Thompson Friday Forecast

February 18, 2022

From the Principal...Steve Morrill

H.O.P.E. Week

Thank you to all of the Thompson students and staff for celebrating H.O.P.E. week at Thompson. The building was certainly a buzz last Friday as the H.O.P.E. Club members painted our windows with inspirational messages.

A special thanks goes out to Mrs. Jolaoso and Mrs. Walker for their efforts to organize such a meaningful week. Most importantly, a huge thank you goes out to all of our Thompson students who continue to care for one another and reach out to a trusted adult if help is needed.

Upcoming Important Dates

Monday, February 21 - Presidents’ Day Holiday - No school for students
Wednesday, February 23 - Early Release Day
Friday, March 4 - School Improvement Day - No school for students

We’ll see everyone back at school next Tuesday for a great, yet shortened, week of learning. Enjoy your long weekend!

Steve

Parent/Guardian Illinois 5Essentials Survey

Please complete this short survey to help us gain insight into areas in which we are strong or need to grow. Thank you for your time!

Are You Ready For Two’s Day?

Next week Tuesday is Two’s Day 2/22/22. 7th Grade math teachers would like to invite everyone to dress in tutus, ties, or tube socks! Or grab a friend and dress as a twin!

District Calendars

At Monday night's Board of Education meeting next year's calendar was revised and the 2023-2024 calendar was approved. Below are the changes for next year:

Friday, November 4th SIP day moved to Monday, November 7th
Tuesday, November 8th - Election Day Holiday
Friday, May 26, 2023 - last day of school (one day added due to 11/8 holiday)

Click here to view all of the calendars.

2022-2023 Thompson PTO Board Openings

The Thompson PTO is taking Board nominations! The PTO is composed of elected board positions, dozens of non-elected committee chairs, and numerous volunteers. Our Board positions are open to parents, guardians, and staff as well. If you are interested in running for a Thompson PTO Board Position for the 2022-2023 school year or know someone who would be a good fit, please complete this form.

Members of the current Board will reach out to anyone who is nominated to share what it is like to be a Board member and to answer questions.

For more information about the open positions, please contact any of the current PTO Officers: Shannon Puri (President), Laura Bouton (Vice President), Stephanie Chabura (Treasurer), and Kari Ann Harry (Secretary). You may also visit the PTO website at https://thompsonpto.com.

PTO Thompson Spiritwear - Click Here

Order your PTO Spirit Wear by March 25th! Orders will be delivered to Thompson in early May.

A Reminder from the School Nurse

State legislation requires that all Illinois children in Sixth Grade will have a dental examination. A licensed dentist must perform the examination, and he or she shall sign the form. Dental offices should have the form available, but it is also available online at www.d303.org under Departments, then Health Services, then “Health Documents and Forms”. Each 6th grade student must present proof of a dental examination by a dentist prior to May 15, 2022. The exam must be dated within 18 months prior to May 15, 2022. If your child has had an exam already, you can ask your dentist to complete the form for the exam.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has established a waiver for children who show undue burden or lack of access to a dentist. Parents or legal guardians who object to the dental examinations on religious grounds shall present to the school a signed, detailed statement of the objection.

The deadline is quickly approaching! Please submit this if you have not already done so. If you have any questions, please contact the TMS nurses:

Diane Isbrandt RN, PEL-CSN

Sherri Esposito, RN

Amy Kashuba, RN

Thompson Middle School

331-228-3104

Illinois Youth Survey for 8th Grade Students

Schools throughout the state of Illinois will have the opportunity to conduct the Illinois Youth Survey (IYS) with students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. Thompson 8th graders will be taking the survey in their social studies classes on March 16, 2022.

WHAT IS THE ILLINOIS YOUTH SURVEY? The purpose of the IYS is to better understand youth attitudes and behaviors that can impact student problems and academic success. It asks about topics like nutrition, physical activity, bullying, school climate, and alcohol and other drug use. Students will be asked to complete an anonymous survey (with no names or identification numbers). The survey is completely voluntary and privacy will be strictly protected.

WHAT IS THE SURVEY DATA USED FOR? The IYS will provide our school's combined student results providing data to assess needs, track progress toward physical, social, and mental health goals, and evaluate student support services.

If you have questions regarding the survey, wish to see a sample of the survey, or want your child to opt-out of the survey, please see the attached document or email Mr. Mike Cortina, Thompson's Student Assistance Counselor. A copy of the survey will also be available for viewing in the main office along with opt-out forms..

For more information, please visit the Illinois Youth Survey website at http://iys.cprd.illinois.edu.

2022 Superintendent Search

Please click here for more information about the search for a new Superintendent.

2022 Superintendent Search

The School Board wants to hear your thoughts about:

current strengths of our schools and district
current challenges facing the district
priorities for the new leader
the professional and personal characteristics you would like to see in the next District 303 superintendent

A 15-minute survey to learn community members' thoughts about what the district is currently doing well, what improvements could be made, and what attributes and qualifications you would like to see in the next superintendent has been developed. Using this link, please complete the survey by end of the day on February 20. Your voice is important to the search process, and we encourage you to participate in this important step.

If you would like to participate in a community forum, they are scheduled for February 22 at 6:00 pm and February 23 at 7:30 pm. The links to these forums will be available on the Superintendent Search page of the District 303 website