Greetings Thompson School District Community,
As we look ahead to welcoming our students back to full in-person learning, I could not be more excited and enthusiastic for this upcoming school year. In a few short days, our nearly 15,000 students will experience new and improved school sites that feature building upgrades and improvements on every one of our campuses. Examples of these upgrades at many of our sites include new flooring, new ventilation and air handling systems, new classroom furniture, new roofs, new secure vestibule entrances (at most secondary schools), painting, general playground enhancements and landscaping upgrades. We will also open our newest school, Riverview PK-8, in Johnstown. We are confident that our students, staff and community will enjoy these upgrades and enhanced features–all due in large part to the generosity and support of our TSD community through the passage of the 2018 Bond. To learn more and to view some photos of these improvements, please visit our bond website at tsdbond.org.
Beyond the physical improvements of our campuses and buildings, we know that our staff has been hard at work preparing for this upcoming school year with an eye toward meeting the needs of each and every student. We are welcoming nearly 150 new members to our teaching team who will be joining our experienced and talented school staff.
The health and safety of every individual student and staff member will continue to be an absolute top priority for us here in Thompson School District. We continue to work and partner with our state and local county health agencies who provide the necessary guidance and recommendations to inform our decisions for the district with regards to health protocols and safety practices. In addition to our continued attention to maintaining clean and sanitized facilities, schools and classroom spaces, we will continue to closely monitor COVID cases and outbreaks at the school, city and county levels. We will also be working closely with our health partners to offer free vaccinations for eligible students at our secondary school sites. As with COVID-19 testing opportunities, parents or guardians must consent and be physically present for all vaccinations. The vaccination of those who are eligible provides us with the best chance for keeping students in school and maintaining uninterrupted in-person instruction.
The start of this school year will feel fresh and exciting because we are in-person and can launch the school year in a way that our students and staff are accustomed to. From sports and activities to school plays and concerts, our plan is to provide our enhanced array of experiences and student pastimes that create a fully-embedded student experience allowing for learning, growing and experiencing. For more details on the upcoming school year, we invite you to visit our 2021-2022 online information guide, which is located here.
Our goal and commitment remains the same: To serve the needs and successful outcomes of each of our students. On behalf of the entire TSD staff, welcome to the 2021-2022 school year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Marc Schaffer
Superintendent
Thompson School District