Hello Spartan Families!

Important Announcements

We have some important scheduling updates regarding the upcoming PSAT and SAT testing:

• Normal Class Schedule: Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will follow a regular class schedule.

• Thursday: PSAT9 testing for freshmen only. All other students will have no school.

• Friday: PSAT10 and SAT testing for 10th and 11th graders only. All other students will have no school.

Testing Times:

• Testing will begin at 8:20 a.m. and is expected to conclude by 11:00 a.m. for standard time and 12:00 p.m. for extended time.

Celebrations from the Week

We are excited to announce that Spring Athletic Registration is closing soon! All students who are interested in participating are encouraged to register as soon as possible. This is a great opportunity for our students to engage in sports and build teamwork skills. We look forward to seeing our students excel both on and off the field!

SPRING SPORTS REGISTRATION

Andrew Skari
Assistant Principal

Monday-

• Regular school day

Tuesday-

• Regular school day

Wednesday- 

• Regular school day

Thursday-

• PSAT9 testing for freshmen only. All other students will have no school.

Friday-

• PSAT10 and SAT testing for 10th and 11th graders only. All other students will have no school.

Saturday-

• Saturday School: 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

• AP Music Theory: 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

• Huge thanks to our Counseling Team for all of their hard work with choice of studies in the past few weeks! We couldn't do it without you!

• See below for a JROC celebration!

Concurrent Enrollment students will begin receiving their 1098-T tax document for courses completed through ACC in 2024. The Colorado Community College System prepares and mails IRS Form 1098-T to the student’s home address. In the past, CCCS was able to exclude the printing of 1098Ts if the scholarship amount was equal to or greater than the eligible payment amount. The new process does not allow this printing exclusion. Because of this, you may receive calls from confused students and parents.  I’ve attached a 1098-T FAQ to this correspondence to you to help you field most calls regarding this form. or view the 1098T FAQ online) Although it is mandatory that the Colorado Community College System provide this form to all students, CCCS and Arapahoe Community College are not allowed to offer tax or legal advice to students. Parents and students should be referred to their tax consultant to determine if and how to utilize this form in the preparation and submission of their taxes. Further information can be found here.

Dear DPS Community,

Denver Public Schools is committed to providing equitable and inclusive environments where all our students feel safe and socially and emotionally supported. With the potential change of federal policies, students, families, and staff who are undocumented are experiencing unease and uncertainty regarding potential mass deportation.

While we still do not know exactly what actions the incoming administration may or may not take at this time, it is important that our families have access to resources and information to establish an action plan.

This Family Resource Toolkit is available in English and Spanish and contains information and resources about your rights, current DPS policies, training, mental health support, and a list of community resources. Please read this guide and save it so you can refer back to it whenever necessary.

In addition to reviewing the guide, it is important that families update emergency contacts. Each student should have at least two emergency contacts. These individuals do not need to be family members; they can be any trusted adult known by the family. We also ask that families identify those authorized to pick up their students (including older siblings) from school if a parent or guardian cannot. Please see the directions at the bottom of this email for more information on how to update emergency contacts.

At the time of this communication, our schools are still designated sensitive locations, meaning that they are places where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is restricted from conducting enforcement actions. Our schools are safe, and we want our students here. While our function is to provide education for all students, our responsibility is to provide safe and welcoming environments. That has not changed.

In collaboration,

Dr. Alex Marrero
DPS Superintendent

Updating Emergency Contacts

Follow the step-by-step guide (in English and Spanish) to add, remove or modify emergency contact updates for your child in Infinite Campus. Please read the steps in this guide carefully. If you have questions or need help updating emergency contacts, please contact your child’s school.

Parent Portal Login Support

If you are unable to log into Parent Portal because you forgot your username and/or password, visit the MyPortal Support Contact webpage for links to reset. Note: You will need access to the email address associated with your Parent Portal account.

If you need help:

• Creating an account

• With a failing username or password

• Updating your email address

• With missing a student account

Submit a support ticket or call 720-423-3163.

