Dear TJHSST Families,
I am extremely grateful for your support and partnership these past seven years leading TJ. Also, I appreciate the outpouring of well wishes as I transition to my new role as the FCPS Executive Director of Talent Acquisition and Management in Human Resources. FCPS leadership is thoughtfully leading the community through the principal selection process. I will continue to keep you informed regarding my last official day at TJ. In the meanwhile, I am soaking up each remaining moment with our phenomenal students, faculty, staff, and parents.
Entering the month of November, our entire TJ faculty and staff extend a heartfelt thank you for supporting our amazing school! We would not be who we are today if not for your tireless dedication, volunteerism, sacrifice, and pride you bring to us each moment. Also, we express honor to all our community members who have faithfully served our country and protected our freedoms as recognized on Veterans Day.
We will continue our tradition of giving families the gift of time during major holiday breaks. No short-term homework will be assigned over Thanksgiving. This means no new work is due on Monday, December 2, assessments will not be given on that day, and major assessments are discouraged for the Tuesday and Wednesday of return. We want our students to enjoy a mental wellness break and have time to safely connect with family and friends.
The accomplishments of our students are a direct outgrowth of their classroom and co-curricular experiences. During the coming month, if you have an opportunity, please reach out to a teacher and/or staff member and express your gratitude. Our faculty continues to find creative ways to help students manage workload, value depth of thinking over breadth of content, and advocate for their learning. Teachers remain flexible, consistently refine their approaches, and endeavor to meet the needs of individual students. Teachers are working above and beyond each day to deliver an exceptional educational experience for your children.
Finally, parents often ask what is the best support they can give their child. It is simple. Be there for them and care about what and how they learn. Ask them about their day and one or two things they learned as opposed to asking about a specific grade on a quiz or test. With the start of second quarter, the curriculum continues to build and skills may become more complex. We have learned that students are benefitting from the new FCPS grading practices. Please help your child set priorities where they can get the most return on their investment on time so that the focus is on learning and skill mastery.
Enjoy a healthy and fulfilling Thanksgiving holiday!
Sincerely,
Dr. Ann N. Bonitatibus
Proud Principal, TJHSST
Nominations are open for Outstanding Employee Awards!
To submit a nomination for a TJ Outstanding Employee in the categories below, please read the criteria and complete the nomination by using this Google form link.
You CAN use the same form to nominate one employee or multiple employees (for different categories).
All that is required for a preliminary nomination is a paragraph about how this employee demonstrates exceptional work based on the criteria listed.
Outstanding Teacher
Eligibility: Has at least three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Nominees must be teachers or librarians who:
- Instill in students a desire to learn and achieve.
- Understand the individual needs of students, encourage their talents, and foster their self-esteem.
- Showcase a thorough knowledge of subject matter and the ability to share it effectively with students.
- Proactively facilitate cooperative relationships with their colleagues, students, and the community.
- Demonstrate outstanding leadership.
- Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.
Outstanding New Teacher
Eligibility: Has up to three years of experience as a teacher (in any school/school district); librarians are included in this category
Nominees must be teachers or librarians who:
- Exhibit superior instructional skills.
- Interact exceptionally well with students.
- Demonstrate excellent ability to communicate and engage with faculty, staff, parents, and the community.
- Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciate and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.
Outstanding Leader
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in their current position as a Schedule-C or School-Based Administrator scale employee (that is not the building principal):
Common positions in this category: Assistant and Associate Principals, Director of Student Activities, Director of Student Services
Nominees should be school-based leaders who:
- Provide a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through their work.
- Demonstrate commitment and leadership in their field.
- Foster cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community.
- Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.
Outstanding Professional Employee
Eligibility: At least one year experience in current position as a Schedule-B employee or other non-instructional employee in a school that supports school leadership
Common positions in this category: School-Based Technology Specialist, Technology Support Specialist, Assessment Coach, Communications Specialist, Career Center Specialist, Instructional Coach, Psychologist, Social Worker, School Counselor, Safety and Security Specialist, Resource Teachers that serve in an administrative role in a school
Nominees should be school-based employees who:
- Provide a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through their work.
- Demonstrate commitment and leadership in their field.
- Foster cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community.
- Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.
Outstanding Operational Employee
Eligibility: At least one year of experience in current position as Schedule-A or Classroom Instructional Support Scale employee
Common positions in this category: Administrative and Office Staff, Safety and Security Assistant, Custodial Staff, Food Service Staff, IA, PHA, PHTA, All Parent Liaisons
Nominees should be school-based support employees who:
- Provide a unique and exceptional contribution to FCPS through their work.
