As we continue our ninth successful year of operation at Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts & Social Justice (TLHS), we are excited to announce that the academic and extracurricular programs at TLHS are thriving.
 
On October 9th and 10th, 2009, our school was represented by Major Bernadel, Ms. Marcel, Mr. Fleury and twelve students at the Haitian American Historical Society's Second Inaugural Year of the Monument honoring the Haitian people who helped win America its independence. Following two days of festivities, speeches, and celebrations, Major Bernadel served as keynote speaker at the culminating gala. The entire event recognizes the historical significance of the fact that on Oct. 9, 1779, the soldiers of Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint Domingue (Haiti) served as the largest unit of soldiers of African descent to fight in the Siege of Savannah alongside American and French forces. TLHS is proud of their accomplishment and of our school's participation in this momentous event.
 
Watch for L'Ouverture--the school's newspaper--to make it debut this month under the expert guidance of Mr. Jean-Michel Millien and with the talents of his Journalism class.
 
As always, we invite your involvement in your student's education. On that note, please mark your calendars for our remaining Family Involvement Meetings at the school on the following Mondays: November 9, 2009; January 11, 2010, February 8, 2010, March 8, 2020,  April 12, 2010, and May 10, 2010. The meetings are held from 6 until 7 PM. At each meeting, we hope you will join us informative sessions that will help you help your student achieve. Everyone in the family is encouraged to attend and refreshments are served. Please RSVP to Kassandra Hyacinthe at (561) 738-9800.

Please note that our school hours remain the same as last year: 8:40 AM until 2:45 PM. It is important for your student to be seated at assembly or first class by 8:40 AM in order to be counted present and on-time. We look forward to introducing everyone and to explaining our policies and plans at the family meetings.

Our School Advisory Committee (SAC) has openings for new members. We are still looking for additional members. Please call Nicole Toussaint at the school (561) 738-9800 for more information and/or to make a contribution of your time. This is also a great opportunity to have input in your student's education by monitoring the progress of our School Improvement Plan.

Please be aware that we are continually updating our web site at www.toussaintlouverture.org.

Let us know how we may answer your questions. We look forward to continuing a great year.

Sincerely,

Mandy Freedman, M.Ed.
Principal

Greetings at the beginning of a new and promising school year! As we commence our seventh successful year of operation at Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts & Social Justice (TLHS), we wanted to share with all of you our plans for the coming year. To begin with, we wanted to let you know of several very important issues.

Classes begin next Wednesday, August 22, 2007. Please note that our school hours remain the same as last year: 8:40 AM until 2:45 PM. We have 3 classes each day, with odd numbered blocks on “yellow” days and even numbered blocks on “blue” days. Students may earn additional credits through Independent Study, Work Experience, Community Service, and Dual Enrollment.

Please join us on Tuesday, August 21, at 6 PM for our Welcome Back Open House. You will have a chance to meet the faculty and staff. We have several new teachers as well as excellent returning faculty members. We look forward to introducing everyone and to explaining our policies and plans!

Our School Advisory Committee (SAC) will be starting up again soon. We are still looking for additional members. Please call Lauren Keller at (561) 667-9479 for more information and/or to make a contribution of your time. This is also a great opportunity to have input in your student’s education by contributing to and monitoring the progress of our School Improvement Plan.

Please be aware that we are continually updating our web site at www.toussaintlouverture.org.

Let us know how we may answer your questions. We look forward to a great year!

Sincerely,

Diane Allerdyce, Ph.D.
Chief Academic Officer

We are now three quarters through the 2006-07 school year--can you believe it?! The FCAT administration went extremely well, and we are eagerly awaiting our score reports, which are expected in May. Our tenth graders took the FCAT Writes on February 6th. The reading portion of the FCAT was given on Monday, February 26th, and the mathematics portion on Tuesday, February 27th. We are happy to announce that we expect the scores to show much progress on all our students' parts as we have been preparing the students for this important assessment all year long! Parents, guardians and other family members learned how to help their students do their best by encouraging them to read a minimum of ninety minutes per day, to attend school regularly, to eat breakfast in the morning, and to get a good night's sleep each night (even if that means cutting a few work hours at students' part-time jobs).

