Dear District 303 Families,

As you know, the current situation surrounding COVID-19 is changing rapidly. Each day, District 303 officials are in contact with the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Kane County Health Department, and the Illinois State Board of Education in an effort to gather the most accurate and up to date information and communicate with you.

For the last several weeks we have been working on how we would respond if schools closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. This afternoon, we have made the decision to cancel classes for students on Monday, March 16 and hold an Institute Day for staff. This will allow staff members the time to work on plans for classes that can be delivered remotely. Beginning on Tuesday, March 17, the district buildings will be closed to students through the end of Spring Break. All school activities are also cancelled.

At this time, we will use eLearning days beginning March 17 through March 27. Spring Break will still be observed March 30 through April 3. The tentative return date for on-campus classes is April 6.

Starting Tuesday, March 17, students in grades 3 through 12 should look for communication from their teacher(s) with assignment information. Assignments will be posted by the start time of each regular school day. Preschool, Kindergarten, First, and Second grade teachers will communicate directly with parents regarding eLearning materials. Teachers will be available during the school day online to answer questions for students and assist as needed. For more information about how our e-Learning days will operate, please visit our FAQ online.

As you know, all students were asked to take home any necessary materials including Chromebooks, reading materials, and books in preparation for eLearning days this afternoon.

If your child was absent today, he or she will have the opportunity to pick up their materials at the school on Monday. Only students will be allowed in the school to pick up their belongings.

Please continue to watch for information from the District. Communication to families will continue to be distributed by email and posted on the website.

Fiction on the Fox, an open mic night that celebrates creative writing, is accepting submissions. Any original creative piece can be submitted to FictionOnTheFox@d303.org until Saturday at midnight. See Ms. Vander Woude, Ms. Keane, or your language arts teacher with questions.

This message is a reminder to elementary school families that the Intra-District transfer window for the 2020-2021 school year opens on April 7 at 8:00 a.m.

For the 2020-2021 school year, ALL elementary students have been assigned to their attendance area school by the District. This includes elementary students currently attending a school on an intra-district transfer.

An Intra-District Transfer Request must be submitted online no sooner than 8:00 a.m. on the first Tuesday following spring break (April 7, 2020) and no later than 4:00 p.m. on the third Monday following (April 20). A link to the request form will be posted on the District 303 web page (district.d303.org) by 8:00 a.m. on April 7.

If you are requesting a transfer for more than one child, a separate request must be submitted for each. Due to fluctuating class sizes at schools and each grade level, siblings are not guaranteed placement. If granted, transportation is the responsibility of the parents.

If you have questions about the process, please call the District office at 331.228.2000.

Plunge into Fitness is back again! Stop by the main gym, grab your fitness log, and earn a free admission to Raging Waves Waterpark any day in June. That’s a $35 value! Completed logs need to be returned to the P.E. Department by April 8th.

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)

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!

• Friday, March 13 - End of the 3rd Quarter
  
• Monday, March 16 - Start of the 4th Quarter
• Friday, March 20 - 3rd Quarter Grades are posted in H.A.C.
  
• Monday, March 30 - Spring Break
  
• Monday, April 6 - School Resumes
• Friday, April 10 - Teacher Institute Day - No school for students