Andringa graduated from the University of North Carolina this year with degrees in journalism and computer science. From previous interviews I have read about you, it seems that you are very interested in the integration of technology and political science. Admission to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology November 6, 2020 Many Asian American parents at TJ believe the school is already diverse. One of the best high school in USA. His answers are below. I appreciate how HackTJ, Coding Lady Colonials, StartupTJ and similar organizations created space to engage with real-world applications of science and technology, especially by providing a bridge between TJ and the greater DC area community of entrepreneurs, researchers and engineers. Overall, the TJ community is very supportive and I would never give up the chance to be at TJ just for "better grades". Students get an excellent education at TJHSST! Students are constantly challenged by teachers, peers, and curricula. It's really only gotten worse, I've heard, under Bonitatibus, who doesn't understand TJ students. 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Home / Science Facts / Thomas Jefferson High School For Science And Technology. Student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Washington DC-Baltimore Area. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology alumni Peter Andringa (’16) recently earned a huge honor as he was named a Rhodes Scholar. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (also known as TJHSST, TJ, or Jefferson) is a Virginia state-chartered magnet school in Fairfax County, Virginia. My peers constantly inspired me to ask questions, try new things, and be ambitious enough to grapple with big problems — and my teachers encouraged and enabled that along the way.  The academics are super rigorous but class content is interesting and 8th period and friends make up for the difficult tests. Yet African American and Latinx young people are underrepresented in the TJ student body. I’m planning to study Social Science of the Internet at the Oxford Internet Institute, with a focus on digital news and trust online. Thomas Jefferson High School, a governor's school for science and technology, will have a new admissions policy for the class of 2025. Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology General school information. Established in 1985, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) is a partnership among businesses and schools created to improve education in science, mathematics, and technology. Ultimately, I hope to return to journalism for most of my career. Thomas Jefferson High School, a governor's school for science and technology, will have a new admissions policy for the class of 2025. The school is well funded and has various technology equipment and lab opportunities incomparable to those of other local high schools. The work load can be a lot but it gets you prepared for college by making you create good time management skills. Humbling. I applied to TJ in order to get a better education for myself. He will study in Oxford beginning in the fall of 2021. I’d prefer to deliver on another visitor now to speak about an innovation that might … Andringa graduated from the University of North Carolina this year with degrees in journalism and computer science. FCPS. Andringa recently was kind enough to share some of his thoughts on TJ and his future over email. As everyone else says, this school has amazing opportunities for research, experiences, and educational challenges. According to state test scores, 99% of students are at least proficient in math and 99% in reading. Posted on 27/11/2020 14/11/2020 by Author. Thomas Jefferson High School, a governor's school for science and technology, will have a new admissions policy for the class of 2025. I hope current students can find ways to avoid becoming too entrenched in the (exciting) bubble of math and science, since there’s so much to learn from the humanities, arts, languages and other disciplines as well. How about advice you would have for younger students (and their parents) considering applying to TJ in the future? Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology is a place of large diversity. How Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology performed nationally and statewide out of 17,792 nationally ranked schools and 320 schools ranked in Virginia. How do you feel TJ helped shape your journey to where it is today in becoming a Rhodes Scholar? Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. At a meeting on Thursday, the Fairfax County School Board will try to answer that question for its famous 35-year-old magnet, the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. :/ However, the courses offered here are simply unparalleled and good teachers if you manage to get lucky (the counselors + Brandon Kosatka's reforms have made it near impossible to escape terrible teachers; actually screw them). Mission Statement. It has 1,781 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 18 to 1. Jonathan Riehl was a class officer for the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology class of 1994. TJHSST is a very fun, science-oriented school with an emphasis on learning and discovery rather than brute-force memorization. He will study in Oxford beginning in the fall of 2021. (The Reuters Institute for Journalism, a research group at Oxford, also does a ton of interesting work in this space, and just published the first report in their “Trust in News project.”) Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Dr. Ann N. Bonitatibus, Principal 6560 Braddock Road Alexandria, Virginia 22312 Phone: 703-750-8300. Read more about how we calculate our rankings. Even though one might assume that a school focused so heavily on academics would be lacking in other areas, TJ students excel in the arts and in sports. Teachers, counselors and Admin staff are very helpful, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology. The school occupies the building of the previous Thomas Jefferson High School (constructed in 1965). I have loved my time so far at TJHSST, I just hate the lack of diversity apparent in so many of our classrooms. Once these issues have been addressed, the article can be renominated.Editors may also seek a reassessment of the decision if they … Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was a good articles nominee, but did not meet the good article criteria at the time. (And, I hope those divisions of the school continue to grow and thrive!) Ann Bonitatibus Principal at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Thousand Oaks, California 309 connections Teachers are not great at first, but they get better as you take more advanced classes. It allows you to learn in depth many computer science and engineering skills. There is support coming from nearly every direction, whether it’s from parents, teachers, or friends. 2020-12-10 LAST YOGA CLASS – survey with yoga mat raffle; 2020-12-09 Being a Present Parent (slides) 2020-12-07 Yearbook Senior Ads – deadline extended if space available Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology is a place of large diversity. It's a great school. Category: High (09-12) School Phone: 703-750-8300 Address: 6560 Braddock Rd Alexandria, VA 22312 Principal: Dr. Ann Bonitatibus Superintendent: Dr. Scott S. Brabrand School Number: 1371 Region: 4 Division: Fairfax County Public Schools Division Number: 29 Division Website (opens new window) Categories Colleges and Education Tags Academic Magnet High School South Carolina, BASIS Chandler Arizona, Best Public High Schools in America 2021, Merrol Hyde Magnet School Tennessee, School for Advanced Studies (SAS) Florida, The School for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) Texas, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology… What will you be studying in Oxford and how do you hope to use that experience once you return to the States? the science and math area is obviously very good. I’m fascinated by the ways that social media has changed the information ecosystems we live in, and I want to more systematically examine how news organizations best fit into that environment — ultimately so that we can design better websites, apps and storytelling formats that create empathy and trust. It is one of 18 Virginia Governor's Schools , and a founding member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology. I'm here and I hate it. By Emily Leayman , Patch Staff Dec 18, 2020 1:20 p m ET Although the environment are TJHSST is very competitive, the students support each other and can sympathize with each other. All seniors are required to complete a technology laboratory project as the culmination of their TJHSST academic experience, either in one of the specialized Research Laboratories, or through the Mentorship Program. Click to toggle navigation menu. As the Governor's School for S… Sadhika Dhanasekar ... Student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology class of 2021 I personally enjoyed the 4 years I had. However, the culture can be a little competitive which can be overbearing at times. Since you graduated from North Carolina earlier this year, you have been working at the Washington Post on election coverage. Some of the teachers at TJ have way higher expectations than my college professors in the name of "preparing you for college." However, I did make some pretty solid friendships and not all people are like that. I’ve always been interested in the way that technology affects our society — particularly in the way that social media has changed our habits of consuming news, interacting with each other and forming political beliefs. Please, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Reviews, Having graduated, some of the teachers here were simply astounding (special kudos to CS department: Patrick White, Paul Kosek just spectacular) but the absolute lack of diversity & concern for mental health is seriously crippling. Although the sports culture isn't huge, there are definitely some gems such as tennis and swim which are highly competitive. Attendance. TJHSST provides a comprehensive curriculum, emphasizing the sciences, mathematics, and technology. I have worked on developing a brain-controlled exoskeleton utilizing a support vector machine learning algorithm for the past year and show cased this in multiple science fairs and received accolades including at Virginia State Science Fair They have state of the art facilities and make you feel welcome. What do you believe brought about that interest? During election years we’re mainly focused on designing and building our live election-results experience across platforms, but we also work with other large or live-updating datasets (like Covid-19 cases), and build internal tools that help journalists at the Post uncover new stories faster. Jonathan Riehl was a class officer for the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology class of 1994. Stay updated with what's happening at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology with, © 2020 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Digital Resources at TJHSST - Parent Consent. The school is mostly Asian, and could benefit from more equitable opportunities for Black students, Hispanic students, and low-income students to apply and succeed. (This extends to beyond TJ as well — sometimes students are so invested that it feels like a bubble, and I found lots of value in remaining engaged in other more diverse communities outside of it.). Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology alumni Peter Andringa (’16) recently earned a huge honor as he was named a Rhodes Scholar. The people are great and most of the teachers are great too. The curriculum is rigorous and advanced, lots of resources, and the school is a great school overall. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Rankings. I've been able to find and persue my passions in the STEM field through TJs comprehensive STEM curriculum. Very advance, college level courses. How Science & Technology Are Related. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology offers six years of computer science. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 6560 Braddock Rd Alexandria VA 22312 I work on the Post’s Newsroom Engineering team, which is charged with finding ways to use technology to build more compelling digital experiences and assist our reporters in uncovering new stories. Of course, it’s also known for the immense stress and mental health issues. Serving students in grades 9 - 12 at a single site in Fairfax County, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology － Alexandria, VA. Finally, I think the academic rigor and workload of TJ (as much as I may have complained at the time) truly prepared me well for college classes, which opened up more opportunities for me to be involved in research, extracurriculars, and other work beyond campus. As I mentioned earlier, that was partially due to the integration of sciences and the humanities at TJ, where we more deeply engage with the positive and negative ways that technology is changing the “real” offline world as well. Most of the teachers genuinely care for their students' success and will often give up lunches or planning periods to help them out. It was rigorous and stressful, but overall it shaped me as a person and I met some friends I'll keep in touch with for the rest of my life. It allows you to learn in depth many computer science and engineering skills. 3rd year of college, and growing up around hyper-pretentious cut-throat and fake Asians for your formative years is very bad for students. 9-12 Rate your overall experience with Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology 100-1,000 … Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology (Alexandria, Va.) North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham, N.C.) Maggie Walker Governor’s School (Richmond, Va.) Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 6560 Braddock Rd Alexandria VA 22312 It is a regional high school operated by Fairfax County Public Schools. It also set unrealistically high expectations on the general level of intelligence of people in the real world. The work load can be a lot but it gets you prepared for college by making you create good time management skills. TJHSST offers an unmatched learning experience and provides many otherwise unattainable opportunities in the STEM area. Category: High (09-12) School Phone: 703-750-8300 Address: 6560 Braddock Rd Alexandria, VA 22312 Principal: Dr. Ann Bonitatibus Superintendent: Dr. Scott S. Brabrand School Number: 1371 Region: 4 Division: Fairfax County Public Schools … By Emily Leayman , Patch Staff Dec 18, 2020 1:20 p m ET Explore Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology test scores, graduation rate, SAT ACT scores, and popular colleges. Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of data and reviews. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, Virginia, will have a “holistic review” admissions process. 703-750-8315 . The types of interdisciplinary analysis that happened in IBET, Humanities and other classes turned out to be themes throughout my academic career since, so I credit TJ’s curriculum for encouraging it. Head Coach: Mark Gray-Mendes Assistant Coach: Mark Travis, Jake Boltersdorf, Steve Treger, Gregg Snow Athletic Trainer: Heather Murphy, Caroline Taylor Statisticians: Allison Gray-Mendes Mascot(s): Colonials School Administration Athletic Director: Rusty Hodges School Color: Red, White, Blue Nick Name: TJ Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology is a top rated, public, magnet school located in Alexandria, VA. Rather than trying to design yourself to fit into the TJ “mold,” I hope prospective students instead feel the freedom to be themselves and pursue the passions they’re excited about. I’d love to find ways to bridge the academic and practical sides of the field, to take learnings from empirical science and apply them to the way we design the user experience of online news products.