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Thompson Friday Forecast

Summer Edition #2 - July 31, 2020

ThompsonFriday ForecastSummer Edition #2 - July 31, 2020

From the Principal...Steve Morrill

Welcome to the Thompson Middle School 2020-2021 school year! As we transition to the new school year, we are providing all stakeholders with the following information regarding frequently asked middle school questions. We are also including information about the start of this very unique school year, some of which you may already be aware of.


Much work and time goes into setting up accurate schedules for our students in the middle schools. Additionally, we strive to balance class sizes so that the most effective learning environment can be created for all students. Adding to the complexity of scheduling a building includes the A/B model for our in person learners and our plan for remote learners. To that end, schedules will be available in HAC by August 18th. Thank you for your patience!


The district communicated yesterday that the first day of school has been moved to Wednesday, August 19th. The first three days of school will be partial days. For Thompson, our school day will run from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm. Monday, August 24th starts full days from 8:30 am - 3:30 pm. The last day of school has been moved to Friday, May 28, 2021 if no 'emergency days' are used.


I would like to welcome Mrs. Danielle Moeller and Mr. Sam Pasholk to Thompson. They are joining our administration team as Student Support Coordinators this year. We are fortunate to be gaining two talented individuals who will be working directly with students and their families in order to support the entire Thompson Community.


We are looking forward to partnering with you and appreciate your support of Thompson Middle School!


Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer!

~Steve

D303 Reopening School Plan Guide
If you have not read the CUSD303 Reopening School Plan Guide, we would highly recommend that you do so. Click on this button to view this document that will answer many of your questions about instruction and what our school year will look like.

Material Pickup Days - 6th Grade and New Students Only

Material Pickup Days have been adjusted this year. Since schedules will not be ready, lockers will not be used, and pictures will be taken on the first attendance day, returning Thunder students do not need to attend.


Instead our W.E.B. (Where Everybody Belongs) 8th graders will be giving building tours to incoming 6th graders and 7th & 8th students new to D303 on Tuesday, August 4th from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm and Wednesday, August 5th from 1:30 pm - 6:00 pm. Students must be wearing masks and maintain 6 ft. distancing. Parents should drop off students at Door 5 and pick them up 30 minutes later at Door 15 behind the building. Students must have an appointment time. Sign up for a time slot via Pick-a-Time accessed through HAC.


Please call the main office if you have any questions or need help scheduling an appointment at (331) 228-3100.

School Supplies for This Year

Students will not be assigned hall or PE lockers this year. Chromebooks and classroom materials will be carried by students in their backpacks as they navigate their day. To that end, we have significantly reduced the number of items on our school supply lists. These lists have been modified from the ones we published in June and can be found on the registration page on our website.


The PTO has also adjusted the School Tool Box lists to match our revised supply lists. If you would like to place an order online, it will be delivered directly to your home address. You will have the option to customize your order by adding or removing items. Please use this link (https://schooltoolbox.com/school-supplies/) to place your order.


Please call the main office if you have any questions at (331) 228-3100!

Picture Days - Thursday, August 27th and Friday, August 28th

Picture Days are rescheduled for Thursday, August 27th and Friday, August 28th. Students will have their pictures taken during their PE classes.


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


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'.


If full remote students would like to have their pictures taken, we will also have a time set aside outside of the school day. Please be on the lookout for more information on how to sign up for this.

Revised District Calendar - 2020-2021
The first attendance day of classes was moved to Wednesday, August 19th. A revised calendar will be posted soon. Students will not be in attendance on Tuesday, November 3rd.
'A' Day vs. 'B' Day In-School Attendance Schedule
Please click on the button to view the schedule for in-school attendance for the month of August. These dates can also be found on the Thompson calendar.

Incoming 6th Grade and New Student Physicals

The State of Illinois and State Board of Education have not issued any changes in the school health requirements for the upcoming school year and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly supports the continued provision of health care for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. This care includes well-child care (school exams), preventative care, screenings and vaccinations.


Thus, students in sixth grade and transfer students must submit evidence of a State of Illinois physical examination and/or a complete record of immunizations in order to start school. Parents/Guardians who have not already done so should reach out to their health care provider to schedule their child's mandated physical examination and immunizations.


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.

Annual Student Registration Update Form
Thompson is missing online registration updates for about ~400 students. If you have not already filled out this short survey, please click on this button and take the time to do so now. Thank you!
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Q. When will we learn our bus schedule?

Bus schedules will be available through the Bus Routes e-Link which is found on the District website as well as through your HAC account on the School Links page. These will not be available until just prior to the start of school as our transportation department is working tirelessly to configure the routes.

