ThunderRidge Weekly Update
Happy Friday, everyone! I don’t know about you, but I felt like this week took a gazillion years. However, I am excited to share the good things that are happening plus a number of new/recurring opportunities to get involved.
During the PLC late start last Friday, we reviewed Senior Letters of Intent for Senior Projects. Your students have such exciting projects planned! I can’t wait to experience the whole process this year.
Our cross country teams placed super well in state with Girls XC in 6th and Boys in 10th. It was a tough, and occasionally wet, course and our students were phenomenal. See below for details.
Last Monday during both lunches the TRHS Design Committee met. This is a group of all-volunteer students and staff who are identifying areas for improvement within the building at TRHS. Meeting with these folks has been super rewarding. They are particularly interested in adding additional seating options within the building, improving the brightness of Lower D hallway, supporting improvements in the library and counseling spaces, and incorporating projects from our welding classes. I’ll share pics as we finalize this work toward the end of the year.
This Monday, our Family and Consumer Sciences-sponsored chickens started producing eggs! Please see below for some of the cutest pics ever of our happy hens.
We conducted internal, social media manager interviews on Tuesday this week. I am thrilled by the bright new staff members who have committed to sharing timely, relevant, meaningful, and uplifting content on our socials beginning next week. Keep your eyes peeled and let us know what you think of these efforts from both the student and family perspectives. We will continue to try to cross post the most relevant, mission-critical content to our school website as well - as we know many families are eschewing social media.
Thank you to all the parents and prospective students who attended our Academic Showcase Night on Wednesday. We had a good turnout and our student panelists and clubs/activities representatives were among many who stole the show! If you attended, I’d love for you to share your thoughts about what went well and what you’d like to see in future such nights. As always, you can find me at ejwalhof@dcsdk12.org. We want to ensure that any changes we make from year to year are in alignment with the needs and hopes of our prospective students and their families.
Next Thursday, November 13th is our next School Advisory Committee (SAC) meeting from 4:30-6:30pm in the library at TRHS. We have a variety of agenda items including an update on safety and security. TRHS parents and guardians are all welcome to come and learn with us. We hope to see you there!
Do you have students who are interested in safety and security, are looking for community service and who have an interest in law enforcement or in acting? We have an opportunity for you. We need about 40 students to join us and Sierra Middle School on Friday, February 13th (yes, I see it too) for two mock evacuation drills. Please email me at ejwalhof@dcsdk12.org if your student is willing to join our district and school safety and security teams for these emergency preparedness exercises and I’ll send you the details.
I hope you have a great weekend and enjoy getting caught up on anything that you might have fallen behind on during the week.
Sincerely,
Liz
As crazy as it sounds, it is that time of year when we are starting to think about next year's classes and course planning. For all TRHS Sophomores and Juniors, we wanted to highlight that the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme offers opportunities that go far beyond a typical schedule. Whether you’re aiming for college readiness, personal growth, or just want a challenge that matters, IB classes are a great choice.
IB Diploma classes are a great option for all upperclassmen, and those students who take IB classes gain a lot of benefits, including:
1. Develop real-world skills.
IB courses emphasize critical thinking, communication, and research — the same skills top universities and employers look for. You’ll learn to write, discuss, and problem-solve like a college student.
2. Stand out in college admissions.
Universities around the world recognize IB for its rigor and depth. Completing IB classes (or the full Diploma Programme) signals that you can handle challenging coursework and think globally.
3. Learn beyond the textbook.
IB classes connect learning to current issues, cultures, and real-world contexts. Whether it’s literature, science, or the arts, IB encourages curiosity and creativity.
4. Build a global mindset.
The IB programme values international-mindedness — understanding different perspectives and becoming an informed, compassionate citizen.
5. Join a supportive community.
At ThunderRidge, IB students work together, celebrate each other’s successes, and grow as thinkers and leaders. It’s not just a set of classes — it’s a family.
Ready to challenge yourself?
Check out the IB Website, talk to your counselor, or to Mr. Risner (the IB coordinator) to learn which IB path fits your goals best. Step up, stand out, and discover what you’re capable of with IB!
Boy's Basketball Tip Off Tailgate
Below is the QR code to buy and sell tickets to the Boy's Basketball Tip Off Tailgate on November 8th.
Tickets for the Tip Off Tailgate are $30 each, which includes dinner and a raffle entry. Please enter the total amount for the number of tickets you're purchasing (ex. three tickets = $90) and then enter on the next page the number of tickets you're purchasing.
Please note, Snowball defaults a "tip" amount of 5% - you can change this to "no tip".
Thanksgiving Food Drive
Sponsored by TRHS Young Democrats
November 17-21
Bring dry goods to C203 and C207
Denver Rescue Mission
Did you know that TRHS has a chicken coop?
ThunderRidge now home to nine fluffy ladies living in a state-of-the-art, solar powered chicken coop. The project is a great example of sustainability in action: we're reducing food waste by feeding the hens leftovers from the culinary labs, and the entire coop runs on solar power. There are also plans to create a closed-loop system by using the high-nitrogen chicken waste as compost for the school garden in the future, after it decomposes for 6-12 months.
About Us
Principal: Liz Walhof
Mission Statement:
Empowering Grizzlies through curiosity, compassion, courage, community and service.
1991 West Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
303.387.2000
Facebook: ThunderRidge High School
X (formerly Twitter): @TRidgeGrizzlies