TJ offers a jump-start for 8th graders to kick off their high school career early.
Artwork by Mia Nogueira
As the year comes to the end teachers and administrators start thinking about the new freshman class that will be entering TJ in August. To make students as comfortable as possible when entering a new school, TJ holds a Freshman Academy for the upcoming ninth graders. “Freshman Academy is for new ninth graders to get acquainted with their school, teachers, and peers,” said JoAnne Moreno, one of TJ’s administrators.
Freshman Academy is offered during the summer here at TJ, on July 26th through the 30th in the morning from 8:00 a.m. to 12 p.m. “This course is optional, but students will receive 2.5 elective credits,” said Moreno. Students can register between now and the first day of the program. Applications should be provided at all middles schools or Moreno can fax them to parents.
During the week of July 26th students will be taking four classes: Math, Literature, Success Highway, and Intro to High School. Success Highway is a class where students learn to be successful and make a transition in high school life and work. Intro to High School is where students learn how to use Infinite Campus and about their graduate requirements and how to understand a transcript.
Many TJ teachers, including: Erin Thompson, Tim Owens, Kirk Hammond, Liz Buffington, Vanessa Wagner, Mollie Pitrone, and Matt Laurita, will be at the school helping out or teaching some of the classes.
“Thompson will be teaching Intro to High School because she is the counselor at TJ,” said Moreno. Wagner is teaching math, Hammond will be teaching Lit, Pitrone is doing Success Highways, Owens is teaching half math and Success Highways, and Buffington is doing half Lit and Intro to High School.
“I’m going to be helping out as the secretary and I get the chance to meet the students, take attendance and of course recruit wrestlers!” said Laurita.
Though Freshman Academy is not mandatory it will be good a opportunity for upcoming freshmen to take this chance and get a head start for their first year of high school. If anyone has any questions please contact JoAnne Moreno at: 720-423-7149 or email her at: JoAnne_Moreno@dpsk12.org.
