Thomas Timberwolves
School Community Newsletter ~ 4/3/22
Hello, Parents and Guardians,
We hope your spring break was adventurous, yet restful. Tomorrow begins the 4th quarter which always brings about excitement. This Friday report cards will be visible in PowerSchool. We kicked off the past week with the new lunch routines, with all students per grade level eating in the Commons together, which seems to be working out well so far. In addition, our School Resource Officers hosted 8th grade presentations during PE & Health classes and TMS administrators held 8th grade Expectations Assemblies. The 7th graders attended the Outdoor Education Program at Sunrise Lake in Bartlett, Illinois, and had an absolute blast despite the challenges Mother Nature presented us with rain, snow, hail, wind, and mud puddles everywhere. The student and staff feedback about the Sunrise Lake activities, amenities, close proximity, plus no-cost are encouraging. Check out the pictures below for more insights on team-building and fun festivities.
Tomorrow and Tuesday, April 4th & 5th, we have Spring MAP Testing for all students. Please view the modified daily schedules below. This week TMS will host the 5th-grade students from our feeder schools, with Patton coming next week. On Wednesday, April 13th we'll host 5th grade Parent Events. Click here for more details. The PTA will host the April PTA meeting that same night, April 13th, and welcome 5th grade parents with sweet treats in our Commons from 8-9pm.
Our PTA is also hosting several upcoming events that require TMS parent support & volunteers:
- PTA Spring Activity Event & 3 on 3 Tournament is scheduled for Thursday, April 14th from 3-5pm with an extended sensory-friendly hour for select students from 5-6pm. The PTA is seeking many parent volunteers & donations are needed to help make this event a success. Please click here to learn more.
- PTA Spring Plant and Flower sale. Click here to access the Cheddar Up Online Order form. Orders are due by 4/8/22.
- PTA sponsors the 8th Grade Picnic and Dance Party Event on Wednesday, June 1st. We'll need help with set-up, clean-up, and more. Please be on the lookout for more information.
The ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge is set for April 30, 2022, and TMS is looking to get as many students, staff, and community members to participate as possible. Registration can be completed at: bit.ly/ABC25GetBurbed2022
Lastly, we are so proud of the efforts shown by the TMS Community in how we support others:
- Help Us Help Ukraine Donations were plentiful. The TMS students and staff answered the request for support with generous donations that overflowed our donation boxes and filled our hearts.
- The TMS students and staff filled the TMS piggy bank and exceeded the ABC/25 fun-raising goal with a total of $1425.19. This Friday homerooms that meet the $25 homeroom goal ($1 per person) will attend the "Pie In The Face" reward assembly.
Upcoming Important Dates:
- Spring MAP Testing This Week - April 4 & 5 *Revised daily schedules
7th Grade SRO Advisory Safety Assembly - April 18th
6th Grade SRO Advisory Safety Assembly - April 25th
- Pride of the Pack All School Assembly - May 2nd *Revised daily schedule
- PTA Spring Plant Sale Pickup - May 12th
- Last Day of TMS Shield Testing - May 16th
- 8th Grade Great America Trip - May 26th
- 8th Grade Picnic & Dance Party - June 1st
- 8th Grade Graduation - June 1st
Thank you and take care,
Lori, Greg, & Nick
Donations for Ukraine
April 30, 2022 for the ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge
Join us on April 30, 2022 for the ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge! Early registration is now open! Go to bit.ly/ABC25GetBurbed2022 to register.
This is a great opportunity to gather students, families, and staff from across the district to support our schools! VIsit abc25challenge.com or follow @abc25challenge on Twitter to stay up to date with all race updates.
Thank you!
Angie Thanopoulos and Katie Lindgren
ABC/25 Get Burbed Challenge Race Co-Directors
8th Grade Save-The-Dates Information (updated 3/15/22)
- 8th Grade Great America Trip - Thursday, May 26th *Students should be picked up at 6 pm from TMS.
- 8th Grade Picnic & Dance Party - Wednesday, June 1 *The PTA will be seeking parent volunteers for this event. Please be on the lookout for the SignUpGenius.
- 8th Grade Graduation Date - Wednesday, June 1 @ BGHS Football Stadium *If the weather does not cooperate the ceremony will be moved indoors at BGHS. Therefore, we will not need the June 2 rain date. Both the gym and football stadium have ample seating for our 340 graduates and families.
