Thompson Friday Forecast

February 14, 2025

From the Principal... Matt Clark

Parenting in the Digital Age: Sometimes It’s Good to Be “Mean”

Parenting in 2025 means constantly battling screens. Case in point: my wife and I recently told our daughters (ages 11 and 15) that if they’re going to be on their phones during short car rides, we’re going to start charging them—because if they’re treating us like Uber drivers, we might as well get paid. Shockingly, they did not love this new Clark family policy.

But here’s the thing—sometimes being the “mean” parent is actually being the right parent.

Sure, they may not see it now, but setting boundaries around screens helps kids develop healthier habits. And if we’re being honest, we adults could probably use some limits, too. Over the years, I’ve noticed that the so-called “mean” parents tend to:

📌 Require homework to be done before screens.
📌 Enforce tech-free time before bed.
📌 Keep devices out of bedrooms.
📌 Expect kids to pitch in with chores.
📌 Say “no” when needed, even when it’s unpopular.
📌 Encourage actual conversations instead of mindless scrolling.

Yes, setting limits can be exhausting, and the eye-rolls are practically guaranteed (I actually consider myself a bit of an eye-roll connoisseur)...but one day—our kids will appreciate it. Until then, we’ll just have to settle for being the “mean” parents who, deep down, know we’re doing what’s best.

Enjoy your weekend—hopefully with some good, old-fashioned conversation (and no Uber charges).

Dr. Matt Clark
Principal

PTO Showing Their Love for Staff

A huge shout out to our incredible PTO, specifically Lauren Dethloff and Christine Ford, for the incredible spread this morning for our Thompson staff. It was a great way to kick off Valentine’s Day and was very much appreciated!

Upcoming ALICE Safety Drill at Thompson

The safety and well-being of our students and staff is always our top priority. To ensure we are prepared for emergencies, we will be conducting a safety drill using the principles of ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) on Monday, February 24th. This drill is designed to help students and staff practice strategies for responding to a violent intruder or critical incident, empowering them to actively participate in their own safety.

We want to assure you that this drill will not involve the use of a role player acting as an intruder. It will closely mirror the practice students experienced in the fall, with an emphasis on preparedness and safety. Additionally, we are committed to clear communication: all ALICE drills will always be announced in advance to distinguish them from real emergencies.

Effective safety practices rely on strong partnerships between home and school. We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of these drills and share any questions or concerns you may have. Our administrative team is here to support you and can provide additional information about the process.

Parents/guardians may opt their child out of physical participation in this drill each year by emailing Matt Clark (matthew.clark@d303.org) or Katrina Michaelis (katrina.michaelis@d303.org) at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled date. Students who are opted out will receive an alternative school safety learning experience with a certified staff member.

Thank you for working with us to create a safe and supportive environment for all students. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

TMS Athletics Update

Our final sport of the school year is fast approaching, please remember to register your child if they are interested in joining Track & Field. Registration is now open via our TMS Athletics website (link). This sport is available to all 7th and 8th graders, and they must have a current sports physical on file. The season starts on Monday, March 17th.

Also, we have some fun and exciting clinics/events coming up that are hosted by both of our high schools:

STCE Baseball & Football hosts on Sunday, 2/23

STCE Volleyball hosts on Tuesday, 3/4

STCN Football Meet & Greet on Wednesday, 3/5 after school in the Main Gym

STCN Speed Stars Camp hosted on various dates starting on Tuesday, 3/18

For more information, please view and scan the flyers below.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Athletic Director, daniel.ballines@d303.org.

Thank you!

Math Corner with Mrs. Zitella

Context and math…

Conceptual understanding plays an important role in mathematics. The contextual details that surround a problem enable students to develop a deeper understanding of it as well as to devise solutions to everyday life. This week, we will focus on the strategy, relating.

Relating is one of the most powerful conceptual strategies.This strategy enables learners to gain knowledge from their own experiences. How does this relate to math? Here is an example that relates directly to ratios.

Who has made fruit punch before? How do we make fruit punch? What are the directions? Let’s build our experience by reading the directions from the can to make fruit punch. “Mix three cans of water with one can of concentrate.” Now, we can connect this familiar situation to the definition of ratio. Chances are that if a situation is related to an experience, then it will support conceptual understanding. Stay tuned in for next week as we discuss another strategy that supports context and math.

***Please see the grade level below to find out what we’ve learned in math class this week!

Thank you PTO & Volunteers for an amazing night at Snowball!

Upcoming PTO Restaurant Nights

MOD Pizza - February 17th

Portillo's - February 24th

From the Nurse

Physical and Immunization Requirements: Attention parents of incoming Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade students! Per Illinois school code, your student will need a school physical and a complete record of immunizations prior to the first day of school next year, which is August 13, 2025. Make your appointments today-these appointments fill up quickly! Please contact your school nurse prior to May 29, 2025 if you need a copy of your child's immunizations. Please note-a sport physical is not the same as a school physical! You may turn the required forms into your school nurse anytime- please remember to make a copy for your own records!

D303 Updates

View Inclement Weather Page

Ver la página web sobre Inclemencias Meteorológicas

StC High School Peer Leadership Information

St. Charles East Peer Leadership

Peer Leadership is an extracurricular program that matches selected incoming freshmen with juniors and seniors who make the transition into high school fun and easy and mentor them throughout the year. Because this program meets during the school day, it has to be put into a student’s schedule when registering for next year’s classes. Although we would like to be able to offer this to all interested incoming freshmen, our numbers are limited by available classroom space and our budget. Therefore, in order to start the selection process, interested students should apply using the application found below.

Short video "What is Peer Leadership?"

Peer Leadership Flyer from Future Saints Night

If your child is interested in the program, please fill out the application and e-mail it to Kelly Pursel, the Peer Leadership Coordinator (Kelly.Pursel@d303.org).

We hope to hear from you!

Digital Application

Hard Copy Application for you to print, complete, and return

St. Charles North Peer Leadership

SCN is a great place, but it’s also a big place. Peer Leadership (PL) hopes to make the transition to high school more comfortable and fun, while offering opportunities for growth.

The goals of Peer Leadership are to:

Match incoming freshmen with selected upperclassmen mentors.
Foster lasting friendships and bonds between the freshmen, their mentors, and the kids in their PL Groups.
Improve freshmen self-confidence and self-advocacy.
Prepare freshmen to become participants in clubs, sports, classes, and other activities at SCN.
Prepare freshmen for future leadership roles.

PL Students meet together in groups every day. PL is formally added to student schedules and takes the place of lunch/ study hall. There are weekly themes that are educational, informative, supportive, and fun. PL also attends a day of teambuilding “Camp”, has several “all PL” activities during the year, and meets together in groups both formally and informally.

We would like to be able to offer PL to all interested incoming freshmen, but our numbers are limited. In order to start the selection process, interested students (or their parents) should fill out this:

Fill out this FORM if you're interested in Peer Leadership

Contact stephanie.stavropoulos@d303.org with specific questions.

Peer Leadership... a great way to start high school!