Thomas Community Newsletter
December 15, 2023
Dear TMS Community,
Next week marks our last week before winter break begins. The TMS Student Council is sponsoring a SPIRIT WEEK along with a Pack-The-Place fundraising event on Wednesday, 12/20/23 (see more details below). All are welcome to join us for these fun events!
Last night during the TMS home basketball games, we showcased a performance from 75 local elementary students that participated in the TMS Jr. Spirit Workshop facilitated by the TMS Cheerleading and Pom squads. Congratulations to all that participated in this awesome community building event. We love seeing so many future T-Wolves having fun with our Wolf Pack!
In this newsletter you'll find new information for:
- ABC/25 Membership Information
- TMS Yearbook Sale
Movie for Parents on Anxiety l North Cook ROE/ISC
- TMS Spelling Bee - 12/20/23 - TMS LMC
Pack The Place - TMS vs SMS 12/20/23
TMS Lost & Found items will be donated at the break
Winter Break - No School - 12/25/23 - 1/8/24 *School resumes 1/9/24
Wishing all our families lots of joy and happiness this holiday season!
Take care,
Lori, Nick, & Greg
TMS Administrative Team
Please help ... 114 more TMS Memberships in ABC25 are needed!
Parents, this holiday season please consider making a $40 donation to ABC/25 by becoming a member! CLICK HERE TO BECOME A MEMBER!
TMS needs to increase our ABC/25 memberships up to 25% so that TMS can benefit from the 2,500 school grant!
Currently, Thomas is at 13% and needs 114 families to join. That seems like a lot but we have a lot of events in 2024 that can help garner interest.
Upcoming ABC Events:
- Fork Farm Fundraiser. Jan-March we will be fundraising for additional Fork Farms Hydroponics units for the school district
- Monday, January 15 (non-attendance day) Throw Elements Art Event. More details to be announced very soon.
- Monday, February 19 (non-attendance day) Mr. Freeze STEM Event @ Ivy. 2 shows will be available during the day. Free for members, $10 per person for non-members. We'll need some volunteers the day of to help check attendees in.
- Saturday, June 1 ABC/25 Fun Fair Fundraiser Save the Date @ Thomas Middle School (1st day of summer break). Mark your school's PTA calendar. Note: this will be after the 24-25 registration start date so those who join would count towards the next year's membership.
North Cook ROE/ISC | Movie for Parents on Anxiety
We'd like to make our parents aware of a resource provided by the North Cook Regional Office of Education/Intermediate Service Center. They are offering a film-based program designed to raise awareness around anxiety. The film, Angst, includes interviews with kids, teens, educators, experts, parents and a very special interview with Michael Phelps. We recommend this film for parents with middle school students.
Please click here to view the trailer and/or the full-length film.
TMS PTA is selling 2023-2024 yearbooks
For a short time, the TMS PTA is selling 2023-2024 yearbooks on CheddarUp. Before you purchase one for your child, please read the below:
- One yearbook comes with each PTA membership. If you are a PTA member and you have one child at Thomas, you are all set.
- If you are a PTA member with multiple TMS students, you had the opportunity to purchase extra yearbooks at spring registration. Don't remember? No worries! There will be a list of all yearbooks purchased outside of the TMS Commons. Please ask your student to check the list.
- If you have further questions, please take a look at the PTA website for more information. Reach out to your PTA Exec Officers at thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com with questions.
The yearbook aims to include all the special highlights and memories from the school year. Copies will be distributed for signing during class on the last few days of school. It's always such a fun day and a special keepsake for students, don't miss out!
Thank you,
Megan Puzen
TMS PTA President 2023-2024
School Resource Officers - Danny Malik & John O'Leary
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 and they are an essential part of our Wolf Pack.
Please know that you can report concerns or social media incidents to the school administration and or school social workers. In addition, our School Resource Officers from the Arlington Heights Police Department are available to address your concerns and the police station is open 24-7 to report incidents that occur outside of TMS after school hours and on the weekends.
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 INFORMATION
Join the TMS PTA and help support the TMS community! Check out the TMS PTA Website.
TMS PTA meetings are held in the TMS LMC at 7 p.m. All are welcome to attend!
- Wednesday, January 17
- Tuesday, March 5
- Tuesday, May 7
2023-2024 Executive Board Members
- President: Megan Puzen
- President-Elect: Kris Dugan
- Vice President: Nora Muenkel
- Treasurer: Diane Beardmore
- Secretary: Joclyn Katz
Are you willing to volunteer? Do you have a question for the PTA? Please contact the PTA at: thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com
Student Academic Support Is Available
TMS After School Support by Team is available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays! Students are invited to stay after school for academic support.
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.
IMPORTANT HEALTH OFFICE INFORMATION
Student Health: Please continue to use the links and phone numbers on this page: https://www.sd25.org/Page/1451 to report your child’s absence. If your child has tested positive for COVID-19, you can notify the school nurse for guidance regarding how many days it is recommended to stay home (5 days with day 0 as the onset of symptoms or test day if asymptomatic) per Illinois Department of Public Health.
- Physical Forms: Athletes must have a current physical BEFORE they can participate in ANY practices. Physicals are good for 13 months. Physicals can be turned in at the TMS office or uploaded to the TMS Health Office form linked here.
- Dental Forms are due by May 15th, 2024 must be dated after November 15th, 2022.
Please contact the TMS Health Office if you have any questions:
Laura Toussaint - ltoussaint@sd25.org
Stephanie Musolf - smusolf@sd25.org
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.
Bus Information
- All students need to show their bus pass in order to ride the bus!
- Please direct bus transportation questions to the District 25 Transportation Specialist: Laura Comastro. Laura can answer your questions and resolve issues. lcomastro@sd25.org. Phone: 847-758-4888
Safe2Help Illinois
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.
The TMS Office will have modified hours over winter break and will be closed on 12/26 & 1/2.
Please be sure to call before coming into the office.