January 2015 - Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and

TECHCETERA
JANUARY 2015
Principal’s Letter
President’s Letter
Happy New Year! I hope
you enjoyed your holiday
break filled with rest and
time with family and
friends. My son Luke
dressed up in his own
Santa outfit, as my wife
and I served as elves to
make his first Christmas
a joyful one.
Happy New Year from the PTSA! We hope you and
your family had a relaxing break. The end of the
second quarter is approaching quickly, and it is a
busy time of year that can be stressful. In addition,
the renovation at TJ is entering another intense
phase, and that is creating some new challenges for
everyone.
A lot of people ask me how they should plan for the
summer since many options are available to them
through coursework, internships, research,
preparation for next school year, and service. Our
College and Career Center has a summer
opportunities website to give you an idea of the
variety of options available to students. Many of
these experiences have application deadlines in early
2015, so it’s a good time to begin exploring this
continued on page 2
HOT LINKS TO THE
INFORMATION FOR WHICH
Y O U A R E L O O K I N G ….
Info from Other TJ Offices
Academic News
PTSA Committee Updates
Serving the TJ Community
Campaign for TJ
Class News
News Round-Up and
Awards
TJ Boosters
Other Student News
Marketplace
Useful Links
Noteworthy Dates
Hopefully your student has established a routine this
school year to help balance the pressures of school
with other interests and passions, as well as carving
out time to relax and decompress...and hopefully
you have been able to find the fun side of parenting
a child at TJ.
In January, I hope your family is able to take
advantage of at least some of the extracurricular
activities that will be happening at TJ. These include
winter sports competitions, a January 9 orchestra
winter concert, and a January 14 PTSA meeting (with
a presentation on the annual Fairfax Youth Survey
on health and wellness).
Please don't hesitate to let us know how we can
assist you and your family or how you can get more
connected to the TJ community.
Eric Malès
TJ PTSA President 2014-15
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Principal’s Letter continued from page 1
conversation at home and with your counselor and
with our College and Career specialist, Eileen Kropf.
When planning for summer learning experiences,
consider three fundamental questions:
communities. Service is one example of supporting a
passion, and I realize other students feel fulfilled
through other means, such as exploring music,
athletics, a new subject, travel, or time at the pool.
1. How long of a break does my student need?
The last topic for summer planning should focus on
perceived future value. As students pursue colleges
and careers, they will need to articulate why and
how they have chosen a particular path in depth. For
example, students interested in research will find
great value in a mentoring relationship as they work
on a project in a lab, either at a government/
university facility or in TJ’s summer research
program. Some students will want to explore depth
in curriculum at TJ, such as taking four years of fine
arts, and therefore choose to take a summer school
course to create more flexibility in their schedules. TJ
summer schoolers also take computer science or
chemistry as a vehicle to take advanced placement
coursework the following school year. Other
students will want to shore up some of their skills so
they feel ready to take on the next course of a
sequence, and only in those circumstances, work
with a tutor so they can manage their work next
school year. Regardless of the summer experience,
there should be some intention to propel personal
future interests rather than feel motivated by the
activities of others.
2. How will a summer experience fuel a passion?
3. How will a summer experience help my
student’s future (at TJ or beyond)?
The first question is more difficult than it seems at
first glance. Some students need a full ten weeks to
completely recharge, while others constantly crave
new learning experiences as the motivating form of
their break. Some students and parents think the
student must have an internship or a summer school
class in order to advance to the next level in fear
that they might be falling behind. Rather than
charging ahead, instead think about how we can
help our mental well-being so we will be able to
make high quality commitments in our future work.
Stop, smell the roses. I would rather students do a
few things really well to demonstrate their passion
than a lot of things to fill up a resume. If the student
doesn’t experience a needed break, the next level
will likely feel stressful and could be detrimental
towards future academic progress. In order to
evaluate the break your student needs, the first step
is to ask him/her how much time off is needed to
feel ready for the next school year, and what should
that look like.
Once you have held a conversation about taking a
break, you are ready to explore how to spend the
summer. I encourage you to pursue experiences that
fuel a passion rather than serve as a requirement to
prepare for the next school year. I realize this is not
always possible due to different circumstances, and
if not, consider finding a little time to nurture joy in
activities to bring fulfillment in mind and/or spirit.
For example, I feel energized through community
service, and therefore dedicate time to recruit high
school volunteers through STEMbassadors to help at
various summer elementary enrichment camps. I
visit many of these summer camps to learn how our
students are making a positive difference in their
January 2015
I’d like to thank you for taking some time at home to
plan for summer learning experiences. There isn’t
any requirement for students to pursue enrichment
experiences, and some families might value and
learn the most with the time spent together. Don’t
hesitate to contact me at Evan.Glazer at fcps.edu if
you have any questions regarding summer planning
or ideas to make TJ an even better place for learning
and growing.
Sincerely,
Evan Glazer

Check out the Marketplace page
for great items!
Proceeds benefit TJ programs.

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Useful Links
TJHSST Home Page:
http://www.tjhsst.edu
TJ PTSA website:
www.tjhsst.edu/supportingtj/ptsa
TJ Booster Organizations:
Academic Boosters:
http://academics.tjhsst.edu/aboosters/
Athletic Boosters:
www.colonialathletics.org
Band Boosters:
www.tjbands.org
Choral Boosters:
http://www.tjhsst.edu/curriculum/fa/choir
Info from Other TJ Offices
Library
As research projects receive renewed focus after
winter break, please let your students know that
they can receive individual help from a librarian
during 8th period if they sign up for “Library
Research” or “Library Study Hall.” The library is also
providing several 8th period workshops on
Wednesdays, B Block in January: NoodleTools
workshops on the 7th and 28th; Evaluating Sources
workshops on the 14th and 21st. NoodleTools is an
online platform designed to help with note-taking,
citations (MLA or APA style), and collaborating on
group projects. Evaluating Sources shows students
how to consistently apply CARRDSS criteria (below)
to critically evaluate information, particularly helpful
for annotated bibliographies.
