Fall is a natural time for us to focus on the good things in life. Thankfulness is the quickest path to joy. – Jefferson Bethke. I know that I say this every year, but I want to make sure you know how grateful I am to work with such a great community of people. I want to say, “Thank you!” I am truly fortunate to work at Troy High. Each day I get to interact with this great staff, these great kids, and these great parents, all surrounded by a great city, county, state, and country. Great schools don't just appear; they are the result of a unified effort by all constituents to do all that is possible with the resources that are available. Thank you for your continued support.

I'm thankful for the excitement that your students bring with them on the first day of school to the last day of school; from the first bell at 7:20 a.m. until the last bell rings at 2:08 p.m. I’m thankful for the opportunity to watch your children grow in so many ways. It is so very rewarding to see our students get closer and closer to achieving their hopes, dreams, and aspirations.

My hope for you is that your Thanksgiving holiday gives all of you a well-deserved break and the opportunity to celebrate the day with a wonderful meal with family and friends. Schools are similar to a well prepared dish, it’s all in the ingredients. Just add Great Teachers with Great Students and stir in Great Parents and you will taste Success. If you haven’t picked up on it yet, I think that Troy High is pretty GREAT! I hope that you have a wonderul month and Go Colts!

This program is going on now. Our After-School Academic Support Program is designed to assist students in becoming successful. The focus of the program will be placed on the core subject areas: English, Math, Science, and Social Studies. This program will assist students to make-up missing work, study for tests/quizzes, improve understanding of concepts, and in general stay focused on their classes. The program is offered two days a week (Tuesday and Thursday) from 2:30 - 3:15 p.m. in the Troy High Media Center through June. Please see the secretary Mrs. Brennan in the Main Office for a form to fill out.

Again this year, we are asking for your cooperation with deliveries to and communication with students.

· If you have an item or written message for your student, please drop it off at the Security desk located outside of the Main Office.

· Since guests are not permitted in school, we do not allow siblings, friends, or relatives to visit during the school day or make deliveries to students. All items must be dropped off at the Security desk.

· We cannot allow fast food or take out lunch deliveries from parents, relatives, or friends.

· Early dismissal phone calls should be made as early as possible to provide the greatest amount of time possible for us to call students to the Attendance desk to pick up their early dismissal passes.

· Finally, if you have a THS graduate in your household, please advise him/her to make arrangements to visit his/her former teachers and school before or after regular school hours. We restrict alumni visits during the regular work day unless special arrangements have been secured in writing by the host teacher.

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12th Grade News

• Michigan Competitive Scholarship is available to undergraduate students pursuing their first degrees at an approved Michigan postsecondary institution. Students must demonstrate both financial need and merit. Eligible applicants must have a qualifying SAT score of at least 1200. Applicants must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by July 1 to receive priority consideration. For more information, please visit https://www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/0,4636,7-372--481214--,00.html
• Any senior who is considering playing Division I or II athletics next year needs to register with NCAA Eligibility Center. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure they are meeting eligibility requirements, and we are here to help. Students should see their counselors if they have questions.
• Counselors have met with all seniors who signed up for an individual meeting to review their post-secondary plans. At this time, many seniors have completed college applications, and some are still busy working on them. We encourage students to submit applications as soon as possible to meet all application and scholarship deadlines. Also, do not forget to request official transcripts to be sent and follow each college’s requirements for reporting standardized test scores if necessary. The College Application Process Handout and Parchment directions are available on the Class of 2025 course page in Schoology.

Transcripts for Seniors

• Seniors should all be registered at www.parchment.com in order to request transcripts. If seniors are submitting a Common App, counselors will upload transcripts through Common App. If seniors are not submitting a Common App, they will send the transcript directly to the college or university via Parchment. Counselors uploaded necessary information for all Common App schools with Nov 1 deadlines once they received a Common App email request. Seniors were informed of this process during classroom presentations, individual senior meetings in September and through various methods on Schoology and the Troy High announcements. Students can also use Parchment to request transcripts for scholarships or for themselves in the future.

