TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL POHI center keeps a busy pace

The Truman High School POHI program has been busy recently.

On March 7 the center featured retired Blair Moody Elementary School POH teacher Kathy Kurginski visit with her registered therapy dog, Lexie. 

Lexie brought a lot of smiles to the faces of the students!  Lexie will continue visiting the students a few times a month the rest of the school year.

On March 10, Truman nurse Julia Miller planned a cardiac drill to give the POHI staff a chance to practice their CPR and AED skills.  The staff had to locate Buddy (a CPR manikin) and carry out lifesaving techniques that had been taught earlier in the school year.  

HOLLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL second-graders vote for Hillary

We voted on March 8, too!

Holland Elementary School held a primary election on presidential primary day in Michigan first to narrow down the candidates, and then to hold a final election.

If the decision were up to the second graders at Holland, Hillary Clinton would be America’s next president!

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL pupils get a hands-on experience

Taylor Parks Elementary School students from the classes of Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Young and Mrs. Abramas enjoyed experimenting at the Hands on Museum in Ann Arbor recently.  With over 250 hands-on exhibits featuring science, technology, engineering, art and math, there were plenty of things to do, see and learn!

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL holds Road Runner Rally

Taylor Parks Elementary School held its monthly “Road Runner Rally” with the third graders performing. The third graders have been studying the great state of Michigan and shared their information with all the other students .

TAYLOR PARKS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL puts on the dance moves

Taylor Parks Elementary School once again had an unbelievable monthly PBIS celebration. The students who remained “green” all month  -- which means they were good pupils and did violate any rules or guidelines – were able to attend the most popular celebration, “The Dance Party.”

The students were able to let loose and share with each other and staff the newest dance moves.

HOLLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL to receive new musical instruments from Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation

Hoover Middle School will soon receive new musical instruments, thanks to The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Music Rising.

With many school music programs across the country losing vital funding, the foundation helps under-served schools with minimal budgets by donating new instruments, often replacing some that are more than 30 years old.

An application for support was submitted by Hoover Middle School’s band director, Jim Bergler, and the foundation found their program to be a worthwhile investment, allowing more students to be able to play and experience the benefits of music education.

“Through the generous donation of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Music Rising, our band students and our school have been given more than school instruments.  They have been given a greater sense of dignity and pride in their school band program”, said Mr. Bergler, long time band director for the Taylor Public Schools.  “Many of our instruments were old when I began teaching at Hoover 25 years ago.  They have served us well, but it is time for them to be officially retired and replaced with some new instruments”.

“Learning music in school is a way to engage kids and give them something that makes them better students and better people,” said Felice Mancini, President & CEO of The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation.  “They deserve every tool available to help them receive a quality education, and we want to insure that music is in that toolbox.”

Hoover Bands have had great success over the past 25 years.  There are around 150 seventh- and eighth-grade band students in the program each year, and the band students are active in performing at concerts, band competitions, solo and ensemble festivals, school assemblies, parades, and various other performances in the community.

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation donates musical instruments to under-funded schools in an effort to give youngsters the many benefits of music education, help them to be better students and inspire creativity and expression through playing music.  The organization was inspired by the 1995 motion picture Mr. Holland’s Opus and founded by Michael Kamen, who composed the music for the movie and countless others.  In the last 20 years, over 20,000 instruments have been donated to over 1,360 schools across the country.  More information can be found at www.mhopus.org.

TRUMAN DECA CLUB holds standout prom fashion show

On February 26 Truman High School's DECA club and marketing classes hosted its annual prom fashion show.

The theme this year for prom is masquerade. Thanks to Linda Szabo, Bianca Warner, and Alexandra Rice our newly renovated little theatre was transformed into a beautifully designed runway for our models. 

The show was a great success. It started with DECA's very own Lakesha Chaffold singing the national anthem, bringing the house down with her amazing voice. From that point the emcees for the show, Bianca Warner and Alexa Bailey, took over and hosted a beautiful show. Also during the show four lucky audience members won gift certificates donated from Yazee's Boutique. Two were for $80 and two were for $60. 

Everyone would like to thank vendors Men’s Wearhouse, located at 23000 Eureka, and Yazee’s Boutique, located at 10155 Telegraph, for allowing the group to showcase their beautiful new prom clothing lines this year. Both companies have donated money to the DECA club and marketing program and are offering great promotions for this year’s prom season.

Anyone renting a tux from Men's Wearhouse or buying a dress from Yazees will receive a discount, so please see a DECA member for information on the prom program for both stores. For every tux and dress purchased for this prom season, each store will be donating $10 to the DECA club. 

Thank you’s go out to Hannah Jones for putting together the music and the administration and board office for allowing the group to have this event during school hours.

DECA wants to thank Mrs. Hale, Mrs. Wagel and Mrs. Rowlings for helping with chaperoning the event, and the Truman staff for all of their support of the marketing students. 

The marketing students put together the entire fashion show using skills and knowledge for sales, promotion, marketing, visual merchandising, organization, time management, ticket design, advertising as well as professional emails and phone calls to vendors. This was a great hands-on learning experience for the students and DECA wants to thank everyone who bought a ticket to come out and support the students.

The money raised will help send students to nationals for DECA in Nashville in April.