Southside Source

Southside Source
1640 E. 151st Street
Office 913- 780-7160 Attendance 913-780-7866
Principal Phil Clark
Asst. Principals: Candy Birch, Denise Herman ,Robert Kersey &
Keri Snyder
Olathe South
To empower all students for the challenges of the future.
Dear Olathe South High School Families…
The M & M… who among us is unable to associate a smile with the M & M? We need not even enjoy chocolate
to see the attraction so many have for the colorful button-shaped candy which “melts in your mouth and not in
your hand.” Back in a few…
Makin’ memories…Those delicious moments that’ll be cherished and shared among friends and families for
years to come. Take a minute and consider a high school “buddy” or “sweetheart” or think about that favorite
aunt or grandpa. Give it any time whatsoever and, undoubtedly, one begins to experience something special
all over again. (Seriously, pause here.)
Makin’ memories demands an active participation. Certainly, memories will happen naturally and the passive
player will have them in the bank. But, would anyone deny the opportunity we all possess to influence the
breadth and depth of our collection of experiences. To make oneself truly “rich” in this area of our lives
requires some energy and perhaps, a little sacrifice, but above all a choice to commit to engage oneself with
others and activity which inevitably provides nourishment to our relationships.
When one considers how frequently a good intention or “resolution” fades, it is clear that a commitment to
“makin’ memories” may need an occasional nudge. Whether it is a rubber band wrapped around one’s wrist, a
“to do” list or some object placed on the bathroom mirror, we’ve all experienced the inherent value in having a
little reminder every now and then. Should your present state of reflection have you wondering or believing
there is more you could/should choose to do regarding “makin’ memories,” we invite you to welcome a “hook”
into your life. Enter… the M & M.
“Makin’ memories,” “the M & M,”… ah yes, an association to be made. Since we believe most find both
delicious, we challenge each of us to claim those colorful button-shaped candies and the characters designed
to market them as our occasional nudge. So, in addition to salivating the next time one of those colorful
characters enters our living room or one of those little candies refuses to melt in our hand, let us be mindful of
the choice we have made to make some memories. Now, go ahead and ask yourself, “What will I be doing later this evening, and will there be something I’ll be
able to grin about tomorrow?”
***
As we approach the time when our students and their parent(s)/guardian(s) are
asked to carefully select courses for the 2014-15 school year, we acknowledge these to be important decisions.
These are decisions which have an impact on future experiences. We encourage everyone to establish a time
and place where discourse and processing can occur without distraction. However, this should not be an overwhelming
exercise. The collection of experiences during the four-year journey is what matters most, and
much of what one will take follows a natural sequence.
As you’ll likely hear repeated time and again, we do encourage each of our students to challenge themselves
with a rigorous curriculum. We encourage them to select coursework which allow them to explore. We urge
them to heed the advice of their respective teachers and counselors. We also insist everyone consider the
importance of “balance” when making their selections. “Balance” as it relates to the collection of courses one
takes at a particular time as well as finding “a balance” between the rigors of these courses and the activities
one is involved either after school or away from school that produce their own set of challenges.
One of our favorite themes is “Life is Good.” We sincerely believe it and encourage those in our community to
decide to make this paradigm their habit.
We celebrate a tremendous 2013-14 effort thus far, and we embrace the process to make for another one in
2014-15. Yes, “Life is Good.” With this newsletter, we also welcome all the families who will be joining us at
Olathe South next year. The Class of 2018 begins their high school journey in seven short months. We look
forward to makin’ memories over the next four years with you.
Please visit our website at www.olathesouth.net .
Dates to Note
Feb. 6
Athletic Signings (Seminar)
Feb. 7-8
Performances of
“Epic Adventures in a RinkyDink Art Museum”
Feb. 7
Professional Day—No School
Feb 8
ACT Testing
Feb. 12
Progress Reports &
Parent Teacher Conferences
4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Feb. 13
Parent Teacher Conferences
11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Dinner Break from
4:00 to 4:45 p.m.
