July 1, 2023
Dear Thomasboro Parents/Guardians, Students, and Community Members:
Well, registration is soon upon us, and then it will be time for school to start. I hope this letter finds you and your family enjoying your summer! I am very excited for the new school year.
We have a few new teachers and teaching assistants at Thomasboro this year. We will say goodbye and wish the best of luck to Julie Quinn, Megan Ramirez, and Becky Franklin. Mrs. Franklin retired at the end of the school year with over 30 years of service to Thomasboro. She will be greatly missed. With the retirement of Becky, Sara Byers has moved to Kindergarten.
Please join me in welcoming the following new teachers to our building:
June Martin- First Grade. The last 10 years June taught 1st grade in Champaign Unit 4.
Emma Schmidt – Third Grade. Emma is a recent graduate of Eastern Illinois University.
Katie Rodrigues - Sixth Grade. Katie has taught Sixth Grade at Paxton for the last 4 years.
Steve Martin- Teaching Assistant- Steve has spent the last 4 years as a Teaching Assistant in Champaign Unit 4.
Mark Beguin- Teaching Assistant- Mark has spent the last years as a Teaching Assistant in Champaign Unit 4.
Mykenzie Curtis- Teaching Assistant- Mykenzie is currently enrolled at Parkland College in Marine Biology.
Joining the Thomasboro Staff late last school year:
Zach Bradley- Custodian- Zach is from Villa Grove. He has spent the last 2 years in Kentucky working in the restaurant
business.
Kimberly Black- Cook- Kimberly is a parent in the Thomasboro Community. She previously worked as a cook at RCS.
Registration
July11th 8:30 a.m. -3:00 p.m., July 12th Noon- 7:00 p.m. Registration is online and can be completed prior to coming in at the above dates and times. During the listed dates and times, we will process your proof of residency, school fees, and collect the remaining paperwork. All students must register, including Kindergarteners who “pre-registered” in the spring
Registration: $100.00
Meals are free to all students Athletic Fees: $50.00 per student/per sport
- If child is new to district, please bring copy of birth certificate, shot records, IL physical, & social security number.
- Proof of residency for all children. (Lease/mortgage, utility bill, voter registration card).
- Kindergarten and 6th graders need to have an IL physical.
- We must have the physical on file by September 27th. If we do not have a physical on file we are required by law to exclude you child from school beginning October 11th until a proof of a current physical is provided.
- Kindergarteners need an eye exam by Oct 11th
- Kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th graders need a dental exam by May 15th.
Please call your doctor today for an appointment for the mandated exams BEFORE school starts on July 26th.
School Supplies will once again be supplied for the students through the ESSER III Grant.
JULY 26th FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL HOURS ARE 8:15am-3:00pm –FULL DAY OF SCHOOL!
Morning student arrival:
The school doors open at 8:15 a.m. There will be no one on duty and students will not be allowed into the building until 8:15 a.m. Please do not send students to school prior to 8:15 a.m. The first bell rings at 8:15 a.m. and the tardy bell rings at 8:25 a.m.
Parents we expect some congestion during our morning arrival and afternoon departure times. So that students are able to exit the cars and not cross the street to enter the building, all traffic dropping students off in the morning will flow south on Phillips street.
- Doors to the building do not open until 8:15 a.m. even in inclement weather.
- With the Breakfast After the Bell students will have the opportunity to eat breakfast in the classroom after the bell has rung.
- In the morning the bus will drop students off at the Front Door.
Afternoon departure procedures:
Car riders will continue to be picked up in the car rider line. Please, DO NOT PARK, and pick up your students. Parents must get into the car rider line to pick up their child after school. Your child will not be released until our car rider line is finished. This creates major safety issues for our students. Please follow our dismissal procedure so that all students are dismissed safely. Please remember cell phone usage in a school zone is prohibited.
Crossing Guard:
We will be providing a crossing guard, at the sidewalk, where students cross the railroad tracks in the morning from 8:00 a.m.-8:15 a.m., and in the afternoon from 3:00 p.m.-3:10 p.m. Students will need to follow the instructions of the crossing guard. This is the only crossing where a guard will be located before and after school.
School Hours
- The first bell is 8:15 a.m. The doors open at 8:15 a.m. students should not be standing outside prior to 8:15 a.m.
There will be no supervision outside the building, so please do not send your students early. Students in grades K-8 must be in their classroom at 8:25 a.m. If entering after 8:20 a.m. they must come to the office for a tardy pass.
- Students are dismissed at 3:00 p.m.
School Finances
The final amended budget is posted on the website under documents- Board of Education- Budget. You will find the Budget Summary on page 22 of the budget. The 2023-2024 Tentative Budget will be presented at the August Board Meeting with a Budget Hearing in September.
The bonds that were sold for construction were abated and the County Sales Tax money that the school receives were used to pay the principal and interest on the bonds. We will continue to abate the bond and use the County Sales Tax Money to pay the bond.
Help Us with the Playground
Our playground requires more mulch in order to be safe for our students to play on the playground. It is a lot of mulch and we need help spreading it around the playground. Bring your rakes and shovels on July 27th at 5:30 p.m. and help us get the playground in condition for the new school year. We will serve hot dogs, chips, and water. The more we have the quicker it will go. We hope to see you on July 27th at 5:30 p.m.
Building Improvements and Changes:
- The new addition is close to completion. It should be just a few more weeks and it will be complete. Once the addition is completed we will have a Grand Opening. More information to come.
- Moved Title I to Rooms 102 and 103.
- Moved Teacher Workroom to room 104.
- Moved Ms. Pizell to Room 105.
I look forward to seeing each of you this school year and I am excited for our new school year to begin. Enjoy the summer!
Bonnie McArthur
Superintendent
Thomasboro Grade School
217-643-3275
bmcarthur@thomasboro.k12.il.us