Thompson Friday Forecast
November 30, 2018
From the Principal...Steve Morrill
PARENT SATISFACTION SURVEY IS COMING DECEMBER 3
Every year, District 303 conducts a satisfaction survey that gives us meaningful feedback from our students, teachers and parents. For the last decade, we have administered a local survey that has provided us with comparable data.
This year, as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) we will now be participating in the statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school.
You will receive an email communication on December 3rd with the link to the 5Essentials Survey. We appreciate your participation in this anonymous tool used to gather information about our schools.
CONFERENCES LAST WEEK
Thank you for taking the time to participate in conferences over the past few weeks. These meetings are packed full of great communication! And thank you for taking the time to complete the survey sent to parents. We value your feedback as we try to improve on the experience each year.
Please take the time to have frequent, purposeful discussions with your student about his/her learning, academic progress, and goals for the future. When communicating, it is important that we listen to our children and be responsive to their questions. Encourage your kids to make positive changes as a result of the information shared at conferences. Support your student in his/her efforts to learn and work hard.
Thank you to all of the students, teachers, teams, and parents for making this conference time a valuable experience. A big thank you also goes out to our wonderful PTO for providing a great, hot meal for teachers in both buildings on Monday evening during conferences.
ILLINOIS REPORT CARD
IllinoisReportCard.com is the state’s official source for information about public schools across Illinois. The information here will help you act as an informed partner in the education of our children.
Families, researchers, policy makers, and community members can use the site to find school data, including academic performance, school environment, educators, students, and highlights provided by principals.
Click on this link for the D303 site that lists our buildings. Thompson Middle School is proud to have received an Exemplary summative designation!
Enjoy your weekend!
~Steve
Kayla's Hope
Hans, Ruthie and Hannah Lehmann are very pleased to announce that Kayla's Hope Foundation is now formed. We would like to thank those that have supported us the past seven months and gave us the strength to make this great opportunity come to fruition. We would like to let everyone know that the Logo was created by 3 beautiful people. One person gave us the idea of the wording for Kayla's Hope, another person gave us the idea of using Kayla's signature in the logo and the last person helped create the logo. We can't thank them enough. All came from the sincere love of Kayla and our family.
We are also pleased and humbled to announce that an anonymous donor has come forward with an offer to match every gift to the Kayla's Hope Foundation, dollar-for-dollar, through the end December 2018, up to $10,000. If you are able, please consider making a donation so we can receive the full blessing of this matching gift pledge. If you would like to see what Kayla's Hope Foundation is please click the following link.
https://www.communityfoundationfrv.org/…/kaylas-hope-found…/
We created this foundation to keep the memory of Kayla alive. We will never forget her and her goodness. She would want us to remember only the best of her and would be pleased that we are giving back to those in need and helping others who may be struggling as she was.
Throughout the coming years we will be having fundraisers and will keep everyone in the loop on future events. Thank you for your support, your prayers and your love. Kayla's Hope is alive.
Sincerely,
Hans, Ruthie and Hannah Lehmann
Holiday Lights Recycling
Drop off working or non-working Holiday Lights in bins in our main foyers. These include:
- Traditional Holiday Lights
- LED Holiday Lights
- Italian Mini Holiday Lights
- Rope Lights
- Extension Cords
Please do not drop off prelit garland, wreaths, trees, or lighted lawn decorations or ornaments.
The City of St. Charles mascot recently stopped by the 7/8 center to promote this program and is pictured here with Grace, Mitch, Morgan, Spencer, and Mr. Morrill. Thank you for your support!
District Calendar Updated
Thompson 18-19 Yearbook
Have you ordered your Thompson 18-19 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, 2018. We are extending the due date for ordering books to Thursday, January 17, 2019. Contact Kim Walters (kimberly.walters@d303.org or 331-228-6410) if you have any questions or need financial assistance.
PTO News
Hello Thompson Families!
Holiday season is upon us! We hope everyone is enjoying the snow! Remember when you are out and about in all the hustle in bustle, Chili's in South Elgin and St. Charles is a great place to stop and grab some grub! Just show the attached flier either on your phone or print it out and 15% will go to Thompson PTO!
With the Holiday Season also comes COOKIE SEASON. Lets send our amazing Thompson staff home with some special treats. Sign up with sign up genius to bring in some yummy cookies!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0444A5AC2AA3FF2-thompson1
Thank you for your support!
