Thomas Community Newsletter
September 30, 2022
CONNECTION & CLARIFICATION
Dear TMS Families,
We began the last day of September with High 5 Friday hosted by the Arlington Heights Police Department and Hersey High School Football Seniors, Poms, Cheerleaders, and their mascot Nanook. It was fo fun to see so many TMS alumni spreading positive cheer with our T-Wolves.
The month of October brings in-person Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on the 20th & 21st. The TMS Meet The Teacher Sign-Up Portal will open on Monday, 10/3/22 at 1:00. Today was the last day of 6th grade Hexter 1. This Monday the 6th graders will begin Hexter 2 and experience a new Creative Arts class. This Monday morning we also have Picture Retake Day for those that wish to re-take photos or those that have not had a photo taken yet.
In this Newsletter, you'll find NEW information on the following:
MAP Report Information
Lemons of Love Video
New PTA Spirit Items for sale
- More Traffic & Dismissal Updates
Ruler Information
Reminder information:
- Picture Day Retakes: Monday, 10/3/22 from 8-10:30 AM
- 6th Grade Physical Forms Due by Friday, 10/14/22
- PTA Fall Activity Night: Tuesday, 10/18/22 4:30-6 PM @ TMS
- Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences: 10/20/22-10/21/22
- 2022-2023 District 25 Calendar: linked here
Take care,
Lori, Nick, & Greg ~ The TMS Admin Team
MAP Student Reports
Fall 2022 MAP reports were emailed home on September 23.
Please contact Amanda Czerniuk (aczerniuk@sd25.org) with any assessment-related questions.
Lemons of Love Raised $1952.00
TMS PTA Spirit Items
Parent Tech Resources on Our Website
Ruler Information
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.
Traffic and Dismissal Updates
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Families are encouraged to talk with their students about their expectations for their child during arrival and dismissal. Everyone is asked to PLEASE be safe and recognize that drop-off and pick-up at a school as large as TMS takes at least 5-10 minutes. If you're short on time, please consider dropping your child off on Douglas Street or Olive Street. Please DO NOT park or drop off students north of Belmont Avenue and Thomas Street as that increases congestion. You can actually park on Thomas Street, just a couple of blocks east of Belmont Avenue. You are not permitted to drop off or pick up on Thomas Street between Arlington Heights Road and Belmont Avenue.
DISMISSAL: *NEW* Effective October 3rd, students will be allowed to walk on the west sidewalk along Belmont Avenue. TMS will have a staff supervisor at the Belmont parking lot entrance/exit to assist students in crossing as they walk on the sidewalk on the west side of Belmont. While this pathway was closed thus far this school year due to previous years of students dangerously jaywalking across Belmont Avenue, we are hopeful that students have established safe routines for utilizing the crosswalks.
CROSSWALKS: Students are required to use the crosswalks when crossing the streets. This is the safest way to cross the street. Students are asked to wait a bit longer, BEHIND THE YELLOW LINES, and cross in groups at both Belmont Avenue and Arlington Heights Road, and Thomas Street. Students should wait until the crossing guard Mr. Vito tells them to cross the street. Please discuss this with your child and remind them that they need to demonstrate patience and respect while waiting for the crossing guard behind the yellow line until they are given permission to cross.
ARRIVAL: Students should arrive at school between 7:30-7:45. Please plan for adequate time so that the morning is peaceful and students are not rushed.
Many thanks to all the parents, students, and community members who demonstrate patience and grace while properly making their way through morning arrival and after-school dismissal.
Bus Information
Starting October 3rd, all students will need to show their bus pass in order to ride the bus.
All bus transportation questions should be directed 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.
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.
Lunch Money Payments & Lunch Account Spending
Please note that your middle schooler has the ability to independently make lunch purchases. It is difficult for staff to monitor what students are purchasing as we have several cashiers checking out students during lunch. Parents are encouraged to monitor their child's lunch account to ensure healthy choices are being made and personal daily spending expectations are not exceeded.
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.
- PHYSICAL FORMS: All 6th graders will need a physical form. Physicals must be dated on or after 8/17/2021 and are due by 10/14/2022. We are unable to accept a doctor's note for a physical at a future date. The physical must be turned in by October 14th, 2022 or the student will be excluded from school.
- 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:
- Tuesday - 10/11/2022 TMS LMC *DATE CHANGED FROM 10/12/22
(This meeting is in-person in the LMC but there is also a Zoom option)
Click here to Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 897 3826 0433. Passcode: 410568
- Tuesday - 11/15/22
- 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 *Welcome to the Board!
- 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