THORNTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
February/March 2026 Newsletter
Hello Thornton Students and Families,
I hope you all enjoyed a restful and joyful winter break and are feeling re-energized as we begin the second semester. It’s hard to believe we are already more than halfway through the school year! As we reach this milestone, our focus begins to shift toward finishing the year strong and preparing for what comes next.
Over the next few months, there will be several important events and activities related to planning for the 2026–27 school year. This newsletter includes key timelines and information for registration for our current 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students, as well as details about Ed Faire. Please take time to review this information carefully, as many of these events will take place in the coming weeks.
I’d also like to highlight that State Testing begins on April 6th. Student attendance during this time is extremely important. We ask that families do their best to schedule appointments and other commitments outside of the testing window so students can be present, focused, and ready to do their best. Additional information about state testing is included later in this newsletter.
For our 8th grade families, end-of-the-year activities are quickly approaching! Please continue reading for important dates and requirements for participation, and be sure to mark your calendars so students don’t miss these special milestones.
The coming months are always filled with excitement as students work toward the end of the year and prepare for the transition to the next grade level. I encourage you to check in with your child daily about school, support their commitment to completing their schoolwork, and encourage participation in extracurricular activities. Middle school goes by quickly, and we want students to stay engaged, connected, and confident as they prepare for high school.
As always, thank you for your continued support of our students, staff, and the Thornton community. We truly appreciate our partnership with families.
Warm regards,
Ms. Strausbaugh
Principal
Rising 7th & 8th Grade Registration Information
6th and 7th grade students received registration information during their math class on January 27th and 28th. Math classes met together in the small gym while the school counselors conducted a presentation on how to properly complete the registration form for the upcoming school year. Students will be required to complete the registration form AND submit their completed registration form to their math teacher by the February 9th deadline. Counselors will assist students in completing their online registration through the Aeries portal on February 10th and 11th. There will be an Education Faire (more information below) on February 4th where students and parents will have the opportunity to visit classes and ask questions of teachers prior to the submission deadline. Links to registration information are updated regularly and can be found under Programs and Services on our school webpage.
9th Grade Registration
8th grade students received information regarding registration directly through American High School (AHS). AHS counselors were onsite on January 26th to present to current 8th graders during their math class. AHS will hold their Open House on February 5th from 6pm-8pm. More information can be found on the Open House Flyer. AHS registration forms are due by February 11th. More information regarding AHS registration can be found on the AHS website or by contacting an AHS school counselor.
Proof of Residency Required
You will be receiving an email from Informed K12 on February 2nd, 2026, regarding the annual residency verification. The Link will be personalized for each student. You will need to upload your two proofs of residency by February 27, 2026. The current proofs of residency must be in the parent/guardians name and must be dated within the last 30 to 45 days.
Document Examples:
● Mortgage statement or lease agreement
● Utility bills: water, electric, garbage
● Voter registration or DMV notice
Education Faire
The Education Faire is an opportunity for students/parents of current 6th and 7th graders, to visit the campus and learn more about the educational programs that are offered at Thornton. There will be time to speak with teachers and ask questions regarding curriculum, classes, elective offerings, etc... In addition to visiting classrooms, there will be a grade specific presentation in the gym. The Education Faire takes the place of the traditional Open House held in elementary school. The event flyer contains additional details. More detailed information was sent out in a letter to the parents via Parent Square. It can also be found here for reference.
Current 6th Graders: Students/Parents will arrive on campus and go directly to the large gym for a 6:00pm presentation. At 6:45pm, you will be able to go into the designated classrooms.
Current 7th Graders: Students/Parents will go directly to the designated classrooms at 6:00pm. At 6:45pm, you will go to the large gym for a presentation.
Multicultural Week
We are excited to celebrate our annual Multicultural Week February 23rd-27th. Each year, our students and staff celebrate diversity, culture, and community throughout the week through informational presentations, cultural attire, student performances, and sharing of different foods from around the world. All students will have an opportunity to participate in the week of events and receive one free food item during the Food Day/Extended lunch. Students will also have an opportunity to purchase additional tickets for more food items at $1 per ticket, limit 3 tickets. Please note these are small food items. The cafeteria will be open as usual.
Parents, if you want to participate in our Multicultural Week, there will be a SignUp Genie email sent out soon asking for volunteers to help with the food day on February 26th. Information on specific volunteer support will be on the form.
2/23 - Monday
Homeroom activity, morning announcements each day.
2/24 - Tuesday
Homeroom activity. Food ticket sales at lunch
2/25 - Wednesday
Food ticket sales at lunch, performances by American High School
2/26 - Thursday
Food Day (extended lunch); gallery walk in gym
2/27 - Friday
Thornton MS multicultural performances/cultural dress
Girls Basketball
Girls Basketball Season has begun. Consider stopping by and watching one of their home games. Games begin at 3pm for the Varsity team and 4pm for the Junior Varsity team. Remember that no outside drinks or food are permitted in the gym while watching the game. Here is a list of the upcoming home games.
February 3rd - Thornton vs. Walters
February 10th - Thornton vs. Hopkins
February 12th - Thornton vs. Horner
February 26th - Thornton vs. Centerville
College and Career Week
The Thornton Counseling Department is excited to announce that we are hosting our annual College and Career Week. Please see the flyer for details.
To make this event a success, we need your help! If you know someone who is willing to speak to our students about their career, please complete this Career Guest Speaker Google Form.
Thank you for your help!