Interact is hosting a drive that runs until February 28. We are partnering with Colorado Young Leaders to help them collect backpacks, water bottles, and feminine hygiene products. These items will be distributed directly to homeless shelters. We are also collecting small shampoos, conditioners, toothbrushes, toothpaste, pre packaged snacks, band-aids, etc. 

There are boxes in English classrooms and the main office. Interact club will be using extra supplies to create homeless bags. Thanks in advance for your donations!

Saturday School is back! During the week, (Monday-Wednesday) teachers will provide passes to students and assign them to Saturday School for Math and/or English. Students- if your teacher gives you a pass, you have been assigned to Saturday School due to a low grade in Math and/or English. Parents- you will receive a text message on Thursday if your student has been assigned to Saturday School. Saturday School hours are 8am-12pm. The entrance is located on the north side of the building near the softball field. A small breakfast snack will be provided for students. 

MC2 Program Applications! 

Applications are open for Denver Health’s Medical Career Collaborative (MC²). Current high school sophomores from the Denver metro area are encouraged to apply. 

MC² offers paid internships, mentorship, certification opportunities and career coaching, helping students explore health care careers and build a strong foundation for the future.

To learn more visit the program’s website.

 Application deadline: 5 p.m. on March 5.

You can stop by the DECA store in the cafeteria after school Monday thru Thursday. We sell t-shirts, hoodies, pants, hats, stadium seats, socks, stickers, etc. Feel free to email us with any questions. 

The March 2025 Food Bank distribution will take place Wednesday, March 19, 2025.  Any family that is in need of food support is welcomed and encouraged to sign up HERE. Please note that you MUST sign up no later than Sunday, March 16, 2025 for us to have food available for you at the distribution. 

Thank you to the TJ Community for your continued support of the Food Bank!  If you are interested in making a financial contribution to the TJ Food Bank, you can do so HERE.

Reach out to Megan Perkins (megandperkins@gmail.com), Becca Mahoney (beccaandjoemahoney@gmail.com) or Jillian Krause (jillian.krause@gmail.com) with questions.

Save the date! Our next meeting will be held on Tuesday March 4 from 6-7 in Room 111. We will be discussing the upcoming online auction and Spartan Grants Program. We hope to see you there! 

We are looking for donations of mini cupcakes for the upcoming Mardi Gras dance on March 8. Please sign up here to donate. Please bring all donated cupcakes to Mr. Poole’s office no later than March 7. Thank you in advance for your support! 

SPARTAN GRANTS PROGRAM APPLICATION IS OPEN! 

We are excited to announce that the PTO's Spartan Grant Program will open on February 20th.  For those of you who aren't familiar with this program, it started several years ago when a group of TJ parents decided to start an online auction to raise money to fund classroom grants. Since 2017, the PTO has granted over $125,000 to the TJ community, funding needs in our classrooms and extracurriculars.  

This link takes you to the Spartan Grant application. TJ Staff who are interested in applying, please fill it out and include all the information requested. Because of our low funds this year, we ask that your requests are thoughtful, impactful, and need funding via these grants and can’t be funded any other way.

The deadline to apply is March 21st.  The PTO will review all applications at our April meeting. We will provide responses to all applicants by mid-April. Funds are then transferred to the school by May 1, for use in the 2025-26 school year. Since some grants are time sensitive, please let us know if you need your funds prior to those dates.

Thank you for all that you do for our TJ students!

It is almost time for the 2025 TJ Spartan Grant program! This has been funded in the past by the TJ Silent Auction and the direct giving campaign. If you have wondered how this money has directly affected the students, take a look at this article.

For the last five weeks, we have highlighted in the newsletter several ways in which funds from the TJ Spartan Grant program have been used.  Our students have benefited greatly from these grants.  However, due to not having an auction last year, we only have $3,000 for grant funding this year.  Last year we granted over $16,000!  Critical programs will not be funded this year if we are not able to raise funds through our direct donation program.  If you have been waiting to make a donation, now is the time.  You can click on the Spartan Grant Drive link to donate today.  Our students thank you!

