Thomas Community Newsletter

Dear TMS Community,

As we approach the final stretch of 2024 and eagerly anticipate winter break, we want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible achievements and growth we’ve seen in our students this year. It’s been a joy to witness their enthusiasm for learning, their resilience in overcoming challenges, and their dedication to building a strong and supportive school community.

December is always a special time at Thomas Middle School. From holiday concerts to service projects and celebrations, it’s heartwarming to see our students come together to spread kindness and joy. These moments remind us of the importance of community and the values we strive to instill in our children each day.

Over winter break, we encourage everyone to take time to rest, recharge, and spend quality moments with loved ones. Whether through reading a good book, enjoying a family tradition, or simply reflecting on the year gone by, this is a wonderful time to pause and appreciate the connections that matter most.

NEW Information in this Newsletter:

• Student Council Holiday Donations
• Student Council Winter Spirit Days
• Poms Team Big Win & State Competition
• Spelling Bee Winners
• Parent Academy
• 2025-2026 Calendar & Save the Dates
• ABC/25 Grant Winners
• Informational Letter on Head Lice
• Winter Coats for Students
• Student Cell Phone Use
• PowerSchool for Parents
• Congrats to D25 All-Stars
• Attendance Information

Mark Your Calendars:

• NO Activity Bus on Monday, 12/16
• Winter Break - 12/23-1/6 (school resumes on Tuesday, January 7th for students)
• D25 School Improvement Day - Monday, 1/6/25 - No School for Students
• Winter MAP Testing Dates - Wednesdays, 1/8/25 & 1/15/25 ~ TMS will run Modified Daily Schedules on these dates

Repeat Newsletter Announcements:

• TMS Parking Lot Reminders

• Link Together Coalition Information & Glenbard Parent Series
• Health Office Information
  
• After-School Academic Support
• PTA Information
• School Resource Office Information
  
• Safe2Help Illinois
  
• Care Solace Community Resource
• Bus Information

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. On behalf of our entire staff, we wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year. We look forward to welcoming everyone back in January, ready to start the second half of the school year with excitement and purpose.

The TMS Administrative Team

Lori Naumowicz, Principal

Greg Keadle, Associate Principal

Jeremy Fischer, Associate Principal & Epsilon Teacher

Allie Yoder, Associate Principal & TMS Student Services Coordinator

We are proud to share that the following donations from the TMS Student Council:

• $500 ~ Annual TMS holiday tradition of family gift giving
• $500 ~ Arlington Heights Police Toys for Tots Fund

This act of generosity reflects the compassion and leadership of our students, who worked together to make a difference for children in need this holiday season. This generous contribution will help bring smiles to children in need this holiday season.

Thank you to our student leaders for demonstrating the true spirit of giving and making a positive impact in our community. And, thank you to everyone who supported their efforts and helped spread joy in our community!

The TMS Poms Team won 2nd Place at the 2024 Hawthorn Dance Invitational and are heading to the STATE Competition on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield, IL. Best wishes to these amazing dancers and Coach Mularczyk & Coach Wharton!

Over 20 students participated in the Thomas Spelling Bee.

Congratulations to the 1st Place Winner: Prakash Subramarian

and the two students that tied for

second place: Anagha Prasad & Naqueeb Mohammed

2025-2026 Calendar_PDF or by visiting our website: www.sd25.org/Calendar.

Mark your calendars for these important TMS dates:

• 6th Grade Orientation - Friday, 8/15/25
• Locker Set Up Day - Friday, 8/15/25
• First Day of School - Thursday, 8/21/25
• TMS Back to School Event - Thursday, 8/21/25 from 4-7 PM
• Parent Teacher Conferences - Thursday & Friday, 10/23/25-10/24/25
• Parent Teacher Conferences - Monday, 2/16/26

Please CLICK HERE to read more about our Parent Academy - a partnership between parents and District 25, in which parents are invited to join our community of learners.

A big thank you to our amazing community for helping us reach the 25% membership goal for ABC/25! Because of your support, our school has already earned a $2,500 grant to use however we choose.

But we’re not stopping here! Every membership helps fund even more grants for teachers and innovative projects that benefit all students in our district. If you haven’t joined yet, it’s not too late! Let’s show our continued support for ABC/25 and keep the momentum going.

Visit www.abc25.org to join today!

The Arlington Heights Fire Department hosted its 13th Annual Coat Drive, which has collected nearly 7,000 coats for residents and students in need! Did you know...

• U.S. Census data shows, "Health experts report that even a 2-degree drop in body temperature results in reduced heart rate, loss of coordination, and confusion.
• Adults cannot work effectively and children find it difficult to learn.
• For most, a warm coat solves the problem. But, for the now nearly 15% of Americans living in poverty, a warm winter coat is a budget “extra.”

Through this generous support, TMS can provide students in need with a winter coat. The temperatures are dropping and we want to ensure that each and every student has what they need to stay warm as they arrive and leave TMS this winter.

HOW TO GET A COAT: Reach out to the TMS Office or contact a TMS Social Worker if your child needs a winter coat.

