Wildcat Growl

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.

Wildcats and Families,

This has been a great Homecoming Week at DHS. The parade, spirit rally, and powder puff games took place on Wednesday evening. Two exciting powderpuff games ended with the Junior and Sophomore girls winning their games. Sheila Wilkins's Seminar won the door decorating contest on Thursday. The All-school Pep Assembly took place on Friday. The student leaders of fall sports teams and activities spoke to the student body about their events. The Cheer Team, Diamond Dancers, and Diamond Dudes performed.

We had a great turnout for the football game Friday night. Shout out to our student section, The Wildside - great job supporting our Wildcats! The semi-formal Homecoming dance took place in the Commons of DHS on Saturday night. Thanks to all the community members, families, and staff for getting involved and showing off our school spirit.

Congrats to all the members of the 2024 Homecoming Court: Brooke Gipson, Sydney Coffman, Lydia VanBooven, Brynlee Carson, Blake Englehart, Gray Dondzila, Drew Parks, and Pierce Krehbiel.

Special thanks to all the student organizations, including StuCo, and the senior leaders that helped plan and organize this year's homecoming festivities.

The schedule for this week:

• Monday, September 23rd: Green Day
• Tuesday, September 24th: White Day
• Wednesday, September 25th: Green Day, Parent-Teacher Conferences, 4:00 pm - 7:30 pm.
• Thursday, September 26th: No school, Parent-Teacher Conferences, 9:30 am - 8:00 pm.
• Friday, September 30th: No school

Parent Teacher Conferences: We would like to extend an invitation to each family to join us for our upcoming Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences.

Conferences will be held Wednesday, September 25th from 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM and Thursday, September 26th from 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM (with a break from 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM).

Additionally, Cedar Trails Exploration Center (CTEC) teachers will be available at DHS for conferences on Thursday, September 26th from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM. This will give CTEC parents an opportunity to meet with their student's teachers. You can find more detailed information below. ​

Career Panel Series: The first Career Panel Series event is scheduled to take place during seminar from 11:10 AM to 11:40 AM on October 9th. We appreciate those parents and community members that have already signed up to spend part of their day speaking with our students. If you are interested in sharing your career story and contributing to our students' future successes, please complete this link. Currently, our greatest need is for our October 9th panel on Finance, Business Management and Administration. Thank you!

Important Future Dates:

Coffee & Conversation: 8:00 am, Thursday, October 3rd - Information below

Anti Bullying Week: Monday, October 7th through Friday October 11th - Info coming soon

Career Panel Series: Wednesday, October 9th - Finance, Business Management and Administration

Future Ready Day: Tuesday, October 15th - Information below

End of Quarter: Thursday, October 17th - no school, Friday, October 18th, & Monday, October 21st

Trunk or Treat: Sunday, October 20th

Veteran's Day Assembly: Monday, November 11th - Recognition link is below

Warm regards,

Sam Ruff

Principal

De Soto High School

Come out to Trivia Night this Monday, September 23rd at 5:30 for a fabulous night of food, friends, and friendly competition! Test your knowledge on your favorite tv shows and win some sweet prizes! Proceeds support our Fall musical, Mary Poppins. Email Mrs. Fry or Ms. Bryant with any questions.

DHS would like to extend a warm welcome as we invite you to our fall Parent-Teacher Conferences. These conferences are a wonderful opportunity for parents and teachers to come together and focus on the individual growth and success of your student. Unlike Back to School Night, this setting allows for more time and personalized conversations, where we can collaborate on helping each student achieve their fullest potential.

We value the insights you bring as parents, and these conferences allow you to share important perspectives about your child. In turn, our teachers will provide valuable feedback, outline course goals, and share their observations on your student’s progress. This dialogue is crucial in ensuring that we are all working together to support our students’ academic and personal development.

Conference Details:

• Dates:
  • Wednesday, September 25th from 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
  • Thursday, September 26th from 9:30 AM – 8:00 PM
    • (Please note that teachers will be unavailable on Thursday from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM for a scheduled break.)
• Additionally, Cedar Trails Exploration Center (CTEC) teachers will be available at DHS for conferences on Thursday, September 26th from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM. This will give CTEC parents an opportunity to meet with their student's teachers during the same time frame.

Conference Format:

• In-Person: Teachers will be stationed at tables in the Commons and Auxiliary Gym, and meetings will be held on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Virtual Option: If you prefer a virtual meeting, please reach out to your student’s teachers directly to schedule a time.

We truly look forward to partnering with you to ensure your student's success. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference, and we are excited to meet with you soon.

