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Dear TJHSST Families,
Our annual Homecoming week always brings out the best of students, as they show off their creativity in the daily pep rallies, building canned food sculptures, creating class banners, and showing overall class spirit. Ultimately we came together as #OneTJ at the main pep rally this afternoon and are looking forward to the Homecoming Dance tomorrow evening.
Thank you to the TJ Student Government Association (SGA) and TJ PTSA for all your hard work in making Homecoming a success! We will have highlights of all the fun in next week's newsletter.
For this week's newsletter, please be sure to read about the schedule change policy, information about signing the FCPS SR&R, and updates on October 7 and our SOSA position.
If you ever have questions or aren't sure who to reach out to, please feel free to contact our Director of Communications, Mike Roth. He will gladly assist you or connect you with the right person.
Warm regards,
The TJHSST Team
Now that we are entering the third week of school, students may no longer request changes to their schedule based on course preferences or elective changes. We want to support students as they fully engage in their learning in their courses. Though we understand that there may be a need to adjust student schedules during the academic year, we will no longer add a new course to the student schedule. Please see the procedures for schedule changes for the third week and beyond and review the TJHSST Schedule Change Policy for more information.
- Third Week and Beyond: At this point in the academic year, schedule changes are highly restricted. Approved requests will be processed as follows:
- Semester Course Drops: A student who withdraws from a semester course and receives administrative approval will be granted an off-campus waiver (period release).
- Yearlong Course Drops: A student who withdraws from a yearlong course and receives administrative approval will be granted an off-campus waiver (period release) for the first semester. A new second semester course may be added based on space availability and the student meeting all prerequisite requirements.
- Yearlong Course Level Changes: A request to change the level of a yearlong course, if approved, will result in enrollment in the new course based on space availability.
Important Note:
Students who are approved to withdraw from a course will not be permitted to remain on campus for the duration of that period. The student’s schedule may need to be rearranged to accommodate the off campus period during 1st, 4th, or 5th period. The student is responsible for providing their own transportation to and from campus within 15 minutes of the start or end of their next class.
FCPS Regulation 2445 governs the grading and reporting procedures for withdrawing from a course during each grading period.
How to Request Changes to the Schedule:
After the second week of school, the student is required to initiate the schedule change by speaking directly to their assigned school counselor. Depending on the time of the school year and type of course change requested, additional information may be required from the student, parent, and teacher of record, prior to obtaining administrative approval for the schedule change.
Step-by-Step Instructions on Completing SR&R Acknowledgement Form
The FCPS Student Rights and Responsibilities (SR&R) booklet explains expectations for student behavior and adult responses to enhance school safety and to create a fair, equitable, and supportive school environment. This year’s SR&R includes new Universal Grade Matrices, which are at-a-glance charts that make it easier for families to see behavior expectations and school responses for grades K-3, 4-8, and 9-12.
Families, please review the SR&R and discuss these expectations with your child. Be sure to sign the SR&R acknowledgement form by Wednesday, September 30, either by logging into SIS ParentVUE or signing and returning the Signature Sheet to your child’s school.
Learn more by watching a short video about the SR&R (available in English and Spanish) or visiting the SR&R webpage.
Cellphones and Personal Devices
Students may only use a personal device if it is required as part of a necessary accommodation in the student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. A principal or the principal’s designee may approve a limited, course-specific exception for students enrolled in a specialized class when the curriculum requires a technology tool or software that isn’t available on a standard FCPS-issued device. Learn more about the student device requirement.
Note: Parents/Guardians will be sent a class specific E-Notify next week with more information on the October 7 schedule. Please refer to that message for full details. Below is a basic summary of what each class will be doing.
On Wednesday, Oct. 7, the PSAT/NMSQT (10th and 11th grades) and SAT (12th grades) will be administered at TJ. We will have an early release schedule with school ending at 1:00 p.m. for those who are coming into the building. What your child will be doing that day depends on what grade they are in.
Freshmen – Since most staff will be needed to administer the PSAT and SAT, freshmen will have an unscheduled school day and will not report to the building. They are encouraged to complete any missing work or assignments that need to be completed prior to the end of the first quarter.
Sophomores and Juniors - Sophomores and juniors will take the PSAT/NMSQT unless a student’s family specifically communicates a desire to refuse this assessment opportunity.
Seniors – Seniors who have registered will be taking the SAT. All other seniors will not attend school that day and are encouraged to complete any missing work/assignments or use this time to work on college applications.
Students who attend school this day should report by the normal 8:40 a.m. start time. Testing will begin at 9:00 a.m. It will conclude between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m. with an advisory lesson to follow.
TJ will conclude the day with a lunch period from 12:15-1:00 p.m. with dismissal happening immediately afterwards.
If you have any questions about testing, please contact our Assessment Coach Lisa Broadhead at LKBroadhead@fcps.edu.
Please Note (Very Important): Students are required to use their FCPS issued device for PSAT and SAT School Day testing. If your student is experiencing technical issues with their device, please have them visit the tech office before Wednesday, October 7.
We are proud to announce that our Systems of Support Advisor (SOSA) Dr. Miriam Lynch is stepping into a new role as a Community Resource Instructional Position to lead key strategic programs across Fairfax County Public Schools. In this position, Dr. Lynch will drive division-wide initiatives, including STEM pathways, water safety programs, expansion of academic supports and experiential learning for students. She will work closely with FCPS leadership, higher-education institutions, corporate sponsors, and community partners to cultivate impactful mentorships and innovative opportunities. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Lynch as she takes on this exciting next chapter in supporting our schools!
