April 26, 2024
Good Afternoon Tigers Families and Community,
This week our learning community continued to be focused on teaching and learning and maintaining a secure learning environment for all. When students, parents, community members, or families report concerns pertaining to the safety of our building we follow procedures to investigate and take appropriate action following the investigation. We want all members of our learning community to report any concerning information to school staff. However, we cannot act on rumors that are not directly supported by witness and/or physical evidence. Additionally, our staff cannot comment on disciplinary responses given to students with non-family members of the student. Minor students and their families have the right to privacy for all of their student records. If your student tells you concerning information, please ask them to report it directly to a trusted adult at the school.
This week we reminded teachers to only release students into the hallways (to use the restroom, get a drink of water) when absolutely necessary, since students miss instructional time when they are not in the classroom. In addition to missing instructional time, having a large amount of students walking the halls creates an environment where students are not in a secure learning space. During the next two weeks we will complete our required ALICE drill for the semester depending on weather conditions, since students and staff sometimes practice evacuating the building during ALICE drills.
In honor of Administrative Professionals Day (Wednesday, April 25) our school community would like to thank our AMAZING front office staff, Mrs. Lorraine Zwiezen, Ms. Sandra Ingersoll, and Mrs. Trisha Lustig, for their service to our school. They do so much for our students, staff, and community and we are grateful for their efforts. Next week we look forward to celebrating the (almost!) end of the school year with our 8th grade Tigers at the 8th Grade Dance on Friday, May 3rd. The end of the year festivities will continue throughout the month - stay tuned for more details and exciting events for our Tigers! Yours in Education, Mr. Marcus L. Lewis, Ed.S., Principal Mrs. Karen O’Connor, Asst. Principal Dr. LaTonya Davis, Asst. Principal |
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| Tues, 4/30: Last day to order yearbooks (balfour.com) Fri, 5/3: 8th Grade Formal Dance (sponsored by NJHS) -
Mon, 5/6- Fri, 5/10: Teacher Appreciation Week
Thurs, 5/9: Step Up Night for new 6th grade families Fri, 5/10: End of Year Party (sponsored by HSO) Tues, 5/14: HSO Meeting
Thurs, 5/23: 8th Grade Recognition Night Fri, 5/24: Last Day of School
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** Please put names on Chromebook chargers (label with Sharpie), lunch bags, school supplies and any other items of value. This helps the front desk to return items to your student.
** No outside restaurant food deliveries are allowed for students.
Attendance Reminder!
If your child is going to be absent from school for any reason, please call the attendance line at 630-636-2601 in a timely manner. Please leave the following details in your message: Your name Your student's name Phone number you can be reached with any questions Reason for absence (including any symptoms, if out for illness).
Automated Attendance & Tardy Messages
Everyday automated attendance calls are sent out by the district at 9:30 AM, based on the attendance we have entered into the system by 9:15 AM.
Additionally, automated tardy messages are sent out by the district to parents at 3:30 PM daily. If your student is marked tardy it means they were late to a class. You can check tardies and absences in PowerSchool. Please discuss with your student or their teacher for more information.
Replacement ID's Now Available If you have lost your ID and need a replacement, you may come to the main office and purchase a replacement for $5.
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Our next Home and School Meeting will be held Tuesday, May 14 th at 5pm at Thompson in Room 1364. We are currently looking to add 1 new board member to our HSO board. If interested, please contact Amy Hickman at thompsonhso@gmail.com.
All Thompson parents, guardians and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend! Each month we meet at 6pm on the 3rd Tuesday and discuss school happenings and HSO activities and events.
Please join us! Questions? Visit our website at https://thompsonjrhigh.memberhub.com/ or contact us at thompsonhso@gmail.com |
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Student and Staff Shout Outs! |
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Art Class
Students in 3D Sculpture recently “wrapped up” their Plastic Sculpture Unit. Pictured with her life size packing tape sculpture is 7th grader, Mickayla Raethz. |
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Congrats to The BLOCKERS! Last week, Thompson Students Shruti Vavilala, Patrick Wilson, Molly Quinn, Vienna Iacovella, and Quinn Schuck, along with their team, TheBLOCKERS, competed at the FIRST Lego League Robotics World Championship Tournament in Houston Texas. More than 58,000 FLL teams from around the world competed in this year's season but only 160 qualified for the world championship. There were 58 countries represented across FIRST programs giving the kids great opportunities to meet and interact with people from different continents and languages.
