We all see Jenny and JT around school every day, patrolling around and keeping us safe, but how much do you really know about them? How many questions do you ask them about themselves besides, “How are you doing?”

Did you know that JT is short for John Thibodeaux? Did you know that Jenny and JT  both grew up in San Rafael and went to TL? Well, not at the same time. JT, class of ‘68, actually worked here while Jenny Mendez was a student, and he saw her graduate in 2013.

During JT’s time at TL, he really enjoyed ceramics and cooking classes, while Jenny’s favorite class was art. Jenny and JT both played basketball on the TL teams–JT also participated in Track. 

Neither JT nor Jenny worked here right after they graduated. Jenny graduated in 2013 and then worked at a daycare for a few years, returning to TL as a campus supervisor in 2019. JT moved to Los Angeles to play music for a few years after he graduated. He played guitar and sang in a band, and still sings and plays guitar to this day. 

JT came back to San Rafael to visit his parents, and while he was here he came to school and visited his former counselor. “My counselor told me I should come work here, and I was like, why would I want to? He said ‘You’d be good with the kids.’” He decided that he was tired of traveling and wanted to be near family, so he moved back and started working here.

When JT started working for SRCS, he worked at both TL and SR for a while in his 30s, driving back and forth whenever he was needed, and between lunches and brunches because the schedules varied. After a few years, they hired someone to work at SR and JT worked at TL for nine years by himself. In 2008 JT retired and moved to Miami. Then in 2010, JT came back to San Rafael to take care of his dad and returned as a campus supervisor here at TL, when Jenny was a freshman. 

Jenny says that it does feel a little weird to be a staff member in a place where you once behaved like a student. But she also says that she remembers what it feels like to be a student here so it gives her a different perspective when dealing with kids.  “The hardest part of my job is having to bring kids into the office because I’d rather them be in class and learning,” Jenny remarked.

Jenny and JT both love seeing the students succeed. Jenny said, “My favorite thing to do is to see kids graduate.” She loves to see students get their education and receive their diplomas. JT said that his favorite part of his job is trying to help kids get prepared for life and when they get out in the real world, “I always tell kids that this is the place and time to make mistakes, but don’t ever jeopardize your education.”

What are some of the craziest stories that they’ve seen?

1. “A kid jumped out of a window in the science hall and broke both his ankles.”
2. “Kids threw a party in the TL pool at night, and people threw up in the pool.”
3. “A kid put a car in the hallway.”

Both of our campus supervisors care greatly for our school and students, and have so many stories to tell about their time here. They work as a team and both have a unique perspective on the ever-evolving cultural climate of our school, as they have witnessed changes here since they were teenagers themselves. So, next time you see Jenny and JT around campus, now you know their Trojan history!

Don’t forget to ask for one of their many stories!