ThunderRidge Weekly Update

Congratulations! You made it to the end of the school year! We hope you had a great year and are looking forward to a wonderful summer.

It was a joy to get to participate in graduation on Tuesday. Congratulations to our graduates and their families! Huge kudos to the graduation team - especially to Cristina Berrett-Braun, Lisa Todd, and Marshawn Yuhas for their organizational prowess, and to StuGov advisor, Tom Sullivan, for his student wrangling. Thanks to all the other staff members who had key roles in the event! I appreciate you all.

I think I gave you all the big changes for next year in last week’s newsletter. If you missed it, please be sure to check those out here.

Here are a few updates to be aware of for the summer:

• We host the first session of summer school here at TR. If your student is signed up for summer school with us, they will be working in F-wing.

• Our front entrance is being redone this summer. Starting the second week of August (knock on wood), we’ll be using the main bank of doors on the west side of the building as the main entrance for students and guests to enter the building. Be ready to show ID as always in the fall.

• Please continue to use our usual front door if you need to get in the building during our open hours.

• Our parking lots will have limited access for a few days during the third week of June (depending on weather) for pavement restriping.

• We’ll be getting a new track this summer to fix damage from a windstorm earlier this year.

• Summer athletic camps - please speak with your coaches and look for signage around the building to see which doors you should use to enter the building.

Remember, if you have a spare, working fridge that you’d like to donate to the Science department, please don’t hesitate to let us know at cory.sicard@dcsdk12.org.

Thank you for the immense privilege of getting to serve you and your students. If you’d like to give me some feedback on what I’ve done well and where I could improve for next year, feel free to do so!

Have a wonderful summer,

Liz

Our seniors had a blast at their Elementary School Senior Breakfast Celebrations!

Information to access photos from both graduation and senior awards can be found here.

May 29: Summer office hours begin: 7:30am - 2:30pm
June 1: Teacher Workday - No Students
June 1: Schedule Repairs: TRHS Lower Security Lobby 9:00 -11:00am
June 3: Summer School Session I Begins

June 5: TRHS Office closes for the summer

July 27: Normal office hours resume - 7:30am - 3:30pm

August 12: First day of school for Freshmen, Student Check In

Click here for information on girls volleyball summer open gyms, boys lacrosse summer camp and all other available summer camps!

Student schedules for the 2026-2027 school year will be available for viewing in Infinite Campus beginning Friday, May 29th at 3:00pm. Please be aware that Infinite Campus does release in batches, so it can take up to 24 hours to see your schedule. If you don't see it by 3:00pm on May 30th, please email Amie McCarty (Amie.McCarty@dcsdk12.org).

Counselors will be available for schedule corrections on Monday, June 1st from 9:00-11:00am. Please enter through the C-lot/Lower Security doors.

Students may only see a counselor during these times for the following reasons:

• The student is enrolled in the wrong level of a class (e.g. incorrect level of Math).
• The student has a gap in their schedule (i.e. too many off periods).
• The student is missing a core class (English, Math, Science, or Social Studies).
• The student is scheduled to participate in a CTE/Legacy program next year.

Counselors will not be making changes for requests related to different electives, teacher preferences, or off periods.

If your child is leaving to attend another high school for the 2026-27 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.

Express Check-In opens mid-to-late July. Watch for information on that.

Why is Express Check-In important?

• Update address: Ensure your residency information is current.
• Verify contacts: Keep emergency contact details accurate.
• Share medical details: Provide vital health data for student safety.
• Manage media preferences: Give or deny consent for student photos and videos.

Happy Summer Break Everyone!!

As summer begins, we want to congratulate all of our IB students on another successful year filled with hard work, growth, and achievement. Whether you just completed IB exams, are beginning the Diploma Programme journey, or are preparing for your senior year, we hope you take pride in everything you accomplished this year.

IB Scores Release Information

IB scores for May 2026 examinations will be released in early July. Students can access their scores through the IB Candidate Portal using the personal code and PIN provided earlier this year via email from the IB Office. Please make sure you know your login information before scores are released.

We encourage students and families to remember that IB scores are just one part of a much larger story. The skills developed through IB will continue to benefit students far beyond high school.

