Home of the Trailblazers
Harry S. Truman Elementary opened in 1969. We are named after the 33rd president of the United States.
Our building is the last of the open-concept schools in Vancouver Public Schools. Visitors always comment on the open, airy feel inside our building.
Diversity and positive behavior supports!
Truman’s student population is diverse. We have families from several countries and more than 10 language groups represented. Our ethnic population is truly multicultural. About 20 percent of our students are English language learners.
We are pleased to serve Highly Capable students at Truman. This program also contributes to our diverse school culture.
Truman staff believes that when we focus on what students are doing well, they are motivated to be their personal best. We acknowledge our students who display excellent Truman Trailblazer characteristics in a variety of ways. One of the highest honors is to be selected as a Student of the Month for exhibiting strong citizenship skills. These students receive a coveted “I AM TRUMAN” T-shirt to wear on Spirit Fridays. The Truman staff also wears I AM TRUMAN shirts; together, we display our sense of community here at school. WE ARE TRUMAN!
Positive Behavior Interventions and Support
At Truman we are safe, responsible and respectful!
What is PBIS? It is a proactive approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture that are needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success.
Why PBIS? It is research-based and it is a part of Vancouver Public Schools’ Design II strategic plan.
What does PBIS look like at Truman? At Truman we are a team and a family, aiming to encourage a safe and supportive school climate by creating, implementing and improving systems that support our students. We do this in many ways:
- Posting behavioral expectations inside and outside the school and teaching them throughout the school year
- Implementing an acknowledgment system for meeting behavioral expectations. This includes Truman Bucks, which can be used to purchase items from the Truman Store; Super Truman Bus Rider Awards; Students of the Month; Golden Awards; Marble Jar for the classroom and school; and Perfect Attendance Awards.
- Teaching social-emotional lessons throughout the school year
- Positively correcting behavior (e.g., “I expect you to… I’m looking for…”)
- Using restorative practices such as restorative circles and community/classroom circles to build community and repair relationships
- Implementing a school-wide corrective response system
- Making data-based decisions to assess student needs
- Providing support interventions for students who struggle with behavior expectations
Our mission
The Truman learning community will cooperatively foster a creative and safe environment that encourages individual growth, academic achievement and student accountability. We will teach, model and expect responsible citizenship and the appreciation of individual differences in an ever-changing society.
Our history
Truman was the second open-concept school in Vancouver Public Schools. The design features an open building with flexible learning spaces centered around a media center hub. Prior to the opening of the building, the staff was selected to embrace the open-concept philosophy.
With the Truman Parent-Teacher Association forming around the same time as the building was constructed, the PTA continues to be an important part of our school’s community.
Fall 2020 – The new Harry S. Truman Elementary School is complete. Thanks to a bond measure that voters approved in February 2017.