Thomas Community Newsletter
August 15, 2026
Dear TMS Community,
The 2026-2027 school year has arrived! We want to extend a massive thank you to the 60+ incredible student leaders who did a fantastic job guiding our 320+ incoming sixth graders through orientation yesterday, as well as a heartfelt thank you to all the parents who joined us for locker set-up. Your energy and support have already set a wonderfully positive tone for our community!
As we count down to the first day of school (8/20/26), please take a few minutes to read through this edition of our newsletter. It’s packed with fresh, essential information regarding first-day essentials and practical tips to help both you and your middle schooler feel confident and fully prepared for a successful year ahead.
This newsletter contains NEW information on:
Important Dates
Medication Drop Off with the Nurses
Daily Schedules 8/20/26 & 8/21/26
First Day Essentials
Safety Drill Information
Girls Basketball
Repeat Information on:
Lunch Information
Traffic Instructions for Arrival & Dismissal
TMS In's & Out's
District 25 Parent/Student Handbook
Orientation for Families New to District 25
Back to School Schedule Walk & Locker Set Up Evening Event
Picture Day Information
Choir Information
PTA Information & ABC25 Memberships
- School Supplies List 2026-2027
District 25 Food Services
- Bus Transportation
Chromebook Information
The entire TMS staff is ready to support your students every step of the way, answer every question, and make this a fantastic school year. Let's make it a great year!
With gratitude,
The TMS Administrative Team
Lori Naumowicz, Principal
Greg Keadle, Associate Principal
Allie Yoder, Associate Principal & TMS Student Services Coordinator
Kyle Mengarelli, Associate Principal
- Orientation for Families New to District 25 - Tuesday, 8/18/26 @ 6 PM
- First Day of School - Thursday, 8/20/26 [Students should arrive at 7:30 AM]
- PTA Back To School Schedule Walk & Locker Set Up Event - Thursday, 8/20/26 from 4-6 PM
6th Grade Pool Party - Saturday, 8/22/26 from 7:30-9 PM Woodland Trails Pool
- Picture Day - Monday, 8/24/26 [During PE/Health Classes]
- 6th Grade Curriculum Night - Wednesday, 9/2/26 @ 6-8 PM
- 7th & 8th Grade Curriculum Night - Wednesday, 9/9/26 @ 6-8 PM
The TMS Nurses will be available for medication drop-off at these times:
- Monday, 8/17/26: 12:30 - 2:45 PM
- Tuesday, 8/18/26: 8 AM - 3:20 PM
- Wednesday - NOT AVAILABLE
- Each school day, starting 8/20/26: 7:30 AM - 3 PM
You're welcome to call the office before making a trip to school to ensure that the nurse is available. You can also reach out directly to the nurse:
Shelly Grossman: sgrossman@sd25.org
Laura Toussaint: ltoussaint@sd25.org
Thursday, 8/20/26 - 1st Day of School - Modified Daily Schedule
- 7:30 AM Arrival: Students should plan to arrive at TMS at 7:30 AM each morning.
- 7:40 AM First Bell: Students will enter the building at 7:40 AM.
- 7:50 AM PACK: Students should be in their seats in PACK by 7:50 AM. Students will receive their complete class schedule when they arrive in PACK. Sixth graders will work with 8th graders to walk their schedules and locate all of their classrooms.
- 8:15-8:30 AM - Delta & Gamma Schedule Walk
- 8:30-9:20 AM - 8th to 6th Grade Connection Time & 6th Grade Schedule Walk
- 2:45 PM - Dismissal
- 4-6 PM PTA Back to School Schedule Walk & Locker Set Up Event with Kona Ice
Friday 8/21/26: TMS will run the Advisory Schedule
The Thomas Middle School staff are beyond excited to welcome our students back to the building. Middle school is an incredible journey marked by growth, new experiences, and growing independence.
A Quick Note for Parents: Handing off your middle schooler can feel like a huge step—and this transition can be harder on parents than it is on the students! It is completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and anxiety. Please know that your kids are in great hands. They are going to meet new people, make wonderful new friends, and build confidence every single day. Thank you for trusting the TMS staff with your children and for supporting your child's independence as they step into this exciting chapter! Staff will be available in the hallways and lunch room to assist students as they learn the routines.