Head to Smoothie King’s “Dollar Back Day” on Thursday, September 26th between 11am and 4pm to support the Musical! For each drink purchased we receive $1 back from the sales! Just mention the DHS Theatre Fundraiser when you check out, enjoy a sweet treat, and come see Mary Poppins, November 14th and 16th!”

We invite you to volunteer as a panelist for our Career Panel series, where students will learn about different career paths from professionals in various fields. We are hosting 14 sessions and would love your participation to help guide and inspire our students. If you're interested, please sign up using this link. Thank you for considering this opportunity to make a difference!

Finance, Business Management and Administration - October 9 (Biggest Need)

Agriculture Food & Natural Resources - October 16

Information Technology, Arts A/V, Communications - October 30

Architecture & Construction - November 13

Education & Training - December 4

Engineering - January 15

Government & Public Administration - January 22

Health & Bio Sciences - February 5

Hospitality & Tourism - February 26

Human Services - March 12

Marketing - March 26

Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security - April 9

Manufacturing - April 23

Transportation, Distribution and Logistics - May 7

The DHS business department is selling shirts to raise money to support Braden’s Hope for Childhood Cancer.

The shirts are designed, printed, and promoted by DHS business students to help this local organization.

Short sleeve shirts are $15 - $19 and long sleeve shirts are $20 - $24. All proceeds will be given to Braden’s Hope.

Shirts can be ordered by scanning the QR code found on the flyer or by visiting dhsCatsAgainstCancer.Square.Site.

The deadline to order your shirt is noon on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 and will be available to wear at the Pink Out theme football game on October 11.

If your student has not yet gotten their picture taken or would like to re-take their photo, our final picture re-take day is Wednesday, October 2nd. The photographers will be set up in the Black Box during lunch and seminar (students will need to sign up via Minga). These pictures are for the yearbook and for student IDs, which for most students are also their activity pass so they don’t have to pay to get into home sporting events. This is the final opportunity for students to get a yearbook and student ID photo taken.

Future Ready Day is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15th. On this day, students at DHS will participate in a variety of activities assisting them in planning for their future.

12th-grade students will choose from the following activities:

• Taking the ACT
• Participation in organized community service projects.
• Taking the ASVAB - a test provided by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success. This option may also include a field trip to the Armory to meet with and listen to presentations given by US Armed Services personnel.
• Individually/self-planned college visit,
• If there is space - participate in a school-supervised college/trade school visit, or
• Job shadow

11th-grade students will choose from the following activities:

• Taking the ACT, or
• Participate in a school-supervised college/trade school visit.

9th/10th-grade students will take the Pre-ACT. This important assessment simulates the ACT test experience, predicts ACT test scores, and offers insight to students toward post-secondary readiness.

Enrichment Activities – Afternoon

On the afternoon of the 15th, teachers will be facilitating differentiated activities covering a wide variety of areas. During this time, students can explore topics of interest they may not be exposed to during traditional class times.

During seminar on Monday, October 7th, students will use Minga Flextime Manager to sign-up for the sessions they want to attend. Each session will be approximately 45 minutes in length. Students are expected to sign up for three total activities and attend all activities for which they are registered.

If you have any questions, please contact Cat Monroe at cmonroe@usd232.org.

This year, the DHS athletics department will be using HUDL (not NFHS) to live stream all home events. To get your subscription, use this link: https://fan.hudl.com/dhswildcatnation

Single game, monthly, or year long subscription options are available.

DHS Families! Would you like to show our fabulous staff at DHS appreciation for all they do for our kiddos? We are starting up the DHS Staff Snack Cabinet, and we are looking for businesses or families who would like to volunteer to fill that cabinet. We are looking to stock the cabinet at least once per month with easy grab-and-go snacks that the staff can enjoy. It can be fresh fruit, prepackaged snacks like cookies or granola bars, anything is appreciated. We'd also like to provide them with drink choices like soda or flavored waters. We have 110 staff members at the school.

You can participate in 2 ways: First, you can sign up and donate $200 to the DHS Cat Boosters Venmo @desotocatboosters and then we will do the shopping. Second, you can sign up to bring the items into the office yourself during the week specified on the sign-up genius. Either way, you can provide us with your business logo or family information, and we'll create a sign that will be on the cabinet during the time the snacks are distributed. You can also bring coupons or business cards to put out with the snacks. It's a great way to promote your business and let the wonderful DHS staff know we appreciate them.

Please use the following signup to select your month. Please indicate on your sign up whether you will be doing the shopping or sending Venmo. Thanks for your support!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080D49AEA72EA75-50924616-dhsstaff

We highly value the importance of regular attendance in ensuring your student's academic success. Our attendance policies and practices are designed to support your child's growth and development in a nurturing and engaging environment. Information regarding attendance policy and practices can be viewed on our website.