Summer Homework

Summer is an important time to stay academically engaged and prepare for next year’s coursework. Please be sure to complete all assigned summer homework for your IB classes before returning in August. These assignments are designed to help students maintain momentum and begin the school year ready for success.

All summer homework for IB classes can be found on our website here.

Extended Essay Progress

For rising seniors, summer is also a valuable opportunity to make meaningful progress on the Extended Essay. Spending consistent time researching, outlining, and drafting over the summer will make senior year much more manageable.

A few hours each week can make a tremendous difference by August. Students are encouraged to:

• Refine their research question
• Continue gathering sources
• Create outlines and rough drafts
• Meet virtually or communicate with supervisors when appropriate

Strong time management over the summer can greatly reduce stress during the fall semester.

Don’t Forget to Relax

While summer can be productive, it is equally important to rest and recharge. IB students work incredibly hard throughout the year, and taking time for family, friends, travel, hobbies, and relaxation is essential for maintaining balance and well-being.

Read a good book, spend time outdoors, try something new, and enjoy the break. Returning refreshed and healthy is one of the best ways to prepare for another successful school year.

Thank you for being part of the ThunderRidge IB community, and we hope everyone has a safe, restful, and rewarding summer!

Tune in to Mr. Kelly, Mr. Mercado and Mr. Sicard's Grizzly Gang Podcast, where they discuss

getting ready for summer, summer as kids, and summer as adults.

Be sure to check out this link where they will be posting an episode over the summer.

• Reading Buddies – Summer applications are open until June 1st.

Are you interested in mentoring a younger child and being their Reading Buddy? Teen volunteers (ages 13-18), who love to read and enjoy working with children, may apply to be weekly Big Buddies 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. Volunteer spots are limited.

• Teen Library Connections -- The first Thursday of each month

Teens! Highlands Ranch TLC members are making a difference in the library and the community at large! Middle and High School students ages 12 to 18 are welcome to join us on the first Thursday of every month from 4:00 to 5:30 pm to plan and organize library services and displays for kids and teens, volunteer in the community, give book recommendations, and hang out with this fun, social group. You’ll gain community service hours, leadership skills, and snacks! Apply here.

• Library Birthday Party Helper

Enjoy kids? We need your energy and enthusiasm to help us out! Birthday party volunteers help staff with activities, crafts, room set-up, and breakdown. Staff will show you how to help and will be available during your shift for support. Apply here.

• Library Summer Reading Program Table

Love talking to people? Outgoing and friendly volunteers are needed to help families sign up for and participate in Summer Reading: Howdy, Partner - Let's Read! Volunteers will help hand out reading logs and prizes, and share information about upcoming events and activities. Apply here.

• Summer Outdoor Storytime Helper

Looking for enthusiastic volunteers who love working with children and being outdoors to help with our Outdoor Storytime. Sign up here.

Students can use any of the above links to apply for a specific opportunity, or fill out a library volunteer application to be able to search for all of the opportunities that have openings and find out more details!

IMPORTANT: Volunteers must sign up for our opportunities through this Douglas County Libraries volunteer page (not through Helper Helper, etc.) in order to be registered with the library, schedule a required volunteer orientation, and receive important information about their shift. (After they complete their volunteer shift, they can then enter hours into Helper Helper, any other electronic verification system, or submit paper forms to me for hours verification.)

Looking for fun, engaging, unplugged summer activities for your child this summer? Consider Stone Canyon's Summer Camp programs! Join us for a summer of fun, adventure, and friendship. Find registration links and more information here: https://www.stonecanyonedge.org/summercamp.

Located in Larkspur, we offer week-long Overnight Camps for 9-15-year-old campers and 3-day Day Camps (including transportation to/from camp out of Castle Rock) for 6-9-year-old campers.

ThunderRidge is proud to offer a wide variety of clubs and activities! Click the bar above for a full list including meeting times, days and locations.

Principal: Liz Walhof

Mission Statement:

Empowering Grizzlies through curiosity, compassion, courage, community and service.

trhs.dcsdk12.org

1991 West Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
303.387.2000

Instagram: @thunderridgehs

Facebook: ThunderRidge High School