Crew Boosters:
www.tjcrew.org/
Orchestra Boosters:
http://arts.tjhsst.edu/orchestra/
Theatre Boosters:
http://www.tjhsst.edu/parentscommunity/boosters/theatreboosters/
TJ Partnership Fund:
http://www.tjpartnershipfund.org
TJ Alumni Association:
http://www.tjhsstalumni.org
Other:
FCPS Blackboard:
http://fcps.blackboard.com
FCPS Keep in Touch (KIT):
http://www.fcps.edu/kit
FCPS School Board:
www.fcps.edu/schlbd
Fairfax County Supervisors:
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board
January 2015
Please email us at library at tjhsst.edu if we can help
or support your child’s research needs.
Mark Your Calendar
PTSA Meetings
(Tentatively scheduled in the library)
Wednesday, January 14 – 7:00-9:00 pm
Thursday, February 12 – 7:00-9:00 pm
Friday, March 13 –9:00-11:00am – Principal’s Coffee
Thursday, April 9 – 7:00-9:00 pm
Wednesday, May 6 – 7:00-9:00 pm
Wednesday, June 10 – 7:00-9:00 pm
Refreshments served at 7:00 pm and meeting begins at 7:30 pm
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PTSA Committee Updates
Health and Wellness
Cultivators of the Earth Club
2013 Jefferson Youth Survey Results
The 2013 Fairfax County Youth Survey results were
presented in the December issue of Techcetera. The
county-wide survey addresses substance use, mental
health and wellness, violence and aggression, and
sexual health. TJ student survey responses can be
found here. The past three years of TJ survey results
are compared with county-wide 2013 results. There
will be a discussion of the survey results at a future
PTSA meeting.
This month, the Cultivators of the Earth Club in
conjunction with the TJ Landscaping Committee
created some holiday spirit around the TJ campus by
updating the planters and window boxes installed in
the Fall to beautify the learning cottage area behind
the school and at Weyanoke with evergreens,
sparkling snowflakes, and bright bows. The Club
then warmed up with hot cocoa and brownies.
Thank you to Club faculty advisor Lona Klein, and
PTSA sponsors Shawn Lukas and Laura Noble for
supporting this activity.
Student Advocacy Guidelines
As we start off 2015, please take a moment to
review the TJ Student Advocacy Guidelines which
came out in fall 2014 to help TJ students navigate
responsibilities and expectations. Parents, you
should encourage your child to self-advocate
according to the guidelines when any academic
related concerns or problems arise.
Renovation Update
Phase 2 of the renovation project has recently
begun. This phase involves reconstructing the
interior classrooms of school across the 2015
calendar year. During this time, all necessary
precautions are being taken to ensure a safe
environment for staff, students, parents, and
visitors.
Visitors to the school should continue to park in the
front lot and use the crosswalk to the front sidewalk
and then walk around the building to the current
main entrance at the side of the building (Entrance
8). Parking in the bus depot outside of Entrance 8 is
available only after 4:30 pm.
Please drop off students only at the kiss and ride on
the access road in the mornings and then depart by
turning right onto Little River Turnpike. Because the
buses need priority at dismissal, please arrive after
4:00 pm to pick up your students..
Questions? Contact Assistant Principal Shawn Frank
(sjfrank at fcps.edu).
January 2015
Make a New Year’s
Resolution to Earn Free
Money for TJHSST!
Shop at Amazon.com and earn free money for TJ.
Please bookmark this site on your browser and use
it every time you shop! This link can also be found
on the Support the PTSA web page.
Questions? Email Helenia Pan at helenia.pan at
gmail.com.
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Serving the TJ Community
Volunteer Opportunities
Want to Make a REALLY Big Difference?
Most of the PTSA’s work is performed and
coordinated by Committee chairs and members.
Right now, there are a few vacancies. Please
consider whether you might be willing to make a
difference!
The biggest commitment is the position of PTSA
President-Elect, which was created during last
spring’s update of the PTSA by-laws. The purpose of
the position is to provide continuity and training for
the person who will become next year’s PTSA
President. The President-Elect is to be initiated this
school year, through a special election in January.
For January-June, you would shadow the current
President and in June 2015 succeed as President for
a 12-month term. If you’re interested in finding out
more, please contact the current President (Eric
Malès, tjptsapres at gmail.com) or any of the past
presidents.
Hospitality Donations Needed for Science Fair
Judges and Students
The TJ Science Fair will be held on Wednesday,
February 4, 2015 (in the case of inclement weather,
Wednesday, February 11, 2015 is the make-up day),
and the PTSA supports this important event by
providing an early evening meal for judges and by
providing snacks for participating students.
Delayed Base School
Openings
Bus Transportation
Delayed school openings occur periodically
throughout the school year at high schools. When
school delays occur at a Fairfax County (FCPS) base
school, neighborhood bus pickups do not occur for
TJ students. TJ parents must transport their student
to the base school in time to catch the TJ shuttles,
which always transport, regardless of the base
school delay. In other jurisdictions, TJ bus routes
are not necessarily linked to base schools.
The best way for TJ families in Fairfax County to be
aware of late openings is to subscribe to the KIT
messages and/or newsletters sent out by the BASE
SCHOOL used for your child’s TJ bus. As a backup,
TJ’s transportation office will send delayed FCPS
base school openings to TJ’s PTSA, and we will post
them on the Transportation section of TJ PTSA
website. We will also try to highlight these in the
calendar listings in our weekly newsletter, This
Week.
We want to show our appreciation to the judges
who are taking their time and lending their expertise
to our students, so the PTSA organizes some
refreshments and a light meal for them. Please help
show some warm TJ hospitality by clicking on this
signup to send drinks, desserts, or fruit in to the
school the day of the fair.
Our students also need some nourishment during
this long day, and we would like to support them
with drinks and healthy snack foods. Please click on
this signup to contribute food to the participating
students.
January 2015
In other jurisdictions, we urge you to network with
other TJ families and your TJ "cluster"
representative.
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THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
CAMPAIGN FOR TJ // LEADING THE FUTURE
A New Year, A New Era
BE A PART OF THE NEW TJ!
