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Dear TJHSST Family:
Happy new year! I hope you enjoyed the recent winter break and all that the holiday season had to offer. We are grateful for the many milestones we have achieved the first half of the school year, and we look forward to a bright future. I am so very proud of our TJ community's unrelenting focus on supporting our students' wellness, both academic and emotional, each and every day. This newsletter is full of information regarding planning for the next school year, so mark your calendars for all the ways to connect with TJ.
Last evening your new TJ principal, Mr. Mike Mukai, was introduced to the community. As a TJ grad and current principal at West Springfield High School, Mr. Mukai will now lead TJHSST to new heights.
Please join me in welcoming him. You may learn more about his passion for TJ, from student to principal, by watching his video where he reflects on the importance of this moment for him. Congratulations to Mr. Mukai!
Thank you again for all the well wishes and support as I have been transitioning to my new role as the FCPS Executive Director for Talent Acquisition and Management. Next week I'll spend time here and there wrapping up a few things at TJ, and then Mr. Mukai will take the reins starting the week of January 20.
Best wishes to all. Be as amazing for Mr. Mukai as you have been for me. Always remember that TJ students are more than a GPA, and their GPS, along with yours, will have exciting new pathways and journeys with Mr. Mukai.
Onward, TJHSST!
Dr. Ann N. Bonitatibus
Proud Principal Emeritus
The following information is a "Cliff's Notes" version of information on the upcoming Curriculum Night on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Check your inbox on Friday, Jan. 10 for an E-Notify with full details on the evening's events.
Who: Current parents/guardians of Class of 2026, 2027, 2028
What: Curriculum Night
When: January 15, 2025
Time: 6:00-8:00 p.m. – Visit with our various Academic departments over four repeating 25 minute sessions.
Why: Share info about course offering and program sequences to help students make decisions about classes to take next school year.
Mode: Virtual, via Zoom sessions
Where: Schoology All Parents/Guardians course.
Resources: Links to all Zoom sessions will be posted in the "Curriculum Night Parent Resources" folder in your All Parents/Guardians Schoology course. Current sessions planned include:
- Science
- Technology
- Mathematics
- Computer Science
- English/Social Studies
- Health and PE
- World Languages
Sessions: Drop-in format. Visit any session you choose in any order. There will be information presented at beginning of each session with Q&A to follow.
What to do now: Please log in to Schoology prior to January 15 to ensure you have access to the All Parents/Guardians course. You will need that in order to access the Zoom sessions.
Sneak peek: Visit the TJ Website’s Academic Page as information has been updated and several departments have already posted their Curriculum Night preview videos.
In addition visit Choosing Courses for Next School Year 2025-26 page for all information regarding the course selection process.
Questions regarding the Curriculum Information Night for parents/guardians may be directed to Communications Specialist Mike Roth.
During eighth period on January 15, members of the classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028 will participate in the annual Curriculum Fair. Similar to Curriculum Night, the Curriculum Fair allows students to hear from the teachers about possible elective courses they can take during the 2025-26 school year.
Eighth period that day will be divided into four sessions. Prior to the Curriculum Fair, students will be given a sheet listing all the course previews they can attend. They will pick a first and second choice for each session, and will be assigned a spot based on space available.
Be sure to chat with your child prior to the Curriculum Fair and encourage them to pick sessions about classes that they would like more information about, so they can make informed decisions during Academic Advising season.
After the Curriculum Night for Parents and Curriculum Fair for students (both scheduled for January 15), students will meet individually with their counselors to discuss and lock-in course requests for the 2025-2026 school year. Counselors will present information about choosing courses to 10th and 11th graders during January and February. This same information will be presented to 9th grade students through IBEST near the end of February.
We ask that you ensure that your student has entered their course requests, including alternates, in SIS StudentVue prior to these meetings.
