Congratulations, Spartans!!
Last year we ended with an average attendance of 92.6% and a consistent rate of 1.1% tardies school-wide. Why is this important? DPS, as well as federal standards, state that "chronic absenteeism" is missing 10% of a school year for any reason (excused and unexcused). That is almost a month of school in one school year! So how can you help TJ and your student(s) to be great? Please help your student to get to school on time and stay at school.
All of our Seniors need to have a 92% attendance rate to walk for graduation, and they do with your help and the support of the school!
Pay attention to the robo calls home about tardies and attendance, and have conversations with your student about being in class and on time.
Speaking of tardies....when a student is tardy to class, we ask that they follow-up the day with 20 minutes of learning in the library after school to take care of this missed time. We have students who forget and don't check the board by the attendance office, and will then be in the pass room for a period the next day. To avoid missing class at all, we, again, ask that students show up on time. If a student is chronically tardy, we have Saturday school where the student can make up time. Our first
Saturday school will be September 12th from 8am to 11:30am. If your student is on that list, it will be posted in several areas around the school by student number. We will be calling and emailing home if your student needs to attend Saturday school. This week, you can also check our list during our
Back to School Night which is
September 10th from 5-7pm. This would also be a good time to have a conversation about why tardies might be occurring and what we can collaboratively do to support your student.
For all the calendar events, please be sure that you are looking at the school calendar on the
TJ website
and connecting with what is going on at TJ!
Paula Hammel
Assistant Principal
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TONIGHT!
Back to School Night
Thursday, September 10
5:00-7:00 p.m.
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Important College Links from Mr. Christoff
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Here are some important links from the Colorado Department of Education that will help as you prepare your student and family for post-secondary options.
Click
here
to calculate your index score, and click
here
to compare tuition and fees from various institutions.
Have a great day!
Mike Christoff
Principal Resident
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Interested in traveling to Germany and the Alps in 2016? Please come to room 217 or click
here for more details! You can also e-mail
Jennifer_Sonheim@dpsk12.org
or call: 720-423-7093
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Need help with math?
Math tutoring is available in the Library Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Bring your math materials and any questions....Great way to stay on top of your class!
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Gear Up: Spartan Gear for Sale
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Get your Spartan gear ready for all events!
Support your TJ Spartans today by getting your TJ gear from TJ Partners. We have new styles and colors of TJ gear for you to show your Spartan pride around town. Get yours today. T-shirts are $15, Hoodies are $30, TJ Decals are $3. Get yours today! TJ gear will be available for sale at TJ Partners meetings each month, at various TJ activities around campus, or you can get yours by contacting us at tjparentpartners@gmail.com.
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Thomas Jefferson High School Food Pantry
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Thomas Jefferson High School is proud and excited to inform you that we have a food pantry. The food pantry's purpose is to help students and their families have enough food over the weekends. If you receive reduced or free lunch, you and your family are eligible to receive food from the food pantry. If you would like to enroll or have any further questions, please contact Samanda Davis at 720-423-7072 or
Samanda_Davis@DPSK12.org. You can also visit her in the special support office. This program is confidential and the names of students and families will remain private.
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TJ students receive recognition for their academic achievements during a special assembly.
Thomas Jefferson High School held an honor roll assembly on Tuesday, September 2nd to recognize students who achieved a 3.0 or higher GPA in the 2015 spring semester. The assembly called upon students in separate groups in terms of GPA and also covered academic letters and 1
st team All State athletes. In all, 43% of TJ students made honor roll, something Principal
Suzanne Morris-Sherer claimed was "unheard of in a high school."
Read More
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Superintendent Parent Forum on Sept. 24
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DPS' first Superintendent Parent Forum of the year is on Thursday, Sept. 24 at the National Western Complex. Open to all members of our community, join us to learn about our new Vision of a DPS Classroom and Vision of a DPS Graduate (outlined in Steps to Success, our Academic Strategic Plan).