Just like the renovation – so much accomplished, yet
so much more to come – the Campaign for TJ has
already made an enormous impact on TJ’s new labs
but still has a long way to go to fulfill all of its
ambitious goals for our school. Several labs still need
equipment and some need lab furniture, and the
School’s technology needs are only beginning to be
met.
Private funds are also needed to cover a portion of
the cost of installing turf fields -- necessary to give
our teams the practice time they need to improve
performance and limit injuries – and the cost of a
new concession stand with bathrooms, an estimated
total of $500,000. The humanities and arts wish lists,
not yet complete, already include over $100,000
worth of needs. To ensure the continued strength of
our excellent, well-rounded program that includes
athletics, music, humanities, and extra-curricular
offerings, we need to support the entire school.
Alumni visit the undergraduate research (JUMP) Lab on their tour
of the new lab wing at Alumni Day 2014. Over 170 alumni showed
up on Saturday, November 29th to see the new building and
reconnect with old friends. A big thank-you to Jefferson Society tour
guides for helping make this the best Alumni Day ever.
Your friends, neighbors, and carpool families, the
parents of your child’s friends from teams and clubs
have already pledged or donated. It may surprise you
to know that in addition to growing support from
alumni, the parents of TJ graduates, whose kids will
never reap the benefits of the new TJ, have also given
generously. Our principal has set a tremendous
example by donating $5,000 every year to the
Campaign. It’s your turn now.
Many other TJ groups ask for your support, and we
know it can be overwhelming at times. We would not
be asking if we weren’t convinced that private
support – your support – has been key to TJ’s success
and is critical to its future. So please write that check
or pledge/donate online, as so many of your fellow
parents have done.
January 2015
Alumni from the 10th Year Reunion Class of 2004 eat their Alumni
Day lunch the TJ way…sitting on the floor.
Parents: Thank you so much for your enduring
support.
– The Partnership Fund, TJ’s non-profit foundation
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Class News
2015 – Seniors
Now that Seniors have just about completed all
college applications, it's time to look forward to all
the exciting upcoming events leading to graduation.
A Senior Night for All Parents will be held on
February 9th to discuss the many items that
everyone should know about. We will be giving an
update on graduation (how many tickets, guests,
start time, etc.), prom, class dues, All Night
Graduation Party, Baccalaureate program, tjSTAR,
collect outstanding class dues, caps/gowns
information, and much more. This is really an
important meeting for parents to attend. Please
mark the date on your calendars. Thank you.
Ginger Bugaigh
gingerreich at yahoo.com
2016 – Juniors
Have you sent in your class dues yet? Maybe you
forgot to send your contribution in before winter
break? Don’t worry, it’s not too late! The class is
STILL collecting $35 from each family, the same
amount that was collected last year. And, just like
last year, we are hoping for 100% participation – but
as today, we are far from that goal. If everyone
contributes, the class will raise well over $15,000.
We are at a critical point in our fundraising. At the
end of this school year, deposits need to be made
for all graduation and prom events. We have a long
way to go to cover those costs. Please help by
sending in your dues today.
Feel free to round up or even double your dues –
any and all donations are welcome. Checks must be
made payable to “TJHSST Class of 2016” in order to
be properly credited to the class fund. Please write
your student’s name in the memo line of the check.
If submitting cash, please label the envelope with
your student’s name. All dues should be turned in to
Mrs. Rosenblum in Room 136. If you prefer to mail
your dues, please send to:
TJHSST
Mrs. Rosenblum - Class of 2016
6560 Braddock Rd
January 2015
Alexandria, VA 22312
Let’s all work together and make this campaign a
big success. Thank you!
Jamie Korelitz
JamiekorelitzTJ2016 at gmail.com
2017 – Sophomores
Happy New Year! We hope that you are having a
good break and that you enjoyed seeing more of
your children while there was no school.
If your student is struggling, counselors are
available to help. The best way to reach them is
usually a quick email. Email addresses can be found
here or in the student directory.
During the next six weeks, Sophomores will be given
an overview of senior labs and will begin to consider
what projects they might want to undertake.
Exciting times are ahead!
Thanks for your support of the class of 2017.
Ann Carr and Lan Fan
mandacarr at msn.com
fanlan at hotmail.com
2018 – Freshmen
We hope everyone had a good holiday break. Just
before the break, TJHSST Counselor Sean Burke
posted information designed to help 9th graders and
their parents with the process of navigating through
the first year of high school. If you are interested in
reading it, you can find it here.
We are about to start planning the “lockout.” If you
are able to help with this annual event, please let us
know. We would like to make this year’s lockout
really fun for everyone.
Please know that we are here to help find answers
to questions if you have any questions. Happy 2015!
Nancy Yang & Silvija Strikis
chaonanyang at gmail.com
sstrikis at yahoo.com
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ALL NIGHT GRADUATION PARTY
As we ring in the brand new year,
For the Class of ‘15, one thing is clear.
Let’s party! Drug and alcohol free!
ANGP is the place to be.
The date’s June 20, so buy your tix,
Don’t leave your child out of this mix.
TICKETS
65% of the Senior Class has purchased their ticket
for the party of the year! For the remaining 35%,
tickets are $125 per student. Even if you are not
sure if your child wants to attend ANGP, please
purchase a ticket to support this event! Your
contribution helps us make the necessary deposits
to reserve the location, vendors and supplies. Ticket
forms are available here. Please remember that
BOTH the student and one parent need to sign the
form. Not sure if you’ve purchased a ticket yet?
You can check here. Traditionally, about 95% of the
graduating class attends the ANGP – don’t let your
student be left out!
The TJ PTSA is committed to ensuring that all
students can attend. If you need financial
assistance, please contact your guidance counselor.
All requests are kept confidential.
TODDLER PICTURES
Senior parents: We'd like a picture of each senior
from when he/she was between 2 and 4 years old
for the ANGP. You can email digital/scanned
pictures to tjbabypics@gmail.com. Please include
your son or daughter's full name and nickname in
your email. PLEASE get your son or daughter's
approval for the picture you send.