No School for Students
Feb. 14
No School
Feb. 14
Court Warming at Boys
Basketball Game
Feb. 15
ALS Dodgeball Tournament
Feb. 17
Presidents Day
No School
Feb. 22
Winter Dance
Olathe South
Page 2
Counselors Report
NCAA Eligibility Changes
If you have a student who may have the skills to play Division I or II
college athletics, please check the NCAA and NAIA websites to find some
recent changes to their eligibility guidelines. For the class of 2016 and
beyond, these changes include: 1) The need to apply to NCAA by the
beginning of the 10th grade year instead of junior year as in years past
2) ten core courses locked in prior to the student’s seventh semester of
high school, 3) the GPA requirement of 2.3 for Division 1.
Counseling Info
PSAT
*Oct. 16 & Oct. 19
NAIA: http://www.playnaia.org/index.php
NCAA: http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp
NCAA/NAIA Informational Meeting
Following Parent Enrollment Orientation activities on Monday, January 27,
we will highlight changes to NCAA and NAIA admission standards effective
for the 2016-2017 school year starting at 8:10 p.m. in the auditorium.
Parents of current freshmen and sophomores who are potential NCAA or
NAIA athletes are encouraged to attend. Future changes in core course
requirements, test scores, grade-point average, and approved classes will all
be a part of the dialogue. We look forward to seeing you there.
ACT Results Given to Freshmen and Sophomores
Freshmen and sophomores have received their results from the ACT Explore
and ACT Plan test. Please take a moment to discuss the results with your student as there is information that can help with enrollment planning.
ACT
*Sept. 21
*Oct. 26
*Dec. 14
*Feb. 8
*April 12
June 14
SAT
Oct. 5
Nov. 2
Nov.30
May 3
May 31
*indicates dates offered at OS
Online Registration
www.act.org
www.collegeboard.org
Middle School Enrollment
Student Services
School
Enrollment Visit
Dates of Enrollment
(913) 780-7874
Frontier Trail
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Tue.-Wed., Feb. 18-19
Counselors
Indian Trail
Thursday, Feb. 6
Mon.-Tues. Feb. 24-25
Chisholm Trail
Wednesday, Feb. 12 Thur.-Fri. Feb. 27-28
Luke Greene A-Han
lgreeneos@olatheschools.org
Amy Brown Har-M
abrownos@olatheschools.org
Amy Iwert N-Z
Juniors Should Plan to take ACT This Spring
Juniors who are planning to attend a four-year university after high school
should take the ACT in the spring. Consider signing up for the April 12 or the
June 14 test. Register by March 1 for the April 12 or May 9 for the June 14 @
www.actstudents.org. Contact a counselor if you have questions.
aiwertos@olatheschools.org
Freshmen & AVID
Ceresa Schaffer
cschafferos@olatheschools.org
Registrar
Donna Peters
dpetersos@olatheschools.org
Page 3
Olathe South
Be First to FAFSA!
Seniors and Senior Parents
Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Aid can come from the U.S. federal
government, the state where you live, the college you attend, or a nonprofit or private organization.
Almost all require students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Many colleges award their scholarships and grants on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is to your
advantage to complete the FAFSA as early as possible.
Did you know that you do NOT have to wait until you file your 2013 income taxes to complete the
FAFSA? You can use last year’s return now or estimated income from W-2s and update the information
later.
Completing the FAFSA may help parents and students in all income levels qualify for low-cost loans.
The website at https://fafsa.ed.gov/ offers great information including YouTube videos, like the one entitled
“How to Fill Out the FAFSA.”
When you have the information (Social Security Number, W2 forms, tax records and possibly your
Permanent Resident Card), it should take no more than 30 minutes to complete.
Olathe South parent and new OS Site Council member Dr. Valerie Simmons has kindly offered to help our
students complete their FAFSA’s in the Room 216 Writing Lab on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Bring the needed materials: (Social Security Number, W2 forms, tax records and possibly your Permanent
Resident Card) as well as the names of up to 10 colleges who will receive the FAFSA report. We will have gift
cards for the first 10 who complete the process that evening. Remember to allow about 30 minutes.
