The September 14th Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) Hearing will begin at 5:45 p.m., followed by the Budget Hearing at 6:00 p.m. and the regular meeting at 6:15 p.m. All meetings will be held in the District Office. During construction, please enter through the front doors of the cafeteria, then proceed through the library and commons area to reach the District Office.
Thursday 9/10/2026
10:00am - HS JV Girls Golf at Goodland
1:00pm - HS Girls Golf at Cimarron
4:00pm - MS Volleyball at home vs Ellis (OHS Gym, Order of play B, C, A)
5:00pm - MS Football at home verus Ellis.
OES Classroom Spotlight: Mrs. Karla's 4th Grade
Mrs. Deidre Zimmerman
Mrs. Deidre Zimmerman graduated from Fort Hays State University in 1989 and has dedicated 35 years to teaching, including the past five years at Oakley Elementary School. This summer, she and her husband celebrated 35 years of marriage. They have three grown children who all currently live in Wichita, Kansas. Their son recently turned 30 and will be married next July. Their oldest daughter, Carlie, recently turned 27, is happily married, and welcomed her first baby in June—making Mrs. Zimmerman a very excited first-time grandma! Their youngest daughter, Morgan, is 24. The family also includes Snickers, her husband’s cat, who is definitely spoiled! Her family members describe her as kind, caring, and always there when they need her. When Mrs. Zimmerman is not at school, you can find her spending time with her new grandbaby, reading, exercising, or working in her garden. If she were not a teacher, she believes she would still be doing something that positively impacts young children. One celebrity she would love to meet is Julia Roberts—simply because she loves her! If she could take her students on a field trip anywhere, she would transport them back in time to experience life on the prairie during the 1800s. Her favorite school tradition is the Sunshine Cart because she loves the excitement it brings. A fun fact about Mrs. Zimmerman is that she was a cheerleader during all four years she attended Oakley High School! Her advice to students is simple but meaningful: Always give your best effort in everything you do!
Get ready for fall school pictures!
Oakley Middle School & High School (5th - 11th Grade) - Tuesday, September 15th
Oakley Elementary - (Preschool - 4th Grade) - Thursday, September 16th
To preview backgrounds, please visit:
https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-hX3ddD
Good Luck to all OHS and OMS Athletes Today!
Tuesday 9/8/2026
10:00 a.m. - Girls Golf @ Goodland
4:00 p.m. - MS VB Tri @ Home vs Hill City & Ellis - (A Team at OHS, B team at the Western Vista Complex)
4:30 p.m. - HS VB @ Phillipsburg
6:30 p.m. - HS JV @ Quinter
From the Oakley FFA:
Oakley FFA Blue & Gold Times
September 2026
Petting Zoo!
Come and meet friendly animals - horses, pigs, calves, dogs, goats, and more!
When - October 3rd from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Where - Buffalo Bill Cultural Center
🚨 ONLY 3 DAYS LEFT! 🚨
Don’t miss your chance to purchase the 2026–2027 USD 274 Yearbook for only $50 plus tax—the lowest price of the year!
The price increases after September 11, so order now and save!
📲 Order online at:
jostens.com/bts/1070576
Logan County Health Department will
be at USD #274 on Tuesday, October 6th
at 1:30 pm to administer flu vaccines.
Please fill out a form for each child and
choose Mist (live) or Shot (inactivated)
Please include copy of insurance or
$30.00. Any questions please call
785-671-4502.
www.logancountyhealth.com
Attention Grades 5 - 8! On Friday, September 11, 2026, SOAR will host a back-to-school dance to celebrate the start of the year! The theme is "Kickin' Off the School Year Right!" All 5 - 8 students in good standing are invited to attend!
There will be dancing, ice cream, and other snacks. Wear your favorite boots and western attire!
The dance will be located in the Oakley Schools Cafeteria. Please enter through the front entrance.
Parents - do not drop off your students any sooner than 5:45 p.m. and have students picked up no later than 8:15 p.m.
SOAR officers and class reps will need to stay after to help clean up the cafeteria and put things back in order.
All 5 - 8 teachers are invited as well!
If you have questions, email or call(785) 671-3820
Brenda Janzen, SOAR sponsor.
President: Riley Wagoner (not pictured)
Vice-President: Gage Lauber
*Secretary: Kamden Runnalls
*Treasurer: Alexander Bockwinkel
*5th Grade Class Reps: Ava Shellito & Angel Rodriguez-Diaz
*6th Grade Class Reps: Jolynn Spresser & Ignacio Bravo
*7th Grade Class Reps: Isaac Samuelson & Elsie Helus
*8th Grade Class Reps: Reese Marshall (not pictured) & Parker Myers
Congratulations to our 2026-27 SOAR Team!
Friday Check In with Mrs. Goetz:
Dear Parents,
It is imperative that we remain diligent in following guidelines in the elementary drop off line during morning hours. In order for drop off to remain safe and efficient, please adhere to the following guidelines:
All parents must stay in their vehicles if they are in the drop off line
No vehicles should pass one another to bypass vehicles
At no point should the cross walk be blocked
Students need to ready and quickly exit the vehicle on the passenger side, if possible
REMINDER: If the curb is yellow, you cannot park there!
Thank you for helping keep us safe.