Prints can be mailed to TJHSST ANGP – Baby Pics,
6550 Braddock Rd., Alexandria VA 22312. Please
make a duplicate as prints cannot be returned.
Thanks!
VOLUNTEERS
We still need a fundraising chair. Please consider
lending a hand. We also need HUNDREDS of parents
to help with party planning, decorations, food,
fundraising, and chaperoning. We traditionally ask
January 2015
parents of ALL students to help (since seniors do not
want see their parents during the party).
Interested? Please email the ANGP co-chairs Lisa
Savage and Ginger Bugaighis at
tj2015angp@gmail.com. A Sign Up Genius for
volunteering on the night of the party will be
available soon.
DONATIONS AND FUNDRAISING
Do you have a local business you go to often?
Please consider dropping off a letter to ask for a
donation. It’s quick and easy. Your company or
family can also make tax-deductible donations to
the Class of 2015 ANGP by clicking here. All
donations will be recognized on the Class of 2015
ANGP Donor Recognition Page and on the Donor
Wall at the ANGP in June.
Our ongoing fundraising includes the
Congratulations Graduate Lawn Signs for $20.00.
Click here to find the order forms for these Gifts for
Grads.
SENIOR PARENT NIGHT
There will be a Senior Parent Information Night held
on Monday, February 9. At this meeting, parents
will learn about graduation, prom, etc. and will be
able to purchase ANGP tickets (don’t forget to print
and sign the form in advance – both student and
parent signatures are required), as well as make
donations, purchase lawn signs, drop off toddler
pictures, and volunteer to help at the party. Watch
your email for further information regarding Senior
Parent Night.
Our next ANGP meeting is scheduled for January
14th at 6:00 pm in the College and Career Center.
Please check the website for updates.
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News Round-Up and Awards
Shout-Out to TJ’s UNICEF Club
TJ Boosters
ACADEMIC BOOSTERS
Families – we need your help! Please join Academic
Boosters and help support our terrific academic
teams. It’s easy to join, and your contribution may
be matched by your employer! Join here.
Future Problems Solvers
UNICEF High School Clubs recognized TJ’s UNICEF
Club for raising $551 for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in
only their second year of being a club!
Citizenship Essay Contest
Virginia PTA (VAPTA) and Virginia529 have
partnered to expand the VAPTA Citizenship Essay
contest.
With the addition of Primary, Intermediate, and
Special Writer divisions, all K-12 students can
participate and describe what citizenship means to
them.
This year’s theme is “I can positively
influence my peers by….”
This essay project allows students to express their
views and opinions on "Character or Citizenship."
Submissions are due February 1. Complete rules and
an application are available here.
Awards in all age groups:
1st Place – $529 inVest account
2nd Place – $250 inVest account
3rd Place – $100 inVest account
January 2015
In December, FPS continued to prepare our newest
members for the competition’s Qualifying Problem
(scheduled for after school, January 28th and
focused on “Propaganda”). Returning members
have taught new members how to create action
plans and have introduced them to the evaluation
process so that they know how the competition
packets will be scored. FPS members also turned in
Practice Problem Two earlier this month, which
provided another opportunity to sharpen their skills
before the Qualifying Problem (QP). We created
"Big Sib" teams by pairing more experienced FPS
teams with newer teams. Big Sib teams worked with
their Little Sib teams to share ideas and tips about
writing challenges, solutions, and action plans.
FPS also piloted a successful leaf-raking fundraiser
that helped newer members get to know each other
while raising money for the club. We plan to have a
hot cocoa sale in mid-January.
FPS is continuing its successful outreach efforts to
Kilmer Middle School and Chantilly HS. Our
outreach officers, Chris Hoang and Jessica Wang
have led visits to Kilmer MS to help Kilmer students
learn the FPS process. TJFPS members offered tips
and models for completing Practice Problem Two on
the topic of innovations related to “Processed
Foods.” And one of our publicists, Olivia Zhang, has
designed and ordered team shirts for the club.
With 136 members, FPS is looking forward to 2015
and all of the new opportunities it will bring!
Learn more about FPS here:
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Lincoln-Douglas Debate
The Lincoln-Douglas Debate team has performed
extremely well at its recent tournaments, WACFL 2,
WACFL 3, and the GMU Patriot Games, with several
debaters receiving honors for their performance. At
WACFL 2, in Varsity, Sriram Iyer, Jay Gupta, Kunal
Shroff, Srijith Poduval and Siddarth Anand all went
3-1. Jay and Kunal took 3rd and 2nd speaker, as well
as 6th and 5th place, respectively. In the Junior
Varsity division, Rachel Ma placed 4th and qualified
for JV MetroFinals. At WACFL 3, Kaushik Venkatesh
placed 5th overall and 2nd in speaker points in the
Varsity division. Jay, Kunal, Siddarth, Sriram, and
Kaushik are now qualified for Varsity MetroFinals. In
junior varsity, Amitesh Kotwal placed first in
speaker points. At the GMU Patriot Games, Rohan
Pandit broke to double-octofinals.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Outstanding: Geetika Mahajan and Arnav Gupta
(China)
Honorable: Arya Sivadhanam and Saaketh Anjutgi
(Switzerland)
Social, Cultural, and Humanitarian (SOCHUM)
Verbal: Ria Chakrabarti and Ankitha Yanamandra
(Switzerland)
General Assemblies
Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Outstanding: Chris Cao and Puneeth Sai Uttla
(Brunei Darussalam)
Verbal: Brandon Liu and Dennis Kim (China)
We are very proud of all of our debaters’ success at
these tournaments, and are now preparing for
several upcoming tournaments in January.
UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) 2040
Outstanding: Richa Gupta and Subul Malik
(Venezuela)
Honorable: Cheryl Mensah and Sophia Martinese
(China)
Model United Nations
UN Commission on Sustainable Development
Outstanding: Laura Chu and Suzie Bae (China)
After three strenuous days of hard work at the 28th
William & Mary High School Model United Nations
conference, the TJ Model UN club received
recognitions for many of our delegates and as a
school as well. We are particularly proud to have
received the school award as the 2nd Best Large
Delegation! Thank you to our amazing sponsor,
Señora Pou, and our wonderful chaperones, for
making the trip possible!