-Thornton Counseling Department
Mr. Ceballos, Mrs. Gonzalez, Ms. Sam, and Mr. Banez
Spring Enrichment Classes Begin February 2nd
Session 4 Enrichment classes begin on Monday, February 2nd. There is still space available to sign up for Sessions 5 & 6. Please take a minute to review the Spring course catalog and have your child sign-up using their school issued email and the attached google form. If the student has already signed up for some classes but would like to add more, they can email Ms. Strausbaugh directly to be added to classes with availability. The registration form may only be submitted once and only using a student's FUSD email address.
8th Grade Field Trip
- May 22nd - Great America
- Students must meet eligibility guidelines outlined in the 8th grade activities contract which students received on 1/14
- The actual permission slips for this trip will be handed out on March 2nd in homeroom
- Money and completed permission slips will be collected at lunch on 3/9, 3/10, 3/11, 3/12, 3/25 and 3/26 (last day)
- Students arrive to school at normal time on day of trip - late students may be in jeopardy of not being able to attend
- Buses are scheduled to depart the school at 9:30am and return by approx 5:45. They are scheduled to leave Great America around 5pm.
- Students are NOT ALLOWED to be dropped off at Great America nor picked up from Great America. All students attending the field trip must ride the school buses to and from the park.
- Anticipated cost = $50 for park ticket and bussing or $10 bussing only IF student has a 2026 Great America season pass
8th Grade Celebration
- May 29th from 4:00pm-7:00pm
- Sponsored by PTSA
- No cost to attend
- Must register in advance
- Students must meet eligibility guidelines outlined in the 8th grade activities contract which students received on 1/14
- More information to come
8th Grade Panoramic
- March 11th
- Online ordering is available in advance beginning Feb. 18th
- Orders can be placed mydorian.com
- School appropriate attire is expected
ELPAC Testing starts in April.
If your student is an EL (English Learner) they will be taking the ELPAC (English Language Proficiency Assessment for California) starting at the end of April.
Students will take the assessment with their ELD teacher or in the library if they are in a mainstream English class. Please feel free to reach out to Assistant Principal Marine if you have any questions or concerns. This assessment is mandatory for our EL students.
*We will be holding an ELAC meeting before Ed Faire on Wednesday, 2/4 at 5:00 in Room 5 to go over what students can expect from the assessment.
CAASPP
Beginning the week of April 6th and continuing through the beginning of April, all students will participate in state testing known as the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). Grades 6-8 will be assessed in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, and 8th graders will have an additional assessment in Science. The results of these tests will be shared with families in the spring or summer. It is important to note that while the tests have no impact on your child’s grades, the data collected is used to help our school and district guide our practices to better serve all students.
During the CAASPP testing window, Thornton will be on a modified bell schedule. School will still start and end at the same time, but class periods will change to a block schedule to accommodate completion of the test, which can take up to 2 hours. Please be assured that regular instruction will continue in all classes during testing. You can click on the CAASPP Testing Schedule link below to see the full 3 week bell schedule.
2026 CAASPP Testing Bell Schedule
If your child has taken the CAASPP testing before (also labeled as SBAC), you can find their previous scores on your Aeries Parent Portal. Just click on Test Scores and then State Test Score Reports. There, it will show how your child did on the last tests. The CAASPP Website has practice tests available if you or your child is interested.
Fremont Unified School District provides information about the CAASPP on their Instructional Services website.
More information about the CAASPP can be found on their official website here.
If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), their case manager will arrange for the proper test settings and accommodations. If you would like to opt your child out of testing, please email Assistant Principal Mr. Evans at jeffevans@fusdk12.net. Please note it is critical that schools reach at least a 95% testing status of all students. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Mr. Evans. Thank you.
Is there a staff member that you would like to recognize for their hard work? Did someone at Thornton go above and beyond to make you or your child feel welcomed to Thornton? Would you like to brag about your child's teacher? We would love to hear your feedback that will also be shared with our staff! Please consider taking a moment out of your day to recognize those individuals who are making a positive difference in the lives of our students by completing the attached google form.
Dear Thornton PTSA Families,
We hope this message finds you well and thriving. We have several exciting updates and important announcements to share with you:
1. In-Person PTSA Meeting We are delighted to invite you to our upcoming PTSA meeting. Your involvement and insights are crucial to the success of our school community.
Date: Tuesday February 3, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Location: Thornton Middle School Small Gym
We also have the star party scheduled from 7:30-9:30 PM. Please bring warm layers to be cozy and spend time with family & friends.
2. Reflections Ceremony Join us as we celebrate the creativity and talent of our students at the Reflections Ceremony on February 3rd following the PTSA meeting. We will display their amazing artwork and present certificates to recognize their achievements. We have several students who moved to higher levels and won prizes too. For questions, please contact reflections@thorntonptsa.org.
3. Founders Day Nominations We encourage you to fill out the Founders Day nominations to honor those who have made significant contributions to our school community. Your nominations are highly valued. Please use this Thornton PTSA Founders' Day Nomination Form 2025-26 to nominate teachers, administrators, staff, volunteers, PTSA Board members, or anyone else who you think deserves one or more of these honors. You must submit a separate form for each nomination. For questions, please contact historian@thorntonptsa.org.
4. Nominations for Next Year’s PTSA Board We are looking for dedicated individuals to join next year's PTSA board. Please be on the lookout for the nomination form. Feel free to refer to someone who might be the right fit and interested. Your participation is vital in shaping the future of our PTSA.
5. Thank You for Fundraisers A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to our recent fundraisers. Your generosity and support enable us to provide valuable resources and programs for our students.
Thank you for your continued support and engagement. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming PTSA meeting and celebrating our students' accomplishments together.
Warm regards,
Divya Bellamkonda, President
Thornton Middle School PTSA 2025-2026
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/thorntonptsa/thornton-middle-ptsa
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PTSAThornton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thornton_ptsa