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Q. Do incoming 6th graders keep their Chromebooks from 5th grade? How do I get a Chromebook?

Incoming 6th graders will keep their Chromebooks from their elementary school. New students can come to Thompson on Wednesday, August 5th or Wednesday, August 12th between 9:00 - 11:00 am to pick up a Chromebook from our ITS department. Please have your child check to see if his/her Chromebook is working and swap it out on the 5th or the 12th if it is broken. We want all students to be ready for learning on the first day of school!
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Q. Does my child need to wear his/her ID every day?

For safety and in order to purchase food in the cafeteria, all students and staff will wear IDs every day while at school. Students will receive their IDs on picture day. They will also receive a Thompson lanyard although they may wear one from home. If your child loses his/her ID, a replacement one can be picked up from the LRC. The first replacement is free; for additional cards, students will be charged $5 to their PushCoin accounts.
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Q. Can my child charge their Chromebook at school?

Our goal is that all students charge their Chromebooks every night at home. Students should not be bringing Chromebooks to school uncharged. These devices are used frequently throughout class periods, so students need them ready to go 1st hour. Please help your child get into a routine at night that involves charging their Chromebook.
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Q. Are cell phones allowed during the school day?

Our goal is to provide students with quality learning experiences during the school day and cell phone use impedes this experience. Phones are off and put away during the school day is the district policy. Students should not be accessing their phones from 8:27 am - 3:30 pm. Please support our efforts to keep students focused on learning by talking through this policy at home and by not texting them during the school day. If you need to communicated with your child, please contact the main office. Additionally, if your child is feeling ill, they need to go to the nurse. Students should not be texting parents to pick them up without checking in with the nurse.
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Q. Do you monitor what my child is doing on their Chromebook?

Teachers monitor student Chromebook use during class. We also have a program called Gaggle that screens all emails, documents, and web searches for inappropriate or concerning language and topics. Sometimes students receive an initial email from Gaggle stating that the content of one of their documents is inappropriate. However, if the concern is over safety or the content is highly inappropriate, a copy of the document or image is sent to building and district administrators in addition to students receiving the notification.
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Q. Are outside food and beverages permitted during the school day?

If a student is having lunch dropped off by a family member, it must be done through the main office. Food and beverages may only be provided for the individual student. For example a pizza cannot be purchased for a group of students. And students are not permitted to use apps such as UberEasts or GrubHub to have food delivered during the school day.
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Q. How do I stay informed about what is going on at Thompson?

Thompson Middle School strives to be as transparent as possible with our parents and the community. Sign up to receive the Announcements and Friday Forecast.


The Friday Forecast is a weekly publication providing information and updates. Click here to sign up for the Daily Announcements, Friday Forecast, and District e-News.

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Q. Who can I contact if I have a question or concern?

Contact your student's teacher for classroom information and procedures. Contact your student's team leader for team/grade level questions. Contact your grade level counselor for information related to schedules, academics, or concerns beyond the classroom.


Our administration team is here to provide support to students and families.


And the main office is always here to help in any way at (331) 228-3100!

School Fees & Food Waivers for 2020-2021

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 2020-2021 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.

Virtual Building Tour for Incoming 6th Graders

Take a Virtual Tour of the the school! You can find directions for viewing and narration here. And if you missed the virtual presentation by Mr. Morrill last spring, you can view it here - TMS Virtual Incoming 6th Grade Parent Night.


We are looking forward to the new school year!

Thompson PTO
Check out the Thompson PTO website by clicking on the button above!

Dates to Remember

  • Tuesday, August 4 - Building Tours (incoming 6th and new students only) 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
  • Wednesday, August 5 - Building Tours (incoming 6th and new students only) 1:30 pm - 6:00 pm

  • Wednesday, August 19 - First Day of School

  • Thursday, August 27 & 28 - Picture Days
  • Thursday, August 27 - First full day of attendance ('B' in-school attendance students)
  • Friday, August 28 - First full day of attendance ('A' in-school attendance students)

  • Friday, September 4 - No School for Students - Teacher Institute Day
  • Monday, September 7 - No School for Students - Labor Day Holiday
District and School Newsletters
Click the button above to subscribe or unsubscribe to D303 and school newsletters.
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Thompson Middle School

Mr. Steve Morrill - Principal

Mrs. Michelle Dague - Assistant Principal

Mr. Shane Darnell - Assistant Principal

Mrs. Danielle Moeller - Student Support Coordinator

Mr. Sam Pasholk - Student Support Coordinator

Let's Talk!

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/