DHS Counselors and Social Workers

Mrs. Crissy Johns (cjohns@usd232.org): Last name A – D

Ms. Abbey Heller (aheller@usd232.org): Last name E – K

Mrs. Lainee Graham (lgraham@usd232.org): Last name L – Q

Mrs. Kaitlin Morrell (kaitlin.morrell@usd232.org): Last name R - Z

Mr. Joe Kordalski, Social Worker (Rkordalski@usd232.org)

Mrs. Debra Landis, Social Worker (dlandis@usd232.org)

The Cat Booster Club works to support all of our students at DHS. They provide teacher grants for classroom needs, support Gradfest, assist school activities in fundraising, organize Teacher Appreciation Week, and fund scholarships to graduating seniors. They are able to do all of this by selling spirit wear and donating their time in the concession stands. We are so appreciative of them. The membership drive for this year is currently underway, with multiple levels to choose from. Check out their website - here.

While we plan to continue to allow students to use their mobile devices during passing periods and lunch, we would also ask that parents have a conversation with their students about appropriate use. Taking pictures or videos of other students without their consent and then sharing those pictures/videos or posting them online can be a form of social harassment or bullying, and will be handled as such. Please refer to the information posted on the district website regarding bullying and harassment. Thank you for helping us address this issue with our students.

We prioritize safety and security through a multilayered Safety Vision categorized into three areas defining our intention and guiding our direction: Communication, Secure Facilities, Response to Crisis. Below is a little information about our most recent safety and security initiatives as outlined by our Safety Vision.

Communication

• We continue to expand the principle of “See Something. Say Something.” This simple message is pushed through multiple avenues, most commonly by building positive relationships among students and staff to establish the kind of trust needed to create a culture of open and shared communication. This past year, the district entered into an agreement with the Kansas City Crime Commission for inclusion in their Scholastic Crime Stoppers Program. Through this program, students and staff have the ability to provide anonymous tips on potentially threatening activity. Information for providing tips is located on the district’s website and posted throughout schools.
• A soon to be completed project includes the numbering of exterior doors on all buildings district-wide. This type of communication is critical when guiding emergency services and other district staff to the specific location of a crisis or medical emergency.

Secure Facilities

• Glass Safety Laminate. One project currently underway to better secure our facilities and help support a safe learning environment is the protection of our windows and glass doors from becoming a potential entry point. District staff worked diligently with Safe Haven Defense, a large, national company offering a proven product in providing protection and meeting standards for high value infrastructure, to identify the most critical areas requiring protection. This project is scheduled to be completed this fall.
• New! Enhanced Visitor Management. Another project underway is the bolstering of our visitor management process. This initiative, scheduled to be completed for the start of school, will replace the previous system of visitors signing in on paper. Family members, vendors, and other visitors to the school will now be required to scan their identification (driver’s license) to gain access. The system will automatically search public offender registries to help prevent unauthorized access, and will print a sticker displaying the visitor’s name, photo, and intended destination as entered by the visitor. The sticker will be worn by the visitor throughout their time in the building, and a simple scan of the sticker upon leaving will record their departure.

We understand a new system of this nature can create concerns, but hope those concerns are alleviated by the fact we only use a visitor’s identification to search information already available to the public, and that nearly every peer school district in the county is using a similar system. Knowing who is in our buildings, and where they are, with a more comprehensive visitor management system strengthens our efforts to better secure our facilities.

Response to Crisis

• The district completed one full year of using the CrisisAlert badges implemented in the fall of 2023. This system provides all district staff the ability to call for help from anywhere on campus at the touch of a button. Data shows staff used the system over 400 times during the 2023-2024 school year, with the large majority of alerts being for medical issues and other student-related matters. The badges can also be used to alert threatening behavior, and have been integrated with local law enforcement for a timelier response to lockdown-type situations.
• Internally, the district expanded crisis response training to all staff, not just those in constant contact with students. Having all staff trained in the same manner will help ensure a consistent response when action is needed. Externally, the district encourages local law enforcement to conduct training in schools and on district property, working around school schedules. This occurs frequently and provides a sense of familiarity for first responders when their assistance is needed.

The district continues to maintain healthy relationships with the three law enforcement agencies serving our district, the Shawnee Police Department, Lenexa Police Department, and Johnson County Sheriff’s Department. School Resource Officers from these agencies are embedded into secondary schools, but are also assigned elementary schools within those areas to maintain professional, working relationships with administration for when law enforcement needs arise. SROs also serve as positive role models for students, and provide various resources for families.

School safety is a responsibility we all share, and the district will continue a tradition of providing these safe learning environments by building on the strong partnerships created between schools and the community.

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.

https://www.usd232.org/Page/7956