Administrator's Corner
April 18, 2022
Happy Monday TJ!
First off, thank you to everyone for such a great testing week last week. The students, faculty, and staff did a wonderful job. A special thank you to our School Assessment Leader Julie Thibodeau and Assistant Principal Paula Hammel for all the pre and post-work involved in making it happen.
Reminder: No classes for 9th, 10th, and 12th graders on Friday. Juniors will be taking the CMAS Science . So again, Juniors only on Friday.
Lastly, another BIG THANK YOU to all those who helped with this year's Auction and all those who donated. We truly appreciate how supportive our TJ community is and this was another reminder of how lucky we are.
Have a great week, Spartans!
¡Feliz lunes TJ!
En primer lugar, gracias a todos por una semana de pruebas tan excelente la semana pasada. Los estudiantes, la facultad y el personal hicieron un trabajo maravilloso. Un agradecimiento especial a nuestra Directora de Evaluación Escolar Julie Thibodeau y a la Subdirectora Paula Hammel por todo el trabajo previo y posterior que se ha realizado para que suceda.
Recordatorio: No hay clases para estudiantes de 9º, 10º y 12º grado el viernes. Los juniors tomarán el CMAS Science. Así que de nuevo, Juniors solo el viernes.
Por último, otro GRAN AGRADECIMIENTO a todos los que ayudaron con la subasta de este año y a todos los que donaron. Realmente apreciamos el apoyo que nuestra comunidad de TJ es y este fue otro recordatorio de la suerte que tenemos.
¡Pida una semana fantástica, espartanos!
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Jon Poole
Assistant Principal
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Monday-
Tuesday-
Wednesday-
Thursday-
- Student PROM Committee Meeting: Dance Room
- Pep assembly: 2:00 p.m.
- Auction item pickup in the front lobby: 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Friday-
Saturday-
Sunday-
- SpartanPalooza: 12:00-3:00 p.m. (details below in Class News section)
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SkillsUSA State Competition Results:
It was an awesome 2 days at the State Conference in Colorado Springs. It was another great successful competition. TJ had 3 gold medals, 4 silver, and 1 bronze winner. Congrats to Jerry Esparza and all of the great students for representing TJ well!
3D Gold Medal
Deacon Thompson
Lila Rubin
Interactive Gaming Gold Medal
Karl Eisenbarth
Jacob Kammerzell
Photography Gold Medal
Mohan Raghunath
3D Silver Medal
Jesse Johnson
Jack Hered
Cinema Video Silver Medal
Jesse Mishell
Akaash Raghunath
Computer Programming Silver Medal
Peter Diamond
Quiz Bowl Silver Medal
Olivia Oss
Darrah Boyle
Gabriella DeMaria
Evan Valdes-Halterman
Cece Prime-Morales
3D Bronze Medal
Dean Trujillo
Jake Scobey
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THANK YOU to all who participated in the Auction! And mountains of appreciation go to Auction Co-Chairs Becca Mahoney and Megan Perkins for their hard work in making this annual fundraiser a success.
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- TJ's Monticello members sang the National Anthem at Friday night's Rockies game vs. the Cubs. Way to go, Monticello!
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6th Annual Thomas Jefferson High School Auction - Thank You!
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We look forward to sharing the final amount raised in the Auction with everyone in the coming weeks!
Auction item pick up will take place on Thursday, April 21 from 2:30 - 5:30 in the TJ Front Lobby.
Again...thank you for your support!
Megan Perkins & Becca Mahoney
2022 Auction Chairs
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TJ Food Bank and Distribution Program |
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The April Food Distribution will take place on Wednesday, April 27 from 3:30 - 5:30 pm at TJ!
Any family that is in need of food support is welcomed and encouraged to sign up HERE. Please note that you MUST sign up for us to have food available for you at the distribution.
La distribución de alimentos de abril se llevará a cabo el miércoles el 27 de abril de 3:30 p. m. a 5:30p.m. en TJ!
Cualquier familia que necesite apoyo alimentario es bienvenida y animada a inscribirse AQUÍ. DEBE registrarse para que tengamos alimentos disponibles para usted en la distribución.
Thank you for your continued support! If you are interested in making a financial contribution to the TJ Food Bank, you can do so HERE.
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At the April 12th TJHS PTO meeting, we approved grants to fund and support programs, materials, and resources that impact every student at TJ. In total, 22 grants were approved for a total of $25,200. This amount is over double the grant funding in 2021! Funding these grants is made possible because of our community's support of the TJ Auction. We are so proud to be Spartan Strong!
To see the April 12th meeting minutes and current TJHS PTO financial records, please visit the TJHS PTO page.