Back-to-school transitions can trigger a mix of excitement and anticipation. Here are practical, actionable tips to help students navigate those heavy feelings:
🎒 Strategies for Students
Focus on the "Controllables": Focusing on simple tasks restores a sense of control. Students can't control who is in their classes or what the locker combination is on the first try, but students can control what outfit they wear, packing their backpack the night before, and charging the Chromebook (6th graders and new students will get their Chromebooks the first week of school).
Reframe Nerves as Excitement: Nervousness and excitement cause the exact same physical reactions (butterflies, sweaty palms, racing heart). When feeling those jitters, tell yourself: "My brain is just getting me hyped up and ready for something new."
Identify Safe Adults: Teachers, social workers, and administrator are available for support. Nobody has to navigate a challenging moment alone.
Grade & Permission to Make Mistakes: Middle school is designed for learning, exploring, and trying new things. TMS staff understand and expect that mistakes will be made, we are learning too! That's why pencils have erasers!
🚗 Drop-Off & Arrival Logistics - PLEASE click HERE and read these INSTRUCTIONS!
To keep traffic moving smoothly and ensure everyone arrives safely, please follow our grade-specific drop-off guidelines:
6th Grade Students:
Entrance: Enter through the 6th grade entrance via Thomas Street.
Drop-Off Location: Parents should drop off in the West parking lot (accessible off Thomas Street and Arlington Heights Road).
7th & 8th Grade Students:
Drop-Off Location: Parents should use the Belmont Avenue drop-off line.
⏰ Arrival Time: Our target arrival time is between 7:30 -7:40 AM.
This allows the students time to socialize with friends, eat a school breakfast, and stop at their lockers before arriving in class by 7:50 AM. Arriving at this time also reduces stress should their be heavy traffic.
📋 Individual Student Schedules & Team Placement:
Schedules: All students will receive their class schedules upon arrival in PACK.
Team Placements: Students from both teams at each grade level are mixed together for classes such as Creative Arts, World Language, ALA, Geometry, lunch and more.
🍱 Lunch: Lunch will be available for all students on the first day. Students are also welcome to bring a lunch from home if they prefer.
🎒 What to Bring (and What to Leave at Home!)
Bring: 7th & 8th graders should bring a fully charged Chromebook.
Leave at Home (for now): Students do not need to bring all of their school supplies on Day One! We want their backpacks to be light and stress-free as they navigate their first day.
🔒 Lockers & After-School Event
Don't worry if your student hasn't set up their locker yet—there is zero rush!
Locker Setup Time: Students can set up their lockers right after school on the first day.
PTA Fundraising Event: Join us from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM for our kickoff PTA event featuring Kona Ice! It’s a great opportunity to set-up and organize lockers, practice walking schedules, grab a sweet treat, purchase or pickup PE shirts, and celebrate the end of a successful first day.
- Monday, 8/24/26 at 10 AM - TMS will have Lockdown & Hold Safety Drills with the Arlington Heights Police Department.
- Friday, 8/28/26 at 2:30 PM - TMS will have Shelter & Evacuate Safety Drills with the Arlington Heights Fire Department.
- Wednesday, 10/21/26 during PE/Health Classes - TMS will have Bus Evacuation Drills.
Girls Basketball: Attention all 7th and 8th grade girls! Girls Basketball Tryouts for the 2026 - 2027 school year are fast approaching, and we couldn't be more excited to keep the momentum rolling from last year's teams that had Multiple Tournament Championships and a 7th-grade team that was Regional and Sectional Champions! Girls Basketball tryouts will be on September 15th and 16th after school and are open to all 7th and 8th-grade girls! To try out, you must have a current Physical turned in to the nurse's office, the Athletic Registration Form filled out, and the Girls Basketball Interest Form filled out.
- Girls Basketball Interest Form - Link
- Athletic Registration Form 26/27 - Link
- There will be an Open Gym on Tuesday, September 8th from 2:45 to 3:30pm in the Large Gym that all girls interested in trying out are free to attend and practice before tryouts.
- TUESDAY, September 15th: 7th Grade: 3:00 - 4:30pm and 8th Grade: 4:30 - 6:00pm
- WEDNESDAY, September 16th: 8th Grade: 3:00 - 4:30pm and 7th Grade: 4:30 - 6:00pm
- QUESTIONS: Please reach out to the Coaches
- Matt Majeski (7th Grade Coach) at mmajeski@sd25.org
- Bradford Keeler (8th Grade Coach) at bkeeler@sd25.org
A District-wide communication to all parents with information about our school meal program, including menu access, payment, and our required notification to all families about how to apply for free/reduced meal will be sent in the near future. This correspondence will also include the student ID#, which will help parents link their student to our online payment system or online free/reduced application. For more information about paying for school lunches, please visit our website.
