Administrator's Corner
December 6, 2021
This month's "First Friday" was great. The kids had a lot of fun and won some great prizes for showing what it means to be a SPARTAN. A sincere thank you to all those who made it happen as well as those families and businesses that donated. Thanks!
This is the last week before finals, students please make sure you are putting in your best effort, studying hard, and going to class!
It is the season for gratitude and giving and we are certainly grateful to be part of this community. Our TJ community has been amazing this and last month in regards to supporting one another. Thank you to everyone who has donated time, gifts, or food to TJ families in need. Thank you to our PTO, our students and families, our Social Worker, Mrs. Davis, SkillsUSA, DECA, and everyone else.
Lastly, as the weather begins to change, please plan accordingly and leave the house a little earlier in the morning to avoid being tardy and missing out on instructional time.
Thanks TJ and have a good, strong week.
El primer viernes de este mes fue genial. Los niños se divirtieron mucho y ganaron algunos premios por mostrar lo que significa ser ESPARTANO. Un sincero agradecimiento a todos aquellos que lo hicieron pasar, así como a las familias y negocios que donaron. ¡Gracias!
Esta es la última semana antes de las finales, ¡los estudiantes por favor asegúrense de hacer su mejor esfuerzo, estudiar duro e ir a clase!
Es la época de la gratitud y el dar y estamos ciertamente agradecidos de ser parte de esta comunidad. Nuestra comunidad de TJ ha sido increíble este y el mes pasado en lo que se refiere a apoyarnos unos a otros. Gracias a todos los que han donado tiempo, regalos o alimentos a las familias de TJ necesitadas. Gracias a nuestro PTO, nuestros estudiantes y familias, nuestra trabajadora social, Sra. Davis, SkillsUSA, DECA, y todos los demás.
Por último, a medida que el tiempo comienza a cambiar, por favor planee en consecuencia y salga de la casa un poco más temprano en la mañana para evitar llegar tarde y perderse el tiempo de instrucción.
Gracias a TJ y tener una buena y sólida semana.
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Jon Poole
Assistant Principal
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Monday-
- Leadership Hygiene Drive Collection: 3:00-4:30 p.m. (details below)
Tuesday-
- Deck the Walls - Art and Ceramic Exhibition (details below)
- CCT Open House for 8th graders: 6-7:30 p.m.
- Winter Choir Concert: 7-8:00 p.m.
Wednesday-
- Internship Panel - lunch (details below)
Thursday-
- Winter Instrumental Music Concert: 7-8:00 p.m.
Friday-
Saturday-
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After 4 years of managing the TJ Spirit Store, Carrie Oss and Karla Henke are stepping down. We are so grateful for their time and energy!
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Our very own Olivia Oss has been recognized for not 1, not 2, but 3 All State Teams! First she was selected to the Colorado Coaches of Girls' Sports (CCGS) All State Red team. Next, she was selected for the CHSAA All State 2nd team. Last but not least, she was selected to participate in the Colorado High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) All State Games in June. Way to go, Olivia!!
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The annual All For One Golf Tournament helps raise funds for four schools in the area, including Thomas Jefferson High School. A check for $750 from proceeds of the 2021 tournament was provided to the TJ community by John Boozer, Tournament Director, and Bryan Dean, Tournament Title Sponsor. information on the tournament can be found at www.AllForOneGolf.org.
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Kinara Young and Kendall Seils participated in the pilot 50/50 Entrepreneurship Experience and were awarded money to go to the start-up cost of their business idea. Both will be participating in the Spring Launch Internship where they will learn from professionals with their business expertise. Way to go!
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The students from Ms. Kalinchuk's Character Ed class enjoyed a field trip learning how to get around on the RTD, and practiced etiquette and great ambassadorship for TJ by enjoying pancakes, eggs, and other delights at Snooze in the Tech Center. Delicious and fun! Great job, Spartans!
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All students are expected to be in their finals for all of the classes on their schedule.
Monday December 13th
Period 2 – 7:30-9:00
Period 3 – 9:05-10:35
Period 4 – 10:40-12:05
Lunch optional
Test make up – 1:00-2:45 by appointment only
Tuesday December 14th
Period 6 – 7:30-9:00
Period 7 – 9:05-10:35
Lunch optional
Test make up – 1:00-2:45 by appointment only
Wednesday December 15th
Period 1 – 7:30-9:00
Period 8 – 9:05-10:35
Lunch optional
Test make up – 1:00-2:45 by appointment only
Thursday December 16th
Make up by appointment only
Friday December 17th
Half day- no students
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TJ Spirit Store - New Items and Online Sale! |
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Hey TJ Spartan Fans, we have two new spirit store volunteer managers that we want to introduce to you. Jill VanAbbema & Monica Snyder. They both have TJ sophomore boys and will also have incoming freshmen in the fall of 2022. Carrie Oss and Karla Henke will be stepping aside, after 4 years of managing the store. Carrie and Karla enjoyed the opportunity to volunteer our time and support school spirit. While there were challenging times with the renovation of the front lobby and Covid restrictions, the support of the TJHS PTO and TJHS faculty and staff were incredible.