Note: The top award is a gavel, followed by
outstanding, honorable, and verbal awards.
Congratulations on a terrific performance, TJ MUN!
Novice Committees
Disarmament and International Security (DISEC)
Outstanding: Ishaan Dey and Ian Moritz (China)
Verbal: Timothy Liu and Suchet Taori (Brunei)
Special Political and Decolonization (SPECPOL)
Outstanding: Jessica Wang and Audrey Huang
(Switzerland)
Honorable: Leela Ramineni and Neil Parikh (Brunei)
Verbal: Mara Casebeer and Millan Welman (China)
January 2015
International Multilateral Partnership Against
Cyber Threats
Verbal: Holly Frank (Venezuela)
Honorable: Chitra Kokkirala (China)
Committee on the Elimination of Racial
Discrimination (CORE)
Verbal: Omar Saracevic (China)
Outstanding: Will Ryu (Venezuela)
UN Population Fund
Gavel: Solomon Shewit (Switzerland)
UN Committee for the Peaceful Use of Outer Space
Gavel: Spencer Weiss (China)
UN High Commission for Refugees
Honorable: Sahana Epari and Dan Qi (Venezuela)
Verbal: Newton Nagirimadugu and Mehul Mittal
(Brunei Darussalam)
Specialized Committees
The Committee on the Great Charter of 1215
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Verbal: Hridhay Rangaraju (Baron Geoffrey de Saye)
2014 NGO Forum
Gavel: Swetha Prabakaran (One Acre Fund)
Sherry Xie, and Christine Zhao placed 4th in Novice.
Next up, PF looks towards competing at Columbia
and WACFL 4 in January.
Forum on US Foreign Aid
Gavel: Abhi Chadha (Rajiv Shah, Chief Administrator
of USAID)
Quizbowl
Crisis Committees
1975 Western Sahara Conflict: Algerian Cabinet
Honorable: Frank Sammartino (Abdelaziz
Belkhadem, Deputy Director of International
Relations)
United States Presidential Election of 2000: Gore
Campaign
Outstanding: Stav Nachum (Miriam S. Zalcman,
Director of First Lady Operations)
United States Presidential Election of 2000: Bush
Campaign
Gavel: Shohini Gupta (Scott Stanzel,
Communications Director)
The Executive Board of the Space Exploration
Technologies Corporation
Gavel: Andrew Howard (Kimbal Musk, Board
Director)
United Nations Security Council
Outstanding: Noah Shin (China)
The Secretary-General’s Committee on Negotiation
Honorable: Sreya Atluri (Delegate S)
Public Forum Debate
The Public Forum Debate team performed extremely
well at their last few tournaments. At GMU, Pranav
Gulati and Srikar Kosuri advanced to the elimination
rounds, and reached the quarterfinals.
The PF Team also had a great showing at WACFL 3!
Shiraz Chokshi and Rohan Suri received a half
qualification in Varsity, and Maddie Min and
Meghana Boojala received a half-qualification in JV.
Ghnana Madineni and Revu Pillai placed 3rd in JV,
and Shivam Kollur and Prathik Naidu placed 3rd
January 2015
In December, TJ Quizbowl attended two
tournaments. In each of the tournaments, we placed
two teams in the top bracket. On December 6th, at
Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, our
A team of Ryan Golant, Saurav Pattanayak, Justin
Yum, and Ruyan Zhang placed 6th and our B team of
Michael Yue, Alex Howe, Andrew Wang, and Rohan
Hegde placed 8th out of 26 teams. The following
week, at Richmond’s Maggie Walker High School,
our A team of Ryan Golant, Paul Dumitrescu, Saurav
Pattanayak, and Joanna Gerr and our B team of
Michael Yue, Justin Yum, Alex Howe and Colin
Murphy also placed 6th and 8th, respectively, out of
24 teams. Ryan Golant was recognized for achieving
the 4th highest individual score of the preliminary
round at the Maggie Walker tournament.
BAND BOOSTERS
Winter Pops Concerts Bring Holiday Cheer to
8th period on December 12th and 15th: The
curricular bands enjoyed sharing their festive
spirit with the student body and visitors at the
winter pops concerts. On Friday December 12th,
A Block, the Symphonic Band performed
Overture to a New Horizon, Disney Favorites,
Theme from Halo, and Pirates of the
Caribbean. For the B Block performance, the
Wind Ensemble entertained all with Sleigh Ride,
Nightmare Before Christmas, Howl's Moving
Castle, The Lord of the Rings, and The
Incredibles. The concerts concluded with the
Jazz Band/Combo performance of Deck the
Halls, Big Band Holiday, Theme From Family
Guy, Monsters Inc, and Chameleon on Monday
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December 15th during B Block. Many thanks to
all who came out to support these
performances!
Winter DrumLine (TJDL) and Color Guard
(TJWG) Rehearsals are in Full swing: Students
have been hard at work learning their routines
in preparation for the first Winter Season
competitions, which begin in late January. The
theme for this season’s Drum Line show is
entitled “Madness” and the theme for Winter
Guard is “221B Baker Street” using the music
from the BBC series Sherlock. The groups are
very excited for what looks to be a very
enjoyable 2015 season.
Color Guard Dresses their Best for pre-Rehearsal Spirit Day
Marching Band Recruitment Video Celebrates
Best Season Ever: TJMC Historians created a
recruitment video, which can be found here, to
celebrate their great 2014 season.
CONTRA-THON 2014 raises $7,663!
As of December 18, 2014, families and friends of TJ
Bands contributed $7,663 to CONTRA-THON 2014!
A big THANK YOU to our “IN-CONTRA-VERTIBLY”
wonderful donors: Maria Proestou and Savana
Hadjipanteli, The Wishard Family, The Yoon Family,
The Berger Family, Ellen and Kevin McCarthy, The
January 2015
Omais Family, Jun Wu and Lan Fan, The Cummings
Family, The Tessier/Molloy Family, The Mace
Family, The Everhart Family, The Chung Family, The
Collins Family, The Richardson Family, The Bennett
Family, The Arthur He Family, Mr. and Mrs.
