Thomas Middle School 8th Grade

Dear Class of 2026 Students and Families,

The journey to graduation has been an incredible adventure! Thank you for sharing your children with us. We have truly enjoyed learning, growing, and celebrating alongside them over the past three years.

It is time for graduation, and we could not be more proud of the Class of 2026! Today was a perfect day at Great America, and students and staff enjoyed a thrilling day of rides, laughter, and memories with friends.

Tomorrow promises to be a wonderful day as we celebrate our graduates.

Below is the schedule for the day:

7:30–7:45 AM – 8th graders arrive at TMS for their last day of middle school!
Periods 1 & 2 – Required Graduation Rehearsal (students begin in PACK at 7:50 AM)
Periods 3 & 4 – Classes (World Language, Creative Arts, Intervention, and/or Resource)
Periods 5 & 6 – Yearbook Signing
Period 7 – Lunch (students report to the Commons at 12:15 PM and can buy lunch or bring it from home) & Party Time! 🥳
Periods 8 & 9 – Party Time! 🎉
2:30–2:45 PM – Students report to PACK to receive final graduation materials

Graduation Ceremony

• 7:00 PM – Students arrive at Door #32 of the gymnasium at Forest View Educational Center 🎓
• 7:05 PM – Parents and guests may enter Door #33 & #34 at Forest View Educational Center. Guests may join us for the live ceremony in the Field House, while those who would benefit from air conditioning may view a live-stream of the ceremony in the Auditorium.

Photos

As a reminder, the PTA generously provides professional photography from Something Blue for both the graduation party and graduation ceremony. Please remind your 8th graders that they will not need their phones for photos at school tomorrow. Students are expected to follow all school expectations during the school day. Any phones that are confiscated will be secured in the TMS office and may be picked up beginning Wednesday, June 3, 2026.

Accessing the Professional Photos

Everyone is welcome to use the links below to access photos from Something Blue Photography. Photos from both the 8th Grade Party and Graduation Ceremony will be available for purchase:

• https://www.somethingblue-design.com/2026-tms-picnic
• https://www.somethingblue-design.com/2026-tms-graduation

On behalf of the entire TMS staff, we look forward to celebrating the Thomas Middle School Class of 2026 with all of you tomorrow. Congratulations, graduates—we cannot wait to honor this special milestone together!

Thank you,

Lori Naumowicz, Principal

Greg Keadle, Associate Principal

Jeremy Fischer, Associate Principal

Allie Yoder, Associate Principal & Student Services Coordinator

LOCATION: Field House at Forest View Educational Center, 2121 South Goebbert Road in Arlington Heights

GRADUATION ARRIVAL TIME:

• 8TH GRADE STUDENTS: Students should arrive at 7:00 PM, enter door #32, and report to the spectator gym with their gowns.
• GUESTS: All guests are welcome to arrive at 7:05 PM. Guests should enter doors #33 and #34. The doors will NOT OPEN until 7:05 PM. Please DO NOT arrive early as the South Middle School graduation event is at 4:30 PM tomorrow and time is needed for guests to exit the parking lot from the SMS graduation.

DETAILS ABOUT THE FIELD HOUSE (Live Ceremony) & AUDITORIUM (Live-Steam viewing):

• This is an indoor event and will take place rain or shine! Lucky for us, the weather looks perfect!
• TICKETS NOT NEEDED! Immediate family members and special guests are welcome!
• # of GUESTS: While we believe there is ample seating for each graduate to bring 4 guests, we ask that families please be mindful that this event will be recorded and posted to the TMS website following graduation.
• The Field House does NOT have air conditioning. Please dress accordingly as it can get warm inside the Field House.
• The walk from the parking lot to the Field House is lengthly and seating in the field house may require walking up stairs. Guests can be dropped off in the front of the parking lot (closest to the TMS graduation sign) if reduced walking is needed.
• Unlimited handicap seating will be available in the first row of the bleachers in the Field House.
• *NEW THIS YEAR! Seating in the Auditorium is available for guests requiring air conditioning. The graduation ceremony will be shown on the screen in livestream. Please be respectful in ensuring that this space is reserved for our most fragile guests. Seating in the Auditorium will provide for an experience with limited walking.
• All children 17 and under must be with an adult.
• Balloons and noise makers are not permitted in the field house.PLEASE DO NOT BRING THESE!
• Respectful behavior is required by all guests and participants to ensure each graduate can enjoy this special event.

