Throughout this publication, you will see the following
color-coded dots
accompanying each article. They represent which
strategic goal
the article addresses.
• Focusing on Learning
• Connecting the Community
• Securing the Future
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District 58 celebrates students at the PTA Reflections Ceremony
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District 58 celebrated all students who participated in this year's PTA Reflections competition during a ceremony on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at Herrick Middle School.
The District also announced the 44 students whose 48 project submissions will advance to the regional level of the competition.
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Thank you for taking the Calendar and Professional Learning Survey!
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District 58 thanks the 1,145 parents who took the Calendar and Professional Learning Survey. This six-question survey asked parents for input on the 2020-21 school calendar, as well as on the District's professional learning program and Monday early dismissals.
The District is currently reviewing the survey results. The calendar survey results (questions 1-3) will be part of a calendar discussion during the December School Board meeting. Afterward, the District will post these results to our
Survey webpage.
The professional learning results (questions 4-6) will be reviewed during a spotlight at the February School Board meeting. Afterward, the District will post these results to the
Survey webpage.
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A look at Monday's Institute Day
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District 58 offered 113 unique learning sessions during Monday's Teacher Institute Day, many of which were led by the District's teachers and administrators!
Organized in a professional-conference style, teachers could choose from a broad range of sessions to attend including “Effective Math Teaching Practices,” "Questioning Techniques" and "Trauma Informed Schools." The sessions helped teachers enhance their instruction, learn new skills and discover creative ways to leverage technology in the classroom. In addition, all teachers attended a session on implementing restorative practices in the classroom.
Many of the skills teachers learned could be immediately implemented in the classroom. For example,
Fairmount Fourth Grade Teacher Bob Luciano
incorporated a new restorative circle meeting yesterday to enhance his social-emotional learning curriculum, and
Lester Second Grade Teacher Matt Leiser
plans to create an iPad photo scavenger hunt to help engage his students when learning vocabulary and concepts in many subject areas. During a session on adaptive classrooms,
Art Teacher Jon Belonio
created new visual supports to better direct students to the different centers in his classroom.
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District 58 shares its student timeout and restriction regulations
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The Illinois State Board of Education recently released new regulations for the use of timeouts and restraints in schools, following data gathered in a recent
investigation on the misuse of these practices in Illinois schools.
Please note:
- District 58 does not practice isolated timeouts nor seclusion.
- District and building crisis intervention staff are trained and certified in CPI, a de-escalation response model that does not use prone or supine (laying down) restraint. Prone and supine restraints are now considered illegal.
- The District employs three certified CPI trainers who train, certify and refresh all crisis response staff annually.
- In District 58, physical restraint is used exclusively for maintaining student and staff safety, in a therapeutic model, by CPI-certified staff. This model continues to be supported by ISBE’s new rules.
- Any time staff use the de-escalation response model, it is documented and shared with families the same day. We keep a record of all restraints within the student's temporary file and at the District office.
- Restraint data and policy language is reviewed annually by our Parent Teacher Advisory Committee.
In addition, this week District staff will participate in a training organized by the local special education cooperative, SASED. Later this month, the District's Special Education Committee and the Parent Teacher Advisory Committee will both review the District's plan for continued compliance and education regarding timeouts and seclusion.
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Take the School Environment Survey and 5Essentials
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Register for the Science Fair . by Dec. 20
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Students in grades 1-8 can
register here for the Science Fair. The Science Fair will take place Saturday, Jan. 25 at O'Neill.
Learn more.
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MAP and AIMSweb testing take place this month
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Reminder: District 58 schools are conducting MAP and AIMSweb testing now through Dec. 20.
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• NBC featured the
Lester Community Playground's "Light Up Lester" event! The Lester non-profit recently sold 395 decorated trees, and raised about $16,000 toward their playground fundraising efforts! If you drive down the streets surrounding Lester this holiday season, be prepared to see many homes decked out with a Lester tree! Thank you for the support, Lester community!
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• If you attend a Bulls game this season, you might see some familiar artwork! That's because the Bulls invited
Hillcrest students to draw pictures of Bulls players, and they selected 16 Hillcrest submissions to feature when announcing players on the jumbotron throughout the season! The Bulls first reached out to Hillcrest through Third Grade Teacher Lauren Prosser, a former Luvabull! Art Teacher Jon
Belonio recently attended one of these games and
captured Hillcrest artwork on the jumbotron
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• For last month's Kindness Challenge,
Pierce Downer second graders created thank you cards for police officers. Over Thanksgiving break, a few students and their teacher, Ms. Jamie Lindberg, surprised the police with the cards!
