Thundercat Weekly

9/5 School Holiday- No School

9/6 Football vs MCMS B-Team 5:30-6:30PM Ridge Point High School

9/7 Football vs MCMS A-Team 5:30-6:30PM Ridge Point High School

Fort Bend ISD will join school districts throughout Texas to support the students and staff in Uvalde CISD as they return to school next week. We invite our students and staff to ‘Stand with Uvalde’ by wearing maroon and white on Tuesday, September 6 to honor, support and encourage the Uvalde community.

GT Referral window is open for parents and teachers through September 30, 2022.

Supervision is available for students daily 8:20AM- 4:30PM.

Thank you for being timely in your drop off and pick up of our thundercat students.

September 2, 2022

Good Morning Thundercat Families,

For the most up to date RTMS Newsletter link: (insert link) . The Thundercat Weekly newsletter contains updates, deadlines, and important information for RTMS.

This was a fantastic week for the Thundercats! The Thundercats boys football 7th and 8th grade teams both won over Bowie! And our 7th and 8th grade girls’ volleyball teams swept their games against Garcia! Congratulations, coaches and players for some great wins this week! RTMS staff also hosted open house. It was wonderful to see all our parents following their students’ schedules and being here at Thundercat country.

This week we continue to focus on People and Relationships matter. We want all our Thundercats to enjoy their friends and teachers. One of the best ways to accomplish this goal is through kindness. Please help us challenge the students to do random acts of kindness throughout their day. Even a smile makes a huge difference to those having a bad day.

Grades: Progress report grades have posted for the 1st three weeks. In addition, level changes began on August 31. Please e-mail counselor’s if you have any questions regarding level changes.

Safety- Middle School students grow in their independence. Learning to be aware of your surroundings is critical as you learn and grow. Please remember that the building opens and supervision begins at 8:20am. Students who are left outside will not be supervised until our doors open at 8:20, and they are expected to demonstrate appropriate behavior.

Lunch update: The FBISD free and reduced lunch application link Free and Reduced Lunch Application

Buses- If you are new to Thornton MS, please check the Bus Route Locator for your specific route information. We are in regular contact with FBISD transportation regarding bus concerns, as well.

RTMS School Volunteer Opportunity

· For any child involved in Fine Arts, the teachers are always looking for parent volunteer and chaperones to attend events. Please reach out to our Fine Arts teachers and volunteer for their events. It is a great way to meet parents and see your student doing what they enjoy.

· RTMS will have Walk Watch Repeat back on campus this year. These are parent volunteers who walk the building and are able to be an extra set of eyes for us for safety and security. You may contact Walk Watch Repeat, if you are interested in volunteering. The e-mail for WWR is walkwatchrepeat@gmail.com. Parents who wish to volunteer must have also completed the annual criminal background check using this link to the district website.

We will continue to keep you updated on our progress and thank you for partnering with our school to make it the best it can possibly be for your children.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Petru, Principal

A student is tardy when they arrive less than five (5) minutes after the bell without a pass. Arrival after twenty (20) minutes without a pass students are truant. Each teacher will record tardies in Skyward.

Consequences:

• Tardy: Student Conference

• 2-3 Tardies: Parent Contact

• 4-5 Tardies: Referral, After School Detention

• 6+Tardies: Referral; Saturday Detention and Parent Conference

Child Nutrition and the SHAC Sub-Nutrition Committee would like your support encouraging students to participate in our Farm Fresh Texas @FBISDFoodie Art Contest! The Farm Fresh Art Contest is for students interested in revealing their artistic talents utilizing the "Taste the Rainbow" theme through various art mediums! View contest details in the links found below for more information.

Links: Art Contest Criteria and Submission Link

Document: Art Contest Flyer

Girls Basketball tryouts will be held Oct. 19-21 and Cross Country will start Oct. 24. All athletes must have a physical uploaded in Rank One and all electronic forms filled out. If you plan to tryout please get this done ASAP. If you have any questions please contact Coach Barger – dana.barger@fortbendisd.com.

Cross Country will begin in October. To participate in Cross Country all runners must be in the 7th or 8th grade, have a physical on file and all Rank One forms completed. If your child would like to participate please take care of physical and Rank One forms now so they are ready to go. For updates on the season please join our Sports You group – ELZQ-GSBQ. Any other questions contact Coach Barger.

The safety of our Thundercats is top priority and we appreciate everyone adhering to our dismissal process.

Parents please be kind to our RTMS neighbors and do not drop off or pick up students in those areas. Please use our car rider line. Thank you for your understanding in keeping our Thundercats safe and our neighbors safe too.

