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Thomas SUMMER Community Newsletter
July 19, 2023
Dear TMS Community,
Happy summer! We hope this newsletter finds everyone enjoying all the perks of summertime! Please see below for some TMS updates and reminders.
Items in this Newsletter:
Cross Country Letter - Practice starts in early August!
Summer Reading Information - TMS Lending Library is in our vestibule!
11th Annual Pride of the Wolf Pack Golf Outing - Friday, 7/21/23
Team, Homeroom, and Locker Assignment Email - Sent the afternoon of 8/9/23
6th Grade Orientation - Friday, 8/11/23 from 10 AM - 11 AM
Locker Set-up - Friday, 8/11/23 from 11:15 AM - 3 PM
1st Day of School & Back-To-School Event - Thursday, 8/17/23 from 4-7 PM
Important Dates for the TMS Health Office
7th & 8th Grade Student Leadership Opportunities
- 6th Grade Curriculum Night: Wednesday, 8/30/23 @ 6 PM
- 7th & 8th Grade Curriculum Night: Wednesday, 9/6/23 @ 6 PM
School Supplies Lists
Link Together Coalition - Parent Prevention Toolkit & Summer Celebration/Backpack Giveaway on Wednesday, 8/9/23 from 4-7 PM
TMS Summer Office Hours
We are looking forward to another amazing school year and can't wait to see all the members of the Wolf Pack!
Take care,
Lori, Nick, & Greg
TMS Administrative Team
Summer Reading Information ~ You Belong
Every year, our LMC and ELA Department share a list of Suggest Summer Reading titles with students. Attached you will find this year's flyer. This year's theme, "You Belong" is particularly fitting as all of us can identify with the need/desire to belong in some way, shape, or form.
Books are available for checkout during summer office hours at the TMS Lending Library (located in the vestibule). The AHML has several copies of these books. Finally, with the use of an AHML library card, students can check out digital copies of these books via the Cloud Library and Hoopla.
The goal behind Summer Reading is to keep kids reading all summer long. A reflection activity will be done in ELA classes upon return in the fall.
Happy Reading T-Wolves!
Rebecca J. Fahnoe (she/her)
Library Media Specialist
(847) 398-4260
@ThomasLMC
TMS Cross Country Information
Dear Timberwolf Parents:
We are happy to invite your child to participate in Thomas Cross Country starting this August. We are a non-cut sport and everyone participates in most of the meets/competitions. As one of only two sports in middle school that 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are allowed to participate in, Cross Country is a great opportunity to enjoy a healthy, outdoor activity and is an awesome opportunity to meet new friends and represent your school as part of a team.
Please read this letter carefully as it contains everything that is needed to know for your child to successfully participate on the TMS Cross Country team.
Calendar: Click here to view this year’s Cross Country calendar.
Registration: Please complete this form to register your child. This form MUST be completed before participating in practices.
Registration Fee: The registration fee for this season is $20, which includes the following:
Jersey (same as the previous year)
Kona Ice
Registration to Invites
It will also help cover expenses for team stick rollers and stopwatches.
**Should paying these fees be difficult for your family, please email one of the coaches**
If you already own a Cross Country or track jersey, you would only pay $10 for the remaining benefits.
PHYSICALS: Athletes must have a current physical BEFORE they can participate in ANY practices. Physicals are good for 13 months, so “current” for the Cross Country season means a physical dated after 9/15/22. A school nurse will be on hand to accept physicals from 7:00-7:15 am on the first day of practice on Monday, August 7th at Hasbrook Park. Physicals can be turned in at the TMS office before Monday, August 7th or uploaded to the TMS Health Office form linked here.
REMIND APP: We’ve started NEW Remind groups, so everyone will need to sign up (even if you were already signed up last year). This is the primary method of communication with parents, so please sign up ASAP. Please use the listed class codes to join the appropriate group(s) on the Remind App:
6th Grade Girls: @xc6girls
6th Grade Boys: @xc6boys
7th and 8th Grade Girls: @xc78girls
7th and 8th Grade Boys: @xc78boys
PRACTICES: In order to best prepare for our season, especially since our first meet is on Tuesday, August 29th, all athletes are invited (but NOT required) to attend practices before school starts. The first practice will begin at Hasbrook Park on Monday, August 7th from 7:15-8:30 am. Athletes should meet on the North side of the park by the baseball field. All practices that first week, August 7th-11th, will be in the mornings at Hasbrook Park from 7:15-8:30 am.
