Thompson Friday Forecast

From the Principal...Steve Morrill

“Worries of the World Wide Web” Presentation

This week, all sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students had the opportunity to participate in the Kane County Judges presentation on digital safety. Judge Elizabeth Flood and Judge Bradley David came to Thompson Middle School and shared their courtroom experiences with our Thunder students. The goal of the presentation is to educate students about the use of social media and electronics to prevent them from using it in a way that requires them to appear in Court. Thank you to Judge Flood and Judge David for their generous time commitment to our students and staff!

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.

Odd and Ends

Just a friendly reminder that the end of the 3rd quarter is next Friday, March 13th!
This week we conducted a fire drill and will continue to run safety drills periodically throughout the school year. Parents please know that the Thompson staff is vigilant with regard to our safety policies and we will continue to make the safety of your children a priority.
The weather is warming up and P.E. classes are starting to make their way outside. Please make sure your child has sweatpants and a sweatshirt in his/her P.E. locker.
Girls basketball is underway and I have watched our teams put forth solid effort while demonstrating great sportsmanship on the court. I’m proud of the way our students are going about their “business” academically, musically, athletically, and through the participation in numerous clubs which reach out to others in need.
Remember to set your clocks ahead and ‘Spring Forward’ on Saturday night!

Enjoy your weekend!

~Steve

‘Just Shave It!’ Cal’s Angels Event

Thompson Thunder will be partnering with Cal's Angels, a local non-profit organization, in a "Just Shave It" event. Students, parents, and friends throughout our community can raise money and shave their heads (or donate locks of hair) in order to increase pediatric cancer awareness and support a local non-profit in the process.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 14th for an exciting event at St. Charles North High School which starts at 5:00 pm! In conjunction with this Cal’s Angel event, bracelets will be sold before school next week for $1. Hair extensions will also be available for $10. Listen to the announcements for more information about these. Click here for a copy of the permission slip.

Thunder Track and Field

Information for 7th and 8th graders interested in participating on the Track and Field team this year can be found here. And this year’s track and field schedule is posted on the Thompson website. We are looking forward to a great season on our new track! Please contact one of the coaches if you have any questions!

Lost and Found

Our lost and found is overflowing! Please encourage your child to check in the cafeteria or the locker rooms to see if anything belongs to him/her! We will be donating these items during Spring Break.

PTO Thunder Spiritwear

The PTO webstore to purchase Thunder spiritwear is now open until April 6th! Please click here to view the options provided by The Hairy Ant. Items will be delivered to Thompson by April 14th.

Parent University - Wake Up Call

Wake Up Call is a three-part drug and alcohol prevention presentation. The first part of the presentation focuses on current trends such as vaping, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills. Next, attendees are walked through a life-size teen bedroom with more than 20 “red flags” that can signal drug or alcohol use. The bedroom identifies spots where drugs can be hidden, household items that can be used as drug paraphernalia and ways teens try to cover up drug and alcohol use. Lastly, attendees will learn practical prevention strategies to prevent substance abuse and where to go for help if they are concerned.

Wake Up Call will be held in the Haines Building Gym from 6:30 - 8:30 pm on Thursday, March 19th. Click here to register.

Parents are also invited to attend the resource fair from 6:00 - 6:30 pm before the presentation. Representatives from local counseling centers, the Kane County Health Department, and Northwestern Medicine will provide information about the health risks of vaping, cessation programs, and counseling options.

Looking Towards Next Year

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, which is why this process begins during the winter.

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 20, 2020.

This year’s 6th and 7th grade counselors:

6th Grade Counselor – Chris Fedyski (Christina.Fedyski@d303.org)
7th Grade Counselor – Leigh Gary (Leigh.Gary@d303.org)

Thompson Yearbook

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. 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!

Crossing Guard Opening

Calling any Thompson Parents/Guardians! If you have an interest in expanding your daily experiences, we are in need of three additional crossing guards. Each position would support morning arrival and afternoon dismissal. The hours are 7:40 to 8:30 am and 3:15 to 4:00 pm at $35/day. This position is posted on the district website. If you have questions about the position, please contact the main office at (331) 228-3100.