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Thomas Community Newsletter
October 11, 2023
Dear TMS Community,
There are so many exciting things going on at TMS!
- Today, Wednesday, October 11th, TMS will celebrate our UNSTOPPABLE Cross Country Team as we host an all-school parade for the incredible athletes who are headed to the IESA STATE MEET! Congratulations to both the girls' and boys' TMS teams for winning 1st Place at Sectionals! Best wishes to all of our athletes and many thanks to our Coaches ~ Becky Fahnoe, Joe Kim, & Todd Slowinski, and to all the parents & family members for being such supportive fans! Check out this Sectional Recap video.
- Tonight at 7 p.m. is a TMS PTA Meeting in the TMS LMC. If you can't make it in person, please join us online. See below for Zoom information. D25 Superintendent, Dr. Lori Bein, will begin the meeting with a presentation.
- Tomorrow, Thursday, October 12th & Friday, October 13th the TMS staff members will be hosting Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences. Please be sure to bring your middle school student with you to conferences if you are scheduled to attend. We hope everyone enjoys the 4-day weekend.
- Friday, October 20th marks the end of the 1st quarter. The vast majority of TMS students are demonstrating strong academic skills, excellent school attendance, and have 1 minor or less. We are grateful to the TMS parent community for your support and appreciate you guiding our T-Wolves on successful pathways!
URGENT MESSAGE for 6th Grade Parents: Of the 354 current 6th graders, we are still missing 50 student physicals. PLEASE contact the TMS Health Office (ltoussaint@sd25.org) to address this as we have made numerous attempts to obtain this information. October 15th marks the school exclusion date for non-compliant 6th graders.
In this newsletter you'll find new information for:
Student Council Spirit Week (10/16/23-10/20/23) & Pack-the-Place Event 10/19/23
PTA Activity Night 10/27/23 - Volunteer & Donations Sign-Up Form
Parent PowerSchool & Schoology Information
Breakfast Reminders
Student Academic Support Is Available
TMS Lost & Found Information
THOMAS JR. SPIRIT SQUADS WORKSHOP
Incoming Freshman D214 Information
- Buffalo Grove High School Go Green Event & Message from Administration
Upcoming Events & Important Dates:
- PTA Meeting - Tonight, 10/11/23 @ 7 PM
- 2nd Quarter Begins - 10/23/23
- Tree Planting @ TMS - 10/24/23 - Volunteers Needed!
- Report Cards - 10/27/23
Take care,
Lori, Nick, & Greg
TMS Administrative Team
PowerSchool & Schoology Information
- Schoology has a different website for parents and students to log into. Parents should access their Schoology account here or use the mobile app.
- Using the mobile app for PowerSchool and it's asking you for a district code? Type GHMR.
- Did you set up a parent account in the past but can't login? For Schoology head to this site, click "Forgot your password" and follow the prompts. For PowerSchool, please email thomastech@sd25.org and ask for a password reset.
- Have a student using Schoology in another district? You must set up a separate account for each district you have a student in. If you would like to link those accounts click here.
- Need to create an account for the first time? First, check your email! An email with your codes goes out to new families in August (or later in the year on your student's first day). Don't see the email? Fill out this form and we will send you the info!
- Parent Help Guides: PowerSchool & Schoology
Breakfast Reminders!
- With cold weather upon us, warming up in the Commons with a delicious and nutritious breakfast is a great way for students to start the day.
- All students are welcome to come to the Commons from 7:30-7:45 a.m. to eat breakfast.
- We are concerned that students are not eating breakfast each morning. Please check in with your child to ensure that they are eating a healthy breakfast each day.
LOST & FOUND ITEMS
There are tables worth of items that are seeking their owners!
We are simply unable to store all of these items.
All unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the month.
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.
PTA Fall Fest ~ Activity Night
WHAT: Fun activities
WHEN: Friday, October 27 from 4-5:30 PM
WHERE: TMS Large Gym & Commons
COST: $5 per student - Tickets will be sold the week of the event during lunch periods.
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, October 11 - Tonight!
- Tuesday, March 5
- Wednesday, January 11
- Tuesday, May 7
Can't make it in person, join us online: Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 816 7773 1434
Passcode: 340239
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
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.
- 6th Grade Physical Requirement: All 6th grade physicals must be dated on or after 8/17/2022 and are due by 10/15/2023. The physical must be turned in by October 15th or the student will be excluded. 6th grade students participating in Cross Country will need to turn in their completed physical forms before the first day of Cross Country practice in early August.
