#StayTRU
Truman High School Newsletter-February 2024
Hope, Love, & Inspiration
February, especially recently warm days, brings with it the hope of spring, the inspiration to keep moving through the dark and cold days toward light and warmth of spring. For some, February is a month to show love towards others-Valentine's Day. For some, February is a time to reflect on our past and celebrate greatness-Black History Month. And for football fans (especially KC Chiefs fans!) it is a time of Superbowl Championship hopes. A month full of hope, love, and inspiration sounds like a good month!
As educators and parents, we share those emotions-hopeful for the best for our students, loving them and those who support them, inspiring one another to continue with our goals despite challenges. We work together as a team for the best outcomes for our kids. It just doesn't get better than that-communities of people coming together to support one another.
This week we look forward to Courtwarming Week-a Spirit Week with a Signing Day (2/7) and ending on Friday with an assembly, a basketball double-header vs. Fort Osage, crowning of our Courtwarming Queen, and then the dance on Saturday. We have candy grams and flower sales for those who want to send something special to their special someone, and of course, we are pumped about the Superbowl! This month we also celebrate Black History Month with our annual Black Excellence Dinner on Feb. 29th, as well as our Teacher and Classified Employee of the year.
All of that is good and fun and a part of the high school experience. But the most important part, something on which we have unwavering focus, is attendance and academics. Seniors are preparing for their College & Career Fair on 2/15 where they will connect with over 55 colleges and businesses for full and part time jobs, job shadows, internships, and study programs. We are now halfway through the 3rd quarter (which ends on March 8th) so we know every day matters. We have Extreme Test Day on March 12th and End of Course Exams begin the last week of April. These days and weeks are chock full of some of the most important teaching and learning we do all year. We appreciate all you do to support your students' learning and growth.
Important Dates at a Glance-February/March
Mark Your Calendars!
FEBRUARY
2/1-ACT Bootcamp
2/6-2/9-Spirit Week
2/7-Signing Day-2:30 pm Big Gym
2/9-Assemby (2-15-2:55pm), Double Header vs. Fort Osage
2/9-ISD Foundation Scholarship Applicaitons DUE
2/10-Courtwarming Dance http://sites.isdschools.org/truman/dance-information
2/15-Senior College & Career Fair-Seniors should come dressed for success with resumes on hand & be prepared to interview on the spot for full & part time/summer jobs as well as internships & job shadows. Colleges will be also be there to talk about admissions and applications.
2/23-Great Jobs KC (formerly Kauffman) Traditional Scholarship for Juniors & College Savings Match for Freshmen-DUE. Click following link for more details: https://greatjobskc.org/ Did you know Great Jobs KC also has an Adult Learner Scholarship? You may qualify! Click the following link to learn more: https://greatjobskc.org/adult-learner-scholarship/
MARCH
3/5-McCoy Medal Awards at William Chrisman High School
3/8-End of 3rd Quarter
3/12-Extreme Test Day (College visit for all Freshmen)
3/12 and 3/13-Parent Teacher Conferences
3/29-No School-Spring Holiday
Parent Review of ICAP Due Feb. 8th
Please take a moment this week to review your student's ICAP. You have likely received an email from Transeo asking for your review. Parent review of the ICAP is an important part of your student's high school and future planning. Please talk with your student or reach out with any questions.
What is an ICAP? "The Individual Career & Academic Plan (ICAP), is a plan of study to guide students through the coursework and activities for achieving personal career goals, post-secondary planning and providing individual pathway options. An ICAP is a multi-year process, beginning no later than the eighth grade, that intentionally guides students and families in the exploration of career, academic and multiple post-secondary opportunities to include direct access to the workforce, military, tech school/area career center, vocational training (apprenticeship), 2 year college, and 4 year college. An ICAP is a “roadmap” to help students develop the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and skills to create their own meaningful pathways to be success ready graduates." (MO DESE).
ISD Capstone Applications due Feb. 19th
Current Sophomores & Juniors interested in participating in an ISD Internal Capstone next year must apply by Feb. 19th.