· If you plan to drop off/pick up your student by vehicle, please remain in the RTMS designated car rider line.

1. When dropping off students for tutorials or clubs 7:50 - 8:15 am, please use the second lane crosswalk area, in the front drive, to drop off in the morning.
2. Please have students exit and enter vehicles near the front curb of the campus.

Thank you in advance for following the car rider map.

Thank you for helping to keep our thundercats safe !

• All incoming 7th grade students for the 2022-2023 school year are required to obtain T-dap and Meningococcal vaccines per Texas law, please provide a copy to the clinic.
• As a reminder, students are not allowed to bring any over the counter or prescribed medications to school. All medications must be turned in by the parent/guardian in the original prescription bottle and appropriate documentation filled out.
• All students that carry inhalers or epi-pens should let the clinic know and also should have a permission form and action plan signed by their doctor.

Thank you for reaching out to the Ronald Thornton Middle School Attendance Office! Here are some frequent Q’s & A’s and resource information that may help address your concerns even faster:

1. What should I do if my child is absent?

If your child is absent from instruction, please attach your documentation to an email within 5 days of the absence to attendancertms@fortbendisd.com

2. I believe my child was incorrectly marked absent.
Please contact the teacher who marked the absence. If it is incorrect, the teacher will either edit the attendance or contact the attendance office to make a correction.

3. What do I do if I need to pick my child up early for an appointment?
Sign in at the Front Office with your sate issued I.D., you will get a Visitor’s Badge to the Attendance Office. Sign your student out from the Attendance Office. Please remember to bring a doctor’s note back to school the next day to allow the absence to be excused. Please make sure if you (parent or guardian) are sending another person to pick-up your student/s, they are listed on the emergency contacts.Students will not be released if they are not on the emergency contact.

4. What if I need to add someone on my student/s emergency contact for early pick-up?

Email Christine.gruber@fortbendisd.com the name, number and relationship to student/s with a copy of your ID.

5. What is the latest I can pick-up my student?

Student pickup is suspended from 3:40 p.m-4:10 p.m.

6. Do I need to call when my student is absent?

No, calls are considered a courtesy but not an excuse please follow up with a written note or medical note in order for absence to be excused.

7. Why is the absence still showing unexcused?
Once documentation is submitted, it can take up to 48 hours to show in Skyward.

8. What information should be included in the absence note?

Please include first name and last name, grade level, reason for absence.

9. How many days can my student be absent before they need a Medical Note?

According to the FBISD Parent/ Student Handbook, a student can be absent 4 consecutive days with a parent written excuse after the 5th day a medical note will need to be provided.

10. My student is sick and leaving from the clinic, do I need to sign out from the Attendance Office?

You will sign your student out from the Clinic only if the nurse or nurse’s assistant has spoken with you. The nurse will let the Attendance Clerk know and your student will be excused for the missed classes.

If the Nurse or Nurse Assistant does not inform you to pick your student up from the clinic then you will need to sign your student out from the Attendance Office and the student will be called from class.

11. Can my student wait for me in the entrance, if they know I am coming to pick them up?

Due to safety reasons and constant flow of entering and exiting the building, please DO NOT have your student wait for you in the entrance of the school.

12. My child forgot an item (lunch, band instrument, technology, etc.) at home, how can I get it to them?

We do not deliver items to students. Student will not be called out of class to retrieve items. A table is set up in the vestibule, where you are able to drop the item off, text your student the item is at the front of the school on the table. If allowed by the teacher they may come or during passing period to pick item up.

#AttendanceCounts

We are off to a good start. THANK YOU again to those that have already donated to our school’s ThunderCash Campaign. We would love to meet our goal of $25,000 and we NEED everyone’shelp to get there. There’s still time to donate to ThunderCash. Please see flyer below and visit www.rtmspto.net. We are asking for donations to be made online, however if you would prefer to send cash or check please email Danielle Hooks at dmhooks@me.com or Jennifer McCullough at jenndave75@gmail.com to make arrangements.

As a part of the Whole Child Health Initiative, Fort Bend ISD is excited to present our first parent webinar of the 2022-23 school year: " Mental Health is for Everyone". The parent webinar will be held on Wednesday, September 21st at 6 p.m. During this session, FBISD's mental health counselors will educate families on the District’s campus-based services targeted to normalize and identify emotional challenges across cultures. Whole Child Health, focuses on Whole Child Health, is aligned with FBISD's Profile of a Graduate, and is committed to supporting and developing the mental, behavioral, social, emotional, and physical health of all students in FBISD.

