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Dear TJHSST Families,
I hope you are having a great summer! The TJ Administration has been hard at work preparing for an awesome 2025-26 school year. We have a lot of amazing things planned, headlined by our 40th anniversary celebration coming October 24-25 (more details below)!
For those who don't know me, my name is Mike Roth and I am the Director of Communications here at TJ. One of my jobs is to make sure students, parents/guardians, alumni, and the general community are informed of everything that is going on at TJ.
One of the ways I do that is through monthly News You Choose newsletters. You can expect a newsletter just like this one to be deposited in your inbox the first Friday of every month during the school year. The only exception to that is if the school is on break (for example January 2 is part of Winter Break this year). In those rare cases, the newsletter will come out the following Friday (for the Winter Break example, the January newsletter will be issued on January 9).
New families have been signed up for the All-Grade Levels category. I have included the emails that you provided to TJ Admissions.
If you would like the newsletter to be delivered to other email addresses or you wish to no longer receive these newsletters, you can do so at our News You Choose signup page here. When you sign up, be sure to sign up for the TJHSST News and Announcements topic. You can also sign for the TJHSST Athletics, Performances, and Activities topics if interested, as well as class specific topics (News You Choose newsletters to specific classes are very rare, however).
If you ever have any questions about events going on at TJ, please feel free to reach out to me at mbroth@fcps.edu. I will answer your question, or I will put you in contact with the person who has the answer. Otherwise, you will hear from me again in August with our Back-to-School newsletter that will give you all the information you need to get ready for the first few weeks of the 2025-26 school year!
Thanks,
Mike Roth
Director of Communications
#OneTJ
Here are some important dates from the first couple months of the school year for you to put on your calendar. Please notice that these dates are still tentative and are subject to change. More information about these events will be forthcoming.
Thursday, August 14 - New Student Orientation (Class of 2029, plus new students from the Class of 2028 joining as sophomores), and new this year Open House for returning students. Details coming in E-Notify later this month for both events.
Monday, August 18 - First day of school for students.
Thursday, August 28 - Back-to-School Bash - after school
Friday, August 29 and Monday, Sept. 1 - Labor Day, no school for students and staff.
Sept. 22-26 - Homecoming Week
Here is an overview of the 2025-26 school year calendar. In general, Mondays are Anchor Days, where students attend all seven courses and an advisory at the beginning of the day. Tuesdays and Thursdays are Blue Days, in which students will attend periods 1-4. Wednesdays and Fridays are Red Days, in which students will attend periods 5-8. During the first two and a half weeks of school, eighth periods will be spent in the student's advisory room.
There are exceptions as Holidays and staff workdays can cause adjustments to the schedule. Pictured above is a handy calendar that tells families whether it is a Anchor/Blue/Red Day, or a holiday where school is closed. Those dates are all subject to change, but we will keep you informed when a change is going to be made
If you would like a printable version of this calendar, please visit our website.
The following message is from the TJ PTSA and is meant for families who are new to TJ during the 2025-26 school year:
Welcome to the TJ family!!
In July and August, the TJ PTSA will host regional welcome parties for you to meet other incoming families who live near you and hear from current TJ students! Tentative information about each regional party is included in the form. To keep up-to-date as party plans evolve, please complete this form to register for your regional party.
Direct link to the form: https://forms.gle/8JhhRz1JGLsudfrP8
Look forward to seeing you there! Please email contactus@tjptsa.org with any questions.
Interested in Attending 40th Anniversary Celebration?
Please Note - The Following message was written by TJ Director of Communications Mike Roth and published in the TJ Partnership Fund newsletter sent to its members on June 27.
Dear Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Alumni and Former Faculty/Staff,
Get ready to mark your calendars! Planning is in full swing for our 40th-anniversary reunion on October 24-25, 2025, and we're pulling out all the stops to make this the biggest celebration in TJHSST's history. We can't wait to see as many of you as possible back on campus!
As part of the reunion celebration, we are excited to announce the approval of a TJPF grant of over $76,000 for the design and construction of Alumni Hall and the Gallery of Achievement! Construction will begin this summer and will be ready by the date of the reunion celebration.
So what is Alumni Hall? This dedicated new office space will serve as a permanent tribute to the incredible accomplishments of our alumni and faculty over the past four decades.
The centerpiece of the Alumni Hall will be a stunning 98-inch touchscreen kiosk, replacing the current display next to the window. Surrounding it, we'll install a massive wall wrap showcasing a vibrant collection of photos from the past 40 years of TJHSST.
The image above shows where it will be located. The red circle is where the kiosk will be. The blue circle is the approximate area of the wall wrap. The wall wrap will consist of many pictures as it will not cover the silver seams that are part of the wall.
And that's where you come in! We want your input to help us select the images that will be immortalized on our wall. TJ Director of Communications Mike Roth has already digitized over 100,000 photos covering everything from classroom moments and social events to athletics, the arts, and so much more!