- Demonstrate commitment and leadership in their field.
- Foster cooperative relationships with colleagues and/or the community.
- Foster an environment where diversity in all of its forms is valued and appreciated and demonstrate keeping equity at the center of their work.
The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, November 13 by 4 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Volita Russell at vsrussell@fcps.edu.
FCPS is asking all families to fill out a Federal Impact Aid Survey. The form is available in SIS ParentVUE under Online Packets (in the upper right corner after logging in). Please complete it as soon as possible.
For any families who have not completed the survey in ParentVUE, schools will provide paper forms starting Wednesday, November 13. Paper forms should be returned by Wednesday, December 4.
Completing this form for each school-aged child in every household is important. Information from this survey resulted in more than $4 million in funding last year from the U.S. Department of Education. These funds are used to support all Fairfax County public schools and centers.
For more information, please watch this video on Impact Aid and visit the Federal Impact Aid Survey page.
Need to Register for ParentVUE?
Learn how to activate your SIS ParentVUE account, so you can easily submit your survey.
Technical support for using ParentVUE or completing the survey online is available by submitting a Parent Support Request ticket. Select SISParent in the Application dropdown menu and type Federal Impact Aid Survey under Issue Description. Or, call the Parent Technology Help Desk at 833-921-3277 (833-921-FCPS).
Student safety is our security team's number one priority. One of most important parts of their job is securing the parking area and Kiss and Ride area during both arrival and dismissal.
Here are some important reminders from our security team.
Kiss and Ride Arrival
When arriving in the morning, students are to be dropped off in the back of the building between doors 7 and 9. These are the only two doors students should be entering TJ from. There are two drop off lanes, please pull as far as you are able before dropping off your student.
At 8:38 the morning traffic flow will be redirected in the front of the building. You will be directed to go to the visitor lot for drop off. Students will then have to enter the school at door 1, to obtain a late pass.
The first class starts at 8:40 am, so please adjust your commute to ensure the students are in their classrooms by 8:40 am.
Dismissal
In the afternoon, all students need to be picked up in the back parking lot of the building. Students are not to be picked up in the visitor lot or in the surrounding neighborhoods of the school. We have received complaints from our neighbors in the past as this is not our property, and they reserve the right to call the police for trespassers.
Students should only exit out of the building from doors 1, 7, 9 and 12. These doors take them directly to the buses and the back parking lot.
Thank you for following these reminders and doing all you can to keep TJ students, staff and the community safe!
Please check with your student to ensure they have joined AP Classroom for all AP Courses they are enrolled in and/or for AP exams they are self-studying. Joining AP Classroom is how we order the exams. The AP exam order deadline is November 15 at 4pm.
All students enrolled in an AP class or signed up to self-study an AP exam should have their join codes entered into AP Classroom to ensure their exam(s) will be ordered. Any student who joins AP Classroom after 4pm on November 15 will have to pay a $40 late fee.
Fairfax County pays for the first six AP exams, over the course of high school, when students are enrolled in the course. Invoices will be sent to parents, through My School Bucks, in early December for any exams beyond the sixth exam. Parents should note that this is separate from any self-study fees you may have already paid.
Are you a science, engineering, or computer science professional that would like to provide guidance to some of the top science students in the United States? Our local Science and Engineering Fairs could use your expertise to judge student projects.
The TJHSST Science and Engineering Fair will be held in-person at 8:30 am on Saturday, February 1, 2025, and the Fairfax Regional Science and Engineering Fair will be in-person on Saturday, March 22, 2025.
To volunteer for the TJ fair, contact Science Fair Director Dr. Jared Seyler, Jcseyler@fcps.edu.
To volunteer for the Fairfax Regional Fair or any of the other local High School Fairs, fill out the form at this link.
https://bit.ly/2025ScienceFair
In September’s edition of News You Choose, we introduced the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) framework and shared various resources offered at TJ to help your child succeed. As a parent or guardian, you also play a crucial role in your child’s success, both academically and personally. Here are some simple ways you can stay engaged and ensure your child is receiving the support they need.
Stay Informed About Academic Progress - One of the most effective ways to support your student is to stay up-to-date with their academic progress. Make sure you are receiving weekly progress emails through SIS ParentVUE. These reports provide insight into how your student is doing in their courses. If you’re not receiving these emails, please visit the following FCPS webpage, SIS Parent Account - Weekly Progress Report Emails for information on how to obtain the weekly emails.
