Thomas Community Newsletter

Dear TMS Community,

As we head into this final week before Spring Break, the energy at TMS is truly electric! It has been an incredibly busy and productive stretch for our students and staff alike. The IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) and ISA (Illinois Science Assessment) testing sessions are done and make-up testing will be this week. We are so proud of the focus, grit, and stamina our students displayed during these assessments.

Beyond the classroom, our Timberwolves have been making history. We are absolutely thrilled to congratulate our 7th Grade Girls’ Volleyball team for their phenomenal performance as State Runner-Ups—an incredible achievement that reflects their hard work and teamwork. We also want to recognize our talented wrestlers who competed at the state level this past weekend, representing TMS with pride. Congratulations to Band Students Performing at the Northshore Concert Band! Finally, a huge "good luck" to our Science Olympiad students as they gear up for their own state competition! It has been a season of high achievement across the board, and we are looking forward to a well-deserved break to recharge and celebrate these successes.

On Wednesday, March 18th TMS will host our 3rd Quarter Recognition Assembly. Upon return from spring break, we'll start the final quarter of the school year.

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

• No School - Tuesday, 3/17/26 - SIP Day for Staff
• Student Council ~ Countdown to Spring Break
• Absence Reporting & On Time Arrival for School - Spring Break is Around the Corner
• Board Games Wanted
• 8th Grade Portrait Re-Takes
• Track and Field Information
• Spring Break is March 23-27
• ATA Scholarship 2026
• Talk with your Middle Schooler About Posting
• 5Essentials Survey Thank You!
• PTA Spring Activity Night Thank You!

Previously Shared Newsletter Information:

• PTA Spring Plant Sale - QR Code Added
• PTA Yearbook Waitlist Form
• Summer U

• March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month
• ABC/25 Foundation - TMS needs just a few more families to sign up!

• TMS Lost & Found Items

Standing Newsletter Information Includes:

• PTA Information

• School Resource Office Information
  
• Safe2Help Illinois

• TMS Administrator Team

Save the Dates

• 7th Grade Outdoor Education - Monday and Tuesday, 4/6/26 & 4/7/26

• TMS Spring Musical: Performance - Friday & Saturday, April 24th & 25th

• 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

• Congratulations to 8th graders Aubrey Douvris (clarinet) & Caitlin Goins (euphonium) who were selected to perform in concert with the Northshore Concert Band!
• The NCB is one of the best adult bands in the country.
• This was held on Sunday, Feb 22 in Evanston at Northwestern University's concert hall.
• What an HONOR ~ they represented Thomas so well!
• Congratulations, Aubrey & Caitlin!

As spring break is right around the corner, we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the critical importance of daily school attendance.

Should your child be sick or an unavoidable situation occur, please Click HERE to use the absence reporting on Power School to report the absence or early dismissal.

• ABSENCE REPORTING: Please be sure to report absences as soon as you become aware that your child will miss school.
• ON TIME ARRIVAL TO SCHOOL: Students are encouraged to arrive at TMS each morning at 7:30 AM. This allows for a successful start to the school day. Students can enjoy socializing with peers, having a warm breakfast, and having ample time to get their lockers and arrive in 1st period class before the 7:50 AM bell.

We’re looking to add a few more game options for students to enjoy during lunch and would love your help! If you have any gently-used board or card games at home that are no longer getting much play... think chess, Uno, Spot It, checkers, or other quick, fun games... we’d be happy to give them a new life at Thomas.

Students will be able to check them out and play with friends during lunch. If you’d like to donate, your child can drop games in the collection box in the front office.

Thanks for helping us create more fun ways for students to connect during the school day!

In the fast-paced world of group chats and TikTok comments, middle schoolers’ thumbs often move faster than their "pause" button. To help them navigate these digital waters, we’ve been reminding them of the THINK practice.

It’s a simple but powerful "speed bump" for their digital footprint:

• T – Is it True?

• H – Is it Helpful?

• I – Is it Inspiring?

• N – Is it Necessary?

• K – Is it Kind?

Try this: Next time you see your child on their device, ask them: "If you had to run your last three posts through the THINK test, which letter would be the hardest to pass?" It’s a low-pressure way to keep the conversation open and help them build that essential digital filter!

Many thanks to everyone who completed the survey! We exceeded the 20% Parent Participation rate and look forward to learning from your feedback.

A huge thank you to our incredible PTA and parent volunteers who organized and staffed the

Spring Activity Event and the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament!

Events like this require an immense amount of "behind-the-scenes" planning and a true "all-hands-on-deck" spirit. Whether you donated items, sold tickets at lunch, supervised event activities, served as a ref and kept score in the gym, your dedication created a fantastic experience for our students.

The Timberwolves came together for friendly competition and had lots of fun!

We truly could not provide these special middle school memories without

your time, energy, and support!

• The yearbook orders have closed for the 2025-2026 school year.
• Please click HERE to complete this form if you wish to have your chlid's name placed on the waitlist for a yearbook.
• We CANNOT guarantee that your child will get a yearbook, but should a yearbook become available we can sell them for $25. Parents will be contacted by the PTA in the order in which these requests were received.
• Please contact the TMS PTA at thomasmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com if you have any questions about yearbook purchases.

We are please to announce the proclamation from the village of Arlington Heights, declaring March as Theatre and Music month in all schools. We will be highlighting the music and theater programs at Thomas throughout the month on the daily announcments.

Arlington Heights Fire Chief Lance Harris recently shared a letter reminding us that March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month. TMS will practice our safety drills this month.

Below is helpful information to know and review:

• The Illinois Emergency Management urges everyone to develop a safety plan for use as home, workplace, school, vehicle, and outdoor activities.
• Be aware of severe weather safety rules.
• Planning ahead and knowing what do might save lives.
• More information can be found by visiting the Illinois Emergency Management Agency website: https://ready.illinois.gov/

Our Lost and Found is currently overflowing with PE shirts, shoes, sweatshirts, hats, coats, water bottles, lunch containers, and more!

• We encourage students to take a few minutes this week to check for any missing items.
• Families may also want to remind students to look through the collection during the school day.
• Any unclaimed items will be donated at spring break, so please encourage your child to stop by and claim anything that belongs to them.

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 15 MORE FAMILIES to join to meet our goal and receive this grant!

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

YEARBOOKS: Each membership includes 1 TMS yearbook. Join the TMS PTA and help support the TMS community! Check out the TMS PTA Website.

MEETINGS: If you are interested in getting involved in the PTA or simply checking out a meeting @ 7:00pm in the TMS Library. Everyone is welcome! Can't attend in person, join us online at:https://meet.google.com/juy-ezgw-mhh

• Wednesday, March 18, 2026
• Wednesday, May 13, 2026

2025-2026 Executive Board Members

• 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.

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

Please click HERE for the latest newsletter from Link Together Coalition. This newsletter contains updates on the coalition's latest efforts and events, education for parents and educators, and great resources.

• 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)