Thompson Friday Forecast

Summer Edition - August 6, 2021

From the Principal...Steve Morrill

The school was filled with energy this week with summer athletic camps, 6th grade band camps, material pickup days, and 6th grade orientation sessions. A big thank you goes out to our 8th grade W.E.B. (Where Everybody Belongs) student leaders who spent many hours mentoring and assisting students who had not been inside the school before.

The first day of school is Wednesday, August 11th. Drop off begins at 8:00 am and classes will begin at 8:30 am. Please know that school buses may be running a bit behind for the first week of school.

School pictures will be taken during the school day (during PE periods) on Thursday, August 12th. Ordering information is included below.

I am excited about the possibilities and opportunities that a new school year brings, especially this year. I am also looking forward to partnering with our families to ensure the best possible year for our students. Thompson has great kids, great parents, and a great staff.

Enjoy the remaining days of summer!

~Steve

D303 2021-2022 Return to School Plan

Click on this button to view return to school information posted on the District website. Check back frequently for possible updates.

School Supplies for This Year

School supply lists for this year can be found on the Thompson registration page by clicking here. Students are assigned hall lockers which they are welcome to use. Students also have the option to carry a sling bag or backpack throughout the school day.

Students will not be changing for PE nor assigned a PE locker. Please call the main office if you have any questions at (331) 228-3100!

Bus Routes

Click to view Bus Routes. Parents may login to e-Link using their student's ID number (not HAC Credentials). Do not check the "Authenticate using Network Credentials" box.

Fall Food Service Information

OrganicLife is once again providing food service to our middle school. Please click here to view the menus. Students in grades kindergarten through 8th grade who attend in-person classes are eligible for free breakfast and lunch. Lunch choices are typically a hot lunch, a deli sandwich, or a grab bag.

Students should pre order their food using a Google form which will be posted on our website. Students can order meals between 6 pm the night before until 9:30 am that day. To order a meal, students need to be in a Chrome browser (or on their Chromebooks) logged into their D303 Google account. Only students can order meals.

Also students will have the opportunity to order breakfast for the next day and pick it up as they leave school. We will be reminding students to place their orders in the morning and pick up pre ordered breakfasts at the end of the day! Please call the main office if you have any questions.

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Picture Day - Thursday, August 12th

Pictures and School IDs are scheduled for Thursday, August 12th. Students will have their pictures taken during their PE classes. Picture retake day is Thursday, October 14th.

Pre-order pictures on-line to receive special offers:

mylifetouch.com
Picture Day ID is EVT94JZSR

Please note that the student name on the order should match your child's full first name. For example, if your child's first name is 'Mitchell', don't use 'Mitch' on the LifeTouch site, but instead use 'Mitchell'.

Thompson Middle School Spiritwear

Order your PTO Spirit Wear before August 22nd! Orders will be delivered to Thompson the first week of September.

Fall Sports

Fall sports will be starting the week of August 9th. Please click on Activities for information regarding specific sports. All athletes must have a current physical and an agreement to participate in interscholastic athletics form on file with the main office in order to tryout/practice for sports at Thompson. Forms can be found on this webpage. We are looking forward to a great sports season!

Early Release Days

Early release days this year will be on Wednesdays instead of Mondays and approximately once per month. Students will be dismissed at 2:42 pm on these days and buses will be leaving Thompson at approximately 2:50 pm. The following are the eight 2021-2022 Early Release Days for Middle School:

September 1
September 29
October 27
December 1
January 26
February 23
March 23
April 27

These dates can also be found on the Thompson calendar on our website.

Incoming 6th Grade and New Student Physicals

A physical examination is required for entrance (first day of school) into Preschool, Kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade. Students who were fully remote last school year and postponed submitting their required physical exam/immunization record for entrance must submit their physical exam and immunization record prior to the first day of school.

Please access District 303's Health Department's Web Page for specific grade level vaccine requirements (including meningococcal vaccine requirements for high school students) and State of Illinois forms. The health history portion of the physical examination form must be completed and signed by a parent in order for the physical to be valid. An appointment card must be submitted to the health office indicating that a physical exam or immunization is scheduled in the event a student's age makes them ineligible for a vaccine prior to the first day of school or the student is scheduled for a physical exam shortly after the first day of school.

The State of Illinois requires that all students entering school for the first time from out of state shall have/submit a physical examination/vaccine record within 30 days of enrollment in school.

All exams must be dated within one year prior to the date the student enters school.

Physical Examinations may be acquired through your primary medical provider. If you do not have a primary medical provider, you may contact Kane County Health Department for referrals to local health clinics that provide such services".

Completed exams and immunizations may be mailed to Thompson or dropped off at the school. For more information please review this document and contact Diane Isbrandt if you have any questions.

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Q. How long is the school day? Passing Periods? Lunch?