Federal Student Aid

• Funding Your Education: The Guide to Federal Student Aid helps students understand the financial aid process and is available as a PDF at studentaid.gov/funding. Detailed information on federal student aid for students and parents is available at studentaid.gov.

• Visit www.oakland.edu/financialevents to sign up for a zoom FAFSA event or watch the “Financing Education Beyond High School” video from Dr. Carrie Gilchrist at Oakland University.

Scholarship Resources

• From the Michigan Department of Treasury: MI Student Aid has a scholarship database containing thousands of place-based scholarships for Michigan students. A Michigan place-based scholarship means that one of the scholarship components is linked to a Michigan school, county, city, or region. Just call MI Student Aid at (888) 447-2687 or fill out our online scholarship search form. We will use the information provided to search for scholarships available in your county.
• Also, take a moment to check out our Scholarship Best Practices Tips when visiting the website. Find guidelines on putting together a strong scholarship application as well as links to Michigan colleges and national scholarship opportunities.
• Local scholarships and Troy High-Specific scholarships are available on Schoology. Seniors can visit the Class of 2025 Schoology course to find upcoming due dates and applications throughout the year. Scholarships may or may not include criteria such as: GPA (not always required), situational such as hardship or financial need, specific to degree pathway, or short essay. Scholarships will be added throughout the year, so we encourage students to check back frequently.
• College visits occur each fall at Troy High School. Representatives from colleges in Michigan and around the country are still being scheduled to visit and present information regarding their admissions process, financial aid, tuition costs, program offerings, updates and more. Students are encouraged to attend to learn more about a college and to ask questions. College visits are open to seniors and junior students only. Information for college visits including dates and times can be found in the Class of 2025 Schoology course for seniors and Class of 2026 Schoology course for juniors.

11th Grade News

• Counselors will be distributing important information for 11th grade students before the end of semester 1 regarding junior year matters: post-secondary opportunities, preparing for the college selection and application process, standardized testing, and more.
• Many resources for testing, college searches, and more, including mobile apps, are available to students and parents at www.sat.org and bigfuture.org.

Testing Information

• PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test was administered in October to juniors. Results will be available in December through sat.org. We encourage students to link their College Board account to Khan Academy for personalized, free online test prep. There is no make-up day for the PSAT.
• Juniors might wish to take an SAT on a Saturday before/after the April exam. Students can register for another SAT exam date at www.sat.org. Juniors wishing to take an ACT can find dates and registration information at www.act.org

Oakland Schools Technical Campus

• Cosmetology: Tenth-grade students competing to get the one spot in Cosmetology that is granted to Troy High each year must attend the Cosmetology Information Night for OSTC – Pontiac.
• The Cosmetology Information Night will be held on Thursday, November 21, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Our campus partners with all Oakland County high schools and we are located at 1371 North Perry Street, Pontiac, MI 48340. Enrollment for the 25-26 school year will begin at this event!
• An OSTC counselor will be visiting Troy High School during 2nd hour on October 29th to discuss all the OSTC programs with students. A student sign-up will be posted to Schoology for all students interested in attending the informational session. Please contact Mr. Ali-Ahmed for any further information.

October brought the best that Fall has to offer and the 177 members of the TCMB have excelled in every moment! Monday afternoon marching practices allowed the band to add to and refine their “Dream On” program into a spectacular presentation for Troy Colts’ events and football games.

The Troy High Band Boosters were excited to again host this year’s MSBOA District XVI High School Marching Band Festival on October 9. The rain held out this year as 11 bands performed their halftime shows for adjudicators in a packed stadium of enthusiastic friends and family. Your TCMB performed at their finest and received a Division “I” (superior) rating from all judges with comments including, “You perform with such pride!,” “exemplary design,” “great attention to details,” and “very exciting performance and well executed!”