Our most recent Family Involvement Meeting was held here at school on Thursday, March 22nd. Please make plans to attend all of our Parent Involvement Workshops with Mr. Edner Jean, which began Thursday, January 18, 2007 and continue throughout the semester. Mr. Jean is an experienced workshop facilitator who will be offering a 5-part series. The events occur from 6 until 8 PM following a light dinner that begins at 5:30 PM. Please let us know how many family members you will be bringing; children are welcome, and child care will be available. Students whose family members attend will receive points in several classes as well. Mark your calendars for the remaining sessions of this exciting and productive series: April 26; and May 24, 2007.

Spring Break begins this Friday, March 30, 2007, after the last class that ends at 3:40 PM. TLHS wishes everyone in our school community a safe, happy, restful and fun vacation. Classes resume on Tuesday, April 10, 2007.

As always, TLHS is here to serve. Please call us at (561) 495-9991 if you have a question or would like to volunteer.

Sincerely,

Dr. Diane Allerdyce
Chief Academic Officer

We are now over half way through the third quarter of the 2006-07 school year and in the FCAT preparation window. Our tenth graders took the FCAT Writes on February 6th. The reading portion of the FCAT will be given on Monday, February 26th, and the mathematics portion on Tuesday, February 27th. We are happy to announce that we have been preparing the students for this important assessment and anticipate a great deal of demonstrated improvement. Parents, guardians and other family members can help the students do their best by encouraging them to read a minimum of ninety minutes per day, to attend school regularly, to eat breakfast in the morning, and to get a good night's sleep each night (even if that means cutting a few work hours at students' part-time jobs).

Additional FCAT information and mid-quarter grade reports will be available to parents and guardians at the next Family Involvement Meeting here at school on Thursday, February 22nd. Please make plans to attend all of our Parent Involvement Workshops with Mr. Edner Jean, which began Thursday, January 18, 2007 and continue throughout the semester. Mr. Jean is an experienced workshop facilitator who will be offering a 5-part series. The events occur from 6 until 8 PM following a light dinner that will begin at 5:30 PM. Please let us know how many family members you will be bringing; children are welcome, and child care will be available. Students whose family members attend will receive points in several classes as well. Mark your calendars for all of the dates of this exciting and productive series: January 18; February 22; March 22; April 26; and May 24, 2007.

As always, TLHS is here to serve. Please call us at (561) 495-9991 if you have a question or would like to volunteer.

Sincerely,

Dr. Diane Allerdyce
Chief Academic Officer

Happy New Year and welcome to the second semester of the 2006-07 school year! We look forward to a productive second term and to helping all students perform to the best of their ability on the upcoming FCAT (February 26 - March 9). First quarter report cards are being processed and will be sent home the week of January 17, 2007.
Please make plans to attend our Parent Involvement Workshops with Mr. Edner Jean beginning Thursday, January 18, 2007. Mr. Jean is an experienced workshop facilitator who will be offering a 5-part series. The first of the series is entitled "What Makes Teens Tick?" and will occur from 6 until 8 PM following a light dinner that will begin at 5:30 PM. Please let us know how many family members you will be bringing; children are welcome, and child care will be available. Students whose family members attend will receive points in several classes as well. Mark your calendars for all of the dates of this exciting and productive series: January 18; February 22; March 22; April 26; and May 24, 2007.
As always, TLHS is here to serve. Please call us at (561) 495-9991 if you have a question or would like to volunteer.
Sincerely,
Dr. Diane Allerdyce
Chief Academic Officer

Welcome to the second quarter of the 2006-07 school year! Autumn has come upon us subtly but surely to mark our progress. We thank all the families that participated in our excellent Family Involvement meeting on October 19, 2006. About 40 family members, students, and faculty members shared a simple meal and learned about Title I, student advising protocols, and upcoming events. Among these were the following: First quarter report cards will be mailed out on November 1, 2006. (We use the address on file for each student; please let us know if there are any changes or if you would prefer to pick the report card up at the office with parent/guardian signature.) We are also expecting the results of the FCAT retake within the next couple of weeks, and we will inform students who took the test of their scores as soon as possible. From now through March 1, 2007, all students who will be taking spring administration of the FCAT will  have an opportunity to participate in free tutoring by our Americorps Literacy member, Ian Connell. Please let Ian or the office know if you haven't been scheduled yet for tutoring. As always, we are happy to meet with parents and guardians and/or to further involve our TLHS families in our school community. We look forward to a successful second quarter with your help!

