Back to School! Need to Know Information for Monday's Opening Day

Principal's Welcome

Dear TJHSST Families,

We are ready to open our doors to students! Our teachers have been working tirelessly all week to ready their classrooms and curriculum. We will start with relationship building as we transition back to traditional school routines.

Thank you for reviewing with your child our key safety protocols:

  • Wearing masks properly all day except when eating.
  • Maintaining hand hygiene and sanitizing
  • Keeping distance where practicable
  • Following directives in cases where assigned seating may occur to help teachers with seating charts for contact tracing purposes

In addition to keeping our children healthy in body, we will keep their minds healthy as we manage workload instituting policies such as no more than 30 minutes of homework per class per day for a total of 2 hours for an average student. We encourage students to have downtime at home each evening and to get plenty of sleep, ideally 8 hours.

Finally, we want our students to explore their passions through the many student activities and clubs we have. Beyond the rigors of the classroom, the soul is fed with creative, physical, and social outlets. A child with a healthy body, mind, and spirit is a fulfilled child. 

And parents, you may be interested in reading several books that have framed our work the past several years:

  • How to Raise an Adult (Julia Lythcott-Haims)
  • Overloaded and Underprepared (Pope, Brown, and Miles)
  • Why We Sleep (Matthew Walker)
  • Belonging Through a Culture of Dignity (Cobb and Krownapple)

The opening days will be filled joy and excitement, if not a little trepidation at our new normal. Through it all, we will work together as a TJ family to support our students and ensure their ongoing success.

Please keep September 1 on your calendar as our Back to School Night which will be virtual. Videos from teachers will be available the week of August 30 for you to review. We look forward to seeing you then!

Sincerely, 

Dr. Ann N. Bonitatibus 

TJHSST Proud Principal 


Arriving at School

Safely Arriving at School - Get Here Early!

The school day begins at 8:40 a.m. However, traffic can (and definitely will!) get backed up on Braddock Road. Doors open to our TJ students at 7:45 a.m. We highly recommend if students are driving or being dropped off by parents to arrive no later than 8:15 a.m. to avoid getting caught in the backups.

Drop Off Instructions

Student drop-off is located behind the school. Parents, please drop off your child at the Kiss and Ride by coming in the school’s entrance off Braddock Road and following signs to the left. Pull up all the way to Door 9 before letting your child out.

Student Driving Instructions

Seniors and juniors who are driving to TJ can park in the following locations: The back parking lot (just past the speed bumps at door 6), and all of the access road (the street that leads out to the Little River Turnpike exit) except for the spots immediately adjacent to the bus depot on the left of that road. 

Students will not need a parking permit during first two weeks of school, but must obtain one to continue parking at TJ beginning on Sept. 7. Instructions on how to obtain one can be found in the next section.

Vistors to TJ

All visitors must enter through the Dome (Door 1) and sign in at the Main Office. A camera/buzzer system at the main entrance enhances and ensures safe entry for our guests. Also, Officer Steve Richards, our School Resource Officer, will be on site regularly and his vehicle will be parked at the front of the school. Note: all visitors are required to wear masks.


Obtaining Parking Permits

  • Seniors and juniors can acquire a parking pass during the first two weeks of school. 
  • Students and their parents need to fill out and sign this application form and return a hard copy to the security office. 
    • The parking fee is $200 for the school year and can be paid on MySchoolBucks . You will see a button labeled "Student Parking Pass Fee." Click on that and it will allow you to make the purchase.
  • Students with economic challenges supported through federal meal programs may speak to a security representative about reduced fees. 
  • There will be no tickets written for students parked in student approved areas during the first two weeks of school while everyone is still obtaining passes.

Student Schedules

All student schedules are now available on SIS ParentVUE (also known as SIS Parent Account) and SIS StudentVUE

  • Families new to FCPS should have received instructions in the mail on how to activate their SIS ParentVUE account. These instructions, which include your activation key, come from FCPS and not TJ.
  • Students can access SIS StudentVUE using their FCPS network credentials. New students will have these activated on first day of school.
  • If you need assistance navigating the SIS ParentVUEsystem, watch this video.
  • If you need assistance navigating the SIS StudentVUEsystem, watch this video.