If you would like to see the view all photos under consideration, please take a look at this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FX2ZbXWi8wzFZlJIxQUWQZkOWxFlhD8r?usp=sharing
If you strongly feel one (or more) of these photos SHOULD be included on the wall, please email me at mbroth@fcps.edu to make sure your voice is heard!
In addition, do you have your own cherished photo from your time at TJ that you'd love to share for potential inclusion on the Alumni Hall entrance wall wrap? Please feel free to email it to me at mbroth@fcps.edu and it will go into the pool! Kindly note that by submitting a photo, you are agreeing to its public display, and while we appreciate every submission, inclusion is not guaranteed.
I'll be sharing more details about the 40th Anniversary Celebration, including a complete schedule of events, later this summer. If you'd like to receive advanced information about the reunion, please make sure to fill out our Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1YRRUn-70oIOTtW6ESYHlLsk3yFDSDhP0FgrGAI7rjm8/preview
Thanks,
Mike Roth TJHSST Director of Communications
P.S. Do you know TJ alums or former faculty who might not receive this newsletter? Please help us spread the word! My goal is for every alum and former faculty member to know about this momentous anniversary celebration!
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.
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Season Start Dates:
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Fall Sports: Try-outs begin Monday, August 4, 2025
Cross Country, Cheerleading, Dance, Field Hockey, Football, Girls Volleyball, Boys Volleyball
Exception: Golf begins July 28, 2025
Girls Flag Football is coming this Fall: Start Date TBA, stay tuned for more information.
PLEASE NOTE THAT FALL SPORTS DO BEGIN IN AUGUST. ALL SUMMER VACATIONS SHOULD BE PLANNED FOR JUNE/JULY.
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Winter Sports: Try-outs begin Monday, November 10, 2025
Boys/Girls Basketball, Gymnastics, Indoor Track, Swim & Dive, Wrestling, Girls Wrestling
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Spring Sports: Monday, February 23, 2026
Baseball, Crew, Girls/Boys Lacrosse, Outdoor Track, Girls/Boys Soccer, Softball, Girls/Boys Tennis
- If you have sport specific questions, please contact the coach directly. Please find coaches contact information HERE
Each athlete MUST complete the 2 items below prior to any off season workout or try-outs:
- VHSL physical is required for participation. It must be dated after May 1, 2025. The VHSL Physical Form can be found HERE
- Please turn your Physical into the Activities Office or email to our athletic trainer, Heather Murphy. hrmurphy@fcps.edu
- Families & student-athletes must complete the online Athletic Registration each school year. Click here to access the Registration Link.
Athletics Website: https://tjsports.org/
We wanted to provide you with an update to the TJ Sports Physical Fundraiser event.
The event will be held on to JULY 30 at TJ and be combined for TJ, Marshall, and Lewis.
Here is the link to sign up for the waiting list. https://forms.gle/ZoVMqAZbV6tnGRPR8
We still need medical providers to help at this event. Please let us know if you have any MD, DO, NP, or PA practitioners that will be willing to volunteer.
Legislation introduced in the Virginia General Assembly and recently signed into law will result in two significant changes to the athletic pre-participation examination (physical) requirements for FCPS student-athletes:
- Beginning July 1, 2025, athletic physicals will be considered valid for a period of 14 months from the date the form is signed by the medical provider completing the exam. This is the date on page 3 of the VHSL Athletic Participation/Parent Consent/Physical Examination Form (revised January 2021).
- Beginning May 1, 2025, athletic physicals SHOULD be completed on the new VHSL Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Evaluation Form (revised April 2025).
Please reach out to Head Athletic Trainer Heather Murphy if you have any questions or concerns regarding the TJ physical event or changes to the VHSL PPE form or date changes.
See you on the sidelines!
Please Note - The following message is ONLY for residents of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax:
Did you know that you can now sign-up for a Free Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card at all Fairfax County High Schools and Middle Schools and ride the Fairfax Connector and City of Fairfax CUE bus for free? For more information visit this website.
Fill out the form on the website and bring it to Mr. McNulty once the school year begins to receive your bus pass.
TJ Class of 2025 Graduation Photo Gallery on Instagram
On June 11, the entire TJ community gathered at EagleBank Arena to celebrate the Class of 2025! This was the biggest class in TJHSST history with 501 graduates!
It was a fantastic morning ceremony that featured 12 student speakers, including a keynote address for Senior Class President Akul Dixit.
Congratulations to the TJHSST Class of 2025, we are so proud of you and can't wait to see what you accomplish in the future!
In each newsletter we want to give some quick shout outs to TJ staff, students, teams, and alumni.
- TJ had two different teachers nominated for FCPS Cares awards in June! Both Jane Iyengar and Elissa Levy were honored for presenting at the InnovatED Symposium 2025! Congrats and thank you for sharing your expertise with all of FCPS!
- Congrats to Ms. Patty Lister and TJ Latin as they had three students earn honors at the National Junior Classical League Online Contests! In the Intermediate Division (9th and 10th grades) Sameeha Shaik won a $500 award! In the Advanced Division (11th and 12th grades) Alex Bakalov took home a $500 award, while Ethan O'Hara earned a $250 award. Way to go everyone!