However, Jill & Monica have worked hard and we're excited to announce the online sale!
Get your TJ gear online! Huge selection of your favorites! Sale running now until December 27 (expect delivery to your address the week of Feb 7)
Come see us inside the lobby on Tuesday, December 14th for a TJHS basketball game.
Go Spartans!
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Dear TJ families,
Due to the holiday spirit, the Leadership Class has decided to have a hygiene drive. We are asking the TJ community to bring in the following items:
Socks, Deodorant, Granola Bars, Bandages, Water, Hand warmers, Kleenex, Disposable masks, Dried fruit, Soap, Lip balm, Hand sanitizers, Toothbrushes & Toothpaste
We will be collecting these items on December 6th after school from 3:00 pm-4:30 pm. We will be located in front of the Robotics doors, Northside of the building in the parking lot, which is an easy and accessible drop-off site. For those unable to make those times work, there will also be a collection box in the main office. Please make sure all donations are in by December 8th.
We are very appreciative of your support as you will be helping those in need during the holiday season.
Best,
The Leadership Class
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Deck the Walls: TJ's Art + Ceramic Exhibition is THIS WEEK! |
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Support your students and the arts at TJHS! Art + Ceramic students' work will be on display December 7th - 9th in room 111 during lunch and December 7th & 9th from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Come see all the AmAzInG artwork made this semester! |
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Interested in an Internship? |
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Interested in an internship? Come hear from TJ students who have participated in the DPS Fall Launch Internship Program on Wednesday, December 8th during lunch (11:19-11:59 AM) in Room 134. Students will be sharing about their internship experience in a pitch format and answering questions you have about interning in high school. Below are the students who will be presenting with the internship info attached!
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Saben Snyder- Social Media & Communications with Sprout City Farms
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Luke Poirier & Juanita Hurtado- Media with History Colorado
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Lilly Arbogast- Mechanical & Software Engineering Intern with YEP!
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Abdirahman Abdi- Database Support Intern with DPS Report, Analytics & Data Services
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Adan Moreno-Garcia- Program Support with DUG & DPS Career Development
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Khushi Thakor- Denver Youth Initiative Intern
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Katya Kannady- Marketing & Social Media with Second Act Women
Questions? Please email Mr. Mason at matt_mason@dpsk12.net or stop by the Counseling Office.
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Holiday Break Food Distribution / Distribución de alimentos por las vacaciones
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If you would like to receive a Holiday Food box and additional food to help over the winter break from school, please sign up HERE. Signup is required BEFORE DECEMBER 8 and we will only have food available for those who sign up. Food pickup will take place from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm on Thursday, December 16.
Si desea recibir una caja de comida navideña y comida adicional para ayudar durante las vacaciones de invierno de la escuela, regístrese AQUÍ. Es necesario registrarse ANTES del 8 DE DICIEMBRE y solo tendremos comida disponible para quienes se registren. La recolección de alimentos se llevará a cabo de 7:30 am a 3:00 pm el jueves 16 de diciembre.
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Holiday Food Drive Donations |
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The TJ Food Bank is collecting food to help sustain our TJ students and families in need of food support through Winter Break. Donations will be collected through Saturday, December 11 and can be dropped off by students in the "Holiday Food Drive" donation boxes located inside the main entrance of the school and in the front office. Donations can also be delivered to one of the addresses noted in the Signup Genius. Sign up for donations needed to support our families HERE.
If you are interested in making a financial contribution that will be used to purchase items, you can do so HERE.
Thanks for your continued support!
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PTO NewsTJHTO Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 9th at 7:00 pm |
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If you use Amazon for your holiday shopping, remember to use AmazonSmile. When you select Thomas Jefferson High School Partners, a portion of qualifying purchases get donated to TJ PTO - a gift that keeps on giving! This is such an easy way to support your TJ community and spread even more holiday cheer. Purchases you were going to make anyway can make a difference. Simply shop at smile.amazon.com or in the Amazon Shopping app with AmazonSmile turned ON.
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LatinX Kidlit Book Festival in the Library |
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It is with great pleasure to announce the TJ Library will be hosting the LatinX Kidlit Book Festival December 9th-10th! The second annual festival will take place virtually and will be live streamed from the library throughout the day. There will be author panel discussions, a chance to chat live with the presenters, workshop-style writing sessions, illustrators draw-offs and more! Meet the authors here! Check out the Festival's session guide and drop into the library during the session you wish to view. You may also watch live from your classroom on the Latinx Kidlit Festival's YouTube channel.
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Did your student sign up for the Seal of Biliteracy credential 2020-21? If they did, encourage your student to come to room 112E to speak to Ms. Rodriguez, the Dean of Instruction on scheduling the written portion of the language test. Testing will begin Tuesday, December 7th through the 16th.
