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Administrator's Corner
Welcome back and Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a restful break and is re-energized to start the second half of the 2019-2020 school year. Throughout the first semester we have had the opportunity to learn from our students what their needs are what we can improve on. I will be sharing in our upcoming Admin Corners some updates regarding the direction we will be taking as a school to focus on closing our achievement gaps. I am very excited to engage in this work and appreciate your continued support! I anticipate having another great semester!
Take care,
Bienvenido de nuevo y Feliz Año Nuevo! Espero que todos tuvieron un descanso reparador y se revitaliza para comenzar la segunda mitad del año escolar 2019-2020. A lo largo del primer semestre hemos tenido la oportunidad de aprender de nuestros estudiantes cuáles son sus necesidades en las que podemos mejorar. Voy a compartir en nuestra próxima Admin Corners algunas actualizaciones con respecto a la dirección que vamos a tomar como una escuela para centrarse en cerrar nuestras brechas de logros. Estoy muy emocionado de participar en este trabajo y apreciar su apoyo continuo! ¡Preveo tener otro gran semestre!
Tenga cuidado,
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Week at a Glance - Week of 1/6-1/10
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No School for Students
- Please click here (or see the above "Athletics Schedule" quick link) to see athletic events for the week
- CSC Meeting: 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday-
- Swim and Dive Fundraiser: 5-8:00 p.m. (details below)
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A big thanks to PTO and parents who organized and executed the Staff Appreciation Lunch before break! It is always a wonderful way to relax and celebrate the end of the semester!
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Thomas Jefferson Adopt-A-Family (AAF) Recap 2019:
Happy Holidays TJ Community! We had another successful AAF Program in 2019. I cannot begin to tell you how proud it makes me to be a SPARTAN when you see first-hand how we rally around our community in times of need. This year represents the 18th year of the AAF Program since I have joined the TJ Family, and to say we came together is an understatement. In total, 18 families (18th year - 18 families) were involved with the program totaling more than 75 people receiving gifts. This year, more than 250 gifts or gift cards were collected, totaling over $7,500.00 in donations! We also received numerous King Soopers Gift Cards to help the families with holiday meals this year, something we often do not think of during the holiday season.
We have some amazing people to thank for their dedication & support this year with more than 79 people donating items/gift cards to the AAF Program, 2/3rds of which were TJ Parents! It goes without saying that Samanda Davis is our MVP! She creates, organizes, and then assists to distribute all of the collected items to the families and this program would not be the same without her...THANK YOU SAM! Thank you Stephanie Onan for assisting Samanda organize all of the gifts for the families. Thank you TJ DECA Officers & Members for wrapping the gifts and being our "Little Elves" to get things done. Thank you Danny Showers for allowing us to use your room for wrapping and organizing the items collected each year. Thank you "Be the Love" Foundation, TJ Newspaper, TJ Science Dept., TJ Parents, TJ Staff, & all of the community members involved for donating gifts/gift cards & for making this event the highlight of our holiday season.
Thank you everyone involved with the AAF Program, with your help we made the holiday season just a little brighter for those in need this year. Here's to you TJ Community, wishing you all a very Happy Holiday Season and may your New Year be filled with love and kindness the whole year through.
-Matt Nicolo
(And a HUGE thanks to Matt Nicolo for all that he does to make this happen!)
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The Soles4Souls shoe drive was a huge success!
Thanks to the donations of the generous Spartan community, Leadership students were able to collect
over 400 pairs of shoes
to help others in need!
Soles4Souls
is a non-profit social enterprise based in Nashville, TN, that creates sustainable jobs and provides relief through the distribution of shoes and clothing around the world. Way to go, Spartans!
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Swim & Dive Fundraiser - January 8
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4th Annual TJ Online Auction
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This year's auction will be held
March 15-19, 2020!
The Online Auction is TJ's biggest fundraiser and we need your help collecting donations and promoting the event! Proceeds from the Auction directly benefit TJ students and staff by paying for classroom grants and
upgrades for improved working and learning
environments
. Last year the auction netted $12,000 and we want to keep the momentum going.
While you are
out and about please hand out copies for the attached letter to businesses you frequent and ask them for a donation to your Denver Public School. The attached letter can also be emailed to businesses you have an email address for using the attached email template. If
you have any questions, please contact
hmbdvm@yahoo.com
.
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Medicaid Outreach and Enrollment
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Denver Public Schools Medicaid Department helps families apply for free or low-cost health insurance, as well as SNAP food assistance. We offer one-on-one appointments at any DPS school site. Additionally, we assist families with re-enrollment and utilizing their benefits. If any of your students or anyone you know needs assistance, please contact our Outreach and Enrollment Specialists: 720.423.3661 or
outreach@dpsk12.org
- Appointments are available at your neighborhood school
- You can apply YEAR-ROUND
Some of the benefits are:
- Doctor Visits
- Dental Services - cleanings, fillings, root canals and others
- Preventive care
- Vision
- Hospital stays
- Surgery
- Mental health
- Prescriptions
Our department is committed to helping our families connect with free or low-cost health insurance and food assistance, because we know that healthier kids are better learners!
Sincerely,
DPS/ Medicaid Department
720-423-3661 or
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New Graduation Requirements
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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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Thank you to all the parents that contributed food and money to the staff appreciation lunch! The lunch was a lot of fun and a great way to end the semester.
We are looking forward to getting back to work at our next business meeting on
Tuesday, January 14th
from 6-7pm in room 111. We will discuss the online auction to make sure we are on track for meeting our goals for that event. We will map out our plans for the second semester that include a school wide parent social. Another topic for discussion is how to spend funds to build and even stronger TJ community. Our goal is to include many voices in the process so plan to join us and be part of it!