Please submit parent representatives by Friday, Sept. 4. These semi-monthly forums are great opportunities for families to receive more information from the superintendent about key district initiatives. For more information, visit the
FACE website.
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The TJ Lady Spartans had their first home match of the 2015 season on Wednesday against ThunderRidge High School (outcome unknown at the time of publication). The Varsity also has a tournament at Palmer High School on Saturday. Come out and support the teams - home and away!
The teams played their first match last week against Standley Lake, and 3 of the 4 teams emerged victorious (Brown, JV and Varsity), highlighted by the Varsity winning their match 3-0.
The Varsity team lost several seniors to graduation last year, and with only two seniors this year, they are a relatively young team. They have already demonstrated tremendous heart and work ethic thus far though, so we are eager to see how the season unfolds for this group of young ladies.
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Important parent information:
Please click here to read Mr. Weaver's welcome letter. It contains critical information about the exciting year ahead!
Requirement to participate:
Students must have an email address that is actually used and checked
up-to-date in the Naviance Personal Profile.
This link is also on the tjjournal under quick links 'Naviance'
Tab - 'About me'
Scroll down to section - 'Official Things'
Click - 'Profile'
See - 'Personal Profile,' Email
Click - Little pencil
Enter, update, save - the Email address that the student actually uses and checks
Inactive profiles without Email appear as red. We hope to see no red.
Parent accounts are anticipated to be coming soon.
Parents:
The DPS High School Gifted and Talented Parent Group has assembled for 2015/2016. Please join on Facebook!
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HOMECOMING IS HERE!
Here's the lineup of fun events and activities!
SPIRIT WEEK (week of Sept. 14-18):
Monday -
Hippie Day, Bonfire at 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday -
Safari Day
Wednesday -
Character Day, DJ Music at Lunch, Introduction of Homecoming Court
Thursday -
Western Day, Volleyball Blackout Game vs. GW (at GW)
Friday -
TJ Spirit Day, Pep Rally at 2 p.m., Powder Puff game at 2:45 p.m., Tailgate at 3:45 p.m., Football game at 6:30 p.m. at All City Stadium
Saturday - Homecoming Dance 8-11 p.m. "Night on the Boardwalk."
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Parents - Please join us for the Homecoming game!
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Dear Spartan parents,
Looking for an opportunity to take in some high school football, enjoy a beautiful Colorado sunset, and get to know other families at TJ?
Please join TJ's PTO at the Homecoming football game on Friday, September 18th at 7:00 p.m. at All-City Stadium. Wear your Spartan gear or purchase at the game. Help us build TJ's parent community and show some school spirit!
Look for a sign "Welcome TJ Parents" to find the parent area. Hope to see you there!
-TJ PTO
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Important News from the Health Center
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Dear Parents:
All students who are treated at the School Based Health Center must have a consent form signed in advance. We've provided links below so that you can print and sign the consent form. Signed forms may be dropped off in the main office or brought to the clinic by your student. Thank you for your support in having all students access this wonderful clinic!
Sincerely,
Sally Flynn, NP
Thomas Jefferson School Based Health Clinic
720-423-7190
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Special Parent Presentation - Mental Health Awareness
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October 13th, 2015 - 6:00pm
Mental Health Awareness
Suicide and Depression Prevention
Who:
Samanda Davis- School Social Worker and Natalie Koncz- School Psychologist
+ YOU!
What:
Parent and community member suicide & depression prevention. As a parent and community member, you play a crucial role in our students' safety. Please join us for this training and discussion.
When:
Tuesday, October 13th, 2015 @ 6:00pm
Where:
Thomas Jefferson High School, Room 111
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Travel Opportunity! Save the Date!
Students and parents interested in learning more about
TJ's 2nd service learning trip to Costa Rica:
There will be a meeting on Wednesday, September 16, at 5 PM in room 10. At this meeting we will discuss the itinerary, the price, payment plans and fundraising options. You will also have the chance to enroll immediately if interested, and lock into the current price before fares increase!
