Category Archives: Past Events

2021-03-19 4:30-6:30pm TJ Class of 2021 Get-Together

Senior Parents, let your seniors know about this fun chance to gather in person and see their friends and teachers!

March 19 Get-Together
Theme: Spring Fling
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 pm
Where: Nobel and Franklin Commons, and if weather is nice kids can go out to the Nobel Courtyard.
Student RSVP Sign up (Currently being edited):https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B094EAFA82BA1F94-spring
What: Similar to the previous event, we plan to have an assortment of chairs and background music. Additionally, we plan to have the event happen right before a football game, giving students the chance to participate in some activities, and then go watch our football team compete should they so choose.

Free Food: TJ PTSA will provide Chicken and Veg Burritos from Anitas and snacks and drinks and bad jokes.

Parent Volunteer Signup: Sign up here to volunteer to help set up, clean up, and server food/drinks (also to embarrass your kids at the actual event)

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080E44ABAF23ABFA7-tjclass

2021-03-12 6-8pm TJ SGA Friending Frenzy!

Let your students know about this fun event.

From the TJ SGA:

Friendship is in the air! On Friday March 12th from 6:00 – 8:00, SGA will be hosting Friending Frenzy, our first virtual speed meet and greet! This event is for anyone looking to get out there and socialize with others, make some new friends of ALL grade levels, and have a good time! (who knows, maybe you’ll meet that special someone) As the night progresses, we will cycle through three events; Round 1 of one-on-one pairings, a halftime Blind Bachelor/Bachelorette game show event, and Round 2 of pairings. There descriptions of the events are below:

Matching Rounds – Students will be randomly placed in a room within their preferences of grade and gender, where they complete activities while learning about one another’s interests! Each rotation will be only a few minutes, so enjoy each other’s company while it lasts!

Blind Bachelor / Bachelorette Event – Six contestants, three for each contestant, will answer fun, dating questions posed by our Bachelor and Bachelorette, Sean Nguyen and Christine Franklin! The catch: Sean and Christine won’t be able to see the contestants and will have to judge them solely based on their responses. If you would like to be considered to be a contestant, make sure to indicate this on the signup form!

If you’re looking for a laid back way to connect with others, sign up with the Google Form below!
http://tinyurl.com/friendingfrenzy

Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYpd-ypqT0uHtbEUF8x9Ez538U8nmvNHYUz

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

2021-04-09 to 04-11 WE ARE ONE TJ Virtual 5K Run/Walk

Are you bored of sitting in front of a screen all day? Do you miss your TJ friends? Grab your mask and make a plan to run or walk the WE ARE ONE TJ 5K!!

On the weekend of April 9,10,11, anytime and anywhere, make a plan to get outside and reconnect with friends, family, or perhaps with nature. Just estimate a 5K route and start moving!

Download the playlist at: https://tinyurl.com/WeAreOneTJ5KPlaylist

Post your 5K photos (we miss seeing you!) at: https://www.facebook.com/OneTJ5k

HAVE FUN!
The PTSA Health & Wellness Committee

2021-03-05 5-8pm TJ SGA Online Small Groups Tournament

On Friday, March 5th from 5-8 PM, TJ small groups will come together in a Tri-Wizard Tournament type event, competing in Pictionary, racing to complete a virtual Escape Room, and facing off in Family Feud!

To register your small group for the event, RSVP here and fill out this Google Form by Wednesday, March 3rd 11:59 PM: https://forms.gle/nGmhXLmHv1XoYL8U8

You also need to register for the Zoom meeting in advance for this event:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAlduispjsqHtGquiFXLVvQJxlyIyi84ak7

After registering for the Zoom meeting, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

This event is also open to those not in small groups as well. You can sign up individually using the same form and we will sort you in a random group during the event.

2021-03-09 and 11 HELP NEEDED: Welcome Back to School greeters!

While school will not look like what students are used to, there is probably a mixture of excitement with a bit of worry and the unknown for students and staff coming back in person. It has been almost a full year since students have attended classes at TJ (and some are stepping into the school for the first time as TJ students)! Help us start each new group off with a warm, enthusiastic welcome as the students arrive to school.

We plan to have a small group of parents spread along the entry lane just like we have done in the past for AP exams (except with masks)–holding posters with positive messages and cheering them on. Sign up here to join the fun!

