Greetings from Dr. Cremascoli:
Have a happy spring break!
 Dear District 58 Families,
The third quarter is ending, and spring break is right around the corner. This school year is flying! I am very proud of the hard work our students have accomplished inside and outside the classroom this past quarter. I thank our teachers and staff for their dedication and our parents for their support and partnership.
This upcoming month will be very busy for our community! PARCC testing begins April 3, and I hope you encourage your children to do their best on this important assessment. I look forward to Author Fest in mid-April, our schools' spring open houses in late-April and early-May, and our musicians' spring concerts throughout the month. These are just a few of our many upcoming activities.
In the meantime, I hope spring break offers each of you the opportunity to relax, rejuvenate and make new memories with your loved ones.
Sincerely,
Kari Cremascoli, Ph.D.
Superintendent of Schools
|
|
District 58 earns state's highest financial recognition for 17th year
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) recently awarded District 58 with a Financial Recognition rating on the District's 2017 School District Financial Profile. Financial Recognition is the highest financial strength rating that ISBE awards, and this year marks the 17th consecutive year District 58 achieved this status.
All Illinois school districts receive an annual rating from the ISBE, which considers financial indicators including fund balance to revenue ratio; expenditure to revenue ratio; days of cash on hand; percentage of short-term borrowing ability remaining; and percentage of long-term debt margin remaining.
|
|
Students will take the PARCC assessment in April
 District 58 requests our parents' support as we prepare our students for success on next month's PARCC assessment. Our PARCC testing window is April 3-20. Principals are sharing their schools' testing schedules with parents this week.
As with any endeavor, we encourage our students to do their best on the PARCC. Thank you, parents, for your partnership.
|
|
District celebrates students selected to attend Young Authors' Conference
District 58 is proud of the many students who submitted entries to the 2018 Illinois Young Authors' Conference Contest. This annual writing program invited students to write an original story and submit it to their classroom teacher. Each school selected one manuscript to be featured at the statewide Illinois Young Authors' Conference in May.
In addition, manuscripts will be on display at the Downers Grove Public Library's Junior Room for viewing now through Monday, April 9. They will also be on display during the regular Board of Education meeting on April 9 at 7 p.m.
|
District 58 announces new hires
District 58 is pleased to announce the appointment of two key positions for the 2018
-19 school year.
Melissa Sawisch will join Kingsley School as its principal starting July 1.
Sawisch currently serves District 58 as the assistant principal of Hillcrest and Pierce Downer schools, as well as the District 58 Summer School principal. Previously, she worked as the assistant principal at O'Neill Middle School.
Learn more about Melissa Sawisch.
 Catherine Hannigan will serve as the District's manager of business services beginning July 16.
Hannigan comes to District 58 from Berkeley School District 87, where she currently works as Northlake Middle School's assistant principal. Hannigan has also earned her chief school business official (CSBO) certification and completed Business Office internships at Indian Prairie School District 204 and Community Consolidated School District 146.
Learn more about Catherine Hannigan.
|
Board approves 2018-19 calendar
The Board of Education approved the 2018-19 school year calendar during their regular March meeting.
|
Save the date for Author Fest!
District 58 welcomes families and community members to the Author Fest Book Sale and Signing on
Friday, April 20 from 6-8 p.m.
at the
Downers Grove Public Library
. Families can enjoy a meet-and-greet, photo opportunity and book signing with five prominent children's authors and illustrators -
Troy Cummings, Brianna DuMont, Kate Hannigan, Michelle Schaub and Allan Woodrow
.
The book signing will conclude the 2018 Author Fest. The annual District 58 PTA Council sponsored Author Fest event alternates each year between north side and south side schools. This year, Belle Aire, Henry Puffer, Highland, Hillcrest, Lester and Pierce Downer will welcome authors into their schools on April 18-20. The authors will share fun, hands-on insights about the writing/illustration process with students.
|
Lester construction gets underway
|
|
|
District 58 celebrates the official start of Lester construction! From L-R: Rep. David Olsen, Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli, Lester Principal Carin Novak, Lester Assistant Principal Katie Novosel, School Board Members Darren Hughes, Greg Harris and John Miller and Assistant Superintendent for Business/CSBO David Bein
|
The Lester community celebrated March 19 as they ceremonially broke ground on the school's three-classroom construction project.
Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli and Lester Principal Carin Novak welcomed the crowd and thanked them for their support before gathering with school and local leaders to shovel the first mounds of dirt.
The $2.24 million Lester project will add three classrooms, ADA-compliant bathrooms and a flexible resource space to the school's east side. Construction is expected to be complete for the 2018-19 school year.
|
O'Neill, Lester and Fairmount support the St. Baldrick's Foundation
Several District 58 students participated in fundraisers last week to support the St. Baldrick Foundation, a nonprofit that funds childhood cancer research. Fundraiser highlights include:
 O'Neill:
In only five days, O'Neill students rallied together and raised $6,658.10 to support the St. Baldrick's Foundation. During an all-school assembly, top student donors earned the opportunity to "pie" their teachers in the face, and Principal Mr. Matt Durbala and Science Teacher Mr. Bobby Mueller shaved their heads.
Learn more and view photos.
 Lester:
A group of Lester students called "Da Lester Leopard'chans" raised $12,295 to support the St. Baldrick Foundation's effort to cure childhood cancer. This exceeded their goal of $10,000! Since the students achieved their goal, Lester PE Teacher Patrick Donnelly joined the fun and got his head shaved as well. Learn more and view photos.
