Thompson Friday Forecast

August 20, 2021

From the Principal...Steve Morrill

We have one full week of school under our belts! Thanks to all of our stakeholders for your support, flexibility, and attention as we collectively got our Thunder students back in the groove of school.

I would also like to thank you for your patience with our busing challenge. The beginning of each year always seems to be bumpy in this area, however, this year seems especially so. The bus routes are developed by our transportation department during the summer and are designed to maximize safety and work as efficiently as possible. During the first two weeks of school, bus drivers and transportation department administrators gather information about the efficiency and timeliness of routes. After that time, any necessary changes will be made and parents will be informed. Thank you for your understanding.

This week we completed our Fall i-Ready diagnostic testing. The areas of assessment are math and reading. These tests are given to gather baseline academic data about students in order for us to develop targeted instructional plans of action. A similar assessment will take place in the winter and again in the spring. The results of these assessments are mailed home to families.

On Wednesday, we began weekly surveillance testing of the Covid-19 virus for registered students/staff. Please click here if you would like to register your child for this free weekly testing. Testing is one method of identifying cases and preventing the spread of COVID-19. It has been a super busy, productive, and positive week at Thompson.

Have a good weekend,

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.

Chromebook Exchange

6th and 7th graders will be getting new Chromebooks on Tuesday, August 24th! Please send your child to school with his/her Chromebook and Chromebook charger on Tuesday. Students will swap out their Chromebooks during their PE classes.

Any 8th grader who currently has a Dell Chromebook will be getting a replacement as well. 8th Graders with a Dell should bring their Chromebook and Chromebook charger to school on Tuesday. They will check in with their PE teacher and come down to the main foyer for a replacement.

Absent students can swap out their Chromebooks on Wednesday, August 25th in the LRC. If you have any questions, please contact the main office at 331-228-3100.

Auditions for the Fall Musical

Auditions for the fall musical are Tuesday, August 24th after school in the choir room (105). If you have not picked up an audition packet, you can print one from the classroom page (code h2bfnzq.) You must have a signed form which is included in the packet in order to audition. If you have questions, please email Mrs Pogge sandra.sebolt-pogge@d303.org.

Fall Indoor Sporting Events at Thompson

Spectators will be allowed to attend sporting events in Thompson's gym this fall. Anyone 2 years or older will be required to be masked and maintain social distancing throughout their attendance. Thank you for your cooperation with these District and State protocols. We are looking forward to a great athletic season. Go Thompson Thunder!!

A Note From the District Regarding Curriculum Nights

The beginning of the school year historically brings opportunities for families to see where their children spend their days, meet the teachers, and get to know other parents and guardians. As we began the 2021-2022 school year, we were hopeful that our schools would be full of happy and excited parents on Back to School and Curriculum Nights. On August 17, it quickly became apparent to our administrative team that, based on Kane and DuPage Counties moving into the “high community transmission” category for COVID-19 cases, the best option was to hold virtual events for all our schools.

Throughout the pandemic, we have seen changes in transmission rates in our community, including decreases. We look forward to the time when we can once again welcome families, our most important partners, into the schools. Your continued patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.

TMS Curriculum Night Update

D303 Curriculum Nights this year will be virtual and teacher presentations will be in the form of videos. Unfortunately, we will not be able to meet in person with parents which was originally scheduled for August 25th or August 26th. We are adjusting our timeline for the virtual Curriculum Night information to be shared. That date is now Thursday, September 2nd. We will send a ParentLink to families with links to these presentations prior to September 2nd.

Thompson Middle School Spiritwear

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

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 is 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!

Great News! The cafeteria will be able to accept cash payments this year! They will not be making change for students. Any unspent funds will be added directly to the student's PushCoin lunch account as available funds for future purchases.

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.

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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.

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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!

SOS for Parents in the Trenches

October 6, 2021

Debbie Reber, NY Times bestselling author

Zoom Webinar, 6:30 pm; Recording to be posted

Click here to register!

When parents are feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and burned out, it’s hard to show up in a way that best supports their child’s development, especially if/ when our kids are struggling, too. In this practical and actionable talk, Debbie shares ten powerful “tilts,” a.k.a. practical ideas to help parents shift their thinking, responses, and actions in a way that will help them feel more confident and peaceful as they parent their unique children.

Supporting Kids Who Learn Differently: Back-to-School Edition

October 13, 2021

Debbie Reber, NY Times bestselling author

Zoom Webinar, 6:30 pm; Recording to be posted

Click here to register!

School always presents certain challenges for students who learn and think differently (kids with ADHD, dyslexia, giftedness, autism, anxiety, or other neuro-differences). But the COVID-19 pandemic has created even greater obstacles. Debbie shares ideas on how parents can best prioritize and plan in the pandemic-era school landscape. She also offers advice on how to support differently wired children’s cognitive, social, and emotional needs during this atypical time, while also taking care of one’s own emotional health and well-being.