Communicate 58: Nov. 29, 2023

Volume 16, Issue 6 | Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023

About the cover photos: Left, Belle Aire students write about what they are grateful for. Family, school, friends and the earth are big themes! At right, Kingsley students deliver library books.

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

Have feedback regarding Communicate 58? Click here!

District 58 calendar •••

Wednesday, Nov. 29

Herrick Parent Presentation on School Improvement and School Safety

7:30-8:15 p.m. Herrick Library

Tuesday, Dec. 5

6:30-8 p.m.: PTA Reflections Award Ceremony at O'Neill

Wednesday, Dec. 6

7 p.m.: Northside 5th and 6th Grade Band Concert at Herrick

Friday, Dec. 8

7 a.m. Board Financial Advisory Committee Meeting at O'Neill

Friday, Dec. 8

Report cards come home (elementary) and are posted online (middle school)

Monday, Dec. 11

7 p.m.: Southside 4th and Chamber String Winter Concert at O'Neill

Monday, Dec. 11

7 p.m.: Northside 4th and Chamber Strings Winter Concert at Herrick

Monday, Dec. 11

7 p.m.: Board of Education Business Meeting at Downers Grove Village Hall

Wednesday, Dec. 13

7 p.m.: Southside Elementary Band Concert at O'Neill

Wednesday, Dec. 13

7 p.m.: Northside 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra Concert at Herrick

Monday, Dec. 18

3:15 p.m. District Leadership Team at O'Neill

Monday, Dec. 18

7 p.m.: Southside 5th and 6th Grade Orchestra Concert at O'Neill

Tuesday, Dec. 19

7 a.m.: Board Policy Committee Meeting at O'Neill

Wednesday, Dec. 20

3:45 p.m.: Board Legislative Committee Meeting at O'Neill

Thursday, Dec. 21

7 p.m.: O'Neill Band, Choir and Orchestra Winter Concert at O'Neill

Friday, Dec. 22

Last Day of School Before Break (Full Day)

Dec. 25, 2023-Jan. 6, 2024

Winter Break- No school; school offices are closed

In addition, the District Office is closed on Dec. 25, 26, 27 and Jan. 1, 2.

Monday, Jan. 8, 2024

School resumes

Click here to view the 2023-24 calendar.

After two years of rotating construction, work is complete at replacing or upgrading eight District 58 playgrounds •••

Pictured above: (Left to right) Fairmount playground, the Playground Committee at Indian Trail, the Hillcrest playground, the ribbon cutting ceremony at Belle Aire playground.

District 58’s long-term goal has been to improve and renovate all of its playgrounds and ensure that they are safe, accessible and modernized. The plan has been to update antiquated equipment and create playgrounds to aid all children’s development. For schools with older existing playgrounds, the work includes complete playground replacements. For schools with new playgrounds, minor improvements and additions were added.

The work has been funded by a combination of $1.6 million in state grants, District 58 funding, PTA support, community fundraising and in some cases parent/staff help with labor and installation. The District has been able to supplement any gaps in funding to ensure all of the playgrounds at all 11 elementary schools are updated to an appropriate standard. The state funding amounts differed from school to school and were determined by the state.

“We are so grateful for the support from the state, the advocacy of Rep. Anne Stava-Murray, our parents and the PTAs that put in countless hours fundraising and supporting these efforts,” said Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell. “The playgrounds will last many years and countless children in our community will benefit from the new playgrounds."

PTAs, playground committee fundraisers and community groups contributed greatly to the efforts. The playgrounds are designed to help children develop important motor, social and emotional skills as well as promote physical fitness.

“We are excited about all of this work,” said Kevin Barto, director of buildings and grounds. “We feel the District accomplished a great deal with the help of the state and parents, and our students are the beneficiaries.” For more information, including a Q&A about the playground work, click here.

District 58 collaborates to provide better access to mental health services ••

To remove barriers to accessing mental health services for its families, Downers Grove Grade School District 58 is partnering with ReferralGPS.