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Wondering how fundraising works at TJ? In the 2018-19 school year, PTO awarded almost $10,000 in classroom grants! While the bulk of the monies raised go toward these grants, PTO support the TJ community in several other ways.
- Teacher appreciation & staff wellness events
- Student Leadership sponsored events such as Homecoming and the Backyard BBQ
- Community events such as the Newcomer Cookout in August
- Parent education events such as the Screenagers documentary
In the last few years, the PTO has simplified fundraising by focusing on the following efforts...
ArtFest: Last year, we celebrated 30 years of this event. This is a tradition for the wider community and brings over 80 local artisans and small businesses together. In the 2018-19 school year, ArtFest raised $7,500 that went toward classroom grants.
- This year, we are taking a break to rethink how we produce ArtFest. Stay tuned for more information.
Online Auction: Last year's online auction netted $12,000! This is an easy way to include lots of people in supporting TJ. The auction is critical this year since we don't have any funds from ArtFest. We want to keep the momentum going and need your help collecting donations and promoting this event. This year's auction will be held on March 15-19, 2020.
- We will start planning for the auction at this month's PTO meeting on November 19th.
King Soopers Cards: This is an incredible source of FREE money. All you need to do is register your King Soopers loyalty card number or alternate ID (phone number) to earn money for TJ. After you register for the program, a percentage of ALL your King Soopers purchases will go to the PTO each month. The PTO grants a portion of these funds to each class at the beginning of the school year to help pay for senior year activities.
Amazon Smile: Again, FREE money. When you ramp up for your holiday shopping, go to
smile.amazon.com and select Thomas Jefferson High School Partners as your charitable organization to receive donations from your eligible purchases
before you begin shopping. Amazon will remember your choice for future purchases.
Class Fundraising Events: Parents serve as Class Sponsors to coordinate raising money for senior year activities. The Student Leadership Class works on raising money for Prom while parents focus on raising money for After Prom. This money is not part of the PTO general fund but is held for each class to use during their senior year.
The PTO can't do any of this without parents getting involved so we look forward having your support! The PTO is a 501c3 organization (official name: Thomas Jefferson High School Partners) so donations are tax deductible.
Together we are Spartan Strong!
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We now have TJ car magnets for $5!!
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Our store inventory has been moved upstairs and therefore we'll be selling at various events throughout the year. We'll be out cheering on the Spartans at fall sporting events and hope you'll come and purchase spirit wear from us.
Please email
tjhs.store@gmail.com
if you would like to purchase something & we would be happy to get the spirit wear for you. We can arrange to have items picked up.
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Yearbook Announcements:
Price:
The earlier you buy your book, the more you save! Please see the discount schedule below. Buy your book now for the most savings!
Purchase before:
9-27-19 = $50
11-1-19 = $55
1-31-20 = $60
From February 1st on, the book will be $65 until sold out.
Senior Recognition Ad:
To purchase an ad, please visit the yearbook website.
All
information about the yearbook can found on the journal under the News & Events tab or by clicking here.
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News from the Future Center
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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
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Mental Health and Social/Emotional Tips
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For some, getting started may seem too overwhelming and difficult. For others, it may come naturally and may even be (gasp) fun! I am sure we have all heard it before from the adolescent(s) in our lives- "I'll do it later!" Here are some ways to help motivate your teen:
1. Provide clear expectations
- To help facilitate accomplishing something, teens usually need two specific things:
a)
A very clear idea of what needs to be done
b)
The steps that need to be taken in order to complete it
- Making sure the idea/end goal is explicit and the steps are discussed upfront, will hopefully decrease on arguments and stress later.
2. Organize your teen's environment
- It is difficult to discuss and work on motivation without considering organization.
- Help them organize their bathroom, bedroom, desk/work area, backpack! They may not know how to do this. Come up with a system that works for them, and your family.
3. Get active
- Movement and a change in scenery can boost motivation, keep kids on track with the assignment, and make it more engaging.
- When possible, have students set up stations around the house (or outside on nice days!)- For example, math can be done at the kitchen table, science in their room, reading outside in the sun, etc.
4. Encourage bursts
- Help your kid create a plan/schedule where they work for 30-40 minutes (more or less depending on your student, the subject, the day, etc.), and then they take a break
- Use a timer to help with this!
5. Go with their flow
- Do you have an early bird or a night owl? Do they like to listen to music or work in silence?
- Use your kid's personal best practices to increase and maximize motivation and engagement!
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Mental Health and Social Emotional "Did You Know":
Compiled by Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW and Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP. Resources: Family Circle Magazine, August 2018 Issue
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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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We're looking for volunteers to host future events for our class parents. If interested, please come to the next PTO meeting, or send an email to
thetzel@comcast.net
; or
colley_moe@comcast.net
to find out more. Class sponsors are Jason Klimczak and Elizabeth Lynch. Parent sponsor is Jen Abram - she can be reached at
jenabram18@gmail.com.
CLASS OF 2021 SHIRTS ON SALE
Long sleeve $15 Short Sleeved $10
See Mrs Lynch in Room 11
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Class of 2022 - Sophomores
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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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Thank you CLASS OF 2023 PARENTS & SUPPORTERS!
-Team '23
Thanks to everyone who supported 2023 and participated in our first two successful fundraisers through Click-n-Shop Pampered Chef and Bronco Game Argus Event Staff Volunteers! We will have a final tally of what we earned next week!
Please come to our Class of 2023 parent planning meeting
THIS WEEK on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
at Citron Bistro 3535 S. Yosemite St. (Hampden & Yosemite). We will work on our next steps and upcoming fundraiser events. Will you join us?
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