Monday-
Tuesday-
- Additional technology and materials distribution (details below): 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Wednesday-
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Friday-
Saturday-
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Communication Expectations and Norms
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In an attempt to support the needs of your students and while maintaining the work/life balance of our staff, we are adopting the following policies:
- Work day for teaching faculty will be from 7:15 a.m. - 3:15 p.m.
- Meetings will held be scheduled during of normal work hours unless otherwise agreed upon.
- Please use the email address listed in the staff directory when reaching out: https://tjhs.dpsk12.org/directory/
- Email with an understanding of a 24 hour return time expectation.
- Please free to reach out to us when it is convenient for you via email/Remind with the expectation that we will respond to you within 24 hours.
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Additional Technology and Materials Distribution
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Dear Spartan Families,
TJHS will be offering an additional drive through pick up opportunity this week for technology and class materials distribution. If you still 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 Tuesday, September 1st from 8:00 am until 12:00 noon. If your student's school issued computer is damaged you may exchange it at this time as well.
We have received another shipment of Hot Spots for WIFI access. If you requested to be on the waitlist you can pick it up during this time. If you aren't on the waiting list you can still pick one up but supplies are limited. A small number of courses at TJ require additional textbooks or materials. Those teachers will reach out to students directly to let them know what they will need. If your student isn't in one of these classes, and their technology is working properly, there is nothing further you need to do at this time. If you have any textbooks, uniforms or other school property from last year 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) 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 for everyone's protection. If you have any questions please email Andrew_skari@dpsk12.org. |
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TJ's New Advisement Program
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In the 2020/2021 school year, all Spartans will be enrolled in an Advisement class. In this class, students will have a great opportunity to engage in social/emotional supports and discover more about your future through career/college planning activities. The Advisement class is on student schedules in the 'Alt' period, and our Mental Health and Counseling teams will provide live support and important content and resources for students. There will be credit for completion of this class. When you look at the bell schedule, you see SEL/ICAP in the mornings from 7:30-7:55. That is Advisement time. Each grade will log in once a week for live support and to complete the assignment that week. The other days of the week are for completing any additional assignments for that week's lesson, practicing and exploring the resources from the lesson, etc.
- Mondays will be 9th graders
- Tuesday 10th graders
- Wednesday 11th graders
- Thursday 12th graders
Please remember, this is where your ICAP lessons (Individual Career and Academic Plan) will be conducted. ICAP is a graduation requirement so it is important that you participate in Advisement. Students, check out the Advisement Schoology Course for more information and instructions each week. Go to your 'Class of' folder for more information and instructions. We can't wait to engage with you!
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Helpful Schoology Tips and Resources for Students
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The district has put together a document that will allow students to access FAQs, videos, and resources to help them navigate the Schoology platform. Click here to access that document!
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Prevention Programming - Passive Consent Form for Parents
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DPS implements Prevention Services by your School Health Professional and Mental Health Team. Prevention Programming is intended to expand substance abuse prevention and social emotional educational opportunities in schools. *YOU ONLY NEED TO FILL OUT THE GOOGLE FORM IF YOU DO NOT WANT YOUR CHILD TO PARTICIPATE. IF YOU ARE OPTING OUT OF ANY PROGRAMMING, PLEASE COMPLETE THE ATTACHED GOOGLE FORM. IF YOU ARE OPTING OUT OF ANY PROGRAMMING PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM BY SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2020.FOR QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT MEGAN MICCIO, SCHOOL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL AT MEGAN_MICCIO@DPSK12.ORG
Link to the Google Form:
more about these programs for your students!
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School Culture for Remote Learning
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| The mission of Thomas Jefferson High School is to enhance students' academic experiences through unique opportunities for growth, creativity, and success. TJ serves to provide these opportunities and promote excellence in education and enrichment for all students. We relentlessly pursue opportunities for our students to ensure that they are prepared for college and career. As we move forward with remote learning, we want to provide important information about our school culture and discipline policies and procedures that will support teachers and students while we are teaching and learning from home.
TJ is committed to maintaining an atmosphere in which opportunities for learning are enhanced for all students. The following expectations will be enforced to ensure the remote learning environment is safe, inclusive, and joyful.
Students will:
- Uphold all Spartan Values at all times
- Maintain strong Digital Citizenship
- Be a full participant in their online learning opportunities:
- Attend all scheduled live classes on Schoology/Google Meet and complete the online assignments. If unable to attend the live session, communicate with their teacher, and provide online evidence of participation.
