Thompson Friday Forecast

Happy beautiful afternoon, Thompson families! I hope you were able to step outside today and soak in some sunshine together. There’s something restorative about fresh air and open sky that just feels right on a day like this, especially in February!

In fact, research shows that spending time outdoors can reduce stress, improve mood, and boost overall wellbeing. Natural light helps regulate our sleep-wake cycle, fresh air clears our minds, and unstructured play outdoors supports creativity and connection. Days like today invite us to unplug from screens, slow our pace, and be present with the people we cherish. These simple moments of renewal often give us the energy and clarity we need for the week ahead.

A friendly reminder to complete the 5Essentials Survey at your earliest convenience. The window for participation closes two weeks from today, and I’ll be sharing reminders with families over the coming weeks. Our goal is to have 20% of Thompson families complete the survey so we can receive the 5Essentials Parent Report—a valuable tool that helps us understand strengths, opportunities, and how we can better support our students and community. Your feedback matters, and it only takes a few moments.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, and…

Roll Thunder!

Dr. Matt Clark

Thompson Principal

This year Thompson Middle School will be joining the St. Charles North HOPE Club in supporting Mental Health Awareness. The theme this year is: Mental Health is a Team Effort, which highlights our need to support one another in this cause. We will have Spirit Days the week of March 2nd - March 6th in support of HOPE Week. We hope you will join!

On Thursday, March 5 we will have special visitors: comfort dogs! LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs are working animals, trained to interact with people of all ages and circumstances who are suffering and in need. Comfort dogs help people feel calmer, reduce stress, and remind us to pause and take a breath when life feels overwhelming. Spending a few minutes with them is one way we can take care of our mental health. Students will have the opportunity to sign up and visit the dogs during tutorial.

The 5 Essentials survey is now open and awaiting your feedback. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains.

This survey only takes about 10 minutes to complete!
Here is the link to the survey. It is in Spanish and English.

Please be sure to put in Kane County as our county so you can find Thompson. Also, please read the questions and possible answers carefully as they sometimes mix up the "importance" of the responses.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we begin to prepare for our standardized assessments in March and April, we wanted to share some dates with you so that you can plan accordingly. Please see below:

• IAR Reading will be Tuesday, March 24 and Thursday, March 26th

• IAR Math will be on Tuesday, April 7th - Thursday, April 9th

• Illinois Science Assessment for 8th graders will be on Tuesday, April 21st

Please note that we will be running building wide schedules on the IAR testing days. Please click here to access a letter from the Director of Assessment and Accountability. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your child’s counselor. Thank you.

On Thursday, March 12 and Thursday, April 30 Builders Club is scheduled to volunteer at the Northern Illinois Foodbank. The volunteer shifts are from 5:30 PM-7:30 PM. Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity for students and family members to make a difference in the community while spending time together. There are not many opportunities in which parents may participate with their child in a school activity.If you would like to attend any one of these opportunities, or both, with your Thompson student, please email David Simone at: david.simone@d303.org. In the past, there have been entire families that volunteered. Participants need to be eight years of age to volunteer at the foodbank. Builders Club looks forward to sharing this volunteer opportunity with our Thompson families.

Solving for x is one thing we can always depend on throughout our lives. Whether in our personal or professional experiences, we constantly encounter challenges that require us to find a solution for our own “x.” When our first approach doesn’t lead to success, we explore alternative strategies until we discover what works.

This week, our 6th and 7th grade students have been writing and solving equations using “hangers.” Each hanger displays shapes with assigned values. Students translate the hanger into an equation by writing the values on each side and then solve it step by step using inverse operations. Applying the inverse correctly is the key to finding the solution.

Mastering this process takes time and practice, just like the decision-making and problem-solving we face in our everyday lives. No matter where we go or what we do, we are continually searching for answers to solve our own “x.” Whether in the classroom, at work, or in our personal lives, we are always solving for something. That’s why learning to solve for x isn’t just about math. It's about building the skills we need for life. We are ALWAYS solving for x!

So, why do we need to know how to solve for x in equations? Because it is a LIFE SKILL!!

***Shout-out to our students who are showing kindness and respect in class! Keep shining!

Math Tip: To solve for x, do the same thing to both sides of the equation to keep it balanced. This is just like in real life, where fair and balanced decisions help us solve problems each and every day!

Our 6th grade Service Learning class will be collecting supplies for children-themed birthday parties to be donated to a local food pantry. Items requested are party supplies, such as streamers, signs, banners, wall decorations, candles, plates/napkins/cups as well as non-perishable cake/cookie/brownie mixes, flour, and frosting. Collection boxes will be located in the 6th grade pods and outside of the front office. Please see the attached flyer for info. Thanks for your support in ensuring that every child is able to celebrate their special day!

Check out the SPRING SPIRIT WEAR SALE for Thompson! All orders must be in by April 15th.

NO LATE ORDERS will be accepted.

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!

D303 Facility Priorities: Community Input Needed D303 is gathering community input as part of a districtwide review of facility needs. Families and community members are invited to complete a short online questionnaire to share what you believe D303 should prioritize as we plan for the future of our schools. The questionnaire will remain open through March 6.

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/