Administrator's Corner
Dear TJ Families,
Welcome back! Wow, what a summer it has been! I hope that everyone had some time to relax and hopefully get out of the house and do some physically distanced activities.
Last year we again set the bar very high for our students and ourselves and you all continued to rise to the challenges! We had one of our largest graduating classes in 2020 which earned over $4,000,000 in scholarship money! Additionally, the Class of 2020 earned over 1,500 college credits through Concurrent Enrollment classes saving them over $250,000 tuition money. Our overall daily attendance rate was the highest amongst DPS high schools. As you know, most of the spring assessments were cancelled due to COVID-19, however our kids did take the AP tests in the spring. Not only did we increase the amount of tests that were taken, we increased the amount of kids that took tests, and we increased our overall pass rate on the Advanced Placement to over a 60% school-wide pass rate! What I was also very proud of was how this staff came together last spring to make sure that your kids finished the year with a quality education and our AP scores are just one indication to validate that work.
The mission of TJ will not be changed. TJ is THE high school to go to if you want to go to college. We will not deviate from the efforts that we have been making over the course of the many years of this work just because we will be in a virtual learning environment. Our work moving forward is to relentlessly pursue opportunities for all of our students to ensure that they are prepared for college and career. We will do this through what I believe is our greatest strength as a school and that is building relationships with kids (Social Emotional Learning - SEL). Knowing that we are going to be working in a virtual environment for the foreseeable future, we have been looking at how we can expand and build upon what we have done to make TJ the best school for all of our kids, particularly our students of color.
College and career readiness is at the forefront of everything we do so that all students are prepared for the challenges of post-secondary education - be it community college, technical school or the most elite colleges and universities around the world. While enrollment in 2 and 4 year colleges around the country is declining, that is not the case at TJ. Over 94% of all TJ grads pursue a post-secondary education. This year our goal is for more TJ students to graduate with college credit as a result of concurrent enrollment, Advance placement (AP) courses, ASCENT, or CLEP. We offer 15 concurrent enrollment courses through our Center for Communication Technology Magnet and Business/Marketing partnerships with Arapahoe Community College (ACC). We also offer on-and-off-campus, concurrent enrollment opportunities through CU Denver, Metropolitan State, and Arapahoe Community College. We're proud to offer 12 different AP courses for students in all grade levels.
I know you're all wondering how this fall will look now that DPS has said that we are going to be fully remote until October 16th at the earliest. Great question! Our Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) made up of teachers, deans, and administrators have been working over the past several weeks, in collaboration with many other DPS schools to come up with what we believe to be a strong plan for the fall. We will share more in detail next week as to what the expectations and supports will be for you.
You can find our new weekly bell schedule below.
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Class Schedules:
We have been intentionally holding off on releasing students schedules this summer because honestly we weren't sure what our schedule was going to look like up until a week or so ago. Information has changed so much that we did not want to you to have sift through changing directives. Now that we have a clearer picture of what the fall will look like, we will make the schedules live for kids and parents to see on Monday, August 17th.
Learning Management System (LMS):
As a school will be using Schoology as our main LMS. Some teachers will have kids use both Schoology and Google Classroom, but Schoology will be the launching place for all classes. You can access Schoology by following these directions:
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- Schoology (grades 6-12): Parents/guardians who already have access to the Parent Portal will automatically have a Schoology account connected to their students. Parents/guardians who do not have a Parent Portal account should visit parentaccountcreation.dpsk12.org to create one
To access resources for your student's learning, parents can go here:
You can also reach out to the DoTS Service Desk (720-423-3163) for support at any time during remote learning.
Need a Chromebook?
TJHS will be offering drive through pick up next week for any student needing a Chromebook or other required class materials. If you do not have a DPS issued Chromebook, and you do not have access to a computer with internet access at home, you can pick one up at TJ on Wednesday the 19th from 2 to 6 pm, Thursday the 20th from 8 to noon and Friday the 21st from 8 to noon. If your student's school issued computer is damaged you may exchange it at this time. Teachers will also be contacting their students through Schoology and/or through their DPS issued email account on Monday and Tuesday to communicate what required materials will be needed for their course. If you are unable to purchase these materials for whatever reason we will provide them for you during these pick-up times. If you have any textbooks, uniforms or other school property from last spring we ask that you drop those items off at this time as well.
