Turner High School Newsletter

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¿Necesita traducción de este boletín? Abrir el boletín en su navegador de Internet, luego en la esquina inferior en la derecha verá un ícono de una persona, haga clic en el ícono, haga clic en “Traducir boletín” y seleccione el idioma que necesita en el menú desplegable.

Dear Turner High School Families,

I hope this note finds you well as we navigate through the first quarter of the school year. As we approach this juncture in the academic calendar, help us as we encourage our students to continue their strong academic push. The first quarter is a critical time to establish a solid foundation for the rest of the year. I have been inspired by the dedication and hard work our students have shown so far, and I am confident that with your support, they can achieve even greater success in their studies.

In addition to academic achievement, we are also placing a strong emphasis on attendance. Regular school attendance is vital for academic success and personal growth. I kindly request parents' support in making attendance a top priority for our students. So far, we are seeing more issues with students arriving to school tardy than any other part of the day. Please encourage your student to prepare in advance in order for them to be on time. Consistent attendance ensures that students are actively engaged in their learning and don't miss out on valuable classroom experiences.

Thank you for your continued partnership in nurturing our students' growth and success. Together, we can create an environment where academic achievement and attendance are paramount, and where our students excel in all their endeavors.

Warm regards,

Mark Farrar

Post Secondary day will be on October 4th - Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors can sign up on StriveScan. Students will be called down as a class to attend Post-Secondary Day and learn about their future options.

10-04 Post Secondary Day Grades 10-12

10-11 PSAT - Check with counseling for sign up

10-11 Fall Choir Concert 7:00 THS Auditorium

10-12 Student Pep Assembly

10-13 Homecoming Game and NO SCHOOL

10-14 Turner Days and Homecoming Dance

10-16 FSA ID Workshops for Seniors

10-18 Unity Day

10-18 Parent Teacher Conference

10-19 Parent Teacher Conference

10-20 NO SCHOOL

10-27 9th Grade Bully Prevention Assembly at TMS during seminar

KSDE Definition of Bullying: Bullying is aggressive behavior that is intentional and that involves an imbalance of power or strength. Typically, it is repeated over time. A child who is being bullied has a hard time defending himself or herself. Bullying can take many forms, such as:

• Hitting or punching (physical bullying).
• Teasing or name-calling (verbal bullying).
• Intimidation using gestures or social exclusion (nonverbal bullying or emotional bullying).
• Sending insulting messages through digital platforms (cyberbullying).

Unity Day is an annual event in October on the third or fouth Wednesday of the month to bring awareness to National Bullying Prevention Monday.

For years, bullying was justified with expressions such as, “Bullying is a natural part of childhood,” “Bullying makes kids tougher,” or “Bullying is a rite of passage.” The goal of Unity Day is to bring together youth, parents, educators, businesses, and community members across the nation to emphasize the message that bullying is not acceptable, and that all students deserve to be safe in school, online, and in the community.

Why the color orange? Unity Day is celebrated in October, and orange is a color commonly identified with the month and the autumn season. It is also a color that is associated with safety and visibility. It is a color described as warm and inviting, and its vibrancy makes an impactful statement.

Resources: https://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/spreadtheword/promote-unity-day.asp

At Turner High School, we strive for excellence in academics, character, and citizenship. Our faculty and staff are committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment that develops individual growth.

Starting this year, we have begun a partnership with KC Scholastic Crime Stoppers. This program will assist us in two big ways. First, the program will allow students to anonymously report things that are concerning to them or simply don’t look right. And secondly, it will be an enormous support system for students that might have mental health challenges or simply just need to talk with a trusted adult. Please watch the introductory video that explains this new program.

THS Families,

It is a priority for Turner High School to ensure our building is a safe environment for our students to learn. Last school year, we facilitated assemblies in partnership with KCKPD to educate our students on the dangers of fentanyl. Unfortunately, fentanyl continues to negatively impact our community, and it is putting our youth at risk.

We need your help in keeping our students safe. We ask that you educate yourself and your student about fentanyl so that we can be proactive in preventing this drug from harming our students. The District Attorney’s office and KCKPD collaborated on an informational video about fentanyl in our community and what can be done about it. We encourage you to watch the video - it can be found above.

In recent years, there have been numerous cases in the Kansas City metro where students have knowingly, and in many cases unknowingly, taken a pill that has made them very sick or led to a fatality. We do not want this for our Turner students. We will continue to find opportunities to educate our students, but we need you and the broader community to be a partner in this as well. Please make time to educate yourself and talk to your student about the dangers of fentanyl.

As is stated in our district policy, USD 202 has zero tolerance for illegal substance possession at any time during school, on school property, or at school events. To ensure our school continues to be a safe, drug-free learning environment, we will be once again coordinating with KCKPD to conduct periodic canine searches in our building. The purpose of these searches will be to deter and detect individuals who use, possess, or transfer illegal substances on school property. These searches will be done in a manner that is minimally disruptive to the learning environment.

Thank you for being a partner in keeping our students safe. Should you ever have questions or concerns, please contact me. KCKPD has created a 24-Hour Narcotics Hotline, and it can be reached at 913-573-6287.

Sincerely,

Mark Farrar

Principal, Turner High School

Winter Sports are in the Air!

It’s about that time to start thinking about what you are going to do during the winter months. We have lots of ways to get and to stay involved. How about playing a Winter Sport? Here are what we will have available:

• Boys and Girls Basketball (Boys-Coach Hall, Girls-Coach Ybarra)
• Boys and Girls Bowling (Coach Findley and Coach Levy)
• Boys and Girls Wrestling (Coach Gibson)
• Boys Swimming (Coach Martin)

Winter sports practice starts November 13th afterschool. Keep your eyes on the hallway TV’s for information on upcoming meetings and start times or you can reach out to the coaches. Make sure you have your physical complete!

Don’t sit around doing nothing, come represent the Bears! “GO BEARS!"

Want to know more about PTSA:

• Kansas PTSA Mission Statement: To make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
• Our local PTSA provides scholarships to learners, participates actively in community events, and gives back to the school and community.

Front Desk - Ms. Salazar (Spanish-speaking)

913-288-3303 or SalazarT@turnerusd202.org

Attendance Secretary - Ms. Stephanie Rinehart

913-288-3350 or rineharts@turnerusd202.org

Counseling Office - Ms. Fitzgerald, registrar and counseling secretary

913-288-3320 or fitzgeraldk@turnerusd202.org

Bookkeeper - Ms. Tolle (Spanish-speaking)

913-288-3304 or sanchezk@turnerusd202.org

Administrative Staff

Head Principal - Mr. Mark Farrar

913-288-3302 or farrarm@turnerusd202.org

Associate Principal - Mr. Stephen St. Louis (10-12 L-Z)

913-288-3307 or stlouiss@turnerusd202.org

Assistant Principal - Dr. Frankie Lizar (10-12 A-Z)

913-288-3306 or lizarf@turnerusd202.org

Assistant Principal - Ms. Alex Supple (9th grade)

913-288-3311 or supplea@turnerusd202.org

Athletic/Activities Director - Mr. Rick Byers

913-288-3354 or byersr@turnerusd202.org

If you know of anyone who is experiencing a mental health emergency, encourage them to dial 988. The calls are answered by a licensed mental health professional.