Thundercat Weekly
Parent Newsletter - February 5-- February 9, 2024
Newsletter Contents
- RTMS Parents To-Do List
- Important Dates
- Thundercats Have Heart
- PALS Carnation Sales
- Student Council Meeting
- Girls Track Information
- Tennis Information
- National Schools Counselors Week
- Whole Child Health Parent Webinar – Study Habits & Test Anxiety
- FBISD Candidate Networking Event
- School Links Guide
- Elective Applications, Links and Deadlines
- 7th Grade Social
- Thundercat TV Episode - 15
- Bookapalooza
- Yearbook Personalization
- 3rd Party Food Deliveries
- Student Dress Code
- Cell Phone Policy
- Attendance News
Links and Resources
Parent To-Do List
1. Submit a 2023-24 FBISD Volunteer Application HERE
2. Add money to School Café Account https://www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd
3. Log on to Skyward to review your child’s grades in all classes
4. Update Student Passwords and/or challenge questions
5. Career Day Volunteer Sign-Up
Important Dates
February 5-9 ~ National School Counseling Week
February 9 ~ 7th Grade Social from 6-8 pm
February 16 ~ No School for students
February 19 ~ President’s Day – No School
April 5 - Save the Date! Thunder Games 6-9 pm
Thundercats Have Heart
During advisory on February 14, 2024, our Thundercats will be writing cards from the heart. The cards will be created with our senior citizens in mind. We will gather all the cards during advisory class and send them to senior care facilities and retirement communities. If you are aware of a facility that you’d like us to include to please fill out the below form. We will take care of the rest. The form will be closed on January 26, 2024.
https://forms.office.com/r/aUpzJcpH0t?origin=lprLink
Thank You
PALS Carnation Sales
Please see the flyer and the link or QE code below.
Student Council Meeting
Student Council will meet Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 8:25 in the library
Girls Track Information
Girl’s Track Information-
Track T-shirt sales – Store Closes Sunday, Feb. 4 at 11:59 https://gogandy.com/rtms-tr24
Track Meet Day Meals - Closes Sunday, Feb 4 https://cfasienna.com/product/rtms-girls-track-2024/ *BOTH ITEMS ARE OPTIONAL Remember only the top 3 in each event compete at meets. We will have final list of girls attending the meet by Tuesday morning. Girls, should have an idea if they will be competing. If you do order meals and your child does not compete, they may pick up their meal after school of meet days.
Tennis Information
Tennis Info-
Tennis Team Shirt Online – Ends Sunday, Feb 4 -https://gogandy.com/rtms-tn24
National Schools Counselors Week
RTMS would like to acknowledge the unique contribution of our school counselors!
Whole Child Health Parent Webinar – Study Habits & Test Anxiety
As a part of the Whole Child Health Initiative, Fort Bend ISD is excited to present our parent webinar: “Study Habits & Test Anxiety”. The webinar will equip parents and caregivers with research-based strategies and tools to help students be better prepared for school, state, and national assessments. Information about test anxiety symptoms, current district and campus-based support systems to address it, and best practices regarding how to lower and/or minimize it will also be shared.
The parent webinar will be held on Wednesday, February 21st at 6 p.m. 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: Parent Webinar - Study Habits & Test Anxiety; FBISD Whole Child Health Webpage
FBISD Candidate Networking Event
Fort Bend ISD is hosting a February 10 networking event for candidates interested in nursing, library services and special education positions.
Learn more and register to attend at www.fortbendisd.com/careers
School Links Guide
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Elective Applications, Links and Deadlines
7th & 8th Grade AVID: open - due Feb. 2nd
https://forms.office.com/r/V8ULjwf4p2
7th Grade Athletics: open- due Mar. 1st
8th Grade Journalism/Yearbook: open - due Feb. 2nd
https://forms.office.com/r/9P2Lc5H2SU
8th Grade ThunderCat TV: open -due Feb. 2nd
https://forms.office.com/r/kdYrUWVXbM
8th Grade PALS: open -due Feb. 9th
8th Grade Office Worker: opens Jan. 22nd - due Feb. 9th
7th Grade Social
Our 7th Grade Social, sponsored and hosted by our PTO, will be held in our RTMS Commons. This event is exclusively for RTMS 7th grade students. It will occur on Friday, February 9, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
Dress: Dress up in Red, Black, and/or Gold
*FBISD Dress Code Will Be Enforced*
There is no cost to our students, just maintain great behavior. To be eligible to attend, students must not receive a disciplinary referral in Skyward from January 9 to February 9.