Toys for Kids
The Salvation Army is sponsoring a Toys For Kids program. Please consider purchasing an unwrapped toy for a child and placing it in the toy collection box in our main foyers by Friday, December 7th. See the attached flyer for their wish list, ways to make monetary donations, and opportunities to volunteer.
Khan Academy and our math books are aligned!
Khan Academy and our math books, Illustrative Mathematics - Open Up Math, are now aligned! Students can access videos, quizzes and extra practice online anytime linked to their lessons in class. This is a great resource to study for a test, to make up work when absent, and to get some extra fluency practice. Students have created accounts in their math classrooms.
New Thompson Spiritwear
Go Thompson Thunder!!!
Parent University - Talking to your Child about the Dangers of Drug & Alcohol Use
On December 4, 2018, Matthew Quinn, Licensed Counselor from Rosecrance will be our guest at a Parent University program entitled, "Talking to your Child about the Dangers of Drug and Alcohol Use." This important Parent University program will take place at St. Charles North High School in Room 302 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
Research shows that when parents talk to their children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, and set expectations with open lines of communication, that children are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
Mr. Quinn will provide parents with information and resources that will:
>Help them identify major risk factors for drug use among youth/adolescents
>Teach them the signs of drug use and appropriate responses
>Provide them with tools to implement practical steps that prevent children from gaining access to opioid drugs
>Increase awareness of trends and current terminology surrounding drug use
>Gain awareness of the long term health effects of vaping and e-cigarettes
The abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs are the leading cause of preventable accidents, premature death and disability among young people. While today's youth are among the most vulnerable in our communities for experiencing these adverse effects, research demonstrates that parent awareness and influence is critical in prevention and in getting the right help.
As part of this program, Nicole Cook, Mrs. America 2019 will share her personal story on how opioid abuse impacted her family in a tragic way.
Please click here to register.
Please click here to view all of the upcoming Parent University offerings.
Parent University - Mindful Parenting Book Study
As part of the book study discussions, we will explore:
- How the brain works and why parents and kids today are more stressed, anxious, and angry than ever before.
- Practical solutions that parents can do to create a more relaxed and happier home.
Not able to attend the face-to-face discussions? No problem! We will be offering virtual discussion threads so that people can connect from home. Information about virtual discussion links will be sent to participants in January.
Can’t come to all book discussions? No problem! Feel free to join any or all of the discussions.
All parents who register will receive a copy of the book. Books may be picked up on December 10 in the Administration Center, 201 S. 7th Street, from 10:00-11:00 a.m. or 5:30-6:30 p.m. If you are unable to pick up your book on December 10, please contact Dr. Cindy Ruesch at cindy.ruesch@d303.org.
Book discussions will take place in both a morning and an evening session on the following dates:
February 7--Part I: Today's Family
9:15 a.m. at the St. Charles Public Library in the Carnegie Room
6:30 p.m. at Fox Ridge in the LRC
February 21--Part II: Simplify: Finding and Eliminating Stressors
9:15 a.m. at the St. Charles Public Library in the Carnegie Room
6:30 p.m. at Fox Ridge in the LRC
March 7--Part III: Mindfulness: Increasing Your Inner Resiliency
9:15 a.m. at the St. Charles Public Library in the Carnegie Room
6:30 p.m. at Fox Ridge in the LRC
To register, please click here by November 30, 2018.
6th Grade Homework Lab
Hey 6th Graders! Do you have a missing assignment because you missed a class? Did you get behind on your homework? Need help reviewing for a quiz? OR Do you just want some time and space to organize your stuff?
Homework Lab is the place where you can do all of that every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:45-8:15 am in room 121 at the 6th grade center. Hope to see you soon!
Homework Helper at the 7/8 Center
Dates to Remember
- Thursday, December 13 - PTO Meeting at the 6th grade center - 9:00 am
- Friday, December 21 - Last Day of School in 2018
- Monday, January 7 - School Resumes
- Thursday, January 17 - End of the 2nd Quarter
- Thursday, January 17 - End of the M3 Health Rotation
- Friday, January 18 - Teachers' Work Day - No School for Students
- Monday, January 21 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - Schools are Closed
- Tuesday, January 22 - Start of the M4 Health Rotation
Thompson Middle School
Mrs. Sarah Cann - Assistant Principal
Mr. Shane Darnell - Assistant Principal
Dr. Alicia Honnert - Assistant Principal
Mrs. Kristy McKnight - Assistant Principal
Email: kimberly.walters@d303.org
Website: http://thompson.d303.org
Location: 705 West Main Street
Phone: (331) 228-3100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thompson-Middle-School-671638232903851/