Principal`s Letter President`s Letter

TECHCETERA
FEBRUARY 2016
Principal’s Letter
President’s Letter
Dear parents/guardians, teachers, and students,
We are glad that everyone made it through the
blizzard and is ready for the end of the semester.
Thank you for all your support for the full budget for
TJ and FCPS. This process will continue for the next
few months, so we hope you will continue with your
time and patience.
We are midway through the school year, which is a
good time to reflect on our progress. This month I’d
like to explore the school goal regarding our culture
of integrity, including systems to monitor and
promote decision making such as our advocacy
guidelines and homework expectations. Earlier this
winter we administered a survey to the school
community asking students, teachers, and parents to
provide feedback, and in February members of the
PTSA executive board, SGA, and faculty will review
the data in School Improvement Plan progress
meetings. My interest in this month’s column is to
extend our school efforts to the home by asking for
intentional conversations surrounding areas where
we seek improvement.
The first area surrounds student advocacy. Nearly
three times as many student respondents disagree
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HOT LINKS TO THE
INFORMATION FOR WHICH
Y O U A R E L O O K I N G ….
Noteworthy Dates
Academic News
PTSA Committee Updates
Serving the TJ Community
Campaign for TJ
Class News
TJ Boosters
Useful Links
Marketplace
The Science Fair will be held on February 3. If you can
volunteer to help provide hospitality for the judges
and participants, please sign up here. We are looking
forward to the next teacher’s lunch, scheduled for
12:00pm on February 10. The teacher lunches are
always greatly appreciated events and if you can
donate a favorite dish or your time, we promise it will
be worth it. If you can volunteer at the luncheon,
please sign up here. If you can bring food, please sign
up here.
Also, please do read the PTSA Health & Wellness
Committee section on page 5 of this newsletter,
which features some helpful hints and links. We
would also like to call your attention to helpful videos
coordinated by the TJ Department of Student
Services, which can be found here.
If the PTSA can help you with anything, please contact
us here ptsa at tjhsst.edu.
Silvija Strikis
TJ PTSA President 2015-16
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Principal’s Letter continued from page 1
(57%) than agree (20%) about feeling comfortable
using the advocacy guidelines. However, more
parents (35%) agree than disagree (30%) that using
the guidelines helps students manage their workload
better. Interestingly, many more faculty respondents
noted that students feel comfortable using the
advocacy guidelines (68% compared to 3%). This
discrepancy in perception might occur because
teachers experience these conversations with
students, and most often the teachers help students
successfully navigate them.
There are plenty of students who do not use the
advocacy guidelines for various reasons. Some
students are afraid the teacher might say, “no,”
which might be deflating. It’s possible for a teacher
to turn down a request and students should hear an
explanation. Other students might feel less capable
in front of their teachers if they ask for extensions,
and some just don’t feel comfortable approaching
their teacher. Most teachers understand this
discomfort and often use approaches to explain to
students how and when they should advocate.
Parents, try these strategies at home whenever you
sense your student is overwhelmed with work:
• Role play with the student so the student can
practice the approach with the teacher, and
illustrate possible outcomes.
• Share stories of when you have advocated in order
to balance your own work so your student realizes
this strategy is needed from time to time.
• Ask the student to brainstorm some ideas with his
or her counselor.
The second area from the survey is the new
Homework Expectations Policy which aims to make
homework more meaningful and manageable. The
parent respondents indicated the changes have
helped (40% vs. 26%), although more so than the
students (23% vs. 50%). Based on my conversations
with students and parents, I perceive more students
are putting down the books during holiday breaks. I
don’t think students have completely put them
away, as there are additional opportunities to catch
up on late work or there is simply a desire to get
ahead. I also hear from students that we can make
improvements in announcing the amount of time to
February 2016
complete an assignment, and if that is not ever
clear, students can always ask for the information
during class.
As we transition into the academic advising season
for the next school year, I want to address another
Homework Policy issue. Students and parents need
to select courses carefully that are appropriately
challenging. The school system does not have
restrictions to prevent students from signing up for a
course load that might be too challenging.
Counselors are invaluable sources of knowledge and
experience to advise whether a student is ready
based on their current performance and can gauge
the anticipated workload. In addition, the TJ Course
Selection Guide provides an overview of the courses
for parents to review, and the PTSA plans to hold
curriculum coffees in February led by our teachers.
After obtaining an informed view of curricular
options, and once students sign up for their courses,
parents must approve their students’ course
selections using our online system. We appreciate
the conversations held at home to reflect whether
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PTSA Meetings
Mark Your Calendar!
(in the cafeteria)
February 9, 7:00 – 8:30pm*
March 8, 7:00 – 8:30pm*
April 8, 9:00 – 11:00am (Principal’s Coffee)
May 10, 7:00 – 8:30pm*
June 14, 7:00 – 8:30pm*
*Refreshments served at 7:00 pm and meeting begins at 7:30 pm
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Principal’s Letter continued from page 3
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:
https://www.tjhsst.edu/research-academics/finearts/choir/choir-boosters.html
Crew Boosters:
www.tjcrew.org/
an 8th class online, or the AP version of a course is
necessary based on the student’s primary interests.
In essence, ask yourself whether the additional
coursework will steer a student’s focus away from
their passions and priorities.
There are many more factors that influence
academic integrity and I will continue to discuss
them at various meetings, including faculty
meetings, SGA meetings, and the PTSA principal’s
coffees. The Student Government Association will
also be meeting with the administration to share
their survey data so we can brainstorm additional
strategies. You are also welcome to share ideas with
me directly at Evan.Glazer at fcps.edu. By working
together, I believe our students will develop the
necessary skills to manage their workloads while
maintaining high levels of personal and academic
integrity.
Sincerely,
Evan Glazer
Principal, TJHSST
Orchestra Boosters:
http://tjorchestra.org
Theatre Boosters:
https://www.tjhsst.edu/research-academics/finearts/drama/drama-boosters.html
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
In Memory of
Lisa Dale Moore
For those of you who were unable to attend our
school's celebration of the life of Lisa Dale
Moore, below is the link to the Lisa Dale Moore
Celebration of Life, which was held in the TJ
auditorium on November 24. 2015. Her friends
and family appreciate the care and camaraderie
that we, her school family, provided Lisa over
the years.
Thanks to Andrew Hamilton the program can be
accessed on a pc computer using chrome or
Internet Explorer with this link. It starts with
photos and then music and then the celebration
of life program.
Fairfax County Supervisors:
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/government/board
February 2016
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Student Government
Association (SGA)
Academic News
Library News
The SGA has been working hard to plan several
events for 2016 focused on improving school and
improving the mental health culture.
To celebrate TJ's arts and humanities, the SGA is
planning the Snow Ball Arts Gala, an after-schoolevent scheduled for February 12 featuring student
artists, musicians, and performers. The Snow Ball
Arts Gala is scheduled to be held before the
February 12 Varsity Boy's Basketball Game and
Senior Night, and there will be live music, student
artwork, and free food at the celebration. The SGA
would love to feature as many student artists as
possible. An interest form for Snow Ball submissions
can be found here.
For the end of February, SGA is planning a Mental
Health week in conjunction with TJ Active Minds.
The Mental Health Week will feature school-wide
activities and spirit days, as well as special 8th
periods including a professional speaker and an
"Incognito" training session, an online-simulation for
those hoping to learn more about dealing with
mental health situations. SGA is also hoping to host a
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training session at TJ
later in the year for students who want a more
comprehensive training experience for handling peer
mental health situations.
For the rest of the school year, highlights include the
school-wide March Mania Volleyball tournament,
Middle School Leadership Conference, and
Winter/Spring Sports pep rally. As always, SGA
welcomes any comments and feedback from the TJ
community. SGA can be contacted at sga.tjhsst at
gmail.com, through our Google form. The SGA is
looking forward to the rest of the school year and a
great 2016!
February 2016
As I write this month’s update, we are excitedly
preparing for our move into the new library during
the first few weeks of February. Please note that
during the transition from our temporary space to
the new library, printing will be unavailable to
students. Although students will be able to print
elsewhere in the school, you may want to make sure
that your student has a working printer at home with
paper and extra toner cartridges. Thank you!
