UAS - Thomas Jefferson High School
Thomas Jefferson High School
Preparing Urban Students for College Success
Location: 3950 South Holly Street, Denver, CO
Principal: Sandra Just
Background
Thomas Jefferson High School (TJ) is dedicated to meeting individual student needs and preparing each student to take advantage of their postsecondary options, including college. During students’ first year at TJ, they are part of a freshman academy designed to help them get acquainted with their school, teachers and peers. TJ also staffs a full-time tutoring and credit recovery center to help students remain on track for graduation. AVID is available at all grade levels to support students in achieving the school goal of maintaining a college-going culture. The school offers 13 Advanced Placement courses and has a partnership with Arapahoe College to offer dual enrollment at TJ. TJ has an 87 percent graduation rate with 82 percent going on to universities, colleges or trade schools.
Partnering to Prepare Urban Teachers
TJ is one of the schools identified as an Urban Apprentice School, served by Metro State College’s Urban Teacher Partnership. It has been a partner school with Metro State since 2006. The school hosts a number of field observation students and student teachers. The site coordinator at TJ described how the placement of pre-service students in the school’s classrooms has resulted in a more inviting culture in which staff members have become actively involved in the education of potential teachers. UTP students tutor for the AVID program, Reading Recovery and in the tutoring center as part of their field observation hours. Beginning in fall 2011, TJ will be a host site for a mathematics teaching methods class.
School Community
Student Population: There are 1151 students attending TJ and 60 percent of these are eligible for the federal free and reduced price lunch program. The school serves a diverse population of students that is 44.7 percent White, 29 percent Black, 3.6 percent Asian, 21.7 percent Hispanic and less than 1 percent Native American.
Staff: There are 73 teachers at TJ. Twenty-seven of these are male and 46 female.
Community/Parents: TJ Partners is the main parent organization. Parents who live in the neighborhood tend to be more involved in school activities than those living outside the area. TJ Booster Clubs support the various athletic groups at the school. The community is involved with the school through Rotary Club, Jewish Family Services, DECA board, Denver Chamber of Commerce, Young Life, Junior Achievement and other organizations.