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Summer Launch Internships |
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Did you know that your student(s) may be able to participate in a summer internship - even one that pays!?
DPS partners with businesses and organizations such as United Airlines, Xcel Energy, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Arts Street to host DPS interns during the summer.
To find out more information about summer internships and eligibility, click here and talk to your school Navigator or Counselor!
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Prom: A Night at the Met Gala....May 7th! |
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We are so excited to be hosting PROM 2022 in a few short weeks. See above for details. Tickets will go on sale starting April 25th at lunch time. TJ seniors are allowed to bring guests from other high schools but that will require a permission slip. These can be picked up and turned into Mr. Skari. This must be done before you purchase your tickets. Guests must be approved by Admin.
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Important Dates for Seniors |
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April 24th - Spartan Palooza 12pm-3pm
April 25th - 29th Spirit Week
May 4th - Senior Awards Night: by invitation
May 7th - Prom 8pm - 11pm at The Space Gallery
May 13th - Senior Check Out, Back Yard Bash, and Yearbook distribution
May 16th - Pancake Breakfast, Graduation Rehearsal at TJ, Cap and Gown Pick up
May 18th Graduation 2:00pm at University of Denver
**A graduation rehearsal will be schedule at DU but we are still waiting to confirm that date and time so stay tuned
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Southmoor Carnival - Volunteers Needed |
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Yearbooks - Blast from the Past |
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We are trying to put together a few complete sets of TJ yearbooks for posterity. If anyone has yearbooks they would like to donate to us - specifically, the years 1984, 1986, 1989, and 1993 - that would be awesome! |
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Save the Date for a Spartan Garden Workday: May 14th! |
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May 14th- Saturday- 8-12
We are having a prep day for the garden
Your student is highly encouraged to join as they will have been working on the garden all year for this prep day!
We will be getting a huge shipment of soil to fill our 45 new beds that students put together.
Families are welcome and also encouraged to join and help-
Lunch will be provided for those who attend full day 8-12.
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Summer Concurrent Enrollment Opportunity |
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In addition to the numerous concurrent enrollment classes we offer at TJ during the school year, your student can earn college credits by taking concurrent enrollment classes this summer! Offered with Regional Summer School, the summer concurrent enrollment courses are condensed five-week courses. Entering college with completed credits makes the path to a college degree shorter and less expensive.
When?
- June 21 - July 21, 2022
- 8:00am - 12:00pm, with no classes on July 4th and 5th
- Students must commit to the course and be present for all class days
Where?
Courses offered through CCD will be located at Bruce Randolph and Lincoln high schools and courses offered through CCA will be located at Florida Pitt Waller. You will get to choose your course, but not your location.
- Most courses will be conducted in-person with specific meeting dates and times.
- A few courses will be offered remotely with synchronous and asynchronous time.
Students are limited to taking 1 (one) concurrent enrollment class over the Summer.
If you are interested in taking advantage of this opportunity or if you have questions about what classes are offered, contact your student's counselor or Graham Baughn, Concurrent Enrollment Coordinator at TJ, by email at graham_baughn@dpsk12.net
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TJ Gymnastics is starting offseason practices for their upcoming fall season. Any athletes interested in participating in gymnastics or getting in shape during the offseason should reach out to Coach Molly at tjspartansgymnastics@gmail.com. There is no experience necessary, you just need to come to practice and be willing to work hard. Practices are on Thursday evenings from 6-8pm at Golden Gymnastics. For more info, including price and paperwork requirements, please email Molly!
Thank you!
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Denver Parks & Recreation Survey for Families |
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Please click here to share your opinions about outdoor adventures and alternative sports ideas!
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Paraprofessional Job Openings at TJ |
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There are 3-4 paraprofessional jobs available here at TJ! The job would pay $15 and would be from 7:20 am-2:50 pm. Please contact the main office if you are interested. |
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Mental Health and Social/Emotional Tips |
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Did You Know…?
Earth Day, April 22nd, is almost here! Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world that focuses on environmental protection. What we love about this day is that in addition to us getting outdoors and enjoying where we live, we can learn about small and easy steps we can take every day to positively impact our environment.
Some facts:
Americans use 380 BILLION plastic bags used each year
Our use of plastic bags annually requires 12 MILLION barrels of oil
Annually, Americans throw away 34 MILLION TONS of paper
In one day, each person creates approximately 4 POUNDS of trash
What are some small changes I can make right now?
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Carry reusable bags that are washable and able to be condensed easily so you can carry them in your car, purse or pocket!