Despite our move, the librarians are always available
to help your student with research. We offer 8th
period library research, one-on-one librarian
conferences, and students can always seek help from
their librarians through library at tjhsst.edu.
We look forward to welcoming you to our new
library!
Spanish Honor Society
The Spanish Honor Society (SHS) ended the 2015
year with a party for members to celebrate a
successful year of service and cultural festivities. In
January, SHS is welcoming several speakers who will
share their experiences in fields related to SHS’s
mission to promote Spanish language and culture.
For example, SHS has invited speakers from the
Department of State, who are familiar with Thomas
Jefferson’s language program because a TJ Spanish
Honor Society student has participated in the
prestigious Department of State summer foreign
language internship for the past few summers.
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PTSA Committee Updates
Health and Wellness Committee
TJ is a great place of learning, yet TJ is full of
challenges. In an effort to make TJ a happy learning
place and to promote mental wellness for TJ
students, we plan to have a “Parents to Parents”
section in Techcetera where parents can share
experiences and stories about their students’
growth at TJ, to offer advice and lessons learned to
many who may benefit from them. We believe such
information exchange will help parents as well as
students to correctly position themselves at TJ so
that we can benefit from the unique resources
offered at TJ while also have a happy teenage life
and not getting overwhelmed by the workload. We
really would appreciate for parents, especially the
upper-class parents, to contribute write-ups.
Interested topics could include and go beyond the
following:
Experience with summer classes,
Benefit of a balanced course scheduling,
Meaningful and heartfelt volunteer activities,
Simple but beneficial or self-designed summer
experience
Mostly enjoyed extracurricular activities
Good experience of getting help from teachers
and counselors
Please send your contribution or any
questions/suggestions to Yongqing Lu at
yongqing_lu at yahoo.com
Parents to Parents
“Students are drawn to TJ many advanced classes
that are not available in base high school. Yet
their passion of learning can be crushed if not
planned well. Especially with junior year when
students have more options for electives. Many
tend to pile up on APs, not fully realizing that PE
is no longer there in junior year as in freshman
and sophomore year. Students take 7 academic
classes rather than 6 in junior year. This one more
class makes a huge difference in workloads if not
February 2016
chosen carefully. My student learned it the hard
way which could have been avoided if given
adequate warning. While colleges emphasize on
taking the most challenging courses in HS, for TJ
kids, such advice need to read like “PROCEED
WITH CAUTION”. It is no fun to work on
homework everyday into late hours and with
many other activities. Plus one has to take PSAT,
SAT etc. So parents definitely can help with a
good selection of courses by talking to your
students and look at the whole picture more
carefully. It is better to have a manageable junior
year than an unbreathable junior year.”
- Senior Parent
“My daughter is a junior. She is very busy with her
study. But she tells me that the most thing she
enjoys at school is doing track and field. She loves
running and loves being with other athlete
friends. By doing sports, she takes off some stress
and becomes more concentrated when doing her
homework. Highly recommend students try
sports.”
- Junior Parent
TJ Mind Matters
There are new articles posted at the Active Minds
Club website. Just click the tab “From TJ to TJ” on
the top to read those honest, brave, and
thoughtful writings from our students.
Helpful Videos from Alumni
TJ alumni offered useful advice and information
through the videos in the following link.
It’s never too late to either join the PTSA or
renew your membership. You can join on-line
by clicking here. It’s simple, fast, and greatly
appreciated!
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Serving the TJ Community
Volunteer Opportunities
Hospitality Donations Needed for Upcoming
Teacher Luncheon
On Wednesday, February 10, TJ PTSA will be hosting
a Valentine’s Luncheon for TJ teachers and staff. If
you are available to drop off food and beverage
donations, serve food and/or prep for set up and
clean up afterwards, please contact
Jay Vattikonda, Hospitality Chair,
jayashreevattikonda at gmail.com.
Attention Parents
of Students in the Classes of
2019, 2018, and 2017
ANGP Still Needs You!
Please click here to see non-senior parent volunteer
positions to fill for the All Night Graduation Party
(ANGP), Saturday, June 18.
graduation, others will step up for you as well.
Questions or concerns please contact: Marilena
Barletta or Jane Hsu, 2016 ANGP CoChairs tj2016angp at gmail.com
$$ TJ Free Money Program $$
This winter season, bundle up and shop at stores that
reward TJPTSA such as Amazon. When you shop at
Amazon.com using this special link TJPTSA earns 415% on most purchases! The more books, songs,
magazines, clothes, electronics, groceries, and more
bought in a month, the higher the percentage TJPTSA
earns. To make this really easy, set up a bookmark so
you can access the link quickly! So don’t miss this
opportunity to show your support for TJ and earn
rewards for TJPTSA.
Other participating stores include Target, Office
Depot, Verizon, Giant, Peapod, Harris Teeter, Safeway.
For details, please visit our TJPTSA website or use this
link.
Stay warm!
Your Free Money coordinator,
Adriane Assang
adriane_assang at yahoo.com
It is not too early to volunteer your time and fill a
spot for this wonderful celebration of our graduating
TJ seniors. The tradition at TJ is for parents of nongraduating students to help volunteer for logistics
and set up during the day of the graduation so that
senior parents can attend their child's graduation.
There are many opportunities to choose from, and
we can promise the company will be fun and
interesting. When it is your child's turn to attend
February 2016
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Mentors and Volunteers Needed
for HackTJ 3.0
HackTJ, TJ’s own in-house hackathon, is coming up February 6-7th from 2:00pm (February 6th) to 4:00pm (February
7th). We will have over 500 students from all over the East Coast building and coding at our overnight event, and we
need your help to make it a success! Join the fun for part of or all of our event as a mentor or volunteer!
Volunteers will be asked to supervise students during shifts throughout the hackathon and are especially needed for
overnight shifts to ensure students remain safe and in the building. We would also love mentors to guide our
students as they create their own mobile app, hardware hack, and much more! Check our website for more details
and signups. Hope to see you there!
Sophomore Wins One of Nine National Reflections Awards
TJ sophomore Kyle Gatesman received a national Award of Excellence in the 2015 National PTA Reflections Arts
program. Kyle’s music composition, entitled “The Joy of Music,” received one of just nine national awards given to
high school students out of thousands of entries submitted relating to the theme “The World Would Be a Better Place
If…” To receive this national award, Kyle’s music composition had to receive the top award at all levels of judging
prior to advancing to nationals: school, county, Northern Virginia District, and state levels.
Kyle and other national awardees were honored in a special ceremony at the U. S. Department of Education in
Washington, which was attended by the Under Secretary of Education, the National PTA Executive Director, the
National Endowment for the Arts Chairman, and other distinguished guests. In addition, Kyle performed his awardwinning music composition at the U. S. Department of Education ceremony.
February 2016
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Parent Information Relating to Special Education
All these opportunities are FREE unless noted.
The FCPS Parent Resource Center (PRC) helps parents of students with disabilities. It sponsors workshops, has a lending
library, and has Liaisons to help parents solve problems. English: 703-204-3941; Español: 703-204-3955. Homework Help is
available in the Resources area (at the right) on the PRC website, organized by subject area, grade level, and topic. Get
acquainted with these resources before your child needs them, so that you will know what is available and how to find it.
Save the Date! FCPS 11th Annual Special Education Conference; Saturday, April 9, 8:00am-2:30pm, Hayfield Secondary
School, 7630 Telegraph Rd., Alexandria. Attend this FREE conference to learn the latest in special education. Choose from
over 40 workshops and many exhibits. Registration in February.
Student Rights Initiative Conference (Application deadline: February 15), March 11-13, Philadelphia, PA. Cost: $50 + travel
and hotel. Students with disabilities will learn information on and effective strategies to enforce their civil right to equal
opportunity in schools and beyond. Open to students age 14 and older.
Youth and Young Adults: Stronger Together, Alternate Tuesdays until May 2016 (February 2 &16), 6:30 - 8:00pm in Fairfax.