During the 4 day event, the team had a near perfect robot score and also earned the Breakthrough Award. They also placed 3rd in an alliance round where 42 groups of 3 teams each competed in a lightning fast engineering challenge.
We're incredibly proud of them for all their effort and accomplishments and we wish the 8 graders great success next year in high school robotics and a bright future in science and technology. |
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| Ms. Bradshaw Runs the Boston 5k and Boston Marathon Our very own science teacher, Ms. Bradshaw ran the 128th Boston 5K race on Saturday, April 13th and won the para division (female) champion (first picture)! Then just 2 days later, Ms. Bradshaw took 2nd place in the para division (female) for the Boston Marathon. She beat her personal course marathon record by 34 minutes. Congrats Ms. Bradshaw that is quite the accomplishment!!! |
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Thompson Events & Happenings |
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8th Grade End of Year Events |
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LAST MONTH TO ORDER YEARBOOKS!!! |
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| Help Us Raise Fund for Our Collaborative PE Class!
Our collaborative PE class is a cooperative/leadership class established to provide a chance for all students to work to one’s full physical potential. 7th & 8th graders who have been selected to be Collab PE Leaders team up to work with students in the STARS (Skills Training and Autism-Related Services) program. Collab PE is a new course at Thompson this year. Additional funds will allow us to enhance the experience for the remainder of this year and for years to come. Please consider helping us out. Every little bit helps!
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Summer Honors Bridge Remote Learning Opportunity The purpose of the bridge course is to cover skills needed for a solid foundation in an honors course. The bridge courses are open to anyone taking an honors ELA/Math class for the 2024-2025 school year and are strongly encouraged for those entering Honors classes for the first time and for those entering 6th grade Pre-Algebra as they will be skipping a year of standards. - Week 1: June 3-6
- Week 2: June 10-13
- Week 3: June 17-20
Summer ‘24 Honors Bridge Flyer |
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Summer Connections Information |
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Attention 8th Graders
Going to Oswego High School |
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Tips from the School Nurse |
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Concussion - A type of traumatic brain injury or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. It can be mild, requiring only a short rest period after it happens or severe, requiring 1 to 2 days of bed rest. A person can have one or more of the following symptoms: Observed Signs 1. Appears dazed or stunned 2. Is confused about events 3. Repeats questions 4. Answers questions slowly 5. Can't recall events prior to the hit, bump, fall 6. Can't recall events after the hit, bump or fall 7. Loses consciousness even briefly 8. Shows behavior or personality changes 9. Forgetful
10. Dilated pupils (black part in the middle of your eye) 11. Unequal pupils Physical Symptoms
1. Headache or pressure in head 2. Nausea or vomiting 3. Balance problems or dizziness
4. Fatigue or feeling tired 5. Blurry or double vision 6. Sensitivity to light 7. Numbness or tingling 8. Does not feel right Cognitive Signs 1. Difficulty thinking clearly
2. Difficulty concentrating 3. Difficulty remembering 4. Feeling more slowed down 5. Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy or groggy Emotional Symptoms 1. Irritable 2. Sad 3. More emotional than usual
4. Nervous Be alert for signs and symptoms that worsen over time. These are danger signs and the person should be seen in an emergency department right away.
1. One pupil larger than the other 2. Drowsiness or cannot be awakened 3. Headache that gets worse and does not go away
4. Weakness, numbness or decreased coordination 5. Repeated vomiting and nausea 6. Slurred speech
7. Convulsions or seizures 8. Difficulty recognizing people or places 9. Increasing confusion, restlessness or agitation
10. Unusual behavior 11. Loss of Consciousness Treatment
1. Plenty of rest both sleep at night and naps or rest breaks during the day. 2. Your doctor will probably tell you to avoid certain physical activities and sports 3. Medication for a headache Length of time for a Concussion - Time will vary for each person. In general, the concussion signs and symptoms resolve within 14 to 21 days. If undiagnosed, unrecognized or poorly treated concussions can delay your recovery increasing it from the typical 2 to 3 weeks to months or longer. |
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| Dear Parents,
Every year we send out a newsletter to remind you that suicides start to spike in the spring (April and May). We are continuing to see elevated rates of depression among youth. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (conducted by the CDC), 42% of Illinois teens reported feeling symptoms of depression in the past year, with an additional 20% reporting a suicide attempt in the year prior to the survey. Our goal is to keep all our young adults healthy and safe. Please help us by increasing your vigilance at this time of year!
