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Thomas Timberwolves
School Community Newsletter - May 15, 2021
Hello, Thomas Middle School Community,
We hope this email finds you and your family well. At TMS we continue to embrace the journey of the 2020-2021 school year! The forecast says sunshine and 70+ degree warm weather ahead... Summer is just around the corner. Yearbooks and returning library books are topics buzzing around our building ~ please see below for details on these items. This week the students completed standardized testing and we look forward to reviewing the data with our staff during our School Improvement Day on Friday, May 28th.
Congratulations to our student-athletes on the track & field team, girl's basketball team, and boys volleyball team as they wrapped up the spring seasons. We enjoyed watching your competitions and are proud of your hard work! Congratulations to all of the students that participated in the Battle of the Books.
This week at TMS we celebrated Staff Appreciation Week and honored our 2021 retirees...
Congratulations Mr. Russ Crittenden and Mr. LeRoy Dansby. We wish to thank all the families that generously supported the festivities. On Tuesday, May 18th at 7 PM we look forward to celebrating our 2020-2021 PTA Executive Board Members at our last PTA meeting of the school year. Please RSVP if you wish to join us remotely or in person in our LMC.
On Monday, May 17th we welcome our School Resource Officers, John O'Leary & Danny Malik, for an assembly on Building Your Brand. Next Monday, May 24th is our Pride of the Pack Assembly which honors the accomplishments of our student scholars, athletes, and alumni. It's an amazing event and we look forward to sharing photos and videos with you.
Important Dates:
- Last PTA Meeting of the Year - Tuesday, 5/18/21 @ 7 PM - Hybrid (Online and In-Person)
- Online PTA Yearbook Sales will open - Tuesday, 5/18/21 (A link will be sent that morning)
- No School - Non-Attendance Day for Students - Staff SIP Day - Friday, 5/28/21
- No School - Memorial Day Holiday - Monday, 5/31/21
- Last Day of School 6th & 7th Grade & Yearbook Distribution- Friday, 6/11/21
Important Dates For 8th Grade:
- 8th Grade Permission Form & Graduation RSVP DUE - Saturday, 5/15/21 - TODAY!
- 8th Grade Graduation Car Parade - Monday, 5/24/21- 3:00 Remote-Only students & 3:30 In-Person students
- 8th Grade Graduation Rehearsal - Wednesday, 6/2/21 @ 7:45 a.m.
- 8th Grade Student Picnic - Wednesday, 6/2/21 @ 12:40 p.m.
- 8th Grade Last Day of School & Yearbook Distribution - Wednesday, 6/2/21
- 8th Grade Graduation - Wednesday, 6/2/21 @ 7:30 p.m. BGHS (Rain Date 6/3/21)
Thank you for embracing this journey with us!
Take care and be well,
~ Lori, Greg, & Nick
School Resource Officers - John O'Leary & Danny Malik
Clarification on Mask Mandate ~ Masks are still required for D25 schools & at D25 events!
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 guidelines for vaccinated individuals and how it applies to District 25.
- CDC says that "fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance."
- According to our conversation with the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), guidance for school settings remains unchanged at this time. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) stated yesterday that “schools should continue to follow the CDC’s [specific] school guidance until more people and children are vaccinated”.
- Therefore, District 25 will continue to require all individuals to wear masks in our school buildings and on our school grounds. This will continue in our schools and at all school-related events until there are published guidelines from our health department and the Illinois State Board of Education that reflect any changes.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Click here for a link to the D25 email from 5/14/21 regarding information from the Cook County Department of Public Health on how to get your child (12+ years of age) a COVID-19 vaccine.
PLEASE HELP...OUR LMC NEEDS ALL LIBRARY BOOKS RETURNED!
- Personalized student messages have gone out via Schoology urging students to return our LMC books. These books literally represent hundreds of dollars of our LMC budget.
- Please ask your child if they have an overdue book. We have many that are SUPER late!
- Please LOOK around your house and have your child return the overdue books or have your child come to the LMC to pay the replacement cost.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Online Registration for 2021-2022 School Year ~ LOOK FOR YOUR REGISTRATION EMAIL on 5/3/21
2021-2022 AHSD Online Registration System will be launched on Monday, May 3rd (during the morning hours). Registration emails for 2021-2022 will be sent on Monday, May 3rd. Families will be emailed details and a link to register online. We ask that you complete the registration process as soon as possible so we can effectively and accurately plan and schedule classes for all of our students. The TMS 2021-2022 anticipated student enrollment numbers are looking to be around the following:
- 6th Grade: 310 students
- 7th Grade: 320 students
- 8th Grade: 345 students
TMS PTA
Do you have questions for the PTA? Email the PTA at: thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com
2020-2021 PTA Officers:
President: Lucy Block
President-Elect: Amy Hoffman
Vice President: Melissa Teuscher
Treasurer: Suzanne Krause
Secretary: Lisa Ulrych
Last Meeting of the Year:
* Tuesday, May 18 - RSVP below!
(*This meeting was moved from 5/19/21 due to the D214 High School Graduation.)
HELPFUL LINKS:
- PTA 2020-2021 Bylaws - Here is a link to the 20-21 bylaws
- Link to the TMS PTA Website
Questions regarding Spiritwear? Please contact:
Stephanie Notaro - sgnotaro@sbcglobal.net
Stephanie Gries - sgries6@comcast.net
Directory Spot: Shannon Hull is the TMS Directory Spot Chairperson. Please email ThomasPTADirectory@gmail.com for changes or access issues.
Attendance Expectations
ZOOM: Remote learning is only for families that selected the remote option or students that are in quarantine. Students that are traveling are considered absent and should check Schoology for information on the missed school work and should attend office hours to check in with staff.
REPORTING AN ABSENCE: If your student is unable to attend school, please complete the Absence Form online or leave a message in the front office with the dates of absence.
Click here to access the TMS absence form
Click Here to view the Cook County Travel Guidelines:
As always, we are here to talk things through with you and answer any questions you may have. The most important thing we can do is stay home if anyone is sick. Thank you again for partnering with us to continue to keep TMS a safe place for everyone.
Mental Health Resources
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (call 1-800-273-8255 for free and confidential support for people in distress and best practices for professionals)
- Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor)
- Call4Calm (text TALK or HABLAR to 552020 to get connected to a counselor in your area)
- Safe2Help Illinois (a 24/7 tip line that gives students a safe and confidential way to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence, or other threats to school safety).
FOOD DISTRIBUTION & FREE LUNCH
FREE LUNCH FOR STUDENTS - Students can order a free lunch Tuesday-Friday at TMS. Orders are placed during homeroom.
- Day: Every Wednesday
- Times: 9:30 am – 10:30 am & 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
- Where: Thomas Middle School ONLY
- Who: All Arlington Heights families with students age 18 and under
- Important Notes: Neighbors or friends are allowed to come to pick up meal bags for you from Thomas Middle School. If food delivery is needed, please contact us and we can arrange for a delivery time.
BUS INFORMATION
Laura Comastro - lcomastro@sd25.org
PHONE: (847) 758-4888 | Fax: (847) 228-2078
TMS Office Information
*Hours may be modified over spring break. Please call before coming to the office.
Address: 1430 N. Belmont Ave. Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: 847-398-4260
Fax: 847-394-6843