Space is limited to 30 people at this meeting, so please RSVP
by contacting the group leader, Nina Barber:
Nina_Barber@dpsk12.org
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Challenge Day Needs Your Support
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Parents of Juniors, please consider donating!
It is our goal to provide Challenge Day to every student at least one time during their time at TJ. In 2015-2016 we hope to present Challenge Day to our new incoming eleventh graders.
We have obtained a grant the covers part of the cost of this program, and are asking for assistance for the rest. If you are able to assist us, your help will be greatly appreciated, please submit your donation prior to October 1.We are asking for $20 per Junior student.
Please enclose cash, M.O., check.
Make
check payable to TJHS, and return to
TJ:
Samanda Davis, Social Worker Questions? Please contact Samanda Davis, TJ Social Worker,
samanda_davis@dpsk12.org, 720-423-7072
What is Challenge Day?
- It is a one day (seven hour), action-packed, interactive program held in the gym at TJ; students, teachers, administrators, parents and other adult volunteers participate in a safe environment.
- Students, teachers, and parents own up to past behavior, apologize to each other, and make a pledge to "change their behavior.
- Students and adults participate equally and connect on a very personal level.
- Through these personal connections, students are engaged and empowered, and are inspired to be successful.
- Students' personal power and self esteem are elevated.
- Dangerous peer pressure is transformed into positive peer support.
- Teasing, violence and all forms of oppression are recognized and eliminated.
- The aftermath of the school climate is remarkably noticeable.
Thank you for your support.
Samanda Davis, LCSW MSW
Social Worker
Thomas Jefferson High School
M,T,Th
720-423-7072
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News from the Future Center
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The Future Center is now located across from the main office in room 135. Stop by to visit.
Seniors, stop by the Future Center to talk about your plans for next year. Ms. Maez would love to understand how she can support you this year.
Visits to Colleges:
Make sure to check out the bulletin board by the counseling office for information about college fairs and college tours.
Colleges Visiting TJ:
College visits will begin in September. Check out Naviance or the bulletin board outside of the Future Center for upcoming visits.
Fall college visits are open to juniors and seniors ONLY.
Students must sign up for college visits using Naviance.
Instructions to sign up for colleges visiting TJ using Naviance:
2)
Scroll down to "Spartan Links."
3)
Under Spartan Links click on "Naviance."
4)
To log in, enter your student id # (it will ask for an email address but just use your DPS ID) and password (date of birth mm/dd/yy).
(Trouble logging in? Please see Ms. Maez or your Counselor.).
5)
Once you are logged in and on the home page, click on the "Colleges" tab.
6)
Click on "View all upcoming college visits."
7)
Click "Sign Up" for the college visits you wish to attend. Make sure you meet the admissions requirements for the schools you are signing up to visit with.
Scholarships:
Starting scholarship searches now will help create opportunities for later. Good places to start a scholarship search include Naviance and Denver Scholarship Foundation. Additionally, seniors have opportunities to apply for comprehensive scholarships.
Scholarship Links:
Naviance- Log in; go to the "college" tab, and scroll down toward the bottom of the page. Click on "Scholarship Match."
Gates Millennium Scholarship - Deadline is 1/13/16-
www.gmsp.org
Horatio Alger Scholarships- 10/25/15-
https://scholars.horatioalger.org/scholarships/Â
Information Sessions/Programs/Workshops/Test Dates: (Various Locations)
10/24/15 ACT- Register by 9/18/15.
10/3/15 SAT- Register by 9/3/15.
If your family qualifies for free and reduced lunch, please see
Ms. Maez for a fee waiver.
Rena Maez
College Advisor, Thomas Jefferson High School
Denver Scholarship Foundation | a 501(c)(3) Public Charity
3950 S. Holly Street | Denver, CO 80237
O 720.423.7134 F 720.423.7098
rmaez@denverscholarship.org
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www.denverscholarship.org
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