The school day runs from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. Students are expected to be in their 1st hour classes by the 8:30 am bell. There is a warning bell at 8:27 am. Passing periods are 4 minutes. Lunch is 27 minutes for all students.
Students will not be admitted to Thompson prior to 8:00 am unless they have special permission from a teacher, coach, or club advisor.

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Q. What clubs can students join?

All of our clubs are listed with descriptions on our website here. Daily announcements include information on upcoming meetings. Parents can view daily announcements on our website or sign up to receive them in email. Students can join multiple clubs!

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Q. Where should students go on the first day of school?

Bus riders will be dropped off in the back of the building and enter through door 15. This entrance/exit is for bus students only.

Car riders dropped off in the front of the building will enter through door 3. Car riders dropped off on Indiana will enter through door 5. Walkers can enter through door 3 or door 5.

Students should not arrive to school until after 8:00 am. Those arriving between 8:00 - 8:20 am will go to the cafeteria where staff will be available for supervision and to answer questions. Students head to their 1st hour classes at 8:20 am.

Curriculum Nights

Thompson’s Curriculum Night for 6th grade parents will be held on Wednesday, August 25th. The 7th/8th Grade Curriculum Night is on Thursday, August 26th. Both events will begin at 6:30 pm. Please allow 15 minutes for parking and getting to your child’s first hour classroom.

The format for the nights will give you the opportunity to meet your student’s teachers, learn about this year’s curriculum, and hear about classroom expectations while following your child’s schedule found in HAC. The evenings will conclude by 8:15 pm.

For those who do not wish to attend in person, we will be posting teacher presentations on our website. We look forward to partnering with our families for a successful school year!

District Calendar - 2021-2022

School Fees & Food Waivers for 2021-2022

SCHOOL FEES WAIVER: The school fees waiver will ONLY be a PAPER application since there is financial documentation required for income verification. A family can only qualify for a free waiver of fees; there are no reduced fees. The application is on the district website. Questions regarding school fee waivers - Sharon Wlezien at 331-228-5417

FOOD WAIVER: Only one application needs to be completed for each household. Please include ALL family members that live in the household (even those not attending a school). Applications are posted on the district website. In addition, paper applications are available at the schools and the Administration Building as in years past. Unlike the school fees, families can qualify for Reduced. Questions regarding food waivers - Patti Townsend 331-228-6529

Families directly certified by the State of Illinois for the 2021-2022 school year will receive FREE FOOD and their FEES will be WAIVED. If your family is qualified by the state, do NOT need to complete either application. You should have received an approval letter in the mail in July.

D303 Parent University

Parent University was developed in response to the need for programming to address the social and emotional needs of students in District 303. We continue to strive to provide information on topics that are relevant, timely, and beneficial for all parents and guardians.

District 303 regards parent engagement as fundamental to the success of our students both inside and outside of the classroom. Parent University is designed to create partnerships between school and home and provide a place where parents and staff members can learn together.

Based on information gathered from parent surveys and the work on the Parent University Committee, the district designs and offers programming that is timely, meaningful, and easily accessible. Over the last several years, we have heard parents when they have requested programs that can be consumed on their schedule such as videos, webinars that are also available after the meeting, and voiced presentations. At the same time, we will also continue to host in-person programming.

If you have ideas about programming, please contact Carol Smith at carol.smith@d303.org or Cindy Ruesch at cindy.ruesch@d303.org.

Parent University - Mental Illness: The Silent Epidemic

September 2, 2021
Mental Illness: The Silent Epidemic
Zoom at 6:00 pm; Recording to be posted

Mark Potter is a nationally recognized basketball coach and speaker who is bringing his message to families in St. Charles. Mark grew up in Kansas, where he was a basketball and baseball stand-out. He played both sports at the collegiate level before moving into a career as a high school teacher and coach for 11 years. He then served as Head Men’s Basketball Coach at NCAA Division II Newman University for 19 years and has the distinction of being the winningest basketball coach in Newman’s history.

Thirteen years ago, Coach Potter began a downward spiral into a world of darkness. He missed eight games and 25 practices due to severe depression. He now brings his story to businesses and schools to promote education about mental illness. His passion is to share his story in hopes that people will also pursue treatment and find a way to live productively with mental illness.

Join the District 303 Parent University Webinar on September 2 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. as we welcome Coach Potter. Click here to register!

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Saints Family Fun Fest

Saints Family Fun Fest is an annual event to celebrate the end of summer, and kick-off the new school year. Sponsored and produced by the Athletic Boosters, the event centers around our student-athletes, highlighting the many sports teams at St. Charles East. Additionally, the event is an opportunity to bring families new and old from the community to visit the school that plays such a significant part in people’s lives. To frame the motto, “It’s a Great Day to be a Saint!”