The Troy Colt Drumline appeared at the Michigan State University Day of Percussion on Sunday, October 13. This was a chance to perform in front of hundreds of fellow percussionists from around Michigan. The clinician, from Oklahoma State University, said that they “performed with incredible group energy and unity.” He went on to say that their repertoire was “impressively creative, entertaining, and executed at a high level.”

The band ended their marching season with a final performance at their annual “Colt Stampede” in the gym on October 22, where seniors and all supporting the band were honored.

On Saturday, November 23, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Troy High Band Boosters are partnering with Custom Fundraising Solutions to turn the high school cafeteria into a mattress showroom for the Troy community to purchase brand new, name brand mattresses at below retail prices. Twin from $249, full from $299, queen from $349, and king from $499. Best of all, a portion of the proceeds goes to the Troy Colt Bands.

Make plans to join us for an inspiring evening full of seasonal selections Wednesday, December 11. The Troy High Bands will kick off the holidays with their annual Winter Concert, featuring performances from the Campus, Cadet, Concert, and Symphonic Bands, and the Jazz Ensemble. Mark your calendars and plan to join us, as the TC Bands are sure to launch you in the spirit of the season!

If you missed any of the earlier performances, to find photos and videos of TCMB, and to check for updates from the band, visit the www.troycoltbands.org website, or check out TCMB on social media - on Facebook @troycoltbands, on Instagram @troycoltbands, and on X (formerly Twitter) @officialtcbands.

The Troy High Orchestras have had a great start to the 24-25 season! Spooktacular concerts in October featured the amazing creativity of our Orchestras, beyond performing music. Many students auditioned for the All State Honors Orchestra and will receive results later this month.

We are looking forward to our Winter Concert on December 18 at 7:00pm in the Troy High School Auditorium. The Winter Concert will feature all of the Troy High Orchestras and the Troy Fiddlers, performing a variety of music, including many pieces celebrating the Holiday Season. There is no charge for this concert, but bring some cash for our December Bake Sale!

Looking ahead, our Gala Concert will be held on February 1, 2025. We hope to see you there!

TROY HIGH SCHOOL

2024-25 Winter Sports Tryout Information

All athletes must be registered on FINAL FORMS: www.troy-mi.finalforms.com
A new physical must be on file prior to tryouts.

Boys Basketball Tryouts (Nov. 11-13)

• Monday, Nov. 11 (Main Gym)
• Freshmen: 6:30-8:30 PM
• JV: 2:30-4:30 PM
• Varsity: 4:30-6:30 PM
• Tuesday, Nov. 12
• Freshmen: 6:30-8:30 PM (Aux Gym)
• JV: 2:30-4:00 PM (Aux Gym)
• Varsity: 2:30-4:00 PM (Main Gym)
• Wednesday, Nov. 13
• Freshmen: 4:30-6:30 PM (Aux Gym)
• JV: 2:30-4:30 PM (Main Gym)
• Varsity: 2:30-4:30 PM (Main Gym)

Contact: Coach Gary Fralick at fralick3541@yahoo.com

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Girls Basketball Tryouts (Nov. 18-20)

• Dates: Nov. 18-20, 6:00-9:00 PM
• Location: Main Gym (except Nov. 18 at Boulan)

Contact: Coach Laura Guzman at laurabguzman@gmail.com

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Bowling Tryouts

• Meeting Date: Monday, Nov. 4
• Cafeteria @ 2:30 PM

Contact: Dave Harris at david.harris122@gmail.com

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Competitive Cheer Tryouts (Nov. 11-12)

• Dates:
• Monday, Nov. 11: 6:00-8:30 PM (Aux Gym)
• Tuesday, Nov. 12: 5:00-7:00 PM (Aux Gym)

Contact: Samantha Mularski at samanthamularski@gmail.com

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Boys Varsity Hockey Tryouts (Nov. 1)

• Date: Nov. 1, 3:15-4:45 PM at Buffalo Wild Wings Arena

Contact: Coach Josh Brown at jbhockey0827@gmail.com

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Gymnastics Tryouts (Oct. 28-30)

