ThunderRidge Weekly Update

🎭 January 17-20 - Winter Play - 12 Angry Jurors - 7:00pm

🖥️ January 23 - 8th Grade Registration

🖥️ January 23 - 8th Grade Parent Information Night - Commons - 5:30pm

🖥️ January 24 - 8th Grade Registration Workshop - C217 - 4:00pm - 6:00pm

🖥️ January 26 - Registration for 24-25 school year closes

🏫 February 15 - Parent Teacher Conferences - more information to come

🎓 February 15 - Senior Parent Information Meeting - Auditorium - 5:30pm

⛔ February 16 - Professional Development Day - NO STUDENTS

⛔ February 19 - Presidents' Day - NO SCHOOL

🏫 February 22 - Grizzly Path - Find your calling: Post High School Info Night - 5:30pm - 8:00pm

Monday - Blue Day

Tuesday - Green Day

Wednesday - Blue Day

Thursday - Green Day

Friday - ALL Day with PLC

You can register on the ThunderRidge Athletic Registration Website.

*Boys Volleyball, Girls Golf and Boys Co-Op Swim and Dive start on February 19th.*

All other Spring Sports start on February 26th.

Please follow the steps below to register your student.

Step 1: Students registering for Athletics must have a current physical examination on file in the Activities office before the student is authorized to participate in practice/tryouts . To ensure clearance for participation, physicals should be completed and uploaded into your family account on the registration site prior to the first day of practice/tryouts.

Click HERE to download the blank Physical Form.

Step 2: Fill out and submit the Online Registration Form before the start of the season. Please read through these forms carefully and be certain to complete and acknowledge each one where required.

Step 3: Once you've completed the form, you'll have the option to pay the activity fee online (credit card) or by check. Payments online are made through our My School Bucks.

NOTE:
Within two weeks of tryouts, if an athlete chooses not to continue participating in his/her sport, a full or partial refund MAY be given, depending upon the athlete's situation. Athletes that are cut from their sport after the Athletics Office receives verification from the coach, will receive a full refund of the athletic participation fee. There will be absolutely NO REFUNDS after the first contest.

If DCSD has approved your student for the 2023-24 school year Free & Reduced Lunch program, PLEASE PROCEED to My School Bucks and check out. This needs to be done in order to clear your student.

**Some sports may require an additional payment for team-associated fees. These fees are IN ADDITION to the DCSD Participation Fee of $200.00**

If you have any questions about Spring Registration, you may email the Athletics Department at trhsathletics@dcsdk12.org

Click the image to keep up with all ThunderRidge Athletics information!

Congrats to the he TRHS Overwatch team for their amazing playoff run! They were down 0-2 early in a best of five match against Cherry Creek, but fought back to tie it at 2-2. Unfortunately, they couldn't hang on to the lead in the final game, and lost 3-2. During playoffs they also upset the #1 and #4 seeded team. Well done, team!

Course registration closes on January 26th at 3:00 pm, and we still have many students who have not registered for next year’s classes. Students, please log on to your academic plan on IC and enter your courses for next year, to ensure you get the classes you need for graduation!

During Grizzly Gives week, we plan events and sell t-shirts to raise money for the Caruso Family Charities, a local nonprofit that helps disadvantaged families with terminally ill children. ThunderRidge 'hosts' and focuses our fundraising efforts to truly impact a family in need.

The family we are sponsoring this year is the Moore family, who is currently experiencing very difficult times. They are a family of five with a single mother, and the 14 year old boy, Denali, is sick with DiGeorge syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that results in poor development of several bodily systems. On top of that, their house recently burned down unexpectedly and they lost all of their belongings. The Moores are severely struggling and are in need of additional help.

With this, we wanted to reach out to the ThunderRidge feeder community to try to gather some additional sponsors to help out the Moore family as much as possible! If you or your company would like to support this cause, we are asking for $250.00 in donations, and in return, your company logo would be on the back of the Grizzly Gives t-shirt sold to all of the ThunderRidge students and all of our feeders. We have established an online donation spot for your convenience. Please scan the QR code or click on the following link: TRHS Grizzly Gives.

