Thompson Friday Forecast
October 21, 2022
From the Principal...Steve Morrill
Halloween Costumes
Monday, October 31st is Halloween. A Thompson tradition is that teachers and students dress in costumes on this day. Halloween is always an interesting, energy filled day of learning at Thompson. To that end, we would like to remind the students to dress appropriately and to follow the guidelines listed below:
Costumes must be school appropriate.
Costume/Hair/Make-up must be completed prior to the arrival at school or entering the bus. No spray cans are allowed on the bus or at school.
Costume accessories, if applicable, should not depict or display anything hurtful, harmful or have the opportunity to be utilized as a weapon.
The student’s identity should be visible and easily recognizable (i.e. no masks).
The classroom learning environment should not be compromised due to a student’s costume.
Upcoming Internet Safety Presentations
Next Monday, Thompson students will have the privilege of hearing internet safety presentations which will be facilitated by Chief Judge Clint Hull and Circuit Judge Susan Clancy Boles from the Kane County 16th Judicial Circuit Court. These presentations will address the increasing problem of cyber bullying, electronic harassment, and a variety of topics youth are faced with today. A description of these presentations is included further down in this Friday Forecast. The students will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the talk. A public thank you goes out to Chief Judge Hull and Circuit Judge Boles!
Have a great weekend!
~Steve
Veterans Day Celebration
This year we will be celebrating Veterans Day on Friday, November 11th. Veterans Day is a day set aside to honor American veterans of all wars. Many of us know or have known men and women in our families or friends who have served in the armed forces to defend our country. This year we would like to take time to honor these individuals by acknowledging their time served and to honor them at an assembly beginning at 9:00 am on that day.
If your child has someone in your family, or a friend of your family, who they would like to invite to attend our assembly and introduce to the Thompson community, please fill out the google form below by November 2nd. Veteran's families members are also welcome to attend the celebration. A light breakfast will be provided after the program for Veterans, family members, and students introducing their Veteran.
The Legal Web Teens Weave on the World Wide Web
There are real life consequences with sending a text, posting on social media or sharing a video. Misuse of technology can lead to criminal charges, a permanent record or in the most extreme circumstances, loss of life. Those issues are addressed in a statewide program developed by two Kane County judges.
The hour-long presentation entitled “Worries of the World Wide Web” is geared towards middle school students and takes an eye-opening look into the potentially criminal, and sometimes devastating, after effects of cyber bullying, electronic harassment, and sexting/pornography.
The origins of the program came from concerns middle school teachers shared with Kane County Judges Susan Clancy Boles and Clint Hull about the harmful repercussions’ students were dealing with because of social media. Boles and Hull set out to create a narrative with students, using real life examples of what may seem to be private texts, pictures and video that actually weren’t. The students are confronted with the reality of how their actions could land them in the court system, no matter what their age and what that could mean for them years later as adults.
“What students need to understand is the moment they press “send” on social media, they lose control over what they just sent,” said Hull. “The text or picture, which they thought was private, can be forwarded, posted, and/or shared with anyone on the internet. The end result is that “private” picture or text just became available to everyone online.”
“Worries of the World Wide Web” has recently been revised to include the most recent social media applications, ways teens are hiding their interaction online from adults and new or updated laws governing the abuse of technology.
“Judge Hull and I have seen the devastating results that can happen to a young person because of one bad decision,” said Judge Boles. “If we can get these students to think, ‘Wow, that could be me or I didn’t realize what could really happen because I forwarded a picture or a text’ then we have taken the first steps in changing a young person’s understanding about how action leads to accountability.”
The “Worries of the World Wide Web” also addresses the alarming ties between social media, specifically cyberbullying and teen suicide. According to the CDC, suicide is the third leading cause of death in younger people ages 15-19 years.
Kane County Judges have presented “Worries of the World Wide Web” over fifty times to schools throughout Kane County speaking to over 10,000 students. The IJA launched the statewide program in January of 2017. For further information about the program, write the Illinois Judges Association at 321 S. Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604, call (312) 431-1283 or email the association at info@ija.org.
Schoology Information
As families look at grades, we encourage you to use Schoology as your child’s gradebook. You should have received a letter from the District with Schoology login information as well as access codes for your child. Please take time to log into Schoology and access the gradebook. If you need assistance, please visit our District Instructional Tech for Families website, particularly the Schoology support page or call the main office at (331) 228-3100.
Schoology is your primary platform to review grades and assignments for your child. It is your one-stop shop for important learning information. We recommend looking at the Schoology gradebook until the quarter ends and then Home Access Center for the final grade for the quarter. If you have questions, please contact your child's teacher.
We appreciate your flexibility and grace as we implement a new learning platform this year.
Thompson Students Shine!
