As I reflect on the school year so far, it seems like we are constantly adjusting the middle school structure and educational experiences to accommodate new guidelines, recommendations, and information provided to us by many, many influential entities, most notably the Illinois State Board of Education. When I think about the many adjustments, I can’t do so without acknowledging the fabulous resiliency, creativity, and flexibility that our entire Thompson community has demonstrated during the pandemic year. Our students have shown a great deal of resolve, our parents have been supportive and accommodating, and our teachers and staff have been responsive, creative, and driven to make sure our students grow in a comfortable, yet rigorous learning environment. Thank you for your continued partnership!

Clubs and Activities at Thompson

As we move into the fourth quarter, Thompson will become an even busier school! It is not too late to have your middle school child join many of our clubs! Trying new things, being part of diverse groups, and making peer connections beyond the classroom are great ways to experience all that middle school has to offer. Check the Thompson website for Clubs and Activities!

Track will start for our 7th and 8th graders after Spring Break. There will be virtual informational meetings on Wednesday, March 17th and Thursday, March 18th. The meetings will begin at 4:30 p.m. and students only need to attend once. Please join the Track Google Classroom for more information. Classroom code: rbsq344 Please make sure that your child has an updated physical on file and an Agreement to Participate in Interscholastic Athletics completed. These forms can be found on the Thompson website.

4th Quarter

The fourth quarter of this school year begins next Monday, March 15th. Report cards for the third quarter will be available in the Home Access Center on Friday, March 19th. We still have ten weeks of learning left in the school year. Please encourage your children to set goals for themselves and finish the year strong!

Remember to set your clocks ahead and ‘Spring Forward’ on Saturday night!

Enjoy your weekend!

~Steve

In an effort to recognize our outstanding students, teachers recommend students who are following the Thunder Guidelines for Success (responsibility, perseverance, team work, respect, and kindness). All nominated students in February were entered into a raffle to win a giftcard. Congratulations to the following winners:

• Alyssa Cook
• Faith Fair
• Derek Greco
• Taylor Marek
• Abby Sempsrott
• Elijah Sizemore
• Allison Uchill

Every year we gather input from parents and guardians, staff, and students via the Illinois 5Essentials Survey in order to improve communication, find ways to engage students at a higher level, and improve student learning. Participation in this survey is important as the results will identify areas where Thompson is doing well and areas where we need to improve.

We are asking parents/guardians to complete this survey which should not take more than 10 minutes of your time. Please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey. At the conclusion of this process, the tabulated results will be posted on the Illinois State Board of Education website, www.ISBE.net. Thank you in advance for participating and providing your feedback!

Please encourage your child to check in the cafeteria or the gyms to see if any lost items belong to him/her! We will be donating these items during Spring Break.

The Saint's tutoring Thunder (STT) club provides students with an opportunity to receive help on homework, projects, and/or comprehension of material that they are learning in classes. The Saint's tutoring Thunder (STT) club is available for both students attending in-person or remotely. This club meets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Parents can sign their child up for this tutoring and/or students can sign up themselves!

STT allows students to meet virtually with a Thompson club supervisor and a St. Charles East Sophomore tutor from 4:15 until 5:00 pm. The Thompson club supervisor will facilitate the after school support while supervising the high school students tutoring our students.

Sign-ups are available Thursday-Monday for the following week. This ensures that we have the correct amount of tutors for our students. You can click here to sign up for Saint's tutoring Thunder club. Once your student has been signed up, they will receive an invite link in their email.

As we approach spring, the Thompson staff has already begun planning for your child’s transition to the next grade level. A big part of this involves the scheduling process. It begins by taking a look at the anticipated school population for next year. Based on these numbers, core teams are built and adjusted to take into consideration student needs. Next, the development of Exploratory and Physical Education rotations takes place, followed then by developing specific class period offerings. This is a complex process involving many variables.

To that end...parents of current 6th and 7th grade students, while we do not accept specific team requests, we do want your input regarding your child’s educational needs. If your child has a specific learning style need, placement issues, or social/emotional concerns that you want to share, please let your grade level counselor know so that we can find the best possible fit for your child as a learner. Please send this information on or before March 26, 2021.

• 6th Grade Counselor – Christy Jolaoso (Christine.Jolaoso@d303.org)
• 7th Grade Counselor – Chris Fedyski (Christina.Fedyski@d303.org)

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, 2021. The exam must be dated within 18 months prior to May 15, 2021. 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, PEL-CSN

Sherri Esposito, RN

Amy Kashuba, RN

Thompson Middle School

331-228-3104

• Friday, March 12 - End of the 3rd Quarter

• Monday, March 15 - Early Release Monday

• Friday, March 19 - Report cards are available in H.A.C.

• Monday, March 22 - Early Release Monday

• Wednesday, March 24 - Illinois Science Assessment for 8th Grade 'B' Students

• Thursday, March 25 - Illinois Science Assessment for 8th Grade 'A' Students

• Friday, March 26 - School Improvement Day - No school for students

• Monday, March 29 - Start of Spring Break Week - No school for students

• Monday, April 5 - School resumes

• Monday, April 5 - Early Release Monday