Also available is College Goal Sunday on February 23 from 2:00 until 4:00 p.m. at MidAmerica Nazarene
University Mabee Library. Seniors can get the help they need and may even win a $500 scholarship just for
attending! Go to http://www.collegegoal.org to register and to get more information.
Page 4
Olathe South
PCA Lecture Series Speaker Teaches the
Importance of Professional Excellence and Ethics
The Professional Careers Academy, facilitated by business teacher Ruth
Ann Falls, has had a busy beginning to second semester. On Thursday,
science teacher Emily Halastik, Dean of the Engineering Strand, invited
Robynn Andracsek, an engineer with Burns and McDonnell, to speak at
first-time
IT managers
the PCA Lecture Series aboutWhat
the Hyatt
Skywalk Collapse.
The students really
were interested to learn of the reasons for the collapse and the ethical
ramifications of critical decisions.
need to know.
Sophomore Dakota Okwuone came away with the message: “Always
take your responsibilities seriously and don’t be lazy. When you don’t
do things thoroughly, things go badly.”
Also on Thursday PCA hosted a Jobs Seminar. Two management
officials from the Hy Vee Corporation discussed hiring opportunities at
the new HyVee Super Store located at 151st & Blackbob. The students
also learned very important information about the application and
interview process.
January and February are critical months for our current juniors to be planning ahead for their senior project
requirement. Seniors are encouraged to seek internships in their field of interest. They will need to start that
process by returning an interest survey, resume, and pre-internship application. All internships are
competitive in nature, and although we cannot guarantee placement, our students have been very successful
in the past. An internship in high school will open doors for our students as they transition to post-secondary
experiences and beyond.
The PCA Student Leadership Team is seeking qualified members for 2014-15. This student-led team is
instrumental in giving student input to our organization. Interested students should contact their dean.
Your future starts now!
Spring Enrollment for College Now Courses Due Feb. 7
Now is the time for spring enrollment in JCCC College Now courses. Students currently enrolled this
semester in an Olathe South course that is also eligible for college credit through JCCC must enroll in the
course through JCCC’s website by Friday, February 7. There are no exceptions to this deadline. Payment is
also due on February 7. Contact Johnson County Community College by that date to make payment
arrangements if needed.
Great news! The Kansas Board of Regents has lifted the 24 credit hour limit that previously existed for
College Now classes. Students can now earn an unlimited number of credits through College Now classes.
AP Test Registration
Registration for the AP tests will be done online again this year beginning February 10. Registration will
end at midnight on March 26, no exceptions. To register, go to www.totalregistration.net/AP/172222 and
follow the directions on the website. For additional information visit http://teachers.olatheschools.com/
oscounseling/ap-tests/ or see Amy Brown in the counseling office.
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Olathe South
Olathe South Touts Five of Nine Martin Luther King Contest Winners!
Olathe South did very well again this year in the annual Martin Luther King Celebrate Diversity Contest. Many
thanks go to our teachers who promote the contest and encourage them to enter their work. Students
responded to the theme Rising Above Yourself as Dr. Martin Luther King once said, "An individual has not begun
to live until he can rise above the narrow horizons of his particular individualistic concerns to the broader
concerns of all humanity.”
Visual Arts District Winners
First Place ($300): Senior Bailey Hockett (Roger Messersmith, art teacher)
Second Place ($200): Senior Emma Davis (Opal Stephens, FACS teacher)
Third Place ($100): Junior Sydney Torrez (Roger Messersmith, art teacher)
Multi-Media District Winners
Second Place ($200): Sophomore Elizabeth Ward (Roger Ramseyer, Video Teacher)
Third Place ($100): Junior Annabelle Felter (Rebecca Reyes, Flight Crew teacher, and Roger Ramseyer)
Many Olathe South students entered their work, but each school was allowed to submit only three entries in
each category. Our other Olathe South semifinalists in the Written Work category were sophomores Anna
Kobularcik, Taylor Capps, and Deon Wade, and freshman Hayley Petersen. Micah Robertson was a semifinalist
in Multi-Media.