Upcoming Elementary Events:
Monday, September 7th: No School-Labor Day
Tuesday, September 15th: 5th and 6th Grade Picture Day
Thursday, September 17th: Preschool-4th Grade Picture Day
Dear Parents/Guardians:
I want to make you aware of a social media trend involving “Cat in the Hat” content that has recently affected schools and students in several communities across the country. The trend involves disturbing or threatening images, videos, and messages shared through platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok. Much of this content has been AI-generated or digitally altered, and in some cases, posts have referenced specific schools, communities, or individual students. Law enforcement and school officials in several states have investigated reports connected to the trend. USD 274 Administration is aware of threads making their way through social media. We are working with the Oakley Police Department and Logan County Sheriff’s Office and are monitoring the situation. We are sharing this information so families can talk with their children about what to do if they encounter this or other troubling content online. The safety and wellbeing of our students is our number one priority. Please remind your child that if they see or receive a threatening, disturbing, or concerning post or message, they should:
● Not respond, engage with, or repost the content.
● Save evidence of the post or message, such as a screenshot, when it is safe to do so.
● Tell a trusted adult immediately, including a parent, teacher, counselor, or school administrator.
● Report any threat or immediate safety concern to law enforcement.
We encourage families to talk with their children about responsible social media use and the importance of speaking up when something online makes them feel unsafe or concerned. Even content intended as a joke can cause fear, disrupt schools, and require significant school and law enforcement resources to investigate. We will continue to monitor the situation and will communicate additional information as it becomes available. Thank you for your attention to this important update.
Sincerely,
Julie Crum, Superintendent
Come cheer on our Oakley Plainsmen Football team as they open against the Quinter Bulldogs! At the Irwin Stadium, September 4th at 8:00pm!
“Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest—The Plainsmen Will Beat the Rest!” Homecoming, September 25, 2026
Step into an enchanted realm at Oakley High School, where students, faculty, and community members are preparing for the most magical week of the autumn season. The Student Council has officially unveiled this year’s fairytale theme: “Be Our Guest, Be Our Guest—The Plainsmen Will Beat the Rest!”
Senior Payton Kuhlman and junior Chesney Marshall set the stage for an unforgettable homecoming. Combining senior leadership with fresh junior energy, this year’s chairs have been working behind the scenes to pull back the curtain on a truly enchanting week. From transforming school halls into a grand ballroom to orchestrating every magical moment of spirit, Payton and Chesney are proving there’s something sweet and almost kind in store for the entire student body.
Drawing inspiration from Disney’s beloved classic, the week promises grand festivities, royal traditions, and fierce Western Kansas pride.
AN ENCHANTED SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
The castle gates are open to all Plainsmen fans, families, and visiting alumni for a week of royal traditions:
Wednesday, September 23rd
The Prince's Cloak Jersey Auction — 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Silent auction open to students. Bid on your favorite player’s game jersey for the weekend!
Community Interfaith Service — 7:00 p.m. | More information to come
Lumière’s Spirit Bonfire — 8:00 p.m. (approx.) | OHS Practice Football Field. Join the pep band, cheer squad, and team as we light up the night and spark true Plainsmen spirit.
Friday, September 25th
The Grand Homecoming Parade — 2:00 p.m. | Center Avenue. Watch movie classic class floats, the marching band, and local civic groups wind through downtown Oakley. If you wish to participate, please call the high school office at 671-3241.
Royal Coronation Ceremony — 6:30 p.m. | Erwin Stadium. Take your seats early to witness the crowning of the 2026 Homecoming King and Queen.
Friday Night Lights Kick-Off — 7:00 p.m. | Erwin Stadium. The Plainsmen defend their home turf against the Hoxie Indians in an action-packed gridiron battle.
Saturday, September 26th
"Be Our Guest" Homecoming Dance — 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. | OHS Cafeteria. Put on your finest attire, step inside the castle ballroom, and celebrate a night to remember!
Middle School Volleyball and Football are at home, September 3rd! Come out and support our Middle School athletes!
Volleyball vs. St. Francis
Oakley High School Gym at 6:00 PM
Order of play: B, C, A
Football vs. St. Francis at 7:00 PM
Oakley High School "C" Team Volleyball heads to Colby to take on Colby High School and Heartland Christian, September 3rd at 4:00PM at the Colby High School.
Yesterday during WINN time, our 5th–8th grade students had the opportunity to give their speeches for this year’s SOAR elections! We are proud of the students who stepped forward to represent their classmates and shared their ideas with their peers.
You may be wondering—what is SOAR? SOAR is the new name for Oakley Middle School Student Council (STUCO) and represents the values we want our student leaders to demonstrate:
S – Serve
O – Outreach
A – Act
R – Represent
Our goal is for members of the SOAR Team to put these values into action as they serve and represent their fellow students within our school, our district, and our community.
You may also be wondering—what is WINN? WINN stands for “What I Need Now.” This dedicated time gives students opportunities to strengthen the skills they need to be successful in school. This year, our primary WINN focus is building and strengthening reading skills.
We are excited to see our students SOAR as they develop their leadership skills, serve others, and make a positive difference at Oakley Middle School! 🦅
Today, our elections were held. The winners will be announced tomorrow during morning announcements & posted on Facebook later.
Pictured Left to Right: Riley Wagoner, Kamden Runnalls, Gage Lauber, Alexander Bockwinkel, Adelyn Spencer, Jocelyn Nelsen, Brynn Halbleib, Ally Yeagley, and Declan Wright. Not pictured: Emersyn Zerr
