Thompson Friday Forecast

One of the best parts about working in a middle school is that we get to have fun alongside our students. It’s one of the main reasons so many of us chose to work with this age group—the energy, the humor, and the shared understanding among staff that middle school is a unique, unforgettable time in a student’s life. That spirit is on full display every year at Halloween, when our staff go all-out with costumes and creativity. As you can see from the picture below, Thompson was no exception this year. Wishing everyone a Happy Halloween and a wonderful weekend!

Roll Thunder!

Dr. Matt Clark

Principal

1. Parents are welcome to drop off lunch only for their own child - not a group.

• Parent deliveries should be brought to the main office.
• Food and beverages may only be provided for your individual student. For example, a pizza cannot be purchased for a group of students. And students are not permitted to use apps to have food delivered during the school day.

Thank you for helping us ensure our school day runs smoothly and with little disruption!

Thompson will hold its first Saturday Detention on November 8, 2025, from 8:00–10:00 AM. These detentions will be assigned by our Student Support Coordinators (Deans) for a variety of reasons, most commonly when students miss an assigned after-school or lunch detention. While the goal is accountability, Saturday detentions also provide students with an opportunity to reflect, reset, and take ownership of their choices. Our ultimate goal is to help every student grow in being respectful, responsible, and kind—both in their actions and in how they contribute to our school community.

Thank you PTO and parent volunteers! Your hard work paid off in a fun and safe night at the Monster Bash: Vampire Ball. The kids, staff, and volunteers had an unforgettable time thanks to your efforts. Have a Happy Halloween!

Join Alice as she travels through Wonderland and encounters all of the iconic characters that audiences have come to love: including the ever-tardy White Rabbit, the grinning Cheshire Cat, a cool Caterpillar, the wacky Mad Hatter, and the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts.

Tickets are available through Push Coin or cash-only at the door: $5

Alice in Wonderland Tickets

My son came home from practice last week, and we had an interesting conversation. He said that he had been noticing a pattern in the way he kicked the football during practice sessions. His goal was always to try to kick the ball right in the center, but sometimes his form didn’t line up perfectly. When he kicked the ball harder and made solid contact in the center, it went a lot farther. Even when he didn’t kick it as hard, if he still hit the center, it followed the same direction. But if he connected more to the left, the ball curved left. It was cool how just a small change in where he kicked could completely change how the ball moved.

In my geeky teacher-mom brain, this is what I heard him say:
“When I kick the football, it’s just like a real-life example of dilations. The center of the football acts as the center of dilation, and the force of my kick changes the scale factor. When I kick harder and hit the center perfectly, the ball travels farther, like a figure being enlarged from its center point. When the kick is softer, the ball follows the same path but on a smaller scale, similar to a reduction. And when my contact shifts to the left or right, the path of the ball changes direction, just as a dilation can shift depending on its center.”

Although my son didn’t use these exact words in our conversation, it was exactly what he described. You can try to hide from it, but math is everywhere!

8s-Double, Double, Plus Strategy

*To multiply by 8: Cut 8 in half, Multiply by 4, then double (add the same amount again).

Example: 8 × 6

4 × 6 = 24

24 + 24 = 48

***Shout-out to our students who are using two different strategies to solve one problem! That is what great mathematicians do!

See the grade level below to find out what we are studying in math class!

TMS PTO is excited to be partnering with Big Hearts of Fox Valley for their 2025 Holiday Toy Drive. We are collecting NEW and unwrapped items for young children and teens. All items collected help provide gifts to struggling families in our own School District 303. A collection box will be in the TMS lobby from October 20th – November 12th. Please help fill the box for kids in District 303 this holiday season.

For more information:
https://bigheartsfv.org/
https://bigheartsfv.org/holiday-toy-drive/

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!

We wanted to bring to your attention the City of St. Charles’s Bike Policy page. It outlines the rules, definitions, and expectations surrounding bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, and other micromobility devices within our community.

Key Updates to Note:

• Motorized bikes and scooters are not permitted on sidewalks, including in downtown and school areas.

• Class 3 e-bikes require riders to be 16 or older, and e-scooters require riders to be 18 or older.

• All riders must obey traffic laws, use proper signals, and ensure lights are used when riding at night.

These updates are designed to promote safety for the entire St. Charles community.

🔗Learn more: stcharlesil.gov/Resources/Getting-Around/Safety-Regulations-for-Bicycles-E-Bikes-and-Scooters

Join us for an engaging and practical three-part series designed to help parents navigate the growing challenges of anxiety and school avoidance. Led by Dr. Megan Schmitz of Vital Living Wellness Solutions, these sessions will give parents tools to:

• Recognize anxiety in their child and understand its impact on learning and growth.

• Learn strategies to balance empathy and compassion with boundaries and expectations.

• Gain concrete tools to support positive school attendance and resilience.

Where: St. Charles North High School Auditorium
Time: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Dates: October 8 • October 22 • November 12

This series is designed to strengthen the partnership between families and schools, offering tools and strategies that foster belonging, perseverance, and achievement. Together, we can create the support and consistency children need to thrive. Please note: An interpreter/translator will be available for families who need language support.

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

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

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.

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!

Mrs. Michelle Dague - Assistant Principal

Mr. Ryan Wood - Assistant Principal

Mr. Sam Pasholk - Student Support Coordinator

Ms. Christine Ellis - Student Support Coordinator

Email: katrina.michaelis@d303.org
Website: http://thompson.d303.org
Location: 705 West Main Street
Phone: (331) 228-3100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thompson-Middle-School-671638232903851/