Green Lane Gazette

• 3/1 - Senior Prom Tickets went on sale
• 3/3 - 3rd MP Progress Reports posted
• 3/8 - Straight 90s Breakfast & 12:05 Dismissal for students
• 3/13 - PD Day - No School for students
• 3/16 - IDK Day
• 3/20 - Prom Fair begins for Seniors (Juniors on 3/22)
• 3/31 - Freshmen Formal

In our commitment to student learning and success, we are implementing a shift to our weekly schedule and planning here at Truman. To support students who are struggling academically, we are implementing Tier 2 Thursdays. Tier 2 is a MTSS term for an increase in targeted intervention for students who are not being fully successful in their normal scheduling.

On a Tier 2 Thursday, we are going to direct students to a class/teacher in which they are struggling academically, as opposed to their normal schedule for one full period that day. (For example, if a student was failing Algebra 1 on their progress reports, we're going to schedule an extra Algebra 1 period , in a smaller group, with their normal teacher, on a Tier 2 Thursday) We're providing more help, for students have shown that need.

So on Thursday, March 8th, during 3rd period some students will be headed to a Tier 2 period, as directed through emails and communications from administration and their teachers. Students not assigned to a Tier 2 class will have choice of time in the gym, cafeteria, or the quiet of the library. **Certain groups of students will remain on their normal 3rd period schedule and have been informed by their teachers**

Tier 2 Thursdays will be scheduled as follows:

• 3/15 (Wed) - 2nd period
• 3/23 - 8th period
• 3/30 - 1st period

After 4 weeks, we will re-assess and re-distribute students as needed. Then we will begin another 4 week cycle. Our commitment is to provide support where it is needed most and motivate students to find that path of success here at Harry S Truman High School.

Please encourage your students to take advantage of this extra time and small, focused groups with their teachers. A small-term investment for long-term success.

One of our largest behavior issues here at Truman is centered around class avoidance and tardiness. I'm proud to announce that our SWPBIS team has looked at our data here at Truman and developed a plan to address this issue. Punctuality and consistent attendance in class is important here at Truman and has a direct correlation with student success.

Starting this week we will begin unannounced hall sweeps for all students not getting to class on time. Any students caught in the hall sweep will be brought to the main lobby where we will track their lateness, and reteach our expectations. Repeat offenders will receive escalated discipline if their pattern of behavior continues.

Punctuality and consistency are highly desirable traits for employees, college students, and those who serve. We need to send that message to our students and we look forward to your support in this process.

• Senior Assembly/Caps & Gowns Distributed = May 11th
  
• Senior Prom = Thursday, May 18th - Tickets go on sale on Reminder: Students must have 0 detention hours to purchase
• Senior Final Exams = June 5th - June 9th
• Graduation = June 14th

February in the Counseling Department was all about Course Selection preparations, Credit Recovery, WIDA testing, and helping students finalize plans for their Act 158 Graduation Pathways.

• Micah Wright, Karen Davis, Rebecca Mallon, Beca Ballance and Greta Allen traveled to the middle schools to deliver presentations to the incoming 8th graders and held an evening information session for parents.
• Adrienne Jones programmed for and monitored students who successfully completed credits in credit recovery.
• Ann Bodnar completed federally required testing for over 100 ELL students.

Truman's DECA team competed at the state conference in Hershey, PA and did very well. Here's a message from Mr. Megard (Lead DECA Advisor): "I could not have asked for more from this group and how well they represented our school. The time, effort and dedication they put into the trip was inspiring. I am so proud of each and everyone of them! In case you missed it Ash Dorceus placed top 5 in the category of Business Service Marketing and qualified for the International Career Development Conference in Orlando, Florida. Ash becomes our first ever qualifier for ICDC and will be competing against high school students from all over the world in April. Please make sure to congratulate Ash and any students you may know who attended the State Development Conference in Hershey."

Freshman in English 9 courses are still working on a unit focusing on poetry, with an emphasis on figurative language, and will be moving onto a unit focusing on propaganda, and working on identifying the techniques used in its creation. There will also be a continued focus on utilizing the R.A.C.E.S. strategy for writing constructed responses. Students will continue making progress on their personalized Reading Exact Path.

