In anticipation of next year, counselors and administrative staff from St. Charles East and St. Charles North high schools came to visit our Thompson students last week and provide them with information about high school registration and to introduce themselves to your student. The purpose of this meeting was to introduce students to their counselor and to discuss course planning for Freshman year.

Students received a Freshman Course Request Form on December 4th. Students will need to complete this form and bring it with them when they meet with their high school counselor in mid-January. Details about the appointments will be available after winter break.

8th grade students can start inputting their course choices in HAC on December 23rd. This needs to be completed before January 14th. Please click on HAC instructions for more information about entering course requests in HAC.

Please click here for a chart to determine your child’s high school counselor. Please contact your high school counselor if you have questions about high school classes.

In addition to their visit to Thompson, the high schools have also communicated the dates for the Future Saints and North Star Nights. They are scheduled as follows:

• St. Charles East Future Saints Night: Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 6:30 pm

• St. Charles North Future North Stars Night: Thursday, January 9, 2020 at 6:15 pm

The purpose of these evenings is to provide information regarding the curriculum offered at the high school, as well as introduce students to the various activities/clubs/sports available to the class of 2024. If you have any questions about these evenings, please don’t hesitate to contact the high schools or access their school websites for more information.

Mark your calendars as the grade level Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunts will be held after school the week we return from Winter Break. These scavenger hunt-style events will send the kids on group challenges throughout the school, providing lots of fun while encouraging them to use their analytical, communication and social skills. The PTO will be providing healthy snacks for the kids and support for helping out with the activities. Please check out this sign-up for volunteer opportunities and food/drink/supplies donations.There will be prizes for winners, raffle prizes, and food. These will take place from 3:30 - 5:00 pm on:

• 6th Grade - Tuesday, January 7th

• 7th Grade - Wednesday, January 8th

• 8th Grade - Thursday, January 9th

These events are supported by the Thompson PTO. Please click on the links below to provide snacks or volunteer your time. Thank you!

6th Grade Sign up Genius

7th Grade Sign up Genius

8th Grade Sign up Genius

All students are encouraged and invited to attend these free events! What a great way to start out the new year!

Monday, December 16th – Cozy Day (be comfortable and wear your favorite sweats or pjs)

Tuesday, December 17th – Summer in December (Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, etc.)

Wednesday, December 18th – Grade level Decade Day

• 6th grade – 60’s
• 7th grade – 70’s
• 8th grade – 80’s

Thursday, December 19th – Thunder Thursday/Team Sports Day (wear spirit wear to support TMS or your favorite sports team)

Friday, December 20th – Holiday! To celebrate our upcoming holidays, dress in red or green or wear your ugliest holiday sweater!

Volunteers play an important part in our school community. Whether you help in a classroom, the office, with after school activities, or in another capacity, we appreciate you giving your time and talent to Thompson Middle School.

For the safety and security of our students, staff members, and other visitors, District 303 is now asking that anyone who regularly volunteers in our school or chaperones an overnight school trip follow a volunteer protocol. The protocol includes signing a volunteer liability form and completing a background check, including fingerprinting, through the Kane County Regional Office of Education.

The Regional Office of Education is located at 28 N. First Street in Geneva. Appointments can only be made online at www.kaneroe.org. To be fingerprinted and processed as a volunteer for District 303, the fee is $40. Checks may be made payable to the ROE.

Thank you for helping us keep our schools safe and your support of Thompson Middle School!

Every year, District 303 conducts a satisfaction survey that gives us meaningful feedback from our students, teachers and parents. As part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) we are participating in the statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about Thompson Middle School.

The Parent Survey is currently open and will remain so through February 14, 2020. To take the survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey.

We value your feedback and appreciate you taking the time to provide Thompson Middle School with your input!

The D303 School Board approved calendars for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. Please note several changes:

• Parent-teacher conferences are now scheduled in October on the Thursday and Friday before Columbus Day.
• Thanksgiving week is a non-attendance week.
• School Improvement days will be two full days.

