Wednesday, Feb. 21

Grove Preschool applications open

Saturday, Feb. 24

8 a.m. - 3 p.m. The Reading Games



Monday, Feb. 26

3:45 p.m. Board District Leadership Team, O'Neill

Monday, Feb. 26

District 58 Festival of Music, 7 p.m. DGS

Thursday, Feb. 29

End of Trimester

Friday, March 1

Teacher Institute Day: No School

Monday, March 4

Board of Education Curriculum Workshop

7 p.m. O'Neill

Wednesday, March 6

Board of Education Legislative Committee

3:45 p.m. O'Neill

Friday, March 8

Board of Education Financial Advisory Committee

7 a.m. O'Neill

Monday, March 11

Board of Education Regular Meeting

7 p.m. Downers Grove Village Hall

Monday, March 25-29

Spring Break: No School

Click here to view the 2023-24 calendar.

Click here to view the 2024-25 calendar

Click here to view the 2025-26 calendar

Eighth graders invited to apply for Select 58 Award! ••••

Eighth graders are invited to apply for a Select 58 Recognition Award, hosted by the Education Foundation of District 58. Select 58 annually recognizes students who exhibit outstanding service and citizenship to their school and community. All eighth grade students are eligible to apply for the honor, as long as they are passing their classes.

To apply, eighth graders may complete the Select 58 Award Application by Monday, March 15. The application asks eighth graders to share their experiences participating in service projects and school/community activities, as well as good deeds throughout seventh and eighth grades. The Education Foundation will host the 2024 Select 58 Award Ceremony on Monday, April 29 from 6:30-8 p.m. at Herrick Middle School. All award recipients will also receive an award certificate, 1-2 gift cards and recognition at Eighth Grade Promotion. In addition, a celebratory Select 58 video and news release will be published celebrating the award recipients.

For more information, please visit the District’s Select 58 web page.

Photo Gallery: Solo and Ensemble Contest ••

Four hundred orchestra and band students performed at the Solo and Ensemble Festival Feb. 10. The performances, which included solos, duets and ensembles, were adjudicated by other music educators.

“I'm so proud of all of my students,” said Colleen Eakley, O’Neill Orchestra Director and Fairmount and Hillcrest Orchestra instructor. “The judges and the accompanists commented on how well prepared the students were.”

“Preparing and presenting a solo performance challenges our students to really take ownership of their learning, and to improve and fine-tune their skills,” said Christine Kaminski, instrumental band teacher at O’Neill, El Sierra, Fairmount, Hillcrest and Indian Trail. “We are proud of the courage and poise they demonstrate as they stand on their own and show what they know.”

See the Gallery of Photos. 

Dr. Russell earns Superintendent of Distinction Award •••

Downers Grove District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell was named the 2024 Superintendent of Distinction by his colleagues in the DuPage Region of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA).

Dr. Russell, who was appointed superintendent of District 58 in 2019, will be honored by the IASA at an awards ceremony in Springfield in April and by his DuPage colleagues at a luncheon Thursday sponsored by Horace Mann. He was also honored by the District 58 Board of Education at its meeting Feb. 12.

“The Board is ecstatic to see Dr. Kevin Russell honored for his service to the district and we offer our heartfelt congratulations on being named the 2024 Superintendent of Distinction for DuPage County,” said Board of Education President Darren Hughes. “It is a privilege to have such a visionary leader guiding our district. We are immensely proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition with him.”

Read more.

Calling future Kindergarten families: Roundup schedule set ••

Do you have a child who will attend kindergarten next school year? Or do you have a friend or neighbor who is eligible? Please help us spread the word about Kindergarten Roundup. Parents and guardians of soon-to-be kindergarteners are invited to attend Downers Grove District 58’s Kindergarten Roundup at their future school this March and April. Kindergarten Roundup allows parents and guardians to visit their child’s future school, meet the principal and staff, and ask questions.

Children who will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024, may attend kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Parents are encouraged to directly call their neighborhood elementary school prior to Kindergarten Roundup to request to be added to any school-specific kindergarten contact lists. Visit the District 58 Kindergarten Resource Guide at www.dg58.org/kindergarten for more information. 

Here is the District 58 Kindergarten Roundup schedule:

Belle Aire School

3935 Belle Aire Lane

630-719-5820

Thursday, March 21, 2024

from 6-7 p.m.

El Sierra School

6835 Fairmount Ave.

630-719-5825

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Fairmount School

6036 Blodgett Ave.

630-719-5830

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

from 6-7 p.m.

