Decatur County Community High School
605 E Commercial St, Oberlin, KS 67749
May 4, 2025 (Schedule at the bottom, Skip What You Want)
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Decatur community,
Cinco de Mayo marks the beginning of the last full week of school for the Class of 2025, the last "normal" week. For seniors, there are 8 days of school left, 8 1/2 if you count the Grad. Rehearsal.
Seniors, it's hard to believe that you are almost at the finish line, and all that you can think about is being done, but try to enjoy these last 8 days. There will come a day when you will wish you could go back and be right where you are now, a time when you will wish you had 8 more.
You have 8 more.......
8 more.. 8 more.. 8 more..
8 More 8 Mores
1. 8 more times to get a good night's sleep to get to school on time. (If Possible)
2. 8 more times to roam the halls that so many of you have grown up in.
3. 8 more times to ask, 'What's for lunch?"
4. 8 more times to have to ask to go to the bathroom.
5. 8 more times to be the oldest.
6. 8 more times to sit in class with the teachers who have watched you grow up.
7. 8 more times to sit in class with the faces you have known for most of your life.
8. 8 more times to return home to, "How was school today?"
8 more..
Shoutout to Ms. Tamera Rice and her business students. Mrs. Rice had the students compete in the K-State Investment Competition for high schools. Our students did extremely well, including having the first and second place teams. I will put more details and words from Ms. Rice down below.
Shoutout to senior Michaela Wasson. I mentioned last week that Michaela was one of our students that received a I (superior) score on both her band and vocal performances. Mr. Persinger reached out and shared these comments:
"Not only did Michaela Wasson earn a I (superior) rating on both her vocal and instrumental music solos at State Music Festival this year, but she has earned a I (superior) rating at state festival EVERY year in high school on her flute solos. I have never had a student earn four consecutive superior ratings on an instrument solo at State Music Festival in my 31 years of teaching."
Shoutout to Decatur Beef. This past Thursday and Friday they showed up to both of our schools and provided lunch to our students for free. This is the second year in a row that they have done this. It was a great meal and greatly appreciated by both the students and staff.
Shoutout to my kitchen staff Tabetha Carfield, Renee Harman, Megan Lohoefner, and Vicki Versailles. This group goes above and beyond to provide an outstanding salad bar to go with each day's meal, something that is not common in every school. On top of that, they make things work. This year we often have students leaving at all hours for a variety of activities, more so than in the past, and that means making lunch schedules on the fly. I appreciate the flexibility they always have when I come running in to change things up on them. They are greatly appreciated.
Shoutout to a school board that is consistently supportive, innovative, and trying their best to do what it best for the district and community. Whether it be analyzing curriculum, approving budgets, searching for responsible ways to initiate school improvement, or supporting innovative ideas, Oberlin is very fortunate to have the board we do.
Shoutout to senior student Kaden Waterman. Kaden recently signed on with BTI this past week and the staff came over to officially recognize him. It was great that his family was there, and three different members of the BTI team were on hand to discuss Kaden and his future.
The Last Day of School is Now Friday, May 16th
The last day of the school year has been changed to Friday, May 16th. It will be a full day of school with the regular release time of 3:40.
Every year we give annual state assessments in english, math, and science. This year we do not anticipate getting these scores back until the summer at the earliest, as a panel of educators will be looking at test items and making some changes for next year. The hope would be that the data next year will be readily available for us to see before the end of the school year.
Another test that we give is the FastBridge test. Whereas the State Assessment is always questionable on when you will get them, FastBridge gives an immediate response, and we give this test three times a year. A big question has always been the effort that is put into these tests, and what does it really mean for students? Often times we see drastically different results from one test to the next, primarily due to effort. We often know that students are better than the score shows.
This year, we decided to give the students a "golden carrot" if you will and give them the opportunity to move up the end of the school year. The goal? Get the best possible effort from each student. That isn't to say that several students don't always give their best, but it is 100% fact that not all do.
