Anonymous
Post 05/21/2026 15:31     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Weird because I have heard seniors and alums tell me learning Spanish well was worth the difficulty and they wouldn’t change a thing. Seriously…especially after traveling or doing study abroad they feel quite grateful for the rigor.
Anonymous
Post 05/21/2026 09:04     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:AP classes in the lower grades ant TJ are easier than the classes they replaced.
If you try to do summer Spanish you will end up not doing well in placement tests at college—just go to the TJ class and actually learn the language—it’s a valuable skill to have.
If your mindset is to avoid everything difficult at Tj you are already telling yourself and your student that he/she is not a good candidate for TJ. Leave the spots for people who genuinely want a rigorous high level education.


Not everything, just Spanish.
Anonymous
Post 05/21/2026 08:26     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
AP classes in the lower grades ant TJ are easier than the classes they replaced.
If you try to do summer Spanish you will end up not doing well in placement tests at college—just go to the TJ class and actually learn the language—it’s a valuable skill to have.
If your mindset is to avoid everything difficult at Tj you are already telling yourself and your student that he/she is not a good candidate for TJ. Leave the spots for people who genuinely want a rigorous high level education.
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2026 13:50     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would switch to either Russian, Mandarin, or German.
You can remove Spanish 1 from the transcript altogether.



My son has took Spanish 1 in 8th. Do you recommend switching languages or taking Spanish 2

I don’t think we saw Russian on the course request this year


Maybe try and reach out to the counselor and see if there's a way to get your kid signed up for Russian 1, even if it's online. Russian 1 isn't difficult to master via online school.
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2026 13:49     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
It's interesting because Russian 1 isn't being offered but 2 and 3 and Career are being offered. So I suppose the assumption is that the kid walks in with Russian 1 from somewhere else?
Anonymous
Post 05/18/2026 09:44     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I would switch to either Russian, Mandarin, or German.
You can remove Spanish 1 from the transcript altogether.



My son has took Spanish 1 in 8th. Do you recommend switching languages or taking Spanish 2

I don’t think we saw Russian on the course request this year


That's a decision you will have to make. Spanish is probably not a GPA killer, it is a time sink. The effort required to get an A in Spanish seems unreasonable considering it is not even honors.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 18:30     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:I would switch to either Russian, Mandarin, or German.
You can remove Spanish 1 from the transcript altogether.



My son has took Spanish 1 in 8th. Do you recommend switching languages or taking Spanish 2

I don’t think we saw Russian on the course request this year
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 18:22     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
I would switch to either Russian, Mandarin, or German.
You can remove Spanish 1 from the transcript altogether.



My son has took Spanish 1 in 8th. Do you recommend switching languages or taking Spanish 2
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 14:44     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Welcome to TJ! I am a parent of a freshman and appreciated some of the advice I found on this site last year. Hoping to pay it forward.

1. Consider taking PE over the summer- it will allow your child to take either an elective or a history class.
2. History is not a required freshman course, but 4 years are needed. So, you can double up in future years or do PE over the summer.
3. Spanish and French are quite difficult at TJ. If your child was planning to take Spanish 3 at their base school, Spanish 2 is likely where he/she will land and even that may be a struggle. Consider switching to Russian, German, or Mandarin if there is an interest.


My son has took Spanish 1 in 8th. Do you recommend switching languages or taking Spanish 2


With virtual virginia, you can take spanish in the summer all the way to AP at a normal level of rigor.
Anonymous
Post 05/16/2026 14:04     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:Welcome to TJ! I am a parent of a freshman and appreciated some of the advice I found on this site last year. Hoping to pay it forward.

1. Consider taking PE over the summer- it will allow your child to take either an elective or a history class.
2. History is not a required freshman course, but 4 years are needed. So, you can double up in future years or do PE over the summer.
3. Spanish and French are quite difficult at TJ. If your child was planning to take Spanish 3 at their base school, Spanish 2 is likely where he/she will land and even that may be a struggle. Consider switching to Russian, German, or Mandarin if there is an interest.


My son has took Spanish 1 in 8th. Do you recommend switching languages or taking Spanish 2
Anonymous
Post 05/13/2026 14:41     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:Parent of a 12th grader and a 10th grader:

Note: be careful who you get advice from because the courses and the approach has changed a lot in the 2 yrs between my kids. For example, the AP academic pressure is a bit harder, and the math for 9th graders is harder now that they have merged RS1 (stats) into the other math classes.

If you can, take PE in 9th grade--there's a lot of socializing and its a good spot to make friend.

Also, go easy on your 9th grade class selection: transitioning to any high school is a jump for many if not most students. TJ adds a +1 to that transition.

in 12th grade, its easy to add the 4th history/social studies class. Or it's a good compliment to the 11th grade year, which can be pretty intense.

Spanish is do-able. Students from immersion do well. Folks from outside of FCPS can request to go a slightly lower Spanish level when they transition in--that might also help.

Have your student ride the bus (at least the first month). It's tempting to drive them or get them a ride, so they can sleep in a bit more. But there's a lot of info and lessons learned that happens on the bus, and they get to know others from their area that also go to TJ.

