Wildcat Growl

Greetings Wildcats!

Thank you to the DHS Community for doing a great job with testing last week!

• Students: No School Monday
• The staff will be participating in professional development on Monday

• End of Quarter 1 --> Start of Quarter 2, Tuesday
• FAQ: What's the difference between quarters and semesters?
• Quarters are grade markers, or components of a semester, and quarterly grades are not transcribed (aka, officially on transcripts).
• It's the semester grade that is transcribed on official records, which is comprised of 2-quarters per semester (2 semesters in a school year). However, quarterly progress is an important academic marker/monitoring opportunity, and we look forward to continuing the year into Q2!

• Senior Students
• In the [Senior Section] you'll see information regarding ordering your cap & gowns for graduation!

• Lots of Information
• Please give the GROWL a scroll! There is a lot of valuable information!
• At a minimum, please see what's new in the [Table of Contents] below!

Proud to be a Wildcat!

-Principal Thomas

New in Table of Contents

● [Senior Section]:

+ Cap & Gown Ordering Information

● [Athletics/Activities]:

+ Dig Pink Volleyball Game

+ Unified Bowling

+ Prom Committee Recruiting - Free Ticket!

● [Counseling Corner]:

+ College Financing Night

● [Scholarship/Internship]:

+ Cirkled-In Scholarships

● [Health-Safety-Belonging]:

+ Volunteer Trash Clean Up

Please see the buttons below for information regarding cap & gown ordering!

Graduation Patches information is forthcoming, and will be announced in a future GROWL!

AP Exam registration is now open! All AP students should update their MyAP account to indicate whether or not they are taking the AP exam.

If you're taking an AP class and plan to take the exam, make sure you complete your registration in MyAP and mark “yes” for the test. If you are not taking the AP exam for your AP classes, you need to indicate “no” on MyAP.

The deadline for updating your registration is Friday, October 30th. AP exams are $100 each, and fee reductions may be available for students who qualify.

Don’t miss the deadline! If you have questions or need help with registration, stop by Student Services and see Mrs. Mispagel or your AP teacher.

Annual Dig Pink vs Mill Valley.

• Wear PINK & support your favorite volleyball girls on Oct. 20th.
• Freshman @ 5 in Aux gym.
• JV @ 5 in main gym.
• Green team @ 6:30 in Aux gym
• V @ 6:30 in Main gym. First 100 students get FREE pizza!!!

Congrats to the Unified Bowling team who had 3 teams finish in the top 10 at their first meet this week! A special congrats to the team of April, Ali, and Julia who finished in 3rd place.

🎃👻Join us at De Soto High School for a SPOOK-tacular afternoon of Trunk or Treat! 🚗🍭 Grab your costumes, bring your candy buckets, and come enjoy some Halloween fun with our Wildcats! We can't wait to see you there! -Hosted by DHS Leadership Class

DHS Counselors and Social Workers

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

Mrs. McKenzi Mispagel (mmispagel@usd232.org): Last name F – La

Mrs. Lainee Graham (lgraham@usd232.org): Last name Le – Re

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

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

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

The Cirkled In "No Sweat" Scholarship awards $2,500 quarterly to high school students. True to its name, this scholarship removes common application barriers - no essay, no GPA requirements, no income restrictions. Students complete a simple online application in under 5 minutes. Open to all U.S. high school students in grades 9-12, including homeschooled students. Click here to find out more.

We want to share some important information and reminders for parents.

• The student-only entrance/exit (North Entrance Door #19) is where students will 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.
• If you are planning to pick up your student during the school day you will need to call at least 30 minutes ahead to allow enough time to locate your student.
• Absences, early dismissals and late arrivals can be submitted in Skyward under attendance in the guardians Skyward account. You can also call in a prearranged absence ahead of time. The 24-hour attendance voicemail is 913-667-6259.
• Please remember to report the absence before 10:00 am on the day of, if your student is not at school.
• We also ask that students missing school due to a physician/medical/dental appointment verify the appointment by turning in an appointment note/slip from the healthcare provider. This helps us ensure the absence is excused rather than considered a parent request. Students can turn the note in to the attendance office when they return from the appointment.

Late Start Wednesdays:

• Bus Transportation runs as normal, and bussed students will wait in the commons during breakfast from 7:30 - 8:15 (Collaborative Time is for Staff).
• North Attendance, and Front Doors are open at 7:30, and students will wait in the commons until 8:15
  
• Media Center and Activities Entrance Doors will open at 8:10

USD 232 is looking to connect with guest speakers, businesses, organizations, and community groups interested in supporting our students. If you or someone you know would like to partner with our schools through career exploration, classroom presentations, mentorship, internships, or other opportunities, we'd love to hear from you! Visit our Community Partner Hub to learn more and submit your interest: https://www.usd232.org/departments/academics/career-focused-learning/community-partner-hub.

We want to share a quick reminder to support families with the online registration process.

Families should continue using SkywardQ for online registration and student information access. You can find the updated login link, along with details about the Skyward mobile app, here:

🔗 Skyward Family Access

Parents can have peace of mind by viewing 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.

STUDENTSQUARE DESKTOP

APP INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

Students! Please follow the directions in the PDF below if you want to activate the ParentSquare App on your taskbar of your Student-Issued MacBook!

ADVANTAGES: The app allows for a task bar icon, which could include notification icons as well.

NOTE: If the app isn't functioning correctly, please request support with a tech-request in the Technology Help Desk Button (above).

NOTE 2: You can ALWAYS utilize StudentSquare/ParentSquare through the web-based login!

Use these links to get the ParentSquare App on your Cell Phone, if interested!

USD 232 will be offering a FREE dental clinic on Tuesday November 10, 2026 to all students enrolled at De Soto High School in compliance with Kansas State Statute 72-5201. If you choose to have your student screened at DHS, you can scan the QR code in the graphic below or use this link: https://app.formdr.com/practice/Nzk1MQ==/form/b0eJ6CcwAFz01N33LKxYJX6ZPa0JSgghO

El distrito USD 232 ofrecerá una clínica dental gratuita el martes 10 de noviembre de 2026 para todos los estudiantes inscritos en De Soto High School (DHS), en cumplimiento con la ley estatal de Kansas 72-5201. Si desea que su hijo(a) reciba la evaluación en DHS, puede escanear el código QR que aparece en la imagen a continuación o utiliza este enlace. https://app.formdr.com/practice/Nzk1MQ==/form/b0eJ6CcwAFz01N33LKxYJX6ZPa0JSgghO