Sponsored by Formed Families Forward, this peer-to-peer support group for youth ages 14 - 22 meets twice a month through
May. Parents, caregivers and guardians have their own meeting at the same time in the same building. Light dinner of pizza
and salad will be served.
Register: here or (703) 539-2904.
Gap Year Program Fair for Students and Parents, Wednesday, February 3, 7:00-9:30pm, Marshall High School, 7731
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church. Learn about the benefits of a gap year (between high school and college) during the presentation
from 7:00-8:00pm. Browse exhibits by companies providing gap year programs afterwards. Register here.
Introduction to Special Education, Wednesday, February 9, 7:00-9:00pm, Parent Resource Center, 2334 Gallows Rd.,
Entrance 1, Dunn Loring. There's a lot to learn about how the Special Education process works. This FCPS presentation is for
parents who are new to special education.
Registration required: here or 703-204-3941.
The Science of Processing Speed: Why Some Children Struggle to Keep Up, February 10, 7:30-9:00pm, The Lab School, 4759
Reservoir Road NW, Washington. The meaning of "processing speed" in learning will be discussed, along with useful
accommodations and strategies for supporting children with slow processing.
Register: here or 202-965-6600.
Technology Tools to Support Students with Reading Difficulties, Thursday, February 18, 10:00am-noon, FCPS PRC, 2334
Gallows Rd., Entrance 1, Dunn Loring. Explore commonly available software programs, screen readers, and applications that
assist students who benefit from accessing digital text. Presented by Assistive Technology Services. Register: here or 703204-3941.
Dyslexia Open House, Friday, February 19, 9:30am-12:30pm, FCPS PRC, 2334 Gallows Rd., Entrance 1, Dunn Loring. Learn
about dyslexia and services available in FCPS and the community. The event will include presentations, exhibits, and the
movie: The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia. Register: here or 703-204-3941.
Webinar: Mindfulness Strategies for Increasing Calm and Focus in the New Year, Wednesday, February 24, 6:30– 8:00pm.
Join clinical psychologist Dr. Archana Dogra to learn about mindfulness and its impact on home life and academics. Get
strategies for achieving calm and focus for yourself and your children. Register: here or (703) 539-2904.
DADS Organized & Engaged (DOE) Networking Call, February 25, 12:30-1:30pm. This PEATC-sponsored conference call is for
fathers to learn about upcoming trainings and peer mentoring opportunities that will promote effective advocacy skills for
their children with disabilities. Register: here or 703-923-0010.
(continued on next page)
February 2016
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Employment Opportunities for Individuals with Special Needs, Thursday, February 25, 7:00-9:00pm, Jewish Community
Center of NoVa, 8900 Little River Tnpk. Fairfax. This workshop will showcase employers with special needs employees,
supportive employment organizations, and other resources for individuals with special needs seeking employment. RSVP to
Carey, 703 865-6502 or calford at financialguide.com.
Graduation and Diploma Options for Students with Disabilities, Friday, February 26, 10:00-11:00am, FCPS PRC, 2334 Gallows
Rd., Entrance 1, Dunn Loring. This workshop is for parents of children who cannot meet the standard course requirements.
Learn about credit accommodations, diploma options, and graduation requirements. Register: here or 703-204-3941.
Youth and Young Adults: Stronger Together, Alternate Tuesdays until May 2016, 6:30-8:00pm in Fairfax. Sponsored by
Formed Families Forward, this peer-to-peer support group for youth ages 14 - 22 meets twice a month through May. Parents,
caregivers and guardians have their own meeting at the same time in the same building. Light dinner of pizza and salad will be
served. Register: here or (703) 539-2904
Coaching Adolescents about the Social Aspects of Sexual Development, Wednesday March 9, 7:30-8:30pm, The Auburn
School, 3800 Concorde Pkwy., Suite 500, Chantilly. Joshua Metz, LCSW will provide strategies for how to talk with your preteens/teens about the social issues connected to sexual development. Registration required.
What Works with Teens: Engaging Adolescents with Learning Differences to Achieve Lasting Change, March 16, 7:309:00pm, The Lab School, 4759 Reservoir Road NW, Washington. Learn how to engage authentically with teens, create an
atmosphere of mutual respect, and use humor to establish a deeper connection so as to effect positive change. Register: here
or 202-965-6600.
Resources for Dyslexia Networking Call, March 24, 12:30-1:30pm. This PEATC-sponsored conference call is about dyslexia;
where to find information about it, whether your child may qualify for special education, and how to connect with other
families. Register here.
CHADD: Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Alexandria Parent Support meets the 4th Monday of each month 6:30-7:30pm, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 1301
Collingwood Rd., Alexandria. Contact: Jenny Kennedy adhdparentmountvernon at gmail.com
West Fairfax CHADD Parent Support Group meets each 2nd & 4th Thursday at 7:30pm, (February 11 & 25) in Room 201 at
Fairfax Church of Christ, 3901 Rugby Road, Fairfax. Contact Sharon 703 716-4646 or clintob at aol.com.
Oakton ADHD Parent Group meets on the 4th Tuesday each month at 7:30pm at Oakton Library, 10304 Lynnhaven Place.
Contact Maureen Gill: maureen at adhdcoachforparents.com
Support Group for High School Students with ADHD meets the first Sunday of each month 3:30-5:00pm, 4031 University Dr,
Fairfax, enter on South St. No parents! Call 703-403-3335 to enter the building. Contact: coach at BrainRelief.org, (703) 6418940.
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness builds better lives for those affected by mental illness.
Oakton Family Support Group meets on the 1st Thursday of each month, 7:30-9:00pm, Rm 9 of the Unitarian Universalist
Congregation of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Rd. Contact: Joanna Walker at 703 620-2633 or Joanna.naminova at gmail.com. For
other Family Support Groups click here.
February 2016
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THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
CAMPAIGN FOR TJ // LEADING THE FUTURE
Join the Celebration!
TJ’s Chinese Community Invites EVERYONE
To TJ’s Third Annual Lunar New Year Celebration,
An event popular with the entire community
Enjoy a festive, catered buffet, Administration and alumni speakers, and a junior/senior
student panel; win raffle prizes; and catch up with friends and make some new ones.
Join Dr. Glazer, faculty and staff guests at our larger, more convenient location, where you
can sit down at a table or mix and mingle.
300 TJ parents, students, friends and family members attended last year’s celebration, and
you won’t want to miss out on this year’s bigger, better event, so register soon!
Saturday, February 20
11:30am – 1:30pm
Pender Professional Center
3901 Fair Ridge Drive, Fairfax VA 22033
We look forward to seeing you!
– The Partnership Fund, TJ’s non-profit foundation
February 2016
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Feels like Groundhog Day?
Yes, you have heard this all before, but.......
We still need many more volunteers to help us organize this awesome
celebration!
To volunteer, please go to this site.
Purchase tickets for the party – remember they will not be sold the day of
the event, so buy them now!
Please consider a donation to ANGP and a personalized message to your
graduate to be displayed at the party!
Next ANGP Planning Meeting will be held on
Tuesday, February 9
at 6:00pm
in the Cafeteria
February 2016
Page 11
Class News
2017 – Juniors
Happy February, Juniors and Junior parents!
Thanks to those parents who helped during the
January 9 practice SAT and ACT tests.
The Class of 2017, in partnership with Kaplan, will
sponsor SAT and ACT Practice Tests on February 27
from 8:00am-12:00pm. Register here. Parent help
is needed on the test morning. Sign up here.
Get ready for our class’s biggest fundraiser! The PiMiler is an annual race hosted by the junior class of
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and
Technology, and this year will mark the 6th annual
Pi-Miler 5k Run/Walk. Pi-Miler is always held
around the fourteenth day of March (3.14) and is
around 3.14159 miles long. Last year, we had a
fantastic turnout for the race and are looking
forward to an even better turnout at our race on
March 12 this year.
Pi-Miler is funded by donors from various
corporations and families, and the Class of 2017
would greatly appreciate your help in making their
time in high school a more enriching experience.
