Hello Thornton Students and Families,

I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable winter break and have returned to school ready to be successful in the second semester. It's hard to believe that we are over halfway through the school year! With the halfway milestone reached, it is time to begin looking toward the end of the school year and getting prepared for the next. There are several important events/activities that will occur over the next few months in preparation for the 2025/26 school year. This newsletter contains timeline information regarding registration for current 6th, 7th & 8th graders as well as Ed Faire and Parent/Teacher conference information. Please review the information carefully as many of the events are happening during the next few weeks.

8th Grade, end-of-the-year activities are fast approaching. Please continue reading to review more information about dates and requirements to participate. Take note that there has been a date change to the Great America Field Trip. The original day that was planned is not available as Great America has issued a closure notice for that day. The new date is May 23rd. Please mark your calendars!

I am looking forward to the upcoming months and all of the excitement that comes with it as students begin to prepare for the end of the year and transitioning to the next grade level. Please continue to check-in with your child daily about school and encourage their participation in extra curricular activities as well as their commitment to successfully completing school work. The middle school years move quickly, and we want students to be fully engaged in school so that they may enjoy this time prior to moving on to high school. As always, I appreciate your support of our school and staff.

Warm Regards,

Ms. Strausbaugh, Principal

6th and 7th grade students received registration information during their math class on January 28th and 29th. Math classes met together in the large gym while the school counselors conducted a presentation on how to properly complete the registration form for the upcoming school year. Students will be required to complete the registration form AND submit their completed registration form to their math teacher by the February 20th deadline. Counselors will assist students in completing their online registration through the Aeries portal on February 20th and 21st. There will be an Education Faire (more information below) on February 19th where students and parents will have the opportunity to visit classes and ask questions of teachers prior to the submission deadline. Links to registration information are updated regularly and can be found under Programs and Services on our school webpage.

8th grade students will be receiving all information regarding registration directly through American High School (AHS). AHS counselors were onsite on January 27th to present to current 8th graders during their math class. AHS will hold their Open House on February 6th from 6pm-8pm. More information can be found on the Open House Flyer. AHS registration forms are due by February 11th. More information regarding AHS registration can be found on the AHS website or by contacting an AHS school counselor.

You will be receiving an email from Informed K12 on February 3rd, 2025, regarding the annual residency verification. The Link will be personalized for each student. You will need to upload your two proofs of residency by February 28, 2025. The current proofs of residency must be in the parent/guardians name and must be dated within the last 30 to 45 days.

Document Examples:

● Mortgage statement or lease agreement

● Utility bills: water, electric, garbage

● Voter registration or DMV notice

The Education Faire is an opportunity for students/parents of current 6th and 7th graders, to visit the campus and learn more about the educational programs that are offered at Thornton. There will be time to speak with teachers and ask questions regarding curriculum, classes, elective offerings, etc... In addition to visiting classrooms, there will be a grade specific presentation in the gym. The Education Faire takes the place of the traditional Open House held in elementary school. The event flyer contains additional details. More information will be sent out closer to the event.

Current 6th Graders: Students/Parents will arrive on campus and go directly to the large gym for a 6:00pm presentation. At 6:45pm, you will be able to go into the designated classrooms.

Current 7th Graders: Students/Parents will go directly to the designated classrooms at 6:00pm. At 6:45pm, you will go to the large gym for a presentation.

We are excited to host our annual Multicultural Week February 3rd - 7th. Each day will showcase a variety of cultures, history, and participation between students and staff. Thursday, February 6th is our extended lunch, in which we will offer a variety of food samples from around the world. All students will receive a free ticket to sample 1 food item. Additional tickets can be purchased for $1/ticket (limit 2 additional tickets) at lunch on Feb 4th & 5th. All food will be prepared by restaurants. These samples are small and are not meant to be a replacement for a student's lunch, so the cafeteria will be open, as usual, for students to be able to get their free lunch, if desired. Students will also enjoy cultural dances and performances by American High School students (Wednesday) and our own TMS Thunderbolts (Friday) during lunch. We look forward to an amazing week!

Girls Basketball Season has begun. Consider stopping by and watching one of their home games. Games begin at 3pm for the Varsity team and 4pm for the Junior Varsity team. Remember that no outside drinks or food are permitted in the gym while watching the game. Here is a list of the upcoming home games.