The collaboration provides District 58 families and staff with access to a curated database of mental health professionals through ReferralGPS at no cost. Funding is made possible through the recent state grant that District 58 earned from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

“The partnership with ReferralGPS is a big win for our staff, students and families as it will help them navigate a complex mental health care system,” said District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell.

“School mental health professionals frequently serve as vital links between homes, communities and educational resources,” said Jessica Stewart, assistant superintendent for special services. “This partnership equips them with tools, enabling them to provide even more effective support to students and their families, ultimately nurturing emotional and academic development.”

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 https://referralgps.com/find-help/DG58 to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously

The platform has the ability to filter by mental health concern, clinician gender/specialty, location, and insurance acceptance. The service is available for all types of private and public insurance options including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, and families that are uninsured or underinsured. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS assists families in triage and appointment setting.

ReferralGPS is available for use by district students, staff and families at no cost. All information entered on the ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored.

For more information about utilizing ReferralGPS services, families can visit https://referralgps.com/find-help/DG58 or contact the District 58 Student Services Department.

Grade Reports coming next week ••

First trimester concludes on Nov. 17. Each trimester, student achievement information is shared with students and families. Report cards for students in grades K-6 will be sent home with students on Friday, Dec. 8. Middle school students will not receive paper report cards unless a family specifically requests one through the main office. Final grades for middle school students will be available to view through the parent portal on Friday, Dec. 8.

Please know that just as our instructional practices recognize the need to meet students where they are and ensure that foundational skills are solidified to address current grade level standards, a child’s report card is a reflection of their learning at a moment in time.

PART 2: Winter weather procedures••

When would schools cancel outdoor recess due to weather?

Grade K-8 students can go outside if the combined temperature and wind chill is 0 degrees or above, barring special circumstances, such as excessive ice. Please be sure to dress your child warmly! Students should remember to bring hats, gloves/mittens, scarves, coats, snow pants and boots.

They may want to bring an extra fleece to wear, as well as an extra pair of socks in case theirs get wet. Please remember to label these items with your child's name! Read more about winter weather procedures.

Dr. Russell inducted into 142-year-old Educational Leadership League •••

Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell was inducted into the Educational League of Illinois (ELI), the oldest order of educational professionals in the state. The 142-year-old organization is a group of distinguished educational leaders who promote learning, share collective expertise and advance educational interests in Illinois. He was inducted into the professional organization during the League's Annual Meeting during the Annual Joint Conference of the Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Board Members and Illinois Association of School Business Officials.

Calling on book lovers! Reading Games needs your help!

The Reading Games are still in need of volunteers to write questions for the 2024 student competition. As a question writer, you will work in pairs to develop a set of 15 questions for a book. You can grab a friend or pick a book and be paired with a partner. Questions are due Jan. 7, 2024.

Additional details are here: 2024 Reading Games Question Writers Sign Up. Questions? Email rgquestionwriters@gmail.com.

PHOTO GALLERY: Herrick and O'Neill VIP Days ••

An annual tradition returned this year when seventh grade students invited VIPs (grandparents, parents or loved ones) to their schools for a concert, refreshments, photo ops and tours of the building. The event was paused during the pandemic and revived last year for both 7th and 8th grade students. It's a favorite day for both O'Neill and Herrick Middle Schools. More photos are in the photo galleries on the website.

Here we feature student artists from four schools and their art. Each student tells a little bit about their art and how it came to be. We will feature additional schools and artists in upcoming Communicate 58 newsletters.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Science Fair registration now opens ••

Students in grades 1-6 are invited to participate in the Science Fair this winter! Registration is open through Friday, Dec. 22. To register for this year’s Science Fair, use this Registration Form. The Science Fair will take place Saturday, Jan. 20 from 8-11 a.m. at O’Neill Middle School. The fair is open to all District 58 students in grades 1-6. Participating in the Science Fair is voluntary, but District 58 encourages every student to consider participating!

