THOMPSON NEWS & NOTES
December 2023
Dear Thompson Community:
The beginning of the district’s winter break typically serves as a halfway point for us for the school year. Midyear activities have now concluded and students have wrapped up their exams, ready to begin the new semester when they return in January. For our staff, it’s also a good time for us to reflect on what we’ve accomplished during the first half of the school year and to look forward a bit to the exciting things that are in the works for the new year. Here are a few accomplishments that I’m particularly proud of as we say farewell to the 2023 calendar year:
- We are exceptionally proud of our students throughout the district, who are continuing to earn academic and collegiate scholarships. In addition to excelling in the classroom, students are also being recognized for areas of excellence in the arts, athletics and activities.
- Work is continuing on the Northern Colorado Regional Youth Shelter, which will provide services to youth in need throughout our community. The new facility is a collaboration with several partners, including The Matthews House, Poudre School District, Thompson Education Foundation, Larimer County and several local nonprofit organizations. It will be operated by The Matthews House and will address the immediate needs of unaccompanied youth. The shelter is scheduled to open next fall.
- Namaqua Elementary School was formally recognized as one of America's Healthiest Schools by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. Namaqua was one of 781 schools across the country recognized for its dedication to supporting the health and well-being of students, staff, and families.
- Turner Middle School’s Jessica May was named the “Colorado Teacher of the Year” by the Colorado Department of Education. In her role this coming year, she will serve as an ambassador for public education on the state and national stages.
- After months of extensive design work and renovation, the district was proud to officially welcome Peakview Academy at Conrad Ball into the TSD family. The PreK-8 school is a consolidation of Monroe Elementary, Mary Blair Elementary and Conrad Ball Middle School communities.
- High Plains School received a major expansion that is providing new classroom space, an additional gymnasium, performance area and athletic fields.
- We continue to wrap up our final activities for the 2018 bond, which includes several maintenance projects and improvements across the district.
Likewise, there is so much for us to look forward to in 2024 and beyond. Here are a few of the initiatives that you will be hearing much more about as we move forward:
- Our district Master Plan Committee has spent a significant amount of time evaluating infrastructure needs across TSD. In 2024, this committee work will be shared extensively with community members to garner feedback for future planning.
- We are continuing to integrate a variety of technology enhancements in our TSD classrooms, which is greatly assisting students with their learning and also providing staff with better tools to support their pupils.
- Our Dual Language Immersion program will continue to grow this coming year, including an expansion into the high school level.
- TSD’s safety and security team will continue to enhance their protocols and support options this coming year, including additional mental health co-responder units for students and families.
On behalf of the Board of Education and our entire team, I wish you the very best. Have a terrific holiday season and we’ll see you soon in 2024.
Sincerely,
Dr. Marc Schaffer
Superintendent
Thompson School District
Are you looking for a way to prepare your child for kindergarten? Thompson School District’s Integrated Early Childhood Program provides quality preschool experiences for three- and four-year-old children at 15 different sites around the Loveland and Berthoud area. If your child will be 3 or 4 years old by October 1, 2024, they may be eligible to participate in Thompson School District’s Early Childhood Program. Certain eligibility factors may also qualify your child for preschool services through our Head Start program.
Head Start eligibility factors include:
Your family's income is at or below the federal poverty level.
Your child is in foster care or kinship.
You are experiencing homelessness.
You are receiving TANF, SNAP or SSI.
We ask all interested families to complete our Preschool Interest Form once it is available on our preschool website in mid-January. Please contact the office directly at 970-613-5052 if you have any of these eligibility factors, or if you have any questions about our preschool program.
In our ever-evolving digital landscape, ensuring the safe and responsible use of technology is crucial for both students and families. We are excited to introduce the Family Engagement Toolkit from Common Sense Education, an invaluable resource designed to support healthy media and technology practices both at school and at home.
As our students navigate the digital world, it becomes increasingly important for us as parents, guardians and educators to join forces in keeping everyone safe online. The Digital Media Literacies department has been actively addressing this topic, and this year, the C.A.P.S. Program is proudly supporting these efforts.
