Back to School Night Sept. 14 and more TJHSST Updates/Reminders

Rescheduled Virtual Back-to-School Night is September 14 from 6-8 p.m.

Dear TJ Families:

I wanted to remind everyone that we will be holding our rescheduled Virtual Back-to-School Night on Tuesday, Sept. 14 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. This is a makeup from the originally scheduled Sept. 1 date that was postponed due to severe weather. If you had registered to attend the Zoom sessions for your child's classes that night then you can relax, those links are still valid! Teachers have updated their links to reflect the Sept. 14 date.

If you have not registered for your child's classes, or need a refresher on the format, please see the instructions below. 

If you need help finding/registering for specific courses on Schoology, please contact me at mbroth@fcps.edu and I can help you find those links. 

If you need help setting up or using Schoology, please contact the TJ Tech Team at TJHSSTTechTeam@fcps.edu.

Sincerely,

Mike Roth

TJHSST Communications Support Specialist


Virtual Back-to-School Night Instructions

Virtual Back-to-School Night is being held virtually this year on Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Parents/Guardians will log into Schoology and visit their child's courses in order from periods 1-7. This is your opportunity to meet your child's teachers and ask questions. Here is the schedule.

Virtual Back-to-School Night Schedule

Now here are step-by-step instructions on how to participate in virtual Back-to-School Night.

Prior to Virtual BTSN 

  1. View these informational videos created by our Administration that contains important updates that are relevant to all students.
  2. Make sure you are familiar with Schoology and how to find each of your child's 7 classes.
  3. Watch Dr. Bonitatibus' Virtual BTSN Welcome Video
  4. On each teacher's Schoology course page there will be a link titled "Back to School Night Video" on each teacher's Schoology page. Watch the video, as it will give important background on that teacher's class. If a teacher teaches multiple classes (i.e. Research Statistics 1 and TJ Math 3) they may make multiple videos, but will label them by class name.
  5. If you had already registered for the earlier Virtual Back-to-School Night, make sure you can find the links to all 7 of your child's course Zoom sessions. If you haven't registered yet, or cannot find those links, please continue following the directions to register.
  6. Those who need to (re)register will see a Back-to-School Night Zoom link in each of your child's Schoology course page. Click on it.
  7. It will take you to a registration page. Fill out the requested information.
  8. You will receive an email confirmation with a link to join the meeting. Do not lose that link, as you will need it on Tuesday!
  9. You will need to repeat this process for all 7 of your child's classes (a total of 7 different email confirmations).
  10. If you have trouble finding links to a child's class please contact Mike Roth at mbroth@fcps.edu.
  11. If you experience any issues please contact the TJ Technology Team at TJHSSTTechTeam@fcps.edu

During Virtual BTSN

  1. Parents are encouraged to begin logging in to their child's first period class between 5:45 and 6:00 p.m. to make sure there are no tech issues. The period between 6:00-6:09 p.m. is for you to make sure you have the rest of your links available, plus watch Dr. Bonitatibus and teachers' welcome videos if you have not already done so.
  2. We have provided over 20 minutes for you to log on, view welcome and class videos, and get familiar with the virtual platform. This is the asynchronous part of our Back to School Night. You will not be live with a staff member until you access the link for your child’s first period teacher.
  3. First period will run from 6:09-6:21 p.m. Once it concludes you should leave that Zoom meeting and return to your email to click on the link to join your child's second period class. We will give you four minutes in between each class period to make that move. Second period will begin at 6:25 p.m.
  4. Repeat that process through all seven of your child's classes.

FCPS and TJ to Recognize September 11th Anniversary on Friday

September 11th We Remember Image

In recognition of the 20th anniversary of September 11, also known as Patriot Day, TJ, along with all of FCPS will commemorate and acknowledge the loss of life, the heroism of our first responders, and the resilience of our country.

Schools will have a special moment of silence on Friday, September 10, and all students in grades 3-12 should have the opportunity to learn about and recognize the anniversary of 9/11 on September 9 or September 10.

On Friday, September 10, TJHSST will dedicate our daily moment of silence to Patriot Day and students will have an opportunity to learn about 9/11 during our advisory period that same day.

We recognize that this important anniversary may present challenges to our students, families, and staff. Many families and staff were personally impacted by 9/11 and the United States War on Terror. Please take this opportunity to talk with your child about this important day for our nation.


Reminder! 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.

You can find TJ's list of the resources that require parental consent here. Additionally, you can find more information about approved digital resources in FCPS here.

The enrolling parent or guardian will need to indicate on this consent form whether or not their student is allowed to use the list of digital resources this year. We encourage you to complete the parental consent for digital resources form as soon as possible, as your child will not be able to use the digital resources until we have received your permission.


COVID Case Notification Updates

The FCHD in conjunction with FCPS has recognized that multiple letters about suspected cases at schools can be confusing. A streamlined notification process will now be used.

Once a week, either on Friday or the last day of school for the week, we will share an update if there are any reported COVID-19 positive cases at TJ that week, even if there are no reported cases. Our first report will come out via E-Notify tomorrow afternoon (Sept. 10).

The FCPS COVID-19 Health Metrics webpage will still be updated daily for families who wish to know about cases in real time.


Attendance Procedures for 2021-22 School Year

We want to make sure families are familiar with all attendance procedures for the 2021-22 school year. Detailed information can be found on the attendance page on TJ's websiteHere is some basic information on our policies.