Students may register as an individual or with one partner. More details can be found here.

Reflections Ceremony set Dec. 5 ••

All District 58 schools participated in this year's Reflections Art Competition. The theme is "I Am Hopeful Because....". The District has 87 submissions, which will advance to the Downers Grove Area Council for another round of judging. The Council Ceremony will recognize these 87 at a special ceremony held at O'Neill on Dec. 5. Viewing of artwork will begin at 6:30 and the award presentation will begin at 7pm.

SCHOOL BOARD

Board of Education news •••

Board Meeting Dec. 11.

The Board of Education will hold its regular business meeting on Monday, Dec. 11 at the Downers Grove Village Hall. The agenda will be available Friday evening prior to the meeting. View the meeting agenda here.

Looking ahead

Friday, December 8, 7 a.m., Financial Advisory Committee, O'Neill Middle School
Monday, Dec. 18, 3:15 p.m. District Leadership Team at O'Neill Middle School
Tuesday, Dec. 19, 7 a.m. Policy Committee Meeting, O'Neill Middle School

2023-24 Board of Education calendar

IN THE COMMUNITY

Grove Express 5K gives back •••

Thank you to the many who participated in this year's Grove Express 5K event on Thanksgiving morning. This favorite Downers Grove tradition raises funds for education and youth programs that have a positive impact on Elementary School District 58 and Community District 99 high schools. In 2021, three local organizations partnered to continue the cherished tradition of the annual Thanksgiving Day Run/Walk. The Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58, the Rotary Club of Downers Grove, and the Roadrunners Soccer Club joined forces to establish the Grove Express Foundation. The mission is to invest in education, youth programs and scholarships within the Downers Grove community.

Pictured above clockwise from left are:

1. (Top, on truck) Jon Hansen, WGN Radio/Blackhawks Announcer; District 99 Board President Don Renner; Coach Will Kupisch. Standing: Greg Hose, Village Commissioner; Kyle Johnson; Chris Johnson, CEO Classic Cinemas; Dr. Hank Thiele, Superintendent, District 99; DGN Principal Courtney Dement; District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell. In front: DGS Principal Arwen Lyp. 2. Runners as far as the eye could see. 3. Janet Alikpala, chair of the Education Foundation of District 58, Nicole Walus and Mia Churma, vice-president of the Foundation; 4. Smiling runners. 5. Dr. Kevin Russell welcoming the crowd and talking about the Foundation's impact in District 58. Photos courtesy of Dianne Hlinsky LaPointe.

Thank you for helping our families in need! ••

Special thanks to Immanuel Lutheran Church in Downers Grove and to Connor and Whitney Cavanagh for leading the effort to provide 49 Thanksgiving meals to District 58 families in need. Each meal fed an entire family. In addition, the church will provide an additional 50 meals to families in need over the December holidays. In total, they are feeding more than 360 people this holiday season. They also delivered meals to families without access to reliable transportation. District 58 thanks Immanuel Lutheran for their kindness, generosity and support!

Parent workshops by Glenbard Parent Series ••

11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 29

In-Person Film Screening followed by a Hybrid program with Timothy Fong MD. Screenagers Under the Influence. Zoom links and more information at Glenbardgps.org

12:00 pm and 1:00 pm Tuesday, Dec. 5

8 Failures/Setbacks That Can Make a Child a Success, Michelle Icard. Zoom links and more information at Glenbardgps.org

12:00 pm and 1:00 pm Tuesday, Dec. 12

It's Ok to Not be Okay: Solutions to Help you Heal, Zoom links and more information at Glenbardgps.org

6 pm Thursday, Dec. 14

Motivación y el poder de los logros y Celebración de las fiestas/Motivation and the Power of Achievement and Holiday Celebration, Dr. Ferney Ramirez, In-Person Spanish presentation at Glenbard North.

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