Career Academy at Truman
School Profile

School Website: http://www.fwps.org/truman/   31455 28 th Ave South Federal Way, WA 98003 (253) 945-5800 Principal: Ron Mayberry (Since 2009)   School Built: 1938 School Rebuilt: 2003 Number of Classrooms: 12 View the official 2008-09 School Profile (68K PDF)
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What is Special About Our School?

September 2001 marked the beginning of  “Making dreams happen...one student at a time”—Truman’s program of transformation. As part of the plan, the school was divided into two small schools within the Truman building. Each school:

• is led by a team of six teachers who act as advisors
• has its own space within the building
• works with parents as active partners in their children's high school experience
• helps students locate experiences and internships that match their interests and passions

This change was supported by the Federal Way School Board, the State Board of Education, and  a grant that Truman received from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. This grant provides funds for staff development and support to redesign the school into small, autonomous learning communities through strategies that are assocated with high-achieving schools. The grant also allows the school to ensure that all students have access to college awareness   opportunities and to improve every student’s college preparedness. Truman juniors who qualify can apply for a four-year college scholarship from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Significant features of Truman High School:

• Personalized Education. Students are known well by their teachers, mentors, and each other. Each student has a personalized, individual learning plan that he or she creates with a teacher, parent(s), and mentors from businesses and the community.
• Small Schools. Personalization can only occur in small communities. Truman High School is two small schools of 102 students each, with a student/teacher ratio of 17:1. Students remain with the same advisor for their entire school career at Truman.
• Teachers as Advisors. Teachers play a role in the total education of each student. They advise, coach, and guide in developing curriculum projects that are directly related to the student’s interests. The advisor, along with the student, parent(s), and mentors, make up the student’s learning team.
• Students Follow Their Interests. Learning occurs best when students feel connected to what they are doing. The curriculum is based around the student’s passions and interests. Advisors are responsible for ensuring that students learn a wide range of skills and take part in rigorous endeavors.
• Learning Through Real Work.Students learn from performing jobs or solving problems with real outcomes and products that matter to the community. Internships, community service-learning projects, travel, and other experiences that involve students working side by side with adults are the basis for learning.
• Diverse Learning Environment. The diversity of people, cultures, experience, and curricula is a vital element in Truman’s education process.
• Partnerships Around Youth. A large community of professionals, parents, and other family members supports our students as they become informed, responsible, successful people.
• Assessments. Student work is collected in a portfolio that documents the student’s meeting or exceeding state standards. Truman students also participate in all district and state testing including the WASL.

Truman staff work collaboratively to create an environment where students believe they are eligible and prepared to attend college. Students can articulate the connection between high expectations and college/tech school entrance.

Students of all abilities, talents, and interests who want to learn in a hands-on, experience-based setting will want to consider attending Truman. Truman offers students an opportunity to explore the potential of their personal interests and skills in a diverse, dynamic learning environment.

Academic and Student Programs

No Child Left Behind Report Card

The No Child Left Behind Act requires all schools and school districts in the United States to prepare annual reports for parents and the public detailing their academic achievement. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction’s web site makes this information available on-line at http://reportcard.ospi.k12.wa.us/ Click on Federal Way in the “Summary” box, then choose your school from the list. You may also request a paper copy of the report card at your school’s office. For more information about the NCLB Act, go to http://www.nclb.gov/index.html.

Student Characteristics

How Are We Using Our Financial Resources?

High School Graduation Requirements for the Class of 2008

Because of a waiver presented to and passed by both the Federal Way Public Schools Board of Education and the Washington State Board of Education, Truman students graduate by meeting standards which demonstrate proficiencies as outlined in the Washington State EALRs and Washington Grade Level Expectations and documented in student portfolios.  The waiver also allows for teachers to guide all content areas of leaning, as generalists, and for internships in real-world settings as part of students’ educational experiences.

Neither letter grades nor Carnegie units determine academic achievement for students attending Truman High School.  Truman’s standards based system allows students to see their true achievement levels as they relate to real world challenges and community expectations.

Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL)

Percentage Meeting Standard in:

Truman staff work collaboratively to create an environment where students believe they are eligible, ready, and prepared to attend college.  Students can articulate the connection between high expectations and college/tech school entrance.