Communicate 58: August 9, 2023

Volume 16, Issue 1 | Wednesday, August 9, 2023

About the cover photos: Left: Students in Orchestra Summer Session III practice their instruments. Right: Students learn the trombone during summer school.

Throughout this publication, you will see the following color-coded dots beside each article. The dots represent which strategic goal the article addresses:

• Focusing on Learning • Connecting the Community • Securing the Future

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District 58 calendar •••

Monday, Aug. 14

Elementary class lists will be posted on PowerSchool (principals will email families designated release times)

Monday, August 14

Board of Education meeting

7 p.m. Downers Grove Village Hall

Tuesday, August 15

O'Neill Sneak Preview

Herrick Sneak Preview

Wednesday, August 16

O'Neill Sneak Preview

Herrick Sneak Preview

Monday, Aug. 21-Tuesday, Aug. 22

Teacher Institute Days

Monday, Aug. 21

2:45-3:30 p.m.: Teacher Meet and Greet at all Elementary Schools

Tuesday, Aug. 22

4:30-7 p.m.: Locker Setup Night at Herrick and O'Neill

Wednesday, Aug. 23

First Day of School (Grades K-8)

Preschool Meet the Teacher (Session times emailed to families)

Click here to view the 2023-24 calendar.

A message from Dr. Russell •••

Dear District 58 Families,

I hope this letter finds you well and that you are enjoying the final weeks of summer. The District has been very busy preparing for the upcoming school year. The District Office staff have been working hard this summer as have the custodians, especially during some grueling hot days. As always, the buildings look great and we are ready for our staff and students to return. Below are some of the highlights of this summer’s work.

Embracing continuous improvement via Cycles of Inquiry for school improvement planning
Reviewing and analyzing 2022-23 data using our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for achievement and growth
Positive psychology training (called Orange Frog) for approximately 50 additional staff members (see story in this edition)
Construction projects at several schools (playgrounds, flooring, masonry, room reconfigurations, fire alarm panels, etc.)
ALICE safety instructor training for the administrative team (see story in this edition)
Planning for the first phase of referendum projects and finalizing the initial round of bid packets that will go out this fall
Collaborating with the Village of Downers Grove on our new administrative center that will be located in the new Civic Center
Welcoming new administrators to the District Office and middle schools
Completing multiple sessions of summer school, preschool screening, and additional activities for students

I am very pleased to share that planning for the referendum construction continues to go well. This summer the District focused on as many projects outside of the referendum as possible so we can be ready to go with the major projects next spring. The next four summers at our schools will be filled with construction. We are excited about what the future holds as it is certainly something to celebrate. We thank you for your support and your collaboration in helping us reach new heights!

As we head into the fall, the focus will be on celebrating and recognizing our students and staff, embracing continuous school improvement, and finalizing the new Strategic Plan. The five focus/goal areas for the Strategic Plan are listed below and we look forward to partnering with the staff and community to shape the next five years. These five areas were set by the Board in March and the staff and community established priorities for each when over 100 people gathered together in May.

Focusing on Learning (Curriculum, Instruction, Assessment)
Securing the Future (Finance and Facilities)
Connecting the Community (Relationships and Communications)
Building for Success (Implement new Pre-K-5, 6-8 models)
Cultivating Talent (Maximizing the Potential of Students, Staff, and Families)

Below you will find links that include other information regarding the opening week of schools. As always, principals will also share building-specific information.

Enjoy these last few weeks of summer! We are very excited to see all of our staff and students return very soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin Russell

Superintendent

Back-to-School Resources ••

Bookmark these Resources

Key Dates

First Day of School: Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023
First Day of Preschool: Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023 (Aug. 23 will be a Preschool Meet-and-Greet)
Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 22-24, 2023
Winter Break: Dec. 25, 2023-Jan. 5, 2024
Spring Break: March 25-29, 2024
Last Day of School: Friday, May 24 (if no emergency days are used)

School Hours in District 58

AM Preschool: 8:25 - 11:05 a.m. Monday – Friday *
PM Preschool: 11:55 - 2:35 p.m. Monday – Friday *

* Preschool hours were adjusted slightly for 2023-24 to align more closely with K-6 elementary hours.

