ThunderRidge Weekly Update
Patterson's Perspective
Grizzly Families,
It's an exciting time at ThunderRidge as we approach graduation and the end of the school year.
Today was a special day as students received their yearbooks, and we celebrated the senior class with the Moving Up Ceremony, Last Blast and the Senior BBQ.
Tuesday night we are hosting our Senior Awards Ceremony, and Thursday, the Class of 2024 will graduate at DU. I look forward to honoring our seniors alongside our staff, families and community. Congratulations and thank you to all of you who have worked so hard to earn your diplomas. The last four years have been an amazing journey, and you've shown resiliency, adaptability and a love for ThunderRidge High School. I am proud of each and every one of you, and I wish you luck on your future endeavors.
Parents of 9th, 10th and 11th graders, please note that we will have a modified schedule next week due to graduation. The schedule is posted below. There will be no school for underclassmen on Thursday, May 16th.
We look forward to the upcoming weeks and finishing the school year strong. Please continue to monitor grades as we approach finals. Students that need extra help can use Access and Advisement time to go see their teachers. Finals for 9th-11th grades will begin on May 20th.
Also, just a reminder that Seminar, Access, and Advisement are graded on attendance and participation. The detailed information is also posted below.
Please reach out to us if you have any questions. Thank you again for your ongoing support of ThunderRidge, our staff and our students.
Have a great weekend,
Sean Patterson
Principal, ThunderRidge High School
Important Dates
May 14: Senior Awards Ceremony - 6:00pm - TR Gym
May 16: Class of 2024 Graduation - 6:00pm - University of Denver Magness Arena
May 16: No school due to graduation
May 20-23: Underclassmen Final Exams
May 23: Last day of school for Students/End of 4th Quarter
May 24: Grading/Teacher Workday - NO STUDENTS
May 24: Grades available online after 3:00pm
May 27: Memorial Day - Building Closed
June 3: Summer School Session I begins
June 7: TRHS Office closes for the summer at 12:00pm*
*OFFICE HOURS UNTIL JUNE 7: MONDAY- FRIDAY, 7:30AM - 2:30PM
Modified Schedule for May 13 - 17
Monday, May 13th - ALL day with NO PLC (7:40 start time)
Tuesday, May 14th - GREEN day
Wednesday, May 15th - BLUE day
>>> Thursday, May 16th - NO SCHOOL due to Graduation <<<
Friday, May 17th - ALL day WITH PLC (8:25 start time)
Underclassmen Finals Schedule for May 20-24
Access, Advisement and Seminar
Access, Advisment and Seminar - what are they, what is the difference between them, and how are they graded?
Access - Meets every Thursday. The purpose of Access is to offer students an opportunity to get extra academic support. During Access, students can travel to different classrooms to meet with teachers and get additional help they may need in a specific class. This class is a Pass (P) or Fail (F) class based on 60% attendance.
Advisement - Meets every Tuesday. Students receive a Pass (P) or Fail (F) grade for Advisement based on completion of work and 60% attendance.
Material covered in Advisement is:
Freshmen
Executive functioning skills
Navigating high school
Assignment/grade tracking
Study Hall
Sophomore
IB Sophomore Project (Additional information HERE)
Study Hall
Junior
College & Career Readiness
Post graduate goal setting & planning
Test preparation
Study Hall
Senior
Senior Project (Additional information HERE)
Graduation tasks & deadlines
Gratitude & service
Study Hall
Seminar - Meets every Tuesday and Thursday. Seminar is a cornerstone of ThunderRidge where students and staff try to establish positive relationships and a sense of community over the 4 year high school journey. Many of our traditions are based in this class. Students stay with the same teacher all the way through high school, ending with their Seminar teacher announcing their names at the graduation ceremony. This class is a Satisfactory (S) or Unsatisfactory (U) grade based on 60% attendance.
ThunderRidge Athletics
Click the image above to keep up with all ThunderRidge Athletics information, and be sure to follow us on Facebook.
AP Testing - Attendance Information
Advanced Placement (AP) testing is taking place May 6th through May 24th. Students will be excused from classes for the time of the exam only. If you wish for your student to be excused for additional time, please contact the attendance office.
Please reach out to Kristen Kovack, kkovack@dcsdk12.org with questions.
Important Information for the Class of 2024
Graduation Information and DU's Visitors Guide
For your convenience, DU has provided a visitor's guide for graduation. Please see the guide here for maps on where to park, how to enter Magness Arena, and where to meet your graduate after the ceremony. A list of prohibited items is also included. Please note that DU has a NO bag policy for graduations. Diaper bags and medical bags of a certain size are allowed, but all other bags or purses must be left at home or in your car. Please plan accordingly.
Tickets are not required to attend graduation, and seating is on a first come, first serve basis.
There is not a limit to the number of guests you may bring.
Doors open at 5:00pm, and the ceremony begins at 6:00pm.
Graduation Accommodations
DU is equipped to accommodate handicap parking and seating on a first come, first serve basis. No reservations are necessary.
Livestream
The ceremony will be livestreamed and recorded free of charge for friends and family who cannot attend in person. The link can be found here and is also posted on the ThunderRidge Senior webpage.
Graduation Photos
Professional photographers from LifeTouch will photograph each graduate as they receive their diploma. Photographs will be available within 48 business-day hours after the ceremony and uploaded to PhotoDay. You can access the images using the QR code below. There is no obligation to purchase the photos.
Senior Breakfasts
The following elementary schools are hosting Senior Breakfasts to congratulate their former students before they graduate. Click on your school's name below for details. Please contact your feeder school directly if you have questions.
Coyote Creek Elementary / Saddle Ranch Elementary / Stone Mountain Elementary
Moving or Attending Another School for the 24-25 School Year?
