Thomas Community Newsletter
October 30, 2022
Dear TMS Families,
Congratulations to student musicians, dancers, artists, actors, stage crew members, and Jazz Band performers in this year's TMS Variety Show! The shows were impressive! Click here to view some of the great acts! Many thanks to Ms. Fergus, Mrs. Malinowski, Mr. Holz, and Mr. Berry for all their work on this show. Also, check out this video from last week when the TMS DEN Club student leaders recognized Red Ribbon Week.
Did you know that the ABC/25 Foundation President is also a 2006 Thomas Alumni? Together we are taking a push for more ABC/25 memberships at TMS. Thomas is currently at 21.65%, needing only 32 more households to join to meet the 25% goal. Once a school reaches 25% membership (including families and staff), that school gets an additional $2500! New this year are member benefits! Learn more at www.ABC25.org Please help us reach our school goal!
Why Join? ABC/25 stands for A Better Community for District 25. The mission of the Foundation is “To foster innovation, creativity, and excellence for the children of District 25.” By joining, you support District 25 schools and teachers with funds for innovative, creative, and excellent experiences for our students. Over 50% of the Foundation's grant money comes from membership dues. This past week each homeroom participated in the Pack The Piggies contest to raise funds for the ABD/25 Foundation.
Fun fact...District 25 is a proud partner of the Link Together Coalition which is a sponsor of the Glenbard Parent Series. On November 9th, at noon and 7pm, there is a FREE presentation on Rewiring the Teen Brain for Motivation and Calm with Dr. Shauna Shapiro. Don't miss out on this critical information on how the practice of mindfulness can reduce emotional reactivity and help teens and adults manage stress, enhance self-compassion and make healthy life choices. Click here for the link to this presentation.
In this Newsletter, you'll find NEW information on the following:
- 1st Quarter Report Card, Attendance, and Tardy Letters
- Halloween Guidelines
- TMS Student Council Spirit Week: 10/31-11/4
- TMS Wrestling Zoom Parent Informational Meeting - Tuesday, 11/1/22 @ 6 PM
- TMS Food Drive: 11/3-11/18
- TMS Veteran's Day Breakfast & Assembly Information - Friday, 11/11/22 *Advisory Schedule
- TMS Book Fair - 11/14/22 - 11/18/22
- TMS Ruler Parent Presentation & PTA Meeting - Tuesday, 11/15/22 @ 6 PM
- PTA Fall Fest Photos
- One2One Chromebook Insurance Information
- ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge official race shirt and posters!
- PTA Fall Spirit Wear Sale
- District 25 short survey (linked here)
Please check out the TMS Student Council Door Decorating contest finalist in this video. Have a happy and safe Halloween!
Take care,
Lori, Nick, & Greg ~ The TMS Admin Team
1st Quarter Report Cards
Zoom Parent Informational Meeting for TMS Wrestling Team
WHAT IS THIS? A parent meeting for any 6th-8th grade TMS student who is interested in joining the TMS Wrestling Team.
WHEN IT IS? Tuesday, November 1st @ 6 PM
HOW TO ATTEND: Log into Zoom via this Zoom link
Please join us for a Ruler Parent Presentation on 11/14/22 @ 6 PM at TMS
We are excited to be sharing the RULER approach to social and emotional learning with our students! Our staff knows and practices the skills of emotional intelligence and is prepared to teach and model these emotional intelligence skills.
During our Monday Advisory Ruler lessons, teachers will be leading instruction to support the development and refining of the RULER skills. In middle school, students learn about emotions and emotional intelligence within the context of their real-world experiences: personally, at school, in our communities, and in our understanding of the world around us. Each lesson addresses a developmentally appropriate topic such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, conflict resolution, coping skills, and identifying personal values.
Over the course of the year, we will be providing ongoing communication to you about RULER in these Community Newsletters. Please click here for additional Ruler information located on the D25 website.
We hope you'll join us for the Ruler Parent Presentation and stay for the PTA Meeting at 7 PM.
PTA Fall Fest was AWESOME!
Many thanks to all the parent volunteers!
The students had a great time!
Chromebook Insurance
ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge official race shirt and posters!
If your family is not yet a member of the ABC/25 Foundation, join today by visiting abc25.org/donate. All students of participating families will be entered in a drawing to win a ride to school from the Arlington Heights Police Department! All membership dues go directly towards grants awarded to the teachers and classrooms of District 25.
NEW....TMS PTA Spirit Items
Bus Information
All students need to show their bus pass in order to ride the bus!
Please direct all bus transportation questions 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.
Our students practiced bus evacuation procedures on Oct. 18th. The video below was included in our morning announcements to help students learn these procedures as well. Students will have a 2nd opportunity to practice this in the Spring.
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.
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: The TMS attendance reporting options are open 24 hours a day 7 days per week. If your child is sick or unable to attend school, the parent/guardian 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, the latest, on the day of the absences. Please be sure to report your child's absence so that we can account for all students each day. Advanced notification of absences is greatly appreciated.
- 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.
Students who are absent from class are encouraged to check Schoology for assignment information. In addition, it may be helpful for students who are absent to attend Homework Club / Office Hours for a few days upon returning to school.
PowerSchool & Schoology Information
Chromebook tourbles? Students can contact TMS Tech Support via email: thomastech@sd25.org
The Tech Office is located in the LMC.
Parent Tech Resources on Our Website
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.
- 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.
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 - All meetings start @ 7 PM:
- Tuesday - 11/15/22 *Also join us for the Ruler Parent Presentation @ 6 PM
- Wednesday - 1/11/23
- Tuesday - 2/7/2023
- Wednesday - 3/15/2023
- Wednesday - 4/5/2023
2022-2023 PTA Officers:
- President: Suzanne Krause
- President-Elect: Megan Puzen
- Vice President: Norah Muenkel
- 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