Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please comment on Latin and Russian at TJ. Dc planning on either Latin 1 or Russian 1.

Latin is supposed to be middle of the road in term of difficulty, and kids really like the teacher. Russian is supposed to be the easiest A. Kids also like the teacher. Latin, Russian and Japanese are probably the 3 most popular languages (but beware native speakers killing the curve in Japanese snd Chinese).

Also, to be aware of on Russian: TJ almost phased it out this year, and is looking to beginning next year. They would still keep it in some manner through the class of 2022 getting their language requirement. But be aware that’s out there. So if your kid wants 4 years, there are only 5-6 kids taking Russian 4 their senior year, TJ might not hire a teacher just to teach those 5 kids. They might look for a teacher of a different subject who teaches Russian, offer the class online. or make you go to a different HS (Marshall, I think??) to get it.

Also, there is only on section of each Russian class. And once they start Russian, they must do three years to graduate. So, Russian can cause scheduling problems by junior year. Latin could do the same of course. iDK how many sections of Latin there are. Russian is on my radar, because kids in Russian gotlocked out of upperclass band a couple years ago and had to play with the freshmen.

There were no plans to phase out Russian. There were almost plans to phase out German, Japanese, and Spanish 1.

NP here. Welcome to all the new TJ families. I encourage you to join the parents Facebook group for your child’s class. Might get more reliable information there.

And to the Arlington parent whose kid has already taken that history credit. You aren’t behind! Your kid is ahead because he/she has knocked that requirement out already. Don’t worry about EPF. Super easy to knock out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please comment on Latin and Russian at TJ. Dc planning on either Latin 1 or Russian 1.

Latin is supposed to be middle of the road in term of difficulty, and kids really like the teacher. Russian is supposed to be the easiest A. Kids also like the teacher. Latin, Russian and Japanese are probably the 3 most popular languages (but beware native speakers killing the curve in Japanese snd Chinese).

Also, to be aware of on Russian: TJ almost phased it out this year, and is looking to beginning next year. They would still keep it in some manner through the class of 2022 getting their language requirement. But be aware that’s out there. So if your kid wants 4 years, there are only 5-6 kids taking Russian 4 their senior year, TJ might not hire a teacher just to teach those 5 kids. They might look for a teacher of a different subject who teaches Russian, offer the class online. or make you go to a different HS (Marshall, I think??) to get it.

Also, there is only on section of each Russian class. And once they start Russian, they must do three years to graduate. So, Russian can cause scheduling problems by junior year. Latin could do the same of course. iDK how many sections of Latin there are. Russian is on my radar, because kids in Russian gotlocked out of upperclass band a couple years ago and had to play with the freshmen.

This is so helpful! Any thoughts on German? Which are the most popular language courses at TJ?

Anonymous wrote:Can someone please comment on Latin and Russian at TJ. Dc planning on either Latin 1 or Russian 1.

Latin is supposed to be middle of the road in term of difficulty, and kids really like the teacher. Russian is supposed to be the easiest A. Kids also like the teacher. Latin, Russian and Japanese are probably the 3 most popular languages (but beware native speakers killing the curve in Japanese snd Chinese).

Also, to be aware of on Russian: TJ almost phased it out this year, and is looking to beginning next year. They would still keep it in some manner through the class of 2022 getting their language requirement. But be aware that’s out there. So if your kid wants 4 years, there are only 5-6 kids taking Russian 4 their senior year, TJ might not hire a teacher just to teach those 5 kids. They might look for a teacher of a different subject who teaches Russian, offer the class online. or make you go to a different HS (Marshall, I think??) to get it.

Also, there is only on section of each Russian class. And once they start Russian, they must do three years to graduate. So, Russian can cause scheduling problems by junior year. Latin could do the same of course. iDK how many sections of Latin there are. Russian is on my radar, because kids in Russian gotlocked out of upperclass band a couple years ago and had to play with the freshmen.

Can someone please comment on Latin and Russian at TJ. Dc planning on either Latin 1 or Russian 1.

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone in this thread aware of an EPF online option DC can knock out in August? Got into TJ off the waitlist and feeling behind already. Thankfully we come from APS so already has World Geography credit.

Nope. Some has started several threads on here asking this. It does not exist. There is school year, summer term I (may -June), and Summer term II (June-July).