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Before you use a plastic bag, think, “does this really need to be in a bag?” or “can I put this in a Tupperware?” Aim to use glass containers, as they are better for the environment and usually BPA free
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Think twice about printing that email or document, and remember to recycle all paper! Thinking about all those unwanted catalogs you get? Consider canceling unwanted catalogs through this website: www.catalogchoice.org
Remember to recycle as much as possible. Find out where you can recycle ANYTHING at
Test your knowledge! Take a quiz!
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News from the Future Center |
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Class of 2022
The DSF Scholarship is OPEN for application. The application takes about 20 minutes and is due May 1st!
If you have not yet received financial aid package information from your college(s), they may be asking you for more information, like signed tax transcripts or the CSS Profile, in order to award you financial aid. Don’t miss out! Check your college emails and portals regularly and provide the requested information as soon as possible.
Time is running out to secure financial aid from your schools!
Class of 2023: Be sure to check out your TJ Future Center schoology course to get started on planning for life after high school! I’ll share information about college rep visits, scholarship opportunities, career info sessions, and more!
Important Dates:
Monday, April 18-Thursday, April 21- CO Youth Career Fair
Tuesday, April 19- What is Engineering? Virtual Info Session, Sally Shuler Scholarship DUE, Southeastern Conference College Tour
Wednesday, April 20: University of Toronto Rep Visit
Thursday, April 21: DSF Scholarship Almost There Required Session
Friday, April 22: National Western Stock Show Scholarship DUE, Black Issues Forum Registration Deadline
Tuesday, April 26: NACAC Virtual College Fair
Friday, April 29: CCD Red Carpet Orientation Day
Katie Damas
Future Center Advisor CC Fellow
Future Center Phone #: 720-423-7134
Rm 135
Emily Webster
College Advisor | Thomas Jefferson High School
Denver Scholarship Foundation | a 501(c)(3) Public Charity
789 Sherman Street, Suite 610 | Denver, CO 80203
emily_webster@dpsk12.net
ewebster@denverscholarship.org
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SpartanPalooza Volunteers Needed
Our Senior SpartanPalooza event is this week on Sunday, April 24th from 12pm-3pm and we need your help to make it happen! This is going to be so much fun for our students, but we need parents on the day of the event to make it all come together. Let’s make this huge class party special as they celebrate these final days of high school together. This will be a great day for parents as well as students.
There are so many fun games – Lifesize Hungry Hippos, Obstacle Course, Human Soccer Balls, Minute-to-Win-It, assorted lawn games and more!
There are food stations - Chipotle, Slices, Cane’s Chicken, Glacier Sundae Bar, and more!
There are gift bags for every student!
And prizes all day long - SO MANY PRIZES!
DONATION DROP OFF:
For those of you who have generously donated items, we need to get those items from you by Friday, April 22nd. Drop off locations are as follows
Mon, Tues, Wed: TJ Drop off Lane from 7-7:30 am– send with your student
All Week: At the Home of Eileen & Sam Robinson 2722 E. Eldorado Place Denver 80210
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Polynesian Club is selling Graduation Candy Leis for the low price of $5.00!
This is a great way to celebrate your student and make the day special. The proceeds from this fundraiser will not only help to keep Polynesian Club going at TJ, adding to diversity but will also allow the members of Polynesian Club to do outreach work in the community. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to help the people of Tonga get back on their feet from the tsunami that hit the island. Leis will be on sale till April 30. They will be by pre-order only. All leis will need to be picked up by May 12 (day before Senior checkout) payment is also due at this time of pickup (cash only).
To order please follow the link or QR code below:
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The Be Happy Boutique is an opportunity for young people to come in and find the perfect attire for prom, or another formal occasion, this season. We follow a pay what you can model with the hopes of removing the obstacle of cost. So whether someone can offer $0, $20, or more, all are welcome.
How does it work?
We will be “open for business” from March 1 - March 13. We are located at the Streets of Southglenn - Suite 236 (in the old Victoria’s Secret). We’re across the street from H & M.
Location
Streets of Southglenn (Old Victoria's Secret) - Suite 236
6851 S Vine St, Centennial, CO 80122
Hours:
Saturdays - 11 am - 7 pm
Sundays - 12 pm - 6 pm
Monday - Friday - 3 pm - 7 pm (by appointment)
On weekends we will be open during the posted hours and everyone is invited to just drop in and shop. During the week, we will serve customers by appointment. Appointments are available on the weekends, but not required.
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Big news! Bella Boutique is back for Prom 2022. If you are planning on going to prom, please schedule an appointment now to get your free prom gown, shoes and accessories. Click here to schedule an appointment!
