TMS Dragons
PRO: Perseverance, Respect, Ownership October 2025-2026
From the Principal’s Desk
I am excited to step into the role of principal at Turner Middle School after serving as assistant principal here. Having already had the privilege of working alongside our students, families, and staff, I feel fortunate to continue building on the strong relationships we’ve established.
Even though I began this role a couple of months into the school year, I have been inspired by the momentum and positive energy already in place. My focus moving forward is on supporting student growth—academically, socially, and emotionally—while fostering a safe, inclusive environment where every child feels a strong sense of belonging.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve this community in a new way, and I look forward to partnering with you to ensure a successful year for all our students.
📸 October 7 Picture Retake Day
🎻October 7 Orchestra concert at TMS
🎺October 8 Band concert at TMS
🏀 October 8 Boys Basketball tryouts begin
🎵October 9 Choir concert at Berthoud High
🕺 October 9 All school dance
🚫October 10 No School for students, teacher workday
👨🏫 Fall Conferences, October 15 5:00pm - 8:30pm, October 16 8:00am - 8:00pm
🚫 October 16 No School for students, conferences
🚫 October 17 No School
🤲 October 28 Give Next field trip
Student course fees and any unpaid athletic fees are now posted to your student’s account.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our bookkeeper:
📞 970-613-7405
📧merri.hocker@tsd.org
You can pay your student fees one of two ways:
1. Pay in Campus Portal with a credit card.
If you have previous years fees to pay, you must change the school year in the school year drop down menu.
2. You can drop off a check or cash at the school
If you have any questions, please contact the front office.
Thank you for taking care of these balances promptly!
Counselors Corner
The TMS school counselors are Andrea Wallace (6th grade-last names A-K + 7th grade-all students) and Keefer Lanham (6th grade-last names L-Z + 8th grade-all students). We’ve been working on building connections with students, ensuring norms and expectations are clear, and collaborating with teachers to meet student needs as they arise. As of the end of August, we have already met individually with 90 students at TMS.
KidsPak is a valuable resource for families who may be facing food insecurity. Please visit their website for more information and to fill out the food request form if you are interested in receiving this support. We can put the KidsPak food bags in backpacks on Fridays to send home for the weekends.
Parenting middle school students is a challenge... and then some! TMS will be offering some additional skills for your parenting toolkit:
- Tools to build stronger, more respectful relationships with your children - and end arguing!
- Promote Responsibility - strategies that encourage children to make good decisions and take ownership of their actions.
- Reduce Stress by navigating discipline and conflict with less frustration and more confidence.
Look for dates and location for Parenting the Love & Logic Way® coming soon. If you want further information, please reach out to our counselor, Keefer Lanham, at: keefer.lanham@tsd.org
Things are really falling into place in 6th grade (pun intended)! We continue to be impressed by this great group of kiddos!
One thing we wanted to make sure parents are aware of is our Focus Friday celebrations. Every Friday, the 6th grade teachers award 6 students with a positive referral for exhibiting leadership, empathy, and a hard working, positive attitude. If your kiddo receives an award, you will receive a postcard in the mail, so keep your eyes open!
The weather is getting ready to take a turn towards cooler temperatures, especially in the mornings when students are waiting for the doors to open. Please send your kids with ample layers to keep them warm outside, and cool on the inside when the heat inside the school is cranked up.
Finally, conferences are approaching, and there are a number of students who could benefit from having their families go through their Infinite Campus (Parent Portal) gradebooks with them to see if they have missing work. Please make time to sit down with your student and have them show you their gradebook and how to check their scores. It’s not the easiest system to navigate, so having some adult help when checking scores is always beneficial. As always, thanks for supporting your students!
Hello, Seventh Grade Families!
We are a little over a month into the school year and are having a great time getting to know the seventh graders!
We have many exciting units, projects, and lessons coming up this month!
In Math 2.0, students are learning to convert between different forms of rational numbers. By the end of the unit, students will be able to explain the difference between termination and repeating decimals, write fractions and mixed numbers as decimals, and write decimals as fractions and mixed numbers.
In Math 2.5, students are wrapping up solving equations and inequalities. They will soon begin working on evaluating exponents!
In English Language Arts, students are wrapping up their "generations" unit. In this unit, students have explored how different generations affect other generations through informational texts, short stories, and poetry. Students will wrap up this unit with a personal narrative that answers the question, "What is a lesson you have learned from someone from a different generation?" Please remind your student that they have weekly spelling and vocabulary tests and should be studying throughout the week!
In Social Studies, students are learning about the building blocks of civilization. In this unit, students are learning about Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India. They will wrap up the unit by creating their own civilization based on what they have learned throughout the unit. A project students can look forward to is that they will be mummifying apples within the next week!
In Science, students are in the midst of their cell unit. In this unit, students compare cells to other concepts and will complete their cell project.
Seventh Grade Wants and Needs:
All seventh grade teachers would greatly appreciate Clorox Wipes and Kleenex donations! Thank you in advance!