• 6th Grade: Theresa Shore - tshore@sd25.org
• 7th Grade: Patrick Angelaccio - pangelaccio@sd25.org
• 8th Grade: Kristie Burmeister - kburmeister@sd25.org
• Special Programs: Taylor Lindsey - tlindsey@sd25.org

Please read the following information that was shared with students during morning announcements this week.

• Cell phones should be turned off and in lockers from bell to bell (7:50 AM -2:45 PM)

• Need to contact your parent? Request permission from your teacher to come to the office, complete the office request form & use the school phone.

• Not feeling well? Request permission from your teacher to go to the Health Office. The nurse will contact your parents, if needed.

• Phone use during the school day = MINOR

We appreciate your help in reinforcing this message at home.

• PowerSchool can be a helpful tool for parents to support their middle schooler by viewing grades and attendance.
• Starting in January of 2025, TMS parents will have the ability to report Daily Attendance directly in PowerSchool. In order to do this, parents will need to log into their PowerSchool accounts.
• To request parent codes for PowerSchool and/or Schoology, please fill out this form.

Congratulations to the D25 All-Stars on their competition last week at Niles West!

• Every student's attendance every day increases their opportunities to learn, grow, and be an integral, contributing member of their classroom community.
• With just three weeks (15 school days) until winter break, let's continue to work together to promote daily attendance.
• Parents and families are essential partners in supporting students' health and well-being and in creating positive habits and routines for attendance.
• Parents have the bottom-line responsibility for making sure their children get to school every day. Just as we focus on how children are performing academically, we have a responsibility to set expectations for good attendance and monitor absences so that missed days don’t add up to academic and social-emotional concerns.
• Upon return to school, TMS will host an all-school "Attendance Rally" and students will track their school attendance in their assignment notebooks.
• TMS homeroom teachers, social workers, and administrators will also talk with students who meet truancy status for tardy arrivals to school and/or absences that exceed 10% or more of the school year. We continue to implement support plans for students and families to ensure that every child can learn and grow at TMS.
• Thank you for your support. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns we can assist with.

TMS After School Support by Team is available to ALL students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays!

• Please encourage your child to attend Office Hours/11th Hour/Homework Club and to reach out to teachers if they need help or just want a place to work on their academics after school. This support is FREE and can be extremely helpful.
• Click HERE for more details on options for your child to get help from staff at TMS.
• The activity bus departs TMS at about 3:35 PM.

The TMS PTA has a lot to offer this year! We are excited for all the activities we have planned!

• MEMBERSHIP: Join the TMS PTA and help support the TMS community! Check out the TMS PTA Website Each membership includes 1 TMS yearbook.

• MEETINGS: If you are interested in getting involved in the PTA or simply checking out a meeting @ 7:00pm in the TMS Library. Everyone is welcome!
• Tuesday, January 14, 2025
• Wednesday, March 12, 2025
• Tuesday, May 13, 2025
• 2024-2025 Executive Board Members
• President: Kristen Dugan
• President-Elect: James Moncada
• Vice President: Sara Hess
• Treasurer: Diane Beardmore
• Secretary: Jocelyn Katz

Incidents that occur after school hours/on the weekends, or outside of school such as social media concerns or safety concerns should be reported to the Arlington Heights Police Department by calling 911. You can also go directly to the Police Department located at 200 E Sigwalt Street in Arlington Heights. It is open 24 hours.

School Resource Officers can be contacted by calling 911 or the non-emergency phone number (847) 368-5300. The SROs can be contacted directly as well by typically work during school hours:

SRO: John O'Leary joleary@vah.com Cell Phone: (847) 344-2330

SRO: Chris Seebacher cseebacher@vah.com Cell Phone (847) 368-5393

Safe2Help Illinois is a 24/7 program where students can use a free app, text/phone, and website (safe2helpil.com) to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. Once vetted, the information provided will be shared with local district and school officials and/or local 911 call center, depending on the nature of the information shared. Safe2Help Illinois is a long-term initiative to change the school culture in Illinois by helping students reach out when they have concerns. To learn further about Safe2Help Illinois, please see the videos below. More information can also be found on their website at safe2helpil.com. Video for Middle School Students

Care Solace for North Cook ISC students, staff, and their families is a free, confidential 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service. Call 888-515-0595 or go to caresolace.com/site/northcook to complete a brief screening to be matched with a provider. Note that this is available to staff and their families as well as students - feel free to include this information in an upcoming staff newsletter or email as well as in family communication.

• Click here for the Bus Safety Guidelines and Rule as well as details on lost items on the bus.
• Please direct bus transportation questions to the District 25 Transportation Specialist: Laura Comastro as she can answer your questions and resolve issues. lcomastro@sd25.org. Phone: 847-758-4888
• Bus Company Questions: Contact Cook Co. School Bus Company at 847-439-0923

• Principal - Lori Naumowicz (Alpha & Delta Teams)
• Associate Principal - Greg Keadle (Beta, Gamma & Zeta Teams)
• Associate Principal & Student Services Coordinator - Allie Yoder (All things related to Special Education Services)
• Associate Principal & Teacher - Jeremy Fischer (Epsilon Team)