Go Big Red: DCHS Weekly Message

Week 23: "The Monkey IS off Our Backs"

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Decatur County Community High School

605 E Commercial St, Oberlin, KS 67749

January 29, 2023 (Schedule at the bottom, Skip What You Want)

Follow us on Twitter at @DCHSREDDEVILS or

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Oberlin294/

Decatur community,

I just want to write a brief intro. congratulating our boys on their win this past week.

In my entire educational career, there have been fewer highs and lows than when coaching. Teaching and coaching, student and athlete, terms that go hand and hand, but, unlike teaching and being a student, coaching is on display for all to see and judge.

Whereas test scores are individually private, complex in nature, vast in analysis, and comparative to large groups, scoreboards are simplistic, attached to an L or W, and rarely tell the story of progress being made or what goes on behind the scenes.

Last Tuesday night, I got a text from Coach Weese that simply said, "Monkey is off our backs." I am both happy for and proud of the boys for the resilience that they have shown.

The pressure is off, goal met, monkey gone, and mindset refocused. Now we can start playing basketball, having fun, and competing in games.

SHOUTOUTS

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Shoutout once again to Mr. Persinger and the Band students. I was able to talk with Mr. Persinger this week about the trip to K-State. It sounds like the students were able to truly benefit from a great experience, and he said they discussed the trip the whole way home.

Shoutout to the junior high wrestling team. All day Thursday, I saw students that were anxiously awaiting their first meet of the year, many wrestlers experiencing their first matches. I was so impressed by their intensity. We were unable to attend our first meet because of weather, and most teams had experienced a meet before. Either way it was an exciting, frantic, rapid-paced evening of wrestling.

Shoutout to those that worked the concession stands all week. The Post-Prom Committee was on hand, as was Youth Wrestling. I loved seeing elementary students helping teachers and gaining real life skills and math application at the register. I am impressed by the overall amount of volunteers helping. I do have to give a special shoutout to the Youth Wrestling group that worked the JH meet. That was the busiest event that I have seen here all year, the line literally through the cafeteria and reaching the doors by the restrooms. You all definitely did your part.

Shoutout to librarian Lisa Fortin. Mrs. Fortin is a tremendously versatile asset for us here at DCHS. Aside from being the librarian, Mrs. Fortin also manages one of our Elevate Spanish classrooms. She steps into the office role to answer phones and man the helm when needed. Have you ever wondered what happens when you have so many teachers that leave early for activities that they have to coach? Someone covers those classes, and Mrs. Fortin is always willing to help whenever needed. We are lucky to have her on staff.

Shoutout to PE teacher Brandon Hardwick. Mr. Hardwick is always looking at ways to get better, whether seeking new curriculum, considering new courses, or trying new things. This past week I was in his class and students were being timed using a laser system. It was cool, and it was great to see the students so excited to try and improve. Later in the day, Mr. Nylund came through and gave it a go as well. The kids loved it.

Shoutout to Mr. Nylund for going all out on the run in PE. Mr. Nylund has brought a lot of positive energy into our building this semester, and his ability to relate to students is obvious.

Things You Should Know

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Regional Scholar's Bowl This Week

The Scholar's Bowl team will travel to Lincoln HS this week to try and extend their season to State. This group has had strong showings all season, and they should have the full Varsity squad ready to go. Good luck, team.

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Early Release Wednesday

This year, there will be Early Release Days from school on the first Wednesday of the month. Teachers will meet together in teams, and it will give them some much needed time to meet together in groups, work on data, and plan for the following month.

This Wednesday, February 1st, students will be released from DCHS at 2:00.

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SCAM ALERT

***ALERT*** SCAM

Patrons and businesses of Oberlin: USD 294 has been made aware of a scam that is going out to businesses in town asking for money ($199.00) for publishing the Decatur Community High School basketball roster. This is a scam!!!

Company that is sending out scam information:

North Star Publishing Co.

2711 Buford Rd., #197

Bon Air, VA 23235

northstar.co11@gmail.com

888-770-3142

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ACT Power Prep with Carolyn Devane

ACT Power Prep is coming to Oberlin on Friday, February 10th from 8-12:30. I am very honored to have Carolyn Devane come out to Oberlin to offer this service to our students. Students that have participated in grades 9-12 have given great feedback. Power Prep teaches students how to take the test. Students who have taken Power Prep have shown to score higher on their ACT by 3 points on average. It’s not magic, and students do have to pay attention to what is being discussed, but for those that are truly focused, it is a great tool. Here’s the website for Power Prep if you would like to look it up for more info.

Several of our juniors are taking this test onsite in early March, and we are fortunate enough to be able to pay for each of those students to take the Power Prep course.

Any student at the freshman or sophomore level that would like to take the Power Prep course can also sign up, but they will have to pay the fee.

Here's a bit more information:

This class is designed for any student who wants practical and relevant information on how to increase their ACT score. Taught by Carolyn Devane, who has taught over 45,000 Kansas students, this course helps prepare students for what to expect on the ACT and provides resources, insight, and strategies for improving performance.

The cost of the test:
Sale Price: $55
Regular Price: $65
To Register go to: http://actprep.info/decatur

If you have any questions, call Mr. Holloway at the high school.

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NWKL Basketball Tournament Concludes on Monday.

The girls' basketball team will see a familiar opponent in the 5th place spot when they face off with rival Atwood. When the two faced off earlier this year, Atwood knocked us off on our home court in a game that we started slow and never could make it all the way back.

Our girls had a great week this week. Though they lost to St. Francis on Tuesday, they had control for much of the game against the the #2 seed in the league. On Friday, the girls redeemed their tournament loss to Wallace Co. I said it before. Depending on which group shows up each night, these girls can play with anybody. I would never be excited to see the Lady Devils in my bracket if I were an opposing team. Coach Gehring and the girls will get another chance to redeem themselves this week in the 5th place game.

Our boys will have a rematch with St. Francis in the 7th place matchup. It was an emotional scene for Coaches Weese and Ostmeyer as they watched the boys get their first win in over two years against St. Francis last Tuesday, a good sized crowd on hand for the win. Though they followed up with a loss on Friday, they played a great overall game, and you can see that there has been a change in confidence and mentality.

GO BIG RED

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After a week filled with activities, with home events on each night but Wednesday, it will be a quiet one at DCHS this week. Yes, there will be multiple basketball games, JH/SH wrestling, and Scholars' Bowl, but all of those events are on the road, and the monkey is gone, a rare week for the building to rest.

Sounds like the perfect time for a Dance!

Until next Week,

Jeremy Holloway

Go Big Red!