Email Ms. Rodriguez at maria_rodriguez2@dpsk12.net for more information or have your student stop by the main office to talk to Ms. Rodriguez.
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Holiday Resources for Families |
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Click below for a full list of holiday resources!
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Fall Play Update - She Kills Monsters has been rescheduled! |
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We experienced a malfunction the week before Thanksgiving that made us lose two days of rehearsal and destroyed several pieces of our set. With only three days to get back on track, we decided to officially postpone the show and do it well!
Thank you to all the supportive messages and requests for tickets, showing your interest in this play our students have worked so hard for! We hope to see you on our new dates Thursday, January 27th-Saturday, January 29th!
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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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College and Career Readiness |
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Our goal is that all students graduate college and career ready. One of the ways we achieve this goal is to support students' career and college exploration through programs that provide opportunities for students to discover how their interests and passions might someday fit into the world of work. There are many resources to help you learn more about career and college programs in DPS, visit collegeandcareer.dpsk12.org to learn more! Handouts: English / Spanish
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Matthew Mason (He/Him/His)
Navigator at Thomas Jefferson High School
DPS Career and College Success
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Mental Health and Social/Emotional Tips |
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Did You Know…?
There are some quick and easy things you can do to prepare for upcoming tests.
Finals are a week away! Some people stress a lot, a little or not at all.
Here are some simple things any test-taker can do to help with preparation for the big day.
1) Get some sleep: Cramming the night before is not the best use your time. Adolescents need the most amount of sleep per night, and the night before a big test is no difference. Aim for 8-9 hours- plan ahead to go to bed earlier and make sure your alarm is set in the morning to give you plenty of time for breakfast and to get ready.
2) Do something relaxing before bed: Put away your phone and all electronics at least an hour before bed (eye-roll, we know). Take a shower or bath, listen to music, draw, read, color, journal, talk with family, etc.
3) Eat the right food: Dinner the night before and breakfast the morning of- keep it as healthy as possible, and limit sugar and caffeine intake. High-protein foods like scrambled eggs are often best for aiding concentration and minimizing fatigue.
4) Wear comfortable clothing: This would be a good day to wear sweatpants or workout gear that is loose and breathable.
5) Visit the Bathroom 15-30 minutes before: Limit water intake starting an hour before the test.
6) Answer the questions you know: If you come across something that you can’t answer, star it, and move on! Come back to the “starred” after completing all the items you know.
7) Read the question in full before trying to answer it. At least some of the answer choices will be designed to trap students who don’t read the question fully. Also identify the answer first before looking at the answer choices, since some of the choices will be designed to prime you into misinterpreting the question. Don’t jump to conclusions.
8) Take a deep breath: If you become anxious or overwhelmed, take a deep breath, try closing your eyes for a few seconds (but don’t put your head down on the table!). Get back to it! Just do your best.
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Mental Health and Social Emotional “Did You Know”: Compiled by Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP and Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW.
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News from the Future Center |
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Keep up the great work, Spartans! You are crushing the college process!
Plan to have your applications with all early January deadlines submitted and transcript requests completed by December 15th to allow time for your documents to be provided to the colleges.
If you have not yet applied for FAFSA or CASFA, make a plan to get that done this month!
Check your email regularly for updates from your colleges and
SHARE YOUR ADMISSIONS WINS! Make note of your institutional scholarship deadlines. These opportunities are one of THE BEST forms of $$$$ for college available to you. Apply to the institutional scholarships for at minimum the top three colleges to which you’ve been admitted!
Wednesday, December 8: LAEF Scholarship Workshop-Sign Up Required!
Friday, December 9: CU Denver Rep Visit and FAFSA Fridays!
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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Our class leaders are committed to providing Senior parents with continued support and the latest graduation and senior events. You can reach out for more info:
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STUDENTS! Pre-Sales for Class of 2023 T-Shirts have started!
T-shirts are $15 each and ALL PROCEEDS go to your Senior Prom!
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INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Fill the form out above on the 2023 T-shirt link with size, etc.
2) See Carla Allen our Treasurer with your $15 payment (Cash, Credit Card or Check to: Thomas Jefferson High School - Put “2023 T-Shirts” in memo line)
3) Your Class Advisors will be notified of payment
4) T-shirt Pick up will be Announced - Then Rock Your 2023 T-Shirt!
If you have any questions, please see your 2023 Sponsors Mrs. Berg or Ms. Taylor!
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HOW TO GET CONNECTED:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT of 2023!
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Class of 2024 - Sophomores |
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Parent Meeting – Join Us!
Class meetings will be held the third Tuesday of month at 7pm.
There will be no meetings during November and December due to the holidays and school breaks, please plan on joining us in January.
Our next meeting details:
Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Jll McLain’s house
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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Stay Connected, Spartans! |
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