 Fairmount:
Fairmount fifth grader Ella worked hard to raise money and awareness for children's cancer research. She recently gave short speeches about her fundraising mission to Fairmount's intermediate classrooms. Last Friday, Ella and her classmate and fellow-fundraiser, Dominic, shaved their heads during the Fairmount PTA's Family Bingo Night. In total, Ella and Dominic raised nearly $4,000, all which will support the St. Baldrick Foundation. Great work! View more photos.
|
|
Belle Aire hosts "Reading to the Dogs"
Several Belle Aire students recently returned to school after hours to read their favorite books to very special friends: certified therapy dogs. This event, called "Reading to the Dogs," is a Belle Aire tradition.
LRC Teacher Joan Mommsen has coordinated this semi-annual event for several years. She said children often feel more comfortable reading to dogs, since dogs appear to quietly listen and do not judge or critique.
|
District 58 emailed new community e-flyers to all parents on
March 15. E-flyers are also posted on the District 58 e-flyer page at
dg58.org/e-flyers/ and listed below.
|
 The mission of District 58, in partnership with parents and community, is to challenge and engage each child by providing quality educational programs and support services in a safe, nurturing, and child-centered environment in order to prepare all students to be lifelong learners and contributing members of a global society.
Communicate 58 shares timely, relevant information about District 58 with parents, community members and others who are interested in how we are living out our mission. If you have any questions/comments regarding Communicate 58, or have an article/photo idea for the publication, please contact Community Relations Coordinator Megan Hewitt at [email protected] or 630-719-5805.
|
|
| |
|
District 58 on social media
|
|
|
|
News from the Board of Education
The Board of Education held a regular meeting on Monday, March 12.
Highlights include an assistive technology presentation, 2018-19 school year calendar discussion and more.
|
|
Upcoming Board meetings
Tuesday, April 3
7-8 a.m.
Financial Advisory Committee Meeting at the ASC
Thursday, April 5
7-8 a.m.
Policy Committee Meeting at the ASC
Friday, April 6
7-8 a.m.
Legislative Committee at the Longfellow Center
This Legislative Committee meeting will include a public "Coffee with the Legislators" event with Sen. John Curran and Rep. David Olsen and Hilary Denk (district director to Congressman Foster). The Legislative Committee will ask the legislators questions about educational policy. This event replaces this year's Legislative Breakfast, which was canceled due to the Snow Day.
Monday, April 9
7 p.m.
Regular Board Meeting at
DG Village Hall
HYA, the District's strategic plan consultants, is expected to present the District's draft Strategic Plan Report to the Board.
|
|
District 58 alumna wins gold at Paralympics!
Congratulations to District 58 alumna Kendall Gretsch, who recently won two gold medals in the Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang!
Learn more about Kendall.
|
|
Livability names Downers Grove a "best place to live"
Livability recently named Downers Grove the #46 place to live in the country, citing its 'award-winning public schools' as one of the reasons for its ranking.
Learn more.
|
|
Summer School and ESY registration due April 13
Register for District 58's Summer School and Extended School Year programs now through April 13.
The Summer School program includes classes on math, reading, art, band and orchestra.
Students are eligible for Extended School Year programming through their IEP.
|
|
Save the date!
2018-19 registration opens April 16
District 58 will open registration for the 2018-19 school year on Monday, April 16. Like in previous years, the District will offer online registration, and parents will receive private, individualized "snapcodes" to aid with the registration process.
Please note: in the last issue of Communicate 58, we announced registration would open April 9. T
he go-live date has since been adjusted to April 16, so registration information can be sent home with report cards on that same day.
|
|
District 58 is hiring!
District 58 is hiring for several positions, including an assistant principal position at Hillcrest and Pierce Downer schools and summer school teaching and support service positions.
|
|
March/April
District Calendar
Friday, March 23
End of third quarter
March 26-April 2
Spring break
Tuesday, April 3
School resumes
April 3-20
PARCC testing window; Principals will share specific school testing schedules with parents
Tuesday, April 10
7-8 p.m.
South Side 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra Concert at O'Neill
Thursday, April 12
9 a.m.
Kindergarten Roundup at Fairmount School
Friday, April 13
9 a.m.
Kindergarten Roundup at Whittier School
Monday, April 16
2018-19 registration opens and report cards are sent home
Tuesday, April 17 and Wednesday, April 18
9 a.m.
Kindergarten Roundup at Henry Puffer School
Tuesday, April 17
7-8 p.m.
North Side 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra Concert at Herrick and
South Side Elementary Band Concert at O'Neill
Wednesday, April 18
9:30 a.m.
Kindergarten Roundup at Indian Trail School
April 18-20
Author Fest
Thursday, April 19
7-8 p.m.
North Side 4th Grade Orchestra and Chamber Strings Concert at Herrick
Monday, April 23
7-8 p.m.
North Side 5th and 6th Grade Band Concert at Herrick
Tuesday, April 24
7-8:30 p.m.
Sixth Grade Parent Night at Herrick
Tuesday, April 24
7-8 p.m.
South Side 4th Grade Orchestra and Chamber Strings Concert at O'Neill
Wednesday, April 25
7-8:30 p.m.
Downers Grove Children's Chorus Concert at Herrick
Thursday, April 26
8-10:30 a.m.
Realtor-School District Breakfast at Downers Grove South
Thursday, April 26
9 a.m.
Kindergarten Roundup at Hillcrest School
Thursday, April 26
Varied evening times
Spring Open House at Belle Aire, Fairmount, Highland, Indian Trail, Lester, Pierce Downer and Whittier
Thursday, April 26
7-8:30 p.m.
Herrick Chamber Ensembles Concert at Herrick
Friday, April 27
School Improvement Day: Half day of school for students (a.m. only)
Friday, April 27
9:30 a.m.
Kindergarten Roundup at Kingsley School
|
|
|