8th grade has beat the first full month of school like we beat the heat everyday! Social Studies has begun the process of learning and understanding the events of the Transatlatic Slave Trade and looking for the answer to the question “What drove people to engage in the slave trade?”. Starting next week we will be introducing the main character of the United States Mr. George Washington and all of his mishaps during the Seven Years War (That was actually nine years long).
Remember parents that we at Turner practice away for the day with all electronics. If you need to get a hold of your students during school hours, contact the front office and we will get a hold of them. Please refrain from texting them during school hours.
We are excited to see what the rest of this year has in store for our 8th grade Dragons!
-8th grade team
NEWS FROM ELECTIVE CLASSES
Lifetime Sports classes are playing Ultimate Frisbee.
6th Grade Engineering and Design is finishing up 3D printed projects as the quarter quickly comes to a close.
7th & 8th Grade Engineering and Design are working on shop safety as well as tool use and techniques. Students are starting to work on individual projects including model rocketry, CO2 race cars, wooden cutting boards, and balsa wood towers.
Plus 1 class will be working in the Innovation Lab. Students will learn about Rocketry, Biotechnology and Genetics, Health and Wellness, Veterinary Science, Plant Science and learn to fly. Students are learning how to suture wounds, land an airplane, observe fermentation of yeast, take blood pressure, and will get to use the flight simulator.
6th grade Family and Consumer Science (FACS) will be learning about stress relievers and naming their self-care strategies. Students will also be learning about laundry, laundry labels, and washer and dryer settings. We will end the quarter by preparing a slide for parent/teacher conferences (whether they come to conferences or not) which summarizes what they have learned in FACS this quarter.
7th grade FACS will be studying about financial literacy, including credit scores, credit cards, debit cards, personal finances, and budgets.
8th grade FACS classes will be learning about the first 12 months of baby development. This will be followed by budgeting for everything a baby needs in their first year (crib, diapers, etc.) They will be making their own rice baby (2 pairs of pantyhose and 1 five-pound bag of rice) and will be carrying the baby with them 24/7 from Oct. 15- Oct. 29.
6th grade Choir classes are learning to match pitch and to project their voices, strengthening their ability to sing as a collective and individuals. They are preparing two pieces for their concert on Thursday, October 9, where they will perform with Berthoud High School choirs in a program entitled "From Out of the Blue". They are also learning music reading and theory skills!
6th & 7th grade Orchestra students are learning to use their bows and preparing for the concert on October 7.
Band students should be practicing at home as well as working on the pieces at school.
Orchestra concert is Oct. 7 at TMS
Band concert is Oct. 8 at TMS
Choir concert is Oct. 9 at Berthoud High
6th grade World Cultures classes have learned basic vocabulary, the Spanish alphabet, and are now learning the days of the week and months of the year.
7th grade Spanish classes are learning about Spanish culture throughout the world including customs of Spanish-speaking countries, the Spanish alphabet, and pronunciation of new vocabulary.
8th grade Spanish classes have been learning the basic foundations of the language. The next topic of study is “comida de otros países (foods from different countries)”. They will practice speaking and writing as well.
Desktop Publishing students are working on their marketing and branding for a soda can and a cereal box.
6th grade Art class will be creating pinch pots and crafting clay animals.
7th grade Art students are finishing up their watercolor paintings and starting to make clay pumpkins and other clay vessels.
8th grade Art period 1 will be working with clay to make combined coil and pinch functional objects.
8th grade Art period 2 will be creating architectural 2D Relief sculptures of famous architectural buildings.
PE classes are participating in team sports such as Flag Football, Floor Hockey, and Team Handball. The 7th & 8th grade classes will be taking a walking field trip to the BHS Tennis courts in the middle of the month. 6th-grade classes will be finishing up the 1st quarter by completing their final Fitness Tests, assessing their progress, and reflecting on their goals. 6th graders starting the 2nd quarter will complete their Fitness pre-tests and then use their results to set goals for the quarter.
GT news
Sixth-grade students will be screened for Gifted Education on October 1. Those who have already received cognitive testing (Identified students on ALP or IEPs) will not need to be screened. Follow-up testing will occur for students who qualify. The results from the screener will be sent home with the students by the end of October.
Gifted Testing for 7th and 8th graders will be ongoing all year. If a parent would like to refer a student for testing, please contact Mrs. Leonard.
6th-grade Gifted students are meeting with Mrs. Leonard to write goals for their middle school Advanced Learning Plans. 7th- and 8th-grade students are reviewing their Advanced Learning Plans. Parents are invited to attend the meeting. Parents can use this link or contact Mrs. Leonard to schedule an appointment. The meetings can be done in person or virtually. Evening appointments are available during conferences. 6th-grade ALPs must be written by Nov. 4.
Turner Middle School Presents.....................................
This April, the Dragons of Drama Club will take audiences down the rabbit hole with their performance of the play, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland! Join us for a whimsical journey filled with curious characters, topsy-turvy adventures, and plenty of imagination as our talented middle school cast brings Lewis Carroll’s classic tale to life on stage.
For additional information, please contact Lynne Niston at lynne.niston@tsd.org. Auditions will start on October 13. Rehearsals will be Mondays and Wednesdays after school.