As an example, I will give you a student that I used as a guinea pig before we gave the test. They know who they are, but I won't be naming them. I explained to the student what we were going to do, and they immediately were on board to do their best. This is a student that I know is capable and has tons of potential to do great things. This student improved on both tests and cleared the bar on both.
Their ELA score went from:
Tier 1: High Risk 490
to
Tier 3: No Risk 540
FastBridge puts students into 4 tiers.
Tier 1: High Risk
Tier 2: Low Risk
Tier 3: No Risk (Clears the bar. These students are considered on track)
Tier 4: Advanced
The FastBridge test is taken throughout the nation in many states, something that is much different than the State Assessment that is created by the Kansas Department of Education (KSDE) and given only to Kansas students.
We set a goal with the hope to have 70% of students clear the bar (achieve Tier 3) or improve from their highest score the prior year. It's important to note and recognize the efforts of each student. A student may be in Tier 1, but they can make progress in that tier, as each student gets a numbered score within the tier range.
Our results:
ELA=92 % No risk or Improved (Tier3 or higher, and/or improved)
Math=86% No risk or Improved (Tier3 or higher, and/or improved)
Total=89% No risk or Improved (Tier3 or higher, and/or improved)
We now have what would very likely be the best data that we have ever had to look at and evaluate exactly where our students are, and if an offer like this is on the table for the future, they will have to match and surpass the effort that they put in here.
Congratulations to our students and staff for meeting the goal!
STAFF RECOGNIZED AT ANNUAL APPRECIATION BANQUET
This past Wednesday, USD 294 held its annual Staff Appreciation Banquet. The banquet recognizes all staff that have completed years of service in 5 year intervals. I wanted to briefly mention those HS staff members and am going to try and keep it to a few lines per staff member or it will get out of hand.
5 Years
Brandon Hardwick - Mr. Hardwick started off his career in Oberlin and has been the PE instructor, head football coach, head track coach, and, for the past few years, a wrestling assistant. Mr. Hardwick has done a great job while he has been here, and you can really see the strides that the boys have made these past few years. He has been extremely consistent in the years that I have been here, and I wish him luck in his next adventure as a special education teacher in Hays.
Iris Mastin - Iris is one of the district team members. If you call the district, it is likely that you will talk with her, and if you follow along at all on the district webpage or Facebook, it is generally Iris that is keeping that all up to date. Iris does a great job of communicating with staff on a variety of information ranging from purchasing procedures for the entire district to keeping Dr. Applegate organized. I look forward to working with her next year and her helping me do the same thing.
Dr. Joel Applegate - Dr. Applegate has taken a job in Ulysses. I still remember when I first called to ask about the possible principal opening. Dr. Applegate was getting ready to drive a bus route. When I finally got to meet him, I realized that I was dealing with one of the nicest and supportive people that I have ever met, a guy that would do anything to help another. It has been a great past three years here in Oberlin, and a huge part of that has been Dr. Applegate. He will be missed throughout the community, and I wish him the best of luck. I know that I will be reaching out several times next year.
20 Years
Jason Ketterl - 20 years is a long time on a job. I left Louisburg after 21, and you are undoubtedly known throughout the community with that type of commitment. Mr. Ketterl grew up here though, so throw into the mix all of the years that he has been a student as well, and you have a Red Devil through and through. Mr. Ketterl is about as helpful as anyone you will meet. He volunteers, covers classes, takes on students in multiple classes during the same period, and a whole lot more. He is always looking for ways to extend his students' learning through the class or hands on field trips. I appreciate the loyalty that Mr. Ketterl brings to community, and the opportunities he provides the students as well.
Business Students Shine in K-State Investment Challenge
Here is the description from Ms. Rice:
Students worked in teams to compete against 34 other Kansas high schools and learned about stock investing.
Scholarship prizes as follows:
**Team Jenna (Jenna Fortin, Kelsi Weigel, Madison Urban)
1st Place = $1,000 (per team member)
**Team Devyn (Devyn Stagemeyer, Makadyn Ketterl and Elsie Larson)
2nd Place = $750 (per team member)
3rd Place = $500 (per team member)
Objective:
Maximize Net Asset Value (NAV):
- Aim to maximize the NAV of your virtual investment portfolio by the end of the challenge.
