Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
Address
6560 Braddock Road Alexandria , Virginia 22312 United States
Coordinates	38°49′06″N 77°10′07″W / 38.81833°N 77.16861°W / 38.81833; -77.16861
Information
School type	Public, magnet high school
Founded	1985; 40 years ago (1985)
School district	Fairfax County Public Schools
Principal	Ann Bonitatibus
Teaching staff	114.00 (FTE) (2022–23)
Grades	9–12
Gender	Coeducational
Enrollment	1,967 (2022–23)
Student to teacher ratio	17.25 (2022–23)
Campus type	Suburban
Color(s)	Red, white, and navy
Athletics conference	National District Region 6C
Team name	Colonials
Accreditation	SACS CASI
USNWR ranking	5 (2023)
Newspaper	tjTODAY
Yearbook	Techniques
Communities served	Northern Virginia
Feeder schools	Northern Virginia schools

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, often called TJHSST or TJ, is a special public high school in Fairfax County, Virginia. It's known as a magnet school because it attracts students from different areas who are interested in science and technology. The school opened its doors in 1985. It was created with help from the state, local governments, and companies in the technology field. TJHSST is one of Virginia's 18 Governor's Schools, which are special programs for talented students.

Students from six nearby areas can apply to attend TJ. Their applications are judged on essays, problem-solving skills, grades, and their background. Before the 2020–21 school year, students also had to take a math, reading, and science test.

School History

How TJHSST Started

The building where TJHSST is located was first built in 1964 as a regular high school. In 1983, the superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools had an idea for a special science high school. The plan was announced in 1984. In June 1984, the school board chose the Thomas Jefferson High School building for this new magnet school. They approved the money for it in February 1985.

At first, the school was only for students from Fairfax County. But then, the governor of Virginia, Charles S. Robb, decided that Fairfax County would host a regional science and technology school. So, the school board agreed to accept money from the state. This allowed students from Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William counties, and the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church to attend.

Many businesses helped create the school. They gave about $3 million and offered advice on what the school should teach. Companies like Hazleton Laboratories, Honeywell, and AT&T donated equipment or money. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology officially opened in the fall of 1985. It welcomed 400 ninth-graders and 125 seniors. These students were chosen from 1,200 applicants.

Recent Updates

From 2013 to 2017, the school went through big renovations. They added new research labs and internet cafes. They also built art galleries and a black box theater. A dome, like the one at President Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, was also added. These updates cost $90 million.

How to Apply to TJ

TJHSST is part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. Students from Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William counties can apply. Students from the Cities of Fairfax and Falls Church can also apply. To be eligible, students must be taking Algebra 1 or a higher math class in 8th grade. They also need a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.5.

The application process looks at several things. These include your grades, an essay about problem-solving in math or science, and a student portrait sheet. This sheet shows your skills and character. The school also considers your background, like if you are economically disadvantaged, a special education student, or an English language learner.

Each public school gets a certain number of spots. This number is 1.5% of that school's 8th-grade student population. Any remaining spots are given to the highest-scoring students. During the application review, students are only identified by a number. This means admissions officers do not know their race, gender, or name. Before the 2020–21 school year, the application process also included a math, reading, and science test.

What Students Learn

TJ's courses prepare students for college. They offer chances to succeed in all subjects, with a strong focus on science and technology.

Building Satellites: TJ3Sat and TJREVERB

Students in the Systems Engineering Course designed and built a small satellite called a CubeSat. This satellite, named TJ³SAT, was launched on November 19, 2013. It took off from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. A company called Orbital Sciences Corporation donated the CubeSat kit to the school. They also provided the launch for the satellite. TJ³SAT became the first satellite launched into space that was built by high school students. It had a transmitter and could broadcast messages sent from the school.

TJREVERB is the school's second CubeSat mission. Students spent six years planning, building, and testing it. This work was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. REVERB was launched on November 26, 2022, aboard SpaceX's CRS-26. It was then deployed from the International Space Station on December 29, 2022. The satellite is being tracked with help from many people. It will test a special radio and connect to the students' ground station through email.

Computer Systems Lab

The school's computer systems lab is one of the few high school facilities with a supercomputer. In 1988, a team from the school won an ETA-10P supercomputer in a national science competition. This supercomputer was later damaged. In 2002, Cray Inc. donated a new supercomputer called Seymour to the school. It is still on display today.

The lab also used to have many Sun Microsystems thin clients for students taking AP Computer Science. In 2008, the school received a grant for $388,048 from Sun Microsystems. This grant was written by students. The lab received 7 Sun workstations, 12 Sun servers, and 145 Sun Rays. These were used in computer labs and science classrooms. They also served as kiosks around the school. By 2014, the Sun Ray clients were replaced with Linux-based thin clients.

Achievements and Awards

U.S. News & World Report ranked TJ as the best high school in the United States in 2021 and 2022. It was ranked fourth in 2020 and tenth in 2019. In 2016, the school was first in Newsweek's "America's Top High Schools" for the third year in a row. The average SAT score for the class of 2020 was 1528. The average ACT score was 34.5.

Many TJ students have been named Semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search. For example, 14 students were named in 2007, 15 in 2009, and 13 in 2010. In 2024, 7 students received this honor.

In 2007, TJ was recognized for having the highest-performing AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, AP French Language, AP Government and Politics, and AP U.S. History courses worldwide. This was for schools with more than 800 students. In 2014, students took 3864 AP Exams. Over 97% of them earned a score of 3, 4, or 5, which is considered passing.

President Barack Obama signed a new law, the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, at the school on September 16, 2011. This law changed U.S. patent laws.

The school's wind ensemble has also received national recognition. In 1997, 2000, 2013, and 2017, they were invited to the Music for All National Concert Band Festival in Indianapolis. Only fifteen high school bands are invited to this event.

Notable Alumni

See also

• Coalition for TJ v. Fairfax County School Board
• Bronx High School of Science
• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
• Lowell High School (San Francisco)
• Stuyvesant High School