PARENT SUPPORT NEEDED PLEASE: Consistent daily attendance and on-time arrival are essential to student success!
Social Emotional Learning with the Tom McSheehy at the Teaching Heart Institute
Tom was brought to us through the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation in honor of TMS and BGHS alumni Evan Lindborg. We will be forever grateful for Evan's legacy and to his family for the opportunity to educate our community about mental health and suicide prevention.
Tom has provided 2 Parent Webinar evening events and one more event is scheduled.
Click here for a recording of the 2/22/22 Social-Emotional Learning: Strengthening the Mental Health of Teenagers.
A recording of the Wednesday, March 30th event will be shared soon. Emotional Support: Guiding Adolescents in Learning to Deal with their Emotions in Healthy Ways
Wednesday, April 26th from 7-8 PM - Mental Health and Suicide Awareness: Educating Parents About These Important Topics
SEL Mindful Moments for Parents:
If your child can learn techniques to calm themselves when stressed, they can deal effectively with stress and intense emotions. It will also help them to focus their brains and perform optimally in their academic work. Teachers at TMS are working on the same Mindful Moments in class, except that they are one week ahead of you. Take 20-30 seconds to do one of these calming techniques throughout the day and practice them before eating dinner, before going to sleep, etc. Focus point: Using pressure applied to the body to calm the brain and nervous system.
If your child can learn to identify their emotions, they will be able to use the energy and information of their emotions to make good decisions, motivate themselves, and to connect with other students. Once they are good at identifying and feeling their emotions, they will be able to take better care of themselves by managing their intense emotions.
- Focus point: Learning to identify which of the six primary emotions that you are feeling and then taking time to share how you are feeling with your children and hear how they are feeling. Paying Attention to Emotions
Thank you,
Tom McSheehy MSW, LSW
720-369-3000
Teaching Heart Institute
teachingheartinstitute.com
Parent Education Information on The Glenbard Parent Series
TMS PTA
For the 2022-2023 school year, the PTA is seeking some Executive Board and Committee positions. We need parents to attend the monthly meetings, share suggestions, discuss events, and volunteer their time. Please consider one of these roles.
The Parent-Teacher-Association meets monthly. Our next meeting is Wednesday, April 13th, the same night as the 5th Grade Parent Presentation and Tours. Please consider joining the PTA in the Commons on Wednesday, April 13th for sweet treats with our future TMS parents as well as our PTA meeting from 8-9 PM.
2021-2022 PTA Officers:
President: Amy Hoffman
President-Elect: Suzanne Krause
Vice President: Melissa Teuscher
Treasurer: Kelly Spokas
Secretary: Deborah Oiler
Do you have questions for the PTA? Email the PTA at: thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com
Summer U 2022
Extra Help 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.
Shield Testing Information
At TMS, Shield Testing is conducted on Monday afternoons. TMS students enrolled in Shield Testing are responsible for going to the LMC during their homeroom's assigned time. A reminder for the testing schedule is posted in the Morning Announcements on Mondays. Students are not called down to test.
Please click the links below and fill out the Shield form if you would like to unenroll your child.
Unenroll my child from SHIELD testing.
Testing is scheduled to end on May 19th.
GENERAL D25 BUS INFORMATION
If your child is a bus rider, the bus information and bus passes are sent to you by Laura Comastro from our transportation department. Students are required to show their bus pass each day. Please direct all transportation and bussing questions to Laura Comastro.
Her contact information is:(847)758-4888 or lcomastro@sd25.org
Those wishing to submit a flyer to be posted must complete a District 25 E-Flyer Request & send to Darcy Moder via email at dmoder@sd25.org.
FREE Breakfast at TMS!
WHEN: Monday - Friday from 7:30 AM until 7:45 AM
WHERE: Students should enter the building and tell the door supervisors that they are going to breakfast in the Commons Extension.
Illinois State Report Card - Thomas
Thomas Middle School
Email: tmsadmin@sd25.org
Website: https://www.sd25.org/Domain/9
Location: 1430 N Belmont Ave, Arlington Heights, IL, United States
Phone: 847.398.4260
Twitter: @AHSD25Thomas