- Rising Seniors, Class of 2026 – Meetings will occur in Physics or AP Physics between January 30-February 12
- Rising Juniors, Class of 2027 – Meetings will occur in World History/Geography 2 between February 13-February 26
- Rising Sophomores, Class of 2028 – Meetings will occur in IBEST between February 27-March 12
After academic advising has concluded, we will ask parents to verify student course requests through SIS ParentVUE. Parents will have until Friday, March 21 to contact the counselor and make changes to the 2025-2026 requests.
TJ is partnering with Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) for a virtual information session on January 16 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. TJ students and families are invited to come learn about the Dual Enrollment opportunities available to FCPS students through NOVA.
This session will provide an overview of dual enrollment offerings within FCPS, the Early Online College, Concurrent Enrollment, and Jumpstart2NOVA. We will also share information about the specific Dual Enrollment course offerings available during the 2025-2026 school year at TJ.
When: Thursday, January 16 - 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual Via Zoom
As the first semester/second quarter comes to a close, TJ has scheduled midterm exams from Jan. 23-28. Not all classes have midterm exams, but those that do are scheduled by subject matter. Here is the TJ Midterm Exam schedule:
- Thursday, Jan. 23 - Blue Day Math, Computer Science and Science classes.
- Friday, Jan. 24 - Red Day Math, Computer Science and Science classes.
- Monday, Jan. 27 - Red Day Humanities, World Languages, Music, and Arts Classes
- Tuesday, Jan. 28 - Blue Day Humanities, World Languages, Music, and Arts Classes
Hey TJ students, families, and members of the general community,
Come to the very first Taste of TJ on January 17 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. This is the first of its kind multicultural night at TJ, and tickets are only $15 for unlimited food and fun! We also encourage people to volunteer to bring food or perform! All our welcome!
Currently scheduled to perform: Black Student Union (BSU), Namaste, a Nepali group of students, and a K-pop club. If your group is interested in performing, please reach out to the Class of 2025 Class Council at officialtjhsstclassof2025@gmail.com.
Tickets are available now on MySchoolBucks. They can also be purchased at the door.
If you are interested in bringing food, please sign up here.
We hope to see you at Taste of TJ to celebrate all of the cultures which unite us as a TJ community!
For more information, please reach out to the Class of 2025 Class Council at officialtjhsstclassof2025@gmail.com.
Class of 2025 Families,
Show your love and admiration for your senior--purchase a Senior Yearbook Ad now.
Ads are ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL Wed., JAN. 15, 2025
Click this link for a sample.
To order visit www.yearbookordercenter.com and use school code 13621. Once there, you can scroll down to "Share Your Love" and click the "Start Your Ad" button. Options and pricing will then appear. It’s a great way to honor your senior’s past, present, and future!
If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email Lisa Hampton (lmhampton@fcps.edu).
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 her book club meetings in January.
10th Grade Families
Dear Sophomore Parents,
Thank you so much for your interests in this year's read "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers". Our first in-person book club session would be held on January 31 at TJ's Franklin Commons from 9:00-10:30 a.m. If you are planning to attend the meeting, would you please fill out this google form so that we can adequately prepare for the meeting?
Thank you and looking forward to seeing you there! (The second session will be on February 14 from 9:00-10:30 a.m. The sign up form for the second session will come later.)
11th Grade Families
Dear Junior Parents,
Thank you so much for your interests in this year's read "Where You Go is Not Who You Will Be". Our one and only in-person book club session would be held on January 24 at TJ's Franklin Commons from 9:00-10:30 a.m. Ms. Hamblin (school counselor), Ms. Gilchrest (College and Career Specialist) and Ms. Armstrong (school social worker) are excited to facilitate the discussion.
If you are planning to attend the meeting, would you please fill out this google form so that we can adequately prepare for the meeting?
Thank you and looking forward to seeing you there!
This message is from the TJ Finance Office to families whose students are enrolled in a semester course that is coming to an end later this month.
Please work with your student to return books and items used during the first semester to their teachers. Items not returned will be added as an obligation assigned to your student.