Links: Mental Health is for Everyone Parent Webinar Link

Thundercat Families,

As you may already know, FBISD uses Renaissance Star 360 Assessments (Ren360) to help teachers understand what students know and what they are ready to learn next. These assessments are administered during the fall, winter, and spring to monitor student growth and progress. The fall Ren360 assessment calendar is listed below. Students will be tested at school by their ELA and Math teachers.

• 8/29/22 6th GR READING REN 360
• 8/30/22 7th GR READING REN 360
• 8/31/22 8th GR READING REN 360
• 9/1/22 6th GR MATH REN 360
• 9/2/22 7TH GR MATH REN 360
• 9/6/22 8TH GR MATH REN 360

In order to support your child on this assessment, please

• Encourage your child to do his/her best;
• Encourage your child to eat a healthy breakfast;
• Get plenty of sleep at night;
• Arrive to school on time and prepared.

Thank you for your partnership with us through this assessment process. Results of the Ren360 assessments will be available in Skyward at approximately the beginning of October. For more information about Star Assessments, visit the Renaissance parent webpage.

• Free and reduced lunch forms open on August 1. It can be completed at www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd. Families must complete an application for each school year.
• Meal prices for 2022-23 School Year:
• Student Breakfast: $2.00
• Secondary Lunch: $3.00
• Parents may put money in student’s accounts PRIOR to the 1st day of school to avoid longer lunch lines at the start of school.

Please refrain from parking in the neighborhood across from Ronald Thornton Middle School. Violators will be ticketed.

Please understand that we cannot honor requests for students to ride bus routes other than their own designated route. Students who do not have bus-riding privileges will not be able to ride the bus with their bus-riding friends. Therefore, please plan accordingly so that everyone experiences a smooth dismissal each school day.

It is not required for students to purchase a school PE uniform. Campuses offer PE uniforms to families to purchase to ensure they have easy access to athletic clothing that is in the dress code. If a family prefers to purchase their own uniform, they can do so as long as it meets the requirements: The uniform meets the school dress code: This includes shorts that are the proper length and a loose-fitting t-shirt; the uniform matches school colors; the student’s name is written on both the shorts and shirt.

Need a PE Uniform? Click link below to order. Uniforms will be distributed the first week of school in PE classes.

https://fortbendisd.revtrak.net/FBISD-Schools-1082/ms/thornton-ms/rtms-pe-uniforms/#/list

RTMS PE Uniforms | Fort Bend ISD

RTMS P.E. Shirts. RTMS P.E. Shorts. Home > FBISD Schools > Middle Schools > Thornton MS > RTMS PE Uniforms > FBISD Schools > Middle Schools > Thornton MS > RTMS PE Uniforms

fortbendisd.revtrak.net

1. Electronics/ cell phone policy?

a. Cell phones should be out of sight in the student’s backpack throughout the school day.

b. Teachers will communicate when students can use their electronic devices to aid in the learning process.

2. Are smart phones/tablets required?

a. Smart phones/tablets are not required at school

b. All classrooms are outfitted with a class set of laptops or iPads.

Electronic Devices (Cellphones/Tablets/Laptops) are used for instructional purposes only. Cellphones are not permitted in general areas (i.e. restrooms, locker room, morning grade level areas, cafeteria/commons, hallway)

The Departments of Collaborative Communities, Business and Finance and Enterprise funds will be hosting the District-Wide Parent Organization Collaborative (DPOC) meeting on August 27th from 9 am to 12 pm. The annual DPOC kick-off meeting will provide an opportunity for new, existing and reactivated parent organizations and booster clubs to learn important information about getting started for the 2022-2023 school year. *Reminder! All required documentation for parent organizations is due to Parent.Org@fortbendisd.com by 9/1.

Please complete this form in its entirety so that it can be properly processed. RTMS cannot guarantee that all requests will be granted due to the limited amount of lockers available. Students will be notified through Schoology of the outcome of this request. Please submit this form only once.

Requests will not be accepted after Friday September 9th at 4pm.

https://forms.office.com/r/DsjcckPCD8

During the course of the 2022-23 school year all Fort Bend ISD students will be issued a school ID. IDs will assist students with library check out, event entry, lunch service, and other campus services. More details will follow regarding the timeline for implementation and issuance of student identification cards.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RTMSThundercats

Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/rtms

Join the official Thornton ThunderCats Facebook page!
Please visit and join us HERE.