This toolkit is not just for students. It's a collective initiative involving staff, students and parents/guardians. Together, we can better understand the digital world our students inhabit and ensure a safer online environment.
Explore the Family Engagement Toolkit for a wealth of resources covering essential topics, including:
Family Tech Planners: Helps families have conversations and set expectations around tech use
Digital Citizenship Resources: Offers conversation starters, family tips, and activities aligned with the K-12 lessons
Kids & Tech Video Series: Short engaging videos to share tips and tools with families at school events
Parents of graduating seniors: Thompson Education Foundation's scholarship application opens at noon on Friday, January 12 and students can complete the application through Sunday, March 3. The application is a one-stop shop to apply for dozens of post-secondary, community scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000. Scholarships are available for trade schools/certification programs, two- and four-year schools. The application can be found here: https://www.thompsontef.org/scholarships
Educator of the Year nominations are open! Nominate a teacher or TSD staff member who has made a difference in your life! Nominate here: https://www.thompsontef.org/educator-of-the-year-award-1
In late November and early December, the TEF Prize Patrol was out in schools delivering Great Idea Grants! We had a ton of terrific, innovative ideas this year and it was fun getting the awards out. Click here for a complete list of Great Idea Grant awards: https://www.thompsontef.org/teacher-grants-1
During periods of inclement weather, Thompson School District is occasionally faced with the difficult decision on whether or not to close schools. For more information on these policies and how these announcements are communicated, click on the following link:
https://www.tsd.org/departments/communications/school-closing-delayed-start
In April and May of 2023, Thompson School District performed additional sampling of drinking water to meet new requirements of the Clean Water in Schools and Child Care Centers legislation. This law made sampling of drinking water supplies mandatory at child care centers and schools which serve preschool through fifth grade. As part of this legislation, Colorado set a standard of 5 parts per billion (ppb) as the acceptable level of lead in drinking water. If sample results detected levels of lead at or above 5 parts per billion (ppb), facilities were required to take action.
Thompson School District has sampled 1,190 fixtures in buildings that serve preschool and elementary students, with 72 of those fixtures requiring remediation action under the new legislation. Water samples were sent to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for analysis. Lead results were provided to school communities as the results were received by TSD. Fixtures were turned off or signage was posted for hand washing only, while the Facility Services team identified the best steps for remediation. Remediation actions were performed from August through October of 2023. These included designating a fixture as “not for drinking”, replacing faucets and supply lines, or installing filters certified to reduce lead. Confirmation water sampling is being performed to verify that lead levels have been reduced to meet the State standard. Initial and confirmation sample results can be found on Colorado’s Test and Fix Water for Kids database.
The Facility Services team plans to sample water used for drinking and cooking supplies in buildings that serve 6-8 grades in the Spring of 2024. Those sample results will be provided to the school communities as they are received and will also be posted on the Test and Fix Water for Kids database. Please contact Jess Arnold at jess.arnold@tsd.org with additional questions that you might have.
Poverty in America Awareness Month is a national event that gives us an opportunity to become more aware and take action to increase access and opportunity to our students in financial need.
Did you know?
805 students were identified as housing insecure in the 21-22 school year, 73 of which were unaccompanied (CDE Homeless Education Data).
4,850 students (33%) in TSD were eligible for Free and Reduced Lunch in 2022-2023 (Dashboard CDE).
TSD’s Family Center offers many ways for students and families to give and find support. Learn more about housing insecurity and homelessness in TSD by visiting their McKinney-Vento Homeless Education page, which also includes information and opportunities to get involved.
Resources for Families:
The Family Center has several resources for district students and their families to support literacy, multilingual access, technology access, access to basic needs and community resources.
The Clothing Closet has emergency clothing. To request clothing assistance, please use this link: https://forms.gle/dMKK441dnuwLdzex8
2-1-1 is a confidential and multilingual service connecting people to vital resources across the state, such as shelter, childcare, or rent payment.
Search and connect to support including financial assistance, food pantries, medical care and other free or reduced-cost help.
Sunrise Thompson Clinic is a school-based health clinic located at the Peakview Academy at Conrad Ball campus that serves everyone, regardless of their ability to pay.
Learn More: English Flier