 Henry Puffer School

2220 Haddow Ave.

630-968-0294

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Highland School

3935 Highland Ave.

630-719-5835

Thursday, April 21, 2024

from 6-7 p.m.

Hillcrest School

1435 Jefferson Ave.

630-719-5840

Thursday, March 21, 2024 from 6-7 p.m.

Indian Trail School

6235 Stonewall Ave.

630-719-5845

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

from 6-7 p.m. 



Kingsley School

6509 Powell St.

630-719-5850

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 from 6-7 p.m.

Lester School

236 Indianapolis Ave.

630-719-5855

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 from 6-7 p.m.

Pierce Downer School

1436 Grant St.

630-719-5860

Thursday, March 21, 2024

from 6-7 p.m.



Whittier School

536 Hill St.

630-719-5865

Wednesday, March 13, 2024 from 6-7 p.m.

Parents: Please take our Environment Survey and 5Essentials ••

Parents are invited to take the District 58 School Environment Survey here. The District annually asks parents to participate in the survey as it helps guide our school improvement efforts. All responses are anonymous. Please take a survey for each of the schools that your child attends. 

In addition, parents are also invited to take the Illinois State Board of Education’s 5Essentials Parent Survey. This survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes. Your identity and survey responses will be kept confidential and will not be connected to you or your child. Learn more about the surveys here. 

Students, teachers and administrators share their expertise with other educators •••

Four students in the Henry Puffer Podcast Club and their sponsor, 3rd grade teacher, Christine Reynolds presented this week at IDEAcon, a state conference for educators and thought leaders on innovative learning. Their title: “Your Voices, Big Ideas: The Henry Puffer Podcast Club.”

Also presenting at IdeaCon are District 58 Instructional Coaches. The four coaches – Tim Frederickson, Jenny Lehotsky, Lauren Prosser and Nicole Ring – are discussing how to structure coaching, create coachable moments and create a toolkit to optimize the experience. Assistant Superintendent for Technology and Learning James Eichmiller is also a presenter at IDEAcon, sharing stories about leadership and lessons gained.

Students pitch project à la Shark Tank •••

Fifth graders at Lester planned, marketed and pitched a product or service – much like the TV show Shark Tank – as part of their work during Library resource time. It’s a favorite inquiry project that ties into their English Language Arts unit that focuses on cultivating natural resources. Listen and watch how the students were challenged to come up with ideas related to corn to pitch to a panel of “sharks” (teacher, principal and guest judge). “This project is a student favorite and one that they look forward to each year!” said Christina Forzley, Librarian. Click here for the video or at left.



Photo Gallery: Herrick Photo Contest ••

For the sixth year, Herrick Librarian Jeff Berger has held a photo contest where students can share their favorite memories of Herrick or submit fun or interesting photos of their school. The winners receive a prize and their work is published in the yearbook. "Each photo tells a story, capturing the spirit of our school in ways that words cannot," said Berger. "I am always amazed at what the students come up with each year." The three winners are pictured with their photos on the upper left-hand side. Check out additional photo submissions here. 

Applications open today for Grove Preschool••

Preschool applications for the 2024-25 school year due on March 11

Grove Children’s Preschool tuition applications for the 2024-25 school year opened online at www.dg58.org/preschool today, Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 8 a.m. First-priority preschool applications are due Monday, March 11. Grove Children’s Preschool is located at Henry Puffer School and Indian Trail School in Downers Grove. Students attend school five days per week either morning or afternoon.

Read more or register.

Mental health resource database available to D58 families and staff •••

A database of mental health professionals and services is available for District 58 families, called ReferralGPS.

The service allows District 58 families to access the database at no cost. Funding was made possible through the recent state grant that District 58 earned from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

School district staff and families may access ReferralGPS by:

• Contacting District 58 Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors) to seek out personalized provider lists
• Visiting ReferralGPS (https://referralgps.com/find-help/DG58) to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously



Learn more.

Parent workshops by Glenbard Parent Series ••

7 p.m. Thursday, Feb.22

Live Life Well Week Event: Motivating the Next Generation to Lead Boldly and Achieve Their Dreams. A'ric Jackson. Hybrid Event. More information and Zoom link available at GlenbardGPS.org

Noon and 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27

Parenting Your Young Child Through Misbehavior, Meltdowns and Tantrums. Presented by Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, author of the book "You Are Not Alone." More information and Zoom links available at GlenbardGPS.org

Programs are free and open to the public. No registration is required. Click here to see the 2023-24 schedule. 

Downers Grove Grade School District 58

2300 Warrenville Road, Suite 200NE, Downers Grove, IL 60515

Community Relations Office: 630-719-5805 I fbehr@dg58.org | www.dg58.org

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