January 29, 2018
Administrator's Corner

Hi TJ,

Parents, we need your help! As you know, your students' attendance is paramount to their success in school. As the weather conditions change causing longer commute times, please continue to do your best to get your students to TJ on time.

We are very excited to share that our wonderful Theatre Department will be putting on  Grease the Musical from February 15th-17th which will conclude our Winter Spirit Week activities lead by our TJ Leadership students. I hope everyone participates in the Spirit Week activities and comes out to the play!  Thanks TJ!


Hola TJ,  

Padres, ¡necesitamos su ayuda! Como usted sabe, la asistencia de su estudiante es primordial para su éxito en la escuela. A medida que cambian las condiciones climáticas y causan tiempos de viaje más largos, continúe haciendo todo lo posible para que sus estudiantes lleguen a TJ a tiempo.

Estamos muy emocionados de compartir que nuestro maravilloso Departamento de Teatro pondrá Grease the Musical del 15 al 17 de febrero que concluirá nuestras actividades de Winter Spirit Week dirigidas por nuestros estudiantes de TJ Leadership. ¡Espero que todos participen en las actividades de la Semana del Espíritu y salgan a la obra!  Gracias TJ!

Mike Christoff
Principal 
Quick Links
Click here to learn more about DPS online payments
Week at a Glance - Week of 1/29-2/2
Monday- 
  • Please click here (or see the above "Athletics Schedule" quick link) to see athletic events for the week
Tuesday- 
  • Chipotle fundraiser for Native American Student Alliance: 4-8:00 p.m. (more details below)

Wednesday-
  • Office Hours: 2:14-2:55 p.m.
Thursday -

Friday - 
  • No School (Non-Student Contact Day)
Kudos Korner
  • On January 6, 2018, the TJ JROTC Honor Platoon and Drill Teams traveled to San Antonio, Texas to compete in the Western Regional JROTC Drill Championships.  In only their second year at the event the Drill team took 6th in Armed Exhibition and finished up 12th overall.  Honor Platoon took 2nd in Unarmed Exhibition and finished the competition 6th overall!   
Both teams placed high enough in the competition and have been invited to the All-Army National Championships in Louisville, KY this coming April.  We are proud of how these teams have started off the Drill season.  Needless to say both groups are beyond excited for their upcoming Nationals trip!  

Both drill teams begin their local and state seasons in February as they prepare for their season ahead. 

Way to go, Spartans!
  • Way to go Girls' Swim and Dive Team for hosting a spectacular all-school SPARTAN SPLASH - BEACH BASH Pool Party January 19th!
Everyone who attended had a splashing good time!  No one could even recognize the pool area after it was transformed into an oasis of colors, trees, flowers and decorations! Swimmers, Splashers and Spartans alike enjoyed free pizza, drinks, great tunes, festive leis and entertaining events - including more than $900 worth of prizes given out!  Congratulations to this year's champions!

Spartan Splash Relay:  1st Place with a smoking fast time of 58.40
Drea Thompson
Caden Cramer
Megan George
Reece Dines
Strategically Managed by Gabe Freedberg

HUGE applause, thanks and congratulations to our 2nd place team our TJ Teacher/Coach relay with a very respectable time of 1:00:62!
Mrs. Cynthia Allen
Mr. Marcus Allen
Coach Katie
Coach Austin Barrand
Manager Ms. Anne Rice

3rd place honors with ia time of 101:78 goes to the team of:
Jackson Moore
Josh Raykin
Camy Guenther
Landon Cramer
Manager Leo Busse

After a showcase exhibition of dives by Coach Austin Barrand the Splashers were inspired to try a variety of innovative moves and gigantic splashes.  Congratulations to the ultimate twisting, smacking, splashing champion, sophomore Hanna Channell!

Big Splash Winners:
1st Place - Hanna Channell
2nd Place Molly Jordan Little
3rd Place Kyle Moe
4th Place Caden Cramer
5th Place Logan Cecil
6th Place Conner Side
7th Place Drea Thompson
8th Place Amalia Yberra

Finally, thanks to our fabulous swim and dive parents and coaches who came out in force to volunteer, athletic director/jack of all trades Anne Rice, Officer Cueva, Erin "Nurse, Judge & Scorer" Thompson and of course our wonderful sponsors who made this event possible!  
Congrats to Girls' Swim and Dive Seniors on a job well done! 

