Truman Offers High School to Fit Students’ Unique Needs

Federal Way’s small high school, Truman, has retooled its program and is back with an even stronger, more personalized educational experience for its students. Now called, Career Academy at Truman, the school still has many of the hallmarks of the previous Truman program, particularly the personalized and individualized educational experience. But new classes and practices are also being added to ensure an engaging and successful academic experience for its students.

Truman is a small school, with a maximum capacity of 120 students.  With a staff to student ratio of 16 to 1, and a maximum class size of 20, students are known well. The program can be an especially good fit for: 

• Students who might get lost in the cracks at a large, comprehensive high school. In this small-school setting, everyone is able to shine.
• Those who might not fit in with any of the typical crowds in a large high school, or who may be a potential target of bullying. Truman’s size and its culture do not encourage cliques; everyone becomes part of a tightly-knit community here.
• Students who want their education to be obviously and consistently relevant to their future work experiences.
• Students who struggled in their 9th grade year and want to make up credits needed to graduate.

The program has been structured to allow students to study core subjects such as English, History, Math and Science, but to also take electives during their four years at the school to gain career-oriented skills and experiences. English and History will be taught simultaneously through studies based on historically accurate novels. Students will be placed in math classes according to their individual levels. Physical science and biology will be hands-on and project based.

Among the career and technical education electives offered are business courses, including using digital communications tools and Microsoft Office User Specialist. Family and Consumer Science classes, most notably the district’s popular ProStart culinary arts program, will also be available.  For students who wish to study a foreign language, Spanish and French courses can be picked up via Internet Academy classes, which is now housed at Truman as well. American Sign Language may be offered in coming years.

The typical day at Truman will be made up of six periods, 55 minutes each. School will start at 8 a.m. and let out at 2:40, which is the same schedule as the district’s middle schools. Since other high schools start earlier, Principal Ron Mayberry says that it’s possible for students to take a first-period class at another high school, then come to Truman for the remainder of the day.  For example, one Truman student is currently scheduled to take a Sports Medicine class at another high school in such an arrangement.

In addition, students who have non-traditional schedules can earn credits by taking Internet Academy classes, or evening classes, which will be offered in the near future.  Students will be encouraged to complete at least one community internship, starting in his or her 11th grade year.

As required by Federal law, Mayberry has recruited “highly qualified” teachers – those certified in their subject areas – to teach at the school. Some of the new faces at Truman are familiar elsewhere in the district. Two former Todd Beamer staff people, Regina Hauptmann and Dawn Brown, have joined the Truman staff. Hauptmann has accepted the Dean of Students position; Brown will teach Science at Truman.  Laurie Beaver from Decatur and, Pat Ford, previously with Thomas Jefferson, will teach CTE elective classes.

The school's exterior remains unchanged. A riotous flower garden blooms along the pathway to the school's main door.		Truman's interior -the east wing to be specific - is getting some minor remodeling to make way for Internet Academy offices.

Posted: August 4, 2009