Try theater, arts, music, or join one of the sports teams. They are really great places for community, and meeting people in other grades (which really helps navigate). Parents--join the 9th grade reading club. It only meets 3x and the discussions are helpful. Our year, we discussed the book "How to Raise an Adult" which was a great discussion for any high school parent.


Thanks for all this great advice!!
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2026 14:13     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:Parent of a 12th grader and a 10th grader:

Note: be careful who you get advice from because the courses and the approach has changed a lot in the 2 yrs between my kids. For example, the AP academic pressure is a bit harder, and the math for 9th graders is harder now that they have merged RS1 (stats) into the other math classes.

If you can, take PE in 9th grade--there's a lot of socializing and its a good spot to make friend.

Also, go easy on your 9th grade class selection: transitioning to any high school is a jump for many if not most students. TJ adds a +1 to that transition.

in 12th grade, its easy to add the 4th history/social studies class. Or it's a good compliment to the 11th grade year, which can be pretty intense.

Spanish is do-able. Students from immersion do well. Folks from outside of FCPS can request to go a slightly lower Spanish level when they transition in--that might also help.

Have your student ride the bus (at least the first month). It's tempting to drive them or get them a ride, so they can sleep in a bit more. But there's a lot of info and lessons learned that happens on the bus, and they get to know others from their area that also go to TJ.

Try theater, arts, music, or join one of the sports teams. They are really great places for community, and meeting people in other grades (which really helps navigate). Parents--join the 9th grade reading club. It only meets 3x and the discussions are helpful. Our year, we discussed the book "How to Raise an Adult" which was a great discussion for any high school parent.


This is really phenomenal advice. I entered TJ in Spanish 3 having taken two years of Spanish in another jurisdiction with gen ed kids and completely drowned - and never said anything about it because I had too much pride. Worse yet, I had a very weak Spanish 3 teacher (who, thankfully, is no longer at TJ). Had I entered in Spanish 2, it would have been a completely different experience for me.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2026 13:06     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Parent of a 12th grader and a 10th grader:

Note: be careful who you get advice from because the courses and the approach has changed a lot in the 2 yrs between my kids. For example, the AP academic pressure is a bit harder, and the math for 9th graders is harder now that they have merged RS1 (stats) into the other math classes.

If you can, take PE in 9th grade--there's a lot of socializing and its a good spot to make friend.

Also, go easy on your 9th grade class selection: transitioning to any high school is a jump for many if not most students. TJ adds a +1 to that transition.

in 12th grade, its easy to add the 4th history/social studies class. Or it's a good compliment to the 11th grade year, which can be pretty intense.

Spanish is do-able. Students from immersion do well. Folks from outside of FCPS can request to go a slightly lower Spanish level when they transition in--that might also help.

Have your student ride the bus (at least the first month). It's tempting to drive them or get them a ride, so they can sleep in a bit more. But there's a lot of info and lessons learned that happens on the bus, and they get to know others from their area that also go to TJ.

Try theater, arts, music, or join one of the sports teams. They are really great places for community, and meeting people in other grades (which really helps navigate). Parents--join the 9th grade reading club. It only meets 3x and the discussions are helpful. Our year, we discussed the book "How to Raise an Adult" which was a great discussion for any high school parent.
Anonymous
Post 05/05/2026 12:22     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me about the sports? Have your children had a positive experience? I am particularly interested in wrestling, football, and lacrosse in that order. My child really enjoys wrestling and is good at it. He can handle the academics, but I want to make sure that he will be happy with the sports program.


We Came for the Sports.

Wrestling is basically no cut but the varsity spots can be pretty competitive. Making weight and hydration was not something I enjoyed watching my kid doing while they are still growing.
Freshman football is no cut. I don't think there is a particularly deep cut at the JV level. Varsity seems like there is a bit of a deeper cut but I don't know a lot of kids thar really wanted to make it that didn't geta spot somewhere on the varsity team.
No idea about lacrosse but my friend's kid really likes it.


Huh? TJ only has varsity football. And they were still trying to find kids to play after school started.


What am I thinking of? Why do they have those different colored jerseys?


Home and away jerseys?


There's at least 3 colors


Yep - TJ Football has several different jerseys that they wear. They got a new set donated this year for the school's 40th anniversary.
Anonymous
Post 05/04/2026 15:02     Subject: Advice for new TJ Parents
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Can someone tell me about the sports? Have your children had a positive experience? I am particularly interested in wrestling, football, and lacrosse in that order. My child really enjoys wrestling and is good at it. He can handle the academics, but I want to make sure that he will be happy with the sports program.


We Came for the Sports.

Wrestling is basically no cut but the varsity spots can be pretty competitive. Making weight and hydration was not something I enjoyed watching my kid doing while they are still growing.
Freshman football is no cut. I don't think there is a particularly deep cut at the JV level. Varsity seems like there is a bit of a deeper cut but I don't know a lot of kids thar really wanted to make it that didn't geta spot somewhere on the varsity team.
No idea about lacrosse but my friend's kid really likes it.


Huh? TJ only has varsity football. And they were still trying to find kids to play after school started.


What am I thinking of? Why do they have those different colored jerseys?


Home and away jerseys?


There's at least 3 colors