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 are off to a fantastic start this school year! I am so proud of the energy and commitment our students have shown so far, and I am equally grateful for the support from our families. Together, we are creating a strong community of learners.

We've included important information for upcoming events in the GROWL below; I also want to remind you of a few key dates.

We do not have school on Monday, September 2nd in observance of Labor Day.

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on the following dates:

• Wednesday, September 25th, 2024 from 4:00PM - 7:30PM
• Thursday, September 26th, 2024 from 9:30AM - 8:00PM

Additionally, semester one Final Exams are scheduled for:

• December 17th through December 20th

Please mark these dates on your calendars, and keep an eye out for further details.

Thank you for your continued support. Let’s keep up the great work and make this year the best one yet!

Warm regards,

Sam Ruff

Principal

De Soto High School

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.

Student Council is also hosting a student mixer after Fall Fest. This event is for DHS students only.

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.

Outside Guest Forms: The forms required for outside guests to attend the dance will become available in the Main Office on August 28th. The completed forms are due by 3:00pm on September 17th back in the Main Office.

Homecoming Parade/Spirit Rally/Powder Puff: The Homecoming Parade and Spirit Rally is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18th 5:30 PM (or Thursday, Sept 19th, if it gets rained out on Wednesday). Parade line up/staging area will be in the parking lot of Miller Park. The route of the parade heads west on 83rd/Penner Ave to the LTMS parking lot. Student groups are in need of trucks with flatbed trailers to decorate for their floats. The float can be decorated according to the "Tangled" theme or Wildcat/DHS spirit. The driver of the float must be at least 18 years of age.

Spirit Rally: The Parade will conclude at the football stadium, where we will have a Spirit Rally and the Powder Puff Football game!

All-School Assembly: The Wildside will organize an all-school pep assembly during seminar on Friday, September 20th. We will be on the assembly bell schedule.

Football Game: The DHS Wildcats take on Piper on Friday, September 20th at the stadium. Kick-off is scheduled at 7:00PM.

The Homecoming Dance will take place from 8:00 - 11:00 PM on Saturday, September 21st at DHS. Student entry will be at the Attendance Office entrance. Students must arrive by 9:00 PM.

Look for the themes for HOCO dress up days to be released soon!

Seminar is a time during the school day in which students can study, seek out additional support, or be assigned to intervention sessions needed for learning. This time can also be used for club meetings and other non-classroom-related tasks. Seminar is scheduled to take place each day during 3rd block.

Just as we did last year, we will be using an online program called Minga to manage the days of the week students travel to other teachers/locations within the building. This system allows students to sign up for the teachers/locations they plan to attend throughout the week. Students may also be assigned to specific teachers/locations for interventions.

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.

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.

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.

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