June 2017: Special Edition

TJTODAY THE MAGAZINE

6560 BRADDOCK RD. ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312

JUNE 7, 2017 || VOL 2 ISSUE 7 || www.tjtoday.org

THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECH || ALEXANDRIA, VA

NEW

AVENUES

After eleven school years as principal, Evan Glazer bids farewell to the Jefferson community

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GLAZER’S GREATEST HITS A look at Glazer’s ten years at Jefferson

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FLASHBACK

An article published during Glazer’s first year at Jefferson

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SELF REFLECTION

Glazer reflects on his life thus far

IN-DEPTH || GLAZER ANSWERS STUDENT QUESTIONS

EXPLORING

INFOGRAPHIC // Angel Kim DESIGN // Ankit Agrawal

FEATURES

Differing DEMOGRAPHICS Analyzing the demographics between the class of 2010 vs. class of 2021 74.90%

50.1% 37.87%

17.8%

white

1.97%1.80%

3.55%1.60%

black

hispanic

6.51%3.90%

asian

other

Statistics from http://www.fcag.org/tjadmits2006.html and https://www.fcps.edu/news/fcps-offers-admission-tjhsst-490-students

Eleven Years with Dr. Glazer: a Timeline Evan Glazer becomes the new principal Barack Obama visits to sign the America Invents Act

David Rice (‘13) creates the first “One Question”

School Renovation Begins

2006 2011 2012 2013

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Ann Bonitatibus announced as the new principal

Glazer wins the Bruce Oliver Leadership Award

#closeFCPS trends after harsh snow storms

School Renovation Ends

May 26

2013 2015 2017 2017

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4 FEATURES

NEW PRINCIPAL ARRIVES

Glazer’s ubiquitous presence motivates faculty and students Alice Chung and Pratima Gopalakrishnan || CLASS OF 2007

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nnovative, amiable and genuine. Three adjectives. Sound familiar, seniors? New principal Evan Glazer isn’t applying to college but if he were, these three would capture the impression students and teachers alike have had of him in the summer months.

of being administrator,” said Ries. “I think [that] was related to his having completed his education in an information age more like that of [the] students. The fact that he had taught mathematics himself… gave him added credibility.”

Since his tenure began July 1, Glazer has been eager to learn what Among a sea of new faces at Jefferson, Glazer can recognize at he termed the “unique TJ culture.” Indeed, the sight of him chatting least one person: social studies teacher Melissa Schoeplein, whom he with students and cruising down the halls on a toy scooter borrowed taught calculus her senior year at University Laboratory High School from the main office has now become familiar. in Urbana, Illinois.

Before coming to Jefferson, Glazer was director of the Roanoke “I was the fourth calc teacher they had that year,” said Glazer, Valley Governor’s School for Science and Technology. Students from “because the class ate their teachers alive, but I wasn’t told that when several high schools would attend only math and science classes I came in.” at RVGS. Therefore, although all the students attended governor’s “He was the youngest teacher we had ever had,” said Schoeplein. school, they would actually be associated with other schools.

“He’s a very creative teacher, but like some TJ students, Dr. Glazer “When I went to an athletic event, the schools would be playing has had a parent-teacher conference with my mother.” each other,” said Glazer. “I could never cheer for the team, just the Originally printed September 2006 students.”

So when Glazer braved the heat and attended cross country practice at Jefferson over the summer, it was a new experience for him.

“He definitely wants to hear what the students want to say,” said SGA President Sylvia Chen.

“Even though he’s really busy learning the ropes at TJ, he always takes the time to talk with students and actually learn their names.”

Cindy Ries, a RVGS parent, agrees with Chen.

“I think his Chicago midwestern friendliness wore very well in Roanoke where people expect to be greeted personally,” she said.

Raised in the Chicago suburbs,Glazer received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in mathematics education from the University of Illinois.

Glazer started out as a physics major, but realized it “wasn’t going in the direction [he] had hoped.”

Seeing a national effort to teach mathematics in a new way, Glazer got into instructional technology and began thinking of new tools to facilitate learning. He received his doctorate in instructional technology from the University of Georgia in 2003.

“He injected a sense of fun into the endeavor

ADS || JUNE 7, 2017

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FEATURES

FEATURES || JUNE 7, 2017

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ANY FINAL QUESTIONS Q: What was your first impression of TJ?

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Dr. Glazer answers questions from the Jefferson community

Awestruck by the teachers and students, unimpressed by the physical plant. I’m so glad I carried out the renovation to make TJ what it is today.

Q: If you had your own element, what would you call it and what properties would it have?

Inspirenum - Full of passion, drive, courage and without worries

For more responses, check out tjTODAY.org

across disciplines to spur innovation and new opportunities for students. I hope students will worry less about grades and more about their passions to make a positive difference in the world.

Some already do that - I hope this sentiment becomes more pervasive and expected of the culture.

Q: What’s your biggest regret and proudest accomplishment from your years at TJ?

Q: How do you expect TJ to change after you leave?

Proudest accomplishment - I coined the long lasting phrase Gooooooo Colonials!!!

I hope the community will grow tighter now that we are all in the building together. I want teachers to work together

Biggest regret - I didn’t make the football end zones to say “Gooooooo” and “Colonials!!!”

“

As a leader, he has directed me towards the things I’m studying for my PhD. I really appreciate his effort and investigation of using FLIP CLASSROOM and DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES we can use to improve learning in mathematics.” math teacher Laura McConnaughey

I think that it was really brave to go into a new environment and propose something that a lot of people would consider radical. He tried to have TJ not offer AP courses and have teachers design their own curricula for advanced classes. It didn’t happen, but I just really appreciate that DESIRE TO CHANGE SOMETHING. It makes me want to do what I think is right, EVEN IF IT MIGHT NOT PUT ME IN THE BEST LOCATION.

He taught me that because everybody has the same goal, if you communicate, you can reach them eventually. A lot of times communication is lost and there is misunderstanding between the students and the administration about different issues, but everybody has the exact same goal: FOR THE SCHOOL TO BE HAPPIER

senior Laura Chu

I’ve learned how to be open as a leader from the way that he is so open and honest about what happens in the school, because a large part of leading is DEVELOPING TRUST WITH THE PEOPLE YOU ARE LEADING. junior Louise Hicks

senior Giancarlo Valdetaro

PHOTO // Alexa Nguonly REPORTING // Alexa Nguonly DESIGN // Christine Zhao

ON DR. GLAZER || WHAT I VE LEARNED