Starting on Monday, August 14th, ALL PRACTICES will be at Thomas. The Monday (9/14) and Tuesday (9/15) practices are morning practices (6:45-7:45 am). Starting Wednesday (9/16) and through the rest of the season, our practices are at Thomas after school from 3:00-4:15 pm unless otherwise notified.
If an athlete cannot attend practices before school begins, that’s okay as we understand there may be scheduling conflicts. We encourage all athletes to run 4-5 days of the week for 20+ minutes on their own (or run for 10 minutes, walk two minutes, then run 10 minutes more; or run 5 walk 2 and repeat 3-4 times). It takes time to build up cardiovascular endurance, and participants will do better and feel better if they have a head start.
HYDRATION/WATER BOTTLES: Summer and Fall are warm and humid times and it is critical to hydrate before, during, and after running. Runners should bring plenty of water with them to every practice and meet. A 16-oz. water bottle is NOT enough on those really hot and humid days. If it looks like the weather will be a factor for an afternoon practice (especially with hot weather), we may move practice to the morning (6:45-7:30 am) on those days. If we need to cancel practice during the school day, we will: send an announcement on Remind, announce it at lunch, and/or over the school PA at the end of the day.
Cross Country Schoology Page: Please join the 2023 Cross Country Schoology Page for updates and results. Use the access code KN5W-3VZB-SS88P to join. Although this will not be our primary mode of communication, it will be a place we will post information for the athletes.
Conflicting Sports for Girls: This fall, Thomas will have a Girls' Softball Team. Unfortunately, it will not be possible for girls to compete in both Softball and Cross Country. Also this year, the girls' basketball season will be starting earlier and will conflict with Cross Country. If you are interested in trying out for Basketball, we would recommend joining Cross Country and then trying out for Basketball (September 11th and 12th). If you make the team, you can then choose to play Basketball. A select few athletes may choose to continue with Cross Country and play basketball. This will require some coordination with the coaches but we are willing to make this work.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: We welcome and appreciate any assistance in making this season a success. If interested, please see sign up via SIgn Up Genuis. THANK YOU!
PARENT MEETING: We will be holding a parent meeting on Tuesday, August 22 @ 7:00 pm via Zoom. Here is the link to that mtg. In the meantime, please make sure you register AND join the Remind App and have your child join the Schoology group.
Thank you! We look forward to another successful Cross Country season!
Your Coaches,
Todd Slowinski tslowinski@sd25.org
Joe Kim jkim@sd25.org
Becky Fahnoe rfahnoe@sd25.org11th Annual Pride of the Wolf Pack
Each year TMS hosts a Pride of the Wolf Pack All-School Assembly and Recognition Breakfast. Click here for a recording of the 11th Annual event held in May of 2023.
The Pride of the Wolf Pack event symbolizes all the amazing things we do at TMS! It highlights many of the accomplishments of our current students and our alumni. Each year we give out scholarships for college and we induct new members into the TMS Wall of Fame.
The Pride of the Wolf Pack GOLF OUTING is this Friday, July 21st, 2023 at Arlington Lakes. All are welcome to join in the festivities for this TMS FUNdraiser supporting the Pride of the Wolf Pack mission. Click HERE for the Pride of the Wolf Pack Online Auction.
Special thanks to our Pride of the Pack Program Coordinators, Anthony Kuch & Greg Keadle.
Team, Homeroom, and Locker Assignment Email on 8/9/23
A tremendous amount of collaboration and articulation goes into creating our class placements and individual student schedules for the 960+ TMS students. Our detailed placement process allows us to take great pride in providing our students, parents, and staff with an outstanding middle school experience. We recognize that the middle school journey can have various challenges and hope that you will trust in our process and allow us to help your child grow through these learning opportunities.
6th Grade Orientation - Friday, 8/11/23 from 10 AM - 11 AM
- Who attends? All 6th-grade students are invited to attend our 6th Grade Orientation - Friday, 8/11/23 from 10 AM - 11 AM. This is an optional event and does not require a sign-up. However, if your child will need specific support for this event, please contact a TMS administrator and we can make arrangements.