If your child is leaving to attend another high school for the 2024-25 school year, please notify Tiffany Klenke, Registrar, at tklenke@dcsdk12.org as soon as possible. The withdrawal paperwork will be started and instructions on returning books, paying fees, etc will be explained. Following this process will allow for a smooth transition to the new school.
Sign Up for the DCL Summer Reading Program
Help us win $500 for our school library--we've won two years in a row!
Just register here.
Make sure you enter ThunderRidge as your school!
Tissues Needed
Spring allergy season has arrived! Tissue donations for our library would be greatly appeciated. If you would like to contribute, please leave tissues at the front security desk labeled 'library'. Thank you!
IB Update
Counselors' Corner
This past week in the counseling office, TRHS counselors visited with 228 students to support them with academics, social emotional concerns, and post secondary planning. Counselors continue to work with our underclassmen to ensure they are on track academically and for graduation, and on making sure our seniors have any last minute items they need for graduation. Counselors are also busy proctoring AP exams for our students.
The 2nd Annual TRHS Career Fair was a smashing success! On May 7th, we had seven businesses from the community come to TR and interview over 70 students who were looking for a job. The businesses were very complimentary of our students, and many of them are interested in hiring our students. The students dressed professionally, and represented TR with class and maturity. Thank you to Chick-fil-a, Target, Highlands Ranch Rec Center, Tropical Smoothie, I Love Mac and Cheese, & King Soopers for providing job opportunities for our students. Way to go everyone!
Mindful Minute: Living in the moment
As we near the end of the school year, and the end of our seniors’ high school career, it’s important to remember that life is a series of moments, each a gift waiting to be unwrapped. Instead of dwelling on the past or fretting about the future, find beauty in the now. It's in these fleeting seconds that true happiness resides. Embrace the present, for it holds the power to transform your life. Live in the moment, cherish it, and watch as your world expands with possibilities. Check out this article highlighting 10 tips for living in the moment. Remember, our only power is now; it’s where we find our happiness.
This Week in Advisement
Freshmen
Freshmen watched the sophomore project presentations to gain an understanding of what it is, and potential ideas to accomplish next year.
Also, students made a final exam plan and calculated what scores are needed to achieve their desired grade for each class.
-Mr. Cohen
Sophomores
Today was the 2nd day of the Personal Project showcase. Once again the projects were amazing and it was a lot of fun to see all of the different things students accomplished this year. If students did not present at the showcase they will need to present to their Advisement teacher before May 14th to prevent earning a zero for the product. If you have questions regarding your student’s grade, please reach out to their Advisement teacher.
-Mrs. Brant
Juniors
Who doesn’t like a good catch up day, or is it ketchup?, catsup???….. Anyway, the end is in sight and juniors were given an opportunity to get work done, and get ready for finals. We have one final lesson next week where we will talk about senior year, and the future. Thanks, everyone, for a great year.
-Mr. Bidinger
Seniors
Seniors had study time for their finals in Advisement this week.
Ms. VandeVusse
Summer Camp Opportunities
Scholarship and Volunteer Opportunities
Roxborough State Park Volunteer Opportunity
Roxborough State Park is looking for 6 - 8 enthusiastic people to be our mascots at a special park event. It would be better if you are at least 5 ft.6 inches tall because of the size of the costumes. We are partnered with the Leave No Trace Center of Outdoor Ethics and were the first state park in Colorado to receive the gold standard designation of educating visitors about how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
Our annual event this year is June 1 from 9 -2. The event has special appearances by the mascots, Bigfoot and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Big Horn Sheep, Elbert. There are photo and engagement opportunities for visitors with the two. Your job is to wear the costume and have fun with the visitors who love to interact with these characters. No speaking is required. You will earn community service time toward your graduation requirement and have a great time!
Roxborough State Park is approximately 10 miles southwest of ThunderRidge High School. If you are interested, please email me, Sally Anderson, at sallyann55@comcast.net. You will have the opportunity to try on Big Foot before the 1st and there will be a permission form that needs to be signed.
Thanks so much!
Douglas County Libraries has a summer volunteer opportunity for teens who love to read and enjoy working with children. Apply to be a Big Buddy in our Reading Buddies program. Each selected Big Buddy will be trained to read and play literacy games with early readers of various ages to make reading fun, helping them get practice and gain confidence.
Sessions will be held at the Highlands Ranch Library on Tuesdays, June 17-July 12, 1:15-3:15 pm.
For more information and applications go to dcl.org/volunteer
Would you like to be a HOST FAMILY to an amazing high school exchange student from Europe? The STS Foundation is seeking host families now for August 2024. You can pick your student and choose to host for a semester, or for a full school year. Students bring their own spending money for all their expenses and have full comprehensive insurance. Please reach out to Heather Burkhardt for more information or to ask questions.
Heather is a local teacher in Douglas County School District and will help navigate you through every step of this amazing experience!
Heather Burkhardt
Local Cordinator/South Denver 937-304-6043 800-522-4678 x309
ThunderRidge is proud to offer a wide variety of clubs and activities!
Click the bar above for a full list including times, days and locations.
Shop the TR Apparel Store
Shop for your customizeable TR gear anytime at the TRHS Online Apparel Store.
About Us
Principal Sean Patterson
Mission Statement:
Empowering Grizzlies through curiousity, compassion, courage, community and service.
#AlwaysAGrizzly
Website: trhs.dcsdk12.org
Location: 1991 West Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
Phone: 303.387.2000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TRHSGrizzlies?mibextid+LQQJ4d
Twitter: @TRidgeGrizzlies
Support our school by shopping at American Furniture Warehouse!
Mention ThunderRidge at check-out and a percentage of your purchase will be donated back to the school!
Purchases count any time of the year.