Thompson Friday Forecast

The Parent-Teacher Conference sign-up portal opens next Friday, September 26th at 8:00 AM and will close on Monday, October 6th at 11:59 PM (hard stop—no exceptions). You’ll find detailed directions and links below.

One important reminder: middle school conferences look a little different than what many of you may remember from elementary school. With each teacher working with (on average) 100–125 students, it’s simply not realistic (or necessary!) for every family to have a conference. Unlike elementary school, a conference is not an automatic obligation or expectation for all parents.

Here’s the bottom line:

If your child is doing well both academically and socially, you may not need to sign up.
If your child is struggling, or you feel you need to connect, please do sign up.
You don’t need to see every teacher—just the ones most relevant to your child’s needs.

And yes—your child is welcome to attend the conference with you. We actually encourage it. After all, it’s their learning journey, and middle schoolers are more than capable of being part of the conversation.

Scroll down for all the “how-tos” and nitty-gritty details about scheduling through Pick-A-Time.

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#/

Finding Confidence in Math...

Math can be really tough sometimes. It takes a lot of time and effort to learn new skills and to continue to practice them in order to develop fluency. In math, fluency refers to the ability to efficiently and accurately recall and apply mathematical facts, concepts, and procedures. How many times have you heard someone say, “I’m just not a math person.” This is where perseverance and strategies support math along with lessons in life.

At the beginning of each year, many students feel nervous about math. They believe they aren't good at it or think they'll never get it. So, some might give up before they even start. But math is a skill, just like a sport, learning an instrument, or mastering a new game.

The first time you try something new, it often feels hard. You make mistakes. You might feel confused. But over time, with practice, effort, and the right mindset, it gets easier. You get better. And, you feel more confident.

The truth is: success in math isn't about being “naturally good.” It's about being willing to try, make mistakes, and have the perseverance to keep going. Every mistake is part of the learning. Just like no one becomes a great athlete overnight, no one becomes strong in math without practice.

So don’t give up!

Try!

You’ve got this!

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.

🍦 Thompson PTO Fundraiser at Oberweis! 🍦

Wed, Sept 24 | 11am – 9pm | 1790 W. Main St, St. Charles

20% of your order supports Thompson PTO!

When ordering, you MUST tell the cashier that you are with the Thompson PTO fundraiser.

No mention = no donation ❌ | Mention = support our students ✅

Treat yourself AND give back!

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

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!