Administrator's Corner

August 29, 2022

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thank you all for helping TJ have a successful first week! As we all continue to get back into a routine, please remember to have students here by 7:20am so that they can make it to class by 7:30am. As you have seen, our parking lot is full during drop off and pick up. Please allot plenty of time. Here is our bell schedule as a reminder.

Looking forward, we will have our Back to School Night (in person!) on September 8th. To help prepare for conversations with teachers, please be sure and get your log in to Schoology. You can help monitor your student's work and progress through this application. 

Estimados padres y tutores:

¡Gracias a todos por ayudar a TJ a tener una primera semana exitosa! Como todos seguimos volviendo a una rutina, por favor recuerde tener estudiantes aquí para las 7:20am:30am, para que puedan llegar a clase para las 7:00. Como ha visto, nuestro aparcamiento está lleno durante el traslado de ida y vuelta. Por favor, dedique mucho tiempo. Aquí está nuestro horario de la campana como recordatorio.

Mirando hacia adelante, tendremos nuestra Noche de Regreso a la Escuela (¡en persona!) el 8 de septiembre. Para ayudar a prepararse para las conversaciones con los maestros, asegúrese de iniciar sesión en Schoology. Puede ayudar a monitorear el trabajo y el progreso de su estudiante a través de esta aplicación.

Paula Hammel

Assistant Principal

Monday-

Tuesday-

• Pictures and IDs (see below)
• Class of 2025 Parent Meeting - 7:00 p.m. (details below)

Wednesday- 

• Pictures and IDs (see below)

Thursday-

• Pictures and IDs (see below)

Friday-

Saturday-

• Nice job to Grant Laman and TJ Cheer for representing Spartan Pride so well last week on CBS4 with our very own TJ Alum Dom Garcia. They looked great!

Click here to see the video!

Senior Sleepout Thanks:

• KUDOS TO THE SENIOR CLASS of 2023, PARENTS and SPONSORS for a wonderful, memorable and fun Senior Sleepout last week!! Mrs. Annie Berg 2023 Class Faculty Sponsor did a TREMENDOUS job helping organize and manage the whole event and Assistant Principal Mr. Jon Poole was instrumental in helping us so much in every aspect! And we are very grateful to our fabulous Security Guard Roberto for his time, help and presence to make it such a safe and problem-free event. The Senior Class participants should be commended for their great manners, big help, awesome TJ spirit and fantastic job of welcoming the Freshman Class to TJ! Senior Parents: WE COULD NOT HAVE PULLED THIS OFF WITHOUT ALL OF YOU!!!  (All the profits from this event go directly to the Senior’s Prom Fund)

***Please see below in the senior section for the full list of wonderful helpers!***

School Picture Day(s) Coming Soon! Aug. 30- Sept. 1

Click here for information about ordering pictures!

All excused tardies must be received by 2:30 pm on the same day of occurrence to avoid automated attendance calls. All absences are to be excused within 48 hours of occurrence.

(Tardies are less than 10 minutes late. More than 10 minutes is considered an unexcused absence and/or truancy and may result to being assigned In School Intervention for the remainder of the period)

UNEXCUSED TARDIES 

• Students who are tardy must report to the main office to receive a tardy pass in order to gain entry into class
• Being tardy to class results in a 20 minute detention to be served during lunch on the same day of occurrence or the following day.
• Failure to serve detention, and/or multiple tardies in a single day, will result in parent contact and a restorative conversation with the Student Excellence Team
• Habitual tardy issues will result in parent contact and assignment to Saturday school (Dates/Times to be determined and posted on school website)
• Failure to serve Saturday school can result in In School Intervention up to a full school day and possible parent meeting with administration

TRUANCY

• Truancy will result in parent contact, a restorative conversation with the Student Excellence Team and lunch detention.
• Multiple truancies will result in assignment to Saturday school
• Failure to serve Saturday school will result in being assigned to In School Intervention up to a full school day and possible parent meeting with administration

Students are required to work on school assignments and/or perform school community service during Saturday School

To excuse tardies and absences please call the automated attendance line at 720-423-7040. This line is for leaving messages only.

To speak with the attendance clerk regarding early dismissals or attendance issues please call the direct line at 720-423-7041 or main office at 720-423-7000.