Check it out!
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As part of their social studies curriculum,
Henry Puffer third graders collected everyday household items to make H.O.P.E. (Helping Ordinary People Everyday) bags for people who may need extra help this holiday season. Thank you for giving back, Henry Puffer!
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O'Neill raised more than $15,000 and completed over 2,400 acts of kindness during their Raise Craze fundraiser! This unique concept has students asking family and friends for donations in exchange for acts of kindness. It's a great way to give back and spread happiness! (The students celebrated with a pie-throwing contest, pictured!)
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Highland
sixth graders are part of the District's math pilot program. They're using the curricular resource "Big Ideas" to explore ratios using advanced problem solving strategies. This series engages students in math through inquiry and application to real-life situations! This winter, the District's Math Committee hopes to select a final new math resource for full implementation in 2020-21!
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• Move
over, Macy's!
Whittier kindergarteners created their own balloon floats the week before Thanksgiving and paraded them around the school. The students applied art and engineering skills to design the floats!
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Belle Aire hosted its 11th semi-annual "Reading to the Dogs" event. During this special night, therapy dogs visit the school, and students can spend time reading to them. Dogs provide a great audience for young readers, especially those who might not typically be comfortable reading aloud!
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Grove Children's Preschoolers built this impressive tower! They exercised their engineering skills as they strategized the best ways to build the tower without its collapse.
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Indian Trail
pairs kindergarteners and sixth graders together for learning activities. The big kids enjoy serving as role models, and the littles like learning and exploring with their sixth grade pals!
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• What does learning look like at
Kingsley? Principal Mel Sawisch created a 54-second video showing a glimpse of what school life is like at Kingsley.
Check it out!
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Fairmount students recently collected 323 canned food items, which they donated to the Dupage County FISH Pantry. Thank you for your generosity!
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Herrick
students showed their creative side as they enjoyed an open poetry slam at school!
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El Sierra fourth graders combined technology with hands-on investigation to learn about pill bugs in science class!
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December Board Preview
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The Board of Education will hold a regular business meeting on Monday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. at Downers Grove Village Hall. The meeting agenda will be posted this Friday afternoon on
BoardDocs.
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Learn about your School Board
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District 58 is governed by a seven-member, Board of Education. Members are elected to serve four-year overlapping terms of office. The Board sets and monitors District 58's budget, reviews and amends policies, and hires the superintendent.
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KOHA launches "Twice as Nice" fundraiser to give back to District 58 schools
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This holiday season, KOHA invites the community to shop local and earn money to support your District 58 schools!
Shop and spend at participating KOHA businesses throughout the holidays and the school with the highest number of receipts uploaded wins! KOHA will double
the winning school’s combined receipt dollar amount, up to $1,000.
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District 58 emails parents relevant e-flyers on the
first and third Monday of the month during the school year.
Learn more about e-flyers.
Here are the
Dec. 2 e-flyers.
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Wednesday, Dec. 4
7-8 p.m.: North Elementary Band Concert at Herrick
Thursday, Dec. 5
7-8 p.m.: South 4th and 5th Grade Orchestra Concert at O'Neill
Monday, Dec. 9
7 p.m.: Regular Board of Education Meeting at Downers Grove Village Hall
Wednesday, Dec. 11
7-8 p.m.: North Fifth and Sixth Grade Orchestra Concert at Herrick
Monday, Dec. 16
7-8 p.m.: North Fourth Grade Orchestra and Chamber Strings Concert at Herrick
7-8 p.m.: South Elementary Band Concert at O'Neill
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Tuesday, Dec. 17
7 a.m.: Board Policy Committee Meeting at the ASC
Wednesday, Dec. 18
3:45 p.m. Board Legislative Committee Meeting at the ASC
Thursday, Dec. 19
7-8:30 p.m.: O'Neill Band, Choir and Orchestra Concert at O'Neill
Friday, Dec. 20
Winter break begins after the regular school day. See you in 2020!
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Downers Grove Grade School District 58, 1860 63rd St., Downers Grove, IL 60516
Community Relations Office: 630-719-5805 I mhewitt@dg58.org | www.dg58.org
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