Cheetah Prints

Dear Thurston Families,

As we step into December, I’m reminded of how much joy and energy our students bring to our halls each day. This month invites us to pause and reflect on all we’re grateful for in our school community. I am continually inspired by our students’ kindness, curiosity, and resilience, and by the dedication of our staff and families who work together to create a warm and welcoming environment for every child.

Thank you for the many ways you support your children and our school, your partnership truly makes a difference. I hope the weeks ahead bring moments of connection, celebration, and meaningful learning for all of our families.

Warmly,

Ms. Mitchell

📅 Upcoming Dates at Thurston Elementary

12/5 Popcorn Day

12/12 Heroes of the Hallway

12/12 Early Release (students released at 12:30)

12/19 Cozy Day (wear those PJs or comfy sweats!)

12/20-1/5 Winter Break

1/6 Students Return! Happy New Year!

1/8 PTG Meeting 6:00 in the TES library (our music, library and PE teachers are attending)

Please Pack Extra Clothes

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!

FREE LTD Bus Passes for Students

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.

Morning Supervision Starts at 8:00

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!

What are Behavioral Referrals?

Behavior referrals help our school understand when and where students may need extra support with behavior expectations. When a referral is written, it is not meant to punish, but to provide the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) team with helpful information about patterns—such as which expectations students are struggling with or which areas of the school might need clearer routines. By reviewing this information, our PBIS team can plan reteaching, offer additional supports, and create strategies that help all students be successful. This process allows us to build a safer, more positive school environment where every child can learn and grow.

A common goal for all PBIS schools is to have 80% or more of students earn 0–1 major referrals during the school year. At Thurston Elementary, we are proud to share that 85% of our students fall within this range! This is represented by the green section of our behavior triangle. The yellow section includes students who have earned 2–5 major referrals, and the red section includes students with 6 or more. Our current data shows that our behavior systems are strong and that 85% of our students are responding well to our schoolwide expectations and incentives, such as Cheetah Paws, Cheetah Tails, and positive verbal praise.

This success also reflects the excellent parenting and support our families provide. When we all work together to reinforce positive behavior, students truly thrive. Thank you for all you do at home to help create learners who are eager, confident, and ready for school each day.

Our third graders had some paws-itively amazing guests — trained therapy dogs and their wonderful handlers!

Students learned about the differences between a pet, a therapy dog, and a service dog. There were plenty of smiles, wagging tails, and even a few cuddles!

Students and staff joined in a schoolwide walk to honor Ruby Bridges, reflecting on her bravery and the powerful legacy she created in the fight for equality.

Our kindergartners worked together to create a Friendsgiving feast which they all enjoyed together.

The Penny Wars challenge was a huge hit with our students! With your support, they collected an amazing amount of change (and bills!) to help families in need right here in our community. A big congratulations to our first graders, who topped the leaderboard and earned a well-deserved Chick-fil-A celebration.

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.

Vehicle Drop-Off and Pick-Up

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.

Walk or Bike Parent Drop-Off and Pick-Up

Parents are welcome to walk or bike with their children.
Designated drop-off/pick-up sites are located near the front and back of the school.

Please say goodbye or hello to your child at these sites and do not enter campus past these locations during arrival and dismissal.

Transportation Guidelines

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.

We love having parents, families and other guests in the school. If you are interested in volunteering, please use this link to fill out the district volunteer application. Once you have been approved through the system (good for two years), you will be able to sign up for volunteer opportunities in the school.

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.

Cheetah Prints