Our counselors are currently working on student schedules that have conflicts or that are incomplete. We are not able to accommodate requests where students have changed their mind about what course to take. Counselors will quickly address obvious errors. The opening weeks will be a time we verify students are leveled appropriately.

Thank you in advance for understanding the complexity of staffing a school, building a master schedule, and meeting a wide variety of student interests.


TJHSST 2021-22 Bell Schedules

The TJ school day returns to its traditional schedule of beginning at 8:40 a.m. and ending at 4:00 p.m. In general, Mondays are Anchor Days that will feature an Advisory Period at the beginning of the day. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Blue Days, in which students will attend periods 1-4. Wednesdays and Fridays are Red Days, in which students will attend periods 5-8. During the first three weeks of school, eighth periods will be spent in the student's advisory room.

The two exceptions to this schedule are:

Monday, August 30 - will be a Red Day

Monday, November 22 - will be a Red Day

 

Regular Bell Schedule

Monday: Anchor Day
Period Start Time End Time
Advisory 8:40 a.m. 9:10 a.m.
1st Period 9:20 a.m. 10:00 a.m.
2nd Period 10:10 a.m. 10:50 a.m.
3rd Period 11:00 a.m. 11:40 a.m.
Lunch 11:40 a.m. 12:50 p.m.
JLC 12:10 p.m. 12:50 p.m.
4th Period 12:50 p.m. 1:30 p.m.
5th Period 1:40 p.m. 2:20 p.m.
6th Period 2:30 p.m. 3:10 p.m.
7th Period 3:20 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

 

Tuesday/Thursday: Blue Day
Period Start Time End Time
1st Period 8:40 a.m. 10:15 a.m.
2nd Period 10:25 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Lunch 12:00 p.m. 12:40 p.m.
3rd Period 12:40 p.m. 2:15 p.m.
4th Period 2:25 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

 

Wednesday/Friday: Red Day
Period Start Time End Time
5th Period 8:40 a.m. 10:15 a.m.
6th Period 10:25 a.m. 12:00 p.m.
Lunch 12:00 p.m. 12:40 p.m.
7th Period 12:40 p.m. 2:15 p.m.
8A Period 2:25 p.m. 3:05 p.m.
8B Period 3:20 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 

 

Visit our website here to see the two-hour early release, three-hour early release, and two-hour delayed opening schedules.


Laptop Distribution During First Week of School

Laptops will be available for assignment to students during the first week of school. Distribution will take place during the advisory periods on Monday (8:40-9:10 a.m.) and Wednesday (2:25-4 p.m.).

Returning Students: If you did not turn in your laptop from the last school year, you need to do so in order for the TJ Team to reimage and configure the device with necessary updates for the start of this school year. You will not receive your laptop until your current laptop has been turned in.

Any additional questions, please contact the TJ Tech Team: TJHSSTTechTeam@fcps.edu.


Parents/Guardians Need to Provide Digital Consent

In order for teachers to have the resources they need to provide engaging instruction, we must have parental consent for your child to use FCPS-approved online tools listed as part of our instructional program. This consent must be provided prior to the start of the school year on August 23. Please visit this link to review the list of resources and visit this link to provide your consent.


Required Forms

As a reminder, here are some required forms that parents/guardians will need to fill out at the beginning of the school year.

  • Health Information Form and Emergency Care Form (Online Submission)
    • These are required and provide us with necessary health and emergency contact information for your child. The forms can be filled out via weCare@School, which can found in SIS ParentVUE. Instructions on how to fill them out can be found at the link above. If you need a hard copy of either form please contact Mike Roth at mbroth@fcps.edu.
  • The Residency Verification Form (Online Submission)
    • This online Google Form needs to be filled out at beginning of the year. You will need to use your student's FCPSSchools.net account to access the form.
  • FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities Guide (Hard Copy or Online Submission in ParentVue)
    • All students will receive a hard copy of this guide by the beginning of September. Please review with your child who will return the parent signature sheet once you receive the hard copy.  The parent signature sheet will be due October 29.
  • TJ Honor Code (Online Submission)
    • Once the school year has begun, students need to fill out the above Google Form acknowledging they have read and understood the TJ Honor Code.