February 6th - Thornton vs. Walters

February 13th - Thornton vs. Hopkins

February 20th - Thornton vs. Horner

Thornton Middle School will be hosting Parent/Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, March 5th from 1:15-4:15 via Zoom and 4:45-7:45 in person. Conference attendance is NOT required for all guardians. This is an opportunity for Parents/Guardians to meet with teachers if their child(ren) are struggling in class and are in danger of failing. If your child is doing well in the class and has an A or B, there is no need to signup or attend conferences. Each teacher has over 100 students so there will not be time to meet with every parent. If your child is performing well in the class and you'd still like to talk to the teacher, it is recommended to contact the teacher via email or by phone to discuss how you can continue to support your child at home. Conferences this year will be a hybrid of both virtual (via Zoom) and in-person. The virtual conferences (1:15pm - 4:15pm) is by sign-up only. Every teacher will send out information on how to sign-up using Sign-Up Genius for these conferences. If you do not receive this information by Friday, February 28th, please reach out directly to the teacher. The in-person conferences (4:45pm - 7:45pm) are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Parents will arrive on campus and go to the room of the teacher with whom they are wanting to meet and wait outside of the classroom for their turn to be called for the conference. If the line is long for the teacher you are wanting to meet and there are others you are hoping to talk with, as well, try going to those teachers first then circling back.

For in-person conferences, please have your child's complete schedule including; teacher name, subject, and room number. Please bring the schedule with you when arriving to the school.

If your student is an English Learner they will be taking the ELPAC (English Language Proficiency Assessment for California) starting the month of March during school. They will either take the assessment with their ELD teacher or in the library during their English class. Please feel free to reach out to Assistant Principal Marine if you have any questions or concerns regarding this mandatory assessment for our English Language learners.

The California Assessment of Student Performance & Progress (CAASPP) is statewide testing for all students in grades 6-8. All students will be tested in Math and English Language Arts. 8th grade students will also have one day of science testing. Assessments begin March 24 and run through the start of April. A full notice, including testing schedules and other pertinent information will be sent out in early March. Students will still receive their regular curriculum in all classes during this time.

Thank you to all of those who donated during our MAZE Days in August! We received a total $8,500 towards our general school supplies fund. We were able to purchase the following items:

• Privacy Blinds for ALL portable classroom buildings
• Distribute the remaining dollars to be used directly in the classrooms to fund class supplies

Our library donations totaled $2,000. We were able to purchase the following items for the library.

• Books
• Book Covers
• Display Boxes
• Stamps
• Labels
• Bookmark Paper for the Bookmark Contest

Thanks to your generosity, we raised over $14,000 from the Thunder Run! We have purchased a ton of PE equipment/supplies. In addition, we will be installing blinds in the large gym. Below is a list of items purchased.

• Soccer Balls
• Badminton Equipment
• Basketballs
• Practice Jerseys
• Volleyball Nets
• Fitness Equipment

Thank you!

Dear Thornton PTSA Families,

We hope this message finds you well and thriving. We have several exciting updates and important announcements to share with you:

1. In-Person PTSA Meeting We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming PTSA meeting. Your involvement and insights are crucial to the success of our school community.

• Date: February 5, 2025 at 6:30 PM

• Location: Thornton Middle School Small Gym

2. Reflections Ceremony Join us as we celebrate the creativity and talent of our students at the Reflections Ceremony on February 5th following the PTSA meeting. We will display their amazing artwork and present certificates to recognize their achievements. We have several students who moved to higher levels and won prizes too.

3. Founders Day Nominations We encourage you to fill out the Founders Day nominations to honor those who have made significant contributions to our school community. Your nominations are highly valued. Please use this form to nominate teachers, administrators, staff, volunteers, PTSA Board members, or anyone else who you think deserves one or more of these honors. You must submit a separate form for each nomination.

4. Nominations for Next Year’s PTSA Board We are looking for dedicated individuals to join next year's PTSA board. Please fill out the nomination form or refer someone who might be interested. Your participation is vital in shaping the future of our PTSA.

5. Thank You for Fundraisers A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to our recent fundraisers. Your generosity and support enable us to provide valuable resources and programs for our students.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming PTSA meeting and celebrating our students' accomplishments together.

Warm regards,

Divya Bellamkonda, President

Thornton Middle School PTSA 2024-2025

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/thorntonptsa/thornton-middle-ptsa
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