Questions? Email the TJ Finance Office at TJHSSTFinance@fcps.edu or call (703) 750-8336.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search put on by the Society for Science is one of the most prestigious science research contests in the nation for high school seniors. Each year students are invited to submit original research in important scientific areas of study. Once again TJ is well represented amongst the winners, as we had eight students earn a spot among the top 300 finalists! They are (along with their project name):
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Sanchali Banerjee: LUSO-GenAI: A Novel Framework Using Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks (cGANs) To Synthesize Spatial Land Use Strategy Through Economic-Environmental Payoff Optimization
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Marina Lin: A Carbon-Aware Ant Colony System Algorithm for the Sustainable Generalized Traveling Salesman Problem
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Phoebe Pan: Data Augmentation Strategies for Improved PM2.5 Forecasting Using Transformer Architectures
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Samvrit Vasudev Rao: A Novel AI Framework for Personalized COPD Treatment Planning: Integrating EHR Analytics and Phenotype-Based Weighted Predictions
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Patrick Shi: Integrative Genomic Analysis Identifies Novel Causal Genes of Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
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Jaydon Shuan Sun: Synthesis, Crystal Structures and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis of 18-Crown-6 Stabilized Potassium and Ammonium Salt of Oxalatotriphenylstannate
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Avnith Vijayram: Graph Networks and Game Theory to Predict Gene Expression Pathways and Cardiotoxicity in Cardiac Cells
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Ray Zhang: Biofilm Composition in Clinical Isolates of Fungal Fusarium and Development of a Multi-Targeted Antifungal Treatment to Inhibit Proliferation
Each winning scholar received a $2000 prize, while TJ received a $2000 donation to its science programs for each winner as well ($16,000 total). They will see if they are named to the Top 40 Finalist list, which the Society for Science will reveal on January 23. Way to go, everyone, and good luck!
We would like to congratulate the 148 students who were inducted into the TJ Challenge Chapter of the National Honor Society in ceremonies last month. That is a new record! Here is a full list of inductees:
2024-25 TJHSST National Honor Society Inductees
Any TJ student interested in joining NHS in the future, please review our Selection Procedures.
We want to congratulate our 2024-25 TJ Outstanding Employees! The FCPS Outstanding Employee Awards program celebrates the efforts and accomplishments of exceptional school-based and non-school based employees from throughout the district.
Outstanding Teacher - Dr. Abdel Ebrahim, Mathematics
Dr. Ebrahim's student nominator says: "He is the most outstanding teacher I know, and I always leave class knowing that I learned something new. He also motivates my classmates and I into wanting to learn about math more. He is really fostering a love of math in me."
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Outstanding New Teacher - Ms. Hannah Grudi, Technology
Ms. Grudi's nominator says: "Hannah's diverse background as a biologist and a maker-space engineer make her uniquely qualified for her position in Design & Tech. She meets each student where they are,helping them to become independent thinkers and creative problem-solvers. Hannah's quick wit and desire to connect with her students on a personal level is also admirable."
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Outstanding School Leader - Ms. Sara Genetin, Director of Student Services
Ms. Genetin's nominator says: "Sara's unwavering dedication and tireless efforts to support students make her an invaluable leader. (She) consistently goes above and beyond, offering guidance and encouragement to help students succeed. Her commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment ensures that every student feels valued and empowered to achieve their goals."
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Outstanding School-Based Professional Employee - Ms. Christina Ketchem, School Counselor
Ms. Ketchem's nominator says: "Christina is a leader and strong voice in student services. She is a dependable advocate for all her students. Her professionalism and expertise are great assets to the TJ community!"
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Outstanding School-Based Operational Employee - Ms. Tinhvan Phan, Instructional Assistant
Ms. Phan's nominator says: "Tinhvan is always going above and beyond in her role as lab tech support for the Physics CLT at TJ. She frequently comes to the physics teachers with proposals for how to make our labs better. She has the picture of where we're headed over the next 1-2 years as a CLT and often contributes to strategic planning.
