Volume 1, Issue 5 | Monday, Dec. 2, 2019
DR. RUSSELL'S CORNER
Welcome back!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and found time to relax with family and friends. Believe it or not, the District has begun planning the school calendar for next year. A draft calendar will be discussed at the Board of Education's December meeting. (Want to view the draft calendar? It will be posted to BoardDocs by this Friday evening.) The final calendar will be voted on during the January Board meeting.

Science Fair judges wanted
The District's Science Fair is right around the corner and will take place Saturday, Jan. 25. We need help with setup on Friday, Jan. 24 and with project judging on Saturday, Jan. 25. Please click here to sign up!

Facility planning update
The District 58 Citizen Task Force will meet Wednesday, Dec. 18 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Longfellow. The purpose of this task force is to finalize the DRAFT Master Facility Plan and make recommendations to the Board of Education. The task force will likely meet four to six times over the winter and spring and make its final recommendation prior to the conclusion of the school year. In addition to assembling the task force, the District will also host a number of community engagement sessions on this topic that will be open to all. Follow facility planning updates here .
CURRICULUM, ASSESSMENT & INSTRUCTION
Professional learning reminder
Be sure to check the detailed schedule and/or the detailed schedule for special services to see your locations for Monday, Dec. 9. Monday, Dec. 16 is a teacher-directed day for most staff.  

Committee updates
The Math Committee , Social Studies Committee and STEM Committee all met during the week prior to Thanksgiving. Click on any of the links to learn more about the work of these groups!

Thank you!
Thank you to all of our teachers and administrators who shared their knowledge and expertise at today’s Institute Day. We ran 113 unique sessions throughout the day which would not be possible without the efforts of so many District 58 staff members who presented.  
PERSONNEL
Sick? Please request a sub as early as possible
As cold and flu season is upon us, we ask that you make the decision to request a substitute for a sick day as soon as possible. If you are not feeling well, it is more than appropriate to make the decision early - even 24 hours in advance - to increase the chance of securing a substitute. We greatly appreciate your assistance in reducing the number of unfilled substitute positions at our schools.  

Helpful tips for using Aesop/Frontline: 
SPECIAL SERVICES
What you need to know about new school timeout, restraint regulations
If you have been following the news lately, you are likely aware that ISBE recently released emergency regulations for the use of timeouts and restraints in schools, which are effective immediately. The new emergency regulations are based upon data gathered in a recent investigation on the misuse of isolated timeouts and physical restraints in Illinois schools.  

The following are important points to be aware of:
  • District 58 does not practice isolated time outs nor seclusion.
  • District and building crisis intervention staff are trained and certified in CPI, a de-escalation response model that does not use prone or supine (laying down) restraint. Prone and supine restraints are now considered illegal.
  • The District employs three certified CPI trainers who train, certify and refresh all crisis response staff annually.
  • In District 58, physical restraint is utilized exclusively for maintaining student and staff safety, in a therapeutic model, by CPI-certified staff. This model continues to be supported by ISBE’s new rules.
  • Any time staff use the de-escalation response model, it is documented and shared with families the same day. We keep a record of all restraints within the student's temporary file and at the District office.
  • Restraint data and policy language is reviewed annually by our Parent Teacher Advisory Committee.

The link to ISBE's emergency regulations can be found here . This month, District staff will participate in a training put on by our special education cooperative, SASED. The Special Education Committee is scheduled for an additional meeting on Dec. 12 to provide input into the District’s plan for compliance and education moving forward. This plan also will be reviewed by our Parent Teacher Advisory Committee and shared with District staff prior to the winter holiday break. In the meantime, if you should have any questions at all, please reach out to Assistant Superintendent for Special Services Jessica Stewart.
TECHNOLOGY
Hour of Code is coming
Next week is Computer Science Education Week. This is a great opportunity to have all students spend at least one hour coding. You can read more about it and find resources here. 
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
District 58 surveys will open this month
District 58 will email all parents information regarding this year’s parent, student and staff 5Essentials Survey, as well as the parent School Environment Survey, on Tuesday. Dec. 3. For your reference, here are the survey windows:
  • Parent School Environment Survey: Dec. 3-21
  • Parent 5Essentials Survey: Dec. 3-Feb. 14 (it’s technically open now, but we’ll start promoting it on Dec. 3 with the other surveys.)
  • Student (Grade 4-8) and Staff 5Essentials Surveys: Dec. 10-Feb. 14

Please read our District 58 Staff Survey FAQ sheet to learn important information on taking and administering these important surveys!

