ThunderRidge Weekly Update
Happy Friday,
We wrapped up make-up testing this week. I am incredibly grateful to the staff who supported our students throughout this process.
We also celebrated Administrative Professionals Appreciation this week. A huge thank you to the Administrative Professionals here at TR. You all are second to none! If you have worked with one of our admin professionals and appreciate them, please remember to tell them thanks! We are so lucky to have them.
TR Sophomores shared their Personal Projects on Tuesday. This was a first for me and I was beyond impressed by the student work I saw. When talking with my first handful of student presenters, they learned skills as diverse as glass blowing, improving their vertical, crocheting a dress, making a quilt, learning to play a number of songs on the guitar, and hand-crafting a leather messenger bag. This is just a small sample of the brilliance your students have. A huge thank you to David Carroll, the Advisement teachers, and our families for their support. Next year, Jacquie Rapant and Rachel Stewart will lead the program as MYP Coordinators. Please send any feedback or celebrations to ejwalhof@dcsdk12.org.
Wednesday was the start of the District Art Exhibition at DCSD’s Legacy Campus. If you have a moment to swing by to see it and to celebrate our TR and other district artists, I encourage you to do so. I got a sneak peak when I went to the Board meeting on Tuesday night. (If you were wondering, the communication devices (cell phone) policy did pass on its third reading. More to come on that this summer/fall.)
Today is a Professional Development day for staff with no students attending. We are previewing upcoming focus areas for staff next year so they can consider them over the summer. Among those focus areas are: the implementation of the district’s communication device policy by staff and students, PLC priorities to better support students, and revisions to Grizzly Hour including increased support for interventions and enrichment.
Tonight is our Moonlit Masquerade Prom at Chatfield Farms (8:30–11:00 PM), followed by After Prom at Sporty Pickle. To ensure a safe night, school policies will be strictly enforced by our staff and security team. As the semester winds down, we’ve also noticed an increase in student stress and behavioral challenges. We appreciate your help in encouraging your students’ punctuality, in monitoring IC/Canvas, and in promoting healthy habits (especially reasonable bedtimes). Please reach out to our staff if your student needs extra support—we are in this together!
Enjoy the day off on Monday! We are at the one-month remaining mark for Seniors and the 6-weeks remaining mark for everyone else!
Sincerely,
Liz
Moonlit Masquerade
Chatfield Farms 8:30-11:00pm
8500 W Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton, CO 80128
After Prom - the Sporty Pickle 11:30pm -2:00am
8640 S Peoria St Unit 100, Englewood, CO 80112
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 more information, or contact your feeder school directly with questions.
As we move into the final stretch before the IB Diploma Programme exams, this is an important time for students to stay focused, organized, and confident in their preparation. IB exams are a significant milestone, and the work students have done over the past two years has prepared them well for this moment.
Here are some key strategies to help our IB students make the most of their study time over the next few weeks:
1. Make a realistic study plan
Map out the exam schedule and work backward to create a study plan that balances subjects across the week. Short, consistent study sessions are more effective than last-minute cramming.
2. Use past papers strategically
Practicing with past IB exam questions is one of the best ways to prepare.
Focus on:
- Timing responses
- Understanding command terms
- Reviewing markschemes to see how points are awarded
3. Review feedback from Internal Assessments and mock exams
Teacher feedback highlights areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. Revisiting those comments can help target revision efficiently.
4. Study actively—not passively
Effective strategies include:
- Making summary sheets
- Teaching concepts to a friend or family member
- Using flashcards
- Practicing diagrams and essay outlines from memory
5. Take care of yourself
Sleep, hydration, movement, and breaks are essential for strong performance. Students who maintain healthy routines tend to retain information better and feel more confident on exam day.
6. Prepare for exam-day success
Students should:
- Check their exam schedule carefully
- Arrive early
- Bring required materials (pens/calculators/etc.)
- Avoid last-minute stress by organizing the night before
Most importantly, remember that IB exams are just one part of the journey. This is just the conclusion of all the hard work put in to this point!
We are proud of the effort our ThunderRidge IB students continue to show, and we’re cheering them on as they head into exam season!
Chipotle Fundraiser for ThunderRidge High School Girls Tennis
2209 W Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Unit E1A, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
Order online for pickup using code KRBE7XC, or show the flyer in the restaurant
Additional Information:
Only orders placed during the event hours and for pickup at this location will count toward the fundraiser. Gift card purchases are not eligible. A minimum of $150 in sales is required for the donation to be applied.
Roxborough State Park is currently seeking mascots for 6th Annual Bigfoot Goin' to Rock the Rox event
Roxborough State Park is currently seeking six enthusiastic people to be our Bigfoot and Elbert (CPW big horn sheep) mascots at our 6th Annual Bigfoot Goin' to Rock the Rox event. This public event is on Saturday, June 6 from 9:00am - 2:00pm, with mascots needing to be there from 8:00am-2:30pm.
Roxborough State Park partners with the Leave No Trace organization and was the first park in Colorado to receive the Gold Standard designation of achievement. The event offers many fun opportunities for the public to learn the principles of recreating responsibly. An important part of the day is our guest appearances of Bigfoot and Elbert. You will switch off being a mascot and being a handler for photo and engagement opportunities with our visitors. No speaking is required. You earn community service time towards graduation requirements while having a lot of fun!
Always a Grizzly… my son and I did it a few years back and the majority of our mascots have been recruited from TRHS over the years. If you are interested or would like additional information, please email me, Alex Fountain, at apfountain65@gmail.com.
Thank you very much for your interest and consideration!
TRHS Boys Basketball Summer Camps
13 Final Fours / 9 State Finals / 2002, 2003, 2021, 2022 State Champions
Full Day Camp
June 15 - 18 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm.
Next year’s 3rd – 8th graders Cost: $180
This is our traditional camp that we’ve had for 29 years. Each day will include 3 hours of group instruction, participation in practice, 2 mini games, cutthroat or contests. Campers must bring a sack lunch every day. Concessions will be available.
Elite Camp
June 22 - 24 5:45 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Next year’s 9th and invited 8th graders Cost $100
This is an advanced camp that will run much like a high school practice. We will implement the drills and points of emphasis we use with our players every day. We will begin each day with a team meeting. We want to create an atmosphere of high intensity, great focus and proper execution. We are limited to the first 22 campers to apply.
Register at
Questions? Email Coach Ortiz - joseph.ortiz@dcsdk12.org
Stone Canyon Summer Camp
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.
About Us
Principal: Liz Walhof
Mission Statement:
Empowering Grizzlies through curiosity, compassion, courage, community and service.
1991 West Wildcat Reserve Parkway, Highlands Ranch, CO 80129
303.387.2000
Facebook: ThunderRidge High School
X (formerly Twitter): @TRidgeGrizzlies