October Month in Review

October brought a lot to celebrate at KHS. Students prepared meals for the Kaukauna Community Fridge, seniors learned from community presenters during Adulting Day, and our musicians shared their work on stage and at the state music conference. We also had some great finishes in fall athletics and a perfect ACT score to recognize.

I appreciate the people who make these experiences possible. Thank you to our staff, coaches, families, and community partners for the time you give our students. It makes a difference.

This month also brought the news of Coach Jeff Matczak’s retirement after 34 years leading Kaukauna Wrestling. His accomplishments are remarkable, and his work with generations of students has meant a great deal to KHS.

Enjoy this look back at October. There’s a lot here to be proud of.

Go Ghosts!
Aaron

A KHS student approached our Family & Consumer Sciences department with an idea: prepare meals for the Kaukauna Community Fridge. Together, they chose a recipe and made 12 containers of pasta salad for community members in need. We’re excited to see this become a weekly partnership throughout the school year. Thank you to the students and staff helping get it started.

Our seniors spent Senior Adulting Day learning about budgeting, building credit, buying a home, and planning for the future. Community presenters shared their experience and gave students a chance to ask questions about life after graduation. Thank you to everyone who took time to work with our students. We appreciate your help making this day possible.

Students in KHS Nutritional Science created board games to put their knowledge of the six essential nutrients to the test. They wrote questions for their classmates, played one another’s games, and evaluated the finished projects. It was a fun way to review what they had learned and see how their classmates approached the assignment.

The KHS Girls Golf team finished sixth at Team State, the best finish in program history. Congratulations to our golfers and coaches on a great season. Their hard work throughout the year paid off, and we’re proud of how they represented KHS.

Our KHS Orchestra brought families together for a Halloween concert with festive music and costumes. The evening also included a kids’ costume contest, pumpkin decorating, face painting, and a spaghetti dinner. Thank you to our student musicians and everyone who helped put the event together.

Congratulations to KHS student Zach Vanderloop on earning a perfect 36 on the ACT. Fewer than 1 in 1,000 test-takers nationwide achieve this score. We’re proud of Zach and the work that went into this accomplishment.

KHS Choir Director Joy Paffenroth and a group of KHS choir students presented at the Wisconsin State Music Conference in Madison. Their session focused on how choir helps students develop teamwork, leadership, confidence, and collaboration. Thank you to Joy and our students for sharing their experience with music educators from across Wisconsin.

After 34 years leading Kaukauna High School Wrestling, Head Coach Jeff Matczak is retiring. During his tenure, the program earned 10 team state titles, 24 team state appearances, and 28 conference championships. His wrestlers earned 24 individual state titles, 104 state place finishes, 200 state qualifications, and 178 conference titles.

Those accomplishments reflect years of work by Coach Matczak, his athletes, and his coaching staff. We’re grateful for the time, care, and leadership he has given generations of Kaukauna wrestlers. Thank you, Coach Matczak, and congratulations on an outstanding career.

The baton has now been passed to co-head coaches Keaton Kluever and Eric Peters! We're looking forward to their leadership.

Our KHS varsity football team won the FVA Conference Championship and opened the WIAA playoffs with a 40–0 win over Oshkosh North. Congratulations to our players and coaches on a strong season. We’re looking forward to cheering them on as the playoff run continues.

Freshman Reece Gelhaar and junior Bennett Scherrer qualified for the WIAA State Cross Country Meet. At sectionals, our varsity boys finished third and our varsity girls finished fifth. Congratulations to our runners and coaches on their work this season, and good luck to Reece and Bennett at state.

KHS National Honor Society students have already contributed 271 hours of community service this school year. Members have helped at Haen Family Night, blood drives, food drives, and other school and community events. Thank you to our NHS students for giving their time and helping where it’s needed.

In October’s episode of Ghost Stories, I talk with KHS seniors and STEAM Girls leaders Brianna Geiser and Chloe Miller about their experience in the club. They share how hands-on projects and career exploration trips have helped them discover new interests and build confidence. They also talk about planning their annual event for seventh-grade girls and what they’ve learned from working with younger students.

You can hear the full conversation at the link below.

Listen to Ghost Stories: https://ghoststories.buzzsprout.com/