Patrick Watson M.Ed.
7th Grade Assistant Principal
Ronald Thornton Middle School
Parents who are interested in volunteering or donating to this event should use the links below:
Donation sign up
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/8050845AFA623A5F85-7thgrade1
Volunteer Sign Up
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/8050845AFA623A5F85-7thgrade
Here is the link for the AVID application. Current 5th graders do not have to fill it out and 7th grade students who are currently in AVID do not have to fill it. All other interested current 6th graders and 7th graders should fill this out.
RTMS Application Link: https://forms.office.com/r/V8ULjwf4p2
Thundercat TV
Bookapalooza
SAVE THE DATE! Bookapalooza will be Saturday, April 13
Bookapalooza, Fort Bend ISD’s popular annual literacy experience, will be held Saturday, April 13, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Dulles Middle School (500 Dulles Ave., Sugar Land, TX 77478).
The free book and comic festival is open to all FBISD students and their families.
Be sure to stay tuned for registration information.
Yearbook Personalization
The last chance to order a yearbook with personalization is Friday, 1/26.
Order at jostensyearbooks.com, or click on the below link:
3rd Party Food Deliveries
Student Dress Code
The District prohibits pictures, emblems, or writings on clothing that advertise or depict tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, drugs, or any other prohibited substance.
Students must comply with the following dress and grooming standards, including in online learning platforms.
Shirts, Blouses, Sweatshirts, Sweaters, Vests
•Shirts, blouses, sweatshirts, sweaters, vests that expose undergarments and/or midriff are prohibited;
•Shirts, blouses, sweatshirts, sweaters, vests must not depict or reference alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weapons, nudity, gang affiliation, death, violence, vulgar or obscene language or images, and/or insults to race, religion, gender, or ethnicity, or other emblems or writing that may be expected to cause a material or substantial disruption of, or interference with, normal school operations.
Dresses, Jumpers, Skirts, Shorts, Skorts, Pants, and Jeans
•Dresses, jumpers, skirts, and skorts may be worn at a length that is slightly above mid-thigh;
- Shorts, jeans, and all pants shall be worn at the hip or higher and must cover undergarments; •Shorts may be worn at a length that is approximately above mid-thigh; and
•Athletic wear, which may include yoga pants, stretch leggings and fitness tights, are permissible as long as they do not reveal undergarments, do not have sections of seethrough material, or are worn with a shirt that covers the posterior, or are not disruptive to the school environment.
Shoes
•Shoes shall be worn, and if designed to be tied shall be properly tied; •Elementary students shall not wear flip-flops or shoes with no back/heel strap;
•Unsafe footwear is not permitted (i.e., house shoes, slippers); and
•Appropriate shoes must be worn during PE/athletics classes, as well as during lab activities in science, CTE, etc.
Hair
•All hair, including facial hair, shall be neat, clean, and well groomed, and worn in a style that is not distractive;
•Mustaches, beards, or goatees shall be neat, clean, and well groomed, and worn in a style that does not display derogatory remarks, symbols, or statements that disrupts the learning environment. Hair markings must not depict or reference alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weapons, nudity, gang affiliation, violence, vulgar or obscene language, or images that substantially disrupt or interfere with normal school operations. Drawings, icons, and/or other markings cut into the hair, including eyebrows, and not associated with required religious markings or hairstyles are not permitted.
Miscellaneous
•Proper undergarments shall be worn at all times;
•Revealing clothing of any type may not be worn;
•No clothing that has been ripped, torn, or cut in a way as to reveal undergarments, midriff, chest, or posterior;
•Clothing including face coverings with profanity, obscene patches, references to alcohol, drugs, weapons or tobacco, or anything that may be construed as violent, vulgar or obscene
language or images, and/or insults to race, religion, gender, or ethnicity, or other emblems or writing that may be expected to cause a material or substantial disruption of, or interference with, normal school operations.
• Any attire, tattoo, icons, or markings on body, e.g. bandanas, shoelaces, chains, t-shirts, etc., that is distractive, causes a disturbance, or identifies a student as part of an unauthorized group, gang, or society are not permitted that includes but is not limited to virtual background choices. No pajama wear of any type except on-campus designated days;
• Body piercings that are distractive or that pose a safety concern are not permitted;
• No hats, caps, doo-rags, wave caps, bandanas or hoods worn indoors, except on campus designated days or during designated times permitted by the campus; and
• No sunglasses may be worn inside the building unless there is a medical note on file.
