March Newsletter
March 22, 2024
Principal's Message
Dear Thurston Elementary Families,
The month of March is already coming to an end with a much needed Spring Break. I hope this gives you a chance to slow down and spend time with your kids, family and friends. These last few months of the school year always seem to fly by. Here are a few things happening in April.
Spring Safety Week: The second week of April is our Spring Safety Week. We will be conducting drills to ensure all students are well-prepared in case of emergencies. This includes Fire Drill, Earthquake Drill, Lockout Drill, and learning about a Lockdown Drill. Remember, the number one rule is always to listen to your teacher.
Oregon Statewide Assessment: State testing will begin for our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students after we return from Spring Break. Fifth grade students will start with the Science assessment during the last week of April. English Language Arts and Mathematics Assessments will be during the month of May for all 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students.
Final Music Performances: Our final music performances for the year will take place on Thursday, April 11th. Fifth-grade Orchestra will perform at 6:00, followed by the fourth-grade program at 7:00.
Thurston Elementary Splash Open Swim: Join us on Sunday, April 21st, for a fun and free event benefiting Food for Lane County.
Additional Information: Also, please note that there will be no Early Release Fridays in April to make up for lost instructional time during the recent ice storm.
We look forward to a productive and engaging month ahead, filled with learning and community involvement. Thank you for being a part of our school family!
Warm regards,
Amber Mitchell, Principal
If you would like to stay up to date on the latest announcements and TES events, check out the links below.
Learn to Ride
Safe Routes to School, the Cities of Springfield and Eugene, Willamalane, Lane Council of Governments, Shift Community Cycles and Cascadia Mobility are partnering to put on two All-Ages Learn to Ride events this Spring. We aim to provide four of these events every year to reach:
- Students who need more practice on a bike after taking our kindergarten/1st grade Learn to Ride classes
- Students older than Kindergarten/1st grade who never learned to ride a bike
- Students who will be taking Bicycle Safety Education classes in sixth grade but don’t know how to ride a bike yet
- Older students and SPS staff who want a safe, helpful place to learn to ride a bike for the first time or brush up on their skills
The two events are:
- Friday, April 19 from 4pm to 6pm at the Bob Keefer Center (250 S 32nd st., Springfield, OR)
- Link to Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/4WvDEqd6A
- Saturday, May 4 from 1pm to 3pm at Meadow View School (1855 Legacy St., Eugene, OR)
- Link to Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/1KCfazgfl
Remember, these events are for people of ALL AGES!
Kinder Search
If you know of a student who lives in our attendance area and will be 5 on or before September 5th, please have their family contact our office. We keep a list of known upcoming kindergarteners, and would like to be able to reach out to families about preparations and events. Our kindergarten orientation is scheduled for May 8th at 6 pm.
Heroes of the Hallway
Our next Heroes of the Hallway will be April 12th. From approximately 10:30-12:40, dads and other role models will be here for our recess and help in classrooms. If you would like to volunteer, contact Collin Waldahl or the school office. Volunteers must be approved through the district's Raptor system.
TES PTG events
We have a couple events sponsored by our Parent Teacher Group in April:
April 18th is Dinners Out at Killer Burger/Oakway. Mention Thurston Elementary, and a portion of your meal will go to supporting student programs, assemblies, etc.
April 21st is TES day at Splash! Our students will be able to enter Splash! at noon; if they are there by 12:45, they will be allowed to stay for the general open swim time as well. We partner with Food For Lane County, as a benefit for our community. Bring non-perishable foods to help others in need!
OnPoint Credit Union
OnPoint Community Credit Union has opened nominations for their annual Excellence in Education award. Four Educators of the Year and four runners-up will receive an award - mortgage/rent paid for a year, donation to the school, and cash awards are available. Anyone can nominate an outstanding teacher. In addition, the Community Builder Award is available for school projects. For more information on these awards, visit onpointprize.com. Nominations are due by April 8th.
Students and Staff at work (and play!)
Cheetah of the Month
Smokey Bear came to 1st grade
Mr. Jason helps students learn flag etiquette each morning
5th graders studying weather
Upcoming Events
March 25-29 - Spring Break
April 1 - School Resumes
April 4 - Parent Teacher Group Meeting 6 pm
April 11 - TES Orchestra performance 6 pm
April 11 - 4th Grade Music Program 7 pm
April 12 - Heroes of the Hallway 10:30-12:40
April 18 - Dinners Out/Killer Burger (Coburg Rd) 5-9:00 pm
April 19 - Popcorn Day!
April 19 - Learn to Ride, Bob Keefer Center, 4-6:00 pm
April 21 - TES Splash! event 12:00
April 25 - White/Trano field trip 9:00-12:30
April 25 - 5th Grade field trip 10:15-12:30
April 26 - Granados/Hughes field trip 9:00-12:30
May 2 - Parent Teacher Group Meeting 6:00
May 3 - Early Release 12:30