Sophomores in English 10 courses are finishing up a unit that emphasizes the skill set of identifying the theme and/or main idea of a text. The students will now be moving into a unit focused on the different types of irony used in literature. Students will also be examining numerous reading and writing strategies in preparation for the Keystone Exams. Students will continue making progress on their personalized Reading Exact Path.

Juniors in English 11 courses have finished Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck., with an emphasis on the historical setting of the novel, which occurs during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Now the junior classes will begin with literature from the time period surrounding the Civil War, which includes many realistic stories based upon real events. Additionally, students will also be reading Flowers for Algernon or another selected novel.

Seniors in English 12 courses have finished the Shakespearean tragedy, The Tragedy of Macbeth. Now the students have been examining the time period known as “The Restoration” and the 18th century. This period includes the well-known piece “A Modest Proposal,” written by Jonathon Swift, with which the students will examine satire and rhetoric.

Driver Education: The second semester is in full swing. The students have learned about the highway transportation system, graduated licensing programs, and different driving strategies (IPDE). They now understand many different signs, signals, and roadway markings. Next, they will focus on distracted driving. The lessons will include an advocacy project, drunk goggles, and sobriety checks. The drunk goggles are always interesting. The students will wear them as they attempt sobriety checkpoint tests and drive on the simulators.

Adapted PE: The giant beach balls are flying around the pool on Mondays!! Mr. Bachman has generously donated his lunch period on Monday’s to provide swimming for the students. They are so happy to swim, you can “hear the joy” throughout the pool and locker rooms.

Recent PE activities include badminton (Lucas is ready to challenge Mr. McCourt!!!), volleyball, varied motor skill relay races, and basketball.

Physical Education: Due to a mild winter, PE classes have been able to get outside occasionally. The fresh air has been a great change of pace. Speaking of pace, There will not be pacer practice on Wednesday 3-8 due to a half day. I hope the students are not too upset!!! Indoor activities include cornhole, soccer, badminton, basketball, and volleyball. Students have enjoyed competing and getting a legit workout while playing “Big Ball Soccer”.

As the weather (hopefully) turns warmer, Truman math students are engaged in a plethora of topics across the curriculum:

• Many of our Algebra 1A students are in the midst of a unit on linear inequalities, and are preparing to graph linear functions.
• In preparation for the upcoming Spring Keystone exams, our Algebra 1 classes are diving into the study of polynomials.
• Honors Geometry is currently studying inequalities in triangles and the relationship between the length of a side of a triangle and the degree measure of its opposite angle.
• In Algebra 2, students are graphing parabolas and learning about imaginary numbers (they’re not real).
• Pre-Calculus students are focused on the period and amplitude of trigonometric functions.
• In Intro to College Math, students are solving quadratic equations using a variety of methods.
• Applied Math students have completed a unit on compound interest and investments, and are moving on to an in-depth study of credit cards and the business of cash apps.

We're looking forward to the change in season and the push towards the AP exams, Keystones, and remaining learning opportunities ahead.

Ms. Wright, Ms. Dick, and Mrs. Welsh had their classes participate in an Industrialization Gallery Walk Activity, analyzing the positive and negative effects of industrialization using pictures and captions.

Mrs. Welsh used The Lorax story with her students to show the effects of industrialization. Students chose to be an entrepreneur like the Onceler or an environmentalist like the Lorax and created advertisements promoting their positions.

Hola, Ciao, and Hello! Spring is right around the corner!

Travel News:

Several of our staff will be attending content specific conferences to support our students and stay informed of new trends, techniques, resources and more! Ms. O’Donnell and Mrs. Barnes will attend a PDE conference in Hershey, PA and Sra. Gregory will attend a portion of the NECTFL conference in NYC. In addition, Signora Guida and Srta. Lamplugh will be chaperoning the trip to Italy.

Teacher Spotlight - Señorita Catherine Lamplugh, Spanish

Señorita Lamplugh teaches Spanish. She has a Masters in Education from Holy Family University and a BA from Moravian University in Spanish. She studied abroad in Spain and taught English in Costa Rica prior to teaching at Truman. She enjoys reading, traveling, and exploring Philadelphia.

Please pull ALL the way up in the drop-off zone in the mornings to help us keep traffic off Green Lane. Thank you.

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