Cheetah Prints

Dear Thurston Families,

Happy New Year! We are excited to welcome students and families back after winter break and to begin 2026 together. January is a natural time for fresh starts, renewed energy, and setting goals as we move into the second half of the school year. As we return to our routines, our focus remains on creating a safe, supportive learning environment where students feel connected, challenged, and successful. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We look forward to a positive and productive year ahead.

Warmly,

Ms. Mitchell

January

• Tuesday, 1/6 – Students Return! Welcome back and Happy New Year! 🎉

• Thursday, 1/8 – PTG Meeting, 6:00 PM in the TES Library
  (Music, Library, and PE teachers will be attending)

• Friday, 1/16 – Early Release Day (Students dismissed at 12:30 PM) All school MLK assembly

• Monday, 1/19 – No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• Tuesday, 1/20 – PTG Dinner Night Out at Panera Bread, 4:00–8:00 PM
  20% of sales will support our PTG!

• Friday, 1/23 – Popcorn Day 🍿

• Sunday, 1/25 – PTG-Hosted Splash Swim Day, 12:00 PM
  More information coming soon!

• January 26 – February 5 – 4th Grade Swim Lessons

• Friday, 1/30 – No School (Teacher Prep Day)

February

• February 2–6 – Scholastic Book Fair 📚 (All Week)

• Thursday, 2/5 – PTG Meeting, 6:00 PM (2nd Grade teachers attending)

• Friday, 2/6 – Movie Night & Book Fair 🎬📖

The deadline to register for 4/5th grade girls basketball is Wednesday, Jan. 7, and 2/3rd grade basketball clinics are open through Thursday, Jan. 8. Each elementary school needs enough players for a team! See the full 2026 schedule and scholarship information here.

With winter here, the potential for school delays or closures due to snow and ice is a reality. SPS announces delays and closures in several different ways. Our goal is to determine by 6:30 a.m. whether school will be delayed, closed or open as usual. Remember, no news means no change. You can ensure that you will receive announcements of delays and closures in several key ways:

1. Make sure that your contact information is up to date with your student's school.
2. Follow SPS on Facebook, Instagram and X.
   
3. Sign up to receive FlashAlert alerts.
4. Check our website.

We are looking for volunteers who would like to read to our amazing 2nd graders on Wednesday afternoons. If you are interested in learning more about becoming a SMART reading volunteer, please contact the office and we will connect you with our TES SMART coordinator.

PBIS & Social Skills Focus for January

In January, students will begin Unit 3 of Second Step: Empathy and Kindness. This unit helps students learn how kindness and empathy support strong friendships and positive relationships. Throughout the month, students will practice recognizing kind acts, understanding how others may feel, and using empathy in everyday situations at school.

Our January Kelso’s Choice is Walk Away. Students are learning that sometimes the best way to handle a small problem is to walk away or ignore it. Choosing to walk away shows self-control, helps prevent conflicts from growing, and allows students to stay focused on learning.

How Families Can Support at Home

• Talk with your child about what kindness and empathy mean and why they are important in friendships.

• Encourage your child to share a time when they showed kindness or empathy at school—or when someone showed it to them.

• Practice the “Walk Away” strategy at home by discussing small problems and deciding when it might be smart to walk away and take a break.

• Praise your child when they use kind words, show understanding, or make a positive choice during a challenging moment.

By working together, we can help students build strong social skills that support both learning and positive relationships.

When students have a small problem, they are encouraged to choose one of the strategies below to help them solve the problem.

None of our families will be surprised to hear that everything is going around....and around. We want to make sure you're informed about what symptoms should keep kids home and for how long. Visit our "When to Keep Your Student Home" webpage for a list of symptoms and a handy downloadable guide.

Please remember to tuck an extra set of clothes into your child’s backpack. Accidents happen, puddles are irresistible, and messy moments are part of learning and play! Having a spare outfit on hand helps us keep your child comfortable and ready for the rest of their day. Thank you for helping us be prepared!

Save Time and Money with LTD’s Free Student Transit Pass

How much time do you spend in the car doing school pickup and drop off? If you’re tired of feeling like a taxi driver, get your student the FREE LTD Student Transit Pass. To get started, visit the main office and ask about the Student Transit Pass. If your student had a bus pass last school year, bring their tap card to the office to renew their pass.

Please note that there is no student supervision before 8:00 a.m. at Thurston Elementary.

For your child’s safety, do not drop students off before 8:00 a.m.

Students who arrive early and wish to wait for breakfast must be accompanied by an adult until supervision begins.

If your student walks or bikes to school, please help them plan their departure so that they arrive between 8:00 and 8:35 a.m.

Thank you for your support in helping us keep all students safe!

Our students look forward to this special day each month! Thank you to all of our Heroes who took time out of their day to play games with our students! The next Heroes of the Hallway is on February 27th.

Students and staff ended 2025 with a festive week full of fun! On Friday, we gathered as a school community for our winter sing-along!

Monte has been driving one of our bus routes at TES for many years! He retired on the Friday before winter break. He will be missed by all of his riders and our TES staff.

Our PTG spoils our staff each month! This month we were treated to a delicious hot chocolate and cookie bar! Thank you!!

Springfield Public Schools is participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) for the 2025-26 school year. This means that all enrolled students of Springfield Public Schools are eligible to receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at school at no charge each day of the 2025-26 school year!

⏰ School Hours & Arrival Information

• School Hours: 8:35 a.m. – 2:50 p.m. daily

• Classroom Doors Open: 8:25 a.m.

• Breakfast Doors Open: 8:00 a.m.

• Attendance Taken: 9:00 a.m.

Late Arrivals:
If your child arrives after 8:35 a.m., please have them check in at the office before going to class.

To help keep everyone safe and traffic flowing smoothly, please follow these guidelines:

• Pull Forward: Always pull all the way forward before letting your child exit the vehicle.

• Keep Moving: As cars ahead move forward, please follow.

• Quick Goodbyes: Have your child ready to exit or enter quickly and safely.

• Stay in Your Vehicle: Staff will assist with loading, unloading, and directing students.

• If You Need to Exit: Park in a designated parking spot first.

• Be Patient: The first weeks are busiest—expect extra time in the drop-off/pick-up line.

• No Passing: Cones will be in place to prevent passing in the loading zone.

• Stay Alert: Watch for students walking or biking to and from school.

Teachers will work with families to establish a “transportation home routine” for each student.

Important reminders:

• If your student’s transportation routine changes, please communicate these changes in writing or by phone.

• Do not send transportation changes through Seesaw, as teachers may not see messages in time.

• Without a note or phone call, your child will go home using their regular form of transportation.

• Student safety is our top priority. Clear communication helps ensure children arrive home safely.

District policies:

• Students not assigned to a bus are not allowed to ride a bus.

• Students may only ride the bus and route assigned by the district.

Thurston Elementary has an organized Parent Teacher Group (PTG) and all are welcome to join – no dues!

Please join our Thurston Elementary School Facebook page, if you haven’t done so already! We will be posting announcements and events on this page; this is a great and easy way to stay connected.