Click the following link to apply. https://bit.ly/3HRxo7w
See below for a complete list of ISD Internal Capstones:
Store (Entrepreneurship)
Construction
Machine Tech
Culinary
Early Childhood
K-12 Pathways to Teaching
Computer Networking
Bank
Visual Arts
Digital Media
Digital Marketing
Emergency Management
Veterinary Science
Unmanned Flight (Drone)
AIM (offsite location) – Aviation Institute of Maintenance
Truman Students take gold, qualify for State at FCCLA Regional Competition
The ISD FCCLA team, led by Chef Turner recently took all gold at the Regional Competition in Baking, Savory, and Management (red coats). The Management team achieved Top Gold in their category and advance to state competition in March. All of these students are in the Culinary Capstone. Please congratulate them:
Ashton Allen - Savory
Regan Goshhorn (KP) - Management
Justin Heyl - Management
Dulciana Jiminez- Baking
Attendance Update
While we have improved our attendance over last year's, our rates have continued to decline since Sept. Please encourage your student to strive for less than 5 absences this semester This is an incredibly important time in the semester to be at school as we gear up for spring testing and end of the year exams. Also, don't forget that good attendance and grades sets students up for the chance to win a variety of prizes during our weekly and montly drawings as well as the 3rd Quarter Incentive. If you need assistance encouraging your student to come to school each day, please reach out to their counselor and/or assistant principal
Our 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year-Ms. Sam DeGraeve
Join us in celebrating our 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year, Ms. Sam DeGraeve. Ms. DeGraeve has been in the district since 2012 and at Truman for the last seven years teaching students in our autism program. She has been Teacher of the Year previously at Bridger 6th grade Center. If you see Ms. DeGraeve, please tell her congratulations!
Student of the Month for January
Our Student of the month for January for the charater trait of Respect is Reese Cook. Nominations for Reese included the following: Reese is one of the most selfless, and respectful students in the school. She continuously makes a conscious effort not only to better herself, but those around her too, and is the epitome of what it means to be a servant leader! Reese's involvement within the Truman HS and Independence communities is further evidence of why she embodies the trait of respect, and any teacher who has had Reese in the past would agree with me!
EXTREME TEST DAY, MARCH 12th
What's the why behind this day?
Assessments of these types (standardized tests) help students, parents, and educators gather important information that helps families plan their student's courses in high school & their college and career steps, and helps educators plan for continued improved instruction & programming to ensure all students graduate college and career ready. When they receive results, students can identify areas of strength and areas for improvement. Additionally, it gives students some experience with national standardized testing as many will take some assessments more than once. The ACT is a college readiness exam and the Work Keys is a workplace readiness exam.
When is Extreme Test Day?
Tuesday, March 12th, 2024
Will we have normal classes on this day?
No, there will be a special schedule this day that will be shared closer to the date.
Who participates?
All juniors and some sophomores will take the ACT.
Sophomores who do not take the ACT will take the Work Keys.
All Freshmen will have college visits.
Seniors who have completed all required assessments prior to March 12th, have 90% attendance or better with no make-up time needed, and are on track towards graduation (not behind in credits or failing any courses needed for graduationare encouraged to attend a college visit or job shadow. Seniors who do not meet those criteria should plan on reporting to school that day.
How much does the ACT cost?
There is not cost for the ACT this as the district is picking up the cost.
Can students receive testing accommodations on Extreme Test Day?
Testing accommodations are available for students with IEPs or 504s on the ACT and WorkKeys. Administrators at Truman will work with ACT and WorkKeys to ensure students are granted appropriate accommodations.
Does Truman offer any test preparation for the ACT test?
Yes, in addition to the course curriculum, we are hosting a half day ACT Bootcamp on February 1st from 8 to 11 am. This half-day program is held during school hours at the building and is exclusively for students who are taking the ACT on Extreme Test Day. Outside presenters will be leading the session. The cost to students is $20 and includes an ACT workbook. Payment can be made through MySchoolBucks: https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/login/getmain.action. Students would be excused from their regular classes on this day. Test preparation materials are also available through the ACT website: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation.html. There are only 32 spots available. It will be on a first come first serve THE DEADLINE TO SIGN UP IS JANUARY 16TH
Beyond the ACT Bootcamp opprotunity, we do offer some free sessions as noted above. We will be sharing helpful information with students during their 5th block class each week to help them prepare. Finally, the best prepartion for any test is to attend school each day and engage in the learning the teacher is presenting.
We strongly encourage all students to take advantage of all of these opportunities to adequately prepare for the ACT. By dedicating time and effort to test awareness & preparation, our students will have a better chance of achieving their desired scores and opening doors to future opportunities. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the ACT administration or test preparation, please do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to support our students and ensure they have every opportunity for success. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students reach their full potential.
Staff of the Month for January-a tie!