Optional Forms

As a reminder, here are some optional forms that parents/guardians can choose to fill out at the beginning of the school year.

  • FLE Opt Out Forms (Hard Copy)
    • These are optional if you want your child to opt out of Family Life Education. Go to the link above and print out the form for your child's grade level. A hard copy of this form must be returned to the main office.
  • The 2021-22 Annual Notice of Survey, Records, Curriculum, Privacy, and Related Rights and Opt-Out Forms (Hard Copy)
    • These are various forms related to your child's records and privacy that are located on the main FCPS website.
    • The link above provides instruction on how to access and fill out these forms.
    • These forms are good for the 2021-22 school year only. If you filled out these forms in a previous year, you will need to resubmit.
  • Free/Reduced Application information and forms for qualified families (Online Submission)
    • While breakfast and lunch will be provided for free during the 2021-22 school year, we encourage you to sign up for this if eligible as it will make you eligible for other reduced fee programs.
  • Identification of Military Connected Students form (Hard Copy)
    • Please print and turn in a hard copy to the front office if your child has a parent/guardian in the United States uniformed services.
    • Scroll to bottom of form for more resources for military families.As
  • FCPSon Laptop Opt-out form
    • If your family chooses to opt-out of receiving a FCPS laptop this year, please fill out this form. Please note that FCPS has waived the $50 fee for all FCPSon equipment during the 2021-22 school year.

TJ Bus Transportation - FCPS Families

Looking for bus stop and route information? (Note this information is for FCPS families. Loudoun, Arlington, Prince William, and Falls Church families need to contact their district for bus stop and route information)

One of the most important things for your child to know is their bus route, not their bus number (which can change from day-to-day). 

Bus stops and route information is available  via the ParentVue accounts. All staff and students riding a bus will be required to wear a mask. For more information about bus transportation, including how to access the Bus Delay Notification System, visit the Transportation page.

Please note that FCPS is dealing with a bus driver shortage at this time. All routes are being covered and we have been told that this should minimally (if at all) affect TJ's bus transportation. However, if your bus is delayed, the information will be posted on the bus delay notification system. Please still arrive at your scheduled depot and be patient; the bus will get there. 


School Meals- MySchoolBucks Encouraged for All

Every student is eligible for one no-cost breakfast and one no-cost lunch each school day. However, if your student would like to purchase additional meals or a la carte items, they will need to pay. The best way to purchase items this year is to use MySchoolBucks. Set up your student’s MySchoolBucks account and help them memorize their pin. If you have questions about MySchoolBucks, contact Mary Handlon in TJ's finance department at mehandlon@fcps.edu.

Setting up a MySchoolBucks account for your student is especially helpful during the current nationwide coin shortage. FCPS cash registers will have limited coins available at the start of the school year to provide change for cash purchases. Purchases made with MySchoolBucks also keeps lines moving quickly.

Your child may choose to bring their meals and snacks to school this year. TJ encourages this practice for students who have specific dietary requirements or are particularly picky. Bringing food from home ensures your child will have the meals and snacks they enjoy to fuel their day of learning.

Be ready on day one by setting up your child’s MySchoolBucks account and looking over the menus here.


Important Calendar Reminders

Aug. 23: First day of the 2021-22 school year. 

Aug. 30: This Monday will be a Red Day periods 5, 6, 7, and advisory will be held.

Sept. 1: Back to School Night will be held virtually in the evening from 6-8 p.m.

Sept. 3-6: Labor Day Holiday. No school on Friday, Sept. 3 or Monday, Sept. 6.

Sept. 20-24: TJ's annual homecoming week.

Oct. 11: No school, teacher planning day.

Oct. 13: PSAT (10th and 11th grade) SAT (12th grade)