Platform:
- The challenge employs StockTrak, a leading web-based simulation with real-world stock market data.
Starting Capital:
- Teams are allocated $1,000,000 to invest; each team must strategize and make their own investment decisions.
Duration:
- Trading is scheduled to run from January 8, 2025 to April 30, 2025.
Teams:
- Teams must have at least three (3), but no more than five (5) members.
- Each team must designate a team leader for communication purposes.
Portfolios will be judged based on:
- Total returns.
- Risk-adjusted returns.
- Quality of investment strategy documentation and presentation.
Congratulations, ladies!
Big Weeks Ahead
There are a lot of things going on the last few weeks and a few calendar adjustments included. Take a quick look at all of the things that are going on:
Monday, May 5:
5:00-6:30: Open House: Come out and see several of the projects that the students have been working on this year. Student work will be on display in the gymnasium and in the cafeteria. You'll get to see art, furniture, and projects from classrooms.
7:30: Band Concert: As Open House is coming to end, the DCHS Spring Band Concert will be about to begin.
Monday, May 12:
2:50-3:40: JH Awards Assembly: JH students will be recognized for a variety of awards including academic, athletic, and citizenship awards.
7:00: Grades 5-8 Band Concert: The final band performance of the year will combine the upper elementary and junior high bands.
Tuesday, May 13:
2:30-3:40 Sixth Grade Orientation: Sixth grade students will visit DCHS, meet the Student Council, tour the building, hear from the principal and coaches, finalize enrollment, and ask any questions they have. Parents are welcome and encouraged to come!
6:00-7:00 Science Fair: Mr. Wendelin's classes will have work on display for everyone to come in and see. Come to the school to check out all of the projects before you head to the concert.
7:30 JH/SH Spring Choir Concert: It's our final concert of the year. Come out and see our high quality performers perform one last time. Several of these students were just performing at the State level less than two weeks ago.
Wednesday, May 14:
2:30 HS Awards Ceremony: High school students will be recognized for a variety of academic awards such as grades, scholarships, Citizenship Awards, and more.
7:00 Baccalaureate
Saturday, May 16:
2:00 Graduation: One final time that all of our seniors will be together at DCHS at the same time. No need to explain this one.
GRADUATION INFORMATION
1. When is Graduation? Graduation is set for Saturday, May 17th at 2:00 PM sharp. Doors open at 1:00 PM.
2. Where is Graduation? Graduation will be held in the DCHS Gymnasium.
3. When is the last day of class for Seniors? The last day of class for Seniors is Wednesday, May 14th.
4. When is Graduation rehearsal? Graduation rehearsal is set for Thursday, May 15th at 9:00 am. Students will turn in all items, pay all fees, walk in caps and gowns through the OES hallways, and be served pizza after rehearsal. Students are dismissed after lunch.
5. Other Important Items: Seniors and parents should have received an email and a letter with important information regarding Graduation this past week. If the letter did not arrive, it should be coming shortly. Here are important dates to plan for.
Awards Program - Wednesday, May 14th at 2:30 in the DCHS Auditorium.
Baccalaureate - Wednesday, May 14th at 7:00 in the DCHS Auditorium.
Oberlin to Host Regional Track Event
Thursday May 22 will be a huge event for DCJ/SHS - we are hosting the Regionals Track Meet, and expecting 28 teams!!
We need your help Oberlin!! We are looking for assistance with running the events - preferably adults with some knowledge of track and field events.
Please contact Brandon Gehring at the high school at 785-475-2231 or at bgehring@usd294.org if you are interested!!
RESULTS TO BE DETERMINED!
Decatur County Community Junior/Senior High School
Email: jholloway@usd294.org
Website: https://www.usd294.org/vnews/display.v/SEC/DCHS
Location: 605 East Commercial Street, Oberlin, KS, USA
Phone: 785-475-2231
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Decatur-Community-JrSr-High/372347636275932
Twitter: @DCHSREDDEVILS