Thundercat Weekly
Parent Newsletter - December 18-- January 5, 2023
Newsletter Contents
- RTMS Parents To-Do List
- Important Dates
- Semester Exam Make-up Info
- 7th Grade Social
- Career Day Parent Volunteer Sign-up
- Course Selection Parent Night
- AVID Recruitment Season is Here!!
- Coding and Filmmakers Academy
- RTMS Career Day Flyer
- Thundercat TV Episode 12
- 3rd Party Food Deliveries
- Student Dress Code
- Cell Phone Policy
- Attendance News
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
December 18 -January 3rd- No school for students
January 9 - 6:00 RTMS Course Selection Night/Course Fair
January 11 - 5th Grade Parent Night
January 26 - Career Day
April 5 - Save the Date! Thunder Games 6-9 pm
Semester Exam Make-up Info
Did you miss your Semester One Exam (high school credit courses only)? Need to make it up?
Semester one makeup exams will be offered in the counselor's suite on January 2nd from 8 am- 10 am,
10 am -12 pm or 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm and January 3rd from 8 am- 10 am and 10 am -12 pm
Email Ms. Green at brittney.green@fortbendisd.com and let her know which day and time you will be coming in.
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 8:00 p.m.
Dress: Casual attire with fall colors or flannel.
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 8 to February 9.
Patrick Watson M.Ed.
7th Grade Assistant Principal
Ronald Thornton Middle School
Career Day Parent Volunteer Sign-up
In order to have a successful career day for our 8th graders on January 26, 2024, we need parent volunteers to help with our Volunteer Check-In, Speaker Sessions, Exhibit Hall, Employment Readiness Sessions, and Hospitality throughout the day.
Please sign up to volunteer at the link below.
If you would like to showcase your business to 600 students while educating them about your profession at the Career Day Exhibition hall, please contact Heather Lovell for more information: hlovell5@comcast.net
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0C48A8A72DA2F94-46374442-rtms?useFullSite=true#/
Dee Dee Gray
RTMS PTO President
Course Selection Parent Night
.
AVID Recruitment Season is Here!!
Please see the information and deadline below.
Coding and Filmmakers Academy
The Coding and Filmmakers Academy is a free event for students in grades 3rd through 8th grade. Registration opens on December 7th. Parents will register their students through the Coding and Filmmakers Academy website.
RTMS Career Day Flyer
Thundercat TV
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
Attendance News
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 is considered Tardy, Late, and or Absent within the day?
Tardy: 19> minutes since class starts
Late: <20 minutes since class starts
Absent (W): <40 minutes since class starts
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. What is the latest I can pick-up my student?
Student pickup is suspended from 3:30 p.m-4:10 p.m.
7. 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.
8. Why is the absence still showing unexcused?
Once documentation is submitted, it can take up to 48 hours to show in Skyward. If note, is turned in 5 days after absence date, the absence is still considered unexcused.
9. What information should be included in the absence note?
Please include first name and last name, grade level, reason for absence.
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. 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
Links and Resources
Links & 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
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