- 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
Message from Buffalo Grove High School - Football Game Info
Dear Parent / Guardian,
I hope this letter finds you well. As we continue our exciting season of high school football at
Buffalo Grove, we value the presence and enthusiasm of our local middle school students at our
games. We believe that creating a positive and respectful environment is essential for everyone
to enjoy the experience fully. To that end, we would like to outline the behavior expectations we
hold for our middle school attendees and the role of adult chaperones:
● Sportsmanship and Respect: We encourage all students to display sportsmanship and
respect throughout the game. Cheer for our team with enthusiasm, but also maintain
respect for the opposing team, officials, and all attendees.
● Positive Energy: Let's bring positive energy to the stands. Avoid negative comments,
taunts, or behavior that may detract from the game's enjoyment for others.
● Sense of Belonging: Embrace the diverse community that comes together for the
game. Make everyone feel welcome and safe, regardless of their background or
affiliation.
● Respect for Facilities: Our school's facilities are a shared resource. Please help us
keep them clean and well-maintained by disposing of trash properly and following all
posted rules.
● Unified Spirit: We're all part of the same community. Let's come together in unity to
support our teams and enjoy the game responsibly.
Role of Adult Chaperones: We kindly request that middle school students attending our
games be accompanied by adult chaperones. The presence of responsible adults not only
ensures the safety and well-being of the students but also sets a positive example for behavior
and sportsmanship.
Unattended non-high school-aged children will not be admitted into the facility. Adult chaperones will be required to sit with those in their care for the entirety of the contest.
By working together, we can ensure that our games are not only exciting but also exemplify the
values of sportsmanship, respect, and unity. We look forward to welcoming your middle school
students and their adult chaperones to our upcoming football games. If you have any questions
or need further information, please feel free to contact us.
Best regards,
Matt Myers
Athletic Director, Buffalo Grove High School
Jeff Wardle
Principal
Buffalo Grove High School | High School District 214
1100 W. Dundee Road | Buffalo Grove, Illinois 60089
tel: 847-718-4010
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.
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
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
- LATE BUSES: If the bus is more than ten minutes late, parents may call Cook County School Bus Co. at 847-439-0923 to find out if the bus is late, or missed a stop. Parents who cannot stay at the bus stop should have a contingency plan with neighbors and with their children concerning what to do if the bus is more than 10 minutes late in the morning or if the parent is not home after school.
- ITEMS LEFT ON THE BUS: If a student leaves an item on the bus, the parent should contact Cook Co. School Bus Company at 847-439-0923 to locate the item and to make arrangements for it to be returned. This can be done either on the bus route the next day or by the parent going to the bus company to pick it up (1910 S. Busse Rd., A.H.).
- CONCERNS AND COMPLIMENTS: Bus emergency concerns: Contact Cook County School Bus at 847-439-0923 or for the AHSD25 Transportation Manager during the school work day, 847- 758-4888. About bus drivers/bus service: Contact the Transportation Specialist at 847-758-4888. About other passengers: Contact the school office to report any issue with regard to behavior on the bus.
- Additional bus information can be found at the transportation link on the District 25 website.
- Students will practice bus evacuation procedures twice per year during PE and Health Classes.
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.
ABC/25 Foundation
- Please consider joining the ABC/25 Foundation on behalf of TMS by clicking on this link: www.abc25.org
- The ABC/25 Foundation is excited to launch the 2023-24 school year! We have an array of thrilling developments in store, and it all begins with the unveiling of our fresh, redesigned logo and a new slogan, "GRANTING INSPIRATION TO FORWARD EDUCATION"
- Join us in our journey to support and enhance education in our community! Make sure to explore our revamped website www.abc25.org and follow ABC/25 or Facebook and Instagram for all of our latest updates!
- TMS CONTACTS: Ursula Guran & Angie Thanopoulos https://abc25.org/
- Monday, October 30th from 7-8 PM Information Session and Community Member Meeting @ Arlington Height Memorial Library.
- Come learn how your membership benefits the schools and students and become involved in our rebrand!
- Wondering if you signed up to be an ABC/25 Foundation member back in May when you registered your child/children for the 2023-2024 school year? If, so please feel free to reach out directly to Thomas' ABC/25 Foundation representative - Bliss Hansen-Finnegan at eblisshansen@gmail.com and she will let you know.