Dayyani, Alex’s Grandma and Bernie R., The Diaz
Family, The Wittle Family, The Geldert Family, The
Etemad Family, The Barbour Family, Mr. and Mrs.
Bill Iwig, Phil and Nancy Layfield, The Cohen
Family, The Peyton Family, The Traiger Family, The
Woglom Family, Trusted Concepts, Inc., Lily Wittle,
The Wah Family, Sarah and David Gunnarson, The
Liang Family, The Capozzi Family, Patricia Pei, The
Henris Family, The Rudin Family, The Pasquerella
Family, The Chaplin Family, The Bass Family, Joan
and Neal Johnson, The Malzahn Family, and The
Rizvi Family.
January Citrus & Pecan Sale Orders due by
January 3rd. This is the only month we expect
to offer honeybell tangelos. Also, be aware that
as of December 17th, our supplier has
confirmed that pecans will still be available, and
they currently expect that half-cases of navels
will be available given our early January delivery
date. However, there are no guarantees given
the citrus shortage that is ongoing nation-wide,
and we may need to cancel or reduce the navel
orders if there is a shortage. January citrus
selections are: ruby red grapefruit (half case
@$22 or full case @$41); honeybell tangelos
(half case @31); grapefruit & honeybells-mixed
(half case @$27); pecan halves (1-lb. bag @
$16); and navel oranges (half case @$23).
Orders are due to tjcitrus at hotmail.com by
Saturday, January 3rd (during Winter Break!);
the pick-up date is Saturday, January 10th from
10 A.M. - 1 P.M. in the TJ Band room.
About Band Boosters: The band boosters
support TJ's wonderful curricular bands
(Symphonic Band, Symphonic Wind Ensemble,
Percussion Ensemble, and Jazz Band) and extracurricular ensembles (Marching Band,
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Drumline, and Color Guard) through volunteer
and fundraising activities that help provide
student scholarships, purchase equipment, and
supply uniforms. For more information on how
to support TJ's band programs, please see our
website www.tjbands.org.
ORCHESTRA BOOSTERS
The tradition lives on! On December 10th, the
Audlob was mobbed as 50 pies were sliced, plated,
and served for the TJ Orchestras’ annual Pumpkin
Pie Sale. Although a challenge, each piece met the
new USDA/FCPS Smart Snacks guidelines for food
sold at fundraisers. Money raised during the event
will be put to good use in support of the TJ
Orchestra programs.
7:00 pm in the TJ auditorium. Selections will include
Schumann Symphony No. 4, Tchaikovsky’s Romeo
and Juliet, Schindler’s List, and Star Wars. We hope
to see you there!
COLONIAL ATHLETICS
BOOSTERS (CAB)
Gymnastics
The TJ Gymnastics team was very excited to start
the 2014-2015 season with a meet at Centreville
High School on Friday, December 19th. Last year
was a great team effort to finish 3rd in the
conference. This year, the Varsity team has six
veterans and seven new participants for a total of
13 girls, one of the largest teams in recent years.
They hope to be very competitive again in this
year’s conference.
The gymnastics program is led again this year by
Pete Novgrod as the Head Coach and Christina
Jones, Jennifer Slade, Brad Wasserman, Meredith
Maple, and Cara Yaworski as Assistant Coaches.
Returning team captains are Jennifer Fang (Senior)
and Maya Pabilonia (Junior). The Senior class is also
represented by Amanda Chao and May Thinnyun.
The Junior class is also represented by Rachel Li,
Chloe How, and Revu Pillai. The Sophomore class is
represented by Carolyn Wang. The Freshman class
is represented by Cecilia Baek, Emily Everhart, Lilly
Ko, Sophie Koh, and Sharmila Roy.
Girls Varsity Basketball
TJ Orchestras’ annual Pumpkin Pie Sale
Looking into the new year, please join us for the
Winter Orchestra Concert on Friday, January 9th, at
January 2015
The Girls Varsity Basketball team is working hard
this season. The team has three returning players,
and welcomed 8 new players to the team. This
includes Senior Captains Rebecca Clark-Callender,
Julia Dunbar, and Michelle Namkung; Sophomores
Rachel Martinka, Dana Scheetz, Susanna Bradbury,
Clare Connally, Shraddha Pradeep, Jenna
Greenwalt, and Raquel Sequeira; and Freshman
Jahnavi Prabhala. Returning to the coaching and
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managing staff are Head Coach Liz Reed, Assistance
Coach Cameron Johnson, and managers Adrian
Robertson and Sarah Dickson.
The girls began their season with two November
scrimmages, against Trinity Christian School and
West Potomac. In December, they played hard
fought games against West Springfield, Loudoun,
Fairfax, and Annandale. They’ll be looking for their
first win with two more games and a holiday
tournament scheduled before month’s end. In
between practices and games in December, Senior
Rebecca Clark-Callender officially committed to
Washington University in St. Louis. Go Bears!
The Varsity girls have had an unlucky string of
injuries to start the season, but hope to be back at
full strength in January!
Girls JV Baskeball
Coach Chet Bracuto is leading the JV team this year.
The class of 2017 makes up the majority of the
roster. The Sophomores are: Isha Ghodgaonkar,
Bailey Knight, Joanne Lee, Ruchi Maniar, Shweta
Mohanty, Harshita Ravichandran, Sunny Truslow,
and Christine Wang. Two Freshmen –Rachel Ma
and Maya Parker– are also on the team. Come
cheer on these girls as they shake off some early
challenges.
On December 12th, the Girls also hosted their
annual Purple Out Pancreatic Cancer Benefit Game,
including a half time 3-point shootout for prizes. TJ
athletes and fellow students wore purple to raise
awareness of this disease that has affected many TJ
staff and student families. An estimated 73 percent
of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer will die
within one year, making it the fourth leading cause
of cancer deaths in the US, yet it receives the least
amount of federal research funding of all major
cancers. It also has the lowest five-year relative
survival rate of all major cancers; for every 100
people diagnosed, only 6 will survive after five
years. A special shout out to all those who came to
support the team and the fight against pancreatic
cancer.