The TJ Together online auction committee is gathering donations.   Do you own a business you want to be included in the auction and recognized in our newsletter?  Would you be willing to host a party to be scheduled late this summer or early next school year?  All ideas considered! Click here to submit your item or idea.

We are currently in need of host families for 16 students participating in an exchange program from Chiben Gogo in Japan.

The students will be living with and attending school with students here at TJ. They will attend each of their classes but they will have their own work provided from their schools in Japan. These students study English in Japan so, although they are not fluent in English, they have the tools to communicate in the language. They simply need practice and exposure. The students will be with us from March 4th through March 23rd when they will return to Japan together. There are 8 girls and 8 boys in need of a host family.

If you are interested and able, please contact Mr. Jackson at kjackso@dpsk12.net for more information. This is a tremendous opportunity because it opens the doors for our students from TJ to travel to Japan and be hosted with families there as well. 

Any students interested in going to Ireland in the summer of 2026? Please contact Amber Wilson for more information - awilso2@dpsk12.net

Tickets are $5 for children, student, TJ Faculty and Staff, senior, and veteran admission, $10 for general adult admission.

Director: André Moss
Vocal Director: Tambyr Reed
Conductor: Robin Morrissey
Technical Director: Gabby Lentini
Audio Engineer: Mark Mallaney

Principal Cast:
Anya: Sony Calhoun
Dmitry: Josh White
Vlad: Will Cordova
Gleb: Quin Sihon
Countess Lily: Rachelle Camilo
The Dowager Empress: Simone DiFalco

Crew Leads:
Stage Manager: Celeste Escobar
Set Designer: Ethan Smolinski
Costume Designer: Amielia Danielson
Hair & Make-Up Designer: Kit Letherman
Lighting Designer: Keagen Figueroa
Sound Designer: Bruno Estala

Spartan Seniors and Families,

Below are a few important college tasks to work on in the coming weeks. 

• Work on your Institutional Scholarship applications. These are often students greatest forms of financial aid. Colleges will send you information on how to access these applications through their portals. These applications are typically due in early to mid-March. Check your college’s deadlines and don’t miss them. Stop by the FC for help! 

• The DSF Scholarship application is now open and takes about 20 minutes to complete. 

Click here to learn more about eligibility and for the link to apply! 

• Share your Financial Aid Awards/Scholarship Wins by completing this form. 

Upcoming Deadlines and Events:

Tuesday, February 25th: DSF Scholarship App Workshop in Rm 111, p. 2, 7, + 8 

Saturday, March 1st: MANY Institutional Scholarship Applications are DUE TODAY

Emily Webster, M.S. Alyssa Baker, M.Ed.
DSF Lead College Advisor DSF College Advisor
emily_webster@dpsk12.netalyssa_baker@dpsk12.net

Did You Know...? 

Practicing gratitude can increase feelings of happiness and life satisfaction while decreasing depressive symptoms, many studies have shown. Like any skill worth mastering, gratitude takes practice to realize its full potential. Scientists have found that daily doses of gratitude deliver benefits beyond feelings of happiness, extending to enhanced relationships, self-esteem and overall life satisfaction.

To start sharpening your gratitude skill and begin making it an ongoing practice, try this five-day gratitude challenge:

Day 1: Begin by focusing on your 5 senses

• On a pad of paper or in a journal, finish this prompt: “Today, I am grateful for these three things I saw …”

Day 2: Cultivate thankfulness with each breath

• Sit down in a comfortable spot, and begin with some deep slow breaths. Next, Imagine a color you associate with feelings of gratefulness and let it fill your mind's eye as you fill your lungs with air.

• As you exhale, imagine that color and sense of gratefulness spreading down through your neck, chest and torso and out your limbs, disappearing as you finish your exhale.

• Silently count the number "one" in your head.

• Repeat this same visualization, synchronized with each breath, until you complete a count of 10 breaths.

• For your five-senses gratitude practice for the day, finish this prompt: “Today, I am grateful for these three things I touched/felt …”

Day 3: Reflect on the gifts of hardship

• For today's gratitude practice, reflect on a particularly difficult time in your life that you perceive as a tragedy, failure or mistake.