Back Row:  Cecelia Allen, Chloe Richter, Molly Jordan Little
Front Row:  Lauren Pulver, Leo Busse, Camy Guenther, Phi Ward 
Chipotle Fundraiser for Native American Student Alliance - January 30th!
Film Screening
Final Yearbook Discount


This is the final discounted price for the yearbook! It will be $60 until 2-23-18. After that, the book will be $65 until we are sold out.   To ensure you get a book, buy now!

Anything that you need to know about the yearbook can be found on the yearbook website here!

Free SAT Prep and Free Practice Test 
We will be giving another free SAT practice exam on  February 10, 2018, at 8 a.m. in room 111. See Mrs. Bromley with any questions!

SAT Prep sessions are every Thursday during lunch in  room 134. We will meet every Thursday until Spring Break. Juniors (or even Sophomores who really want to get a head start) are welcome to join. Thanks!
GREASE!
movie_tickets.jpg

TJ will be performing Grease for this year's musical Feb, 15,16, 17, @ 7pm. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults. Seniors class of 2018, purchase your tickets for student night, Friday night for only $2! You must present your ID for this deal and it is only available for pre-sale only! Keep you're eyes out for posters, announcements, and other info regarding the show including how your business card can be featured in our program!
New Partnership with American Furniture Warehouse
Great Partnership News!  Have furniture needs? Purchases at American Furniture ANYTIME will support TJ High School. Just mention our School ID: TJHS07 (or our school name) at check-out. All details are included below.
New Spirit Store Hours
The TJ Spartan Spirit Store is a virtual store which is online. The store is also set up at some school events such as athletic events, concerts, plays and conference nights. Click here for more information!
  • Beginning Friday, January 19, TJ spirit store hours will be on Fridays during lunch only. We have two parents who will be alternating shifts to make the store convenient and accessible to students. The store will continue to be open during special events, and Julie Thibodeau will continue to be available at other times for the offhand, urgent purchase. But we feel this regular weekly schedule will be easy to remember, easier to staff, and hopefully maximize use of the store. 
We take Cash and Credit Cards!
New PopSockets are in for $9 each or buy with a friend and save, 2 for $16.

When the store is open we will be in front of the physical store by the auditorium. For games, we will be in front of the gym in the lobby.

Call or email Laura Whalen if you have questions.
Laura Whalen
cell: 303-681-7226
PTO News
  • Want to help make your students high school experience the best it can be?  
  • Want to support the staff at TJ? 
  • Want to get to know some parents at TJ?                                    
      Come to a PTO meeting!

We meet monthly and have 1-2 events each month that we support. You can help out as your schedule permits.   Email  [email protected]  with any questions.
2nd Annual TJ Auction
Planning for the 2nd Annual TJ Auction is underway and we NEED YOU! It is time to start reaching out to businesses in the community for end-of-year, tax-deductible donations to TJ's online auction, scheduled for  March 11-15 . Last year we raised $10,000 for our classroom grant program. This year, our goal is to raise $20,000 to have an even greater impact on all our students. 
 
Do you own a business or provide a valuable service?  Donate an item, goods, or services. We're looking for shopping, dining, entertainment, home/yard/vehicle goods and services, travel and getaways, treats, beauty/spas and health services, professional services and more. Simply go to  https://tjhs.ptapal.com  to enter your donation and follow the instructions!
 
Do you love to shop, dine and explore the Denver-Metro area?
Collect donations from the places you already frequent. Most businesses are excited to have an opportunity to support public schools and earn new customers. Don't be shy! If they advertise, they want business, and school auctions are a great opportunity to get in front of new people. If they're on Living Social, Travel Zoo or Groupon, they're probably great candidates to donate to TJ.  
 
Do you enjoy theme parties and social gatherings? 
Gather a couple TJ families to co-host a themed party. Get our your neon 80s wear, old college sweatshirts, or check Pinterest for the craziest new ideas for themed parties. Some we love: tacky party, murder mystery, painting and sipping, yoga n mimosas, mamas and margaritas, 80s prom, dads and drafts, pedal push party... the possibilities are endless, fun, and build the TJ community. We'll consult with you to make it a huge success and market your party on the auction site and all proceeds will go to TJ.  
 
We NEED YOU and helping is EASY!
1.  Use this form to share with businesses. Email it or share it in person. We're not kidding--it's that simple. It has all the necessary details plus PTO's tax ID number and instructions on how to submit donations. 
2. Collect as many donations as possible while you're out and about. Companies value the opportunity to earn the business of TJ parents and support public education. And the tax write-off is pretty great, too.  
 
