Principal’s Note

Dear TJHSST Families:

I hope all of you are healthy and enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

We have been busy enthusiastically planning our opening of school, and while not all details have been worked out, you will find many TJ-specific pieces of useful information below regarding back to school events and other preparations.

We look forward to seeing all of you join our teachers and staff in Virtual TJ at the beginning of September. We're TJ. We got this!

Best,

Ann N. Bonitatibus, Ed.D.

Principal, TJHSST

Virtual Check-In: Sept. 3

FCPS has asked all schools to arrange a virtual check-in to welcome students prior to the first day of school which is on Tuesday, September 8.  In addition to briefly welcoming students, the check-in serves to test students’ technology access to ensure a seamless start to school.

Who:      All students are required to check in

When:    Thursday, September 3

Where:   Virtual Link to Homeroom Teacher *

Why:      Welcome back and simultaneously test technology

Time:     TBD (reserve 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

*  More specific information with exact times, log on directions and links will be shared no later than Monday, August 31.

If a student does not check in, an official from the school will call parents and inquire about your child’s ability to log on and participate at the start of the year.

New Student Orientation: Sept. 3

Who:        All freshmen and newly admitted sophomores and their parents

When:      Thursday, September 3              

Where:     Virtual Link to TJ *

Why:        Connect with TJ, meet staff, start to build community

Time:        TBD (reserve 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) 

Note:        This orientation is separate from the virtual check-in. Freshmen and new sophomores attending the orientation will still need to participate in the virtual check-in later in the day.    

*  More specific information with exact times, log on directions and links will be shared no later than Monday, August 31.

Back to School Night: Sept. 16

Who:        All Parents/Guardians for students in Grades 9-12

When:      Wednesday, September 16              

Where:     Virtual Link to TJ *

Why:        Meet teachers who will review curriculum, attendance, procedures, grading/assessment

Time:        TBD (reserve 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.) 

*  More specific information with exact times, log on directions and links will be shared no later than Monday, September 14.

Student Schedules

The school’s master schedule has been finalized. Each year there are approximately 15% of students with course requests that have unresolvable conflicts. Counselors will begin contacting impacted students on Monday, August 24. Students will be asked to select alternatives to make their schedules work.

Please be aware staffing decisions were made based on student requests. Furthermore, additional planning has taken place to account for in-person and online requests indicated on the surveys teachers and families completed. For these reasons, we are not able to accommodate inquiries to change course requests. We need flexibility to accommodate schedule conflicts and we need to remain as structured as possible to successfully transition to in-person instructional configurations should FCPS make the decision for a return to face-to-face delivery models.

Student schedules will be available in SIS StudentVue and SIS ParentVue on Wednesday, September 2, starting at 6:00 a.m.  If you have not created a SIS Parent Account, you may find information on the FCPS website here. Note: families new to FCPS will receive log-in codes and instructions from FCPS by the end of next week.

Textbooks

Because student schedules will not be ready until the beginning of September, and because we are still taking inventory of texts collected during the summer, we do not yet have a date certain for when we will be able to distribute texts for the year or which texts will be available based on inventory. We are committed to ensuring students will have necessary resources to successfully engage in learning.

Early Bird Forms

We understand how the beginning of the year can be overwhelming with forms. Here are some you can access now.

• Emergency Care Form required for all returning FCPS students to review and update if needed.
• Emergency Care Card required for students NEW to FCPS.
• FCPSOn Computer Opt Out Form: Only for students who are not planning to use a school laptop. We highly recommend you use the FCPS laptop because all software and other applications will be loaded and accessible. Software used by FCPS and TJHSST cannot be loaded on personal devices.

More information will be sent later for other forms such as parental signatures needed for the Students Rights and Responsibilities Form, Medical Needs, Residency Verification, and Software Parental Consent Form.

Visitor Protocols

Please be aware most teachers and staff are working remotely and will not be on campus; therefore, meetings and conferences largely will be online. We also understand a unique circumstance may necessitate a campus visit. Visitors to the TJHSST building must have an appointment in advance and follow visitor protocols. Upon arrival at the school, please park in the visitor lot in front of our main entrance #1 at The Dome. You will need to call the school at 703-750-8300. Staff will respond to your call and administer a verbal health survey prior to your entry. All visitors are required to wear masks, check in and out at the front office, and maintain social distance throughout their visit.

Spending

FCPS continues its online payment system called MySchoolBucks.  Expenses that include fees, meals, and certain classroom costs are managed via MySchoolBucks.  Please register or check your account.

Staying in Touch

TJHSST uses News You Choose for regular communication with parents and you are automatically subscribed with the email on file with TJ. You may tailor your preferences here.  Emergency or time sensitive communications from the school and FCPS are delivered via eNotify to your email.