  • Tuesday, March 2 – Grades 9 & 12, A-K
  • Thursday, March 4 – Grades 9 & 12, L-Z
  • Tuesday, March 9 – Grades 10 & 11, A-K
  • Thursday, March 11 – Grades 10 & 11, L-Z

Tuesday, March 2 greeters

2021-02-26 4-5pm February Senior Celebration aka “The One where they get back together”

This Friday, seniors will have the opportunity to see their classmates in front of the dome from 4:00pm-5:00pm.

This event is for all Seniors regardless if they are doing concurrent or virtual learning.

There will also be snacks and drinks provided by the TJ PTSA.

Masks will be required and social distancing will be in effect.

You can rsvp for the event here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b094eafa82ba1f94-february

If you have any questions feel free to contact Mr. Shawn Frank at sjfrank@fcps.edu

2021-02-22 Nominating Committee Election Under Way

Election Status: Started. Closes Friday Feb 26, 11pm

UPDATE 2021-02-026 7:22PM: About 20% have voted. Please read this following email that I have asked parents to post on WeChat and other forums to help clear up some confusion and disappointment as folks who are not members try to vote, and then folks buy memberships expecting to vote in this election:

Dear TJ Parents,

Thank you for your interest in voting in this TJ PTSA election. Only TJ PTSA members may vote in TJ PTSA elections. 

If you would like to join the TJ PTSA please follow the instructions here: https://tjptsa.com/join/

Each membership allows one vote. Students can also vote if they purchase a student membership and their email address is in AtoZ, and the membership was assigned to them.

Please note that the registered voters list is locked at the start of each election, so even if you join today you won’t be able to vote in this election, but you will be able to vote in future elections and surveys, including the May election of TJ PTSA EC Officers.

We hope you would join the PTSA just to support the good work we do for the students, teachers, and parents.

If you had purchased a TJ PTSA membership before February 22, 2021 and have not received an email with voting instructions from tellers@tjptsa.org (look in your spam/junk folders) then please email tellers@tjptsa.org from the email address you registered in AtoZ Connect and I will help you vote. 

This election closes tonight at 11pm.

Sincerely,

Nick Costescu, TJ PTSA President

UPDATE 2021-02-25 8:49pm: 15% of our 800 some registered voters have voted. Please vote!

UPDATE 2021-02-24 12:49pm: So far 10% of our 800 some registered voters have voted. This is your opportunity to help shape next year’s EC. Please vote! Links were sent out to all PTSA members. Email the president if you were a member as of 2/22/2021 and didn’t get a link to vote (but first check your spam and other email folders).

UPDATE 2021-02-23 5:57pm: A few folks are having problems with the email verification. I can see when that happens and I’ve been sending out custom links individually. Please use that link to finish your ballet if you had a problem with VerifyMe.

All TJ PTSA members (as of 2021-02-21) can vote in this election. We are electing our 5 member Nominating Committee. These 5 volunteers will interview applicants for next year’s Executive Committee Officers and recommend a slate with the top candidate for each position.

For more info on what the Nominating Committee does, see this post.

An email with a link to the ballot has been sent to all TJ PTSA members. If you are a 2020-21 member and have not received a ballot please email tellers@tjptsa.org.

Please check back with this post for updates.

2021-03-15 6-6:45pm Diversity in STEM Talk #3

The PTSA Diversity Committee of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will hold its next Diversity in STEM Talk in March! This series is especially for elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8. 

Join us Monday, March 15, at 6 p.m. to hear from Vern Williams, former math teacher in the Fairfax County Public Schools and current math teacher at BASIS Independent McLean in Tysons Corner. Mr. Williams taught mathematics in FCPS for 40 years and taught in the gifted and talented program for over 30 years. Among numerous other awards, Mr. Williams was the 1990 Fairfax County Public Schools teacher of the year and he received two awards for distinguished teaching from the Mathematical Association of America. His special interest is teaching traditional and rigorous mathematics to gifted middle school students. Join us to hear from this master teacher!

  • What sparked his interest in math?
  • What does he enjoy most about math?
  • What would he recommend to students who want to pursue math?
  • What else would you like to know?

Parents, register at this Zoom link: http://bit.ly/TJStemTalk3

Submit questions in advance here: https://bit.ly/tjdiversitytalks

If you missed our February 8 talk on robotics, you can view the recording here: https://tjptsa.com/2020-02-12-diversity-stem-talk-2-video-available/