We enjoyed seeing so many families in our building for conferences on November 25th and 26th! I hope that you found the time productive. If you could spend a few minutes, we would appreciate your feedback. Please complete this short conference feedback google form.

Thank you to the PTO and all of the parents who provided our staff with a delicious, hot meal on Monday night during conference week! This was appreciated by all!

Every year, District 303 conducts a satisfaction survey that gives us meaningful feedback from our students, teachers and parents. 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 PTO is once again providing our staff with a sweet treat this holiday season! Please click on the link below and email aliciafulgencioflint@yahoo.com if you have questions.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050c4aaea62fa4f58-holiday

The 2nd quarter ends in two weeks on December 20th. Please take a few minutes to make sure that your child’s assignments are in. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teachers.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Thompson Middle School!

Enjoy your weekend!

~Steve

Mark your calendars as the grade level Amazing Race/Scavenger Hunts will be held after school the week we return from Winter Break. 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. Thank you!

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 pajamas)

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!

The Thompson Builders Club is a club focused on community service. To date, over the past three months, our group has helped pack 8,815 pounds of food providing 7,346 meals! Students looking for service hours can earn them by volunteering with us! Our next date is Thursday, December 12th and it is always the second Thursday of each month.

If you would like to join us, please email Dave Simone for more information. The dates that we will be volunteering are 12/12, 1/9, 2/13, 3/12, 4/9, and 5/14. We look forward to sharing this experience with you! You do not need to be a member of Builders Club to join us!

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.

They are still determining the arrival and dismissal times for next year but the order will be high school, elementary school, middle school. Specific times will be finalized prior to winter break.

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)

Please register here by November 30 so we can order a book for you! Then let us know when you will pick up your book.

Book Pickup December 9, 2019

10:00-11:00 a.m. in the D303 Board Room

5:30-6:30 p.m. in the D303 Board Room

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

• Thursday, December 12 - PTO meeting from 10:00 - 11:00 am
  
• 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
• 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