GRADUATION GUEST SEATING & HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY:

• The doors to the Field House & Auditorium will open at 7:05 PM and seating will be first come, first serve.
• The ceremony will be open seating with wheelchair accessible seats.
• The first row of the bleachers on both sides of the Field House are reserved for handicap seating only.
• *NEW THIS YEAR! Seating in the auditorium is available for guests requiring air conditioning. The graduation ceremony will be shown on the screen in livestream. Please be respectful in ensuring that this space is reserved for our most fragile guests.

GRADUATION CEREMONY PARKING:

• Parking will be available in the lot directly in front of Forest View Educational Center accessible from Goebbert Road.
• There are several parking lots for convenient parking at the Forrest View Educational Center.

GRADUATION GOWNS:

Gowns were ordered for those who purchased them and delivered to the students on 5/14 and 5/15. TMS students do not wear caps, just the green graduation gown.

GRADUATION ATTIRE:

Students should be dressed in appropriate school attire including shoes that will be comfortable and safe for walking up and down stairs and across the stage. Please note that for safety reasons high-heeled shoes should not be worn by graduates or guests.

GRADUATION MATERIALS - DIPLOMAS, RIBBONS, CORDS & AWARDS:

• Graduation Cords will be distributed at the end of the school day on Graduation Day.

• Diplomas, ribbons, and academic awards will be distributed during the graduation ceremony.

FINDING YOUR GRADUATE AFTER THE CEREMONY:

Please speak with your child to determine a location to meet at following the ceremony. Graduates will be walked out of the building following the ceremony. They can come back into the building, if that is what your family decides.

• Yearbooks will be distributed tomorrow ~ Graduation Day. Tuesday, 6/2/26.
• At this time, TMS has ample yearbooks for all the 8th graders on the WAITLIST. Please be sure to send your child with $25 cash or checks payable to TMS PTA tomorrow!
• Please click HERE to complete this form if you wish to have your chlid's name placed on the waitlist for a yearbook.
• The TMS PTA manages yearbook sales and has information on all yearbook orders. Please contact the PTA if you have any questions about a yearbook order: thomasmiddleschoolyearbook@gmail.com
• TMS will provide time for students to sign each other's yearbook. However, if students wish to do that, it is important to note that TMS is not responsible for yearbooks that are damaged or lost, and parents must sign the permission slip shared by the team leaders.
• Please speak with your 8th grader about writing appropriate yearbook messages.

Many thanks to the PTA graduation committee, led by Andrea Patrick, Sarah Hess, and Rosemarie Sison, along with 14 of our 8th graders, who are planning a spectacular graduation party which will be held at TMS on graduation day from 12:15-2:45pm.

We also wish to thank the TMS PTA for their assistance in funding Something Blue Photographer to capture the 8th grade celebration party event as well as the graduation ceremony. Families will be able to download photographs from the photographer for both events. A link will be sent out following these events.

As your student prepares to transition from District 25, please take time at home to download any important files from their District 25 Google account.

CORRECTION - 8th Grade accounts will be disabled upon graduation, not one week after.

To help with this process, families may use Google Takeout to easily transfer and save files.

Thank you,

AHSD 25 Department of Technology

Para este aviso en español, haga clic aquí.

Spring is a time of celebration with your families!

We want all the D214 high school and feeder area communities to honor these life events and be safe!

Please review THIS LETTER regarding "Social Host" laws in our communities.