- Participate in restorative conversations, as needed
- Be school appropriate and respectful when engaging in interactive groups, breakout sessions, and chats when assigned by the teacher
- Advocate for their success in every class by emailing teachers and/or attending online office hours
- Follow all regular TJ classroom expectations and school rules. See the Conduct/Discipline section in our Student Handbook:
- Reach out to the appropriate staff member when you have questions, need support, or to anonymously report a situation. Locate faculty contact information here:
Teachers will:
- Acknowledge and encourage student behavior through our school-wide positive interventions
- Utilize Schoology features to help maximize the learning environment
- Record and save all live sessions including video, audio, & chat
- Communicate to the Student Excellence Team if remote learning behavioral issues arise
- Participate in restorative conversations, as needed
- Continue to demonstrate flexibility, understanding the unique context of our situation
The Student Excellence Team will:
- Build relationships with students through visiting online classrooms and online leading groups
- Support students, teachers, and staff members with classroom culture
- Reach out for support through email to schedule a meeting or attend online office hours
- Enforce the DPS and TJ conduct/discipline policies
- Facilitate restorative conversations between TJ stakeholders to resolve conflict & repair relationships
- Lead restorative justice work and school-wide culture initiatives
- Communicate behavior issues to parents/families and students
- Implement student consequences as a result of behavior, when necessary
- Follow up with parents/families and students to ensure understanding of discipline policies & Spartan Values
Parents/Families will:
- Monitor email or other selected means of communication from the school for important updates
- Encourage daily attendance and class participation
- Regularly check Parent Portal and Schoology to track student progress
- Encourage self-advocacy amongst their student, such as reaching out to teachers/staff for support, by email or during office hours, when necessary
We will all:
- Be gracious and thankful for one another as we do our best to design, engage, and refine a school culture for a remote learning system that works for students and adults, alike
Digital Citizenship
- Digital Citizenship is defined as, "the responsible use of technology by anyone who uses computers, the Internet, and digital devices to engage with society on any level." We must act responsibly when using Chromebooks, other digital tools, and when interacting with others online. No cyberbullying or other inappropriate online conduct will be tolerated.
The Student Excellence Team - Contact Information:
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PTO would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning families! In these chaotic times, PTO will be searching for new ways to connect our TJ community and continue the work we do. Everything the PTO does is ultimately in support of our remarkable students. The student body is growing, the staff is growing and the PTO is growing. YOU make all the difference! To be part of this engaged group of parents, visit the PTO webpage and click the JOIN Today! link at the top. We are still looking to fill some leadership positions. We need parents to serve in the following ways...
- President - Eileen Robinson
- Vice President - open (ideally this person will take on the role of President the following year)
- Treasurer - Teri Hetzel
- Secretary - open
The PTO is a dedicated group of parents who do so much to support the TJ community but we need leadership to stay on course. Please consider how you can use your skills to help TJ staff and students be the best they can be. We can't be Spartan Strong without YOU!
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King Soopers/TJ Fundraiser
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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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All Colorado students who qualified for free/reduced lunch for the 19-20 school year are eligible to receive a one-time $279 food stipend. Families will be required to provide their students' State ID number on the application. This can be found in Infinite Campus under the "Summary" tab, under the student's date of birth. Please email me if there are other DPS students in the family needing their State ID number. More info on this program
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Colorado High School Mountain Bike League - For Boys and Girls!
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Colorado High School MTB League information can be found at coloradomtb.org. There is no in-person competition this Fall, but weekly events to be completed by the teams for awards. The events start next week 8/24 and run through 10/17. Participation is not required in all events or all days of the week. |
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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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 Hey GT Families! We are here for you!
In an effort to provide GT students and their families with the resources and supports needed to begin/complete their Advanced Learning Plan (ALP), the TJHS GT Site Team has created a Google Classroom for each GT grade level. The title and code for each grade level is listed below:
TJHS Gifted and Talented 2024 Cohort - COMING SOON!
TJHS Gifted and Talented 2023 Cohort - b7vpvfn
TJHS Gifted and Talented 2022 Cohort - orzg7to
TJHS Gifted and Talented 2021 Cohort - by7mjwi
The TJHS GT Site Team, working alongside our District GT Partners, has included resources, websites and documents to help you complete your ALP goals. Keep in mind that there are affective as well as academic goals. At this time, students should only focus on the Goals / Advanced Learning Plan section and not worry about the badges right now. We don't want you to get in there and feel overwhelmed.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Tate, our Dean Instruction and GT Point of Contact at adria_tate@dpsk12.org
Our District GT Partner is Brian Beard, brian_beard@dpsk12.org, and you may receive GT newsletters from his office with internship and university opportunities.