Sponsorship of the Pi-Miler comes at five different
levels:
• Platinum Level: Patron $1000+ - The logo of your
firm or family name will be on our website, t-shirt,
sponsorship banner, your firm or family name will
be engraved on a plaque to be hung in a hall of
TJHSST, and your firm logo or family name will be
on the bib of each runner.
• Gold Level: Benefactor $500+ - The logo of your
firm or family name will be on our website, t-shirt,
sponsorship banner, and your firm or family name
will be engraved on a plaque to be hung in a hall
of TJHSST.
• Silver Level: Donor $200+ - The logo of your firm
or family name will be on our website, t-shirt and
sponsorship banner.
• Bronze Level: Supporter $100+ - Your firm or
family name will be on our website and t-shirt.
• Sponsor: $50+ - Your firm or family name will be
on our website.
If you are a parent or member of a firm who would
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be interested in sponsoring Pi-Miler, please visit this
site.
Please email tjhsst2017 at gmail.com if you have any
comments, questions, or concerns about the PiMiler.
We are thankful for your support of the class of
2017.
Ann Carr and Lan Fan
2017 Parent Liaisons
mandacarr at msn.com
fanlan at hotmail.com
2018 – Sophomores
Happy Third Quarter, Sophomore families!
College tours and spring break. Parents know best
the right time to go on college tours. Most will say
that freshman year is too early or too disruptive to
the high school bonding experience; the child just
got into high school so let him/her enjoy it. Many
will find junior year just right. By then, the child has
a better idea of the specific field in science and
technology that he/she wants to pursue, and a
better grasp of his/her learning style. But there’ll
also be many parents who think the spring break of
sophomore year is an ideal time to begin the college
tours. There’s less stress, and the family can
combine the college visits with touristy activities.
The key here is preparation. Our school’s spring
break this year is from Monday, March 21, to
Monday, March 28. Classes resume on Tuesday,
March 29. Check the colleges’ websites to know the
schedules of their campus visits and the dates of
their spring break. Avoid going on a tour of a college
during its spring break. There’s nothing as
depressing as visiting a campus only to stare at busts
of dead benefactors and illustrious alumni lining an
empty hallway. Allow extra time should your child
want to attend a lecture or dine in the food hall. Try
NOT to buy that college sweatshirt, tshirt, or
tchotchke. But do take pictures and selfies. Even if
your child decides later on not to apply to that
specific college, you’ll always have fun memories of
your family’s Spring Break 2016.
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Our class faculty sponsors: We’re very fortunate to
have two wonderful faculty sponsors: Mr. Chuck
dela Cuesta, the director of the Robotics Research
Lab, and Mr. Mike Auerbach, a Math teacher,
football coach, and TJ Class of ’95 alum. While we’re
still on the trail for info on Mr. dela Cuesta, we were
able to find links to the school newspaper featuring
Coach Auerbach. He was in TJtoday’s November
2015 print issue. If you want to read about what he
learned from being a student here at TJ, click on this
link and scroll to the last page, p. 32.
provide discounted) Class of 2019 Spirit Wear, the
Class Council would love to have your help! Money
that is raised through Class sales, raffles,
tournaments, events and sponsorships will help the
Class of 2019 pay for its graduation, prom, and
senior picnic (as well as other Class-related
expenses). If you would like to make a donation, you
can send in a check payable to the “TJ Class of 2019”
with your student’s name in the memo line and your
student can drop it off with Mr. Carey. Donations are
tax deductible.
He also has an interesting take on failure to be
shared with both students and parents. Here’s the
link to the video on TJtoday. Enjoy!
The next PTSA meeting and Principal’s Coffee will be
on February 9 from 7:00 – 8:30pm. A few other
dates for your calendar:
• Two-hour early dismissal on February 4 (End of 2nd
Quarter)
• School closed on February 5 (Teacher Workday)
• School closed on February 15 (President’s Day)
For your calendars:
February 4: 2nd Quarter ends. Dismissal at 2:00pm.
February 5: Student Holiday.
February 15: Presidents’ Day. No school.
March 21 – March 28: Spring break.
March 29: Classes Resume.
Your 2018 class liaisons,
Nancy Yang and Clarissa Maribojoc
2018 Parent Liaisons
chaonanyang at gmail.com
mom2patmatt at gmail.com
2019 – Freshmen
The Freshman Class Council is starting to organize
some fun activities for our students and they could
use some help from parents! Specifically, they need
donated prizes for upcoming tournaments and
raffles they are planning. (There is an Agar.io
tournament slated for February that is sure to be a
hit with the kids!) Any donated gift cards (or other
TJ-student-friendly items) can be brought to school
by your student and dropped off with Mr. Carey (one
of our class of 2019 faculty sponsors).
Also, if you own (or know of) a business that would
be interested in sponsoring an event for the Class of
2019 (or just sponsoring the Class in general), the
Class Council is looking for sponsors and is willing to
help promote your business in exchange! Or, if you
own a printing company and would like to donate (or
February 2016
Got photos? We’re always collecting photos of the
class of 2019 — both from the school year and over
the summer, playing sports, participating in student
activities, and just hanging out together. Photos over
the next four years will come in handy when we’re
preparing for the All Night Graduation Party and
other senior events. We’ve created a Shutterfly
Share site for the class of 2019, where you can post
and share photos on a protected site. You’ll need to
create an account (or use an existing one) in order to
access the site — and then feel free to post photos
in either an existing or new folder. If you have any
problems joining the site, email us at TJHSST2019 at
hotmail.com and we’ll add you as a member.
How can you stay connected with the class of 2019
parents? Join the TJ Class of 2019 Parents Facebook
page to ask questions, find out about upcoming
events, and get general information about TJ! You
can also email us at TJHSSST2019 at hotmail.com.
Please contact us with questions or if you’d like to
help volunteer, support class fundraising efforts or
take photographs!
Have a great February!
Class of 2019 Class Liaisons Deb Carstoiu, Julie Cox,
and Sylvia Suresh TJHSST2019 at hotmail.com
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TJ Boosters
ACADEMIC BOOSTERS
The weather in the last month of 2015 was unusually
balmy. Old man winter made a belated arrival in
January; by the time this is in print, we may have finally
had our (much anticipated!) first snow day or two.
Whatever the weather though, our trailblazing
Academic Boosters teams keep on trucking, plowing
new paths wherever they go. This month, for example,
we report the stellar accomplishments of the
Intermediate Computer Team, which accomplished a
clean sweep at the Virginia Tech High School
Programming Contest on December 5 (see below)!
Success begets opportunities for more success, which
means, that our teams need more help to travel
beyond. Want to help support our terrific academic
teams fulfill their potential? You can now do so easily by
joining Academic Boosters online here! Your
contribution may be matched by your employer as well,
which means that your contribution will be
automatically doubled!
Jefferson High School): J Young Kim, Benjamin Ascoli,
Haoyuan Sun
There were 8 problems in all. A total of 527 attempts
were submitted and 134 were accepted. Of the 58
teams, 56 solved at least one of the 8 problems.
TJHSST Intermediate Team 2 solved 7 out of 8
problems!
MODEL UNITED NATIONS
TJHSST Model United Nations
McMUNC 2015
Conference Awards List
Let’s catch up on what our teams have been up to
recently!
CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD
One hundred students took the first qualifying test on
January 15. The field will be narrowed down to the top
45 for the second round on February 12. Go-o-o-o-o
Olympians!
COMPUTER TEAM
TJHSST computer teams participated in the 2nd Virginia
Tech High School Programming Contest
(https://icpc.cs.vt.edu/#/hscontest2015), which was
held on December 5. Out of the 58 teams from 15 high
schools that participated, the following Intermediate
Computer Teams, coached by Ms. Nicole Kim, won 1st,
2nd, and 3rd places!