We are also excited to announce that Nishi Langhorne will be coming in as the new TJHSST SOSA. Mrs. Langhorne has built a career grounded in amplifying student voice and exemplifying instructional leadership. She has served in a variety of roles across her twenty years in FCPS, with twelve years as a middle and high school English teacher, two years as a School-Based Technology Specialist, five years in central office as a manager on both the Educational Technology Team and the Learning Innovations Team in the Office of Curriculum and Instruction, and most recently as an Assistant Principal at Kilmer Middle School.
We appreciate that Dr. Lynch will continue to support TJHSST during this transition and are happy to welcome Mrs. Langhorne to the TJHSST family!
TJ Families - If you ever need to send a message to our clinic, please use their new email distribution address - TJHSSTClinic@fcps.edu. This will send your message to both school nurse Dee Wilkes and our school health aide Kim Mai.
Sign ups are open for a limited number of last-chance portrait sittings at TJ for yearbook photos only on Wed., Oct. 21 and Thurs., Nov. 5. Sign up at www.vosphoto.com/thomasjefferson . Deluxe sittings, which include cap and gown photos and/or casual/personality portraits, will not be available at school.
Alternatively, you can schedule a sitting at the Victor O'Neill studio in Chantilly for a full-service appointment at your convenience-as long as the sitting is completed before the end of October.
In fact, you can use any photographer of your choosing but know that your photo won't have the same look as most others in the yearbook and you must have the yearbook-ready image emailed to Ms. Hampton at lmhampton@fcps.edu by Friday, Nov. 6.
Questions about booking with our photographer at their studio? Please email Victor O'Neill's Senior Portraits Team at seniors@vosphoto.com . Please kindly include your senior's first and last name and "Thomas Jefferson Class of 2027" when emailing, for faster assistance.
FCPS is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and inclusive environment for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities. Individuals experiencing harassment or discrimination should report the incident as soon as possible.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, eating breakfast at school is associated with better attendance rates, fewer missed school days, and better test scores. Studies show that students who eat both school breakfast and lunch tend to have healthier diets than those who don't participate in school meals.
Families who qualify for free or reduced-price school meals can receive breakfast and lunch for their students at no cost or at a reduced cost. This includes more than one-third of FCPS students. Families must complete the Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRM) application before the start of each school year. Approved applications may also qualify students for additional benefits.
The application for FRM is now available for the 2026-27 school year. Students who were approved for FRM last year are eligible for the first 30 days of school this year (or until a new application is processed). Families should reapply as soon as possible so eligible students continue to receive meals at no cost.
Access the application and view criteria and up-to-date information on the FRM webpage. Families should reach out to their schools with questions or for assistance.
Consent to Share Form (PDF)
If you have children eligible for the Free and Reduced-price meals program, they may also be eligible to participate in other FCPS fee-based programs without paying a fee or by paying a reduced fee.
This would include things that are specified in FCPS Notice 5922. Those are:
- Musical Instrument fees
- Driver Education fees
- Student Parking fees
- Career and Technical Education Certification fees
- Fine Arts fees
- Technology and Engineering Education Material fees
- Online Campus fees
- Advanced Placement fees (after six exams)
- Returned Check fees
You are also eligible to receive information about scholarships, classes and services that are provided by agencies and organizations other than FCPS.
In order to receive the benefits, you have to fill out the Consent to Share Form (please visit the link above), a written agreement allowing FCPS staff to share information about your children's meal eligibility status.
All Fairfax County middle and high school students can get a Student Bus Pass SmarTrip card to ride the Fairfax Connector and Fairfax CUE buses for free! With the pass, fares are free from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week, all year. Learn more about the Student Pass and access the application, which can be returned to the front office.
Children 12 and younger ride for free on the Fairfax Connector with a paying adult. Please note that students need to be residents of Fairfax County to receive a pass.
Need to get in contact with someone at TJ? Here is some commonly requested contact information:
Main Office - 703-750-8300
Attendance Office - thomasjeffersonhigh.attendance@fcps.edu
Student Services - 703-750-8340
Student Activities - 703-750-8333
Security - 703-750-8331
Administration Contact Information
Mr. Michael Mukai - Principal
Ms. Betsy Fawsett - Associate Principal
Mr. Dylan Forshay - Subschool Principal 1
Ms. Yaara Crane - Subschool Principal 2
Ms. Ellen Hagan-Bowerman - Subschool Principal 3
Mr. Shawn Frank - Subschool Principal 4
Ms. Sara Wright - Director of Student Services
Ms. Leah Conte - Director of Student Activities
Mr. Mike Roth - Director of Communications
For another specific staff member, please use our Staff Directory to find contact information.
Be sure to visit Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology on its official social media channel on Instagram @OfficialTJHSST for pictures and highlights of all the fun events and activities going on at TJ! (Please note that we have discontinued use of our X/Twitter account).
We'd love it if you give us a follow!
TJHSST Anchor/Blue/Red Day Calendar
September 19 - Homecoming Dance at TJ, 7:00-9:30 p.m.
September 21 - Religious or Cultural Observance Day (Yom Kippur), No School for students and staff
October 7 - PSAT and SAT given at TJ
October 12 - School Planning Day, No School for students
October 14 - Fall band concert in auditorium, 7 p.m.
October 21 - Fall orchestra concert in auditorium, 7 p.m.
October 30 - End of first quarter. Modified Red Day with two-hour early release.
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