Wildcat Growl
April 2, 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,
Thank you to the Cat Booster Club for hosting Spring Opening Day. If you were unable to attend, we hope you get a chance to come out to support our students.
Congratulations to David Cobin and Trent Johnson for earning Kansas Basketball Coaches Association 5A All-State selections for Boys Basketball.
The CLASS Awards Ceremony for the 3rd quarter took place in the DHS Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 30th. Students receive Class Awards by being recognized by a teacher for demonstrating one of the dispositions/character traits of our Portrait of a Graduate. The students recognized include Erin Barr, Baylor Bell, Ayla Blakney, Emma Brady, Jesse Brown, Josiah Bunselmeyer, Gwyneth Capling, Jade Chames, Brett Chance, Madelyn Christopher, Ethan Church, Braden Conley, Alyssa Delibro, Zach Duffy, Emelie English, Riley Ericson, Litzy Esparza, Cameron Fisher, Keegan Flynn, Grace Fullmer, Tyler Gillespie, Olivia Hamer, Brieya Henderson, Savannah Hendry, Aspyn Hutchings, Ashlyn Jennings, Will Jones, Elizabeth Kalafut, Erin Kiewiet, Jakob Knapitsch, Logan Lackey, Savannah Lewis, Alana Lietzke, Christian Loera, Violet Lorenz, Leo Marquez, Mimi Martinez, Casey McCollum, Macy Metheny, Addie Myers, Emily Mlodzik, Luce Moccia, Maycie Montgomery, Emily Morris, Kyla Morrow, Avery Noble, Cole Osterholm, Carrington Palmeri, Maya Rajapakse, Drew Rebar, Ava Thompson, Kayla Tolly, Lydia Van Booven, Josh VanDeCreek, Tanner Waite, Jabriann Wakes, Blaker Warner, Chloe Weber, Alyssa White, and Brooklynn Wood.
Our sophomores will take their ELA state assessment during their English class this week. The Sophomore state assessment for math will take place the week of April 13th. Thank you for scheduling appointments outside of these dates.
Make plans now. The last 2-Hour Delayed Start Day, scheduled for all USD232 schools, is April 12th. 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.
The DHS Prom will occur on April 22nd at the Ball Event Center in Olathe, Kansas (21350 W 153rd St, Olathe, KS 66061). Information is below. Thank you to Caroline Friday for all that has gone into planning and organizing prom this year.
Spotlight-DHS will take place on April 26th. Senior students will be recognized and celebrated for their post-secondary plans during this community open-house event. Seniors, please complete the survey emailed to you by The Green Pride. We will also showcase many outstanding student projects and activities. We hope to see you there.
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.
Seniors and senior parents – detailed information about Senior Awards, graduation rehearsal, and the graduation ceremony has been updated on our website. Cap, gown, stole, patches and honor cord distribution will take place on May 12th, the same day students will receive the checkout form. This form must be completed and turned in to Mrs. Miller in order to receive the diploma. It includes confirmation of grades, that materials have been returned, and that all fees have been paid. Attendance at graduation rehearsal and Senior Send-off is required in order to participate in the ceremony.
Senior parents interested in helping with Gradfest - please contact Caroline Friday (mcfriday@usd232.org). Thank you!
The Final Exam schedule for the second semester can be found on our website. It will be important for students to attend during this time. We will expect students that are absent during final exams to take their exams when they return.
De Soto High School takes pride in offering a wide variety of camps and summer programs for the student-athletes of our community. There is Summer Weights and Conditioning which is encouraged for all sports participants. Other camps for high school students and youth students included opportunities in the following sports: Baseball, Boys' Basketball, Football, Girls' Basketball, Running, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball. For all information and sign-up links to these camps please visit: https://dhswildcatnation.com/summer-camps/
Thanks, and have a great week!
Sam Ruff
Principal, DHS
Wednesday April 5th Collaborative Team Time Late Start
Spanish NHS Induction
Brooklynne Clark, Jacqueline Marquez, Lauralyn Shantel De Leon
Kennedy Farrier, Mimi Martinez, Christian Showalter
Justin Flagor, Abigail Megee, Brady Swarts
Ailey Freeman, Nate Meyer, Luke Swarts
Natalia Headly, Blake Miller, Henry Walawender
Ryan Jenkins, Jack Murillo Porras, Sydney Zymball
Erin Kiewiet, Zoe Reith, Vance Krudwig, Aubrey Scott
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:
- Tuesday, April 4th, 4 pm to 7 pm
- Thursday, April 6th, 4 pm to 7 pm
- 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
Black & Veatch Hosting KU Engineering Event
Black & Veatch will be hosting a KU Engineering event for high school students on Wednesday, April 5. This will be a great networking opportunity for high school students, BV engineers, KU Engineering alum, and current KU Engineering students.
To register for the event please email CaruthersO@bv.com with the following information:
Student Name:
Parent/Guardian Name:
School:
Grade:
Student Email:
Parent/Guardian Email:
KU Engineering Event Timeline
Location: Black & Veatch (11401 Lamar Ave Overland Park, KS 66211)
6:00 – 6:30 PM | Check-in, mingling, and appetizers
6:30 – 6:45 PM | B&V Keynote Speaker
6:45 – 7:00 PM | KU School of Engineering overview
7:00 – 7:30 PM | Q&A Panel with current KU Engineering students and KU Alumni
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: Deadline April 7th.
· 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
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.