1st Place: TJHSST Intermediate Team 2 (Thomas
Jefferson High School): Mihir Patel, Jerry Huang,
Franklyn Wang
2nd Place: TJHSST Intermediate Team 3 (Thomas
Jefferson High School): Wassim Omais, Justin Zhang,
Shwetark Patel
3rd Place: TJHSST Intermediate Team 6 (Thomas
February 2016
TJHSST Model United Nations (TJMUN) Club had
another outstanding performance at the 11th annual
Chantilly Model United Nations Conference, which
was hosted on January 8 and 9. Our members had the
chance to experience fast-paced and exciting
committees ranging from “Avatar: The Last
Airbender” to “9/11 U.S. National Security Council.”
Several club members received individual awards,
and the TJMUN Club was presented the Secretary
General’s Award for Outstanding Large Delegation.
Disarmament and International Security Committee
● Outstanding: Atharv Gupta & Otilia Danalache
(Brazil)
● Honorable: Varun Saraswathula & Rishitha
Anumola (United States of America)
World Health Organization
● Verbal: Chris Hoang & Jake Cui (Italy)
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Economic and Financial Committee
● Gavel: Abhi Chadha & Shreya Bhatia (United
Kingdom)
● Honorable: Jeremy Krill & Naman Rai (India)
● Verbal: Yash Shekar & Stuthi Iyer (Portugal)
United Nations Environment Programme
● Outstanding: Rounak Das & Shreya Wadhera
(France)
● Honorable: Ethan Phillips & Pari Parajuli (Iraq)
Organization of American States
● Honorable: Chitra Kokkirala & Fionntan Thinnes
(United States of America)
● Honorable: Suzie Bae & Shruti Anant (Peru)
● Verbal: Robert Greene & Mithra Dhinakaran
(Nicaragua)
League of Arab States
● Honorable: Artemis Veizi & Mara Casebeer
(Saudi Arabia)
● Verbal: Dylan Klapper & Sachit Gupta (Lebanon)
● Verbal: David Yan & Rohan Repala (Oman)
World Religions Council
● Honorable: Timothy Liu (Lao Tzu)
● Verbal: Sam Libberton (Karl Marx)
● Verbal: Hannah Belayachi (Martin Luther)
Global Elders Council
● Honorable: Meghana Boojala (Martti Ahtisaari)
United Nations Security Council
● Honorable: Will Ryu (People’s Republic of
China)
9/11 United States National Security Council
● Honorable: Neil Parikh (Donald Rumsfeld,
Secretary of Defense)
● Verbal: Anshu Sharma (James B. Cunningham,
UN Ambassador)
Avatar: The Last Airbender
● Outstanding: Laura Chu (Aang)
● Honorable: Alex Lewis (Suki)
JCC Cuban Missile Crisis: USA
● Outstanding: Abhi Mogili (C. Douglas Dillon,
Secretary of the Treasury)
● Verbal: Sachin Jain (Stewart Udall, Secretary of
the Interior)
JCC Cuban Missile Crisis: USSR
● Outstanding: Richa Gupta (Anastas Mikoyan,
First Deputy Premier)
● Honorable: Swetha Prabhakaran (Dmitry
Polyansky, Chairman of the Council of Ministers
of the Russian SFSR)
Ad-Hoc Committees of the Secretary General:
February 2016
Committee A
● Gavel: Will Frank (Position A)
Ad-Hoc Committees of the Secretary General:
Committee B
● Outstanding: Shohini Gupta (Position A)
JCC Trojan War: Greeks and Allies
● Outstanding: Sam Desmarais (Clytemnestra)
● Honorable: Aidan San (Sinon)
JCC Trojan War: Trojans and Allies
● Honorable: Roma Chitko (Memnon)
Conclusion
Verbal Commendation: 9
Honorable Mention: 14
Outstanding Delegate: 7
Gavel - Best Delegate: 2
Secretary General’s Award for Outstanding Large
Delegation - TJMUN
TJMUN also had a great weekend at the 11th annual
Gar-Field Model United Nations Conference, which
was hosted on January 15 and 16. Although this was
the first-ever Model UN conference for many novice
members of the club, several student delegates
were recognized for their efforts with awards.
TJMUN had the chance to experience committees
ranging from the “United Nations Office for Outer
Space Affairs” to joint crisis committees such as the
“2050 UN Security Council and the Divided States of
America.”
Disarmament and International Security
Committee
● Verbal: Shivani Mullapudi & Shriie Ganesh
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(Russian Federation)
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
● Outstanding: Annie Wang & Chrissy Blake (Israel)
● Honorable: Nikita Sivakumar & Supriya Savaram
(Spain)
● Honorable: Lance Nguyen & Zane Givans
(Denmark)
● Verbal: Andrew Nam & Brenna Courtney
(Greece)
Special Political and Decolonization Committee
● Honorable: Anurika Kumar & Bindu Srinivasa
(Russian Federation)
● Honorable: Justin Cai & Aneesh Kotana
(Denmark)
● Verbal: Etaasha Jain & Meghana Malyala (Israel)
frican Union
● Verbal: Shreyas Angara & Yash Bolisetty (South
Africa)
League of Arab States
● Honorable: Shiraz Chokshi (India)
Futuristic United Nations Security Council 2050 /
JCC: Divided States of America
● Gavel: Will Ryu (United Kingdom)
JCC Marvel Civil War: Iron Man Cabinet
● Outstanding: Laura Chu (War Machine)
● Honorable: Deepshika Dhanashekar (Venom)
JCC Marvel Civil War: Captain America Cabinet
● Honorable: Gautam Ramanathan (American
Eagle)
● Honorable: Divya Shan (Iron Fist)
Conclusion
Verbal Commendation: 4
Honorable Mention: 8
Outstanding Delegate: 2
Gavel - Best Delegate: 1
QUIZBOWL (IT’S ACADEMIC )
TJ Quizbowl finished 2015 by hosting the TJ’s first
middle school tournament (TJMST)! On December 13,
12 teams from Northern Virginia participated in
TJMST. Longfellow Middle School placed 1st overall at
the tournament! TJ will be hosting its high school
tournament in April! The A team of Ryan Golant,
Michael Yue, and Rohan Hegde participated in the
It's Academic tournament, which aired on NBC4 on
January 23. On December 19, TJ's A team of Grant Li,
Fred Zhang, Ben Xu, and Liam Rathke placed 1st at
Richard Montgomery's Fall Novice tournament. TJ's B
team of Andrew Wang, Nishanth Anand, Kevin Wan,
and Akhil Rekulapelli placed 5th,TJ's C team of
February 2016
Aaditya Singh, Adam Ardeishar, James Kuang, and
William Park placed 8th, and TJ's D team of Julia
Zhou, Alex Peng, Ratan Kaliani, and Mahesh
Menon placed 9th. Congratulations to Grant Li,
Aaditya Singh, and Andrew Wang, who individually
placed 4th, 7th, and 8th, respectively!
TJ started the new year strong when the team of
Rohan Hedge, Alex Howe, Grant Li, Saurav
Pattayanak, and Fred Zhang became champions of
the Virginia High School League quizbowl
tournament!
SCIENCE OLYMPIAD
TJ Science Olympiad won 2nd place in the Fairfax
Invitational Tournament on January 9. All three TJ
teams did a great job and consistently received top
medals in many events. TJ Science Olympiad
members are preparing to compete again in the
Regional tournament this March.
TJ THEATRE BOOSTERS
Due to the full week of FCPS snow closings, TJ
Theatre Company's "The Little Mermaid," has
postponed all performances. We will reimburse or
reschedule all ticket holders as soon as new dates
have been posted. Hope you can join us "Under the
Sea," at a later date. Please contact Theatre
Boosters or Theatre Director Ms. Jennifer Lowery
(jalowery at fcps.edu) for any questions or
concerns.
Please mark your calendars early for our spring
production of "Connected," April 15 & 16, 22 & 23.
Boosters meetings are the 4th Monday of each
month. Join us Monday, February 22, 7:30-9:00pm
in TJ's Black Box.
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ORCHESTRA BOOSTERS
The TJ Orchestras started off the New Year with their
Winter Concert on January 8. An enthusiastic crowd
braved the warmer than normal temperatures to hear
selections from Bach, Dvorak, Holst, and Beethoven.