Sponsorships are being accepted through 11:59pm on January 21st. Donations are always accepted.

Your help would be greatly appreciated and we are excited to work with you as we support an amazing cause! Please direct any questions or logos to our Student Government sponsor, Thomas Sullivan at thomas.sullivan@dcsdk12.org.

Do you know someone who is interested in attending ThunderRidge High School for the 2024-2025 school year? The second round of open enrollment for DCSD opens January 22nd. Visit the DCSD website to apply. Please reach out to Tiffany Klenke, Registrar, at tklenke@dcsdk12.org with any questions.

Peer Counseling is a unique program at TRHS where students are trained, through a Peer Counseling class for which they receive graduation credit, to help other students with various academic, personal, and social issues. Students who serve as Peer Counselors have the opportunity to make an incredibly positive impact on their school, while gaining valuable life skills.

Click here to visit the Peer Counseling website for all the information and application. Applications are due by Monday, March 4th at 3:00 pm.

What former Peer Counselors have to say about the program:

"I reflect back and I am truly thankful for these past 2 years and the knowledge and relationships I have gained. I feel more mature and more ready for adulthood because of this program. I am so grateful to have gotten to learn from not only students, but from the counselors and peers in this program and I couldn’t imagine how different my highschool experience would have been without it." “Peer counseling has helped me be a better listener and supporter of my friends and family. It has meant to the world these experiences that I had gained from this program. The thing I think that I take away from peer counseling is the support a person can offer, whether a stranger or a friend, it can give someone confidence and motivation to get back up and conquer the world.”

“It's really crazy to me to see how different people that have grown up in different experiences can come together towards one goal and still be able to support each other even with different beliefs.” “Being a PC has meant way more to me than I had imagined. I have always loved being able to help others but there's something about giving back to your own school community that makes it extra special!”

“Being a PC has brought me back to who I am.”

Join in on TR's International Week from February 5th-9th.

Purchase tickets to events and two items from the World Cuisine Menu on MySchoolBucks at the reduced pre-sale price of $15 by Friday, January 26th. Ticket prices will increase to $20 each after that date, so make sure to buy early!

Food will be available to students and staff during lunches. Meal vouchers can be purchased in-person at lunches from January 29th – February 2nd, and during International Week, for a price of $6 each.

A limited number of parking permits are available for purchase on a first come, first serve basis through January 31, 2024.

To purchase, scan the QR code below, or visit myschoolbucks to complete the application and pay.

If you purchased a permit at the beginning of the year, you do not need to purchase one now.

Many parents have reached out wanting to still purchase a senior advertisement. The deadline has been extended, but today, Friday, January 19th, is the absolute last day we can accept advertisements, so make sure to order one today! Visit the Seniors 2024 page on the TRHS website for ordering information.

Senior parents - save the date! Please plan to attend the Senior Parent Information Meeting on February 15th at 5:30 pm during Parent/Teacher Conferences. We'll discuss your student's second semester focus as well as logistics and important dates leading up to graduation.

Seniors - be sure to complete your 20 hours of community service before March 29th and turn your paperwork in to the Counseling Office.

Please visit the Herff Jones website here to place an order for caps & gowns and graduation memorabilia. You can stop by the main office to pick up an information packet if you would like more details.

TRHS Counselors saw 161 students this past week for academic and post secondary planning, and social emotional support. Over 100 students were assisted with course registration for next year on Thursday alone!

Career Exploration Series this month:

January 16th 10:20am-10:55am: Health Sciences - Naturopathic Doctor

January 23rd 10:20am-10:55am: Law/Public Safety - Law Enforcement Agent, Colorado Bureau of Investigation

January 20th 10:20am-10:55am: Animal Science - Veterinary/Veterinary Technician - Dr. Cindy Koons Sign up in the counseling office!

Volunteer Hours:

The Aspen Effect offers volunteer hours, through community service projects, each month to high school students. Please reach out to the organization if you have any questions. Here is a link to the program.