We encourage you to utilize myschoolmenus.com to see our live menu with nutrition and ingredient information. Below are some additional menu resources including picture and printable menus for you to use if you would like. Please note that these menus are subject to change. They are also posted monthly on our website.
All medical forms such as physicals can be turned in at the TMS office or uploaded to the TMS Health Office form linked here.
Athletes must have a current physical BEFORE they can participate in ANY practices.
Physicals are good for 13 months.
Physical exam MUST be turned in before try-outs.
IL Certificate of Child Health Exam or IHSA-Sports-Physical-Form.pdf
Students that are NEW to D25
1. PHYSICAL EXAMINATION And All required IMMUNIZATIONS
2. DENTAL EXAMINATION
3. EYE EXAMINATION
All medical forms such as physicals can be turned in at the TMS office or uploaded to the TMS Health Office form linked here.
Please contact the TMS Health Office if you have any questions:
Laura Toussaint - ltoussaint@sd25.org
Shelly Grossman - sgrossman@sd25.org
- Bus information will be sent the week before school starts.
- Click here for the Bus Safety Guidelines and Rule as well as details on lost items on the bus.
- Please direct bus transportation questions and concerns to the District 25 Transportation Specialist: Laura Comastro: lcomastro@sd25.org. Phone: 847-758-4888
- Bus Company Questions: Contact Cook Co. School Bus Company at 847-439-0923
Dear TMS Families,
The Thomas Choir is ready for another amazing year of singing! If your child loves to sing and make music with their friends, now is the time to sign up to join TMS Choir.
WHEN: The TMS Choir rehearses before school, on Wednesday and Thursday mornings, from 7:10am-7:45am in the TMS Commons. Our first rehearsal will be Wednesday, September 9. Regular attendance at rehearsals is very important and expected.
WHO: TMS Choir is open to ALL TMS students, no audition or experience necessary! If your child is in Band and is also interested in choir, they CAN participate in both ensembles if they would like to. Many students do so successfully every year.
HOW: The link for the sign-up can be found here: TMS Choir Sign-Up 26-27 Please complete the form as soon as possible, with Tuesday, September 1 being the final day to sign up.
QUESTIONS: If you have any questions, please reach out to the choir director, Ms. Katie Conomikes, at kconomikes@sd25.org.
Thank you so much and take care,
Ms. Katie Conomikes
Our PTA is an amazing supporter of the TMS students and staff and we need your help to continue this strong tradition of supporting the Wolfpack students and staff.
- Tuesday, September 15, 2026
- Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Tuesday, January 12, 2027
- Tuesday, February 9, 2027
- Tuesday, March 9, 2027
- Tuesday, May 11, 2027
Activity Nights:
- Friday, March 12, 2027 - SPRING ACTIVITY NIGHT
- Friday, October 30, 2026 - FALL ACTIVITY NIGHT
2026-2027 Executive Board Members
President - Kym Battista
President Elect -OPEN - Click HERE to complete the nomination form for yourself or another person.
Vice President - Ian Silverman
Treasurer - Sara Hess
Secretary - Joslyn Katz
ABC 25 Memberships - As well as providing teacher grants, each year, the ABC/25 Foundation grants $2,500.00 to all District 25 schools when 25% of the school's families become members. These funds may be used at the school’s discretion. Past Membership Incentive Grants include: lighting and sound system updates, playground equipment, app subscriptions, digital books, Chromebooks, Nooks and iPad minis. We invite you to join ABC/25 Foundation and make an impact on District 25 student learning. Your support ensures that we can continue to provide students with projects and programs that foster innovation, creativity and excellence. One membership counts towards all district schools your children attend.
Social media concerns, incidents that occur after school hours/on the weekends, or outside of school can be reported to the SRO or you can contact the Arlington Heights Police by calling 911 or the non-emergency phone number (847) 368-5300. You can also go directly to the Police Department located at 200 E Sigwalt Street in Arlington Heights. It is open 24 hours. The SROs can be contacted as well:
SRO: John O'Leary joleary@vah.com Cell Phone: (847) 344-2330
SRO: Chris Seebacher cseebacher@vah.com Cell Phone (847) 878-2949
Station Number: 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
- Principal - Lori Naumowicz
- Associate Principal - Greg Keadle
- Associate Principal & Student Services Coordinator - Allie Yoder
- Associate Principal - Kyle Mengarelli