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FCPS leadership has notified schools we may begin planning for students to drop off and retrieve items from schools. Please be aware of the following:
- All details about the process at TJ will be sent no later than the middle of next week for seniors. A separate message for underclassmen will be sent the following week.
- Seniors are prioritized to drop off and pick up items at the end of May, followed by underclassmen in June.
- The athletics department will have a separate process for collecting uniforms and related sports equipment. Athletes will receive notification within the next week about this collection process.
- The processes will involve curbside drop-off and pickup with no building access for students. This is for the safety of our staff, students, family and broader community. Students will be able to fill out a form in advance asking staff to retrieve essential items to have available for pickup. More details will follow in the coming weeks.
We are pleased to announce decisions have made regarding TJHSST summer school options this year. TJ has traditionally conducted several face-to-face courses throughout the summer. Due to current directives from the Governor and FCPS leadership in response to the COVID pandemic, we are unable to provide the same services this summer. This is for the health and safety of our students and staff.
We assessed which courses would be foundational for our STEM-focused school. Next, we evaluated graduation requirements to ensure any modification to our summer program would still enable TJ students to access desired programs of study. Finally, we took an honest look at our staff’s capacity to manage multiple tasks in a virtual environment as we close out this year and make preparations for the start of the next school year.
The outcome of our assessment is a menu of TJ virtual courses for credit, FCPS Online Campus courses for credit, and TJ-specific skill enhancement modules that will be online, not for credit, and free to TJ students.
What follows is a list of TJ credit-bearing courses which WILL be offered virtually this summer:
- Research and Statistics I (open to incoming TJ freshmen who have already completed Algebra 2)
- Foundations of Computer Science (open to current TJ students, not incoming freshmen)
- TJ Math 5 (open to current TJ students who completed TJ Math 4)
- Standard FCPS fees apply to TJ courses noted above
What follows is a list of recommended options for others seeking credit-bearing coursework this summer:
- Incoming TJ freshmen can enroll in Economics and Personal Finance (EPF) online because there will not be an option to take Ancient Civilization during the summer. There will be ample opportunity to fulfill all Social Studies credits during the next four years.
- Current upperclassmen TJ students who traditionally would enroll in Chemistry Honors during the summer may choose to enroll in the FCPS Online Campus Chemistry.
- Current upperclassmen TJ students who traditionally would enroll in Ancient Civilization or another TJ Social Studies course during the summer may choose to enroll in World History & Geography 1 with the FCPS Online Campus.
- Standard FCPS program fees apply to the courses noted above
- Note: the FCPS Online Chemistry and Social Studies courses do not receive grade weighting for honors level work.
What follows is a description of skill enhancement modules offered this summer:
- These modules are free to interested TJ students.
- The modules would have synchronous and asynchronous opportunities for students.
- There will be a targeted Chemistry module free to Online Campus Chemistry students from TJ. The activities will supplement curriculum from the Online Campus Chemistry course.
- Other modules will focus on various skills in Humanities courses. A complete list will appear when registration opens.
- Modules are not required, not for credit and not graded.
Registration for students attending credit-bearing TJ online classes, FCPS Online Campus, and the TJ skill enhancement modules are projected to start May 20, 2020, and will run through June 12, 2020. All registration for TJ courses and enhancement modules, and FCPS Online Campus, will be on the FCPS web pages for summer programs and Online Campus.
If you have individual concerns about your own child's program of study, please contact your child’s counselor.
The plan as outlined above will address key foundational skills our students need while providing other opportunities for credit-bearing coursework and skills enhancement. All TJ students will be able to continue to progress with their academic plans, explore electives, prepare for senior research, and meet graduation requirements.
Thank you for understanding how we have designed the best plan possible given available time and resources.
Here is a special message from Senior Class leaders:
The 2020 Class Council has put together a video yearbook to help all of us relive and celebrate the memories that our class has made during our time at TJ. We hope everyone is staying safe and well-rested during these uncertain times. Enjoy watching the video!
The Society for Science & the Public and Regeneron will celebrate the scientific community with the Virtual #RegeneronISEF, a free event May 18-22 featuring top scientists, including Nobel Laureates, and influential entrepreneurs. View details here. TJ's own Victoria Graf is featured among the finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 national competition.
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