Again, some of the categories of business we need include:
  • stores of all kinds
  • dining
  • entertainment, sports events and recreation (concerts, movie passes, memberships)
  • home & vehicle goods and services (interior design, roofs, painting, fences, landscape design, architecture, auto maintenance or repairs)
  • professional services (taxes, accounting, home organizing, marketing, graphic design, consulting, etc.)
  • travel and getaways 
  • treats of all varieties
  • beauty/spas and health services (hair, nail, body, relaxation, wellness, gyms, yoga, pilates, massage, acupuncture, etc.)
  • student services (tutoring, test prep, college admissions support, voice or music lessons)
  • athletic services (camps, strength and agility training, etc.)
  • parent parties
  • and just about anything else you or your families buy/use!
If you have any questions reach out to Auction Chair Megan Perkins: 
Mental Health and Social/Emotional Tips
Did You Know...?

That only about 19% of people who make New Year's Resolutions keep them for more than a year?

No judgement here! Resolutions are not for everyone. However, we do support you continuing to set and achieve goals for yourself. We know that there are barriers; we've all hit them, given up, lost confidence, experienced frustration. We are here to say, don't give up! There are a few things you can do to help yourself meet personal and professional goals!

I want to do better. What can I do?

Here are a few small ideas that can help increase your chances of sticking to your resolution:
1)    Be SMART : make sure your goal is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound.
 
2)    Do one thing at a time : Don't try to change too much at once; pick the thing you want to work on first and put your focus and energy in that. Don't spread yourself too thin!
 
3)    Tell someone your goal : by telling someone your goal, they can help support you and encourage you when you along the way. It also makes it more "real."
 
4)    Include others in your goal : if you have friends or a family member who has a similar goal, you can help each other along the way, plan activities together, and pass along words of encouragement.
 
5)    Don't limit yourself: goals can be set at any time, and do not need to correspond with the start of the new year. Additionally, set-backs happen! Do not feel guilty about the lapses, but accept that this is part of the learning process when we change our behaviors and our patterns. Every day is a new day- if you have a set-back, you can start fresh!
Mental Health and Social Emotional "Did You Know":  Compiled by Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW and Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP. 
Resources:  www.psychologytoday.com .  
Class News You Can Use
All Classes 

  • Great news! All Class T-Shirts are now available (as wells as other TJ gear) in the Spartan Store!

     
  • Supporting our TJ students, classrooms and teacher is as simple as a click of a button. Visit the online store to donate to TJ PTO today: Online Spartan Spirit Store for TJ Gear
Class of 2018 - Seniors
Calling all Senior Parents!
Our time is limited and these last few months will be filled with significant milestones and fun celebrations.  Now is the time to get involved and make Spring semester of Senior year memorable and meaningful for your Class of 2018 student. 

*We have a choreographer for Mr. TJ (thank-you Tyler Cobb) and now we need parents willing to supervise rehearsals and provide lunches/snacks.  All parents, regardless of if you have a son or daughter, are welcome to help.  Please contact  [email protected] to get involved with this fun TJ tradition.  

*Fundraising efforts have been successful and now comes the celebration.  Want to get involved with After-Prom?  All parents are welcome and needed with planning, implementing, and supervising this special event.  Please contact  [email protected] to indicate your interest in helping.  

Together we can make incredible memories for the Class of 2018. 
Class of 2019 - Juniors
Class of 2019 Parent Meeting!
When:  February 13th @ 5:00pm
Where:  TJ Room 111
What:  Join fellow parents from the class of '19 to learn about upcoming events, important testing dates and preparation, and fundraising goals to support Class of '19 Senior year activities.  

Questions?  Contact Anne McCord at  [email protected]
The Class of '19 is raising money for senior year activities including After Prom.

How you can support:
Class of 2020 - Sophomores
  • Thank you to Megan Perkins and Lisa LoJacono, the parent representatives for the Class of 2020. Please look for important information to come.  If you are interested in getting involved please email Megan at:   [email protected]  or Lisa at:   [email protected] .
Class of 2021 - Freshmen
  • New Graduation Requirements! DPS has adopted new, evidence-based graduation requirements that will go into effect this year for the graduating class of 2021. Click here
    to read more!
News from the Future Center
 
Seniors are encouraged to stop by the Future Center to set up a time to discuss their plans for next year.  

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
   
[email protected] |   www.denverscholarship.org