Congratulations to Will Baxley (violin), Vincent Carter
(cello), Seonwoo Cho (viola), Ryan Kim (violin), Kayla
Kreiger (violin), William Park (violin), and Ben Xu (violin)!
These students won positions in Senior District Orchestra
and participated in the 2-day honors event on January
15-16 at George Mason University.
As the students begin the second semester, All-State
auditions will take place on Saturday, February 27, at
JMU for the All State Event which will be held April 7-9 at
GMU. In addition, preparations are under way for District
Assessment, scheduled for March 15-17 at Robinson
Secondary School. While there will not be a preAssessment concert at TJ as in the past, family and
friends are encouraged to attend the Assessment
performance (free of charge). Watch for more details as
the date approaches.
Looking further into the semester, mark your calendars
for the TJ Orchestras’ Spring Concert on Friday, June 3, at
7:00pm in Gym 1. Save the date and join us for this final
concert of the year!
BAND BOOSTERS
Winter Band Concert Highlights
The TJ Bands held their winter concert on December 15 in
the TJ auditorium. The Percussion Ensemble got the
evening started with James Armstrong’s Orb Weaver. The
Jazz Band then took the stage playing four great pieces,
including Christmas Time Is Here, which we all remember
from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Next up was the
Symphonic Band playing three wonderfully performed
pieces, including the timeless Shenandoah. Then it was
February 2016
the Symphonic Wind Ensemble’s (SWE) turn to take
the stage. They played three complex pieces, two of
which had multiple movements – no easy task; but
they were on their game and sounded great. To
finish the evening in a holiday mood, everyone took
the stage (it was standing room only) to play Sleigh
Ride – a first time event for the Band. All of the
groups are filled with very talented musicians that
produce wonderful music under Mr. Foreman’s able
leadership.
Thanks to all of the families that brought snacks and
to everyone who contributed to the Band Boosters.
All of the great events available to the Band would
not happen without your help.
The TJ Drumline and Winter Guard have launched
into their season. Both groups will have their first
competitions on February 13 at Mount Vernon High
School!
Showcase, Band Booster’s biggest fundraiser of the
year, will be on March 19! Please come out and
support this band program. This fundraiser is vital
for this band program. Showcase is the indoor
drumline and winter guard competition TJ holds at
South County High School. Come out and see the
different Winter Guards and Drumlines.
Please congratulate students who have made AllDistrict Band when you get the chance!
The All-District Band event takes place from
February 4-6. All-District Band is a tough ensemble
to get in so please congratulate anyone you do know
who made it into All-District Band this year.
Thanks to all the families that donated to the Saxa-thon!
THANK YOU!
Jun Wu & Lan Fan
Andy & Barbara Rudin
Yujin Cummings
Junghyo & Oksana Yoon
The Naide Family
The Capozzi Family
The Etemad Family
The Pasquerella Family
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Maria Proestou & Savana Hadjipanteli
The Richardson Family
Hao Traiger
Curtis Young
The Burns Family
The Maskeri Family
The Marcantonio Family
The Diaz Family
The Woglom Family
The Browne Family
The Wu Family
The Cox Family
The Gersony Family
Johanna & Steve Mace
The Zhou Family
The Everhart Family
With eight juniors (Rachel Martinka, Dana Scheetz,
Raquel Sequeira, Sarah Dickson, Clare Connally,
Shraddha Pradeep, Jenna Greenwalt, and Susanna
Bradbury), one sophomore (Jahnavi Prabhala), and
three freshmen (Savannah Wilson, Sami Kale, and
Mallory Brodnik) on the roster, this year’s varsity
squad has worked to overcome the challenges of
having a young team. They have been taking
advantage of TJ’s new athletic facilities to keep in
shape, using the weight room to get stronger and
the gym to work on speed and agility. The effects of
their hard work are clear in game play; as they
continue to improve on offense, they have become
a strong defensive team that has kept most of their
opponents’ scores well below their average.
COLONIAL ATHLETIC
BOOSTERS (CAB)
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Varsity
Varsity Girls Basketball
The TJ Girls’ Varsity Basketball team began the
new year with a lot of promise and confidence
after winning the Joe Cascio Tournament
championship title in late 2015. The tournament
rewarded the girls with 3 wins for their record, a
trophy, and 2 individual honors: junior Sarah
Dickson was awarded Honorable Mention and
freshman Savannah Wilson took home the
Tournament MVP. With a current record of 7-8,
the team is looking to add more wins on our home
court during the 7 at home game streak scheduled
and then finish out the regular season strong on
the road.
February 2016
Junior Varsity
The JV Girls’ basketball team led by Coach Chet
Bracuto won 2 of the 3 games played in January.
The latest one was an exciting game
against Stuart High School last Tuesday. The Lady
Colonials utilized a successful full court press and
strong shooting to hold a 4-6 point lead throughout
the entire game. However, the Colonials got into
foul trouble, allowing the Raiders to shoot several
times at the line. This didn't transfer onto the
scoreboard for Stuart, as the final score was 50-39,
Colonial win. The high scorer for TJ was Shreya
Wadehra with 25 points, many of them from threepointers. Ramya Susarla and Emmalyn Kim were
also in double digits with 11 points each. In true TJ
spirit, the Lady Colonials JV basketball team
continues to work on their fundamentals and
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improve their overall game.
Freshmen
Freshman Girls ably coached by Dr. Amy Lampazzi,
have come a long way from the beginning of the
season. The Freshman team is one of the strongest in
recent years, comprised of some very good players.
Their win recently against Thomas Edison High
School is a testimony to their potential. Colonials
dominated by beating the hosts 46-6. In their latest
game against a stronger team from J.E.B. Stuart High
School, Freshman Girls kept the guests on their toes
‘til the third quarter, with notably point guard Claire
Heinbaugh putting up a great show with 23 points.
The team had a good understanding and was very
supportive of one another. The guests surpassed the
TJ girls finally in the fourth quarter –a good
experience for the Colonials team.
Keep it up TJ Freshman Girls!
BOYS BASKETBALL
Varsity
The TJ varsity boys finished up the year with a
narrow win versus Falls Church High School in the Joe
Casio Holiday classic. TJ enjoyed a balanced scoring
attack, as senior Rahul Sundararaman proved to the
unstoppable force in the middle registering 12 points
to lead the Colonials to a 38-37 victory. It was the
second time this season TJ escaped with a one-point
win equaling a very solid performance when they
took down the mighty Patriots from Yorktown High
School, 35-34. In that hard fought contest, head
coach Mark Grey Mendes was particularly pleased
with the team’s defensive performance as TJ held
Yorktown to a mere 13 points in the first half. Versus
Yorktown, offensive forces Anant Tewari and Matt
Jennings lead in the scoring column with 11 points
apiece.
To start the 2016 campaign, the Colonials were
bitten by the injury bug, which necessitated a flurry
of line-up changes. However, under the
circumstances, the Colonials have performed
admirably led by the Senor leadership of DJ
Jayachandran, Alex Cintron, and Calvin Chen.
Nevertheless, in perhaps TJ’s strongest performance
of the year against the Trinity School, the Colonials
February 2016
ran away with the game in the second half and
triumphed with a convincing 48-33 victory. This gutsy
performance by the cagers is sure to be one of the
highlights of the season when all is said-and-done.
While a group of seniors has lead the team with
balanced play, a pair of sophomores from last year’s
JV team has proven to be a welcome addition to the
Varsity squad showing uncanny coolness and ability
for underclassmen. Matt Maribojoc has been
entrusted with the majority of the ball handling
assignments as the team’s point guard, and Noah
Barnes excels at putting the rock on the floor and
getting the rim with steely determination, as was
demonstrated with a 16-point outburst versus
Mountain View. The sophomore duo has shown
flashes of brilliance that bode well for the team’s
future.