These students presented their work
interpreting the theme “Rising Above
Yourself” to five judges from the
Human Relations Commission
who determined the final placements.
Top Row: Bailey Hockett
Emma Davis, Sydney Torrez
Bottom Row: Elizabeth Ward and
Annabelle Felter, Multimedia
Olathe South
Page 6
Olathe South BioMech Falcons Prepare for First Robotics Competition
Olathe South’s new robotics team is off to an amazing start! They are finalizing their design for competition and
already have their robot’s frame built and driving around. They have four more weeks of build season left and are
very excited for this year’s competition.
For more information about the team, to make a donation, or to find out
how to get involved, please contact CAD/Industrial Technology teacher
and lead sponsor Jason Smith via email at jsmithos@olatheschools.org.
Science teacher Dennis Burkett and other volunteers are working with
the team. Parents have graciously provided dinner.
For information about the KC Regional event, please see the website:
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles/Robotics_Programs/FRC/
Events/2014/2014_MOKC_Agenda.pdf
For more information about the FRC, please go to www.usfirst.org and
select FRC from the menu.
AVID All Stars
The Olathe South AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students are required to take one
Advanced Placement class each semester as well as the AVID elective class. They all have been working very
hard this semester! We are very proud of all our students especially our “AVID All Stars” with exemplary
grades for semester one:
Freshmen: Payton Crocker, Jarod George, Sophia Hansen, Logan Hards, Sarah Loy, Breanna Reynoso,
Breanna Salmonson, Lucas Willison
Sophomores: Jerard Kotnour, Nathan Lintz, Deon Wade, and Emily Whiaker
Juniors: Nyia Duncan, Cristin Gerling, Makaela Harmon (ALL A’s) Kayla Henry, Avery Mielke, Bailey Parson, Luis
Ramirez, William Stolz, Tyler Trumble, Jordan Well, and Collin Fischer
Seniors: Austin Bader, Tori Carpenter, Breasya Donley, Haylie Galvan (ALL A’s), Erica Haake, Katie Jaeger,
Jorge Lobo, Brandon Morse, Conor Mueller, Emily Piette, Amanda Robinson, and Brittany Thomas.
AVID representatives will visit the middle schools in February to talk to students about the AVID program and
the interview process. If interested, please email AVID Facilitator Kiley Michaud
kmichaudos@olatheschools.org.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Please stop in and visit with your student’s teachers.
Wednesday, February 12 4:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Thursday , February 13
Dinner Break
11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
4:00 — 4:45 p.m.
The school store will be open during conferences! Please come see our new gear!
No School on Friday, February 14
Page 7
Olathe South
Teacher Awarded $500 for Excellence
Shakespeare and Poetry Orators
Back Row: Shakespeare Competition finalists include seniors Erick Patrick, third place; Quinn North, second place;
and Brock Webb, first place.
Front Row: Poetry Outloud finalists include juniors
Leanne Chun, first place; Mary Guieb, third place; and
Gretchen Reed, second place.
Flight Crew students nominated business teacher Rebecca Reyes for
the Educator Excellence Award, facilitated by the Olathe Public
Schools Foundation.
Falcon Flight Crew Pays It Forward
The Falcon Flight Crew found yet another opportunity to bring school spirit and excitement to South. Under
sponsor Rebecca Reyes' leadership, the class has been working with Angele Hampton, an OS parent who
oversees The Falcon Closet. The Closet offers trendy clothes, school supplies and personal hygiene items to students in need. Hampton works at OS on a weekly basis to stock
and organize the closet. Touched by their experiences working
with the Closet and recognizing and understanding the
importance of the Closet, the students were spurred to
celebrate Ms. Hampton’s efforts with the Closet and students.
The Falcon Flight Crew nominated Ms. Hampton for the Fox 4
Pay It Forward Award. The students presented this muchdeserved award to a surprised and touched Ms. Hampton.