Photo Gallery of TJ Freshtival on Instagram
A new tradition was born on June 13 as the Class of 2026 welcomed our new Class of 2029 by hosting the first TJ "Freshtival!"
Our incoming Class of 2029 comes from over 50 different middle schools throughout Northern Virginia, so we wanted to give them an opportunity to meet each other and make new friends long before the school year starts!
Over 500 people (both members of the Class of 2029 and their families) attended the event, which featured games, popsicles, a Q&A session with members of the Class of 2026 and the opportunity to mingle and meet new friends!
Congrats to the Class of 2026 for beginning this new tradition and completing their first event as TJ's senior class!
Photo Gallery of TJ College Application Bootcamp on Instagram
When they return in the fall the Class of 2026 will be focused on their college applications. That of course can be a very stressful time. A new idea from our College and Career Center tried to help take some of the stress out of the process. On June 12 and 13, we held our College Application Boot Camp!
TJ had 7 different College Admissions officers come in to speak with members of the Class of 2026 about how to choose what colleges to apply to, how to write application essays, how to use the Common App and more. Due to demand we held both a morning and an afternoon session (photos are from the morning session) allowing even more students to participate!
Thank you to Ms. Gilchrest and the Student Services team for putting this on, and thank you to the reps from Alabama, American, Butler, George Mason, Howard, Maryland, RPI for speaking with our students!
At TJ we use a lot of unique terms and acronyms to describe things. While it is not necessary for you to memorize them (if you don't know what something means, feel free to just ask!), here are definitions of some common terms you might here during your time as part of the TJ family.
Anchor Day - Mostly held on Mondays, students attend shortened versions of all 7 of their academic classes. They also go to their advisory teacher for the first 30 minutes of the day.
Blue Day - Mostly held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, students attend periods 1-4 on these days.
Red Day - Mostly held on Wednesdays and Fridays, students attend periods 5-8 on these days.
JLC - Jefferson Learning Community. Held during Anchor Days from 12:10-12:50 p.m. this is a period where teachers and staff are able to collaborate and hold meetings. Students have the opportunity to meet with their teachers and work on their projects. We will send out a message in August asking for parent volunteers to help supervise during lunch on these days.
Modified Anchor Day - Similar to the Anchor Day above, but advisory is increased to a 60 minute period to begin the day. There is no JLC period on days we have a Modified Anchor Day.
Eighth Period - TJ's built into the school day activities period. Since students at TJ come from over 1300 square miles throughout Northern Virginia, it is difficult for them to stay afterschool to join clubs and participate in activities. Eighth Period, which is held during Red Days, allows students to participate in TJ's over 200 clubs and activities during the school day.
WLAMPE - World Language, Art, Music, and Physical Education. One of the four academic divisions at TJ. The other three are Math and Computer Science, Science and Technology, and Humanities (which consists of English and Social Studies).
MTSS - Multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) is a team composed of various staff members who determine academic, behavior, and wellness supports for students based on individual and school-wide data.
IBET - Integrated Biology, English, and Technology. Our ninth grade program that features cohorts and team teaching and sees groups of freshmen attend the same Biology 9, English 9, and Design and Technology courses together.
TJPF - Thomas Jefferson Partnership Fund. A 501(c)3 non-profit foundation that works to support the unique learning opportunities, specialized curriculum and innovative research experiences available for TJ students and meet TJ’s unique needs as a premier public science and technology high school. It is independent of, and not owned or operated by, Fairfax County Public Schools and the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.
tjSTAR - Thomas Jefferson Symposium to Advance Research. Annual symposium where TJ seniors present their year-long research projects to staff, parents, and the TJ student body.
For more general definitions of terms used throughout all FCPS schools, visit this site.
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
Mr. Michael Mukai - Principal
Ms. Betsy Fawsett - Associate Principal
Ms. Yaara Crane - Subschool Principal (oversees Class of 2026 Science and Technology Division)
Mr. Shawn Frank - Subschool Principal (oversees Class of 2027 and Mathematics and Computer Science Division)
Mr. Dylan Forshay - Subschool Principal (oversees Class of 2028 and World Language, Art, Music, and Physical Education Division)
Ms. Volita Russell - Subschool Principal (oversees Class of 2029 and Humanities Division)
Ms. Sara Wright - Director of Student Services (oversees Counselors, Social Worker, School Psychologist and other staff providing student support)
Ms. Leah Conte - Director of Student Activities (oversees Activities Office, 8th Period, Athletic Office, Building Maintenance, Custodians, Food Services)
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!
August 14 - New Student Orientation
August 14 - TJ Open House for Returning Families
August 18 - First day of the 2025-26 school year. It will be a Modified Anchor Day
August 28 - Back to School Bash after school
August 29-September 1 - Labor Day Holiday (No school for students and staff)
September 22-27 - Homecoming Week
September 22 - Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Rosh Hashanah begins in evening) - school remains in session with normal hours, no activities in evening.
September 23 - Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Rosh Hashanah) - no school for students or staff
October 24-25 - TJHSST 40th Anniversary Celebration
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