As an exciting season progresses, a trio of hoopsters
have come off the bench and provided a shot in the
arm for the starters, including Amit Gupta with his
tenacious defense, Amir McGettrick with his physical
play and silky touch from outside, and Chase
Brown with his 3-point sharpshooting. Douglas
Andre, Chappy Asel, Nakul Dar, and Jayant
Subramanian have also stepped up during critical
times to contribute off the bench. As the boys
skillfully navigate a challenging league schedule on
their march to the post-season, they continue to
make steady progress and gel together as a cohesive
unit.
Junior Varsity
Coach Mark Travis gave the JV boys two and a half
weeks off for the holidays before starting back on the
6 day a week schedule on January 4. The team has
now finished their 5th game in January and 9th overall.
The schedule called for two sets of back-to- back
games. On January 8 and 9, TJ played Lee and then
Wakefield. After holding a lead for much of the first
half, TJ ended up falling to Lee in the second half.
Wakefield was the strongest team they had played to
date, and TJ held tough. But, the Wakefield Warriors
controlled the second half. December 8 was the first
full squad set of games and the first home games of
the year. Both games were physical with Jack
McLaughlan, Scott Becker, Aashish Batheja, and
Claude Karaki getting into foul trouble. The team felt
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particularly bad when one of the Wakefield players
dislocated his knee and shattered his wrist while
attempting a lay-up. A follow up by Coach Mark
Travis a few days later let everyone know he was
recovering well, though.
Victory. Yes, after a long wait, TJ scored an easy
victory over Trinity Christian at home on January 13.
A full team effort saw double digit scoring from
both Joshua O’Cain and Jashan Matharoo. The
team took their momentum into a tough game
against Edison. Holding a first quarter lead and
remaining close into the fourth quarter, the team
played one of its best games of the year. Randy
Wang and Brendan Whalen played strong floor
games after Claude Karaki twisted an ankle in the
first half.
Victory again. Stuart High School hosted TJ on
January 19, and it was a walking wounded team.
Between academics and injuries, the team only
dressed eight for the game. A team effort gave TJ
the victory over a strong Stuart team. Yadaven
Saravanapavan provided a spark, while and Aashish
Batheja made several strong drives to the basket.
Brendan Whalen put it in a full night playing nearly
the whole game to help keep Stuart to just 47
points. Scott Becker left the game twice with a sore
back, but was nursed and stretched back into the
game by his teammates and the Stuart training
staff. Randy Wang and Jashan Matharoo sealed the
game with free throw shooting down the stretch. A
tough win, but hopefully the boys will have a long
snow weekend to rest.
Freshmen
On January 8 the boys came out strong against Lee
H.S. starting with some three point sharp shooting
from Will Pemble. The aggressive team defense
held Lee under 30 points for the game. That strong
defense and solid execution on the offensive side of
the court led to a nice win. Cal Hartzell chipped in
14 points and 15 rebounds. Will Pemble notched 12
points and 7 rebounds. Rohan Chaturvedula
contributed 6 points off the bench. Maxwell Jones
and Maxwell Lee contributed five points each. TJ
won with a final score of 58-23.
Coming off a solid victory the night before, the boys
February 2016
looked to notch their third win in a row against a
very good Wakefield team. The boys started out
playing inspired team defense. Maxwell Jones’
stifling pressure led to 3 big steals. He also notched
10 points and three assists to add to the cause. Will
Pemble contributed 19 big points and 4 rebounds.
Aaron Wadhwa had 6 points and Maxwell Lee had
5 points and 5 boards. In the end the boys lost a
hard fought game to a tough opponent. Wakefield
prevailed with a score of 60-49.
The boys wrapped up a 3 game home stand against
Thomas Edison on January 14. The boys started out
with some inspired defense. Phineas UlmishekAnderson and Sebastian VanderPloeg Fallon held
down the interior post. Maxwell Jones and Max
Graves contributed some pressure defense, which
led to some easy transition baskets. Will Pemble
took the ball hard to the basket and was able to
draw some fouls. In the second half the boys made
a late run behind some pressure defense. In the
end, turnovers were too costly and Thomas Edison
escaped with the win.
The freshmen traveled to JEB Stuart on January 19
for arguably their most exciting game to
date. Coming out of the first half with TJ in the lead,
JEB Stuart applied the pressure by forcing turnovers
and making runs to stay in the game. Todd Hartman
makes a layup and takes a charge to swing the
momentum our way. Maxwell Lee, Rohan
Chaturvedula, and Phineas Ulmishek-Anderson all
sink critical 3 pointers and Maxwell Lee made 2 foul
shots to maintain the lead. Sebastian VanderPloeg
Fallon came down with important defensive
rebounds. With 40 seconds remaining and a 1 point
score differential, Maxwell Jones turned over the
ball, hustled back to pull down the defensive
rebound, and got fouled. He sinks the first foul shot
to give TJ a 2-point lead. JEB Stuart has the ball
when, 6 seconds remaining, Will Pemble comes up
with a steal, fast break, and a charge call. JEB Stuart
gets the ball back with 2 seconds remaining, but is
unable to get a shot off. TJ walks away with a hard
fought 47-45 victory.
SWIM & DIVE
The TJ Swim and Dive (TJSD) is a great team in and
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out of the pool! In the second half of their regular
season, they are 6-1 boys and 5-2 girls.
First place finishers from the tri-meet on December
18 against Falls Church and Wakefield included
Jonathan Pollock (200 Free, 100 Free), Emilio Sison
(200 IM, 100 Back), Fiona Carcani (200 IM), Edward
Shen (50 Free), Sydney Harrington (100 Free), Matt
Szilagyi (100 Breast), the boys 200 Medley Relay
(Emilio Sison, David DiMeglio, Jared Nirenberg, Tai
Kao-Sowa), 200 Free Relay (Dylan Cathapermal,
Omar Saracevic, Tai Kao-Sowa, Jonathan Pollock),
400 Free Relay (Nithin Bagal, Justin Nguyen, David
DiMeglio, Emilio Sison), and the girls 200 Free Relay
(Charlie Lertlumprasert, Tess Alexander, Militsa
Sotirova, Sydney Harrington), and 400 Free Relay
(Militsa Sotirova, Caroline Nguyen, Fiona Carcani,
Sydney Harrington).
In their first meet of 2016, January 8, TJSD swam
against Falls Church again. First place winners
included Emilio Sison (200 Free, 50 Free), Sydney
Harrington (200 Free, 100 Free), Ben Sharrer (200
IM), Fiona Carcani (200 IM), Jonathan Pollock (100
Free, 500 Free), and Matt Szilagyi (100 Breast).
On December 15, TJSD swam Robinson and Edison
in their final tri-meet of the season. First place
finishers included Sydney Harrington (200 Free, 500
Free), Emilio Sison (200 IM, 100 Back), Jonathan
Pollock (50 Free, 100 Free), Fiona Carcani (100 Fly),
David DiMeglio (500 Free), the boys 200 Free Relay
(Tai Kao-Sowa, Edward Shen, Jonathan Pollock,
Emilio Sison), and 400 Free Relay (Edward Shen,
Nithin Bagal, Jonathan Pollock, Emlio Sison).
The dive team has also made significant
contributions to the success of our team. In the
December 18 meet, notable performances included
CJ Wilson (4th), Blake Daniels (7th), Valentina Lohr
(1st), Isabela Huckabee (5th), and Nira Nair (7th). In
the January 8 meet, notable performances included
CJ Wilson (3rd), Blake Daniels (4th), Gloria Chen
(1st), Valentina Lohr (6th), Nira Nair (7th), and
Isabela Huckabee (8th). In the January 15 meet,
notable performances included CJ Wilson (3rd),
Blake Daniels (6th), Sam Case (7th), Peter Rohrer
(9th), Valentina Lohr (1st), Gloria Chen (3rd), Nira
Nair (8th), and Isabela Huckabee (10th).
February 2016
TJSD Captains Sophia Moses, Jared Nirenberg, Charlie
Lertlumprasert, Matthew Guo, Valentina Lohr, Han Gu,
Cynthia Zhuang, and Emilio Sison take a family photo.
The team takes on their biggest spirit day, Pink and
Sparkly.
TJSD dresses up for their Fish out of Water Spirit Day,
always ready to swim.
