Thompson Crossing News
Igniting the future! 1/27/2017
From the Principal...
Dear Thompson Crossing Families,
Thank you for all of the fantastic ways you are supporting your children in becoming excellent readers and developing a love of reading. Reading is one of the greatest keys to future success and a healthy life for our children. Reading is also a catalyst for success in all subject areas, and as you likely know, it is assessed in third grade through IREAD-3. In fact, Indiana students must pass the IREAD-3 test in order to be promoted to 4th grade for the 2017-2018 school year.
Here are some ideas that can help your child continue to develop their reading at home:
1. Have plenty of books and reading materials in your home for you and your child to choose to read. In a world of gadgets like iPads and Kindles, our kids are accustomed to options and are beginning to expect them. Ask your child to bring home their library books so you can read them together, and utilize our local libraries digital reading program. Many books can be checked out through the Franklin Township Library location electronically.
2. Help your child make connections with their own experiences to the characters in the text. For example, this could include places they have been, people that they know, things that they have done, and things that they have read before. Ask your child questions about books that you have read together. “What do you think about…” or “How do you feel when…” and “Why do you think…”.
3. Practice makes perfect. Continue to praise your child before, during, and after they read. Make shared reading time an enjoyable, special time that they will remember and look forward to experiencing each day. If it is not an enjoyable time, put the book down and try again later. One idea to make things fun would be to make fluency cards that describe an emotion (i.e., sad, happy, angry, excited, etc.) or a different voice (i.e., sound like a lion, mouse, hippo, etc.). As you take turns reading, the reader draws a card and reads using the voice or expression described on the card.
4. If you are a parent of a third grader, your child’s teacher has also been supporting him/her in literacy in a way that will set him/her up for success in passing IREAD-3. You can also find some item samplers and the IREAD-3 Blueprint at http://www.doe.in.gov/assessment/iread-3.
Regards,
Jeffrey J. Murphy, PROUD TC Principal
Help Us Cheer Our FLL Robotics Team On...The Flashlights!
The FLL Flashlights robotics team competes, 1/27 in the state FLL tournament after winning the highly competitive IndySouth sectional. This exciting event happens in Columbus and involves teams from across the state. This team has worked hard this season, and we wish them the best as they compete in project presentation, core values, and robot design followed by robot competition. The Thompson Crossing team members are:
Morgan H., Megyn G., Ellie A., Jaxon H., Nolan F., Nash N., and Kyle M.
ISTEP PART 1 FEBRUARY 27-MARCH 3 FOR GRADES 3rd-5th
Help your student best prepare for the ISTEP test by getting plenty of sleep and a good breakfast each morning!
From the Speech-Language Pathologist...
Does your family enjoy playing games together? Whether it's board games, card games, hide and seek, or playing games outside, "social thinking" is an important part of playing any type of game. Maybe your family got some new games and you had the opportunity to observe this in your children over the winter break. If we are playing a game with someone who is not a good "social thinker" and is not able to think about what the others might be thinking or feeling, it's usually not a very fun game. Do you enjoy playing games with a child (or adult!) who always has to be first, always has to get the game piece they want, cheats, changes the rules, or gets really mad when they don't win? I know I don't, and I always try to teach the kids that I work with that no one enjoys playing games with people who do not think about others. Being a good "social thinker" means that we are able to consider that someone else might want the game piece that we always have, or that someone else might want to go first. Being able to think about others and what they might be thinking is particularly important when playing any type of strategy game. We often need to anticipate or "make a smart guess" about what another player might do or what move they might make next. If we only think about ourselves and what we do during the game, we are not truly playing with others.
With any type of game play, there are 3 parts - set up, play, and clean up. Many kids take way too long setting up since they insist that things have to be done a certain way. Often, everyone is frustrated before the game even begins and sometimes there is no time left to play.
Try playing some games with your kids, or observe them playing with their siblings or friends. Do they appear to be thinking about the others in the group and playing in a way that is expected for that game? If not, next time, try teaching your child ahead of time what the expected behaviors are for that game. Teach them how and why they need to think about the others they are playing with. Help them to understand how the others might be feeling when your child is being bossy or throwing a fit over losing. Family games are so much more fun when everyone is being a good "social thinker"!
Karynn Arnett
Speech-Language Pathologist
Friendship Parties to be held February 17th...
Due to food allergies, this is a district wide policy. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
A message from our Transportation Supervisor...
Coming Soon...
YMCA to Host Parents Night Out: PAJAMA DANCE PARTY!!!
Date: Friday February 3, 2017
Time: 6:00-9:00PM
Cost: $10 per child
(cash or check payable to YMCA of Greater Indianapolis)
On Friday February 3rd, we will be extending our hours so that parents my have a date night or simply some extra time to themselves. All money raised will go towards the YMCA's Annual Campaign, which raises money for families to give them the opportunity to enjoy the YMCA and their programs.
Current YMCA participants, their siblings, and friends will enjoy games, pizza, dessert and a dance party in our gym all while dressed in PAJAMAS!!! Everything will be provided by the YMCA!
Reservations and all monies are due by Thursday February 2nd. No reservations will be accepted after this date. We ask that all participants be potty trained. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask a YMCA staff member.
Yearbook Cover Entry Winners 2017
Great job, Thompson Crossing students!!! So many wonderful entries for our yearbook! The winners are listed below:
Front Cover- Delaney D./Zyon F.
Back Cover- Ava G.
Runners-up (Will appear inside the yearbook):
-Emma H.
-Kira T.
-Liam R.
-Fatima S.F.
-Delanie G.
-Maycie W.
-Ara M.
-Brent D.
-Elizabeth B.
Crayola Marker Recycling...
Please send in any old, dried up Crayola markers with your student and we will happily recycle them! Please keep in mind, this is ONLY for Crayola brand markers.
Kroger Community Rewards Program
- Register your card with your Thompson Crossing after you sign up.
- If you don't have a card, visit the customer service desk at any Kroger.
- Click on Sign IN/Register
- You will get an email to confirm your information
- Enter the NPO number for TC...45454 and select the organization from the list to confirm
- Remember purchases will not count for TC until your card is registered for the community rewards.
- Thank you in advance for earning rewards for our school
New families to TC, did you know you can use your already existing Kroger rewards card to earn community reward points for Thompson Crossing? If you are coming to us from another school, please consider switching your community rewards toward Thompson Crossing. It is simple to sign up for this wonderful programs see below.