November 18, 2024

Dear THMS Parents and Guardians,

We’re well into the school year now, having just wrapped up our first quarter and Student-Led Conferences. I hope you had a chance to hear from your child and their teachers about their progress and goals for the rest of the year.

As some of you may have noticed, we made some school-wide scheduling adjustments this week. You might be wondering why. This year, we introduced exploratory classes to provide students with new learning opportunities outside the core curriculum. As with any new initiative, we’ve experienced a few bumps along the way—specifically with scheduling. To address this, we’ve made a few shifts, including offering students some choice in which exploratory classes they’d like to take. While the changes aren’t perfect yet, we are actively working with both students and staff to adjust as needed.

I know that change can be challenging, but I couldn’t be more proud of how our THMS students have handled the adjustments. They’re quick to adapt, they advocate for themselves when necessary, and they rise to the occasion. While we don’t have everything figured out yet, I’m confident that we’re heading in the right direction.

In exciting news, we’re thrilled to welcome Chesley Jackson to the THMS teaching team! Mrs. Jackson will be joining us in December to teach 6th grade reading and writing. She’s been working at Ames Elementary while finishing her degree in teaching, and we’re so excited to have her as part of our THMS family. As a result of this change, some students will be transitioning from Ms. Paul’s class to Mrs. Jackson’s. Students who are affected will be notified soon, so they have time to prepare. Rest assured, Mrs. Jackson will continue teaching the same curriculum that Ms. Paul has been teaching, so the adjustment should be minimal.

I also wanted to let you know that we are required by law to have four fire drills and one lockdown drill each fall. We have completed our fire drill expectations and we plan to have a lockdown drill someday in the next two weeks. Lockdown means locked doors, lights off, and students and staff out of sight. The lockdown drill will be done in conjunction with our local law enforcement. Teachers and staff will go over the expectations and answer any questions and concerns with students before the drill. 

Thank you for your continued support and partnership as we work together to provide the best learning experience for our students. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Warmly,

Alta K. Seekins

Principal, THMS