Half-Day Kindergarten: 8:15 - 11:20 a.m. Monday - Friday
Full-Day Kindergarten and Grades 1-6:

8:15 a.m. - 2 p.m. Monday

8:15 a.m. - 3 p.m. Tuesday - Friday

Grades 7-8:

8:30 a.m.- 2:10 p.m. Monday

8:30 a.m. - 3:17 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.

* Early Bird classes (band, choir and orchestra) will take place from 7:45-8:25 a.m. Monday-Friday.

District 58 Office and District Service Center: 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday – Friday

Student schedules available Aug. 14 ••

Student schedules will be available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal on Aug. 14. You will receive a notice from your school at the exact time that the information will be live. We are staggering times they are available in order to help ensure the efficiency of the PowerSchool system.

Belle Aire, Henry Puffer, Highland, Lester, Pierce Downer, Whittier

Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. 6-7:30 p.m.

El Sierra, Fairmount, Indian Trail, Hillcrest, Kingsley

Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023. 6-7:30 p.m.

Herrick 7th Grade

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. 6-7:30 p.m.

O'Neill, Herrick 8th Grade

Wednesday, Sept. 13. 6-7:30 p.m.

Grove Children's Preschool at Indian Trail

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, 6-7:30 p.m.

Grove Children's Preschool at Henry Puffer

Gifted Program

Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, 6-7:30 p.m.

Workshop for parents on Facilitated IEP meetings ••

District 58 invites all parents of students with IEPs, or those who are participating in the special education evaluation process, to join the DG58 Special Services team and Key2Ed for a Facilitated IEP training. It will be held on October 11 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. This virtual workshop, geared specifically for families, will outline the new process District 58 will use during IEP meetings starting later this fall, called IEP Meeting Facilitation. The presentation will explain the process and its benefits and help parents prepare for these important student meetings. The goal of the IP Meeting Facilitation process is to provide clarity to teammate roles, ensure that the meeting stays focused on the needs of students, is productive and efficient, and remains collaborative, all the while ensuring the process is compliant with applicable laws. The workshop will also help parents build skills to participate in more effective and efficient communications among all team members.

Safety Enhancements •

To continue to improve District 58 safety procedures, this summer principals and administrators were trained in the ALICE method of emergency response. ALICE is a proactive safety standard rooted in research that is recommended by the U.S. Department of Education and law enforcement. ALICE is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.

Many of the tenets of ALICE are already part of the District’s safety protocols. The training allows our administrators to be ALICE trainers for their schools. “This training is one more step to intentionally and proactively improve our safety measures in order to provide the safest possible environment for our students and staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell. The safety strategies will be implemented in age-appropriate ways. ALICE is important because it gives our students and staff options if a violent critical incident were to occur.

Another change will be to deploy color-coded lanyards in the schools. Green will be for staff, yellow for visitors and orange for substitutes. This will allow the District to better identify who is who in the buildings.

There is nothing more important than the safety of our students, staff, and families. District 58 is committed to continuous improvement in this area based on the recommendations from local law enforcement as well as governmental agencies. We recognize that topics such as these can be challenging and cause stress. We will continue to approach the topic of safety in a manner that takes the age of our students into account. Additionally we will always inform parents of mandatory drills.

Developmental Screenings ••

District 58 will offer several free developmental and preschool screenings designed to identify young children who might have developmental delays. The goal is to identify students who would benefit from special education prior to beginning kindergarten, as well as identify children who might be at risk due to environmental, cultural or socio-economic factors. To start the Developmental Screening Stage 1 process for your child, contact the Downers Grove District 58 Preschool Office at 630-968-0454.

