In the Loop

Paine Elementary School 2nd grade teacher Mrs. Shayna Swann has been named one of the "Sweet Sixteen" finalists for Alabama Teacher of the Year by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). These 16 outstanding educators personify teaching excellence. Each excels in the classroom and inspires students through mentorship. They utilize innovative classroom instruction to motivate classroom achievement. This year’s 16 state finalists have emerged from a highly professional group of more than 150 top educators who submitted their official applications for this state honor. The Alabama Teacher of the Year Program is one of our state’s oldest and most esteemed awards programs. See the full list of finalists on the official ALSDE press release.

We want to once again thank all of you who took time to cast a vote yesterday in favor of TCS. The unofficial results await certification - yet indicate an 85% vote in favor of the school tax renewal. The unofficial vote count of 1,696 to 294 will be certified by the Jefferson County Election Commission next week. This vote affirms resounding community support for Trussville City Schools and the work we do on behalf of students throughout the year. This critical revenue provides 25 teachers above the state allocation, extracurricular programs, athletic supplements, facility upkeep, and so much more. Working together means winning together!

Thanks again,

Dr. Pattie Neill, Superintendent

Trussville City Schools

On Thursday, April 14, 2022, the new TCS Board of Education building passed final inspection, enabling occupancy. The TCS Central Office staff has begun moving into the new building. The first full-day of operation at the site will be Monday, April 19, 2022. The two-story, brick facility represents the first-ever "official" Central Office for Trussville City Schools. Upon the district's formation back in 2005, the Central Office staff began operating out of a facility that was formerly used as a kindergarten annex for Jefferson County Schools. The new facility on Trussville's Main Street (Highway 11) features new technology, many training areas for school system employees, and reunites most central services departments that were operating out of other facilities due to space constraints at the current central office. A ribbon-cutting is scheduled for April 28, 2022 - the same day as the next TCS Board of Education meeting.

On April 14, 2022, the TCS Board of Education formally approved Jeremy Monceaux as the Head Varsity Boys Basketball coach at Hewitt-Trussville High School. Monceaux comes to Hewitt-Trussville High School from Springville High School. He is the one of the all-time leading scorers in AHSAA history and was part of a NCAA Division 1 Tournament team during his time as a player at Liberty University. See more on Monceaux's career highlights on the HTHS website.

Magnolia Elementary, Cahaba Elementary, and Paine Elementary School educators proudly announce that GaTE Marketplace is back! GaTE Marketplace will occur on dates specific to each school (see below) and serves as a student-centric event, led by GaTE (Gifted and Talented Education) students. Marketplace allows GaTE students to learn about taking on the challenge of being an entrepreneur and starting a business. All of the Trussville community is invited to Marketplace, which includes student-created food and non-food items (small crafts/toys ranging in price from $1-$10) available for purchase. Often, their created product is a passion they have or some item they have been curious about creating, according to GaTE teachers. Dates: April 25 at Paine (4-6p); April 26 at Cahaba (4-6p); May 3 at Magnolia (3-5p). Leah Morrison, Porshia Franklin, Wendy Mann serve as TCS GaTE educators.

Students throughout Magnolia Elementary School donned various outfits in celebration of Famous Americans Day. This cross-curricular event incorporated history, art, and other academic elements - all coalescing in a fun-filled day that highlighted American historical figures who made significant cultural and societal impacts.

When the Hewitt-Trussville High School Varsity Scholar’s Bowl team heads to the National Academic Quiz Tournament in Atlanta in May, they’ll do so as a record-breaking team. Not only are they the highest-scoring team in school history, they’re also all girls – a rarity in the male-dominated world of academic trivia competitions. Coach and history teacher Josh Haynes didn’t set out to create a team that would shatter gender conventions, but he said other coaches and match moderators often comment their surprise at seeing an all-female team. See more on this history-making HTHS Scholars Bowl team.

TCS students made a big splash in Homewood Public Library’s 6th Annual Student Art Contest. Twenty-two Hewitt-Trussville Middle School (HTMS) students and twelve Paine Elementary students are among the students whose art is on exhibit at Homewood Library through the end of April. Anna Rowe and Landry Dunham from Paine won 2nd and 3rd places in the K-2 category. Paine artists Riley Norris, Olivia Krucina, and Jacob Mattioli swept the 3-5 category. HTMS artists Charlotte Teffeteller and Sophia Kibbey won 1st and 3rd places in the grades 6-8 category. The contest was open to K-12 students all over Jefferson County. We congratulate these seven winners and their teachers, Courtney Holland, Angela Santiago, and Kristin Meriam.