Fox 4 shared their sentiments of appreciation and gave her a
$300 award. Eager to begin yet another project, Ms. Hampton
immediately donated the money back to the Closet Fund. Viewers were able to watch this recognition on Fox Ch. 4 News on
Dec. 23 , but it is also available on the Fox Ch. 4 website.
Spring Blood Drive-Breakfast Voucher Donations Welcomed
Students Achieving Social Harmony (SASH) is sponsoring a Spring Blood Drive Tuesday, April 1. We are looking
for community sponsors to assist with the Breakfast Voucher Program.
A nutritious breakfast has been found to reduce the reactions after donation. SASH
members would love to include a $2.00 voucher good for breakfast the day of the
drive to every student who makes an appointment. It is projected that we would
need $400 to launch the program.
Community sponsors will be recognized on each voucher and on the Sponsor Banner
displayed at the Blood Drive. If you or your business would like to sponsor all or part
of the program, please contact SASH faculty sponsor Angi Verstraete at 913-780-7160
or averstraeteos@olatheschools.org.
Olathe South
Page 8
Stuco Sponsors ALS Drive and WPA Sweetheart Dance
February is Student Council’s Sweetheart month. StuCo chose the ALS Foundation as its
philanthropy recipient. Fundraising proceeds from bracelet sales, a dodgeball tournament on February 15, and a small part of the dance ticket sales will help the fight against
Lou Gehrig’s Disease which progressively affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
This year the Winter Court candidates will be introduced at the Feb. 14 halftime of the
boys basketball game.
Winter Spirit Week will be Feb. 18-21. The Women Pay All dance, open to all grades, is Saturday, Feb. 22, from
8:00 to 11:00 p.m. Tickets are $12.00 per person with $2.00 from each ticket being donated to the ALS
Foundation. Contact StuCo sponsor Jennifer Fales at 913-780-7670 or jfalesos@olatheschools.org if you’d like to
help chaperone or work at the ticket or refreshment tables.
Science Olympiad Competition
Olathe South competed in the 2014 Northland Science Olympiad Competition on Jan. 18. Out of 23 teams,
Olathe South placed 10th overall and 4th among Kansas schools. Individual awards went to the following:
Write It Do It
4th place
Sophomores Ryan Mersmann & Nathan Helgeson
Rocks and Minerals
4th place
Senior Evan Eschliman & sophomore Chris Sukstorf
Entomology
2nd Place
Freshman Alaina Coughlin & senior Stephen DeHart
Experimental Design
st
1 Place
Juniors Alice Chen & Isaiah Hastings & senior Evan Eschliman
Sci-O’s next competition is Saturday, February 1, at Excelsior Springs High School.
Sponsored by science teacher Don Meier, the team will attend the Regional Competition February 22 at JCCC
with the hope of moving on to the State Competition slated for April 4.
Visual Arts News……
The drawing students have just completed a Water
Color study in which they studied famed fish watercolorist Joe Tomeller. Using Common Core practices,
students wrote one or two paragraphs critiquing their
completed watercolor assignments.
Feel free to check in at the office and visit the South
Gallery in the 700 Hall.
Page 9
Olathe South
OS Social Studies Teachers Serve as State Trainers of Trainers
Social Studies teachers Kim Wahaus and Cindi Nitschke were selected
among several applicants to participate in the January Kansas State
Department of Education 2014 Training of Trainers, which resulted in
an endorsement by KSDE as trainers in the area of social studies,
formative assessment, and integration strategies. They spent the
summer months training teachers across the state as they prepare for
the upcoming state social science assessment and will continue to do
so next summer. Congratulations!
StuCo and Others Lend Helping Hands to the Community During Holiday Season
Student Council organized the Food Drive with the collection going to the Johnson County Christmas Bureau.
In December StuCo members collected over $400 and shopped for items for the Falcon Closet. They went to the
nursing home in Spring Hill where they sang, greeted patients, and did small service projects.