In order to comply with Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and Denver Public School Nursing Services, we ask that families remain in their cars at all times in order to practice social distancing and allow TJ staff to deliver the items to your car. (See map below) We will place it in the trunk, backseat or hand it through a window. If you are on foot or bike please wear a mask and maintain 6-feet of distance from other people. TJ staff will be wearing masks and gloves for everyone's protection. If you have any questions please email me at Andrew_skari@dpsk12.org well. I know I haven't answered every question that you might have, feel free to reach out to me and I'll do the best I can to get your questions answered. You can email me at michael_christoff@dpsk12.org. I can't wait to see everyone again soon!
Mike Christoff
Principal
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Congrats to Alex Alcala! He submitted a grant proposal a few months back, and TJ's PE department has been selected out of 115 other applicants to receive a grant of $4,000!! We are grateful for your effort and congratulate you and the department on securing those funds! Thanks to the Denver Broncos for their generosity.
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Food Donations and School Supplies
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TJHS is collecting food donations and school supplies on Tuesday August 18th, from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm in the parking lot near bus pick up/drop off area.
We will be distributing food and school supplies for those who need on Thursday August 20th from 10:00 am-12:00 pm during Chrome book pick up. If there are left over items, it will be donated to Volunteers of America program. Staff will be wearing masks and food will be pre-boxed for safety measures.
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Student Schedules
Schedules will be available for all students to view on Student Portal TODAY! If you have questions about your schedule or if you are a new student and do not have a schedule yet, please reach out to your school counselor.
Jillian Gleason- Last names A-D
Maggie Kennedy- Last names E-L
Erin Thompson- Last names M-Q and students with IEPs
Jeremy Anderson- Last names R-Z
Horarios de los estudiantes
Los horarios de las clases estarán disponibles para que todos los estudiantes los vean en el Student Portal (Portal Estudiantil) el lunes 17 de agosto. Si tienen preguntas sobre su horario o si es un estudiante nuevo y aún no tiene un horario, comuníquese con su consejero escolar.
Jillian Gleason- Apellidos A-D
Maggie Kennedy- Apellidos E-L
Erin Thompson- Apellidos M-Q y estudiantes con IEP
Jeremy Anderson- Apellidos R-Z
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TJ's New Advisement Program
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We have a great opportunity to offer students more social/emotional support and career/college planning activities through our TJ Advisement Program this year! You will notice that all TJ students have an Advisement class on their schedule in the 'Alt' period. Each student will have an Advisement Schoology course where our Mental Health and Counseling teams will provide important content and resources for your student(s). This is where student ICAP lessons (Individual Career and Academic Plan) will be conducted. ICAP is a graduation requirement so it is important that your students participate in Advisement. Please encourage your students to check this course for more information and instructions.
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We're excited to share that the King Soopers Community Reward Program is getting great results. From January through March, 82 families participated which generated a donation of $1,600 to the PTO. Thank you to all who participated! We'd love to have even more families join the program. This is FREE money that supports TJ students and the school community. All you have to do is pick TJ as your rewards partner and then shop at King Soopers as you normally would. TJ receives a percentage of all purchases!
It is easy to sign up. To get the benefits, you must register for the rewards program here...
- Go to https://www.kingsoopers.com/topic/king-soopers-community-rewards and sign in to your digital account or create a new one. Make sure your loyalty card number or alternate ID is associated with your digital account.
- Click on Enroll Now
- Search for Thomas Jefferson High School Partners or use code UT036
- Click Enroll
That's it! You are now ready to earn FREE money for the TJ community. At the point of purchase, you must swipe your loyalty card or type in your alternate ID for your purchases to apply to TJ.
It takes approximately 10 days for the King Soopers Community Rewards total to begin displaying on your receipt. TJ receives payments from King Soopers quarterly. The percentage TJ receives varies by quarter.
You can view the total you earned during the last quarter by signing into your King Soopers account and selecting My Account. There is a tab for the Community Rewards Program. You can verify that TJ is listed as your Community Rewards beneficiary and see the amount you've contributed.
Thank you for your support!
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Stay Connected with School Deets!