Here are some examples of youth that may be at a heightened risk for suicide: - A teen with a personal or family history of suicide or mental illness, especially during periods of stressful life events or the recurrence of a mental or substance use disorder
- A teen who is especially isolated (e.g., students not able to return to in-person learning due to personal/family illness)
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A teen who is using alcohol and/or drugs, particularly if in isolation and/or as a means of coping with difficult life events
- A teen who is struggling in school (e.g., lack of interest or motivation; dramatic drop in grades; interpersonal difficulties)
- A recent divorce, job loss or other family stressors
- Intolerable loss of face or status (e.g., cyberbullying/bullying)
- Identifying as LGBTQ+, particularly if not accepted by family and/or peers
Here are some recommendations on how to talk to your child: - Listen, listen, listen. Allow your child to vent about their frustrations, fears, and worries. Maintain good eye contact and convey you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. Give them the opportunity to “get it all out.”
- Ask them to expand on their feelings.
- Work with your child to brainstorm solutions.
- Reframe what they are saying. Summarize and repeat back to them what you heard. For example, if your child is talking about having issues with friends, you can say, “You’ve been getting into quite a number of arguments with them over the past few weeks. It sounds like you’re feeling lonely and frustrated."
If you are ever concerned that someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves, call 911 immediately!! Another good resource is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. You can also refer to Elyssa’s Mission’s website at www.elyssasmission.org for additional information on what to do and how to access local supports.
Thank you for your role in keeping our children safe and preventing suicides.
The Elyssa's Mission Team |
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The Care Closet is ready to help if you are in need. WHAT is the Care Closet?
The care closet provides relief to students and their families who are experiencing hardships; food insecurity, lack of weather appropriate clothing, basic hygiene supplies, school supplies, etc. WHO gets to use it? This is a FREE resource provided to students with items you may not be able to afford. While this is offered to all students, the intent is to share these items with students and families that truly can not purchase them on their own. Will everyone know that I am using the Care Closet? NO! The use of the Care Closet is confidential! HOW does it work?
Simply scan the QR code or go to: https://forms.gle/UwSQHYRoqnBdi2xd9! You will then fill out a Google Form using your student ID#. Your items will be available for pick up in the main office by the following day! No Phone? No problem! Contact your counselor or the main office for a form! |
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Are you having problems with another student that you would like resolved? Or do you know of a friend who has ongoing problems with a specific student?
Almost all students who have a confrontation say that there has been a history between the two that has been going on for a while. Instead of letting those feelings continue to build up, consider trusting Mr. Buono to assist in resolving the ¨beef.¨
Students need to fill out the 5 second form by scanning the QR code. Mr. Buono will then set up a time to talk to you and decide if we can all sit down for a peer mediation session to calm things down.
*If you have any questions/comments/concerns, you can also email Mr. Buono: NBuono@sd308.org |
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SD308 Incident Reporting Form
If you are in immediate danger or there is a potential threat of violence please call 9-1-1 and notify the local authorities.
Click here to fill out our Bullying, Harassment, and Incident Reporting Form. |
| Technology Support Help Desk Hours Monday-Friday, 7:00am-3:00pm Phone 630-636-4357 Student & GuardianTechnology Support Go to: https://shorturl.at/crC01
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You are receiving this email because your email address is associated with
Thompson Junior High 440 Boulder Hill Pass Oswego, IL 60543
(630) 636-2600 |
NOTICE: This email message is for the sole use and the intended recipient(s) regarding the business of the Oswego Community Unit School District. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact SD 308 and destroy all copies of the original message.
The Oswego Community Unit School District promotes mutual respect, tolerance and acceptance of differences. We empower, support, and motivate all students to thrive along their unique educational journey. |
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