In February StuCo’s philanthropy will contribute to the ALS Foundation. Their Rachel’s Challenge efforts at
Olathe South in the fall was so successful that they were invited to conduct another Rachel’s Challenge Day at
Mission Trail on Jan 22.
AVID students collected over 400 food items for Harvester at the All-Avid Event in November.
Flight Crew students collected and gift wrapped donated items that select students could give as Christmas
presents to family members.
OS Debate
Olathe South attended the National Forensic League debate qualifier. Seniors Ethan Stueve and James Hendrickson were among the top 20 in our district with a 2-2 record. Junior Yusra Nabi and sophomore Katy Dorrell placed
7th overall with a 4-2 record. Senior Alex Lockwood, juniors Kyle Frank and Justin Hermstedt, and sophomore
Ben Williams also represented Olathe South at the tournament.
Collecting Senior Pictures
One of the big undertakings for the Senior Committee is creating the Senior Slide Show. The video is a great
reminder to the students of how far they have come over the past 18 years. The video is first shown to students
the day of the Senior Outing, April 25,and again the night of graduation.
We would like to collect 2 pictures (1 current photo and 1 baby/early childhood photo) of each senior by Friday,
March 14. We want to make sure that every senior is represented in the video, so your prompt participation in
this will be appreciated.
We are collecting pictures in two ways:
1. Email senior class co-sponsor Rebecca Reyes with an attachment of the pictures. This is the preferred
method as it eliminates scanning all of the photos.
2. Bring a hard copy of the picture to Olathe South, Office staff will deliver them to the students. Please
make sure pictures are in an envelope with the student’s name on the front, so we can return the pictures.
If you are sending a hard copy of the pictures, you should consider sending a copy, not the original. We will
return pictures to the student, but when we are handling over 500 student pictures ,sometimes mistakes can
happen. We would hate to lose something extremely sentimental.
Thank you so much for your help in creating of the video that will be very special to each of our seniors!
Page 10
Olathe South
Falcon Sports
OS Student Nominated as All-American
All-American football player senior Braden Smith represented Olathe South in the
Under Armour All-American game in Orlando, Florida, on January 2. The practices
started on December 28. The players involved in this game are considered by the
college football world as the best players in the United States. Congratulations!
Braden has also been selected as the 2013 “Bigger-Faster- Stronger High School
Male Athlete of the Year.” Bigger-Faster-Stronger (BFS) is a global magazine
dedicated to recognizing high school and college athletes who demonstrate
excellence in every aspect of their lives.
Braden also participates in track and is the defending state champion in the shot put
and discus. A You-Tube video of Braden’s three-rep 515-lb bench press was recently
featured on Yahoo News.
OS Girls Basketball
The Lady Falcons, coached by Steve Ingram, are 8 and 1 overall and 3 and 0 in the
League. They are currently ranked #1 in Class 6A and the third best team in the entire state.
They compete at the Lawrence Free State Tournament next week.
Olathe South Softball
Coached by Mike Allen, the Falcon softball team is gearing up for another season. Conditioning has been
going on since December. If your daughter is interested in trying out for softball, have her stop by Coach
Allen’s room 212. Please remember that student athletes must have a physical on file to participate in
tryouts, which will be held Monday, March 3.
OS Baseball
For the 3rd year the Olathe South baseball team will be playing Olathe East on Friday, April 11, at Kauffman
Stadium. In order to get this opportunity, the baseball team needs to sell a minimum of 1000 ticket vouchers
for the upcoming Royals baseball season. As you know, the Royals had a great season last year and
everything points to a great season in 2014.
On sale are Field Plaza tickets ($34 at the box office) for $20 each (lower level, just pass the dugouts). These
ticket vouchers are good for any home game in the 2014 season except for the following opponents: Boston
Red Sox, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
These ticket vouchers are good for 67 games at The K this season. The tickets can be redeemed the day of
the game at the box office for the best available seats in the field plaza sections. You can also mail them into
the Royals box office 10 or more days away from the game and they will mail you back your tickets, so you
can avoid the lines.
A portion of each voucher goes to the Olathe South Baseball program, so please help support the Falcons
and the Royals at the same time.