The Denver Foundation - Scholarships:

Scholarships at The Denver Foundation are now open! Click here to apply. The deadline for many of our opportunities is March 1, 2024.

Mindful minute:

STOP is a four step mindfulness technique that can be done virtually anytime and anywhere when you are feeling overwhelmed. Here are the steps:

S: Stop. Stop what you are doing. Stop what you are thinking. Take a moment to dedicate yourself to mindfulness.

T: Take a breath. Take a deep breath in and out. Find a method that works for you and slows you down. You might count up or down, close your eyes, breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, etc.

O: Observe. Take a moment to observe how you feel physically and mentally. Try to identify your feelings. Alternatively, take a moment to observe your surroundings. Focus on the details and how they make you feel.

P: Proceed. Proceed intentionally with the task at hand. If you need to slow down, slow down. If you need to set a time limit, set a timer. If you need to drink some water, grab some water. Practice being in tune with yourself and proceed with your day in a way that makes sense for you.

Click here for the full counseling newsletter.

• First-Footing (Scotland): In Scotland, the first person to enter a home after the stroke of midnight is called the "first-footer." This person is believed to bring good fortune for the year ahead.
• Eating 12 Grapes (Spain): In Spain, it is a tradition to eat 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight, each grape symbolizing good luck for each month of the coming year.
• Hatsumode (Japan): Japanese people celebrate the new year with a visit to a Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple during the first three days of January. This visit, known as Hatsumode, is believed to bring good luck and blessings.
• New Year's Eve Feast (Philippines): Filipinos celebrate with a grand feast on New Year's Eve called "Media Noche." Round fruits are believed to bring prosperity, and there's a tradition of making loud noises to drive away evil spirits.
• Burning of "Año Viejo" (Ecuador): In Ecuador, people create effigies called "Año Viejo" representing the old year, and they burn them at midnight to symbolize getting rid of the past and welcoming the new.
• First Sunlight (South Africa): Some people in South Africa follow the tradition of waking up early on New Year's Day to watch the first sunrise, symbolizing new beginnings.
  
• Breaking Plates (Denmark): In Denmark, it is a tradition to save old and unused dishes throughout the year and then smash them against the doors of friends and family on New Year's Eve. It symbolizes letting go of the past and embracing new connections.
  
• Cleansing Rituals (Iran): In Iran, people celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, with a thorough cleaning of their homes and a symbolic cleansing of their spirits to start the year fresh.

The Teen Science Scholars at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science is hosting a paid summer internship for rising juniors and seniors (current sophomores and juniors). See the attached flyer for all the details!

The Reading Buddies program pairs a trained teen volunteer with a current 1st through 3rd grade child who is having challenges with reading. The program also helps teens develop teaching and leadership roles.

Teams meet weekly at the library on either Tuesday or Thursday, 3:30 - 5:00. The spring term will start with a training on February 29th and then run March 4th - May 2nd.

Apply now at https://www.dcl.org/volunteer/

Applications are due February 2nd.

For questions, please email hireadingbuddies@dclibraries.org, call 303-791-READ, or stop by a branch and talk to a friendly staff member!

Sign up here to help with Eldorado Elementary's annual family dance on February 9th. Volunteers will help with photo booth, temporary tattoos, door greeting, Panther costume and other activities from 5:45pm - 8:30pm. Bring volunteer forms to be completed at the end of the evening.

TheDouglas County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Management is looking for volunteers to participate in a simulation evacuation. An international team of wildfire scientists and engineers affiliated with the National Fire Protection Association Research Foundation (NFPA) will be working with DCOEM, West Metro Fire (WMF), Douglas County Wildfire Action Coalition (DCWAC), and the Roxborough Park Fire Mitigation Committee (RPFMC) in conducting this drill.

June 29th // 8:00am - 1:00pm

If you are interested in participating, please reach out to Mr. Bob Byrne for more information. rmichaelbyrne@yahoo.com

No Advisement this week due to snow day.

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 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 for your customizeable TR gear anytime at the TRHS Online Apparel Store.

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

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.