Thundercat Weekly

Hello Thundercat families!

This was a great week back after our Thanksgiving break. We held our grade level assemblies, called POD talks. These POD talks help to reinforce the expectations in all things related to Thundercat Country. The grade level administrators discussed expectations on hallways, being on time, safety, dismissal, lunch expectations and behavior expectations.

Thank you to the Parent Advisory Committee for a great meeting this week. I am excited to collaborate with the committee on ideas that positively impact staff, students, parents, and community.

Celebrate:

Congratulations to our boys’ basketball teams on their wins this week!

Congratulations to our girls’ basketball teams on their wins this week!

Orchestra had an amazing holiday concert this week!

Upcoming Events:

Inclusive Schools Week: December 5-9

Final Exam week- December 12-16

Campus half days- December 15 & 16

• Students will need a sack lunch, from home, on these days. There is an option to order a sack lunch from the cafeteria at regular lunch price.
• For the safety of our students. These days are considered “No hallway pass days” unless it is an emergency. We limit clinic visits (emergencies and medicine), restroom visits and hallway pass to emergencies. The restroom is available during transition periods at lunch and for emergencies.
• No backpacks. Students may bring a small purse or pencil size case, if needed.

After school tutorial buses run Tuesdays and Thursdays

• Students may only ride the after-school tutorial bus home if they attended after school tutorials. To board the bus the student must have a late bus tutorial pass.
• Student must be escorted to the bus and boarded by the teacher. Pick up for students riding the tutorial bus is the bus ramp.
• The RTMS after school tutorial bus arrives at 5:15 to take students to feeder pattern elementary. Heritage Rose drop off is 5:30 and Scanlan Oaks drop off is 5:45.
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The after-school tutorial bus will be available Tuesday and Thursday and will always depart RTMS at 5:15.

Reminder: The after-school tutorial bus will depart at 5:15 at RTMS. Drop off is at feeder pattern elementary schools. The bus will drop off at Heritage Rose at 5:30 and Scanlan Oaks at 5:45.

Safety-Thundercat Country has amazing students in the hallways. Keeping our hallways safe is a priority. Students running in the hallway will receive a lunch detention on their first occurrence. The second will be a referral for running.

FBISD Whole Child Health Initiative, Fort Bend ISD, in collaboration with Fort Bend Regional Council, is excited to present our January parent webinar, “Current Drug Trends and What Parents Need to Know”. During this webinar, parents will be provided information on current drug trends to help them be aware of what to look for and how to best support their children. The parent webinar will be held on Wednesday, January 18th at 6 p.m. 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: Current Drug Trends and What Parents Need to Know Link; FBISD Whole Child Health Webpage

Please see the links below for information on the changes coming to Skyward login on Wednesday, December 7th, 2022. This information is also being distributed to staff, students and parents via Technology News and Skyward Message Center.

Links: Parent & Student SSO Communication, Skyward SSO Job Ai

The GT Parent Advisory Committee (GT PAC) will be hosting its annual GT Parent Symposium next week. Please join us for the Fall 2022 GT Parent Symposium on December 6 – December 8, 2022 from 6:30 – 8:30pm. This is a virtual event. Use the following link to access this event https://bit.ly/Fall2022Symposium

AVID? What's that?

Dear RTMS 6th and 7th Grade Parents and Guardians,

Do you have a student with college and career goals who could use academic, organizational, social, or emotional support in getting there? If this sounds like your student, then the AVID class is a great choice for them. The AVID program is recognized nationally for its strength, and our AVID team at RTMS would love to be a part of your student’s middle school journey. All students interested in AVID must apply, and the application is now open and available for current RTMS 6th and 7th graders. Current RTMS AVID 7 students do not need to reapply.

The link to apply for AVID at RTMS for the 2023-2024 school year is RTMS 2023-2024 AVID Application.

The AVID Elective is an application-based class where motivated students receive organizational, academic, and personal support to succeed in academically rigorous classes. This includes the use of a planner, organization systems, note-taking skills, student led tutorials, grade checks, collaborative learning, guest speakers, character building, and college visits each year. Please speak with your student to see if they would like to apply. All students who submit applications and will be interviewed and complete the selection process to determine qualification.

