Cheetah Prints

Dear Thurston Families,

I hope you and your family are doing well and enjoying the beautiful fall weather. It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of October! We’ve had a smooth start to the school year, and our daily routines are well established throughout the building. The weeks between now and winter break always seem to fly by, especially with several no-school days in November for Veterans Day, grading day, conferences, and Thanksgiving.

Starting November 3rd, you’ll be able to log into Synergy ParentVUE to schedule your parent-teacher conference. Kelly will be sending out more information when scheduling goes live. We’re looking forward to connecting with all of you!

Warmly,

Ms. Mitchell

📅 Upcoming Dates at Thurston Elementary

• Monday, November 3- Parent-Teacher Conference link will be sent out

• Thursday, November 6 – PTG Meeting 6:00 in the TES library

• Tuesday, November 11 - No School (Veterans Day)

• Thursday, November 13 -Picture Retake Day
  

• Friday, November 14 – Early Release Day (students released at 12:30)

• Week of November 24-28 NO SCHOOL *See details below

Monday 11/24: Grading Day (No School)

Tuesday 11/25: Parent Teacher Conferences (No School)

Wednesday 11/26: Parent Teacher Conferences (No School)

Thursday 11/27: Holiday No School

Friday 11/28: No School

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!

On Friday, November 14th, our entire school community will come together to celebrate Walk to School Day in honor of Ruby Bridges.

This year, we’ll begin the day with a special presentation in the gym about Ruby Bridges — her courage, her story, and why she remains such an important figure today.

Following the presentation, we’ll head outside for a community walk around the school as our symbolic “Walk to School Day in Honor of Ruby Bridges.”

Students are encouraged to wear purple, Ruby’s favorite color, which represents courage and bravery. Each student will also receive a purple bracelet to wear for the event.

In the weeks leading up to this celebration, students will:

• Read about Ruby’s inspiring journey during library time and reflect on the importance of kindness and equality.

• Learn the song “Together” in music class — a beautiful piece that celebrates unity and community. [Click here to listen at home: “Together”].

We encourage families to listen to the song at home and learn more about Ruby Bridges’ legacy. Thank you for your support as we celebrate a day of learning, community, and unity!

We’re looking for a volunteer Site Coordinator for the SMART Reading program at Thurston Elementary. SMART provides personalized reading time and books to keep to help foster a love of reading, and Site Coordinators lead this effort at their sites! This is a great volunteer opportunity with a commitment of 2-8 hours per week and prior training. For more information, visit https://smartreading.org/volunteer/ or call 541-600-8035.

At TES your child’s attendance is very important to us all year long. Good attendance is closely linked to doing well in school because missed days means they miss a lesson and critical instruction. Absences can add up very quickly. A child is considered to be chronically absent if he or she misses two days or more per month (only 18 days for the whole school year). If your child misses 2 days or more a month, he/she will be at the minimum standard for attendance. Please call Alicia Williams in our Family Resource Center if we can help you with any barriers that are keeping your child from school. We are here to help!

This month, we’re working on following directions the first time they’re given! Students will have the opportunity to earn special colored Cheetah Paws each time they demonstrate this skill. Once a class earns a set number of Cheetah Paws, they will celebrate with an extra recess!

We’re excited to practice listening carefully, showing respect, and working together to reach our goal! 🐾

Willamalane is currently recruiting Lifeguards, Swim Instructors, and Water Fitness staff, especially for morning and daytime shifts. No prior experience? No problem! They provide all necessary training, and Lifeguard candidates participate in the American Red Cross Lifeguarding program at no cost. They even pay an hourly wage during training.

If you or someone you know might be interested in joining their team, please visit willamalane.org/jobs to learn more and apply.

Each month, our classroom teachers select two students to earn Cheetah of the Month! Below are our October Winners! Way to go Cheetahs!

Our kinders and third graders enjoyed a festive field trip to the Pumpkin Patch! The weather cooperated and students had a wonderful time!

Popcorn Day would not be possible without all of our amazing volunteers! Thank you!

During the month of October, our 2nd graders participated in a special Fire Safety Unit as part of Fire Prevention Month. A highlight of the unit was a visit from the Springfield Fire Department!

Students had the exciting opportunity to sit on a real fire truck, explore the tools firefighters use, and even watch the powerful stream of water shoot out from the truck’s hose. They also learned important fire safety tips and how to stay safe in case of an emergency.

We’re grateful to the Springfield Fire Department for this fun and educational experience—our students had a blast and learned so much!

Thank you to these amazing Heroes for taking time out of their day to have fun with our Thurston Cheetahs!

Has your child told you about our Golden Awards?
At our school, classes and grade levels are working hard to earn Golden Awards for excellent behavior in key areas such as the cafeteria, library, PE, and music.

In addition, Mr. Jason awards the Golden Trash Can to the class with the cleanest classroom each week!

This year, we’ve added an exciting new award: the Golden Bus Award! Our bus riders are now competing to earn this honor by consistently following all of our bus expectations.

We’re proud of our students for showing responsibility, respect, and teamwork in all areas of the school day. Be sure to ask your child if their class has won a Golden Award recently!

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.