For those who qualify, you will be asked to attend Stage 2: Developmental Screening, which will be held at Henry Puffer Elementary School, 2220 Haddow Ave, Downers Grove. The screenings will be held 8:00 -11:30 a.m.

Construction Updates •

As we continue planning for major construction in all of our schools over the next four years, we will provide you with regular updates via Board of Education meetings and Board Briefs, this newsletter and our website. Since the passage of the referendum last fall, we have been working with architects and engineers developing architectural drawings and blueprints, conducting traffic and site studies and obtaining necessary permits.

The first bids will go before the Board of Education for approval at its August 14 meeting and construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2024. Updates will be noted on our website under Building for Success.

PHOTO GALLERY: The power of positivity ••

Orange Frog positivity training has ripple effect on culture and motivation for students and staff

For two days this summer, 50 staff members – several from each District 58 school – have focused on how they can spread positivity in their school culture.

"Everyone is a potential spark and we know an authentic culture of gratitude and positivity can benefit every single person who steps through our doors,” said Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell.

This is the third year that the District has conducted training and instituted the work of Harvard researcher Shawn Achor, who introduced the science in his book “The Happiness Advantage."

The plan is for those individuals to capitalize on their training (and enthusiasm) and build on ways to enhance joy, empathy and compassion within the school culture.

The outcome can be enormous for both students and staff. A positive, engaged, happy individual means improved performance, motivation and productivity, more pride in the school community; deeper relationships and retention of the best staff.

Playground construction underway this summer •

Work is underway at replacing or upgrading seven District 58 playgrounds this summer. Most were complete replacements of equipment, some were minor additions due to additional state funding. The following is an update on the timing of the work. Please note that the schedules below are tentative and subject to change as the District is experiencing contractor and equipment delays.

Indian Trail – Work is currently on schedule and will be completed in time for the Ribbon Cutting ceremony on Aug. 22 at 5 p.m.
Belle Aire – Work is a little behind due to a contractor issue. The Ribbon Cutting is planned for Aug. 21.
Henry Puffer – Work is on schedule but won’t be completed until the last week of August. The equipment will arrive this week and will be installed as soon as possible.
Fairmount – As planned, work at Fairmount has not yet started. Equipment will be delivered this week and work will commence shortly after that and be completed by the end of September.

Curriculum focus for 2023-24 ••

Here are just a few of District 58's areas of focus in curriculum and instruction for the coming school year:

Implementation of full-day kindergarten at all of our elementary schools with a half-day option.
Implementation of new writing resources for K-5, called School-Wide Writing Fundamentals, which focus on narrative, opinion and informative writing.
Pilot of grade 6-8 writing resources in some classrooms.
Pilot of two new English Language Arts (ELA) resources in some classrooms.
Addition of another grade level in our two-way Dual Language, which means that two-way Dual Language is now offered in kindergarten and 1st grade.

SCHOOL BOARD

Board of Education news •••

Looking Ahead

The Board will hold its regular business meeting Monday, Aug. 14, 2023 at Downers Grove Village Hall. The agenda will be available on the Friday afternoon prior to the Board meeting.

2023-24 Board of Education calendar

IN THE COMMUNITY

Join the fun! Oktoberfest is September 15-16 ••

Save the date for the District 58 Education Foundation of Downers Grove annual Oktoberfest on Friday, Sept. 15 from 3-11 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 16 from 12-6 p.m. in the parking lot on Burlington Avenue between Main Street and Forest Avenue. It will feature live music, Kids Zone, and authentic Oktoberfest Fare in a traditional German atmosphere. Purchase tickets here.

The Foundation relies on support from sponsors and donors to make its annual Oktoberfest fundraiser a success! Click here for sponsorship information. The Foundation also relies heavily on volunteers. Please consider volunteering. Click here to volunteer.

Visit www.58foundation.net to learn more.