Thomas Community Newsletter

Dear TMS Community,

At Thomas Middle School, we believe in fostering an environment where every student feels valued, heard, and empowered to make a difference. This Monday, 1/20/25 there is NO SCHOOL in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This significant holiday gives us an opportunity to honor Dr. King’s extraordinary legacy, his vision of equality, justice, and peaceful change continues to inspire us.

TONIGHT 1/14/25: All are welcome to join the PTA meeting tonight in the TMS LMC at 7 p.m. You can also login via Google Meet using this link: https://meet.google.com/qob-rdxf-tos

TOMORROW 1/15/25: Please talk with your child about completing the Winter MAP test tomorrow and striving for their best. See below for the Modified Daily Schedule for MAP Testing.

THURSDAY 1/16/25: During homeroom we will host a parade to congratulations 5 TMS musicians for their acceptance into the All-Illinois Junior Honor Band. This is the "state" competition for 'individual events' in the band world.

• Andrew Rice - Clarinet
• Caroline Hong - Oboe (FIRST chair!!!!!!!)
• Ishaan Varma - Alto Saxophone
• Colin O'Brien - Trumpet
• Landon Rice - Euphonium

Hundreds of students from all over the STATE of Illinois submitted audition recordings to make this prestigious group. This 2-day event will be held at the University of Illinois on January 17-18 where students will work with the well-known band director Dr. Linda Moorhouse. Congratulations to these fine musicians!!

NEW Information in this Newsletter:

• Sign-ups for the 2/14/25 Parent Teacher Conferences OPEN 1/20/25 @9AM. & CLOSE 2/11/25
• TMS Student Connectedness & Sports/Activity Survey
• Information Letter on Common Illnesses
• 8th Grade Graduation
• TMS Musical Auditions, January 27 and January 29

Repeat Newsletter Announcements:

• Parent Academy
• 2025-2026 Calendar & Save the Dates
• PowerSchool for Parents
• Attendance Information
• Link Together Coalition Information & Glenbard Parent Series
• After-School Academic Support
• PTA Information
• School Resource Office Information
  
• Safe2Help Illinois
  
• Care Solace Community Resource
• Bus Information

Thank you for being an integral part of our school community. Together, we can inspire our students to become leaders who strive for fairness and kindness in all they do.

Stay warm and be well!

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

• The Conference sign-up window will open on 1/20/25 at 9:00 a.m. and close on 2/11/25 @ 9 a.m.
• Conferences will run from 7:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. with a mid-day lunch break for staff.
• Detailed sign-up information will be shared soon.

We are asking for your help in ensuring that your child feels confident and prepared to do their best. While the staff has been working hard to support the students academically, your role at home the evening before testing is just as vital. Here are some simple but effective ways to help your child be ready for testing days:

• Establish a Relaxing Routine: Encourage your child to wind down the evening before testing with quiet activities such as reading or listening to calming music. Limiting screen time before bed can help promote better sleep quality.
• Set a Consistent Bedtime: A good night’s rest is crucial for focus and performance. Aim for at least 8-10 hours of sleep to ensure your child wakes up refreshed and ready to tackle the day.
• Prepare Supplies Ahead of Time: Make sure your child has all the materials they need for the test, such as a charged Chromebook. This can help reduce morning stress.
• Provide a Nutritious Breakfast: A healthy breakfast fuels the brain and improves concentration. Consider whole grains, protein, and fruits to give your child sustained energy throughout the morning. TMS also offers a hot and cold breakfast items each day at 7:30 a.m.
• Offer Words of Encouragement: Let your child know you believe in their abilities. A simple, “Do your best—I’m proud of you!” can go a long way in boosting their confidence.

By working together, we can create a supportive environment that allows every student to perform to the best of their abilities. Thank you for partnering with us in this important effort!

Purpose of the Survey:

• Ensure that students feel connected at TMS and have a trusted adult, a trusted peer, and have something to look forward to at school.

• Ensure that we are living the TMS Charters that we've established through the Ruler Program.

• Meet the IESA requirement that we conduct a sports and activities interest survey the students.

1. How connected do you feel to the Thomas Middle School community? Connected means you believe the adults and students in your school care about your learning as well as about you as individual. You feel supported and a sense of belonging at school. Community includes your classes, other students, staff members, sports teams and/or clubs.(Answers choices; Not at all connected, A little connected, Very connected, Totally connected)

2. Do you have a trusted adult in your life? A "trusted adult" is a person in your life that you could go to with questions or concerns.(Answer choices; Yes or No)

3. Please list any TMS staff members you feel you have a connection with or feel comfortable asking for help if you need it, including: teachers, teaching assistants, social workers, administrators, coaches, directors, club sponsors, office staff, school psychologist, and/or speech-language pathologist.You can list up to 3 people below. If there are none, you can answer "none." Don't worry about the spelling of the staff member's names, just do your best.

   You can CLICK HERE to view the TMS Staff Directory List on the TMS Website. (Answer Choice; drop down of staff names)

4. I feel supported and a sense of belonging at school. (Answer choices; Strongly agree, Agree, Unsure, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

5. I feel accepted by other students at school. (Answer choices; Strongly agree, Agree, Unsure, Disagree, Strongly Disagree)

6. What TMS sports/activities are you involved in this year? (Answer Choice; Drop down of sports, clubs, and activities)

7. Identify up to six (6) of the following sports/activities in which you would DEFINITELY participate if/when you have the opportunity. (Answer Choice; Drop down of IESA sports)

8. What OTHER sports or activities, not listed above, would you like to see offered at Thomas Middle School? (Open response)

9. Please share the names of the sports, activities, or clubs you have participated in during your time at Thomas Middle School? (Open response)

Please reach out to TMS administrators if you have any questions about this survey.

School-age children are susceptible to various common illnesses.

We encourage you to take a moment to review this Information Letter on Common Illnesses for valuable guidance.

To help prevent these illnesses, please remind your child to practice healthy habits, including:

• Washing hands frequently.

• Staying well-hydrated.

• Avoiding the sharing of personal items, food, or drinks.

• Refraining from touching their eyes.

• Covering their mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter as we work together to keep our students healthy and safe.

Please know that emails containing information regarding gown and diploma purchases have been sent out. We will continue to add information here about graduation throughout the year. Questions? Please contact Mr. George in the office.

Auditions for the spring musical will take place on Monday, January 27 and Wednesday, January 29, after school. Students can pick up an audition packet and sign up for an audition time in the office.

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.

• PowerSchool can be a helpful tool for parents to support their middle schooler by viewing grades and attendance.
• Starting in late 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.

• 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)