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Dear TJHSST Families:
We are entering the last few weeks of our school year and the TJ Spirit is as strong as ever! The stage comes to life with musical Pippin and spring concerts. Athletic teams are vying for the final playoff positions. And, of course, it's AP Exam season where our students show what they know.
This coming week we will celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week May 8-12. Thanks to PTSA for arranging a special luncheon at the end of the month after AP exams have concluded. We've heard rumors there may be treats and notes coming to teachers throughout the week, too. This is a time of year to thank teachers for the unparalleled work they do on behalf of our students each day. We appreciate the love!
The month of May is filled with other recognitions of each other. All over the United States we celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Jewish Heritage Month. Students deserve meaningful, sustained opportunities to learn about the diverse perspectives, experiences, and contributions of Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Jewish Americans. The learning opportunities are throughout the year but highlighted in special ways by teachers this month.
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for information on textbook and laptop collection from students in grades 9-11. For our Class of 2023, our graduation website is posted and the details are below. We are so excited to bring our seniors together and honor graduates at Eagle Bank Arena on June 10!
Speaking of seniors, they have completed their research capstone experiences and will be showcased in our annual tjSTAR research symposium on May 22. Dozens of the projects have already been recognized in publications, fairs, or contests at local, state, national, and international levels. We are so proud of their achievements and can't wait to see the final presentations.
In our closing weeks we will celebrate the many achievements of students, staff, and our entire TJ community. Just this past month during a Governor's School assessment by a visitation team, TJ was commended for its healthy and engaging learning environment, extensive program of study, use of data-based decisions, extensive 8th period offerings, high-quality research labs, cultural celebrations, and professional development initiatives. I am beyond pleased with how TJ continues to evolve and serve the many needs of our students. Thank you for being partners in our important work and I look forward to sharing the complete final report next fall.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ann N. Bonitatibus
TJHSST Proud Principal
Seniors can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Graduation is only five weeks away! As a reminder, final exams will be organized and administered based on subject matter rather than following the normal class schedule. See below.
Thursday, June 1 – Math/Computer Science/Science
Friday, June 2 – Math/Computer Science/Science
Monday, June 5 – Humanities/World Language/Make-ups
Tuesday, June 6 – Humanities/World Language/Make-ups
As always, you can visit the Senior FAQ website. It has all the details/dates about, graduation, ANGP, and obligations there. If you have any questions please reach out Senior Class Administrator Assistant Principal Chrystal Benson.
Below is the final exam schedule for our underclassmen this year. Each day will be a half day that lasts from 8:40-11:55 a.m. (except Friday, see below). Bus transportation will be provided at the release time. If you transport your own child, please make arrangements to pick them up on time as teachers will be busy grading and we do not have staff available to supervise large groups of students until the end of the work day at 4:00.
Monday, June 12 – Periods 1 and 2
Tuesday, June 13 – Periods 3 and 4
Wednesday, June 14 – Periods 5 and 6
Thursday, June 15 – Periods 7 and makeups
Friday, June 16 – 2-hour day (class time - 8:40-10:40 a.m.)
As a reminder, the TJ English Department remains available for students to get help on their English assignments during certain eighth periods.
Here are the sessions in May and June that students can sign up for via Ion:
- 8A on Monday, May 8
- 8B on Friday, May 19
- 8B on Wednesday, May 24
- 8B on Friday, June 2
- 8B on Monday, June 5
- 8B on Friday, June 9
Please encourage your student to take advantage of English Worktime! If you have questions, please contact Humanities Division Leader Susie Lebryk-Chao or Assistant Principal Cynthia Hawkins.
Fairfax County Public Schools has recognized several TJ Students for various awards and honors they have won recently.
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National Merit Corporate Scholarship Winners - Eight of FCPS' National Merit Scholarship Finalists won corporate sponsored scholarships, including six TJ students.
- Vishal Reddy Kotha - National Merit Leidos, Inc. Scholarship
- Clara Kim - National Merit Northrop Grumman Scholarship
- Lynn Rose Tao - National Merit Northrop Grumman Scholarship
- Vivian Feng - National Merit Senator Charles S. Robb Scholarship
- Cindy Yang - National Merit CACI Scholarship
- Megan Zhang - National Merit Leidos, Inc. Scholarship
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FCPS Student Peace Awards - The annual Student Peace Award was designed to recognize young people who work as peacemakers. There were 26 winners from FCPS schools this year, including TJ's Social Change Club. As mentioned in the April News You Choose newsletter, TJ’s Social Change Club works to raise awareness of social, environmental and other current affairs. The club meets monthly to discuss these issues, many of which are potentially divisive. From their discussions and activities, the club members realized that ethnic groups were not represented in the school curriculum. They therefore got to work on creating the curriculum for an ethnic studies elective.
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FCPS Students Selected for All-Virginia Bands, Chorus, and Orchestra - An impressive 176 students representing all Fairfax County high schools were named to the 2023 All-Virginia Band, Chorus, and Orchestra and got to perform from April 27-29. This included 15 members from TJ!
