Thomas Community Newsletter
September 16, 2022
CONNECTION & CLARIFICATION
Dear TMS Families,
Thank you for attending our two Curriculum Nights and to those that attended our first PTA meeting of the year! We hope you are feeling connected to your child's middle school experience and have a clear view of the goals and expectations for this school year.
This week we completed Fall MAP testing and Friday, 9/23/22 will mark the midterm date of the first quarter. Our staff Fall Data Day is coming up in early October and Fall MAP reports will be shared with parents in the weeks to come. This is an ideal time to check in with your child and review PowerSchool and Schoology information. If you need assistance with your login information for these platforms, please click here to request the access codes and a member of the Thomas Tech team will email you. Click here for a link to the Thomas Parent Tech Resouces which includes videos on PowerSchool and Schoology.
In this Newsletter, you'll find NEW information on the following:
- Way to go TMS Softball ~ Congratulations on your Regional Win!
- Congratulations to the TMS Cross Country Team on winning the Prairie Stampede!
- Think About Its Behavior Reflections
- TMS Student Council Lemons of Love
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- Raising Cane's Fundraising Nights - Thursday, 9/29 from 4-9 PM. Join us to support TMS by telling them that you're with TMS & 15% of the profits will be donated back to us. The last event was well supported~thank you for your generosity! We hope you enjoyed a yummy dinner!
Reminder information:
- Picture Day Retakes: Monday, 10/3/22 from 8-10:30 AM
- 6th Grade Physical Forms Due by Friday, 10/14/22
- Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences: 10/20/22-10/21/22
- 2022-2023 District 25 Calendar: linked here
Take care,
Lori, Nick, & Greg ~ The TMS Admin Team
Lots of love for TMS parents!
Tommy The T-Wolf is a big softball fan!
7th Graders Remembering 9/11
Think About It Information for Parents
To help support student behavior TMS staff use a reflection tool with students called a Think About It. Here is a link to a video that explains the Think About It process:
Now that we are close to the midterm point of the first quarter, the parents of students that complete a Think About It form will also get an email informing the parent that a Think About It has been completed. This notification will be sent from the TMS Behavior Alert account. The notification is to simply alert you that your child has completed a Think About It and encourage a conversation at home.
The email will include a link to the TMS behavior matrix so you can have a conversation with your child about what expectations they may not have met. After talking with your child about this, if you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out to the staff member that assigned the Think About It.
Here are the instructions on the Think About It form:
2. This form is shared with the TMS administrators and teachers and can also be shared with your parents so that we can communicate about your actions. Please keep that in mind when completing this form.
Thank you for being respectful and responsible during this reflection process.
PLEASE discuss the expectations for arrival and dismissal with your children!
Students should arrive at school between 7:30-7:45. Please plan for adequate time so that the morning is peaceful and students are not rushed.
Everyone is asked to PLEASE be safe and recognize that drop-off and pick-up at a school as large as TMS takes at least 5-10 minutes. If you're short on time, please consider dropping your child off on Douglas Street or Olive Street. Please DO NOT park or drop off students north of Belmont Avenue and Thomas Street as that increases congestion. You can actually park on Thomas Street, just a couple of blocks east of Belmont Avenue. You are not permitted to drop off or pick up on Thomas Street between Arlington Heights Road and Belmont Avenue.
Students are required to use the crosswalks when crossing the streets. This is the safest way to cross the street.
Students are asked to wait a bit longer, BEHIND THE YELLOW LINES, and cross in groups at both Belmont Avenue and Arlington Heights Road, and Thomas Street. Please discuss this with your child and remind them that they need to demonstrate patience and respect while waiting for the crossing guard behind the yellow line until they are given permission to cross.
Many thanks to all the parents, students, and community members who demonstrate patience and grace while properly making their way through morning arrival and after-school dismissal.
Student Academic Support Is Available
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. Please see the Activity Bus Black Out Schedule below.
Bus Information
All bus transportation questions should be directed to the District 25 Transportation Specialist:
Laura Comastro. Laura is the best person to answer your questions and resolve any issues.
847-758-4888
Additional bus information can be found at the transportation link on the District 25 website.
Daily Attendance Information
Daily attendance is expected and essential to school success. Please work with us to ensure that your child is attending school each day. If support is needed in this area, please reach out to us.
