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,

We have had a great start to the 2024-2025 school year. It was nice to see all of our students back in the building.

Thank you to all those who attended Back to School Night on Monday, August 12th. We changed to an Open House format this year and want your feedback on the evening event using this quick survey. Thank you.

New Staff: We are pleased to announce that we will welcome seven new teachers to the staff at DHS this year. This week, we want to introduce Lainee Graham. A former DHS Wildcat, Mrs. Graham returns as a School Counselor in Student Services. Mrs. Graham will serve students with the last names beginning with the letters "L" through "Q". We also want to welcome Christopher Shannon to DHS. Mr. Shannon joins our Career and Technical Education Department and will be teaching Residential Carpentry and Woodworking.

On Wednesday, we welcomed our 9th-grade students to DHS for Wildcat Kick-off. They started the day with a long-standing DHS tradition - the gauntlet. They met their Freshmen Mentors, walked their schedule, and ended the day having a Class of 2028 picture taken wearing their new "Forever Green" T-shirts.

On Thursday, we welcomed just under 1000 students for the first full day of school. Our senior student council Senate Officers, Laney Huggins and Grey Dondzila, led the 12th-grade meeting during seminar in the Performing Arts Center.

On Friday, we held a fun-filled all-school assembly. Our pep club and student section leaders, known as 'The Wildside' organized the event. We learned cheers, watched enthusiastic new staff members compete in a fashion show, and revealed the Homecoming theme.

Monday, August 19th is the first day of practice for fall activities. Students and guardians should have received an email from the athletic department via Skyward on Monday, August 5th with a lot of important information. Questions should be directed to the head coach of each activity or to Athletic Director, Michelle Mages, at mmages@usd232.org. Good luck to all of our Wildcats participating this fall.

Wednesday, August 21st will be the first Delayed Start Wednesday of the year. The first class of the day will begin at 8:20 am. Students arriving between 7:30 am and 8:15 am will need to enter the building through the front main entrance or through the attendance office entrance. The Media Center and Activity Entrance doors will not be opened until 8:15 am. All students arriving before 8:15am will be directed to a study hall environment in the Commons or Union. Teachers will be engaged in professional collaboration during this time. This schedule only impacts the high schools and does not impact students using bus transportation to school. Bus riders are expected to enter the building on arrival and cannot leave school unless called out by a parent or guardian.

The De Soto High School Athletic Department will be hosting our annual All Sports Information Night on Thursday, August 22nd, at 6:00pm in the PAC. We hope you are able to join us if you have a student-athlete participating in any sport at DHS.

You will find Important information regarding volunteers and family engagement, 9th-Grade Student Council, Fall Fest, PSAT, and WorkKeys below.

Thanks, and have a great week.

Sam Ruff

Principal

De Soto High School

At a time when your child is learning to thrive independently, volunteering at De Soto High School is the perfect opportunity to stay connected with your child and his or her learning community. Through volunteering you support students and staff and show your child that you remain an active participant in the education process. A strong school has active parent participation. There are numerous ways to volunteer at DHS, whether through the Cat Booster Club, Father’s Club, Gradfest or as a panel member of one of our Career Exploration offerings through the school year. If you are interested in volunteering at De Soto High School in any capacity, please complete the Volunteer Sign Up Form.

Homecoming Week: Homecoming week begins Monday, September 16th. The parade, rally, and powder puff take place on Wednesday, September 18th; with the pep session and football game on Friday, September 20th. The homecoming dance will take place on Saturday, September 21st.

Fall Parent Teacher Conferences: Fall Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled to take place Wednesday, September 25th, and Thursday, September 26th, 2024.

Any student planning on participating in a sport at DHS this school year needs to complete the annual concussion training. If your student has not completed this yet, they should do so using the directions in this link: Required Concussion Training - Students (24-25).pdf

Fall Fest will take place from 5:00pm - 8:00pm on Friday, August 30th. The fall sports showcase and multi-activity event will take place in various locations across our campus. Everyone is invited. The first event starts at 5:00pm. Bring your entire family to join in on the fun.