Check In Beyond the Grades - Sometimes, students may be excelling academically but facing challenges in other areas, such as social or emotional well-being. A simple way to stay connected is by asking your child about their day. Consider questions like:
- Is there something you’re proud of from today?
- Is there anything you wish was different about school right now?
- What’s something new you learned today that you found interesting?
- Is there something you’re looking forward to tomorrow or this week?
- Did you have any challenges or tough moments today? How did you handle them?
- Who did you spend time with at lunch or between classes?
- Are there any upcoming projects or tests you’re feeling unsure about?
These conversations can help you understand their experiences, and if needed, we’re here to provide additional support through MTSS.
Free/Reduced Application information and forms for qualified families (Online Submission)
FCPS offers nutritious meals every school day. Your child may qualify for free meals or reduced-price meals at TJHSST. Students who qualify for reduced-price meals receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. For information on how to apply for Free and Reduced-price meals, please visit the link above. The online free and reduced-price meals application is available in 8 languages and can be completed on mobile devices. It needs to re-apply annually.
Consent to Share Form (PDF)
If you have children eligible for the Free and Reduced-price meals program, they may also be eligible to participate in other FCPS fee-based programs without paying a fee or by paying a reduced fee.
This would include things that are specified in FCPS Notice 5922. Those are:
- Musical Instrument fees
- Driver Education fees
- Student Parking fees
- Career and Technical Education Certification fees
- Fine Arts fees
- Technology and Engineering Education Material fees
- Online Campus fees
- Advanced Placement fees (after six exams)
- Returned Check fees
You are also eligible to receive information about scholarships, classes and services that are provided by agencies and organizations other than FCPS.
In order to receive the benefits, you have to fill out the Consent to Share Form (please visit the link above), a written agreement allowing FCPS staff to share information about your children's meal eligibility status.
This message from our Family Liaison Lee-Lin Finkbeiner about new book clubs for our 10th and 11th grade families!
10th Grade Families
Dear 10th grade parents/guardians,
Join us for the 10th grade Parent Book Club read this year: "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents" by Lisa Damour, Ph.D.
We are planning to have 2 in-person sessions for this book club. The tentative book club discussions will be on 1/31 and 2/14 from 9-10:30am at TJHSST. More details to come. We have 30 books available for you to borrow. If you are interested in joining the book club, please fill out this google form and indicate whether you would like to borrow a book from TJ. I can deliver the book to your students, or you can pick it up at the TJ main office. Hope to see you at the book club!
11th Grade Families
Dear 11th grade parents/guardians,
Thinking of college admission for your students and feeling anxious and overwhelmed about the process? Join us for the 11th grade Parent Book Club read this year: "Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be: An Antidote To The College Admissions Mania" by Frank Bruni to gain a new perspective.
We are planning to have one in-person session for this book club. The tentative date for the book club discussion is 1/24 from 9-10:30am at TJHSST. Our school counselor Ms. Hamblin and College and Career Specialist Ms. Kendel Gilchrest will be facilitating the discussion. More details to come.
We have 40 books available for you to borrow. If you are interested in joining the book club, please fill out this google form and indicate whether you would like to borrow a book from TJ. I can deliver the book to your students, or you can pick it up at the TJ main office.
Hope to see you then for some engaging and thoughtful conversations about the college admissions mania!
All FCPS secondary students are invited to attend Our Voices, Our Future: Multilingual Learners’ Day of Service on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Edison High School.
Dr. José Luis Zelaya, keynote speaker at the Multilingual Learners’ Summit this past summer, will be returning as the featured guest for this student workshop. Dr. Zelaya will engage and empower students with the strengths of multilingualism, as students explore leadership skills to plan for future success. Reflective service learning practices allow students to impact their communities through advocacy, engagement, and empowerment.
All FCPS secondary students who attend will earn service learning credit for participating.
Students planning to attend should register and bring their FCPS laptop to the event. Light refreshments and family resources will be available for parents/caregivers during the student workshop.
 The FCPS School Board presented the Exemplar Award to TJ. Accepting on behalf of TJ were Assistant Principal Yaara Crane, Principal Dr. Ann Bonitatibus, and FCPS School Board Student Rep and TJ Senior Megan Sawant
You may remember in our August News You Choose newsletter when we announced that the Virginia Board of Education awarded us the Highest Achievement Exemplar Award.
