Thompson Friday Forecast

Thunder Families,

As we wrap up the first quarter, I want to celebrate what a tremendous start it’s been at Thompson. Our 6th graders are finding their rhythm—moving confidently through the hallways, learning the routines, and growing more comfortable every day. Our 7th graders are hitting their stride, stepping up as role models, and showing flashes of the leadership we know they’ll carry forward. And our 8th graders? They’re beginning to look ahead with one eye on high school, already demonstrating the maturity and focus that will serve them well in the next phase of their journey.

These transitions are some of the most exciting parts of middle school—if you can see past the occasional eye rolls, growth spurts, and roller-coaster moods that come with the territory. Each stage brings its own joys and challenges, but through it all, our students are learning, stretching, and becoming more of who they’re meant to be. We’re so proud of their progress and can’t wait to see what the second quarter brings.

Have a wonderful weekend and Roll Thunder!

Dr. Matt Clark

Principal

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.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are a car rider, you MUST be dropped off/picked up at Door 3 in the circle drive. The parking lot by Door 5 (the tennis courts) is reserved for staff parking and special transit drop off/pick up ONLY.

Thompson Middle School was thrilled to welcome New York Times bestselling author Alan Gratz on Wednesday, October 15!

Mr. Gratz spoke with students about his newest releases - Refugee: The Graphic Novel and War Games.

You can still purchase an autographed copy of these books on PushCoin through October 24, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. (or until supplies last).

Our 6th-grade Exploring College & Careers class is seeking community members to visit and share about their career journey: what a “day in the life” looks like, what education or training is required, etc. If you are interested in volunteering as a guest speaker at either Thompson Middle School or Wredling Middle School, please complete this Google Form. We would love for our students to hear your story!

The students have spoken and the votes are in — this year’s dance theme is Vampire Ball!

📆 Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025

🕓 Time: 4:00–6:00 PM

📍 Where: Thompson Middle School (Main Gym, Aux Gym, & Health Room)

🛑 Must be a Thompson student to attend.

Pre-Sale Tickets: $15

Includes admission, 1 slice of pizza, and 1 water.

Purchase now on PushCoin — but hurry!

Tickets will also be sold at the door for $20.

(Students must bring their school ID.)

What do Jamie Oliver, Jennifer Aniston, Richard Branson, and Tim Tebow all have in common? They’ve each spoken out publicly about their experiences with dyslexia.

Dyslexia is a common learning difference that affects reading, spelling, and writing—but it does not reflect intelligence. Many students with dyslexia have incredible strengths in creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

Myth-buster: Dyslexia is not a vision problem, and struggling readers are NOT lazy or less smart.

Public schools can screen students for reading difficulties and provide support, but they cannot give a formal medical diagnosis of dyslexia. Support at school may include targeted reading instruction, accommodations like extra time and/or audio support, small-group interventions, and collaboration with families.

Learn more at the International Dyslexia Association or reach out to your building reading specialists Annie.Leppin@d303.org and Debbie.Baron@d303.org

As your child progresses through their math education, they often refer to one question: "When will I ever use this?" Most times, this question comes up when students are introduced to a new concept or more complex concepts and it is difficult for them to visualize how these concepts connect to our world. Here are some ideas of how to connect math to our real-world.

• Geometry plays a key role in design, architecture, engineering, and even art

• Algebra supports careers in computer science, finance, and health sciences.

• Proportional reasoning is used when cooking, shopping, or comparing deals.

• Statistics and Data are essential in marketing, sports, social sciences, and personal decision-making.

• Financial literacy, often taught through math, helps students budget, save, and understand credit or loans.
  
  

Multiplication Tips:

• Memorize Anchors First! Start with easier facts like: 0s, 1s, 2s, 5s, 10s

• Flip It! Multiplication is commutative: 3 × 4 = 4 × 3

Shout-out to our student who made a smart connection between buying apples at a farm vs. in a store! Keep using those math skills to compare prices and get the best deal!

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

Congratulations to the Girls Volleyball Teams 7A, 7B, and 8B on winning their conference championship games this week! Way to go! Congrats to all our volleyball players on a great season!

Boys Basketball and Wrestling are now open for Registration on SNAP. Please find more information here.

All registrations must be completed online at https://schools.snap.app/tms

In order to participate, registration must be completed online and an updated physical must be on file.

Please contact the coaches listed or Athletic Director Chris Cloy (christopher.cloy@d303.org)

Thompson's Builders Club needs help supporting the Northern Illinois Food Bank. On Thursday, October 30th from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM, we are scheduled to serve at the food bank, and we need people to volunteer. Students who attend need to attend with a parent/guardian/older sibling. Those who volunteer will need to arrive at the food bank by 5:15 PM. This opportunity is an excellent way to serve the community, to spend time with family/friends, and earn service hours. An entire family, along with friends, may attend with a Thompson student who would like to volunteer. Children need to be eight years of age to volunteer. If you want to attend this rewarding service opportunity, please email David Simone at david.simone@d303.org with the first and last name of each individual who will be attending by Tuesday, October 14th.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

David Simone, Builders Club Advisor

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

St. Charles North is excited to host this Friday’s Senior Night football game against Glenbard North! This week’s Blue Fan Group theme is NEON!

• Sophomore game: 4:30 p.m.

• Varsity game: 7:00 p.m.

To help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans, please review these important reminders:

• Gates open at 3:45 p.m.

• Reserving seats in the stadium prior to 3:45pm is prohibited. Access to the stadium during school hours is not permitted.

• Tailgating is not permitted.

• Backpacks, bags, or outside food and drinks are not allowed. Small bags up to 8" x 6" are permitted and subject to search.

• Students younger than high school age must be accompanied and supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.

• No re-entry into the stadium.

• The following are strictly prohibited: profanity, taunting (including racial or discriminatory remarks), throwing objects, or using items that block the view of others.

• Linked here are Game Day Reminders & our Parking Map

Ticket Information (available at the gate or via GoFan). Buy a Booster Pass and skip the lines for all SCN Home Games!

• General Admission – $5.00

• Students & Seniors 65+ – $2.00

• Visiting Students (with school ID) – $2.00

• D303 Middle/High School Students & Staff (with ID) – FREE

If you have any questions, please contact the Athletic Office at 331-228-6258.

We look forward to seeing you Friday night as we come together to cheer on our North Stars!

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/