For additional information of DPS policies, please visit the Policies & Procedures Guide at http://communications.dpsk12.org/languages/

For information on state law pertaining to school attendance visit http://www.cde.state.co.us/choice/homeschool_attendancelaw

If your student needs to be released from school early, please adhere to the following options:

>When arriving to pick up your student, come to the front reception desk for pick up. Id will be required. 

Or

> Send a note to school with your student to dismiss early. Student is to bring the note to the attendance desk for a pass to leave class early.

If it is a last minute emergency and the student will be transporting themselves, please call the attendance desk at 720-423-7041 for assistance.

We will not be dismissing students early per a phone call. We must ensure that students are being released to a parent/guardian. 

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

The PTO is a dedicated group of parents who do so much to support the TJ community but we need

parent participation 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!

Mark your calendar - our monthly meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month and we welcome all parents and community members. Please join us for our first meeting of the year, Tuesday, 9/13 from 6-7pm. Meetings this year will be held in person at TJHS, in the Community Room (Rm 111). 

Questions? Want to get involved? Email TJHSPTO@gmail.com

Student Drop-off and Pick-up

Dear Parents,

We had a great first week! It continues to be quite busy in the mornings, so as you plan for transportation in the coming days and weeks, please refer to the map below to determine flow of traffic. 

Additionally, please allow an extra 10-15 minutes in the mornings so that we can get all students here and to class on time.

Go Spartans!

Substance Use Prevention Programming at Thomas Jefferson High School

Our goal is to promote fun, healthy and positive lifestyle choices through upstream prevention. 

Upstream prevention seeks to build protective factors into a community, by teaching resiliency and coping, and strengthening youth-adult connectedness.

Prevention is a proactive process that empowers individuals and systems to meet the challenges of life events and transitions and creates and reinforces conditions that promote healthy behaviors and lifestyles. To learn more about upstream prevention click click here.

At Thomas Jefferson High School there are two School Health Professionals providing Universal Prevention as well as small group and 1-1 interventions.  Please click HERE to see what prevention programs will be offered this year. If you do not want your student to participate in a specific program please complete the opt out form linked in the document above.

Key Takeaways from the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey

16.3% of youth at TJ reported to Vaping in the last 30 days - decrease from 26.1% in 2019

12.4% of youth at TJ reported to using Marijuana in the last 30 days - decrease from 26.6% in 2019

16.4% of youth at TJ reported to using Alcohol in the last 30 days - decrease from 26.1% in 2019

Prevention is Key

81.5% of youth at TJ think Vaping regularly is risky - increase from 74.5% in 2019 and increase from 43% in 2017!

63.7% of youth at TJ think using Marijuana regularly is risky - increase from 49.8% in 2019

85.6% of youth at TJ think drinking Alcohol regularly is risky - increase from 69.7% in 2019

 **Please note we will be administering the BESS screener on September 29th. If you do not want your student to participate please complete the opt out form linked above.

Spartans, we will be selling gear again at the Homecoming football game and a few other sporting events this fall!

Until then, if you would like a TJ hoodie, t-shirt, PJ pants, joggers, hat, sticker, magnet, etc., please email us at TJHS.Store@gmail.com and we’ll help you get the items you want. 

We will also be doing an online sale with a larger selection of items in October, delivered to you in time for the holidays. More details to come. 

Did You Know…?

(En Espanol)

Spending just 15 minutes together (whether it be a walk, cup of coffee, etc.) is all it takes for two strangers to start to feel empathy towards each other. 

Here are some ways to help increase empathy in children and adolescents:

• Role Playing- There is evidence that role-playing has a positive and significant effect on empathy at all ages and that role-playing might even have a positive effect on empathy for those who are merely passively exposed to it via others’ active role playing. 

• Talking About Feelings- Longitudinal studies have found that having conversations with young children that reference feelings predicts their later perspective taking. Beyond simply referring to feelings, caregivers who refer to the “why” behind feelings tend to rear children who are better able to take the perspective of others.