Cell Phone Policy
We are a cell phone-free school.
Reminder: All cell phones/earbuds/air pods must be put in students' backpacks before they walk into RTMS.
Cell phones may be used for educational purposes with the teacher's permission. Students not adhering to cell phone expectations may have devices confiscated for the day. Third confiscation will result in a $10 fine through RevTrak. The parent/guardian may then retrieve the device at the campus during normal school hours after the fine has been paid.
Please speak to your child about the cell phone expectations at RTMS.
Attendance News
Below are some frequent Q & A’s and resource information from our RTMS Attendance Clerks to help alleviate your attendance concerns:
1. What should I do if my child is absent? Do I need to call the campus or my student’s teachers?
If your child is absent from instruction, please submit an excuse note (with documentation attached, if available) via email within 5 days of the absence to attendancertms@fortbendisd.com, or have your student drop a note by the attendance office. Phone calls regarding a student’s absence are considered a courtesy, but not an excuse. Please follow up with a written parent note or medical note for the absence to be excused.
2. I believe my child was incorrectly marked absent or tardy.
Please contact the teacher who marked the absence or tardy. If it is incorrect, the teacher will either edit the attendance or contact the Attendance Clerk to make the correction.
3. What is considered Tardy, Late, and/or Absent within the day?
Tardy: 19> minutes since class started
Late: <20 minutes since class started
Absent (W): <40 minutes since class started
4. How do I pick my child up early for an appointment?
Sign in at the Front Office with your state issued I.D. to get a Visitor’s Badge for the Attendance Office. Sign your student out with the Attendance Clerk. Remember to bring a doctor’s note back to school the following day for the absence to be excused. Please note that should you pick your student up during their PE class or lunch time, wait times may be longer than usual, as we are unable to contact a classroom.
5. What is the latest time I can pick up my student?
Please arrive to the school before 3:30 pm to check your student out for an appointment. The end of the school day can be chaotic, as students are shuffling from classes to their dismissal areas; therefore, student pickup is suspended from 3:30 p.m.-4:10 p.m.
6. Can someone else pick my student up early from school?
Yes, provided they are listed as an emergency contact for your student in Skyward. To add someone to your ER contact list, email Christine.Gruber@fortbendisd.com their name, phone number, and relationship to your student, along with a copy of your ID.
7. Why is my student’s absence still showing unexcused?
Once documentation has been submitted, it can take up to 48 hours to be reflected in Skyward. Notes MUST BE SUBMITTED within 5 business days after the absence. If they are turned in outside that timeframe, the absence will still be considered unexcused.
8. What information should be included in the absence note?
Please include your student’s first name and last name, date/s of absence, grade level and reason for their 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 3 consecutive days with a parent written excuse; after the 4th day, a medical note will need to be provided.
10. My student is sick and leaving from the clinic; do I need to check out with the Attendance Office?
You will sign your student out from the clinic only if the nurse or nurse’s assistant has specifically requested that you pick up your student. The nurse will inform the Attendance Office, and your student will be excused for the missed classes. Otherwise, you may sign your student out from the Attendance Office, and they will be called directly from class.
11. Can my student wait for me at the school entrance if they know I am coming to pick them up?
Due to safety reasons and the constant flow of students entering and exiting the building, please DO NOT ask your student to wait for you at the entrance of the school. Students must be checked out according to FBISD policy.
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, nor will they be called out of class to retrieve them. A table is set up in the vestibule for parent drop-offs. Once you text your student to inform them the item is there, their teacher will determine whether they are allowed to retrieve it. If not, they can pick it up during a passing period.
Links and Resources
FBISD Instructional Calendar (2023-2024)
FBISD Volunteer Application & Background Check
PE Uniforms https://fortbendisd.revtrak.net/FBISD-Schools-1082/ms/thornton-ms/rtms-pe-uniforms/#/list
Immunization Information - FBISD Health Services Webpage
FBISD Student Parent Handbook https://www.fortbendisd.com/cms/lib/TX01917858/Centricity/Domain/91/2023-2024%20Student%20Parent%20Handbook%201.12.24.pdf
Connect to RTMS
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RTMSThundercats
Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/rtms
RTMS PTO https://www.rtmspto.net/
Ronald Thornton Middle School
Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/rtms
Location: 1909 Waters Lake Boulevard, Sienna, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 327-3870
Twitter: @RTMSThundercats