General Absences, Late Arrivals, and Early Departures

Parents/Guardians should report absences, late arrivals, and early departures to the Attendance Office by:

  • email to ThomasJeffersonHigh.Attendance@fcps.edu (preferred method) 
  •  you can also leave a message on the Attendance Message Line at 703-750-8315. 

Please include in email/message:

  •  student name and ID, if known
  •  grade
  •  date and time of absence, late arrival or early dismissal
  •  parent name and phone number
  •  reason for absence/departure. Please be specific about the reason why your child will not be attending  school that day. If sick, please indicate what symptoms your child has and if they have seen a  medical professional.

Prearranged Absence 

Students should use the REQUEST FOR PREARRANGED ABSENCE- MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL FORM to request prearranged absences of more than one day. Prearranged absences may be requested up to three weeks before the absence. Visit the TJ Attendance website for instructions on how to fill out the form. 


Lockdown Drill Scheduled for Next Week

Keeping students and staff safe is a priority for all of us. At TJ, we have a crisis management and emergency preparedness plan for our school that is reviewed and updated regularly. Our plan includes procedures on how to respond to incidents such as fires and tornadoes. Students and staff regularly practice these drills every school year. We also practice lockdown drills.

We will conduct a lockdown drill at TJ next week.

A new Virginia Law (22.1-137.2) requires schools to notify parents at least 24 hours before a school practices a lockdown drill. However, we are not required to share the exact date and time of the drill. We are required to practice lockdown drills two times a year. FCPS lockdown drills do not include any type of active shooter scenario training, they are instruction and classroom based.

Additional information on our lockdown drill program to include parent tips and FAQs can be found on the Emergency Planning and Crisis Response web page. After reviewing this content, you should discuss the value of these safety drills with your child.

Keeping TJ safe and secure for all students and staff involves the participation of the entire school community, and we thank you for your help to keep our school safe. 


Registration for AP Exams for Those Planning to Self-Study for Test

Are you planning to self-study for an AP exam?  Here is all the information you need to know in order to register to take the test.

  • Registration deadline:  Friday, October 29 – Registration Link
  • Deadline to join AP Classroom with provided join code:  Monday, November 15 at 4pm (a $40 late fee will be assessed for anyone joining after the final exam order submission)
    • Join codes will be sent out to all students who registered and paid their fee(s) on Monday, November 1st.
  • Payment to My School Bucks should be completed when you fill out the Registration form (unless you are registering for an exam that we may not offer here).  To pay your fee go to My School Bucks and use the MSB product “AP Test Fee Home Schooled/Non-Enrolled”
    • Be sure to put in which exam you are paying for
    • Join codes will not be sent to students until the AP Exam fee has been paid.
    • The exam fee is $95 and non-refundable.

Dr. Jennifer James Earns Yale Educator Award

TJ was excited to learn that our very own Biotech teacher Dr. Jennifer James is being recognized by Yale University with a 2021 Yale Educator Award! 

The Yale Educator Recognition Program recognizes outstanding educators from around the world who support and inspire their students to perform at high levels and to achieve excellence.

Students entering the Yale Class of 2025 were asked to nominate outstanding educators who have deeply impacted their lives. Dr. James was nominated for the award by TJ Class of 2021 graduate Shan Lateef,​ then selected as a winner by a committee in the Yale Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Congratulations Dr. James for this outstanding honor, and all you do to inspire TJ students!


Back to School Bash Friday!

Reminder that Friday (Sept. 10) will be our annual Back to School Bash to kickoff the start of the fall season and the school year!

This is a great opportunity for students and their entire families to relax, reconnect, and socialize with friends and classmates. We will have Music, Food Trucks on site and Booster Groups will be selling merchandise.

For any TJ students interested in joining a winter or spring sport, the TJ Athletic Coaches will be available to provide information about their individual programs.

The Bash begins after school at 4:00pm and will end around 7:00 pm. We hope you will stay for the game and cheer on the football team as they compete against the FCA Bucks. Kickoff is at 7:00pm.

Admission to the Bash is FREE!

Admission to attend the Football game is $5. 


Activities Late Bus Available Beginning September 15

Beginning September 15, FCPS will be offering a late bus on Wednesdays and Thursdays for those who are participating in TJ's afterschool activities. This bus will leave promptly at 6:30 p.m. from Door 12 on those days. As this is being run by FCPS Transportation, this service will only be available for residents of Fairfax County. 


Important Calendar Reminders

Sept. 10: Back to School Bash from 4:00-7:00 p.m.

Sept. 14: Virtual Back-to-School Night from 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Sept. 16: Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Yom Kippur)

Sept. 17: Senior photos in auditorium from 2:30-9:00 p.m. (by appointment)

Sept. 20-22: Senior photos in auditorium from 2:30-9:00 p.m. (by appointment)

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) with 2-hour early release schedule for all high schools. With TJ having a different transportation model, we will confirm the exact time in coming weeks.

  • Grade 9 students do not report to campus and will receive asynchronous virtual learning, focused on high school transition activities and career plans. 
  • Grade 10-11 students will be participating in the PSAT/NMSQT. No in-person or virtual synchronous or asynchronous instruction. 
  • Grade 12 students who returned an intent to participate form will take the SAT exam and if not testing, stay homeNo in-person or virtual synchronous or asynchronous instruction. 

Oct. 29: End of first quarter. 2-hour early release day