August 16 for 10th-12th graders. If a student does not have a full schedule (usually due to conflicts or course availability), their counselor will contact the student to set up an appointment prior to the first day of school. Students with a full schedule, who would like to request a schedule change will need to fill out the Schedule Change Request Form. The form becomes available to students on August 18th at 3:00 PM in Student Services. The deadline to submit the schedule change form will be 3:00 PM on August 22nd.
Parent Information Night: DHS will host Parent Information Night at 6:00 pm on Thursday, August 24th. We will begin the evening with a brief welcome in the Main Gymnasium, then parents are invited to follow their student's schedules to hear basic information about their classes from teachers. It will be important for parents to bring a copy of their student's schedule that includes room numbers. We hope you will be able to join us.
Senior Parents: If your senior is in a fall activity (volleyball, football, cross country, girls golf, boys soccer, girls tennis, cheer, dance, or band) and you would like to purchase an ad in the fall sports program, please open the Sports Program - Senior Ads link below. If you have questions, contact athletic director Michelle Mages at mmages@usd232.org. August 25th is the deadline for submitting these ads!
Site Council: Site Council at DHS is a small group of parents, teachers, and students who will meet to discuss the DHS School Improvement Goals, plan and host an Academic Recognition Banquet in the spring, and support Gradfest. We aim to have 1-3 parents per grade level on the council. Meeting dates and times will be determined at the first meeting of the school year. We are looking to add parents of 9th-grade students to the council. Our hope is that parents remain members of the group throughout their student's four years. If you are a 9th-grade parent/guardian and have an interest in assisting, please complete this form. Students on the council are selected from the pool of students applying to be on the District Student Advisory Council. The District Student Advisory Council applications become available once school begins.
Thanks, and have a great week.
Sam Ruff
Principal
De Soto High School
Attendance Procedure and Tips
We want to share some important information and reminders for parents. The Attendance Office is just inside the north student entrance (door #21). This 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.
Please remember to call DHS, preferably before 10:00 am on the day of an absence if your student is absent. 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 a physician/medical/dental appointment verify the appointment by turning in an appointment note/slip from the healthcare provider. This helps us ensure the absence is excused rather than considered as a parent request. Students need to turn the note into the Attendance Office within 48 hours after returning from the appointment.
Note from 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
Black & Veatch Engineering Explorer Post 2023 - 2024 Kickoff Meeting
Explorer Post Kickoff Meeting
Date: Tuesday, August 22, 2023
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Location: 11401 Lamar Ave, Overland Park, KS 66211
Entrance: South Side Main Entrance
Link for the Youth Explorer application - http://www.exploring.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/524-00919-Exploring-Youth-App_Oct-2019-Printing.pdf
Link for the Adult Explorer application (required for students 18 years old and older) - http://www.exploring.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/524-01019-Exploring-Adult-App_Oct-2019-Printing.pdf
Youth Protection Training (required for students 18 years old and older) - https://www.scouting.org/training/youth-protection/
Before the meeting starts at 7:00 PM, students will have the opportunity to check in, complete the student application for the program, and meet the Explorer Post Advisors at the Black & Veatch campus. Students can also use the link(s) above to complete the application beforehand to bring to the Kickoff meeting. Please see the attached general info flyer for application and application fee information. During the meeting, students will learn more about the Explorer Post program and what we have planned for each month and throughout the year.
Below is the program schedule for this year. Please let me know if you have any questions, and thank you so much!
2023-2024 CALENDAR
August 22 – Kickoff Meeting
Sep. 12 – College Night
Oct. 10 – Mechanical Engineering
Nov. 7 – Electrical Engineering
Dec. 12 – Computer Engineering
Jan. 9 – Chemical Engineering
Feb. 13 – Nuclear Engineering
March 12 – Civil Engineering
April 9 – Construction Engineering
May 7 – Aerospace Engineering
*Dates and topics are subject to change.
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.