Congratulations to the HTHS Concert Choir, Women's Chorale and Chamber Choir. At Canterbury United Methodist Church on April 6 each group scored no lower than 260 out of 264 in their performance. Each choir received a perfect 88 out of 88 in sight reading. These students represented their program, their high school, and their school system in great ways throughout this high-exposure event. The HTHS Director of Choirs is Allen Gillespie.

Ninety-nine (99) students in the Hewitt-Trussville Middle School Theatre Department will stage High School Musical Jr.! later this month. Performances have been scheduled for April 22 (7:00 p.m.), April 23, (10:00 am and 7:00 pm), April 24 (1:30 pm). Rehearsals have been in place since January. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and can be purchased at the door. Mrs. Jennifer Bruno serves as the Theatre Arts teacher at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, which serves more than 150 students (Theatre Arts I and II). Additionally, Choir Director Dr. Ben Cook co-taught 200 students with Mrs. Bruno in 6th grade rotation for Musical Theatre this year.

Hewitt-Trussville High School Indoor Percussion (HTIP) recently competed in the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit Championships in Nashville, earning a Bronze Medal in Scholastic A Class. The group placed 3rd out of fifteen groups from Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi. This is the first year of Hewitt-Trussville Indoor Percussion's existence and the group is under the direction of A.J. Adair, Associate Director of Bands at HTHS. Congratulations HTIP on a successful first season!

On Friday, April 8th, HTHS World Language students participated in "World Language Day." HTHS offers classes in French, Latin, and Spanish. Students in these classes toured exhibits created by the French, Latin, and Spanish clubs at the school. These exhibits shared a wide variety of information relevant to language and culture. The students also completed an informational scavenger hunt about world languages, as well as the cultures of Ancient Rome, and the French and Spanish speaking areas of the world.

The HTMS Boy's Golf team finished its 2022 season this week. The Huskies finished 4th on Tuesday at the Spartan Invitational held at Birmingham Country Club. Colson Rush finished 3rd in the event, carding a 2-over 37. The Huskies finished their season at Timberline Golf Club on Wednesday, placing 4th in the Metro South Tournament. Colten Sutton finished 7th, Charlie Crowson finished T-14, and Colson Rush finished T-16. It was a great season for the Huskies who finished 4th or better in 5 of the 7 tournaments they competed in this year.

• Outdoor Track & Field: Scottsboro Invitational Recap
• Baseball/Softball/Soccer Begin Area Play
• 2022 Swimming Information
• Volleyball Tryouts
• More!

See all the latest news in this edition of Tracking the Huskies!

Registration for the 22-23 school year opens April 18. The YMCA of Greater Birmingham offers its Afterschool Childcare Program on-site at all TCS elementary schools. Details and contact information for the program are listed below. The YMCA Afterschool Childcare program is designed to help kids in every community succeed developmentally and academically. At the Y, kids are cultivating the values, skills, and relationships that lead to better achievement in the classroom, positive behaviors, and social skills.

Learn more about the YMCA's Afterschool program on this website.

Contact:

Cahaba: Elizabeth Robertson | Site Director | erobertson@ymcabham.org

Magnolia: Fred Hatcher | Site Director | fhatcher@ymcabham.org

Paine: Jailyn Hale | Site Director | jhale@ymcabham.org

Briana Williams | Area Director | bwilliams@ymcabham.org

Ben Moffatt | Associate Executive Director | bmoffatt@ymcabham.org

Billing & Online Account Questions | childcare@ymcabham.org

Have additional questions? Please email the YMCA at childcare@ymcabham.org

Visit this PDF link for more information on how to become involved in Trussville Parks and Recreation's 2022 Summer Tennis Evening Clinics, in partnership with the Trussville Racquet Club.

Registration for youth football is now open. Register through May 1 via this website. This program is for TCS students Grades 1-6 (age restrictions may apply for 6th graders) and costs $300 per player/ $200 for additional sibling(s). Fee includes one double-sided sublimated game jersey, one practice jersey, game pants, socks and spirit pack. Helmet and shoulder pads will be provided for use during the season.

Here are a few shortcuts to important resources listed on the TCS District website:

• TCS Bullying Reporting Form
• Special Education - Parent Rights (Section 504)
• TCS Character Education Program - P.A.C.E.