Decatur County Community High School
605 E Commercial St, Oberlin, KS 67749
April 27, 2025 (Schedule at the bottom, Skip What You Want)
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Decatur community,
April held up its end of the bargain when it comes to the old saying. There were definitely April showers here at the end of the month, but May is where it really pours.
JH/SH band and choir concerts, State Forensics, HS Awards Ceremony, JH Awards Ceremony, 6th Grade Orientation, Baccalaureate, Graduation Rehearsal, Finals, Graduation, and the last day of school are all still bundled up into the last few weeks of school. That doesn't include the track meets, baseball games, and golf events that still exist for the remainder of the year.
The saying will always talk of "April" showers, but, in the education world, April may rain, but May pours.
Shoutout to each student that tried their absolute best on the State Assessments over the course of the past few weeks. State Assessments are stressful for students and teachers alike, and they disrupt the schedule quite a bit for several weeks. You never know until you get the results not only how they did, but how much effort that students put into them. To every student that gave it their all, thank you.
Shoutout to science teacher Ladd Wendelin and his students. This past week, his anatomy class took a field trip to Ft. Hays State to a cadaver lab. The students were give the ultimate anatomy experience as they participated in the cadaver lab. This was last Thursday, and I haven't gotten to talk with the students, but Mr. Wendelin emphasized that it was an amazing experience for the students.
Shoutout to transportation director Rick Touslee. As Rick comes to the end of his first year as the transportation director, I can only say that it was a huge success. He has come in and made a seamless transition while replacing Brian Simonsson this year. Rick is always well organized and pleasant to work with, and it is his leadership and demeanor that keep his bus drivers coming back. Last Tuesday was Bus Driver Appreciation Day, and we are very fortunate to have the crew that we do, and no one shows that appreciation to the drivers more than their own director.
Shoutout to the music department once again. Mrs. Tally, Mrs. Johnson, and Mr. Persinger have been very busy for the past several weeks. April was a busy month for them, as they had Regional Solo/Small Group Ensemble, Large Group Ensemble, field trips, and finally the State Solo/Small Group Ensemble this past weekend. There has been so much preparation and a lot of weekend time for these groups. As it seems like April has showered them with events, May now brings the end of the year concerts. It's a busy time of year for them. Thank you for all that you do!
Shoutout to all of our music students that qualified for State music this past weekend.
Congratulations to all of these individuals and/or groups for receiving a I or a II rating at State:
DCHS Singers I
DCHS Men’s Ensemble II
Vocal Solos:
Gage Williby II
Weston Barnes I
Shaylynn Diaz II
Michaela Wasson I
Instrumental Solos:
Michaela Wasson Flute I
Kelsey Sheats Clarinet I
Weston Barnes Alto Sax I
Weston Barnes
Michaela Wasson
Senior Michaela Wasson finished her spectacular DCHS musical career with a I score on both her Vocal and Flute Solos.
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
When I first came here, USD 294 was in the process of finalizing a new track. Almost three years later, we had our first track meet with the new facilities, and its inaugural year, the site has been chosen as the host site for the 2025 KSHSAA Track Regional. This is a tremendous honor for the whole community, and it will be exciting to showcase our brand new track. Here is information that was shared last week:
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!!
May means that we are coming down to the wire, a paradoxical time of both intense focus on finishing the year strong while at the same time celebrating all that we have accomplished.
It is flying by, Seniors! I know that you can't wait to get to the finish line, but try to enjoy every second that you can.
Until next week,
Jeremy Holloway
Go Big Red!
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