Sincerely,
Dr. Diane Allerdyce

We are busy preparing for the new year and look forward to welcoming all students back to school on Wednesday, August 16, 2006, at 8:40 AM (Note the new school hours: 8:40 - 3:40 PM).

Students and their families are invited to a Welcome Back Open House on Tuesday evening, July 15th, from at 6 PM.

We wish everyone a safe and happy summer. Students, remember to read every day! And everyone, please watch this site for further information.

Final Exam and End-of Year Schedule:
 
Remember that classes are to run on schedule, bell to bell, through Wednesday, May 24th. The only class that will give the final exam before Thursday, May 25th, is the American History District Exam, which will be administered on the District's schedule, May 24th, Block 5. The remainder of the exams will take place as follows  (students need attend school during their exams and may leave each day after their last exam):
 
Block One Exams -- Thursday, May 25th,  8:30-10:00 AM
Block Three Exams--Thursday, May 25th, 10:05-11:45 AM
Block Seven Exams--Thursday, May 25th, 12:25-2:05
 
Block Two Exams -- Friday, May 26th, 8:30-10:00 AM
Block Four Exams --Friday, May 26th, 10:00-11:45 AM
 
Block Five Exams--Tuesday, May 30th, after basketball game (please note that all students are to report directly to the Delray Beach Community Center, 100 NW 1st Avenue, for the day)
 
Block Six & Principal's Vocabulary Run-Off Test --Wed., May 31st, 8:30-10:00 AM   
Celebration and movie to follow. Dismissal at 1:30 PM. 

Spring is in the air and Summer just around the corner! This is a great time of the academic school year because we are full of creativity and plans to end the fourth quarter with great success. As always, our fourth quarter has been filled with creative projects tied to academic objectives.Graduation for 33 seniors--our biggest class ever!-- will take place at Banyan Creek Cafetorium on Sunday, May 21st at 5 PM. Congratulations, Seniors and Families!

To start the term on a positive educational note, we welcomed everyone back from spring break with a full-day teen workshop put on by the Anti-Defamation League: "The Hate Comes Home Teen Training." Expertly facilitated by ADL trainers Doug Cureton and Eline Toussaint, assisted by our own administrative ADL trainer team Dr. Ronis, Major Bernadel and Dr. Allerdyce, the training provided excellent opportunities for students to learn about ways to combat and resist bias and prejudice. Students broke into groups to watch and discuss an interactive movie that allowed them to choose various courses of action in response to a typical situation. The students then explored ways to promote tolerance and acceptance in our school and in society. After lunch, the student teams met again to develop scenarios and engage in role play. The day ended with a school-wide recitation of the ADL's Pledge of Respect. Along with our own TLHS Pledge, this was an opportunity for students to stand up for what is right and for all that is compassionate and just!

The Principal's Poetry & Vocabulary Program is going strong, with students at every level competing to earn the highest scores on our schoolwide weekly assessments. All students receive three new vocabulary words every school day, Monday through Thursday, and are tested every Friday. Ask your student to see the vocabulary words and poetry selections of the day, and you can participate in helping raise the literacy levels of our students!

Whether your student is a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, TLHS can use your help. To volunteer at our school, please call Lauren Keller at (561) 667-9479.

We did it everyone! Not only has the move into our new facility gone successfully; the FCAT is now (almost) behind us, having been very successfully administered at TLHS. Now it's "onward and upward" as we embrace the future and look forward to the final quarter of the school year. As always, our fourth quarter will be filled with creative projects tied to academic objectives.

Graduation plans are also in progress for our biggest graduating class. Before their May 21st graduation, our seniors will be visiting and applying to colleges, raising money for GradBash, and planning their graduation.

The Principal's Poetry & Vocabulary Program is going strong, with students at every level competing to earn the highest scores on our schoolwide weekly assessments. All students receive three new vocabulary words every school day, Monday through Thursday, and are tested every Friday. Ask your student to see the vocabulary words and poetry selections of the day, and you can participate in helping raise the literacy levels of our students!

