Thompson Friday Forecast

Hello Thompson families and welcome to the 2023-24 school year. I hope you and your loved ones have enjoyed a fun and revitalizing summer break. Having staff and students back in the building this week in a variety of capacities has the building buzzing with anticipation and excitement.

This past week we had students, families, and staff in the building for Materials Pick-Up, sports camps, 6th Grade W.E.B. (Where Everybody Belongs) Orientation, and staff opening days. These events are a collaborative effort and would not be possible without the Thompson community working together to make them happen. Special thanks to staff W.E.B. leaders, the Thompson PTO, the Thompson office staff, coaches, athletic directors, and every other exceptional contributors who made these events huge successes. The Thompson community sincerely appreciates all your hard work and dedication.

Our first day of school is Monday, August 14th. It may require a couple of days for both students and buses to readjust to our usual schedules. Students who are walking, biking or are being dropped off at Thompson can enter the building at 8:20 through Door 4 near the gymnasium. Kindly be aware that school buses might experience slight delays this first week or two.

We value your understanding of the initial hurdles that come with the start of the academic year and request your patience as we fine-tune and optimize our bus schedule. Our paramount objective remains ensuring safety all while striving to avoid any instances of students missing their bus after school.

This school year at Thompson, all students will be required to store their bookbags and cinch sacks in their designated lockers during the entire school day. This decision has been made after careful consideration, and it aims to create safer classrooms and hallways for everyone.

The safety and well being of our students are of the utmost importance to us, and this measure will help reduce the risk of tripping hazards, unauthorized access to personal belongings, and the potential for unsafe items being brought into classrooms. By keeping the pathways and classrooms clear, we can better respond to emergencies and ensure a more organized and conducive learning environment.

We understand that students may have become accustomed to carrying their cinch sacks throughout the day, but we believe this small adjustment will significantly enhance safety and security on campus. We kindly request your support in explaining the importance of this new procedure to your children to help them prepare for the change. In addition, this change in procedure does not apply to students who have accommodations for book bags or cinch sacks in their IEPs or 504s.

In addition, students ARE ALLOWED to use the following items to transport their materials from class to class: purses, pencil pouches, belt bags, trapper keepers, fanny packs, etc. If you have questions or are in need of an accommodation please contact the Main Office and they will get you in touch with the appropriate person to discuss how we can best support your child.

A physical examination is required for entrance (first day of school) into preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade and ninth grade.

Please access District 303's Health Department's Web Page for specific grade level vaccine requirements (including meningococcal vaccine requirements for high school students) and State of Illinois forms. The health history portion of the physical examination form must be completed and signed by a parent in order for the physical to be valid. An appointment card must be submitted to the health office indicating that a physical exam or immunization is scheduled in the event a student's age makes them ineligible for a vaccine prior to the first day of school or the student is scheduled for a physical exam shortly after the first day of school.

The State of Illinois requires that all students entering school for the first time from out of state shall have/submit a physical examination/vaccine record within 30 days of enrollment in school.

All exams must be dated within one year prior to the date the student enters school.

Physical Examinations may be acquired through your primary medical provider. If you do not have a primary medical provider, you may contact Kane County Health Department for referrals to local health clinics that provide such services.

Completed exams and immunizations may be mailed to Thompson or dropped off at the school.

As we gear up for the new academic year, we want to inform you about an important update to our school’s morning procedures for students who arrive via drop off, walking or biking. To ensure the safety and proper supervision of all our students, we have made some changes to the school entry time and designated entry points.

Starting this school year, students who arrive at Thompson before 8:20 am will not be allowed to enter the building. Instead, we have designated the outside area near the Gymnasium (Door 4) as the waiting area for early arrivals. Students who walk, bike, or are dropped off before 8:20 am will gather in this location until the building opens at 8:20.

Students who are dropped off between 8:20 and 8:40, will enter Door 3 as they have in the past.

The safety and well-being of our students are of utmost importance. By implementing this new procedure, we aim to create a secure and organized environment for all. We greatly appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter.

The elementary and middle schools food service vendor will once again be OrganicLife. Breakfast and Lunch will be offered to students. Click here for more information, view menus (coming soon), and obtain a free or reduced lunch application.

Middle School Breakfast - $1.75
Reduced Breakfast - $0.30*

Middle School Lunch - $3.50
Reduced Lunch - $0.40*

Milk - $0.60 (when purchased separately from meals)
Other a la carte items (besides milk) - prices vary

Organic Life, the K-8 Food Service provider is looking for candidates to serve as Cashiers, Food Service Workers & Lunchroom Supervisors for the 2023-2024 school year in School District 303. Please contact Patricia Burton at 331-228-5242 or patricia.burton@d303.org for more information.

Fall i-Ready diagnostics are taken by students to gather baseline academic data in order for us to develop targeted instructional plans of action. A similar assessment will take place in the winter and again in the spring. Students will be taking their Fall i-Ready diagnostics on Tuesday, August 22nd and Thursday, August 24th. Our bell schedule will be modified on both of these days. Makeups will take place the following week.

SCHOOL FEES WAIVER: The school fees waiver will ONLY be a PAPER application since there is financial documentation required for income verification. A family can only qualify for a free waiver of fees; there are no reduced fees. The application is on the district website. Questions regarding school fee waivers - Wendy Sedwick at 331-228-4927

FOOD WAIVER: Only one application needs to be completed for each household. Please include ALL family members that live in the household (even those not attending a school). Applications are posted on the district website. In addition, paper applications are available at the schools and the Administration Building as in years past. Unlike the school fees, families can qualify for Reduced. Questions regarding food waivers - Patti Townsend 331-228-6529

Families directly certified by the State of Illinois for the 2023-2024 school year will receive FREE FOOD and their FEES will be WAIVED. If your family is qualified by the state, do NOT need to complete either application. You should have received an approval letter in the mail in July.

• Monday, August 14 - First Day of School
• Tuesday, August 22 - i-Ready Diagnostic
• Thursday, August 24 - i-Ready Diagnostic
• Wednesday, August 30 - Early Release for All Grades
• Friday, September 1 - Institute Day - No school for students
• Monday, September 4 - Labor Day - Schools are closed
• Tuesday, September 5 - Curriculum Night - 6th Grade parents/guardians 6:30 pm
• Wednesday, September 6 - Curriculum Night - 7th and 8th grade parents/guardians 6:30 pm

Dr. Matt Clark - Principal

Mrs. Michelle Dague - Assistant Principal

Ms. Sarah Frankiewicz - Assistant Principal

Mrs. Danielle Moeller - Student Support Coordinator

Mr. Sam Pasholk - Student Support Coordinator

Email: amy.ellis@d303.org
Website: http://thompson.d303.org
Location: 705 West Main Street
Phone: (331) 228-3100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thompson-Middle-School-671638232903851/