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In each newsletter we want to give some quick shout outs to TJ staff, students, teams, and alumni.
- In November's News You Choose newsletter, you may remember us mentioning the FCPS Cares award won by our certified Athletic Trainers (AT) Dr. Heather Murphy and Caroline Taylor for their quick treatment of a TJ student who suffered a significant injury. On Dec. 18 in front of the fellow ATs, the two were presented their award. Both Jake (the TJ senior they helped) and his mom, as well as members of the TJ Administration were on hand to celebrate and honor the two for their quick thinking and great work! More photos on Instagram.
Photo Gallery of Sequencers on Instagram
In December, TJ received new qPCR and dPCR instruments to be used by our DNA labs for sequencing and analysis experiments!
Thank you TJ Partnership Fund and its donors for the generous grant that allowed us to purchase these pieces of equipment. Our students will benefit greatly from these experiences!
Photo Gallery of Quantum Lab Students at Mobile Lab on Instagram
Photo Gallery of Physics Students at Mobile Lab on Instagram
In early December, Thorlabs visited TJ, introducing students to the world of photonics with their mobile lab. Photonics is the study of how to detect and manipulate light.
Seniors in the Quantum Physics research lab were able to conduct advanced experiments in the lab the first two days of the visit, while the third day was opened up to all physics classes to experience the world of photonics.
Thank you Thorlabs for bringing this amazing educational experience to us!
Photo Gallery of Cookiepalooza on Instagram
In December the Student Services staff held their fourth annual Cookiepalooza! Through their English 9 class, members of the Class of 2028 visited their office suite to make sure they knew everything that TJ's Office of Student Services provides.
The kids got the opportunity to play some fun games, and of course get a cookie at the end (probably their favorite part!). Thank you TJ Student Services for all that you do!
Photo Gallery of Winter Bash on Instagram
TJ went into Winter Break in a good mood thanks to the Student Government Association (SGA)! The TJ SGA put on a fantastic Winter Bash event for students that featured food, music, and several contests including bingo, gingerbread house building and trivia for prizes!
A great time was had by all. Thank you SGA for all the hard work you put into making this event a success!
 
Staff Breakfast and Gift Distribution on Instagram
At TJ we always make sure to show our appreciation to the staff. Prior to Winter Break, the TJ PTSA worked hard to pack gift bags for every member of the TJ staff!
On the last day before break, "Annta" Claus and her elves made their annual appearance during a staff breakfast to hand out gifts, including a custom TJ blanket!
Thank you TJ Staff for everything you do for our students!
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.
Spring Sports
Spring Sports will start on Monday, February 24, 2025. Spring sports are Baseball, Crew, Lacrosse, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, & Track and Field. Several teams are already holding out of season practices. Students must have a valid VHSL physical dated May 1, 2024, or after to participate in out of season practices and tryouts. VHSL physicals can be dropped off during the school day in the Activities Office, and after-school in the Athletic Training Office.
Families must also complete athletic registration each year before tryouts.
Both can be found at www.tjsports.org. You can reach out to Mr. Arthur or Dr. Murphy if you have questions or concerns.
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
Jan. 15 - TJ Virtual Curriculum Night for 2025-26 school year in evening, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Jan. 17 - Taste of TJ cultural event after school - 4:30-6:30 p.m. Tickets
Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Holiday - no school for students and staff
Jan. 23-Jan. 28 - Midterm exams
Jan. 27 - This is a Red Day due to midterm exams being held.
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
Feb. 7 - February News You Choose newsletter released
Feb. 10 - This is a modified Anchor Day - there will be a 60 minute advisory and no JLC.
Feb. 17 - President's Day Holiday - no school for students and staff
Feb. 28 - Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Ramadan) - school remains in session with normal hours.
Mar. 17 - This is a modified Anchor Day - there will be a 60 minute advisory and no JLC.
Mar. 29 - Senior Class Prom Capital One Hall, Tysons, VA - 7:00-11:00 p.m.
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