The Thompson Middle School Builders Club is a club focused on community service. They plan to volunteer monthly at the Northern Illinois Food Bank from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. On October 20th, the team of students, parents, and club advisors packed 6977 pounds of food providing 5814 meals for hungry neighbors in Northern Illinois. They will be volunteering again on November 17, 2022. It's not too late for your child to join Builders Club!
The Northern Illinois Food Bank, located in Geneva, is the source of nutritious food and feeding programs for more than half a million people each year. It is a nonprofit organization with a goal of solving hunger in the 13-county service area of Northern Illinois. If you would like more specific information regarding the food bank please visit solvehungertoday.org.
Donations for Big Hearts of Fox Valley
Please encourage your student to bring in a NEW unwrapped toy or board game during this week to school to show your support for D303 kids in need. Each District school will be collecting these items for the annual Big Hearts Toy Drive. We also encourage you to wear RED next Friday, October 14th to help raise awareness for Big Hearts of Fox Valley.
Big Hearts of Fox Valley is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization making a difference in our own community by brightening the lives of D303 children affected by financial hardship at Christmas time and throughout the school year.
To learn more about Big Hearts of Fox Valley and to make a much needed donation visit their website at bigheartsfv.org. Thank you for helping to make the holiday season brighter, winters warmer and every day easier for kids in need in D303.
TMS Art Mural Design Contest!
All TMS students are invited to submit an entry to our wall mural design contest.
*Designs will be voted on by the school!
**The mural will be painted in the stairwell by the Explore Hallway by Art Club.
Here are the details:
Draw your design on an 8x11 piece of paper.
Submit your entry to the LRC by Monday, October 31st.
Your design should represent COMMUNITY at Thompson Middle School. Please include either:
- A/ WORDS- be here, be you, belong, and/or
- B/ Represent concepts of school community (be you, belong)
**Hints: Think big, bright, bold colors, patterns, school clubs, sports, diversity, kindness, the Thunder Way, etc.
TMS After School Tutoring Program
'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 started last week and 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!
After School Activity Bus
Parent University - First Phone
First Phone: A Pre-Tween’s Guide to Digital Responsibility, Safety and Etiquette
Presented by Dr. Catherine Pearlman
First Phone is a fun and informative illustrated kids’ guide to safely and productively navigating the digital landscape. Author Dr. Catherine Pearlman joins Parent University in a conversation on digital etiquette for children ages 8-12.
November 16, 2022 - Virtual
6:30-7:30 p.m.
Those who register can receive free copies of the book at St. Charles Public Library or by requesting a copy be sent home with their child. Recording will be available after the presentation
Parent University Book Study
13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don't Do: Raising Self-Assured Children and Training Their Brains for a Life of Happiness, Meaning, and Success
You’re invited to book discussions of “13 Things Mentally Strong Parents Don’t Do,” by licensed psychotherapist Amy Morin. The book offers parents, teachers, and other mentors tools to support the mental health and resiliency of children in their lives. Join other parents in the District 303 community to discuss the lessons in the book and learn from others’ experiences.
- October 19, 2022 - Chapters 1-4 discussion
- October 26, 2022 - Chapters 5-8 discussion
- November 2, 2022 - Chapters 9-13 discussion
Day time session
9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. at Haines Center - Community Room 140
Evening session
6:00 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. at Haines Center - Community Room 140
Register here to secure a free copy of the book. Due to the personal nature of book discussions, these sessions will not be recorded.
Dates to Remember
- Friday, October 21 - First quarter grades are posted in HAC
- Friday, October 21 - Fall Musical - 7:30 pm
- Saturday, October 22 - Fall Musical - 2:30 pm
- Wednesday, October 26 - Early Release Day - Students are dismissed at 2:52 pm
- Wednesday, October 26 - PSAT for 7th & 8th Grade AVID Students - 8:40 am - 12:25 pm
- Wednesday, November 2 - PTO Meeting (Virtual) - 9:00 - 10:00 am
- Monday, November 7 - School Improvement Day - No School for Students
- Tuesday, November 8 - Election Day Holiday
- Monday, November 21 - Wednesday, November 23 - Non Attendance Days
- Thursday, November 24 - Friday, November 25 - Thanksgiving Break
- Wednesday, November 30 - Early Release Day - Students are dismissed at 2:52 pm
Thompson Middle School
Mrs. Michelle Dague - Assistant Principal
Ms. Lindsay Mortensen - Assistant Principal
Mrs. Danielle Moeller - Student Support Coordinator
Mr. Sam Pasholk - Student Support Coordinator
Email: kimberly.walters@d303.org
Website: http://thompson.d303.org
Location: 705 West Main Street
Phone: (331) 228-3100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thompson-Middle-School-671638232903851/