• Dates: Oct. 28-30, 6:00-9:00 PM at Athens High School

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Skiing Tryouts

• Date: Weather-dependent, typically December/January

Contact: Coach Tom Lining at tlining@icloud.com

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Girls Synchro Swimming (Nov. 18-26)

• Dates: Monday, Nov. 18 – Tuesday, Nov. 26, 5:00-7:00 PM
  (Depends on girls' swim states practice schedule)
• Note: We are a no-cut sport, but swimmers must be able to complete 4 laps (100 yards) and tread water for 3 minutes. Synchronized Swimming is co-ed and open to students from Troy High, Athens, IA East, and TCCHS. No prior experience is required.

Contact: Lori Uchwal-Hollier at synchrocoachlori@yahoo.com

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Boys Swim & Dive Tryouts (Nov. 25)

• Date: Nov. 25, 2:30-5:15 PM at THS Pool

Contact: Coach Kyle Larson at kylelarson16@gmail.com

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Wrestling Tryouts (Nov. 11)

• Date: Nov. 11, 2:30-5:00 PM in the Wrestling Room

Contact: Coach Lambie at mike.lambie@gmail.com

We are very proud of our students that have demonstrated our Troy High Character Values of Resilience, Responsibility, Empathy, and Kindness and have won a Character Strong Award.

Here is the list of students so far for this year:

Andrea Acquaroli

Riya Athalye

Blessing Batumike

Leah Bosman

Maya Colon

Drew Dimitrijevski

Abigail Elizabeth Farnham

Elena Filip

Sara Camila Gonzalez Romero

Adam Hak

Sophia Hanna

Cameron Hazen

Isaiah James Jeter

Tabitha Jones

Orestes Kaltsounis

Nicholas Kamugunga

Keyaan Khan

Yerial Kim

Jeffery Kim

Rakella Krasniqi

Ryan Mathews

Alyson Elizabeth Matuza

Selma Mawazini

Henry Thomas McBrien

Lauren McClure

Sheri Ann McDonald

Cole Oury

Kishore Parthiban

Shiv Dineshkumar Patel

Shayuri Patel

Rishi Shrinath Ratnaparakhi

Sienna Richardson

Varsha Seshadri

Drake Sharp

Sanjay Shyamsundar

Ibrahim Siddiqui

Makaila Thomas

Alexia Tralo

Jordyn Trumbull

Ryan Vredeveld

Ryan Wang

Alexis Jordan Warren-Varnhagen

Kuwabara Yuto

Katharina Zak

Elaine Zhang

NOVEMBER:

Fri., Nov.1..................Student Holiday - No School for Students

Wed., Nov. 13............PTO Meeting at 7 p.m. (Stable)

Mon., Nov. 18............Dodgeball Competition at 5:30 p.m. at Troy High

Tues., Nov. 19...........NHS Induction at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium

Thurs., Nov. 21 ........Choir Concert at 7 p.m. in the Auditorium

Tues., Nov. 26..........Senior Sidekick

December:

Wed., Dec. 4.............Madrigal Singers to BBUM church to sing for seniors 12-2:30 p.m.

Thurs., Dec. 5...........Madrigal Singers to 1st Pres of Troy church to sing for seniors 12-2:30 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 6................White Christmas theater performance at 7 p.m. in Auditorium

Sat., Dec. 7...............White Christmas theater performance at 7 p.m. in Auditorium

Sun., Dec. 8..............White Christmas theater performance at 2 p.m. in Auditorium

Wed., Dec. 11...........PTO Meeting in the Stable at 7 p.m.

Wed., Dec. 11...........Band Winter Concert at 7 p.m.

Fri., Dec. 13..............White Christmas theater performance at 7 p.m. in Auditorium

Sat., Dec. 14............White Christmas theater performance at 7 p.m. in Auditorium

Sun., Dec. 15............White Christmas theater performance at 2 p.m. in Auditorium

Wed., Dec. 18...........Orchestra Concert at 7 p.m.

Mon, Dec. 23 - Fri., Jan. 3rd ..Winter Break