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READY TO ROLL?? Come join us Saturday, April 30, 2022, 7-10 p.m. at the McLain's home in Southmoor for our long-awaited LEFT RIGHT CENTER Parent FUNdraiser Party! $30 per person recommended donation. Dice fly at 7:45 p.m. so come join the fun in time to win great prizes!
A TJ Parent Tradition, this fun LRC game night invites you to:
- Roll the dice (EASY game - see below!)
- Enjoy our fabulous Mexican Buffet (GF & Vegan Options avail!)
- Toast with great wine, tasty margaritas and cold beer!
- Socialize and meet other 2023 TJ Parents!
- Brief wine descriptions by Wine Specialist Catherine Quinney!
- Please dress for the weather, game tables inside & out - Casual, fun attire!
GRACIOUSLY HOSTED BY:
Jll & David McLain
Karla & Scott Henke
Christy Jordan & Chris Little
Catherine & Scott Quinney
PAYMENT & REGISTRATION LINKS:
$30 per person on TJ PTO 2023 Square above. Limited to 1st 50 guests - Secure your Spots Today! Extra Donations are greatly appreciated!
RSVP in the Sign-up Genius Slots above. Note: Please list your full name and your guest's name in the Comments Section of this sign-up genius!
LEFT RIGHT CENTER is an easy, social dice rolling game that involves everyone standing around a long, big table. All parents start with a stack of poker chips upon entry and use them to play the game - the dice tell you where to put your chips, to the person on your left, to the person on your right or to the pot in the center or keep. No betting, no thinking, and players stay "In" until the end of the game as chips shift hands quickly! It's super easy and rules will be explained at the beginning of the game - eating, drinking and socializing are encouraged throughout the game! :)
Note: Once you have RSVPd and paid, we will send you an email with specific directions for parking and exact address the week of the event!
Grab some friends and sign up today! Please help spread the word! Other parents or friends outside TJ 2023 are included as well! Adults only.
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING 2023!
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If you’d like to help, please contact Cecilia Goergen at cecilia.goergen@comcast.net. You can also donate below to Class Donations for our Cinco de Mayo Teacher Treats! THANK YOU! 2023 LOVES OUR TJ STAFF!
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PARENTS! HOW TO GET CONNECTED:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT of 2023!
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Class of 2024 - Sophomores |
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Join us on the 24th for the Class of 2024 Wine Tasting Event
Date: Sunday, April 24, 2022
Time: 2-4pm
Location: Krista & Steve Zizzo’s house
Join fellow Class of 2024 parents for a wine tasting, hosted by One Hope Wines. We’ll taste 4-6 Napa Valley wines and a portion of all wine sales will support the Class of 2024’s After Prom efforts. Can’t join us on the 24th? Click here and place an order online. Wines are shipped to your home about 3 days after the ordering.
Parent Meeting – Join Us!
Class meetings will be held the third Tuesday of month at 7pm.
Our next meeting details:
Date: Tuesday, April 19, 2022
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Zoom
Meeting ID: 847 2873 7251
Passcode: 222894
One tap mobile
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Meeting ID: 847 2873 7251
Passcode: 222894
Class Donations – Every dime counts!
Sophomores are quite possibly the best “10s” out there! Gather those dimes (pennies, quarters, and ten-dollar bills too) and make a donation to the Class of 2024; money raised will be used for the Class of 2024 After Prom.
Please click on the PTO Square link to support the class. Feel free to pass the link onto family and friends! Corporate matching is always appreciated.
Extraordinary parents – come get involved!
Reach out with questions, comments, and ideas. We look forward to a great year!
Rebecca Moore
Tambyr Reed
Robin Morrissey
Dyanna Spicher (parent)
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Class of 2025 Flower Fundraiser
Buy gorgeous bulbs and flowers for your summer garden while supporting the class of 2025! Help us raise the $10,000 we need for various class activities and After Prom. Visit http://tjhs2025.fpfundraising.com/ to view our catalog and don’t forget to share our link with family and friends! All orders will be shipped directly to you. Please contact Heather Reeder at hmbdvm@yahoo.com with any fundraiser questions.
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Part of the Thomas Jefferson PTO mission is to build a strong community, but we can't do that without parents’ help. Please take a moment to complete a short survey for the Class Sponsors to let the know how you want to be involved in class activities. The information you provide will help us direct our communication to the people who want to receive it.
We look forward to getting to know you and your student(s)! For any questions, you can reach out to Heather Reeder at hmbdvm@yahoo.com or the PTO at TJHSPTO@gmail.com.
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Stay Connected, Spartans! |
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