Truesdell Middle School

Truesdell provides an environment where students become responsible individuals. Students and teachers celebrate the consistent gains in academic achievement.

Our students rated the staff and school highly on the School Connectedness Survey in a number of areas, including the caring attitude of teachers, the school environment, and their happiness being a Truesdell student.

Truesdell offers a variety of excellent special education programs.

Besides quality scholastic programs, Truesdell’s Leadership students, performing groups, and athletic teams have consistently earned superior ratings and city-league championships.

Truesdell students are required to wear standardized dress.

• For the past two years, Truesdell has been the city-wide champion in Leadership Academic Team. This competition is patterned after the NAL, Hi-Q, and Quiz Bowl programs.
• Our instrumental music groups have consistently received the highest marks at contests.
• In the recent past, some of our art students have earned Gold Keys and had their work exhibited in New York City along with other art representing middle and high school students across the nation.
• Turesdell enjoys a rich history of athletic records and accomplishments.

Exit west Kellogg at Seneca. Go south to Pawnee. Go west on Pawnee to Glenn. Go south on Glenn to Truesdell. See Maps for all USD 259 locations.

We believe that all students can learn. We provide an environment where students will attain essential skills to become responsible individuals.

1. All students will improve reading skills across the curriculum.
2. All students will improve writing skills across the curriculum.
3. All students will improve math skills across the curriculum.
4. Students will assume a productive and responsible role in the school environment and in society.
5. Faculty and students will foster a school climate which encourages learning, resulting in higher student achievement.

Each school has a site council consisting of a group of parents, community members, business representatives, teachers and other school staff. Site councils members identify, consider and discuss educational problems and issues at the school. Councils provide advice and counsel for evaluating state, school district and school site performance goals and objectives. Councils may also recommend methods that may be employed at the school site to meet these goals and objectives.

Meeting Day: First Thursday of each month
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Truesdell Library
Chairperson: Peggy Schultz, 973-0200 (work number)

Special programs include an outstanding Student Technology Leaders program, classes for gifted students, physically and/or visually impaired students, and a variety of other special education programs. Students are encouraged to participate in our outstanding fine arts program as a member of band, orchestra, or choir.  An After-School Program was added during the 2004-05 school year offering additional opportunities for students to participate in National Academic League, Chess Club, intramural sports, technology-related activities, Native American Student Association, and homework rooms.  As a result of the bond construction, our computer and science labs have been upgraded and nearly 170 new computers purchased in the past eighteen months.

Truesdell has added new technology to its programs.  All six academic core teams have a classroom set of hand-held computers (PALMs) for student use.  Two mobile computer labs consisting of 30 wireless computers each are available to enhance teaching and learning throughout the building.

Truesdell students find a wide variety of activities in which to involve themselves. The After-School Activity Program (ASAP) provides parents an option other than students being unsupervised after school until parents get home from work. ASAP meets Monday through Thursday from 3:20 - 5:00 PM. Students spend 45 minutes working on academics, including homework, under the supervision of certified teachers. After a small snack, students then may choose from a menu of activities for that week. In the past, students might have chosen jewelry making, cooking, building models, soccer, computers, Chess Club, NASA, board games, Pep Band, and more. On Thursdays, students meeting the requirements for attendance may go on the weekly field trip to the South YMCA, Roller City, Exploration Place, Seneca Bowl, and others. This is a free program that only requires that parents fill out a permission form.

Cadets in Leadership classes may elect to participate in Drill Meets, Color Guard, and/or Leadership Academic Team (LAT). Music students participate in a number of concerts and other performances. National Academic League (NAL) is a nationally-recognized program. The Wichita Public Schools are the only Kansas schools to participate in this four-quarter quiz game.

Student Council is open to 8th graders who want to make a difference for our school. These students man the concession stand at home games, host the school dances, provide incentives for students, and assist in creating the Annual 8th Grade Party Invitations. Every year, Student Council does a school service project that improves the appearance of our school or provides some equipment the school would not otherwise have.

Seeing students in the halls with cameras is commonplace as they explore photography. Student art lines the halls. Student proctors serve in the three offices and the library as well as the nurse's office and some teachers' classrooms. 

Truesdell Junior High School was named after B.W. Truesdell who was an administrator at Wichita High School East and was superintendent of schools for Sedgwick County. While at East High he was affectionately referred to as "Uncle Benny."

Truesdell was constructed in 1955, and classes were first held on September 7, 1956. Hibbs, Robinson and Pettit were architects for the building which had a capacity of 750. Dedication services were held November 11, 1956.

As various areas south of the city were annexed, the enrollment increased, and by 1962, Truesdell had 16 portable units.

In 1960, a decision was made that the original Truesdell building and the Rea Woodman Elementary School next door would be connected and combined to serve as a junior high facility. In addition to physically connecting the two adjoining buildings by corridors, a science wing, industrial arts rooms, a boys physical education facility and a second dining area were constructed to complete the present structure. The capacity of the building was increased to 1,800. A new Rea Woodman school was constructed at 2500 Hiram.

In 1982, a library addition was added with additional remodeling for the administrative office center. Air conditioning was a consideration and was added to the new portion of the structure at the same time.

In the fall of 1988, all ninth graders were moved to high schools leaving seventh and eighth graders. In the fall of 1989, all junior high schools became middle school (6-8).

The addition of the physically handicapped program to the building in 1991 caused extensive remodeling of the facility to bring it up to full handicapped accessibility. Other improvements in the facility were the replacement of 800 lockers in 1993, boys locker room lockers in 1994, and bleacher replacement in the gold gym in 1992.

Curriculum changes in 1990 saw an alteration in the physical plant as classrooms were remodeled to accommodate the technical education program. The home economics rooms were converted in 1995 through remodeling to accommodate a curriculum change to implement the life management laboratory.

Truesdell celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2005-2006 with a number of events culminating in a community celebration on Sunday, April 23, 2006. A book reflecting the history of Truesdell (Junior High) Middle School was published and available for sale. T-shirts were designed to reflect the years a former (or present) student attended Truesdell as well as the years staff had served at the school. For a number of staff, they marked the years they spent here as a student as well as their tenure as a staff member. Tradition is alive at our school as we have had three generations of families attend Truesdell!

From A History of Wichita Public School Buildings c 1997