- ABSENCE REPORTING: If your child is sick or unable or attend school you MUST report this to the TMS office by filling out the Online Attendance Form OR calling the office at 847-398-4260 by 8 AM. Please be sure to report your child's absence so that we can account for all students each day.
- ARRIVAL TIME: Students should arrive at school between 7:30-7:40 AM so that they can stop at their locker and be seated in their homeroom class by 7:50 AM.
- LATE ARRIVAL/TARDIES: Students arriving late to school are unexcused unless a parent or guardian calls to report the reason for the late arrival. Oversleeping and traffic are not considered excused absences. Students must sign in at the office upon arrival at school.
- EARLY DISMISSAL: If your child has a doctor's appointment and needs to leave school before dismissal at 2:45 PM, please be sure to report this to the TMS office by filling out the Online Attendance Form OR calling the office at 847-398-4260. Students must sign out in the office before leaving school early.
Chromebook Challenges? PowerSchool or Schoology Troubles?
The Tech Office is located in the LMC.
Lunch Money Payments & Lunch Account Spending
Please note that your middle schooler has the ability to independently make lunch purchases. It is difficult for staff to monitor what students are purchasing as we have several cashiers checking out students during lunch. Parents are encouraged to monitor their child's lunch account to ensure healthy choices are being made and personal daily spending expectations are not exceeded.
IMPORTANT HEALTH OFFICE INFORMATION
- District 25 Covid-19 Information
- Athletic Registration Form: This is for students that wish to participate in TMS athletics. If a student is participating in a sport, we must have the physical by the first day of practice.
- PHYSICAL FORMS: All 6th graders will need a physical form. Physicals must be dated on or after 8/17/2021 and are due by 10/14/2022. We are unable to accept a doctor's note for a physical at a future date. The physical must be turned in by October 14th, 2022 or the student will be excluded from school.
- DENTAL FORMS: All dental forms are due by 5/15/23 and must be dated after 11/15/21.
- HEALTH OFFICE DOCUMENTS: Health Office documents can be turned into the TMS main office or can be uploaded to the TMS Health Office Form linked here.
Parent Online Webinar Hosted by Community Partner Omni Youth Services
Greg Czaczkowski, DEA, and a strong Link Together Partner, is presenting on Fentanyl and Counterfeit Pills on Thursday, September 29th at 12:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Greg is collaborating with colleagues of ours at OMNI. Please sign up yourself and share as you deem appropriate.
- Register for one of the two sessions
- Below are the Zoom links if you’re interested in sharing those
- Session 1 (12-1 p.m.): https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fG4K-jvMT7OopakhwJd3Sw
- Session 2 (7-8 p.m.): https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Ho1Oe_MrQhSsXywAr2_6zA
AHSD25 School Resource Officers
School District 25 has a wonderful partnership with the Arlington Heights Police Department and we are very fortunate to have two outstanding School Resource Officers that support our schools. The SROs attend various TMS events throughout the school year as they are an essential part of our Wolf Pack.
Officer Danny Malik & Officer John O'Leary
School Resource Officer
Arlington Heights Police Department
dmalik@vah.com & joleary@vah.com
M: 847-878-2949
W: 847-368-5393
TMS PTA
MEETING DATES 2022-2023:
Wednesday - 10/12/2022
Tuesday - 11/15/22
Wednesday - 1/11/23
Tuesday - 2/7/2023
Wednesday - 3/15/2023
Wednesday - 4/5/2023
Congratulations to the 2022-2023 PTA Officers:
- President: Suzanne Krause
- President-Elect: **This position is open! Please contact thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com if you know someone who might be interested in filling this position!
- Vice President: Nora Muenkel *Welcome to the board!
- Treasurer: Kelly Spokas
- Secretary: Deborah Oiler
Do you have questions for the PTA? Email the PTA at: thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com
TMS Office Information
Monday - Friday 7 AM - 3 PM
Attendance Reporting:
Online Attendance Form: Click here to report your child's absence or late arrival or early dismissal. The other option is to call the TMS office at 847-398-4260 to report your child's attendance.
TMS Address:
1430 N. Belmont Ave. Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Phone: 847-398-4260
Fax: 847-394-6843