- What is this event? Orientation will give the students an opportunity to meet peers in their homeroom, learn more about TMS routines, and review the layout of the building. TMS 7th & 8th grade student leaders will be assisting the students during this event.
- Drop off/Pick-Up: All 6th graders should enter the building at the main entrance via the Belmont Street Parking Lot.
- Transportation: Students can walk, ride bikes, or carpool to TMS. Busing and crossing guards are not available for this event.
- What should 6th graders bring to this event? Nothing is needed for this event and it would be best to leave locker materials in the car or at home during this event. Students can meet parents following this event for locker set-up which is available from 11:15 am - 3 pm.
Locker Set-Up & Back-To-School Event
At TMS we host the following optional "open house/drop-in" events to help our students and families start the school year off in a relaxing and organized manner. If your student is unable to attend these events, no worries, students are welcome to set up their locker on the first day of school and each day thereafter.
Here are more details about these events:
Locker Set-up - Friday, 8/11/23 from 11:15 AM - 3 PM
- Students, parents, and siblings are welcome to drop in anytime during this event and set up the student's hallway locker. The PE locker rooms will not be available.
- School administrators and student leaders will be on hand to assist as needed.
- Students can practice opening the locker combination and walking the building.
1st Day of School & Back-To-School Night - Thursday, 8/17/23 from 4-7 PM
- Students, parents, and siblings are welcome to drop in anytime during this event and walk the hallways following the student's schedule and or set up the student's hallway locker and practice the locker combination. The PE locker rooms will not be available.
- School administrators and student leaders will be on hand to assist as needed.
- Kona Ice will be on hand as part of a TMS PTA FUNdraiser.
NOTE: We ask that siblings in 5th grade and below be accompanied by a parent at these events.
7th & 8th Grade Student Leadership Opportunities
6th Grade Orientation - Friday, 8/11/23 from 10 AM - 11 AM
Locker Set-up - Friday, 8/11/23 from 11:15 AM - 3 PM *Various time slots available for volunteers.
1st Day of School & Back-To-School Night - Thursday, 8/17/23 from 4-7 PM *Various time slots available for volunteers.
Your student leader can sign-up for a time to volunteer by clicking on this SignUpGenius.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR THE TMS HEALTH OFFICE:
- PHYSICALS: Athletes must have a current physical BEFORE they can participate in ANY practices. Physicals are good for 13 months, so “current” for the Cross Country season means a physical dated after 9/15/22. A school nurse will be on hand to accept physicals from 7:00-7:15 am on the first day of practice on Monday, August 7th at Hasbrook Park. Physicals can be turned in at the TMS office before Monday, August 7th or uploaded to the TMS Health Office form linked here.
- All 6th grade physicals must be dated on or after 8/17/2022 and are due by 10/15/2023. The physical must be turned in by October 15th or the student will be excluded. 6th grade students participating in Cross Country will need to turn in their completed physical forms before the first day of Cross Country practice in early August.
- Dental Forms are due by May 15th, 2024 must be dated after November 15th, 2022.
- If the 6th grader is participating in Cross Country we must have the physical by the first day of practice.
TMS Curriculum Nights ~ SAVE THE DATES!
- 6th Grade Curriculum Night: Wednesday, 8/30/23 @ 6 PM
- 7th & 8th Grade Curriculum Night: Wednesday, 9/6/23 @ 6 PM
More information to come!
Link Together Coalition - Parent Prevention Toolkit
Thomas Middle School has provided numerous prevention efforts to your student, some through Link Together Coalition, empowering them to make healthy choices. Link Together Coalition partners with D214 and will continue to strive to empower youth to be substance free and strive to be their best selves. You, their parent/guardian, are their greatest influence! Thank you for taking the time to read through the Parent Prevention Toolkit.
Please click here Parent Prevention Toolkit - Link Together Coalition to read more
Please each out if you have any questions:
Christina Paskon, MPH
OMNI Youth Services
Prevention Specialist
She/Her
847-353-1665 x1546
Summer Office Hours
Monday-Thursday: 7 am - 3 am
Fridays: 7 am - 11 am