The application is due Friday, February 3, 2023 and is posted on the Fort Bend ISD website or you can request an application from Mrs. Martin in room 401.

Interviews will be conducted in February 2023 and students will be notified of acceptance prior to spring break in March 2023 for the 2023-2024 school year.

For more information, please contact Kurllenne Martin directly at kurllenne.martin@fortbendisd.com

STUDENT COUNCIL - Student HOLIDAY THEME WEEK – Dec. 12-16

Monday 12/12- Wear Green and Red

Tuesday 12/13- Wear your favorite holiday shirt

Wednesday 12/14- Wear Holiday Headgear/Holiday Hats

Thursday 12/15 – Ugly Sweater Contest

Friday 12/16- Wear your Holiday Accessories

No pajamas or sleep wear allowed. Please stay in dress code.

Student Council will meet on Wednesday, Dec 7 at 8:20 in the library

FCA will meet on Friday, Dec 16 at 8:10 in T6

Any 7th or 8th grade students, boys or girls that plan to try out for any spring sports - track, tennis, or soccer MUST have a physical Uploaded to Rank One and all Electric Forms filled out by December 15.

Physicals must be completed after April 1, 2022 to be accepted. If you have any questions please reach out to Coach Barger or Coach Dobbins.

Students without physicals or forms may not tryout for any Spring Sports.

Please upload physicals and fill out forms here.

https://www.rankonesport.com/content/Parent/Parent

As an extension of the No Place for Hate® program, the Houston Rockets and ADL have teamed-up to develop the “No Place for Hate® – Express Yourself Challenge”, a competition for NPFH participating schools. The Challenge encourages students to either create a 2-3-minute video, poetry, or submit a photo of their still art such as paintings, drawings, collages, or photography depicting the No Place for Hate® message of inclusivity, respect, and equity.

Deadline for entries is Friday, December 9, 2022.

Competition Details

· Students may work individually or in teams of two or more (Maximum of 10). Video content, poetry, and photos must be original and align with the No Place for Hate® message of inclusivity, respect, and equity.

· Each team or individual has the creative freedom to present their message in the form of singing, rapping, spoken word or expressive poetry reading as well as still art in the form of paintings, drawings, collages, or photography.

Submissions/Judging

• Entries will be submitted to the Houston Rockets or via social media using the hashtag #RocketsNoPlaceForHate.
• Entries will be divided into two categories: Elementary School (Grades 4-5) and Secondary School (Grades 6-12)

Prizes

• Winning entries will be notified by January 2023.
• Participants and NPFH coordinators will be eligible to receive tickets to a designated game during the 2022-2023 season. (Based on availability.)

RTMS students are welcome to attend evening athletic and fines arts events. All students that attend extra-curricular activities must leave campus after school and return no earlier than 10 minutes of the beginning of the athletic or fine arts event start time. Students must be picked up within 10 minutes of the events conclusion. Students that arrive more than 10 minutes before the events start or are picked up more than 10 minutes after the events conclusion are subject to not being permitted to attend the event without a parent being present. Students must adhere to all FBISD code of conduct policies.

Students must have a pass to gain entrance into the building for tutorials and club meetings. THe pass must state the date, teacher/sponsor, and location of meeting or tutorial.

Effective, September 26, we will incorporate the following cell phone policy:

First and second offense, students will get their phones back at 7th period.

Third offense and beyond, parents will have to pay $10 via RevTrak and come to the campus to pick up their child’s phone.

Reminder all cell phones/earbuds/air pods must be put in student backpacks before they walk into RTMS.

We are a cell phone free zone school.

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)

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.

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

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.

Take action to fight the flu:

• A yearly flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
• Cough or sneeze in your sleeve or cover your nose and mouth with a tissue. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.
• Disinfect commonly touched surfaces.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs get into your body this way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can help reduce severity of symptoms. Be sure to finish all the medication your physician prescribes.
• Stay home if you are ill!

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

• 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.

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.

RTMS

Website: https://www.fortbendisd.com/rtms
Location: 1909 Waters Lake Boulevard, Sienna, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 327-3870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1648470585359225
Twitter: @RTMSThundercats