Thompson Friday Forecast

Good afternoon Thompson families:

Our Lost & Found is once again bursting at the seams—and it’s not just a pile of old gym socks. We’re talking nice water bottles, name-brand hoodies, and jackets that could probably tell some stories.

During Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 9th and 10th, we will have all of it displayed in the Main Office hallway. If you’ve been wondering where that “special” water bottle or favorite sweatshirt disappeared to, this is your best chance to reunite before they start a new life somewhere else.

Anything left behind after the week of conferences will be donated to a local charity, so be sure to take a look while you’re here.

Thanks for helping us clear the collection!

Have a wonderful weekend, and Roll Thunder!

Dr. Matt Clark

Principal

The Pick-A-Time portal will open FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th at 8:00 am.

It will promptly close MONDAY, OCTOBER 6th at 11:59 PM. This is a hard deadline. Once the portal closes parents will not be able to schedule a time for these conference dates.

🚩Pick-A-Time Parent-Teacher Conference Scheduling Directions (clickable link):

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!

All conferences on October 9th and 10th will be held with individual teachers with the exception of 6th grade Core Teams (see below).

Each conference will be eight minutes long with a two minute transition.

6th grade Core Teams will hold team conferences on Thursday, October 9th. On this day one conference can be scheduled with all the teachers on your child’s team.

6th grade conferences with core teachers on the 9th will only be scheduled with your child’s team leader.

6-1: Christine Voreis
6-2: Katie Scrivani
6-3: Chris Patrick
6-4: Amy Wilson
6-5: Sarah King

🚩All conference times from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Thursday, October 9th will be reserved for those parents who need to schedule a virtual conference.

A few notes about sign-up:

Parents should not feel obligated to sign-up for conferences. If your child is doing well at school, both academically and socially, then you can choose not to have a conference. (It does not make you a bad parent not to sign-up for conferences!) If your child is struggling, we would suggest that you do come to conferences!
You might only feel the need to meet one or a few teachers. There is no obligation to meet every teacher.
If you wish to visit the explore teachers, please sign-up to visit your child’s first-quarter explore teacher.
You can sign-up for a conference with a teacher only one time. Our Student Services team (counselors, social workers) will be available for conferences, as well. If you decide you need more time with a teacher, we are always willing to meet with you.
In some cases, a teacher may contact you in advance to set-up a conference time. That means we want to guarantee you a time to meet with your child’s teachers.
When you sign-up, try to sign-up for all conferences in a row. (Do not schedule gap times in the middle or you will be waiting around for a long time!)
You are welcome to have your child with you during conferences! It is important that they hear what you hear. They are of the age when they are mature and responsible enough to be part of the conversation whether via Zoom or in-person.

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.

We are pleased to announce the Anderson Book Fair is coming to Thompson Middle School 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 will have 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#/

Your child is getting older, but reading outside of school is still important!

Even as schedules become increasingly busy with homework, sports, music, and social activities, it is critical to set aside designated time for wide reading.

WHY? Here are just a few of the benefits:

Reading Builds Vocabulary: Reading a variety of books, articles, and texts exposes students to many new words. Did you know that just 15 minutes a day can introduce them to 1.8 million words in one year? This is far more than they will ever learn through direct instruction in school. Students who read regularly have a distinctly higher vocabulary than those who do not.

Improves Comprehension: Students who read regularly are better at making inferences, identifying key themes, and understanding complex texts. The comprehension demands in school only increase as your student gets older—regular reading gives them the leg up they need to understand the challenging texts they will encounter in high school and beyond.

Provides Background Knowledge: Wide reading helps students perform better on standardized tests and understand content across many subjects, such as science, social studies, and health. Students who lack general background knowledge about a wide array of topics often struggle to make sense of new content taught in the classroom.

Strengthens Critical Thinking: Exposure to diverse ideas and perspectives builds reasoning and problem-solving skills. Reading provides students with different viewpoints, allowing them to be critical consumers of information they encounter online and elsewhere.

Encourages a Lifelong Love of Learning: Reading for pleasure fosters curiosity and independent learning. Right now, many students go to school and learn because they have to. However, when given the choice, don’t we want our children to continue learning and growing their minds because they want to?