Â, What advice would you have for current TJHSST students? Ranking Factors. There are lots of advanced classes available that you can't find in other high schools, which would suit people who know their interests/what they want to pursue. If you love being pushed to the extreme, absolute diehard nerd, this is the place for you. Pretty toxic environment with people only focused on getting ahead, padding up their college resume, and starting nonprofits just too look good. I'm from a very underdeveloped area with poor education and wanted to challenge myself for once. The curriculum itself is very rigorous, and I realized in some departments, you get a grade depending more on who your teacher is rather than how much content you know. TJHSST is a rigorous place to go to school. All I've gotten is mental problems, extreme stress, a terrible student and teacher environment, and most of all the fact that no one at this school cares about you. However, it is undeniably a great school with experienced faculty and plenty of opportunities for all students. News. It can be challenging to balance school, social life, and sleep, and the school definitely isn't for everyone. Representatives from business and industry and staff of the Fairfax County Public Schoolsworked together in curriculum and facilities development for the school. I will always remember the traditions, such as MEX and INITE. Can you explain a little of what your job entails? TJ is a wonderful place, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything — but I think it’s also important to remember that it’s not an all-encompassing sign of success or failure in life. it’s an amazing school, with so many opportunities. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) 6560 Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-750-8300 First, congratulations on this huge honor! As there is a selection process, the students at TJ are quite intelligent and driven. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) 6560 Braddock Rd, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-750-8300 TJ helped my social anxiety and built my self-confidence to break out of my shell. Headlines Compare Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology to Other Schools. Thomas Jefferson High for Science and Technology General school information. They have state of the art facilities and make you feel welcome. Our goal is to provide a world class computer science education to our students and to disseminate curriculum materials to other academic institutions. However, I wouldn’t rather go to another school. The mission of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is to provide students with a challenging learning environment focused on math, science, and technology, to inspire joy at the prospect of discovery, and to foster a culture of innovation based on ethical behavior and the shared interests of humanity. But for the other 90% do your best elsewhere + skip the insanity, you'll thank me. Thomas Jefferson High School For Science And Technology Hit With Civil Rights, Discrimination Suit DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG The Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, a prestigious Alexandria, Va. high school, has been hit with a federal civil rights … ... Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology 6560 Braddock Rd Alexandria VA 22312 Main Office. Ranking Factors. The opportunities offered at TJHSST are genuinely amazing, not everyone can say they've sequenced DNA or built an app used by the entire student body in high school. There are suggestions below for improving the article. Niche requires Javascript to work correctly. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Fairfax County Public Schools; 19 videos; 1,369 views; Last updated on Nov 6, 2019 What are some of the activities you participated in during your time at TJ and what were those experiences like? Much of my time at TJ was focused around entrepreneurship and technology, especially as one of the founders and later directors of HackTJ. Thomas Jefferson High School For Science And Technology. *, *answers are lightly edited for clarity and brevity. I think TJ offers the opportunity to be involved in so many different intersections of fields, and I hope students are able to enjoy those clubs, teachers and peer relationships that broaden their experiences, perhaps beyond their usual comfort zone. How Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology performed nationally and statewide out of 17,792 nationally ranked schools and 320 schools ranked in Virginia. Don't go here. This school is 100% built on community. Head Coach: Mark Gray-Mendes Assistant Coach: Mark Travis, Jake Boltersdorf, Steve Treger, Gregg Snow Athletic Trainer: Heather Murphy, Caroline Taylor Statisticians: Allison Gray-Mendes Mascot(s): Colonials School Administration Athletic Director: Rusty Hodges School … Looking back on my time at TJ, I think the greatest benefit was the people: I was so lucky to be surrounded by such incredible classmates and teachers during my four years there. I hated it when I first got here because I knew no one and it was very hard to adjust when everyone was way smarter than me, however through 8th period, IBET and HUM, and the long lunches I was able to make so many friends and try so many new things, like performing, learning about new cultures, and CS related things. 703-750-8300. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology. Many of those passions might still lead to TJ, but I hope students attend because TJ fits them, and not because they changed themselves to fit the school. I think TJ also instilled a love of science and math, but with a focus of how it interacted with the world: some of my fondest memories come from English, History or Government classes where my teachers in the humanities would tailor their curriculum to consider how technology was changing the world and our society around us, both for better and for worse. He currently works at the Washington Post for its Newsroom Engineering Team. 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