Next year the Middle School day will continue to run from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. In the summer, the transportation department will design bus routes for transportation-eligible students and will publish the pickup and drop-off times prior to the first day of school.

Recently District 303 hosted national digital citizenship speaker Josh Ochs at both our middle and high schools, and as part of our Parent University series. During his presentation with students, Josh spoke about the importance of creating a positive online profile. His evening presentation to parents focused on ways to keep children safe online, including what apps children can use safely and which ones to avoid.

Because he spoke in our district, all our families have the opportunity to register for a free one-year subscription to his SmartSocial.com Digital Driver’s Ed program. This resource provides information about current social media trends, statistics, and app guides. In addition, there are webinars that teach both parents and students about how to create a positive online presence. You must register by January 21, 2020 to take part in the free 12-month offer.

Here’s how you can access this resource:

• Download the SmartSocial app on either your iPhone or Android device. Use the code STCHARLES to unlock the program. https://smartsocial.com/app

• Access on a desktop/laptop using this link https://smartsocial.com/stcharles/

You will be given a username/password to log into the program. Your login information provides you with access to the videos and online workshops.

If you were unable to attend Josh’s presentation, there are links to both an audio and video version in the membership area of his website.

• Video: https://smartsocial.com/social-media-webinar/

• Audio: https://smartsocialpodcast.com/episodes/social-media-parent-speech-byjosh-ochs

Every year, Thompson students publish 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 your Thompson 19-20 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 April 1, 2019. We are extending the due date for ordering books to Thursday, January 16, 2020. Contact Kim Walters (kimberly.walters@d303.org or 331-228-6410) if you have any questions or need financial assistance. Or stop in the main office during conferences!

District 303 Parent University presents our second annual book study when we read "The Whole Brain Child" by Dr. Dan Siegel.

In this pioneering, practical book, Daniel J. Siegel, neuropsychiatrist and author of the bestselling book Mindsight, and parenting expert Tina Payne Bryson demystify the meltdowns and aggravation, explaining the new science of how a child’s brain is wired and how it matures. The “upstairs brain,” which makes decisions and balances emotions, is under construction until the mid-twenties. Conversations will be based upon the book as well as supplemental workbook activities.

Study sessions will be offered during both morning and evening times at the following locations:

Baker Community Center (101 S. 2nd Street, St. Charles)

Fox Ridge in the LRC (1905 Tyler Road, St. Charles)

Join us for the book study sessions on the following dates:

February 13, 2020

9:15-10:30 a.m. at Baker Community Center

6:30-7:45 p.m. at Fox Ridge in the LRC

February 27, 2020

9:15-10:30 a.m. at Baker Community Center

6:30-7:45 p.m. at Fox Ridge in the LRC

March 12, 2020

9:15-10:30 a.m. at Baker Community Center

6:30-7:45 p.m. at Fox Ridge in the LRC

• Friday, December 20 - End of the 2nd Quarter
• Monday, December 23 - January 3 - Winter Break
• Monday, January 6 - Teacher Work Day - No school for students
• Tuesday, January 7 - School Resumes
• Tuesday, January 7 - Start of the 3rd quarter
• Tuesday, January 7 - 6th grade Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt - 3:30 - 5:00 pm
• Wednesday, January 8 - 7th grade Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt - 3:30 - 5:00 pm

• Wednesday, January 8 - Future Saints Night at St. Charles East H.S. - 6:30 pm

• Thursday, January 9 - 8th grade Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunt - 3:30 - 5:00 pm

• Thursday, January 9 - Future North Stars Night at St. Charles North H.S. - 6:15 pm

• Friday, January 10 - End of the M3 Health Rotation
• Monday, January 13 - Start of the M4 Health Rotation
• Thursday, January 16 - PTO meeting from 10:00 - 11:00 am
• Monday, January 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - Schools are closed