During the FCPS School Board meeting on October 24, we were honored with a plaque for this tremendous achievement!
We were one of only 37 high schools in the state of Virginia to meet all the criteria to earn this honor. It included meeting state benchmarks in reading, math, and science and low absenteeism.
Photos from the German DSD diploma presentation on Instagram
For the third consecutive year, several TJ German World Language students went above and beyond in their studies and passed the German DSD exam. This is an exam created by the German Department of Education that allows them to show their fluency in both the language and culture, and qualifies them to attend universities in Germany if so interested.
On Oct. 11, TJ held a ceremony to celebrate the students who earned this honor. Both current members of the Class of 2025, and TJ alumni from the Class of 2024 attended, and a representative of the German Embassy was on hand to present diplomas.
Congratulations to everyone on all their hard work!
View some videos and pictures from Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration on Instagram
On October 18, the TJ Hispanic Culture Club closed out Hispanic Heritage Month with an afterschool celebration for students and staff!
There were musical performances, a fashion show, booths that showcased several unique Latin American cultures, and of course lots of food!
TJ's cultural celebrations are student-led this year, so a big thank you to the Hispanic Culture Club, their family members, and their sponsor Mr. de Megret for working so hard to put on an amazing event!
View some videos and pictures of the Garba celebration on Instagram
Garba is a traditional dance usually performed during the Hindu Navaratri festival. During a recent eighth period TJ's Namaste Club taught students how to do the dance, while also serving samosas.
We are thankful for all of our Cultural Clubs at TJ who teach us about the many wide variety of traditions are students celebrate!
Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native Americans. It is also a time to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges they have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges
Learn more about the heritage months, celebrations, and traditions celebrated in FCPS.
  View some of the Halloween Costumes on Instagram
On October 31, TJ students and staff got to show off their spooky sides! Lot of students and students came up with very creative costumes this year for the SGA costume contest (the winners are above)! The TJ Administration did they annual group costume, dressing as emotions from the movie Inside Out!
In each newsletter we want to give some quick shout outs to TJ staff, students, teams, and alumni.
- The TJ Namaste Club had the opportunity to perform a dance at the FCPS School Board Meeting on Oct. 24. Check out these talented students above! Thank you to the FCPS video team for providing us with the video!
- Congratulations go out to senior Ray Zhang who was recently named a Coca-Cola Scholar Semifinalist. He was one of only 1,336 people or 1.2 percent of those who applied who get to continue in one of the biggest scholarship competitions in the country. Good luck Ray!
- Each year the University of Chicago confers Outstanding Educator Awards to teachers nominated by members of their incoming Class of 2028 (aka Class of 2024 high school graduates). The students nominate educators whose guidance has helped them along the path toward intellectual growth and positively impacted their lives. TJ's own Geosystems instructor Dr. Kathy Phillips was nominated by an anonymous member of TJ's Class of 2024, and she was honored at a virtual reception on October 29. Way to go Dr. Phillips!
- Both of our certified athletic trainers, Dr. Heather Murphy and Caroline Taylor were nominated for a FCPS Cares award this past month by a TJ parent whose child suffered a rather significant injury on the competition field earlier this season. They were so impressed with the quality of care that their student received, that they wanted to make sure that the district recognized it. Thank you Dr. Murphy and Ms. Taylor for everything you do to keep our athletes safe, and the care you provide when one of them does happen to get injured.
- Congratulations to the TJ History Bowl Team for winning the Washington DC History Bee and Bowl at the Georgetown Day School on October 26! They defeated 18 other schools, including five of last year's top 15 teams in the country! Both the Varsity and JV teams have now qualified for the International Academic Competition's (IAC) Varsity and JV National Championship tournaments that will take place April 24-27 in Arlington, Virginia!
- Our Fall Athletics teams had tremendous success this season. Congratulations go out to Golf, Boys Cross Country, and Boys Volleyball for winning National District Championships! Cheerleading and Girls Cross Country were National District Runner-Ups! We had 52 student-athletes from the Class of 2025 that were celebrated this fall season at their respective Senior Nights! Thank you for your contributions to TJ and your sport. Thank you, TJ families, for all your support during practices and games. Best of luck in upcoming seasons and all your future endeavors.
This is a new section that covers general information and reminders that will remain important throughout the 2024-25 school year.