Tickets are on sale now. If interested, please contact Coach Josh Perkins at
jperkinsos@olatheschools.org. You can also purchase tickets at home basketball games and during ParentTeacher Conferences in February 12 and 13.
Page 11
Olathe South
Congrats to our All-State Musicians!
Several of our music students have been selected through a very competitive process to be a part of the Kansas
All-State Band, Choir and Orchestra, sponsored by the Kansas Music Educators Association. These students are
among the best on their particular instrument or voice in the entire state. They will participate in rehearsals and
a concert at the 2014 KMEA In-service Workshop in Wichita February 27-March 1. The students selected are:
Senior Evan Eschliman, oboe
Senior Brendan Fairleigh, clarinet
Senior Andre Womack, contra clarinet
Senior Chris Fairleigh, trumpet
Sophomore Carley Eschliman, horn
Senior Blake Wright, trombone
Sophomore Rachel Li, violin
Sophomore Tanner Leon, viola
Junior Callie VanWinkle, cello
Senior Quinn North, tenor
Senior Tyler Boyd, bassoon alternate
Congratulations to these students and their teachers Chad Coughlin (band), Greg Ferguson (Orchestra) and
Cindy Sheppard (choir).
Wind Ensemble Selected to Perform at State Music Convention
The Olathe South Wind
Ensemble was selected as
one of only four bands in
the state to perform at
the 2014 Kansas Music
Educators Association
In-service Workshop in
Wichita February 28. The
group was selected by a
panel of music educators
in a very competitive
audition process. This is
the first time one of
Olathe South’s large
instrumental music
groups has performed at
the state convention.
Wind Ensemble will
perform in the Century II
Convention Center Concert Hall on Friday, February 28, at 12:20 p.m., but you can see them perform the same
music at a concert with the other Olathe South bands on Tuesday, February 25, at 7:00 p.m. in the Olathe South
Auditorium.
Chef Challenge for Scholarship
Olathe students wowed the judges at the Third Annual Country Chef Challenge this
fall and walked away with $800 scholarships.
The team of James Fackrell of Olathe Northwest and senior David Cramer of Olathe
South placed second. Cramer and Fackrell received $400 scholarships each.
Page 12
Olathe South
Olathe South: Serving Others and Loving It
Falcon Pack Program Update
Olathe South has 344 students who qualify for free or reduced lunches. These same students may not be
receiving the food and sustenance they require to be healthy once they leave the school. The Falcon Packs Program helps our low-socioeconomic students get the food they need on the weekends to be healthy and more
successful. The Friends of Rachel (FOR) Club, sponsored by Mike Allen, organizes and facilitates this program.
Currently, we are supplying packs to 30+ students. Support has been provided by local food pantries in addition
to our community consisting of students, parents, community members, Olathe South clubs/organizations, the
Olathe Junior Service League, the Church of the Harvest (which supplied 25 Thanksgiving meal baskets), and
most recently a $500 grant provided by the Walmart on K7 Highway. This invaluable program would not be the
success it is without the many who have made and continue to make contributions. For those interested in
donating, the pack program is in need of the following:
Breakfast -- granola or cereal bars, oatmeal, Carnation instant
breakfast
Lunch – macaroni and cheese, soup
Dinner -- microwaveable meals, tuna, hearty soups
Snacks – fruit, applesauce, popcorn, peanut butter, hot chocolate,
peanut butter or cheese crackers, chips, fruit roll-ups, pudding,
bottled water and/or vitamin water
Donations may be dropped off in the front office to the attention of
Angela Klusman and the Falcon Pack Program.
National Honor Society Community Service
On December 20, approximately 30 National Honor Society members,
sponsored by Shannon Wolak and Alison Wulff, gave back to their
community by volunteering at the Salvation Army. The students helped
distribute Christmas gifts to families in need.
Freshman Modern World History Classes to Assemble CARE Kits for Heart-to-Heart
Ninth grade history classes are working hard on a service project this quarter. They are collecting donated items
for Heart to Heart International, a local organization that helps communities around the world after disasters.