January 2015
Boys Freshman Basketball:
The 2014-2015 Freshman basketball team is a closeknit group of young men who are eager to put their
hard work on display. Anchored by a formidable set
of post players (Scott Becker, Jack McLaughlan,
Joshua O'Cain, Alex Marwaha), the Colonials have
established a hard-nosed defensive identity. On the
offensive end of the floor, they look to their arsenal
of aggressive wing players (Aashish Batheja,
Emerson Berlik, Michael Li, Yadaven
Saravanapavan, Pranav Yanambakkam). The
guards (Brendan Whalen, Neil Dattani, Jaden Lee,
Sid Muralidhar) have earned the trust of their
Coach and teammates. They set the tone in practice
with their energy and dedication to doing things the
right way.
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Following a hard-fought loss to Annandale, the
Freshmen have refined their skills and will look to
further improve against South Lakes. These young
men are learning to love the game of basketball –
working tirelessly each day in practice and
displaying a true will-to-win on game day. We look
forward to watching this team embrace the
opportunity that each day brings, so that they may
reach their full potential under the guidance of
Coach Ryan Frate.
Boys Junior Varsity Basketball
The TJ JV Basketball team is off to a great start with
a 3-0 record so far this season. The team consists
primarily of returning Sophomore players Chase
Brown, Matt Jennings, Amit Gupta, Jayant
Subramanian, Scott Kilmer, Kanu Gaba, Tim Cho,
Nakul Dar, Chappy Asel, and Jashan Matharoo; a
new Sophomore Rohan Taneja; plus two super
talented Freshmen, Noah Barnes and Matt
Maribojoc, to round out the roster of 13 players.
The team expects to play a fast-paced, exciting
brand of basketball, with lots of passing and a tough
man-to-man defensive style. Although they may not
have the height of other teams, they play smart and
have a deep bench. Led by Matt Jennings and his
spot on 3-point shot, the team has scored over 50
points in each game.
Wrestling
TJ’s wrestling team started workouts in November
leading to the season openers in December. This
season will mark the transition from Coaches Clint
Behling and James Pilkington to TJ Alumni and
wrestling team veterans Alex Shmorhun and James
McConnaughy. With four coaches available
,everybody is getting intensive practice.
Junior Varsity Wrestling
Junior Varsity wrestling season opened with
Jamborees at Lee and Woodson High Schools. All
the JV wrestlers are getting mat time, gaining
competition experience, and showing their potential
for growth as a team.
Varsity Wrestling
After a scrimmage at Annandale where everybody
showed real promise, the varsity wrestling team
opened the season at the NOVA Classic, featuring
the best teams across the region. Freshmen Antioch
Sanders, Owen Barnett, and David Cho jumped into
Varsity competition in one of the biggest
tournaments of the season.
The JV basketball program will be led again this year
by Head Coach Jake Boltersdorf and newcomer
Ryan Sharper as the Assistant Coach. In all of the
games the team came out with an early lead and
never looked back. West Springfield was humbled
into submission by some notable plays from Amit
Gupta, who always was in the mix and open under
the basket, plus Noah Barnes, who was cool and
collected under pressure when they tried for a 4th
quarter comeback. Scott Kilmer brought some
added excitement with his intense defensive style
and a cheer eliciting buzzer beater 3-point shot right
before halftime in the Annandale game.
The boys have an exciting season ahead and an
ambitious January schedule.
January 2015
Charlie Maier scores against Marshall HS leading to the medal round at
the NOVA Classic.
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Seniors Jafr Kazmi and Parsa Zand and Junior
Devarsh Modh made their first appearance in the
NOVA Classic. Seniors Charlie Maier (106) and
Vikram Gupta (152) finished on the podium in 7th
and 8th place, respectively. Sophomore Andrew
Yoder (126) also won a match at the Classic.
Vikram Gupta in action during the NOVA Classic.
Boys 400 Free Relay Anchor Leg is off the Blocks.
In the first 3 swim/dive meets of the regular season,
the TJ Swim and Dive (TJSD) teams are 3-0 (boys)
and 1-2 (girls). On December 5, TJ opened the
season with the boys winning 184-127 over South
Lakes. Next, the TJ boys won 191 to 124 over
Madison on December 12, and on December 13 the
boys and girls teams won, 172-133 and 157-155
respectively over Langley.
Against Madison, event winners included Quintin
Frerichs (200 free, 100 free), Andrew Seliskar (200
IM, 100 fly), Emilio Sison (50 free, 100 back), Jared
Nirenberg (500 free), Leo Wang (100 breast), Carrie
Heilbrun (200 free, 100 fly), Charlie Lertlumprasert
(50 free, 100 free), Taylor Quinn (100 back), the
boys 200 medley relay (Hugh Quinn, Joe Doran,
Lucas Lin, Tai Kao-Sowa), 200 free relay (Andrew
Seliskar, Joe Doran, Tai Kao-Sowa, Emilio Sison),
and 400 free relay (Gerry Wan, Quintin Frerichs,
Nithin Bagal, Andrew Seliskar).
First place finishers from the first meet included
Emilio Sison (200 IM, 100 free), Luke Thorsell (50
free, 100 back), Jared Nirenberg (500 free), Sydney
Harrington (100 breast), the boys 200 medley relay
(Luke Thorsell, Joe Doran, Lucas Lin, Tai Kao-Sowa),
200 free relay (Jonathan Pollock, Kao-Sowa, Joe
Doran, Emilio Sison), the girls 200 free relay (Charlie
Lertlumprasert, Grace Liu, Sophie Bennett, Sydney
Harrington) and 400 free relay (Sydney Harrington,
Sophie Bennett, Grace Liu, Militsa Sotirova).