Student Council is also hosting a student mixer after Fall Fest. This event is for DHS students only. Check out the flyer below.

The PSAT/NMSQT is a standardized test available to sophomores and juniors at De Soto High School. This test, designed for high-achieving, college-bound students, will be offered on October 29, 2024.

To register your child for the test, please submit a payment of $18 between August 19, 2024, and September 4, 2024. Payments can be made in one of the following ways:

- E-funds (online)

- Check (made out to DHS)

- Cash

If paying in person, payments should be brought to Ms. Cabral or Mrs. Monroe in the main office. Please note that payment is required for registration and will secure your child’s spot for the test.

If you do not wish for your child to take the PSAT/NMSQT, no action is required on your part.

Further information about the exam and optional study sessions will be sent out on September 5, 2024 to registered students.

For any questions, please contact Mrs. Monroe at cmonroe@usd232.org.

De Soto High School will be offering the WorkKeys assessment to juniors, which will be paid for by the state of Kansas. This valuable test evaluates job skills and career readiness. The test will be administered on October 29, 2024.

To register your child for the WorkKeys, please complete this Google form by September 5, 2024. If you do not wish for your child to take the WorkKeys assessment, no action is required on your part.

Further information about the exam will be sent out on September 5, 2024 to registered students.

For any questions, please contact Mrs. Monroe at cmonroe@usd232.org.

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.

The DHS traffic patterns before the school day and at dismissal are posted on our website. With beginning drivers, busses, and students walking from the lot into the building, we can't stress enough the need for increased awareness and a reduction of speed while in our parking lot. If you drop off and/or pick your student up from DHS, we ask that you pull as far forward along the curb as possible before stopping your vehicle. Thank you.

Draft student schedules became available to view online in Skyward on August 1st. 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 16th at 3:00pm in Student Services. The deadline to submit the schedule change form will be 3:00pm on August 20th.

If your student did not get their picture taken at enrollment or would like to re-take their photo, our first picture re-take day is Wednesday, August 21st. 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. The final opportunity for retakes will be in October.

Parents, if you have a senior who participates in Football, Volleyball, Boys Soccer Cross Country, Girls Tennis, Girls Golf, Cheerleading, Diamonds Dance Team, Marching Band or Color Guard consider placing a Senior Ad in the Fall Sports Program. Deadline for submission in the Fall Sports Program is: Monday, August 26th. If you have questions, contact athletic director Michelle Mages at mmages@usd232.org. More info on Senior Ads here: Senior Ads.

We are kicking off the 2024-2025 year for the Black & Veatch Engineering Explorer Post Program on August 20. We’re excited to have returning students, as well as new Explorers this year! This program offers 9th – 12th grade students an opportunity to explore various disciplines in Engineering. Please invite your students and their parents to join us at the Black & Veatch Headquarters located in Overland Park, KS for the Kickoff Meeting. Attached is the general info flyer for the Explorer Post Program.

If you have any 9th-12th grade students who might be interested in joining the program, please share this information and the general info flyer with them and their parents. Below is the information for the program Kickoff meeting.

Explorer Post Kickoff Meeting:

Date: Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Location: 11401 Lamar Ave, Overland Park, KS 66211

Entrance: South Side Main Entrance

Meeting Schedule:

7:00 PM – 7:30 PM | Check in & Registration

7:30 PM – 8:00 PM | Explorer Post Overview in Ruisch Auditorium

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Q&A / Finalize Registration

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/

At the Kickoff meeting, 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!

2024-2025 CALENDAR

August 20 – Kickoff Meeting

Sep. 10 – College Night

Oct. 8 – Mechanical Engineering

Nov. 12 – Electrical Engineering

Dec. 10 – Computer Engineering

Jan. 14 – Chemical Engineering

Feb. 11 – Nuclear Engineering

March 11 – Civil Engineering

April 8 – Construction Engineering

May 6 – Aerospace Engineering

*Dates and topics are subject to change.

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.

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.

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.

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)

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