• Identify three things that came out of that experience that you can truly appreciate.

• Remember to also keep up with your five-senses gratitude focus by finishing this prompt: “Today, I am grateful for these three things I heard today …” 

Day 4: Express gratitude to others in writing

• Think of three people in your life who you appreciate

• Send each of them a quick but considerate correspondence in the form of a handwritten note, email or even a thoughtfully composed text. Remind them of why they are special to you and how worthwhile they are in the world. As a result of your effort, those on the receiving end will experience the mood-boosting benefits of being appreciated. 

• Don't forget to also write down three things for your five-senses gratitude prompt: “Today, I am grateful for these three things I tasted …”

Day 5: Notice and appreciate the small stuff

• Today, notice and verbally acknowledge at least two times that someone provided a service or imparted a small act of kindness toward you.

• Whether it's service providers, coworkers, friends or family, there are many people in our lives who take action to meet our needs.

• Finally, finish off your five-senses gratitude practice by focusing on your sense of smell.

• Finish this prompt: “Today, I am grateful for these three things I smelled …” 

That’s It! To dive further into the science and research behind this practice, please visit the link in our “Resources” cited below!

Mental Health and Social Emotional “Did You Know”: Compiled by Natalie Koncz, Ed.S., NCSP and Samanda Davis, LCSW, MSW. Resources: https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/23/health/boost-mood-gratitude-wellness/index.html

We are in a great position for our After Prom on May 3rd 11 pm-2am at The Island. Please mark your calendars because we’ll need lots of parent help that night. Look for a Sign Up Genius for volunteer shifts and food donations after Spring Break. Any questions? hmbdvm@yahoo.com.

Class of 2026 Parent Meeting: Tuesday, April 8th at 7:30 p.m. (immediately following the PTO meeting) Room 111

We will start planning Juniors and Junk Food and discuss the Senior Sleep-Out taking place in August. Hope to see you there!

Please consider making a donation to the Class of 2026. 

Give $26 to The Class of '26 through the PTO’s Online Square Account:

2026 Class Donations | TJHS PTO

Thank you,
Sheila and Carrie

Class  of 2027, mark your calendars for an upcoming restaurant fundraiser night at Dough Counter on Tuesday, March 11!

Does your employer match donations? We are looking for an organization to do a match with one of our fundraisers. If you know of an organization willing to make a corporate match, please contact Tiffany or Katie at the emails listed below. Your donation is tax deductible as the TJ Partners PTO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 

Please also consider making a donation to the Class of 2027’s Class Fund. Donations will support the After Prom (held Senior Year) and other class activities. This can be done through the online square account listed below

https://tjhsstore.square.site/product/2027-class-donations/

Want to get involved and help with ideas and planning for the Class of 2027? Please contact Class of 2027 parent co-chairs Tiffany Berry at broncofantif@hotmail.com or Katie Mousel at katielmousel@gmail.com 

Hello Class of 2028 parents and families! We will be raising money for the next four years (they
go by fast) for year end events and after prom.

The Bottom of the 9th event is coming up in the first or second week of May, during a home baseball game. The kids all come over and tailgate to celebrate the end of the 9 th grade and then watch the game. Please let me know if you are interested in helping. I’ll have a Signup Genius closer to the event, so be on the lookout for that.

Save the date: March 18 from 4-8 pm, we will have a fundraiser at Chipotle, 7350 E Hampden Ave Unit B-2, Denver, CO 80231-4894

There will also be a dine out event in April at Café Palooza. More details to follow.

We are also brainstorming a bigger fundraiser so if you have any ideas, please send them our way (kevkrug@gmail.com or jillkrug@gmail.com).

It’s time to give $28 to the Class of ‘28
It’s time to give $28 to the Class of ‘28 to help cultivate community for our students! If each family gives $28, we get close to our fundraising goals. You can give the $28 for the class of 2028 through the PTO’s Online Square Account: https://tjhsstore.square.site/product/2028-class-donations/151.