TJ Writing and Math Centers Now Open
The centers are now open for tutoring!
Student-tutors offer all kinds of help, from writing scientific papers and creative writing/personal narratives, to helping students at all levels of mathematics. The tutors are excited to work with their peers!.
Testing Information
Looking for information related to testing? You can find it all on Schoology in the All Parents/Guardians course! Once in the course, you will find a folder labeled “Testing”, click on that and then you can navigate to the specific test information you are looking for. Information will be updated as it comes in, so check back often.
Student Food Deliveries to TJ
As a reminder, per FCPS safety and security protocol, students may not have food and drinks delivered to the school campus during the academic day. Allowing external deliveries can create potential security risks and disrupt the learning environment. Our primary goal is to maintain a safe and orderly atmosphere for all students and staff.
Winter Sports (Basketball, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Swim & Dive, Winter Track, & Wrestling) can start on Monday, November 11. Athletes need to complete athletic registration at our website.
A valid VHSL physical needs to be on file for the 2024-25 school year dated May 1, 2024, or after. Physicals can be turned in at the Activities Office during the school day, or the Athletic Training room after school.
Times and locations for tryouts are on our athletics website www.tjsports.org.
Need to get ahold of someone at TJ? Here is some commonly requested contact information:
Main Office - 703-750-8300
Attendance Office - thomasjeffersonhigh.attendance@fcps.edu
Student Services - 703-750-8340
Student Activities - 703-750-8333
Security - 703-750-8331
Administration Contact Information
Dr. Ann Bonitatibus - Principal
Ms. Volita Russell - Assistant Principal (oversees Class of 2025 and Humanities Division)
Ms. Yaara Crane - Assistant Principal (oversees Class of 2026 Science and Technology Division)
Ms. Chrystal Benson - Assistant Principal (oversees Class of 2027 and Mathematics and Computer Science Division)
Mr. Dylan Forshay - Assistant Principal (oversees Class of 2028 and World Language, Art, Music, and Physical Education Division)
Ms. Sara Genetin - Director of Student Services (oversees Counselors, Social Worker, School Psychologist and other staff providing student support)
Mr. Dave Arthur - Director of Student Activities (oversees Activities Office, 8th Period, Athletic Office, Building Maintenance, Custodians, Food Services)
Mr. Leo Resquin - Director of Technology (oversees Technology Team, Testing Tech Support, tjSTAR, Safety and Security/Transportation)
Mr. Mike Roth - Communications Specialist (oversees NewsYouChoose and eNotify, Event promotions, print/digital text, photo, video, Social Media accounts, TJHSST Webmaster and Visitors US & International (TJPF)
For another specific staff member, please use our Staff Directory to find contact information.
Be sure to visit Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology On its official social media channel on Instagram @OfficialTJHSST for pictures and highlights of all the fun events and activities going on at TJ! (Please note that we have discontinued use of our X/Twitter account).
We'd love it if you give us a follow!
TJ Anchor/Blue/Red Day Calendar
Nov. 11: Veterans Day Holiday - No school for students and staff
Nov. 18: This is a modified Anchor Day - there will be a 60 minute advisory and no JLC.
Nov. 21-23: TJ Theater Arts presents Fall Play - Antigone, 7 p.m. each evening in TJ Auditorium, plus 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 23.
Nov. 27-29: Thanksgiving Holiday - No school for students and staff
Dec. 2 - This is a modified Anchor Day - there will be a 60 minute advisory and no JLC.
Dec. 6 - December edition of News You Choose newsletter released.
Dec. 6 - National Honor Society Induction Ceremony in TJ Auditorium - 6:30 p.m.
Dec. 13 - Winter Band Concert - TJ Auditorium. 7 p.m.
Dec. 23-Jan. 3 - Winter Break, no school for students and staff
Jan. 6 - Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Three Kings Day/Epiphany) - school remains in session with normal hours.
Jan. 7 - Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Orthodox Christmas) - school remains in session with normal hours.
Jan. 10 - January News You Choose newsletter released.
Jan. 13 - Second Quarter catch up day at TJ
Jan. 15 - TJ Virtual Curriculum Fair for 2025-26 school year in evening (more details coming soon)
Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Holiday, no school for students and staff
Jan. 23-Jan. 28 - Midterm exams
Jan. 28 - End of Second Quarter/First Semester
Jan. 29 - Teacher work day, no school for students
Jan. 30 - Beginning of Second Semester/Third Quarter
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