Event winners in the win against Langley included
Emilio Sison (200 free, 100 back), Tai Kao-Sowa (50
free), Jared Nirenberg (500 free), Leo Wang (100
breast), Charlie Lertlumprasert (50 free), Sophia
Moses (100 fly), Carrie Heilbrun (100 free, 100
back), boys 200 free relay (Joe Doran, Quintin
Frerichs, Gerry Wan, Tai Kao-Sowa), 400 free relay
(Quintin Frerichs, Nithin Bagal, Emilio Sison, Gerry
Wan), and girls 200 free relay (Militsa Sotirova,
Sophie Bennett, Grace Liu, Carrie Heilbrun), and
Swim and Dive
January 2015
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400 free relay (Militsa Sotirova, Charlie
Lertlumprasert, Grace Liu, Carrie Heilbrun).
TJSD Seniors get team pumped up.
The dive team has contributed significantly to the
points totals for TJSD. Notable performances from
the first three meets include: CJ Wilson (1st), Blake
Daniels (4th), Callan Monette (2nd), Gloria Chen (3rd),
and Valentina Lohr (4th) in the meet against South
Lakes; Valentina Lohr (1st), Chen (2nd), and Callan
Monette (3rd) in the meet against Madison; and Sam
Case (1st), Blake Daniels (2nd), Peter Rohrer (3rd),
Valentina Lohr (1st), Callan Monette (2nd), and Gloria
Chen (3rd) in the meet against Langley.
Sporting that TJSD Spirit Wear.
TJSD is off to a great season, so come cheer them to
victory on Senior Night at their January 9 meet
against Stone Bridge at the Audrey Moore RECenter.
January 2015
CREW BOOSTERS
Happy New Year! TJ Crew winter conditioning is in
full swing every day after school - meet the crew
team at Door #7 every weekday at 4:00 pm to travel
to the Word of Life International Church at 5225
Backlick Road, 1.5 miles from TJ, and work out for a
couple of hours to get in shape for the spring
season. Attendance is strongly encouraged for any
rower who is not participating in a winter sport.
Please remember to register this month for the
2014 Spring Season! Please check our website
registration page to register online. If you have
questions about the registration process, please
contact the TJ Crew Membership Chair, Terri
Allworth, at terri121 at hotmail.com. Online
registration closes on February 5.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the
Parent Sign-Up Night on February 4 at 7:00 pm at
the Weyanoke Elementary School Cafeteria, 6520
Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312. Freshman and
novice rowers especially and their families should
attend this annual event to make dues payments,
order uniforms, turn in required forms, and sign up
for regatta volunteer slots.
For questions, students should contact the Crew
Captains at TJMensCaptains at gmail.com and
TJWomensCaptains at gmail.com. Questions may
also be emailed to our team’s head coach Kim
Ehrman at kimehrman at gmail.com, and/or TJ Crew
President Lee Wittle at TJCrewpresident at
gmail.com. Parents are always welcome at the Crew
Booster Board Meetings, which are held at TJ on the
second Wednesday of each month. The January
Board meeting will be held on January 14 at 7:00 pm
at TJ Trailer #10.
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Marketplace
What is TJ’s Band Scrip Program?
Scrip is a fundraising program where you buy gift
cards to use at your favorite stores, gas stations,
and restaurants. You pay face value for the gift
cards, and a percentage of your purchase goes to
support the TJ Marching Colonials, Curricular
Bands, and Winter Drum Line and Guard.
How important is Scrip to TJ Bands?
VERY important! TJ Bands can earn thousands of
dollars in Scrip rebates to help defray the cost of
uniforms, instruments, competition fees,
instruction, and trips. The key is for ALL of our
families to participate. If you buy groceries, you
can help!
BUY A TJHSST PICTURE FRAME
Order a TJHSST Frame now! The frames are
a wonderful keepsake for your student’s
favorite TJ photos and a great idea for their
college dorm. Act quickly as there are only
six available. Download an order form here.
POST A YARD SIGN
Show your pride and support of your
student’s accomplishments and hard work.
Orders are being taken for yard signs
congratulating the Class of 2015 for $20.
Click here to download an order form.
January 2015
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Noteworthy Dates
January 2015
1-2
Winter Break
9
Orchestra Concert, 7:00 pm, Auditorium
14
PTSA Meeting 7:00-9:00 pm in Library
14
14
19
29
30
Crew Booster Board Meeting, 7:00 pm,
TJ Trailer #10
ANGP Meeting, 6:00 pm in College &
Career Center
School Holiday
Martin Luther King Day
2nd Quarter Ends
Student Holiday
Staff Development Day
February 2015
2
4
4
9
11
12
16
Student Holiday
Strategic Planning Day for Staff
Science Fair, 12:30 -8:30 pm, Gym
Crew Parent Sign-Up Night, 7:00 pm at
Weyanoke Elementary School Cafeteria
Senior Parent Night
Crew Booster Board Meeting, 7:00 pm,
TJ Trailer #10
PTSA Meeting 7:00-9:00 pm in Library
Did You Know?
…that PTSA membership lasts for one academic year?
You need to renew your membership at the
beginning of every school year. The PTSA relies
primarily on annual memberships and the Free
Money programs to fund all our activities. So we
count on all TJ families to participate every year. With
approximately 1850 students and their families, these
membership dues really add up!
Less than half of all TJ families have joined the PTSA
so far this academic year. It’s not too late to join!
Please take a moment to review the PTSA
Membership flyer to learn about all the PTSAsponsored activities. Memberships are $25 for a
single parent (or $40 for a couple) and include the
2014-2015 directory. You can join on-line by clicking
here. It’s simple, fast, and greatly appreciated!
Not sure if you have already joined? Check the PTSA
website.
Student Holiday
President’s Day
Start Your New Year Off Right!
If you haven’t already done so, please register or
renew your cards at Giant Food, Safeway, and Harris
Teeter.
We really need to increase our contributions from
local grocery stores.
Giant Food at www.giantfood.com/aplus
(ID #02307)
January 2015
Safeway* thru e-Scrip at www.escrip.com
(ID #154534149)
Harris Teeter at www.harristeeter.com/tie
(select TJHSST from the drop-down menu)
* Please note that Safeway only gives TJ contributions if you pay
with a check, debit card or cash (not credit card).
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