Jefferson West High School

If you are looking for more information about the upcoming USD 340 bond issue, board members and the Superintendent will be available at the home basketball game vs. NEKSHA to answer any of your questions.

📅Friday, February 20th
⏱️Games begin at 4:30 PM
📍Jefferson West High School

Please come out, cheer on the Jeff West Tigers, and get informed.

The Spring Sports Parent Meeting will be held Thursday, February 19, at 7:30pm at the High School. The sports of Baseball, Boys Golf, Softball, and Track will be showcased. Please make plans to attend!

USD 340 will be live streaming the negotiations meeting that is taking place TOMORROW, FEBRUARY 19TH at 6:00 PM. Please find the link below if you would like to attend via Zoom.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84889449233?pwd=QtOaneHFjeG5yHbDupC2sLzrEtHYzt.1

FCCLA members travel to Holton today for STAR Events. Good luck!

Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Events are competitive events in which members compete at the regional/district, state, and national levels. Students are recognized for proficiency and achievement in chapter and individual projects, leadership skills, and career preparation. STAR Events allow students to compete individually or as a team. There are more than 30 STAR Events students can choose to compete in, all of which recognize participants who demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities to actively identify an issue concerning families, careers, or communities, research the topic, and develop and implement a project to advocate for positive change.

STAR Events offer individual skill development and application of learning through the following activities:
• Cooperative - teams work to accomplish specific goals
• Individualized - an individual member works alone to accomplish specific goals
• Competitive - individual or team performance is measured by an established set of criteria

HS Site Council tonight at 5:30pm. We hope to see you there!

At Saturday’s Forensics meet, junior Trent Turner placed second in prose for his rendition of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” qualifying him for state. As a team with junior Sydnee Jackson, the pair qualified for state in improvised duet acting. The team of juniors Madison Sage and Hailey Morley-Guenther also medaled after qualifying for finals. Congratulations to these four medalists!

🥫 FFA Canned Food Drive | Feb. 18–19 🥫

Help us fill the shelves and give back! Advisories will compete to see who can bring in the most canned goods.

The Advisory with the highest total wins an ICE CREAM PARTY! 🍨

Every can counts! Let’s see which Advisory comes out on top!

It's Presidents' Day!!

Historically, Americans began celebrating George Washington’s birthday just months after his death, long before Congress declared it a federal holiday. It was not until 1879, under President Rutherford B. Hayes, that Washington’s Birthday became a legal holiday, to be observed on his birthday, February 22.

In a sense, calling the holiday Presidents’ Day helps us reflect on not just the first president but also our nation’s founding, its values, and what Washington calls in his Farewell Address the “beloved Constitution and Union, as received from the Founders.” Also, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is February 12, so by calling the holiday “Presidents’ Day,” we can also include another remarkable president in our celebrations.

Today, many calendars list the third Monday of February as Presidents’ Day, just as many U.S. states do. Of course, all of the 3-day retail store sales are called “Presidents’ Day” sales, and this vernacular has also been influential in how we reference the holiday. George Washington’s Birthday is one of only 11 permanent federal holidays established by Congress, observed each year. One of the great traditions followed for decades has been the reading of George Washington’s Farewell Address by a U.S. senator in legislative session, which remains an annual event to this day.

Myths About Washington
Legend has it that George Washington chopped down a cherry tree when he was 6 years old and, when confronted by his father, said, “I cannot tell a lie. I did it with my hatchet.” Turns out Washington didn’t say this; he didn’t even chop down the tree! This tale was, in fact, concocted by Parson Mason Weems (1759–1825), one of Washington’s biographers, who made up the story hoping to demonstrate Washington’s honesty.

This tale is not the only myth about Washington. His wooden dentures? They weren’t made of wood; they were made of hippopotamus teeth that had been filed down to fit into Washington’s mouth.

Source: The Old Farmer's Almanac

Upcoming HS events for the week of 2/15-2/21…

2/16 USD 340 – No Classes – Student Led IPS Conferences
2/16 Presidents’ Day
2/17 G/B BKB vs. Royal Valley 4:30pm
2/18 FCCLA STAR Events @ Holton
2/18 HS Site Council 5:30pm
2/19 Spring Sports Parent Meeting 7:30pm
2/20 G/B BKB vs. NEKSHA 4:30pm
2/21 Boys WR Regionals @ Holton 9:30am
2/22 Community Engagement Meeting @ MS 3:30pm

Hometown Hero Spotlight: Judy McAsey Arnold

Judy sees the world through a camera lens as she travels town to town across capturing the moments that matter most.

From cheering on students at USD 340 Jefferson West School District (where two of her grandchildren attend) to submitting photos to The Vindicator, Valley Falls Newspaper. Known lovingly as “Grandma Judy,” she is always there to document our community’s heart.

Rain or shine, weekday or weekend; you’ll often find her on the sidelines, in the stands, or out in the community making sure no special moment goes unnoticed. Her photos don’t just capture events — they preserve memories, celebrate local stories, and help keep small-town life connected.

Nominated by Alisha Schwinn, Judy’s dedication helps preserve local memories, one photo at a time. Thank you for being a true Hometown Hero, Judy!

Proudly partnered with Lentz Express Catering and Wilson Tire —serving our communities together.

Courtesy: Kanzaland Country - KNZA 103.9 FM & KMZA 92.1 FM

Any Jefferson West Ag student that is interested in this, please see Mr. Bartel for details. Space is limited!!

Kansas Range Youth Camp | June 9–12, 2026
Love plants, livestock, or wildlife? This hands-on camp is for high schoolers (entering 10th–12th grade) who want to explore rangeland management and conservation.
📍 Tentatively at Camp Mennoscah – final location confirmed in April
📌 Ask your local Conservation District about scholarships!
📝 Register now – https://www.kglc.org/range-youth-camp.cfm

Jefferson West FFA would like to see you at their new event, Cowboy Coffee. Local farmers, come out and spend the morning with the officers! We would love to see you 7-9am on Monday, February 16th. Join us! See flyer for more details.

Plant & Soil Science class students created floral arrangements in time for Valentine’s Day. Students also were challenged on using ribbon and they demonstrated how to tie a bow. Were you a lucky recipient?

Animal Science class students took their knowledge of chickens to demonstrate different carcass grades and challenged by dividing their chicken into retail parts. This hands-on experience showcased the value of processing and how it is taken for granted. It was a great experience!

Tuesday kicked off a busy week of basketball at Sabetha. 🏀

Great energy, strong competition, and lots of action as our teams hit the road! 💪

📷Jeff West Sports Pics

Congrats to Osiris Unruh for showing up and standing out this week, and being named Kanzaland Country - KNZA 103.9 FM & KMZA 92.1 FM Male Athlete of the Week! Your hard work, grit, and consistency don’t go unnoticed. Keep setting the standard! 🔥

On Thursday last week, our basketball teams traveled to Marysville. 🏀

Here are a few highlights from the night — great effort, strong teamwork, and another fun road trip for our athletes! 💪

📷Jeff West Sports Pics