• Induction and Distancing- Parenting techniques seem to have a significant impact on children's development of cognitive empathy as well. In particular, induction (when a parent refers to the other's perspective, points out their distress, and clarifies that the child's action caused this distress) promotes perspective-taking. Perspective-taking also increases when parents use the technique of distancing, in which caregivers question and challenge the child's viewpoint (versus explicitly explaining logic as with induction). Distancing is a Socratic method that involves questioning, providing counter examples, and creating dissonance within the child's existing perspective, thereby promoting consideration of alternative explanations of the feelings and behaviors of others.

• Gratitude- Gratitude is also a positive emotion that, as some argue, broadens and builds personal assets such as empathy by increasing an individual's willingness to consider other perspectives. Gratitude may also be effective at inducing empathy via an indirect pathway—reducing personal distress levels. Ask your child to come up with a list of their blessings (things they are grateful for) as well as writing an appreciative letter to someone important in their life.  

• Mindfulness- Mindfulness involves intentional present-moment awareness without judgment. In youth, there is support for mindfulness having a positive impact on empathy overall, as well as for reducing distress. 

Mental Health and Social Emotional “Did You Know”: Compiled by Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP and Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW. 

HUGE THANKS to these Seniors who helped Organize, Promote, Set-up, Do T-shirts, Posters, Orchestrate, Organize Movies, Run Playlists, Load and Unload Cars, Haul Heavy Stuff in the Rain and Pack-up and Clean-up the Senior Sleepout! 

Andy Burns, Max Feiman, Keegan French, Grace Geiger, Evan Greenly, Tiffany Gruyarloe, Phoenix Hedrick, Maya Henke, Laila Hilton, Kendall Hougard, Dylan Huntsman, Pelle Krabbenhoft, Alex Lee, Stephen LoJacono, Kate Jordan Little, Derek Mason, Paige Mulligan, Luke Poirier, Lwam Tekle, Chris Trammell, Juliana Willson and Zac Zabel! 

YOU ARE AMAZING Parent Chaperones, Coordinators, Sponsors, Donors, Set-up Crew, Check-in Team, Clean-up Crew, S’mores Makers, Heavy Lifters, Tarp, Tent, Firepit Getters, Decorators, Food Getters, Popcorn Poppers, Errand Runners, Early-Shifters, All-Nighters, Breakfast Bringers, You-Name-It, You helped with it and were so generous! Extraordinary Parents:THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH!

Priscilla De La Torre, Karin & Ray French, Debra Geiger, Cecilia & Wade Goergen, Karla Dunaway-Henke & Scott Henke, Beth Scott & Geoff Hauer, Kris Hougard, Jana & Curt Huntsman, Christy Jordan (Class Sponsor), Lori & Chris Lee, Candace Lewis, Melissa Lindstrom, Molly Jordan Little, Lisa & Steve LoJacono, Jll McLain, Catherine Poirier (Class Sponsor), Heather & Larry Reeder, Molly Roetto, Kieu Vu, Nicole & Joe White, Janet Willson, Nyssa Zabel and Krista & Sophia Zizzo (PTO President & Junior)!

It was a HUGE production and a wildly successful event thanks to you all! **Apologies if we inadvertently left a great helper off this list! We SO appreciate all of you! Way to kick-off the year 2023!

2023 Class Donations | TJHS PTO

Click here for 2023 TRADITIONS & DATES LIST

*August 1, 2022 ongoing -  Summer Senior Parking Lot Space Painting Begins - see memo contract from Mrs. Allen Treasurer for painting rules for those Seniors who have purchased

*August - September -  Get Senior Color Photos Taken - Due to Yearbook end of October with Quotes! 

* Homecoming Week - September 12-17, 2022! 

* BONFIRE: Monday, September 12th at TJ 6:30-8:30 p.m.

* SPIRIT DAYS: TBA Monday-Friday Sept. 12-16th

* POWDERPUFF GAME: Thursday, Sept. 15th Lunchtime

(Seniors vs Juniors! - sign up coming in September)

*ALL-SCHOOL PEP RALLY: Friday, Sept. 16th Afternoon at  TJ

*FOOTBALL GAME: Friday 16th 7:30 p.m. at All City Stadium

* HOCO ROYALTY HALFTIME: Friday 16th at All City Stadium

* HOMECOMING DANCE: Saturday 17th at TJ 8-11 p.m.

(Tickets on Sale in September TBA)

*TBA Parent 2023 Kick-off Meeting - After Prom Planning