Cheetah Prints

Dear Thurston Families,

Happy October! It’s been a great start to the school year as students settle into their routines and classrooms come alive with learning. We’ve completed our fall benchmarking assessments and are already putting that information to good use to support each student’s growth. Looking ahead, we’re excited to welcome you to our Open House and Curriculum Night on October 16th—a special evening to connect, explore our curriculum and celebrate our school community. We look forward to seeing you there!

Warmly,

Ms. Mitchell

📅 Upcoming Dates at Thurston Elementary

Thursday, October 2 – Cheetah Gear Orders Due, Picture Day and PTG Mtg. 6:00 in the library
Monday, October 6 - Dinner Night Out (Papas Pizza)
Wednesday, October 8 -Walk and Roll to School Day
Friday, October 10 – No School (Teacher In-service Day)
Thursday, October 16 – Open House/Curriculum Night 5:00-6:00
Friday, October 17 – Popcorn Day!
Friday, October 24 – Heros of the Hallway
Friday, October 31- School friendly costumes may be worn to school (no masks, gore, weapons please)

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 Family Resource if I can help you with any barriers that are keeping your child from school. We are here to help!

K-5th graders can try different sports throughout the year at their school. The deadline to register for 5th grade boys basketball is Wednesday, Oct. 29, and K-1st grade basketball clinics are open through Thursday, Oct. 30. Each school needs enough players for a team! See the full 2025-26 schedule and scholarship information here.

🌟 October Focus: Be Kind 🌟
During the month of October, our school is highlighting the expectation “Be Kind.” Students and staff will take part in a variety of kindness challenges throughout the month, and we can’t wait to see how these acts of kindness strengthen our school community. 💛

Halloween Serpentine – Friday, October 31st

Halloween is quickly approaching, and we’re excited for our annual serpentine (costume parade) on Friday , October 31st!

Students are welcome to wear costumes to school and may change out of them after the serpentine if they prefer.

🎃 Costume Parade Details:

Families are welcome to observe the serpentine on the playground. Designated viewing areas will be marked.
We anticipate arriving on the playground between 9:15 and 9:30 AM, though this time may vary slightly as it is the final stop of the parade.
Parking Reminder: Please use designated parking spots only. Do not park in emergency zones, block driveways, or stop in bike lanes.

👻 Costume Guidelines:

To ensure a fun and respectful event for everyone, please follow these costume guidelines:

No weapons of any kind
No masks or face coverings
No scary or gory costumes (e.g., blood, wounds)
Costumes should not significantly disrupt learning if worn all day (e.g., no inflatables)
Avoid costumes that portray stereotypical representations of another group’s race or ethnicity

If you have questions about volunteer opportunities, please reach out to your child’s classroom teacher.

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

Each morning a student has the honor of helping Mr. Jason raise the flags.

When we have a guest teacher they are provided with 2-3 Cheetah Tales. They select students from the class who have done an excellent job displaying our school wide expectations- Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible and Be Kind! The students get to bring their award down to the office and select a prize!

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

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