Thompson Friday Forecast

One of the most fascinating opportunities I have as a middle school principal is watching the remarkable change that takes place in our students over three short years. Of course, much of that change is physical and academic—but some of the most dramatic shifts happen socially.

Friendships in middle school are often in constant motion. What feels like a “forever friendship” in September might shift by December, and sometimes, it shifts again the next spring. I’ve often thought it would be an interesting experiment to take a picture of cafeteria seating on the first day of 6th grade and compare it to the last day of 8th grade. My guess is that very few students would be sitting with the exact same group of friends.

This is part of what makes middle school such an important and sometimes challenging time. Students are figuring out who they are, where they belong, and how to navigate the ups and downs of relationships. As parents, it can be tough to watch these shifts, especially when your child is feeling left out or uncertain. Please know this is all part of their social growth, and they are developing resilience, empathy, and perspective along the way.

Our role at Thompson is to support them through these transitions and remind them of our school’s Guidelines for Success: to be Respectful, Responsible, and Kind—not just with their closest friends, but with everyone they encounter. These principles provide stability in a time when so much else feels like it’s in motion.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Roll Thunder!

Dr. Matt Clark

Principal

The Scheduling Portal Closes Soon!

Sign up for Parent-Teacher conferences will close October 6th promptly at midnight. Conferences will be held with individual teachers. All conferences will be held in person or online through zoom/google meets. Each conference will be eight minutes long with a four minute transition period.

🚩Pick-A-Time Parent-Teacher Conference Scheduling Directions:

Login to your HAC (HOME ACCESS CENTER) Account
Click on the link for "Parent-Teacher Conference Scheduler"
Be sure to ONLY choose Q1 (first quarter) teachers!

Click Here for Room Assignments for conferences on October 9th and 10th.

6th grade Team conferences will be held in the Team Leader's room:

Team 6-1 - Christine Voreis - Room 118

Team 6-2 - Katie Scrivani - Room 119

Team 6-3 - Chris Patrick - Room 127

Team 6-4 - Amy Wilson - Room 133

Team 6-5 - Sarah King - Room 137

TARDY POLICY UPDATES

Tardy to School (after 7:50 a.m.)

Any student who arrives late to school will report to the main office and complete the Tardy Attendance Google Form at the front entrance upon arrival.
On their 3rd Tardy: Warning issued; notification sent home
4th & 5th Tardy: Detention (before or after school), assigned by the Student Support Coordinator
After 5th Tardy: Parent problem-solving meeting with administration

Note: All tardy counts reset at the end of each quarter.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are a car rider, you MUST be dropped off/picked up at Door 3 in the circle drive. The parking lot by Door 5 (the tennis courts) is reserved for staff parking and special transit drop off/pick up ONLY.

Looking for Guest Speakers!

Our 6th-grade Exploring College & Careers class is seeking community members to visit and share about their career journey: what a “day in the life” looks like, what education or training is required, etc. If you are interested in volunteering as a guest speaker at either Thompson Middle School or Wredling Middle School, please complete this Google Form. We would love for our students to hear your story!

We are pleased to announce the Anderson Book Fair is currently at Thompson Middle School and runs from October 1-9!

Oct. 1st 7:30-2:00
Oct. 2nd - 7th 7:30-3:00
Oct. 8th 7:30-2:00
Oct. 9th 8:15 AM - 8:00 PM (during Parent/Teacher Conferences)

Our Anderson Book Fair has a wonderful selection of engaging books for every reading level. Please consider signing up as a volunteer to help our fair run smoothly. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094DACA622A1FD0-58540111-tmsbook#/

Alan Gratz Author Visit: October 15

Students will have the opportunity to hear from Thunder’s favorite author, Alan Gratz, on Wednesday, October 15! They will hear about his writing journey, ask questions, and get inspired to read and write more!

Order autographed copies of Alan Gratz’s newest book, War Games, as well as the new graphic novel edition of his award-winning novel, Refugee, through PushCoin by October 9. Families may purchase books in advance, and students will receive their signed copies on the day of the visit. Don’t miss this special opportunity!

Check out the trailer for the new book here: War Games

We are looking forward to this wonderful event and can’t wait to share the experience with our students!

The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting an increase in cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease across the state, including in Kane County. Please review the following information regarding this viral infection and monitor your child/children for any changes in their health.

SYMPTOMS

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease usually starts with a sore throat and a low-grade fever lasting about 1-2 days. Small painful blisters form on the inside of the mouth and throat, on the lips. The skin rash develops as red raised spots, some with blisters that do not itch, usually located on fingers, hands, and feet. The blisters will break easily and form small ulcers. The area around the ulcer may become red.

INCUBATION

Symptoms may occur 3-7 days after exposure to one of these blisters.

TRANSMISSION

Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease is transmitted by direct contact with saliva, nasal drainage, and feces of an infected person. The condition occurs most frequently in the summer and early autumn.

EXCLUSION

Students should be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications. Students displaying symptoms of open draining lesions on hands or lesions inside the mouth should also be excluded.

TREATMENT

Fever relief and pain relief is the only treatment. This mild disease takes about 7-10 days to resolve without medical treatment. Strongly encourage hand washing to prevent transmission of hand, foot, and mouth disease, as well as most communicable illnesses in the community.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact the school nurse at 331-228-3104

Community School District 303 closely follows the guidelines of the Kane County Health Department, Illinois Department of Public Health, and Center for Disease Control.

