District 58 invites students to join the PTA Summer Math Club and the Downers Grove Public Library’s Summer Reading Program!

The PTA Summer Math Club is open to students entering grades K-8. It provides participating students with three brand-new math packets that feature a variety of fun and interesting math activities, designed to keep young math minds active all summer long. After students submit each completed packet, they will receive prizes and their next math packet. Students will receive their first packet at school. Learn more.

The Downers Grove Public Library is excited to offer its annual Summer Reading Program! This program runs from May 22-Aug. 7. District 58 students who track their reading this summer can win fun prizes from the library! Learn more about the library’s Summer Reading Program.

Finally, District 58's Summer School Session III: Summer Music program will close registration on Friday, May 27. Click here and scroll down to Session III to learn more. Click here to register.

District 58 celebrated this year's Select 58 recipients at an award ceremony at Herrick on Wednesday, May 11. Select 58 is an Education Foundation program that honors 58 eighth graders (29 from Herrick and 29 from O'Neill) who provide outstanding service to their school and community.

Congratulations to this year's Select 58 recipients!  

Click here to view a list of award recipients and a photo gallery! Click here to view the 2022 Select 58 celebratory video!

The Downers Grove Music Club and the Bulut family recently awarded private music lesson scholarships to seven District 58 elementary orchestra students. Thank you, DGMC and the Bulut Family, for your generosity, and congratulations to the recipients!

District 58 is proud of these orchestra musicians for their continued hard work and wishes them good luck as they begin their private lessons!

Click here to view photos and a list of award recipients.

Eleven of District 58's 13 schools are not fully air-conditioned, and schools can get hot! Our schools use their resources and building spaces wisely to provide heat relief for students and staff on hot days. Please click here to learn some of the ways our schools keep students and staff cool on hot days.

Looking long-term, District 58, with community input, developed a comprehensive facility proposal that includes over $50 million to install air conditioning and improve ventilation. This summer, the Board of Education will decide whether to place the facility proposal on the November 2022 ballot. If they do, and if voters approve the referendum in November, District 58 would be able to install air conditioning. Please click here to learn more about District 58's facility planning.

On Monday morning, District 58 Maintenance Mechanic Gabe Guillen identified a water line leaking in a Herrick tunnel. He immediately contacted Assistant Director of Buildings & Grounds Geoff Neustadt and launched an investigation.

Mr. Guillen found the valves, which enabled him to slow the leak. Mr. Neustadt entered the tunnel and placed a repair clamp on the pipe, which stopped the leak. The section of pipe is old, deteriorated and will need to be replaced over the summer.

Unfortunately, water line leaks like this are common in District 58 due to our aging facilities. If left undetected they can cause significant damage to our schools, and possibly require the temporary or extended closure of a school.

District 58 is VERY grateful to Mr. Guillen and Mr. Neustadt for their quick work to fix this issue before it caused significant damage. Click here to learn more about District 58's facility needs. Click here to view a short video series on District 58 facilities.

Reminder: District 58 will send a notification to families of students who are newly eligible for District 58's gifted program or newly eligible for math acceleration (single acceleration or double acceleration) by June 3. Notifications will be sent only to those who are newly eligible. 

District 58 summarized its updated math acceleration eligibility process in the April 20 issue of Communicate 58.

View District 58's math acceleration criteria page to learn more about eligibility (new this week: we just added the math acceleration teacher rating scale to this page). District 58 offers math acceleration to eligible students in grades 3-8.

View District 58's Gifted Program page to learn more about gifted programming. District 58 offers a gifted program to eligible students in grades 4-8.

District 58 will hold a Dual Language Program Informational Night for families of students entering kindergarten in 2022-23. The meeting will take place Thursday, May 19 from 6:30-7 p.m. (Spanish speakers) and 7:15-7:45 p.m. (English speakers) at El Sierra.

Meeting details were emailed to all incoming kindergarten families earlier this month. District 58 looks forward to offering its first ever two-way dual language program this fall!

Early next month, schools will collect student iPads and Chromebooks for the summer. District 58 will email more information to families the first week of June, but please be prepared to turn in your child's device.

Elementary students will return their iPad, case, keyboard (grades 3-6), charging block and charging cable. Middle school students will turn in their Chromebook and charger.

Are you or someone you know seeking a job with evening or flexible hours? Spread the word! Whether you're seeking a full-time or part-time job, or if you're just looking to pick up a few hours here and there, District 58 has something for you.

Please visit www.dg58.org/employment to learn more and apply. District 58 is hiring for the following Buildings and Grounds positions:

Reaching Independence through Structured Education, or RISE, is a highly individualized special education program designed to support students with developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder and/or related characteristics.

Next school year the RISE Program will be located at:

Indian Trail School: Preschool-Sixth Grade

Pierce Downer School: Kindergarten-Second Grade

The RISE Program is District 58’s fastest-growing specialized program. It uses a team approach, and instruction includes a classroom teacher, speech therapist, social worker, psychologist and instructional assistants to meet the needs of students. This inclusion-based program allows opportunities for students to engage in direct instruction, group therapy lessons, as well as academic support as needed.

“District 58 recognized the benefit several years ago of expanding our in-district special education programming to provide opportunities for students to gain access to a structured learning environment,” said Special Programs Coordinator Dr. Jackelyn Cadard. “Six years ago the RISE Program began with a kindergarten classroom and each year we have expanded by rolling up a one-grade level. Next year our continuum of instruction will span from preschool through sixth grade and we are excited to announce that Herrick Middle School will be our host site for the 2023-2024 school year.”

Interested in learning more about the RISE program? Click here or contact Dr. Cadard at jcadard@dg58.org.

The Education Foundation invites the community to honor a special District 58 teacher or staff member with a Green Apple donation! With each donation you make, the Education Foundation will send a specially-designed Green Apple Award card to the teacher or staff member you are honoring, with a custom message from you. All cards will be hand delivered by Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell or the school principal. Don't delay! The deadline is Friday, May 27!

Downers Grove's Park District, Police Department and Junior Woman's Club have partnered to organize a Safety Town camp for children this summer. To make it a success, it needs volunteers!

District 58 students entering seventh and eighth grade next school year are eligible to volunteer at Safety Town this summer. It's a fun opportunity to work with 5-6 year-olds while earning service hours, gaining leadership skills, making new friends and more. The volunteer hours are 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., 7/25-7/29 and 8/1-8/5. More volunteers are especially needed Week 1. Click here to learn more and apply!