NOTE: There is an FCPS School Board meeting tonight at 7pm https://www.fcps.edu/tv/ch99
It seems that TJ admissions changes will be decided.
Citizen participation 7:15pm, including several TJ parents!
http://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BRDKTW4E5DFE
Confirmation of actions taken in closed session 8pm
http://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/goto?open&id=BWA2QZ035E15
The PTSA Diversity Committee of the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) is launching a series of Diversity Talks webinars in January! This series is especially for elementary and middle school students in grades 4-8. Join us to hear from people working in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields. What sparked their interest in STEM? What did they study in school? What kinds of jobs do they do? What else would you like to know?
Mark your calendars for Monday, January 11, at 6 p.m. to hear the first speakers of our Diversity Talk series: Suresh Shenoy, Neena Shenoy and Nikhil Shenoy.
Suresh Shenoy, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, is a business leader and philanthropist who has contributed deeply to many aspects of the northern Virginia community. He was executive vice president at Alyx Technologies Inc., a Virginia-based consulting and technology services company. Mr. Shenoy was a founding member of the Thomas Jefferson Partnership Fund and served on its board until 2002.
Neena Shenoy is a mechanical engineer by training (Tufts University 1981 and MIT 1984). She was involved in designing aircraft engines for GE and worked on the U.S. Space Shuttle program for NASA designing some critical components.
Nikhil Shenoy graduated from TJHSST in 2002, MIT in 2006 and the University of Chicago in 2014. After working at Goldman Sachs, Proctor and Gamble, and Kastle Systems, he is now CEO of Colvin Run Networks, a company that he started in northern Virginia to offer artificial intelligence and blockchain solutions to governments.
Parents, register at this Zoom link: https://bit.ly/TJDiversityTalk1
Submit questions in advance here: https://bit.ly/tjdiversitytalks
Video of the event: https://youtu.be/Ohfcdek8t7c
Advance registration is required, please register now using this link:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMtc-6urjwtGdxt2hEqIU-isL7kUBYxr8h2
UPDATE: If you can’t get in this is the passcode: 993660
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Do NOT share the link you receive as it only allows one device to join.
NOTE: An email with a Zoom registration link will be sent out to all TJ families registered in AtoZ. If you did not receive one, make sure you are registered in AtoZ Connect (tjptsa.com/archive/join).
Thinking about a gift for teachers or other staff who have been working hard this semester? The TJ Keyettes Club is hosting a holiday gift collection this weekend, Dec 12th and 13th. It is opportunity for students to drop off teachers and staff cards or gifts before winter break at 1 of 9 convenient locations. All the information can be found at https://tinyurl.com/TJHolidayGiftCollection
TJPTSA Academic Support Committee is organizing a Navigating TJ workshop for Class of 2024 parents on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 from 7PM to 9 PM.
TJ administration members, PTSA committee chairs and Booster organization leaders will be invited as panelists to answer your questions. It’s a great opportunity to learn about volunteering and participating in all things at TJ. You are encouraged to submit your questions here (https://forms.gle/YwJCeoqbHdJoA86e6) in advance or ask them during the meeting.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0ofuyuqzsvGdU_z1oowQrzeg77z7OIIifx
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
(Note date change from usual Thursday meetings.) All parents, guardians, and students are invited to join the Mental Health Coalition, led by SGA and the student mental health group Minds Matter. MHC brings together students, administration, teachers, counselors and parents to coordinate mental health and wellness efforts for the TJ community. Video link available on the PTSA Google calendar. Meetings occur monthly on the 3rd Thursday, 4:30-5:30 PM.
All are welcome to join in with TJ staff as we work on PTSA-supported mental health & wellness events and programs at our monthly meeting. Meetings normally take place on the first Monday of the month, 1:30-3 PM. Join by video on Google Meet (see the PTSA calendar event info to join by phone).
SGA is hosting a Game Night for all students on December 4th, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM! It will be a night of fun games including Scattegories, Codenames, and a friendly competition of Pictionary with Amazon gift card prizes at the end of the night!
To play with others, put the names of your group members in this google form.
Parents, encourage your kids to join in this fun, social activity with their peers.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIvfuCgpjkpHtJKXDzgyDG9y8srpgnSQB3N
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJckcOyorTstGdD9izhgr9ky3Uvx_hfPoE4c
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
This is from the email sent on Nov 13 to all FCPS parents by Superintendent Brabrand. This is NOT a TJ PTSA event.
I invite you to join me for a virtual Return to School Town Hall from 6-7 pm on Thursday, November 19. Watch the event on your device on the FCPS website. Submit your questions in advance to returntoschool@fcps.edu or call in during the Town Hall at 1-800-231-6359.
Complete Email:
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Dear Parents, Caregivers, and FCPS Staff,
At our School Board Work Session last night, I presented an updated plan to continue to bring students back for in-person instruction in a gradual, phased approach with the safety of our students and staff remaining our top priority.
We continue to closely monitor health conditions and how they may impact our ability to open schools safely and effectively. COVID-19 infections have reached record levels in the United States. Virginia has one of the lower infection rates compared to other states but is currently seeing COVID-19 cases trending upward. We are keeping a close eye on these conditions. Changes in health conditions that impact FCPS’ in-person return will be immediately communicated as they occur.
Current Timeline for Return to In-Person Instruction
Students most in need of in-person instruction, about 4 percent of our total population, are already attending in-person classes for part of the week. Our current plan is that an additional group of students (Group 5) will return to school in-person beginning Tuesday, November 17. Group 5 students include Head Start, pre-K, kindergarten and select students who receive special education services.
Data Driven Decisions
Specific health-related metrics were shared with the School Board last night and are posted online. These metrics guide our decisions on when new groups of students can begin in-person instruction. They also determine the criteria for when existing in-person instruction may need to be transitioned back to a virtual setting. The criteria is based on the Virginia Department of Health Phased Guidance for Schools and identifies thresholds for the total number of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 persons as well as the percentage of persons testing positive.
FCPS’ Determining Metrics for In-Person Instruction
For a group to BEGIN in-person instruction:
For a group to REMAIN in in-person instruction:
Groups will transition back to DISTANCE LEARNING if:
Thresholds for student Groups 1-6 can be found here.
Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
Contingent on health conditions in our community, we will be broadening opportunities for additional in-person activities. The following changes will be taking place in the weeks ahead:
Continued Commitment to Timely Communication
Please watch for official announcements. Again, we stress that changes in health metrics may cause certain in-person instruction, athletics and/or activities to pause. Changes will be announced as soon as they occur.
Nov. 19 Town Hall
I invite you to join me for a virtual Return to School Town Hall from 6-7 pm on Thursday, November 19. Watch the event on your device on the FCPS website. Submit your questions in advance to returntoschool@fcps.edu or call in during the Town Hall at 1-800-231-6359.
My deepest thanks to all of you—students, parents, caregivers, teachers, staff, and members of the community—for your understanding and patience. Please stay safe and do your best to help one another as we all work to make the best of a very difficult situation. We will keep you updated as changes take place.
Sincerely,
Scott Brabrand, Superintendent
Fairfax County Public Schools