Heart to Heart was most recently involved in sending aid to the Philippines after the typhoon and delivering
supplies to Moore, Oklahoma,following the F5 tornado that hit that community. The freshmen and their teachers
Nic Cook, Matt Croft, Teri Daugherty, Jeff Haas, and Carol Nycklemoe are hoping to help replenish their supply
with 100 CARE Kits that provide basic necessities after such disaster.
CARE Kits contain the following items: hand towels, washcloths, wide-toothed combs, shampoo (4-15 ozs), bars
of soap, individually wrapped, toothbrush, individually sealed, toothpaste (2-6 ozs), standard size adhesive bandages.
Collection will end Jan 31. They are short on shampoo, toothpaste, and hand towels, not washcloths. International shipping regulations require specified sizes of those items listed above. Cash/check donations help cover the
costs of shipping these kits around the world. Checks can be made payable to Olathe South High School.
The freshmen are not required to make donations, but they are encouraged to participate by helping assemble
the kits.
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Olathe South
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Olathe South
Outstanding Local High School Students Selected to Perform at Carnegie Hall
Junior Christopher Chavez and sophomore Veronica Wood have been selected for
the 2014 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. Where they will
be performing with the top voices selected from all over the world.
Chavez and Wood are two of the 155 teens chosen from the 10,000 hopefuls from
around the world who auditioned for the 2014 High School Honors Choir last fall.
This is the third year that students of Choir Director Dr. Cindy Sheppard have been selected.
"They're getting to interact with students from a lot of different backgrounds. So not only is there that musical
connection, there's also that connection with kids from so many different backgrounds. To me, that's just part of
that whole educational experience," Sheppard said.
Now Chavez and Wood begin the fundraising to help them get to Carnegie Hall. Contact their teacher at
csheppardos@olatheschools.org if you'd like to help.
OSHS TSA Excels at JCCC’s CTE
The Technology Students of America from Olathe South competed in the Competitive Technology Event at
Johnson County Community College and did amazingly well. More than 500 students from Johnson, Leavenworth, and Wyandotte, and Douglas County schools participated. Students competed in one or several
technology-related fields, including Desktop Publishing, Visual Arts Cluster, Teaching Careers, Entrepreneurship,
Interior Design, Design and Construction, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Personal Communications,
Engineering, and Transportation. Olathe South award winners include the following students:
1st Place Architectural Design—Junior Brandyn
Voorhees
2nd Place Quality Assurance—Juniors Taelor Dixon,
Chris Wilson & Bradyn Voorhees
3rd Place Debate—Seniors Alexander Lockwood and
Erica Haake
3rd Place Interior Design—Senior Haley Dunkak
3rd Place Wood Technology—Junior Chris Wilson
4th Place Music Development—Senior Juan Freyre
4th Place Photography—Senior Alexis Piseno
Back Row: Sponsor Jason Smith, Taelor Dixon, Alexis Piseno,
Chris Wilson, Cassie Englehart, Haley Dunkak, Sponsor Greg
Wheeler. Front Row: Alex Tripodi, Erica Haake, Shannon Hatfield
5th Place Public Speaking—Senior Alexander
Lockwood
Interpreters will be provided for special events if sufficient
notice is given. Please call the office to let us know of your
needs at least 5 days prior to the scheduled event.
The Olathe Public Schools prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion or disability in its programs, activities or employment,
and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups to its facilities as required by: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI
and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and other relevant state and federal laws. Inquiries regarding compliance with applicable civil rights statutes related
to ethnicity, gender, age discrimination or equal access may be directed to Staff Counsel, 14160 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. All inquiries regarding compliance with applicable statutes regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the
Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to the Assistant Superintendent General Administration, 14160 Black Bob Rd. Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone (913) 7807000. Interested persons including those with impaired vision or hearing, can also obtain information as to the existence and location of services, activities and facilities that are accessible to and usable by disabled persons by calling the Assistant Superintendent General Administration. (04/13)