 TJ NHS Challenger Chapter's newly elected Service Chairs
We would like to congratulate the 192 students who were inducted into the TJ Challenge Chapter of the National Honor Society in ceremonies this fall and spring. Here is a full list of inductees:
2022-23 TJHSST National Honor Society Inductees
Anyone who are interested in joining NHS in the future, please review our Selection Procedures. Prepare to apply for consideration in NHS in the fall now by completing at least 6 service hours approved and verified in x2vol between June 18, 2023 and the deadline for submitting the candidate information form in the fall of 2023.
On April 15, several TJ students went to Old Dominion University to compete in the Virginia State Science and Engineering Fair (VSSEF). Congratulations to VSSEF Grand Award winner and International Science and Engineering Fair qualifier Catherine Jeon for her project “MoodBox: Vocal Screening for Depression and Gamified Relief.” The team of Mihika Dusad and Aryaman Khanna received first place and will also be advancing to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Others earning state level recognition:
First Place: Ashrita Gandhari
Second Place: Seoyoung Jun, Anirudh Mantha, and the team of Omkar Kovvali and Sritan Motati
Third Place: Sanchali Banerjee, William Zhang, Samvrit Rao, the team of Dhruv Anurag, Steven Lu, and Sathvik Redrouthu
Honorable Mention: Ronit Kapur
Special Awards: Archishma Marrapu (Mark Licata Award for Biotechnology – 1st place), Sanchali Banerjee (Association for Women Geoscientists – 1st place; National Geographic Society – 1st place), Sara Elanchezhian (American Psychological Association – 1st place), Seoyoung Jun (Ricoh Sustainable Development Award – 1st place), Anirudh Mantha (U.S. Stockholm Junior Water Prize – 1st place), Ashrita Gandhari (Mark Licata Award for Biotechnology – 2nd place), Samvrit Rao (Mark Licata Award for Biotechnology – 3rd place), Mihika Dusad/Aryaman Khanna (Leidos Award for Excellence in Applied Science – Honorable Mention), David Cao/Khoi Dinh (Leidos Award for Excellence in Computational Science – Honorable Mention)
Congratulations to everyone who participated, and good luck to those competing in the International Science and Engineering Fair!
The TJ Scholastic Bowl team will be honored by the Fairfax Board of Supervisors on May 23 at 9:30 a.m. for winning the state VHSL Scholastic Bowl Championship recently!
The team also took the top two places at the VCU Season Ending Tournament on April 15, while their freshman team won the JV portion of the VCU event. Way to go everyone on a great season!
 Moderated teacher panel featuring TJ's Melanie Morris at Globel Classroom Project Showcase
TJ Social Studies teacher Melanie Morris has participated in the FCPS Global Classroom Project this year through a partnership between her History of Science course and a class at Belize High School in Belize.
The students in both classes have been comparing the ecosystems of the United States and Belize and analyzing the approaches by governments, NGOs, and private organizations to take action in response to climate change.
Morris served on a moderated teacher panel at the Global Classroom Project Showcase, held on April 18, 2023 at Luther Jackson Middle School, to share her experience as a partner teacher and how it benefited students. Students and schools from across FCPS then shared their learning from this program.
  In May people throughout the United States celebrate Jewish American and Asian American & Pacific Islander heritage. This history is a foundational part of American history.
Students deserve meaningful, sustained opportunities to learn about the experiences and contributions of American innovators year-round, and the celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month and Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month are opportunities to honor diverse and important stories. Teachers across grade levels and content areas have a variety of materials to explore and honor the cultures being celebrated this month.
 On April 28 the TJ PTSA Diversity Committee hosted an Eid al-Fitr celebration afterschool for students and staff. Eid al-Fitr began at sunset on April 20 and marked the end of Ramadan. It is a time of receptions and visits, when friends greet one another, presents are given, new clothes are worn, and the graves of relatives are visited.
TJ thanks the PTSA for organizing this event, please enjoy some photos above.
 TJ Geosystems students and staff exploring ancient environments
It was a hands-in-the-dirt-and-rocks experience. Led by Professor Gilleaudeau of George Mason University, Professor Kaufman of University of Maryland, and TJ ‘s Ms. Sarmiento and Drs. Phillips, Jiron, and Woodwell, a team of 40 Geosystems students spent a full Saturday exploring ancient environments that are now the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia.
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Students looked up close to see sedimentary structures precipitated by 400-million-year-old Ordovician microbes, ostracods preserved in mudstone, trace fossils of burrowing shrimp, casts of gypsum and halite, and huge folds made by three mountain-building events that gave us the mountains we know today. Students also collected fossils of ferns and conifers and other early vascular plants together with coal from 300-million-year-old Carboniferous sediments laid down at a time when photosynthesis had pushed oxygen concentrations in the atmosphere well above current levels – very different from what what we see today as we burn that same stored carbon.
Happy, well-fed, dusty and tired, our students returned home as the sun set. This field trip was supported by the National Science Foundation.
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 In the week prior to Earth Day (Saturday, April 22), students in Dr. Kathleen Morrow's biology and bioinformatics classes did their part by collecting five large bags of trash from around TJ's campus.
