Happy Friday Thunder Parents/Guardians!

It is hard to believe that the vernal equinox is here and that Spring Break begins tomorrow! As you and your family take time to relax, recharge, and rejuvenate this break, take some time to have those meaningful conversations with your middle schooler. This is a great time of year to reflect on the goals that your child has made for themselves, to identify the successes and challenges, and to reflect on how the school year has been going so far. When we return from break, we will have eight weeks left of school which is plenty of time to make new goals and look to end the year with a strong finish.

Upon our return, Thompson students will be taking the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) on the following dates: April 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, and 12th. They will be completing one assessment each morning and then running a modified schedule that will allow your child to attend every class each day. Should you have any questions regarding these upcoming assessments, please feel free to reach out to your child’s counselor or Lindsay Mortensen.

Students will also need to bring the following items to school with them each day:

• Chromebook FULLY charged and ready to go

• Hardwired Earbuds (check to ensure they are working, please)

• Calculators (for calculator portion of the math test)

• Book to read (Hard Copy)

• Writing Utensil

We hope that you all enjoy this time away to recharge and spend time with one another.

Sincerely,

The Thompson Administration Team

Please join us in congratulating our amazing student writers! The following Thompson students were recognized by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for their outstanding creative writing. Thompson students competed against students throughout the tri-cities from both public and private schools.

• 7th Grade Fiction - Brooke Battista, 2nd place
• 7th Grade Poetry - Avery Szech, 2nd place
• 7th Grade Poetry - Margaret Schoenfelder, 3rd place
• 8th Grade Fiction - James Bryner, 1st place
• 8th Grade Fiction - Brady White, 2nd place
• 8th Grade Fiction - Jesse Schiltz, 3rd place
• 8th Grade Poetry - Lenore Hanson, 1st place
• 8th Grade Non-Fiction - Ryan Cameron, 1st place
• 8th Grade Non-Fiction - Nathan Dunat, 2nd place
• 8th Grade Non-Fiction - Isabella Maldonado, 3rd place

We are excited to announce that we are currently working with our PTO to plan our 8th-grade end-of-year celebrations. We have three fun events planned!

Thompson 8th Grade: Let’s Glow Crazy!

On Friday, May 19th, the 8th grade class of 2023 will be invited to celebrate together from: 7 - 9pm at Thompson Middle School. We have already begun planning and hope you will sign up to help with donating time, food/drinks, or decorations (links below). Tickets for $10 will be available for purchase on PushCoin. Any questions contact Heather Trask htrask@comcast.net.

Click to help! Volunteer here. Supplies here. Donations here.

Recognition Ceremony

On Friday, May 26th in the morning, we will hold an 8th-grade recognition ceremony in the main gymnasium where students will celebrate their 8th grade class.

Picnic Lunch/Yearbook Signing/Outdoor Games

On Friday, May 26th students will have the option to order a BBQ lunch from our food vendor, OrganicLife. The PTO will provide desserts in conjunction with yearbook signing and outdoor games. Sign-up to help here.

State legislation requires that all Illinois children in sixth grade will have a dental examination. A licensed dentist must perform the examination, and he or she shall sign the form. Dental offices should have the form available, but it is also available online at www.d303.org under Departments, then Health Services, then “Health Documents and Forms”. Each 6th grade student must present proof of a dental examination by a dentist prior to May 15, 2023. The exam must be dated within 18 months prior to May 15, 2023. If your child has had an exam already, you can ask your dentist to complete the form for the exam.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has established a waiver for children who show undue burden or lack of access to a dentist. Parents or legal guardians who object to the dental examinations on religious grounds shall present to the school a signed, detailed statement of the objection.

The deadline is quickly approaching! Please submit this if you have not already done so. If you have any questions, please contact the TMS nurses:

Diane Isbrandt RN, Certified School Nurse

Amy Kashuba, RN

Megan Maple, RN

Laura Welker RN

Thompson Middle School

331-228-3104

Builders Club is a club focused on community service. They need 34 volunteers to serve at the Northern Illinois Food Bank on Thursday, April 27th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. They need at least ten students each with a parent, guardian, or older sibling, to volunteer. You do not need to be a member of Builders Club to volunteer. This is a great opportunity for parents and students to spend time with one another while at the same time serving the community.

Please click here for more detailed information and email Dave Simone, one of the club advisors, with any questions.

The SCN Athletic Department is excited to offer a wide variety of summer camps to the community. Information and programming can be found in their 2023 SCN Summer Camp Brochure. Please contact their Athletic Office at 331-228-6258 with questions.

Every year, the Yearbook Club publishes a Thompson yearbook. Students who decide to purchase a yearbook are given this keepsake at the end of the school year. Buying a yearbook is optional and not all students choose to own one. The price of the yearbook is $25.

Have you ordered a Thompson 22-23 Yearbook? You can check your PushCoin account to see if you have purchased one by going to 'transactions' and then adjusting the start date back to July 1, 2022. Also, we have a list of all students who will be receiving a yearbook posted on the wall by the cafeteria. Contact Kim Walters (kimberly.walters@d303.org or 331-228-6410) if you have any questions or need financial assistance.

'North Stars Helping Thunder' is an after school tutoring program where St. Charles North High School Honors students help our Thunder students with their homework. This program runs from 3:45 - 4:30 pm every Tuesday and Thursday in the LRC. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sarah Romano (Sarah.romano@d303.org) or Diane Pollilo (Louise.polillo@d303.org), Thompson Staff Facilitators. Please consider encouraging your child to take advantage of these resources!

• Monday, March 27 - Friday, March 31 - Spring Break
• Monday, April 3 - School Resumes
• Tuesday, April 4 - Illinois Assessment for Readiness - AM, Alternative Schedule
• Wednesday, April 5 - Illinois Assessment for Readiness - AM, Alternative Schedule
• Wednesday, April 5 - PTO Meeting (Virtual) - 9:00 - 10:00 am
• Thursday, April 6 - Illinois Assessment for Readiness - AM, Alternative Schedule
• Friday, April 7 - School Improvement Day - No School for Students
• Tuesday, April 11 - Illinois Assessment for Readiness - AM, Alternative Schedule
• Wednesday, April 12 - Illinois Assessment for Readiness - AM, Alternative Schedule