In the Loop
August 12, 2022
District News
Successful Start to the 2022-2023 School Year
Approximately 5,000 Trussville City Schools (TCS) students converged on our five campuses this week to commence the 2022-2023 School Year. These students were greeted with warm and welcoming educators who stand prepared to provide students with positive and challenging learning environments. Educators worked throughout the summer to prepare for the new school year - as happens each year. All of that summer work culminated with Institute 2022, held at the high school campus, on Monday, August 8. More than 600 TCS employees gathered in the school's auditorium to hear from district leaders, including Superintendent Dr. Pattie Neill. Dr. Neill shared with everyone the theme for 2022-2023: "Be Ready. Be Respectful. Be Responsible" (see more below). Dr. Neill took a deep dive into this theme - sharing the "elements of balance and well-being": Physical, Mental, Social/Emotional, and Spiritual. Trussville Board of Education members were on hand for Institute, as well as city leaders. A special tribute was paid to the seven School Resource Officers (SROs) who patrol TCS campuses. Trussville Police Chief Eric Rush introduced each SRO to resounding applause.
The Three "Rs" - Be Ready, Be Respectful, Be Responsible
TCS Bus Drivers Kick Off 2022-2023 School Year
“I’m blessed with what I do have and not concerned with what I don’t.” That's a quote from Lee Carpenter (Auburn Football player 1971-74) who recently passed away from ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). The quote also served as this year's theme for the TCS Transportation Department's annual In-Service Training, held earlier this week at First Baptist Church of Trussville. Approximately 80 TCS Transportation Department employees were on hand for this year's event, mainly bus drivers. The group not only heard words of wisdom designed to serve as inspiration for the 2022-2023 School Year, they also learned specifics about the school system's 64 bus routes and brushed up on state, local, and federal transportation policies. Dale Posey, Coordinator of Transportation, always enjoys bringing his department together. "We have top notch employees that come to work every day with one goal: pick up/drop off [students safely] every day. The challenges that go with managing students while driving down the road, in addition to distracted drivers, etc., make this job somedays impossible. I have [one grandchild] - soon to be two grandchildren - and I would put them on any of our routes."
TCS Receives $44,000.00 in Community Service Grants
Alabama State Representative Danny Garrett, House District 44, has presented Trussville City Schools a collective $44,000.00 in Community Service Grants. Rep. Garrett made the rounds to all Trussville City Schools and the Trussville Board of Education on Wednesday, August 10, to present the checks. The Community Service Grants will go toward further improving the educational experience for all Trussville City Schools students.
Now Posted: TCS August Menus
TCS cafeterias "fired up the grills" once again as students returned to our campuses for a new school year. Under the direction of new CNP Coordinator Mrs. Terrie Coggins, all five cafeterias have been hard at work preparing delicious, nutritious meals for TCS students. You can always find what's being served up via this link: https://www.trussvillecityschools.com/Menus. Also, as a reminder, the federal free meal program expired June 30, 2022. Trussville City Schools resumed its original prices for breakfast and lunch this month. If a student purchases a school breakfast or lunch, they will be charged according to their eligibility. Prices for school meals beginning August 2022 are as follows: Breakfast (all schools) $1.50; Elementary Lunch $2.50; Middle School Lunch $2.75; High School Lunch $2.75. Reduced-price breakfasts cost $0.30 and reduced-price lunches cost $0.40 (all schools). If families believe they are eligible for free or reduced meals, resources are available on this website. If you have questions, please email CNP Director Terrie Coggins.
TCS Smartphone APP: Download TODAY!
Campus Notes
HTHS Educators Participate in AL Power/AL STEM Council ‘STEMternship’
Hewitt-Trussville High School (HTHS) Advanced Placement (AP) Physics Teacher, Melanie Dimler, and Engineering Academy Teachers Jason Dooley and Tom Moulton were all selected for summer "STEMternships." These TCS educators collaborated with field experts who "believe a skilled, diverse and dedicated workforce is essential to the future of Alabama." Dimler, Dooley, and Moulton joined other middle and high school teachers from across Alabama to learn more about the Alabama STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Council and Alabama Power - and those entities' efforts to infuse more STEM curricula into classrooms. Read more on the TCS educators' STEMternships on the Alabama News Center website. See the original TCS news release from May 2022. (photo credit: AL News Center)
HTHS Wind Ensemble Selected for Prestigious National Festival
The Hewitt-Trussville High School Wind Ensemble has been selected to perform at the 2023 Music for All National Festival, presented by Yamaha, in Indianapolis, March 31-April 2, 2023. The HTHS Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Mike Guzman, Jerry Adair and Shannon Moore, was selected following a rigorous application and audition process. The Music for All National Festival will host more than 55 high school and middle school ensembles from across the country at the 30th Annual Music for All National Festival, considered the nation’s premier non-competitive festival for scholastic instrumental music ensembles. See more on Music For All on the HTHS website.
Winn-Dixie Joins as TCS Community Partner
HTHS and HTMS have been chosen by the Winn-Dixie located at 465 Main Street in Trussville for Winn-Dixie's annual School Partnership Program. This program allows the Trussville Winn-Dixie to raise funds in support of TCS' two secondary schools. Beginning Wednesday, August 10, through Tuesday, August 30, Winn-Dixie invites our teachers, staff, students, families and community members to come shop and round up their purchases to benefit HTMS and HTHS. During this time, customers can also support education by purchasing a Community Bag with a Giving Tag. Each reusable bag comes with a $1 community giving tag, and our partnering schools will be the designated recipients of the donation for the month of August. Southeastern Grocers, parent company of the Winn-Dixie brand, is proud to partner with local schools to support the future leaders of our communities.
Tracking the Huskies: Everything HT Athletics!
- Husky Night
- Paws for a Cause
- Student Athletic Passes
- Tryouts
- More!
Community Notes
2022 Paws for a Cause: August 13
Paws for a Cause will be here TOMORROW! This annual fundraiser, a joint effort by the Trussville City Schools Foundation and Trussville City Schools Athletic Foundation, raises thousands of dollars for TCS. This year's event will once again be held at the Trussville Entertainment District. A Trussville-grown band, Dixie Krystal, will open the night. Tickets? Visit: Paws For A Cause - Trussville City Schools Foundation (tcsf.org)
Important Resources for TCS Parents & Students
Shortcuts to important resources listed on the TCS District website:
The Mission of Trussville City Schools is to educate all students using high standards in a safe, nurturing environment fostering academic and career competencies that prepare them to be productive citizens.