Thomas Community Newsletter

Dear TMS Community,

We hope you all enjoyed a restful fall break, a joyful Thanksgiving holiday, and the excitement of our first snowfall of the season! As we return to school, TMS is buzzing with anticipation for our upcoming Variety Show, Mystery in the Spotlight, taking place this Friday and Saturday night, 12/5 & 12/6 @ 7 PM. Tickets ($5) are available for purchase at the door. We’re also excited to kick off our Student Council Food Drive, running December 1–12, and encourage all families to participate in supporting our community. Additionally, we want to remind families that TMS will be administering MAP Testing this Wednesday and next, 12/3 & 12/10. Please help set students up for success by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast on testing days.

In this newsletter, you'll find information on the following items:

• Winter MAP Testing Dates & Modified Daily Schedules - Wednesday, 12/3 & 12/10
• Daily Announcements & TMS Daily Calendar
• Drama Department Events
• Student Council Holiday Food Drive
• PTA Spirit Wear Holiday Sale - Sale Ends Tuesday, 12/2
• Congratulations to the TMS Spelling Bee Winners
• Congratulations to the Band Students - District 7 Honor Band
• Staff Updates
• On Time Arrival To School & Winter Weather
• Attendance Matters
• Early Dismissal Guidelines
• Inclement Weather Letter

• ABC/25 Membership Drive *Just a few more families needed to reach our goal!

Standing Newsletter information includes:

• Office Hours/Academic Support After School

• PTA Information

• Community Partner Glenbard Parent Series
• School Resource Office Information
  
• Safe2Help Illinois
  
• Bus Information
• Omni Parent Communication Campaign

• Link Together Information

• TMS Administrator Team

SAVE THE DATES:

• Winter Break - No School, Monday, 12/22/25- Monday, 1/5/26

• 8th Grade Graduation, Tuesday, 6/2/26, 7:30 PM, Forrest View Educational Center

With gratitude for your partnerships and support,

The TMS Administrative Team

Lori Naumowicz, Principal

Greg Keadle, Associate Principal

Jeremy Fischer, Associate Principal

Allie Yoder, Associate Principal & TMS Student Services Coordinator

• Winter MAP Testing will take place on the next two Wednesdays, 12/3 and 12/10.
• TMS will run a Modified Daily Schedule on these days.
• How can parents help? Please be sure that the middle school students get 8-10 hours of sleep the night before, have a healthy breakfast the morning of testing, and arrive to school between 7:30-7:40 AM on testing days.

Just in time for the holiday season! The PTA spirit wear sale has begun! Click HERE for a link to start shopping! The store will close on Tuesday, 12/2 at midnight – with delivery to TMS before winter break!

Congratulations on your retirement!

• Julia Piontek - On December 1st, 2025, we proudly celebrate TMS Julia Piontek Day at TMS as we honor her years of service and wish her the very best in her well-earned retirement. We are incredibly grateful that Mrs. Pointek's dedicated 19 remarkable years to District 25, with the last 14 of those years spent making an extraordinary impact here at Thomas. Her dedication to TMS runs deep, as she is an alumni of TMS and she has spent 28% of her life connected to TMS! A true scientist at heart, Mrs. Pointek's has shared her deep knowledge, curiosity, and expertise with our students and staff, elevating learning in ways that will leave a lasting legacy. Beyond her daily work at TMS, she has generously tutored countless students, helping them build skill, confidence, and a love of learning. Mrs. Pointek's dedication, warmth, and steady presence have enriched our the Wolf Pack Community, and we are grateful for all she has given. Congratulations, Mrs. Pointek's, and thank you for everything—once a T-Wolf, Always a T-Wolf!

Welcome to the Newest Members of the Wolf Pack!

• Anthony Greco - Teacher Assistant working with the Zeta Team and Wrestling Coach
• Erin Zurek - Long Term Social Studies Guest Teacher for the Epsilon Team

As we move into the winter season, timely arrival to school is more important than ever. Students should plan to arrive between 7:30–7:40 AM each day so they can start their morning calmly, be prepared for learning, and transition smoothly into their first class. With colder weather, snow, and increased traffic, we encourage families to allow extra time in the morning to account for slower travel. Thank you for helping ensure our students begin their day ready and on time!

In the coming days, Thomas will be sending attendance letters to families of students who have missed 5% or more of the school year so far. These letters are meant to raise awareness and continue to strengthen our partnership in working together to support consistent attendance. Our goal is to ensure that every student has access to daily learning, strong routines, and the full range of experiences that help them grow and succeed in middle school and beyond.

Just a reminder that if your student needs to leave early, for any reason, they must sign out through the main office. We will verify that a parent or guardian has filled out the early dismissal form on PowerSchool prior to releasing the student from the building. Thank you for helping to train our

T-Wolves on this process!

Click HERE to report an early dismissal.

If the District needs to “close” due to inclement weather, Dr. Kaye would make one of two decisions:

• Make up the day on a later date according to our calendar, OR

• Utilize an eLearning Day in which students use their District devices to learn from home.

The following letters were sent out to the D25 Community on Wednesday, November 12:

- Inclement Weather Letter

- eLearning Day Letter (this letter is located within the Inclement Weather Letter)

Help us earn $2,500 by joining the ABC/25 Foundation.

Membership is $40, but District staff have a discounted rate of $25. Membership dues directly fund the teacher grants.

Thomas needs JUST 20 MORE FAMILIES to join to meet our goal and receive this grant!

TMS After School Support by Team is available to ALL students on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays!

• Please encourage your child to attend Office Hours 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 for students who have a bus pass.

The TMS PTA has a lot to offer this year! We are excited for all the activities we have planned!

• Wednesday, January 14, 2026
• Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• Wednesday, May 13, 2026

• President - Jim Moncada

• President Elect - Kym Battista

• Vice President - Ian Silverman

• Treasurer - Sara Hess

• Secretary - Joslyn Katz

TMS PTA Memberships - Have you joined the PTA? Your membership gives you exclusive access to the Thomas Middle School Directory through Directory Spot. Not a member? No problem! You can join by visiting the AH25 Webstore to purchase online or by emailing us at thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com.

District 25 is a partner in the Link Together Coalition which gives our community access to the Glenbard Parent Series. Please check out the various Glenbard Parent Series presentations that work to engage top experts, parents and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal to strengthen our communities. Programs are free and open to the public. No registration required.

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) 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

• Click here for the Bus Safety Guidelines and Rule as well as details on lost items on the bus.
• Please direct bus transportation questions to the District 25 Transportation Specialist: Laura Comastro as she can answer your questions and resolve issues. lcomastro@sd25.org. Phone: 847-758-4888
• Bus Company Questions: Contact Cook Co. School Bus Company at 847-439-0923

• Principal - Lori Naumowicz
• Associate Principal - Greg Keadle (Delta, Epsilon, & Zeta Teams)
• Associate Principal & Student Services Coordinator - Allie Yoder
• Associate Principal & Teacher - Jeremy Fischer (Alpha, Beta, Gamma Teams)