Shopping in Real Life

One of the most practical math skills your child is learning at school is something you can do together every week at the grocery store, finding the unit price!

Understanding and using unit price is a powerful everyday skill. When children compare prices by the unit (such as cost per ounce or cost per item), they can figure out which product is truly the better deal. This is also a great way to build a shopping experience!

Encourage your child to help while shopping. Ask questions like:

“Which bottle of juice is cheaper per ounce?”
“If we buy the larger pack, are we saving money per item?”
“What is the unit price per ounce?”

Not only does this make math more meaningful, but it also builds smart consumer habits that would be beneficial for a lifetime. It’s a simple way to turn everyday errands into hands-on learning. It also provides a great opportunity for meaningful time with your child. We all need more of that! 🙂

Shout out to one of my amazing students who didn’t just skip count by threes with confidence, but also surpassed the counting expectation! Now that’s what we call perseverance! Way to go, keep shining!

Volunteer Opportunity

Thompson's Builders Club needs help supporting the Northern Illinois Food Bank. On Thursday, October 30th from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM, we are scheduled to serve at the food bank, and we need people to volunteer. Students who attend need to attend with a parent/guardian/older sibling. Those who volunteer will need to arrive at the food bank by 5:15 PM. This opportunity is an excellent way to serve the community, to spend time with family/friends, and earn service hours. An entire family, along with friends, may attend with a Thompson student who would like to volunteer. Children need to be eight years of age to volunteer. If you want to attend this rewarding service opportunity, please email David Simone at david.simone@d303.org with the first and last name of each individual who will be attending by Tuesday, October 14th.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

David Simone, Builders Club Advisor

Stay Connected with the Thompson PTO

Sign up to receive updates about upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and important PTO news.

Sign up here to join our Communications List

There are no dues or fees to be part of the PTO—all Thompson families and staff are welcome and encouraged to get involved.

Stay informed, stay connected, and help us build a strong school community.

Help Us Collect ONE MILLION Pop Tabs!

We’re on a mission to collect one million pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House Charities, and we can’t do it without YOU (and your grandparents, cousins, neighbors, and carpool crew)!

Those tiny aluminum tabs from soda cans, soup lids, or sparkling water may seem small—but when we collect them together, they add up to real support for families with seriously ill children.

Here’s how to pitch in:

Save your pop tabs at home—and ask your grandparents, cousins, friends, and neighbors to do the same!
Bring them to school all year long.
Every tab brings us closer to our 1,000,000-tab goal!

Let's pull together and make a difference!

No backpacks, bags, or outside food or drinks are allowed. Only small bags (8x6 or smaller) will be permitted, and all bags are subject to search.
These games are official school events and are considered an extension of the school day, so behavior expectations still apply.
Middle school students must be with a parent or guardian at all times while inside the stadium.
There is no re-entry once someone leaves the stadium.
Not allowed: profanity, taunting (including racial or inappropriate remarks), throwing objects, or bringing anything that blocks the view of others.
If a student is asked by staff to provide their name and school, they are expected to respond honestly and respectfully. All workers—whether staff or event personnel—should be treated with respect at all times

Vital Living Wellness Solutions Series

Join us for an engaging and practical three-part series designed to help parents navigate the growing challenges of anxiety and school avoidance. Led by Dr. Megan Schmitz of Vital Living Wellness Solutions, these sessions will give parents tools to:

Recognize anxiety in their child and understand its impact on learning and growth.
Learn strategies to balance empathy and compassion with boundaries and expectations.
Gain concrete tools to support positive school attendance and resilience.

Where: St. Charles North High School Auditorium
Time: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Dates: October 8 • October 22 • November 12

This series is designed to strengthen the partnership between families and schools, offering tools and strategies that foster belonging, perseverance, and achievement. Together, we can create the support and consistency children need to thrive. Please note: An interpreter/translator will be available for families who need language support.

Wasco Baseball is excited to share that starting in Spring 2026, we will officially offer Recreational Softball leagues alongside our long-standing baseball program. Our focus is on providing a fun, local experience for girls beginning at age 4 (Tee Ball) and growing through grade-based leagues into middle school, depending on enrollment.

If a recreational softball league interests your family, please complete the survey below. This survey is simply to help us gauge interest and plan age groups. Your response will help our Board of Directors, along with newly added softball-specific board members, design the best possible program for the community.

We can’t wait to build this new chapter of Wasco Athletics with you. Thank you for your continued support as our Board of Directors works to grow and strengthen both Wasco Baseball and Wasco Softball.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTREL8cpzzPHOXMENVM64Ns3XvLAl5hJt6ojOLJw2Ip9CHEA/viewform

📷 School Pictures

HR Imaging is the company we use. The link to order pictures is now live.

To contact HR Imaging with questions: https://shop.hrimaging.com/pws/contactus.aspx

St. Charles Public Library

All students are eligible for a St. Charles Public Library card. Check out the FAQ to learn how to obtain a card for you child.

Donate to pay off Student Lunch Debt

District 303 has created a Pushcoin link to donate to student food accounts with negative balances. Please feel free to donate if you are able to do so! Every little bit helps!