Our Staff of the month for January for the character trait of Respect is Ms. Mary Corcoran. Nominations for Ms. Corcoran included the following: Mary is such a kind person, which brings respect from both her students and staff. She and Sam have a way with students with special needs that can't be matched. Most do not realize how many years of service that Mary has put in with the ISD district. She has seen many faces come and go here at Truman. Mary makes a difference in her students' lives everyday and we are all so blessed to have her experience here at Truman.
Staff of the Month for January-a tie-Part 2
Our 2nd Staff of the Month for January is Dr. Jason Morton. Nominations for Dr. Morton included the following: Dr. Morton has always made sure to treat the staff here at Truman with respect and empathy. He made my first year at Truman run a lot smoother and to this day, is always supportive. He is understanding when we make mistakes and focuses on the high points. I am grateful for his mentorship and all that I have learned from him. Dr. Morton is always so respectful to everyone that he comes into contact with.
Two Truman Students Perform at MMEA in All-State Choir
Congratulations to senior Cecillia Rancatore and junior McClane Graffeo on qualifying for and performing in the All-State Choir. Cecilia and McLane scored in the top 6 of their vocal parts in the KC Metro District to earn a spot in the All-State Choir. It is a huge accomplishment for both of them, and they represented THS and the ISD with professionalism, dedication and the highest level of musicianship. McLane auditioned for a small group within the choir and was selected for that honor as well. Mrs. Carson was proud to snap a selfie with these two vocalists!
Courtwarming Dance Feb. 10th-Eligibility Requirements
As we approach the upcoming Courtwarming Dance, we wanted to remind parents of requirements for students to attend dances.
Students must:
1. Have 90% attendance or better for the school year so far.
2. Be passing 7 of their 8 classes.
3. Have no major disciplinen issues.
4. Have fewer than 10 tardies for the semester.
5. Not be on LOP-Loss of Privilege
We encourage all students and parents to review these requirements before purchasing attire, tickets, making plans etc.
The process:
Students will be emailed a form from the front office.
Students must complete the form by the due date. If they do not, they will not be eligble to purchase a ticket. This allows the office to check their eligibility.
Students will be notified via email if they are eligible to purchase a ticket or not.
Eligble students will be permitted to purchase a ticket through My School Bucks.
Eligible students bringing an off-campus guest must complete a Guest Form in order to purchase the guest a ticket. If the guest is an ISD student, they must meet all the same requirements.
Ineligible students can inquire to the Front Office of their Admin as to why they are ineligible.
The night of:
Students must have form of photo ID with them to enter
No high heels are permitted on the Small Gym Dance Floor. Attire is semi-formal. Admin reserves right to address any inappropriate attire.
Students must arrive by 8pm or they will not be permitted to enter.
There is no re-entry. If students leave the dance, they are not permitted back in.
Tickets are non-transferrable (if someone decides they don't want to attend, they cannot give or sell their ticket to someone else).
All rides should arrive promptly at 10:00pm to pick up their students. Late arrivals could result in students losing after-school/event privileges.
All school rules apply to dances.
Black Excellence Dinner & Show
Join us for our fourth annual Black Excellence Dinner & Show hosted by our Black Student Union on February 29th. Tickets are $15 for dinner and show (must purchase by 2/16) or $10 for show only (must purchase by 2/29). Tickets are available for purchase through MySchoolBucks or in-person at school during lunch with cash, or card. Scanable QR code available at Instagram account @thethevoicebsu.We hope you can attend.
Senior ads-same, space is filling up fast.
Purchase yearbooks and senior ads at yearbookforever.com.
The price for yearbooks increases in March, so order yours now!
Did you know.....
Downloading the School Messenger App is the best way to catch all voicemail, email, and text messages from the district and your student's school.
Click the link below to learn more about downloading the app and how it works.
Sports Schedules, School Gear Store, and more
Need to know when your student is playing?
Want to order some Truman Gear?
Want score updates?
Interested in joining our Patriot Booster Club?
Click the link below for your one-stop for all things Sports and Activities at THS.
https://gotruman.com/Sporting Event Reminders
1. All students need to show a current year school ID to attend all home and away events or be accompanied by their parent or gaurdian.
2. All middle school schools students must also have a current year student ID AND be accompanied by a parent.
3. No backpacks are allowed in to any events.
4. No re-entry: once students or patrons leave the event, there is no re-entry permitted.
5. All school rules apply to porting events-home and away.
6. Activity passes are available for purchase from our Activities office. Otherwise, there is an entry fee for all events.
Truman HIgh School Anti-Bullying Coordinator
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