Last chance: DGJWC teacher grant apps are due today!
The Downers Grove Junior Woman’s Club invites full-time teachers to apply to the Teacher Grant/Professional Development Scholarship Program by Monday, Dec. 2. The DGJWC plans to award five grants of $500 or less to District 58 and District 99 full-time educators. They will announce the award recipients the week of Dec. 16. 
BUSINESS
Complete a wellness screening and earn $100!
District 58 is launching a new wellness screening program this month! All benefits-eligible staff (and spouses on a District insurance plan) who complete a screening will earn a $100 gift card . Log on to your iVisions account to learn more or read the below.

Sign up for a wellness screening by visiting www.chcw.com and clicking on Member Login. In the “new participants” box, enter code 4146Dow144 and follow the prompts. You will be asked to complete a survey. If participating in an off-site screening, you’ll be asked to print two forms to take to the facility.

On-site wellness screenings will take place at the following times/places. Employees must sign up in advance for a screening slot.

  • Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 5-10 a.m. at Herrick
  • Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 6-11 a.m. at Indian Trail
  • Wednesday, Dec. 4 from 6-11 a.m. at Henry Puffer and O’Neill

If all on-site slots fill up, you and your spouse may also complete an off-site screening at any Labcorp Facility by Dec. 18. Sign up for an offsite screening here . The nearest Labcorp locations are in Hinsdale and Naperville.

Please fast for 10-12 hours before your screenings. Screenings will include a simple blood draw, a blood pressure reading and a questionnaire that helps detect early stages of disease and disorders. Results will be ready within 3-5 days. Learn more information by viewing the below packets:


Still have questions? Please call wellness provider CHC Wellbeing at 866-373-4242.

Thank you for completing open enrollment!
District 58 thanks everyone who participated in open enrollment in November! To encourage participation, the District entered everyone who completed open enrollment into a raffle to win a $10 gift card. Congrats to our open enrollment raffle winners!
  • Pat Doll, Highland
  • Julie Ekman, Herrick
  • Sara Gallo, Hillcrest
  • Carol Gruber, Highland
  • Venessa Jeris, O'Neill
  • Christine Reynolds, Henry Puffer
  • Jessica Stewart, ASC
  • Tasha Squires, O'Neill
  • Manuel Velez, Lester
  • Pat Vena, Longfellow
BUILDINGS & GROUNDS
Winter weather preparations
The Buildings and Grounds team prepares for snow and ice control measures before hazardous conditions are expected. Then, as soon as conditions warrant, plowing and salting begins. Their goal is to remove all the snow/ice from roads, parking lots and walkways within four hours after the conclusion of a snowfall. The timing and amount of precipitation always requires adjustments to the plans. The use of winter de-icing products helps prevent and/or break the bond between snow/ice and the pavement.

Unfortunately, de-icing chemicals lose effectiveness in extremely cold temperatures, and some pavement areas may still be slick.  We encourage everyone to use caution when traversing around the District!

Iowa State University has provided helpful tips for navigating winter weather conditions. Please read these tips here.
PEOPLE ARE TALKING
"People are Talking" typically features some of the recent emails, voicemails, survey comments and social media mentions that the District received from stakeholders thanking District staff who exceeded expectations.

Today, we are taking a different approach and highlighting an employee who was recently recognized in her hometown newspaper for her work here in District 58!

Hillcrest Third Grade Teacher Dr. Sue Anderson attended high school in Galt, Calif. Her hometown newspaper, The Galt Herald, features columns on accomplished Galt High School grads. They recently profiled Dr. Anderson, highlighting her career educating District 58 children! Congrats, and great job representing District 58's fantastic teaching staff! Read the story here!

Did you or your co-worker receive a complimentary message? Please forward it to mhewitt@dg58.org !