PRO Class
PRO is our connections/advisory class. Each student is in a same grade group and each grade level group belongs to a castle. There are 8 castles: time, wind, energy, rock, water, metal, ice, and fire. PRO class meets twice a week. Sources of Strength, Character Strong, and Positive Behavior Intervention Supports are part of the lesson development.
One of the lessons we did in PRO recently was about attendance and knowing when to come to school versus when to stay home. Below is some guidance from TSD about when your child might be too sick to attend school. Please also note that October count day is today! More info on that is below.
All school dance
October 9
4:15 - 5:15pm
All volunteers need to sign up on Vital so that a complete background check can be done BEFORE they come in to volunteer.
Conference Scheduler Opens to Families on October 6
Fall conferences will be available by appointment only
- Wednesday, October 15 5:00pm-8:30pm
- Thursday, October 16 8:00am-8:00pm
Conferences are scheduled in 10 minute increments
Parents/guardians will have access to their student’s teachers’ calendars and be able to select a convenient conference time through the conference scheduler. Login information will be sent to all families once the system opens on October 6th.
NOCO Emergency Alert
Larimer County Fire Departments have asked us to share this information. This emergency alert will alert those who sign up for it with emergency notifications from Larimer county. Please text NOCOALERT to 888777.
Safety Drills
TMS practices emergency safety drills on a continuous basis throughout the year. The type of drill we practice and discuss with students is rotated. We help students to become familiar with the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) which outline 5 situations and the actions that both the students and the adults do during an emergency.
Families can sign up for Chromebook insurance!
Keep your Chromebook safe! Learn more about insurance options and pricing on our website at tsd.org/its > Tech 4 All > Chromebook Insurance. One break is typically more expensive than the cost of insurance. Coverage includes summer care too and is able to be renewed on August 1, 2026.
No classes for students
Oct 16 no school for students, PTC all day
Oct 17 no school for students or teachers
TMS PTO
TMS parent teacher organization (PTO) meets at Turner Middle School.
Please feel free to join them for the next meeting on Friday, October 3 at 9:00am.
See TMS Website for contact information.
SAAC
Nutrition Services Updates for 2025-26
For the 2025-26 school year, the Thompson School District will provide access to no-cost meals for all students through the Healthy School Meals for All program.
Research shows students perform better at school when they are not hungry. By providing access to breakfast and lunch for all students at no cost, we better support their learning. Although all students will receive access to no-cost meals, it is still important for households to provide their income information when requested. Gathering this information allows the Thompson School District to receive the state and federal funding we qualify for. These funds go directly to schools to help cover the cost of meals and support after-school activities and other nutritional programs for students. Plus, qualifying households may be eligible for Summer EBT benefits, receive discounted or waived school fees, class materials, utilities support, and more.
Providing household income information ensures you and your school receive all available financial support. ***All household income information is confidential and will not be shared without your consent.***
Our school meals follow U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines for healthy school meals. You can be confident your children are getting quality school meals while saving your family time and money.
Use the link below to apply online, or you may pick up a paper application at any TSD school or the Support Services Center and return or mail it to 2890 North Monroe Avenue Loveland, CO 80538.
2025-26 Meal Application: https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/new
Bond Information for Families
Did you know that the proposed $99 million bond, placed on this November’s ballot by the Board of Education, would provide funding for key projects at Turner Middle School? To learn more about the proposed bond, please visit tms.tsd.org/bond
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
Each year from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
We are excited to share activities and learning opportunities throughout the year that highlight the importance of diversity and the power of celebrating our differences. Together, we can recognize and appreciate the many ways Hispanic heritage enriches our lives every day.
Heads up!
Now that school is back in, it is a good time to remind parents to be on the alert for head lice. Head lice is a common childhood condition. All places where children get together are places where head lice can be transferred. Clean hair and home are no guarantee that head lice will not find your child. Please take a moment now and periodically throughout the year, to check your child’s hair for nits (eggs), which can usually be seen long before lice can be located. Nits are small, white to tan particles found in the hair that look a lot like dandruff, except that dandruff is loose and can be brushed from the hair, whereas nits are attached to the hair shaft and cannot be easily removed. Lice are very small (flea sized) and do not like light, so they can be hard to find. If your child is experiencing itching of the scalp or you see something in the hair and are not sure what it is, feel free to stop by the health office and allow us to check.
Sincerely,
School Nurse
Turner Middle School
Mission:
We will provide a safe and inclusive environment and ensure a high level of learning for every student to become engaged citizens and lifelong learners.
Vision:
Cultivate Excellence, Celebrate Diversity, Connect with Community
Interim Principal: Adam Kohn
Interim Assistant Principal: TBD
Dean: Lacey Scadden
Secretary: Merri Hocker
Attendance Secretary: Kelly Sandoval
Registrar: Brandii Wilson
School Nurse: Stephanie Roberts
School Health Office Aide: Pam Sargent
Website:https://tms.tsd.org/
Location: 950 Massachusetts Avenue, Berthoud, CO, USA
Phone: 970-613-7400
Email: Info.TMS@tsd.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TurnerMSBerthoud
Twitter: @tmsdragons