Have your DC take it self-paced school year. They should be able to knock it out by doing a couple hours every Sunday, or blocking off l3-4 days in winter break.

It is not time consuming. August is not an online option.

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone in this thread aware of an EPF online option DC can knock out in August? Got into TJ off the waitlist and feeling behind already. Thankfully we come from APS so already has World Geography credit.

There is no summer online EPF session in August.
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/high-school-academics-9-12/economics-and-personal-finance

Is anyone in this thread aware of an EPF online option DC can knock out in August? Got into TJ off the waitlist and feeling behind already. Thankfully we come from APS so already has World Geography credit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would it be a good idea to take ancient civ for elective in 9th grade and take AP CS in 10th grade without taking CS foundation class? Do they still need a skip test in 10th grade to take AP CS?

Yes. You have to take the skip test to skip foundations. Period. To skip in 9th Or 10th. No. It is not a good iidea. I know you think your kid is above it. They aren’t. They pass very few kids on the skip test. They are teaching foundational big picture concepts.

The “”standard” TJ track is not easy. It will be plenty hard for your kid, and require a ton work.

Thank You.

Anonymous wrote:Would it be a good idea to take ancient civ for elective in 9th grade and take AP CS in 10th grade without taking CS foundation class? Do they still need a skip test in 10th grade to take AP CS?

Yes. You have to take the skip test to skip foundations. Period. To skip in 9th Or 10th. No. It is not a good iidea. I know you think your kid is above it. They aren’t. They pass very few kids on the skip test. They are teaching foundational big picture concepts.

The “”standard” TJ track is not easy. It will be plenty hard for your kid, and require a ton work.

Would it be a good idea to take ancient civ for elective in 9th grade and take AP CS in 10th grade without taking CS foundation class? Do they still need a skip test in 10th grade to take AP CS?

Anonymous wrote:Can the kids from WL take AP CS in 9th grade?

NoBody can take AP CS unless they take the skip test. Mandy yes m WL kids can take the skip yesterday. BUT DON’T. Yes, we know your kid could code before they could talk, and is a savant in programming, etc. but so is every other kid there. TJ wants kids to get a certain foundation. So they call the class Foundations and everything.

The one piece of advice for all new parents. You kid is not at the base school anymore. Your kid is brilliant. So is every other kid. tJ’s Advice is tailored to brilliant kids. So follow it. If they say your kid should be in Spanish II, or math 2.5 or aafoundarions CS, take the advice.

Can the kids from WL take AP CS in 9th grade?

Incredibly helpful and much appreciated!!

Anonymous wrote:WOW - thank you! Very good information. If he repeats Spanish 2, I think he loses the HS credit for it. Does that matter much?

I don’t think so. My kid has Spanish I showing up twice on his transcript and the 4.0 is averaged in twice to his FCPS GPA. Since one is in MS and once in is in HS, we did not remove the MS one. If colleges count it when they re-average, it will help. It’s hard to see how it hurts, but my kid will probably make a note on his common application other info section that MS Spanish I did not provide adequate preparation for TJ Spanish II. Your kid will need to go through Spanish III to graduate from TJ, so it will take an extra year to get there (hence my kid in online summer Spanish III). Any kid graduating from TJ will have plenty of credits, since they come in with math and foreign language, and usually do EPF online and some summer school and possibly an 8th class. My music kid did a lot of summer school, and will graduate with:

6 1/2 years of math (A1 and Geometry in MS; AP Calc, AP Stats and Post AP Calc)
2 years of CS (1 AP)
4 years of Science (Bio, Chem, Physics and Geosystems)
4 years of English (1 AP— AP English is not an option at TJ in 11th)
4 years of History (2 AP— WH AP is not an option at TJ and 4th history cannot be AP)
4 years of Spanish, but Spanish I twice
2 years of PE
1 year of EPF
4 years of music
2 1/2 of tech (a year design tech and 3 semesters of lab pre-recs)
1 year of senior lab


Which is 35 credits, or an extra full year above the 28 credits you with 4 years, 7 periods each (2 MS math, 1 MS language, 1 summer CS, 1 EPF, 1 summer Spanish III, 1 summer history). You only need 26 credits to graduate.