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Mental Health and Social/Emotional Tips
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Did You Know...?
About the mental health and social emotional programs offered this year at
Thomas Jefferson High School to support Whole Child? They may look a little different this year, but we will do our best to implement them!
1. Advisement- In this class, students have a great opportunity to engage in social/emotional supports and discover more about their future through career/college planning activities. Your Advisement class is on your schedule in the 'Alt' period, and our Mental Health and Counseling teams will provide important content and resources for you. This class is live Monday through Thursday for support at 7:30am-7:55am. Please remember, this is where your ICAP lessons (Individual Career and Academic Plan) will be conducted. ICAP is a graduation requirement so it is important that you participate in Advisement. Please enter the correct folder (by graduating class) for more information and instructions.
Schoology Course: 07676-1
Alpha A-L= Google Meet Code: tjadvisement1
Alpha M-Z= Google Meet Code: tjadvisement2
Each grade level will be "live" once a week in Google Meets
Breakdown:
- Mondays will be 9th graders
- Tuesday 10th graders
- Wednesday 11th graders
- Thursday 12th graders
2. Everfi - All students will be introduced to this platform during Advisement. Below are some of the courses we will be implementing this year.
- EverFi - Mental Wellness, Social Emotional, College & Career Readiness- EVERFI empowers educators to bring real-world learning into the classroom and equip students with the skills they need for success-now and in the future. These topics include financial education, career readiness, social & emotional learning, health & wellness (including alcohol prevention education) and cultural literacy
- EverFI AlcoholEDU & Prescription Drug Safety- AlcoholEDU program is a program developed by EVERFI. AlcoholEDU is an innovative digital course that is proven to reduce negative consequences associated with underage drinking. Prescription Drug Safety is an innovative digital course that gives students the opportunity to learn about prescription drug safety. The course highlights of the AlcoholEDU & Prescription Drug Safety program include evidence based learning, interactive scenarios, assessments, and supplemental materials. The curriculum is designed to engage students in reality based interactive scenarios that provide them with facts about alcohol, and a consistent message that empowers them to make safer and healthier decisions about alcohol.
- Stanford Vaping Prevention Program - Stanford Vaping Prevention Programis a theory-based and evidence-informed resource created by educators and researchers aimed at preventing middle and high school students' use of tobacco, nicotine, and vaping products. Your student will 1) Learn basic information about tobacco products, including e-cigarettes/vape pens, and the harm they cause; 2) Gain awareness of strategies used by tobacco companies to increase use among adolescents through deceptive and creative marketing strategies; 3) Gain skills to refuse experimentation and use of tobacco or nicotine
3. LifeSkills- Life Skills is a universal prevention program that reduces the risks of alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse by targeting social and psychological factors that promote the initiation of substance use and other risky behaviors. Compounded with Life Skills, we will teach Marijuana Education Initiative's Impact Awareness Program (MEI) which engages students in reality based conversations about the common uses of marijuana, health and behavior risks associated with marijuana use and abuse, and informed decision-making about marijuana. The focus is on substance prevention, however, LifeSkills also covers communication, relationships, coping, problem solving, and decision-making.
4. Teen Intervene -Teen Intervene is a counseling model program designed to help young people who are beginning to struggle with alcohol and/or drugs. This program helps youth identify the reasons they have chosen to use alcohol or other drugs, examine the effects of substance abuse in their lives, and learn to make healthier choices. The goal of the program is to help teens reduce and ultimately eliminate their substance use. This program involves 2-4 sessions of individual counseling, starting with a thorough assessment to understand the child's needs and how we can best support the student and family. Each session is about 45-60 minutes, with the last session including parent/family participation. Contact Megan_Miccio@dpsk12.org
5. TJHS Leadership Class - Here at TJ, our leadership class works hard to implement programs that outreach to our feeder schools and community to help foster academic and social-emotional development, as well as qualities of leadership and relationships.
6. Signs of Suicide (SOS) - This program was been developed by the highly regarded non-profit organization that created the Signs of Suicide Program for Middle and High Schools, used by thousands of schools nationwide since 2000. It has proven successful at increasing help-seeking by students concerned about themselves or a friend and is the only school-based suicide prevention program to show a reduction in suicide attempts in a randomized, controlled study (American Journal of Public Health, March 2004). It teachers students to A.C.T.- Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult. SOS is implemented to students, staff and parents.