Feel free to reach out to Thompson’s Reading Specialists

Annie Leppin - Annie.Leppin@d303.org

Debbie Barron - Deborah.Baron@d303.org

If you have questions or would like suggestions for how to incorporate more wide reading into your middle schoolers day.

Students in Trisha Abbinante and Kathy Schiltz’s class engaged in a book club with their peers.

The Power of YET

Whether it's fractions, equations, or word problems, always remember, not understanding something right away doesn’t mean you’ll never get it. It just means you don’t understand it YET.

Let’s change our mindset from…

"I don’t get this" to "I don’t get this... YET."

Learning math is like building muscle. It takes time, practice, and a little patience. Mistakes aren’t failures. They’re stepping stones to understanding. Every "yet" is an opportunity to grow.

Parents, your encouragement makes a world of difference. Let’s celebrate your child’s effort, not just their outcome. The journey between the two is amazing!

SHOUT OUT TO…

Our students who advocated for themselves and came in to get extra help with homework and preparation for the assessments last week!
Our students who kept problem-solving and didn’t give up until the solution made sense.
Our students who modeled true understanding by clearly showing their work on homework and assessments.
KEEP IT GOING — You’ve got this! 🙂

Connections…Multiplication plays a big role in understanding fractions. Whether we are finding part of a part, simplifying, or solving real-world problems, multiplication helps make sense of how fractions work. For example, when we multiply fractions, we’re combining parts like finding half of three-fourths. This skill supports deeper thinking in math and builds a strong foundation for future learning. Keep practicing! Every step counts, and every “I don’t get it yet” brings us closer to “I’ve got it!”

Volunteers Needed: Crochet Club

Calling all parents and grandparents! We are looking for volunteers who know how to crochet to help our students who are just beginning to learn! Can you make a simple chain? That’s all it takes! We provide the yarn and hooks --- Our crochet club meets once a month, and we have more than 50 students excited and eager to learn. If you are interested in volunteering at one or more of our Friday afternoon meetings, please reach out to Annie.Leppin@d303.org for more information.

Thompson Middle School's NexTrex Program

In October of 2024, Builders Club launched a NexTrex: Recycle Beyond The Bag recycle program at Thompson Middle School. NexTrex creates a variety of products such as composite decking, railing, outdoor furniture, and many other products by recycling the following: produce bags, plastic store bags, ice bags, Ziploc and other closeable bags, cereal box liners, case overwrap, bread bags, newspaper sleeves, dry cleaning bags, bubble wrap, and plastic ecommerce mailers.

If you have any of these around your home and you want to get rid of them, bring them over to Thompson and place them into the NexTrex recycle receptacles (there are two) located outside of Thompson's main office. Each month, a representative of the St.Charles Kiwanis Club will empty these receptacles.

If your child is interested in joining Builders Club, please email Mr.Simone at the following email address: david.simone@d303.org.

Thank you for your support of this program.

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

D303 Community,

St. Charles North is excited to host this Friday’s big DuKane Conference football game against Batavia! This week we’re GOING GOLD in support of Cal’s Angels.

Sophomore game: 4:30 p.m.
Varsity game: 7:00 p.m.

To help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans, please review these important reminders:

Gates open at 3:45 p.m.
Tailgating is not permitted.
Backpacks, bags, or outside food and drinks are not allowed. Small bags up to 8" x 6" are permitted and subject to search.
Students younger than high school age must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
No re-entry into the stadium.
The following are strictly prohibited: profanity, taunting (including racial or discriminatory remarks), throwing objects, or using items that block the view of others.
Linked here are Game Day Reminders & our Parking Map

Ticket Information (available at the gate or via GoFan). Buy a Booster Pass and skip the lines for all SCN Home Games!

General Admission – $5.00
Students & Seniors 65+ – $2.00
Visiting Students (with school ID) – $2.00
D303 Middle/High School Students & Staff (with ID) – FREE

If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Office at 331-228-6258.

We look forward to seeing you Friday night as we come together to cheer on our North Stars!

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!