J. Paul Truluck Intermediate School (JPTIS) is preparing our students for junior high and high school by teaching and developing the skills they will need to meet the profile of the SC graduate. Our teachers help students develop these skills by collaborating to create rigorous, engaging lessons that challenge our students to think deeply. Throughout the school year, our students work on several project and problem based lessons. Students learned and demonstrated problem solving skills while working on projects with Google Coding, National History Day, Arbor Day, and our school-wide STEM competition just to name a few. Our students are encouraged to read for pleasure and are rewarded for Reading Counts points with incentives. Students also enhance their knowledge in Science through field trips to Moore Farms Botanical Gardens, planting gardens at JPTIS, STEM projects, as well as various hands-on Science lab activities throughout the year. At JPTIS, our students love exploring our arts and music opportunities daily at school. They get involved through our Band, Music, Chorus, Piano, Guitar, Art, JPTIS Morning Show, and several other classes beyond the required core subject areas.
At JPTIS, we believe in cultivating a positive school culture to ensure students enjoy coming to school daily. In partnership with families, students and the community, we highlight students’ success in the classroom by recognizing them for their goo character and academic achievements. Teachers give “Positive Panther Shout Outs” daily to students for various accomplishments. JPTIS also has regular awards ceremonies, where students are recognized for excellence in different areas. Students are recognized for their performance on iReady, a supplemental reading and math computer program that helps increase the skills level of our students at all levels. Through our school wide PBIS program, our teachers regularly reinforce students who positively demonstrate good character. Teachers and other staff members send “Good News” postcards home to students that have demonstrated outstanding character and/or performance throughout the week. We have an ongoing system for reinforcing positive behavior at JPTIS using our character cards, and we celebrate students who fill up their character card every 6 weeks with celebrations and special privileges at school.
Ours students also learn to give back through our clubs. Our Junior Beta Club learned to show leadership by greeting visitors, giving tours and serving as leaders and speakers at school ceremonies. JPTIS History Day club had several projects that competed and received recognition at the regional National History Day competition and one group advanced to the state level.
We continue to collaborate with parents, community members, district staff, and other stakeholders in order to promote a safe and rigorous learning environment where students strive to maintain a high level of academic excellence.
Jeanette Altman, Principal
Jermeka Burgess, SIC Chairperson