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We will send out important information through our TJ mobile app, so please download the app if you're not already connected!
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Mental Health and Social/Emotional Tips
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Did You Know...?
We are back(ish) in action, TJ COMMUNITY! We missed you all. Though we wish we were back in the building with all the students, we know remote learning will not last forever, and we are here to support you as we navigate this together!
Here is how we are here to help you: Stay safe and healthy. We hope to connect with you soon! |
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If you need immediate support, please review the following crisis resources:
Mental Health and Social Emotional "Did You Know": Compiled by Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW and Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP.
Sabías...?
¡Estamos de vuelta (ish) en acción, Comunidad TJ! Los extrañamos a todos.Aunque nos gustaría estar de regreso en el edificio con todos los estudiantes, sabemos que el aprendizaje remoto no durará para siempre, ¡y estamos aquí para apoyarlo mientras navegamos juntos por esto!
Así es como estamos aquí para ayudarlo:
* Aula de salud mental - Código del aula: 36frz7m - Excelentes enlaces para actividades en el hogar, apoyo, habilidades de afrontamiento, números de crisis (vaya a la pestaña "Trabajo en clase").
Mantente sano y salvo. ¡Esperamos conectarnos contigo pronto!
Si necesita asistencia inmediata, revise los siguientes recursos de crisis:
Salud mental y emocional emocional "¿Sabía usted?": Compilado por Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW y Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP.
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School Based Health Centers are OPEN!
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E-Consent English:
consentimiento electrónico Spanish:
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We are in need of two paraprofessionals for our Special Education students. If you are interested, please contact Paula Hammel at paula_hammel@dpsk12.org
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We now have TJ car magnets for $5!!
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News from the Future Center
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Dear Class of 2021,
I look forward to supporting you as you establish and achieve your plans for life after high school!
You should be enrolled in our TJ Future Center Schoology Course. If not, please let me know as soon as possible.
You'll find a link in the Welcome message to set up an appointment with me so we can talk about your ideas and goals. There's also information about choosing a program that's right for you, financial aid and scholarships, as well as virtual tours and other tools.
Some things you can be working on now:
- Research post secondary programs (technical colleges, community colleges, universities) that may interest you. Consider using google sheets to keep track of your research!
- Research scholarship opportunities. Consider using google sheets to keep track of your research!
- Start on or update your Personal Statement. You can use the Common App Essay Prompts linked in Schoology to help you get going.
- If you are not sure what you'd like to pursue after high school, let me know. We can come up with some ideas together.
Here's to a great year, Spartans!
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Food and Nutrition Resources for Families
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Remember - TJ gear is available in the Spartan Store. If you would like to make a purchase, please contact tjhs.store@gmail.com.
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Soon to be Vintage - Don't forget to buy an AMAZING class t-shirt if you haven't yet. See Mrs Lynch room 111. They're going fast!
Don't need a shirt and wondering how you can support the class? Ready to make this the best year ever? Start today and make a donation to the Class of 2021 through the Sprit Store here and feel AMAZING!
If you have ideas or want to help, contact any one of us:
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If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Julie Rubin (rubin_j@comcast.net) or Marlene Talavera (TJSpartans2022@gmail.com).
The class of 2022 has two faculty sponsors, Jillian Gleason and Maggie Kennedy, but parents are needed to work with the staff to plan fundraising activities. Parent sponsors also plan community building activities for the parents of the class of 2022. Each class is expected to raise money needed to host their Prom, After Prom and other activities senior year. The sooner the fundraiser get started, the more choices there will be for events senior year. The time commitment can be as little or as much you can share. Your involvement in any capacity is important and appreciated. We are successful because of your behind-the-scenes contributions, large and small. It all adds up to a stronger community. An engaged parent body shows our students that we care about them!
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Class of 2023 - Sophomores
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We all look forward to school activities resuming when deemed appropriate!
Thank you also to the MANY Class of 2023 parents who worked so hard this year! We encourage others to join in when things get rolling as we have some fun tentative plans and always need extra hands!! If you have any ideas or comments and would like to get more involved, please contact Catherine Poirier cpoirier@bodybark.com or Christy Jordan christy.jordan@comcast.net!
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Stay tuned for information regarding the class of 2024!
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