About the cover photos: At left, Whittier student serves as principal of the day and at right, Lester student doing a book study.

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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We congratulate and wish our 2022-23 retirees well and thank them for their commitment and many years of service to our students and school community. The retirees are (pictured left to right):

• Matt Durbala, 18 years, O’Neill, Principal
• Rita Casper, 20 years, O’Neill, Instructional Assistant
• Jayne Yudzentis, 22 years, District Office, Assistant Superintendent of Personnel
• Julie Snisko, 22.9 years, Kingsley, Instructional Assistant
• Jane Ingersoll, 29 years, Herrick, Speech Language Pathologist
• Maria Velez, 22.5 years, District Office, Coordinator of Information Systems
• Deborah Stedman, 24 years, Herrick, ELA Teacher
• Joan Gard,11.8 years, O’Neill, Instructional Assistant (not pictured)

Want to thank a special teacher or staff member? ••



Donate a Green Apple Award in their honor

The Education Foundation invites community members to make a Green Apple donation to the Foundation in honor of an exceptional staff member. Every Green Apple Award recipient receives a Green Apple certificate with a personal message from the donor, and they are celebrated on the District’s social media pages. They make a great end-of-the-year gift! To ensure a staff member receives their certificate and message prior to the end of the year, please submit by Friday, June 2. Click here to submit.

The Color Run is an annual end-of-year tradition at O'Neill Middle School

For eighth graders, Tuesday, June 6 is the last day of school. Eighth grade promotion will take place:

• O'Neill Middle School 

Tuesday, June 6 - 4:45 p.m.

Downers Grove North High School

• Herrick Middle School

Tuesday, June 6 - 6:30 p.m.

Downers Grove North High School

Wednesday, June 7, 2023 is the last day of school for students in grades K-7 with the following dismissal times:

• Grades K – 6 11:30 a.m.
• Middle schools 11:45 a.m.

The last day for Early Childhood/Grove Preschool Programs will be Wednesday, June 7, although all students will be on a modified a.m.-only schedule.  

With hot temperatures this week, District 58 will monitor the heat levels in our schools and identify ways to ensure our students and staff are safe and in an environment conducive to learning. Some heat relief strategies to help students and staff are to rotate classes into air-conditioned spaces, keep overhead lights dimmed and blinds drawn, when possible, and encourage students to take frequent water breaks. Additionally, nurses and staff will monitor students for any sign of heat distress. Parents/guardians are asked to send students to school with water bottles and to wear loose-fitting clothing. Though most of District 58’s schools are not air-conditioned, the Nov. 8 referendum to improve District 58’s facilities will include adding air-conditioning and improving ventilation and air quality. This is a large project involving all 13 schools and planning continues throughout the summer and into next fall. As a result, the work will be conducted in three phases beginning with the summer of 2024-25. More information about heat relief in District 58 schools can be found here. 

Earlier this year at a few elementary schools we tested sending our Winter Benchmarking Score Reports (NWEA MAP and Aimsweb+) home digitally as email attachments. The process was successful, so the district intends to utilize this method for Spring 2023 MAP and Aimsweb+ benchmark reports for all District 58 schools.

All parent and guardian contacts in PowerSchool will receive benchmark reports for their student(s) by June 1 or 2. If you would like a printed paper copy, please contact your school office. 

This week, communication will be sent to the families of all current 2nd grade students who are newly eligible for math acceleration in the coming school year. Families of students who were invited to take an additional assessment but will not be eligible for acceleration will also receive a communication.

Families of all newly accelerated students will receive a communication regarding summer math learning materials prior to the last day of school. As always, any questions regarding math acceleration can be directed to the Curriculum Department at 630-719-5800 or jsisul@dg58.org. 

Families in Illinois who are eligible can now find free food or meal programs with a new interactive tool from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Illinois SNAP. The tool can filter location of the food or meals, school and summer meal programs, and grocery stores and farmers markets accepting SNAP/LINK or WIC and Senior vouchers. A new filtering option allows users to find exactly which meals are offered at a location, including breakfast, lunch, snacks, supper, and weekend meals, including if the meals are offered free or at reduced prices and who is eligible. Learn more about the Illinois Food Map here.

Come join the PTA Summer Math Club, which is open to students entering grades K-8! The Math Club provides participating students with three math packets for each grade level over the summer 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.

The first (white) Summer Math Club packet will be distributed at school this week. Earn up to three prizes for each packet. When you complete the packet, visit the Downers Grove Public Library on the dates below to collect prizes and receive your next packet. Learn more here. Scroll to the bottom to see information on the PTA Summer Math Club.

The PTA is also looking for incoming 7-12th grade volunteers to help score the math sheets. Please contact summermathclubDG58@yahoo.com if you are interested.

PTA Summer Math Packet drop off and pick up at the Downers Grove Library.

9:30-11:30 a.m., 5:30-7:30 p.m.

• June 19-20
• July 10-11
• July 31- Aug. 1
• Aug. 11

The last day school offices will be open is Monday, June 12. School offices will be closed for the summer from June 13 through July 31. School offices will reopen on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

District 58 administrative offices, at 2300 Warrenville Rd., Downers Grove, will be open through the summer. However, from June 12-July 21, District offices will follow a summer schedule and be open Monday-Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed on Fridays.

Looking Ahead

• The Board will hold its regular business meeting Monday, June 12, 2023.



• The Board will hold all of its regular business meetings in 2023-24 at the Downers Grove Village Hall. The three workshop meetings (Oct. 23 Curriculum, Feb. 26 Curriculum, April 22 Budget/Financial Planning), however, will be held at O’Neill Middle School. The schedule is subject to change.

2023-24 Board of Education calendar

District 58 includes relevant e-flyers in the Communicate 58 newsletter and online. Learn more.

• DuPage County Back to School Fair
• Feria Anual Regresso a la Escuela
• Summer rowing camp
• Glenbard Parent Series summer reading list
• Bike Safety Adventure
• DGS Fillies and Pintos mini camp
• IB YMCA Skyline Athletics
• Teen Summer philanthropy event