March is Women's History Month and the anniversary month of the United States Bill of Rights. Every morning in March on our closed-circuit television announcements, students will hear about a famous woman who helped shaped our society. In addition, we are focusing on the fundamental rights as well as responsibilities we all have as citizens and/or residents of the United States.

Whether your student is a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, TLHS can use your help. To volunteer at our school, please call Lauren Keller at (561) 667-9479.

The move into our new facility has gone successfully, and the semester is well underway at 14610 South Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida. (We are in the Northeast corner of the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Military Trail--next to the Jewish Community Center in the same plaza that houses Publix, the Delray Square movie theater, and the Division of Motor Vehicles).

We are excited about the new term. Now in the "home stretch" before FCAT, our students and teachers are working diligently to ensure a successful testing experience for our students and families. Look for more information soon on how you can help your student perform his or her best! Graduation plans are also in progress for our biggest graduating class. Before their May 21st graduation, our seniors will be visiting and applying to colleges, raising money for GradBash, and planning their graduation.

The Principal's Poetry & Vocabulary Program is going strong, with students at every level competing to earn the highest scores on our schoolwide weekly assessments. All students receive three new vocabulary words every school day, Monday through Thursday, and are tested every Friday. Ask your student to see the vocabulary words and poetry selections of the day, and you can participate in helping raise the literacy levels of our students!

Whether your student is a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior, TLHS can use your help. To volunteer at our school, please call Lauren Keller at (561) 667-9479.

Happy New Year, Everyone! We have spent the holiday vacation working hard to move to our new facility and to prepare it for a great new semester and year. When students across the county return to school on January 9, 2006, students of Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts & Social Justice will be starting classes in a freshly renovated facility at Delray Square: 14610 South Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida. We are in the Northeast corner of the intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Military Trail--next to the Jewish Community Center in the same plaza that houses Publix, the Delray Square movie theater, and the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). It's easy to find: from our previous location: just travel west on Atlantic Avenue. Just before before reaching Military Trail, turn right onto Whatley Avenue (between IHOP and Publix) and proceed around to your right, following the hedge on the right to the furthermost corner of the plaza. Look for our signs. And be ready for a modern, academically enriching learning environment!

Here we are approaching the end of the first semester, having overcome the hardships of Hurricane Wilma and the tribulations for our upcoming move to our new site. Can you believe how fast the semester had flown by? We are proud of our success and look forward to a very happy Holiday and New Year.

Final exams will take place December 19-22, 2005*. (Click here for a full schedule) All students and families are invited to our Holiday Party and Culminating Event on Wednesday, December 21, 2005, from 6 until 9 PM at Armstrong Hall (118 NE 2nd Ave.) for a well-deserved time of celebration, food, music, and entertainment, including presentations by our dance and photography classes! Invitations are on their way; please RSVP and let us know if you would like to bring a dish or dessert. Rumors have it that Santa Claus (Mr. Bernadel) will be making a stop from his Caribbean retreat to bring us holiday cheer before our big move! Students who dress in holiday attire for the party will receive a "pass" from the dress code the next school day, when we will be having an informal "moving party," on Thursday, December 22nd.

Details regarding our move will be announced soon, as soon as we receive our official go-ahead from the City of Delray Beach's building department to occupy the new site in Delray Square. If students or their family members would like to help pack for the move on December 22nd or help us over the holiday vacation, please call Lauren Keller at (561) 667-9479. We also need your help January 2-6, 2006, at Delray Square, to unpack, organize, decorate, and get ready for classes to begin on January 9th. Refreshments and lunches for the volunteer crews would also be most welcome.

Stay tuned for further information. TLHS wishes all of our students, families, faculty and staff a wonderful Holiday!

Toussaint L'Ouverture High School for Arts & Social Justice welcomes everyone back to school as of Monday, November 7, 2005. We wish all students, faculty, staff and families the best in completing their recovery efforts after Hurricane Wilma, and we look forward to resuming all normal operations as of now! Our first hurricane make-up day was Friday, November 11th, and the next will be the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, November 23rd, which will be a full school day (blue schedule). Monday, January 9, 2006, will be the next Hurricane Make-up Day (yellow schedule). More information regarding make-up days and other policies will be provided in the near future, so please check back soon ...