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CREW BOOSTERS
The spring rowing season is just around the corner –
we’ll be on the water in three weeks! You still have
several days left to sign-up for the 2015 Spring
Season before online registration closes on
February 4! Please check our website to register
online, http://www.tjcrew.org/join/registration. If
you have questions about the registration process,
please contact TJ Crew Membership Chair, John
Randolph, at john@glenres.com.
Ergathon is also a good opportunity to raise funds
for the team. As an independent club sport, TJ Crew
runs entirely on rower dues and sponsor donations.
We use the Ergathon as a milestone event to reach
out to friends and families of the team’s athletes.
The donations help to defray the team’s operational
costs and to reduce the individual rower/coxswain
outlay. Please encourage donors to sponsor a
rower/coxswain - we appreciate any and all
donations! Parents are encouraged to stop by and
cheer on the team!
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 Ed McDonald at TJCrewpresident at
gmail.com. Parents are always welcome at the
Crew Booster Board Meetings, which are held at
7:00pm at TJ on the second Wednesday of each
month.
Sandy Run Regional Park, 10450 Van Thompson Road,
Fairfax Station
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the
Parent Information and Sign-up Night on February
3 beginning at 7:00pm in the library at TJ.
Freshman and novice rowers and their families
should attend this annual event to make dues
payments, order and be measured for uniforms,
turn in required forms, and sign up for regatta
volunteer slots. Please note that all dues must be
paid by February 4, including the bus payment
(mainly for freshman and novice rowers). Payment
after this date is subject to a late fee.
TJ Crew will hold its annual Million Meter Ergathon
on Thursday, February 11, at 4:00pm in the TJ
Einstein Commons (and environs). The team will
work together to pull a combined total distance of
1,000,000 meters on the ergometers (ergs)! The
February 2016
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Attention
Spring Athletes!
Spring sports (Lacrosse, Soccer, Baseball, Softball,
Tennis, Outdoor Track, and Crew) start on February
22. The required paperwork to tryout is a valid
VHSL physical, Emergency Care Card (ECC), Parent
online concussion education and Student online
concussion education. All forms and links can be
found at www.colonialathletics.org or
www.fcps.edu/sports.
All paperwork must be turned in by February 19th
for students to receive their PASS. Students can
receive their pass two ways: 1) Fall and winter
athletes that are interested in playing a spring
sport can email Ms. Murphy heather.murphy at
fcps.edu for a pass; or 2) Students can turn in
required paperwork at school to the athletic
trainers on February 12, 17, 18, or 19 to receive
their pass.
Coaches will not collect paperwork on the first day
of spring sports. They will only collect the pass. All
students must have a pass to tryout. For further
information, please go to our website and read the
Spring Sports Paperwork Procedures, VHSL Physical
FAQ sheet, and Spring Sports Tryout information.
Please email heather.murphy at fcps.edu if you
have any questions regarding the Spring Sports
Pass.
February 2016
SPORTS PHYSICALS
Get out your planners and Save The Date for
Wednesday June 1 to get your student’s annual
sports physical at TJ. Medical professionals will
perform the comprehensive physicals. The
screening will check height, weight, vision, posture,
vital signs, upper and lower body assessments and
your student will see the medical professional for
clearance.
Every athlete needs a new athletic physical EVERY
SCHOOL YEAR so, save a trip to the doctor’s office
and come out and support TJ Athletics. This is a
great way to ensure that your physical is
completed before summer out-of-season practices
start. EVERYONE will need a new physical in order
to participate after July 1. Got questions? Email
heather.murphy at fcps.edu
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
FOR PHYSICALS!
We need medical and non-medical parents to help
make the sports physicals a successful event! If
you are a physician (MD or DO), physician assistant
(PA), physical therapist (PT) or nurse practitioner
(NP), please consider helping out with physicals on
June 1. We also need non-medical parents who
want to help with working a station or the checkin/out desk. Your expertise and a few hours of
your time will greatly benefit our TJ athletes! Free
advertising for medical professionals that help!
Email heather.murphy at fcps.edu if you can help.
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Marketplace
February 2016
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TJHSST LICENSE PLATE FRAMES
Show your school pride and spirit with attractive, durable license plate frames. Proceeds benefit the
Thomas Jefferson Band Boosters. These are great gifts for any occasion!
1. Selection
Option A:
Our popular TJHSST class year license frame
1) Select graduation year and note quantity:
__________2019
__________2018
__________2017
__________2016
__________2015
_________ write in the year
2) Frame Style: Verify which of these applies to your vehicle:
Standard _______ (holes and renewal stickers on top)
Reversed _______(holes and stickers on bottom)
Option B:
Customized license frame order
Personalized with any school name, graduation year, team, club or slogan!
1) Circle background color/letter color:
Typical: red/white on top with blue/white on bottom
Or: white/red, white/blue, white/black, red/white, black/white, black/gold, black/grey,
gold/black, dark green/white, dark green/gold, blue/white,
blue/gold, yellow/black, burgundy/white, burgundy/gold
2) Insert your message (include spaces):
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| top
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11
12
13 14 15 16
17 18 19
20
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__| bottom
3) Frame Style: Verify which of these applies to your vehicle:
Standard _______(holes and renewal stickers on top)
Reversed _______(holes and renewal stickers on bottom)
2. Payment:
________ x $20.00 each = ______________
Please make check payable to “TJHSST Band Boosters”.
Thank you!
3.Your Information:
Name: ____________________________ Phone: _________________
Provide e-mail address, and you will receive e-mail when your order is available for pickup at the TJ front office:
E-mail Address:________________________________________________________
Student’s name:________________________________________________________
SEND FORM AND CHECK payable to “TJHSST Band Boosters” to:
Therese Chaplin 6027 Bitternut Drive
Alexandria, VA 22310
Questions? Contact tchaplin at verizon.net
or 703-971-3776 (home)
February 2016
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WIN
$150 GIFT CARD
for the
Drawing
will be held
February 10
Just in Time
for
Valentine's
Day!
Raffle to
Support
TJHSST
2016
All- Night
Graduation
Party
Tickets: $10/each
To Purchase Tickets Click Here
OR
Complete the form below and place in envelope with check or cash and drop off at the ANGP
Mailbox at the Front Desk. To purchase multiple tickets print out multiple forms and include
appropriate payment in envelope.
Palm Restaurant Raffle Enter to Win!
Name: ____________________________________________________________
Email: ____________________________________________________________
Phone: ____________________________________________________________
February 2016
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Noteworthy Dates
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FEBRUARY 2016
3
4
5
6-7
9
9
10
12
12
14
15
17
18
19
20
22
27
TJ Crew registration night, 7:00pm, library – registration closes February 4.
2nd quarter ends
2 hour early dismissal
NO SCHOOL
Teacher workday
Hack TJ, 2:00pm (February 6) to 4:00pm (February 7), see page 7.
ANGP Planning meeting, library, 6:00pm
PTSA meeting, cafeteria, 7:00 to 8:30pm
Teachers’ Valentine’s Day Lunch, see page 6 for volunteer information
Snow Ball Arts Gala, see page 4 for more information on this after-school event.
Spring athletes can turn in required paperwork to athletic trainers to receive their PASS.
See page 23.
Valentine’s Day
PRESIDENTS’ DAY
NO SCHOOL
School Holiday
Spring athletes can turn in required paperwork to athletic trainers to receive their PASS.
See page 23.
Spring athletes can turn in required paperwork to athletic trainers to receive their PASS.
See page 23.
LAST DAY for Spring athletes to turn in required paperwork to athletic trainers to receive
their PASS. See page 23.
3rd Annual Lunar New Year Celebration, see page 10.
Spring Sports begin
SAT and ACT practice tests, see page 12.
MARCH 2016
8
12
17
19
21-28
February 2016
PTSA meeting, cafeteria, 7:00 to 8:30pm
6th Annual Pi-Miler, see page 12.
St. Patrick’s Day
Showcase, Band Boosters biggest fundraiser
SPRING BREAK
NO SCHOOL
School Holiday
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