7. Denver Health Clinic - TJ is proud to house a Denver Health Clinic in the garden level of our building! Students can access some medical care, therapeutic and behavioral supports. Want more information?
8. END Violence Program: The goal of the END Violence Project is to create long lasting and systemic change in our school communities so that ALL children feel safe, welcome, and supported. The END Violence Project is a youth-centered program that addresses interpersonal violence (e.g. domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking) with schools, students, families, and communities. Schools participating in the END Violence Project develop the capacity to better work with students who experience trauma due to interpersonal violence. Available resources include psycho-educational groups, support groups, individual counseling, and activities for healthy relationships for all students through partnership agencies. Contact Margaret_Kennedy@dpsk12.org
9. GSA - Gay Straight Alliance: GSA is a student-run club that provides a safe and inclusive place for students to meet, support and talk about issues related to sexual orientation, prejudice, discrimination and intolerance. Students strive to further educate themselves along with the school community about sexual orientation and gender identity issues. The adult supports in GSA provide a space to empower the youth to advocate and organize for events such as Ally Week and Day of Silence. Students in GSA work together to stay current on LGBTQI+ issues in order to create a platform that supports their outreach efforts. The GSA groups meets every Friday during lunch with a goal for each meeting. Each week is prioritized to facilitate the goals of that week. For example, one meeting is around Team Building, the next Friday a guest speaker, followed by Community Outreach and lastly, Fun (no agenda for the meeting, listening to music, enjoying each other's company). Ultimately, GSA functions as a support group and provides a safe place for youth to feel themselves.
10. 9th Grade Organizational Support Group: Facilitated by one of our social workers and one of our counselors, this group focuses on providing bi-weekly direct support to 9th grade students who are struggling with aspects of organization, and are willing to participate in the group. Interested? Contact Rebecca_Taylor@dpsk12.org
11. Restorative Justice:Restorative practices are a confidential way to resolve conflict between students, students and teachers, and with other community members. It can be used in arguments, disagreements, fights, and various other conflicts and discipline incidents whether they occur inside or outside of school. Restorative practices works by having a team member from the Student Excellence Team (SET) assess the individual circumstances of each situation and, if appropriate, schedule a face-to-face meeting between the participants. This process helps everyone understand exactly what happened and during the course of the meeting determines how to make things right. At the beginning of the conversation, the SET will discuss ground rules. During the conversation, the SET will facilitate the conversation using the restorative questions. At the end of the conversation, an agreement is either verbally agreed upon or written and signed, which summarizes the result of the conference and any next steps that need to be taken.
At TJ, we care about our students and we use restorative practices to truly resolve problems, strengthen our community, and contribute to a positive school culture. Want to know more? Contact Emily_Lupo@dpsk12.org
12. Counseling and Mental Health Resources:
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Mental Health and Social Emotional "Did You Know": Compiled by Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW and Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP.
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School Based Health Centers are OPEN!
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| https://www.denverhealth.org/services/school-based-health-centers
Thomas Jefferson School Based Clinic: 720-423-7190
Consent for Thomas Jefferson School Based Clinic:
English:
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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We're working on details to get an online store running during this period of remote learning. Stay tuned!
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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!
Please be sure to access the TJ Future Center: 2021 Schoology course for resources to support your planning.
You'll find a link in the Welcome message to set up an appointment with me so we can talk about your goals and the steps you'll take this year towards achieving these goals.
Over the next week:
- Set up an appointment to meet with me using the link provided in the TJ Future Center:2021 Schoology course.
- Log in to MAIA Learning where you can research colleges and will be required to track your applications. You can log into MAIA through your DPS Portal. You'll then click See All Apps and proceed to MAIA. Check out the MAIA Learning Students Quick Guide linked in the TJ Future Center:2021 Welcome message.
- Research scholarship opportunities. Use the resources provided in the TJ Future Center: 2021. Consider using google sheets to keep track of your research!
Let me know what questions you have!
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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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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Welcome back Sophomores and Sophomore Parents!
Class of 2023 Parents will be hosting a kick-off meeting on Thursday, September 24, 2020, 6:30-7:30 p.m. via Zoom and in-person, distanced outside - your choice! Parents please mark your calendar now and then watch for more details and sign-up soon. We look forward to planning some creative fundraisers and events with you all again this year to benefit the Class of 2023!
We always need more help and input!! 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 - many thanks!
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Stay tuned for information regarding the class of 2024!
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