They also did their part in helping Earth's ecology by successfully rearing about a dozen butterfly caterpillars. Photos of both events are above.
In each newsletter we want to give some quick shout outs to TJ staff, students, teams, and alumni.
- In the April News You Choose newsletter we recognized the Grand Prize winners, alternates and nominees from the Fairfax County Science and Engineering Fair. We inadvertently left off one of the nominees, Archishma Marrapu. We apologize for the error and congratulate her on the accomplishment!
- Congratulations goes out to junior Rohan Kalahasty for earning First Place in the Poster Presentation in the Math and Science Division at the 61st Annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
 Dr. Yilmaz and TJ's Computer Club Teams
- TJ's Computer Club teams competed in the VCU High School Programming Competition on April 14. The Senior Club Team took first place while the Intermediate Club Team took third.
- The TJ Math Modeling Club won the M3 Challenge in early April. The competition challenges students to solve real word problems using mathematical formulas. The students won $20,000 in scholarship money for their efforts. They also finished in second place in the Technical Computing competition, earning an addition $2000 in scholarship money. WUSA9 covered their accomplishment.
- Senior Tejaswi Koduru was named a U.S. Presidential Scholars Program Semifinalist, one of only seniors around the nation to earn that honor. The finalists will be announced in May and honored in June.
 TJ Students who competed at the Virginia History Day Competition
- On April 29, several students compete at the Virginia History Day competition. TJ had one student place second and advance to the National competition in May. In addition, social studies teacher Dalton Savage was named Virginia History Day District Teacher of the Year.
 TJ Mentorship Students with Assistant Principal Volita Russell, School Board Member Elaine Tholen, and Mentorship Program Director Armond Bass
- Great job by Mentorship Program Director Armond Bass on putting on the Mentorship Brunch on April 15. At this brunch, the TJ Mentorship students presented their research to their mentors and invited guests. Bass wants to thank the TJ Orchestra for providing music and the PTSA for providing volunteers to help with the event. The date has already been set for next year, so put Saturday, March 16, 2024 on your calendar!
- Congratulations to students in TJ's Economics classes. Teams of students took the top three places in the Virginia Governor's Challenge Adam Smith Division!
Currently, over 100 seniors have at least one outstanding obligation. In order for seniors to receive their caps and gowns, all obligations must be cleared.
What are outstanding obligations?
Outstanding obligations may include unpaid senior dues, course fees (Design&Tech, Robotics, and Art), missing materials (textbooks, library books, laptops, chargers, and sleeves), unpaid field trip fees, or club fees/dues.
Other Outstanding Obligations - How do I know if my senior has any?
Any seniors who have an outstanding obligation received an email last Friday, April 28th. If your student owes more than one obligation, multiple emails (one email for each specific outstanding obligation) were sent. The emails also explain how to clear those obligations. Please ask your senior to check their fcpsschools.net email account for an email(s) sent from "noreply@fcpsschools.net".
Thank you in advance for helping your senior clear all outstanding obligations as soon as possible.
Questions? Please contact the TJ Finance office at TJHSSTFinance@fcps.edu or (703)750-8336.
 The popular free student bus pass from the Fairfax Connector will continue during the summer! For more information on the program visit this site.
Fairfax Connector Student Pass Application
Once your student has filled out the application, bring it to Safety and Security Specialist Frank McNulty in room 46 and he will give them the pass.
Every athlete needs a new athletic physical every school year so save some time and come out to TJ on June 7, 2023 and support the TJ Athletic Training Program. Need a BOY SCOUT or CAMP PHYSICAL at the same time? No problem, just make sure you bring all the forms with you on June 7. The physical is $50 for pre-registered students. All money goes to support TJ Athletic Training. FCPS Athletic Trainers get $0 from the county for supplies.
Volunteers (MD, DO, PAC, NP, RN, PT) are still needed to run physicals. We need parents to help make the sports physicals a successful event. Your expertise and a few hours of your time will greatly benefit our TJ athletes.
Students are also encouraged to sign up and get community service hours! Dinner will be provided for the volunteers.
Email Dr. Murphy if you can volunteer or have questions. Heather.Murphy@fcps.edu
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is on Twitter! Visit @TJHSST_Official for news, upcoming events, reminders of important deadlines, and updates of all the fun activities going on at the school.
Be sure to give us a follow!
May 5-6: Final performances of TJ Theater Arts' production of Pippen. Friday at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. Get tickets here.
May 11-12: SOL Biology given to those who need take it through students' biology classes
May 15: Algebra 2 SOL given during morning in cafeteria/lecture hall. Students will be notified if they need to take this test.
May 15: 10th and 11th grade trip to Washington, D.C.
May 17-18: World History 2 SOL given to those who need to take it through students' history classes
May 22: tjSTAR held during the morning of school day.
May 24: Spring Band Concert held in TJ Auditorium at 7 p.m.
May 26: J-Day held at TJ during afternoon.
May 29: Memorial Day Holiday - No school for students or staff.
May 31: Spring Orchestra Concert held in TJ Auditorium at 7 p.m.
June 2: June edition of News You Choose Newsletter released.
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