Communicate 58: Sept. 25, 2024

Volume 17, Issue 5 | Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024

Pictured above: Left: Indian Trail fifth graders work with partners to visually display short vowels and syllables. Right: Hillcrest kindergarteners show school spirit in their new Hillcrest t-shirts!

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 • Building for Success • Cultivating Talent

Have feedback regarding Communicate 58? Click here!

District 58 calendar

Thursday, Sept. 26-Friday, Sept. 27

District 58 Office is closed as staff transition to new Downers Grove Civic Center

Monday, Sept. 30

District 58 Office opens in Downers Grove Civic Center, 850 Curtiss St., Suite 200, Downers Grove, IL 60515

Wednesday, Oct. 2

National Custodial Workers Recognition Day

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

Friday, Oct. 4

11 a.m.: Parent-teacher conference signup window closes

Tuesday, Oct. 8

4:45-8 p.m.: Parent-teacher conferences

Thursday, Oct. 10

4:45-8 p.m.: Parent-teacher conferences

Friday, Oct. 11

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

Click here to view the 2024-25 calendar.

Greetings from Dr. Russell: Safety starts at home •••

Dear District 58 Community,

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the fall weather that is finally upon us. In the Aug. 28 issue of Communicate 58, I shared important safety information with the community, and asked families to discuss school safety at home with their children. In light of the recent school shooting in Georgia, as well as the ongoing trend of school threats occurring nationwide, I wanted to ask you to once again discuss safety with your child in an age-appropriate manner. Please take this matter very seriously, and approach the conversation in a way that you would discuss airport safety with your child. For instance, travelers know that it is not okay to say certain words at the airport or risk arrest. It is very similar for schools.

Please emphasize the following with your child:

Students may not make any type of threat, in person or online.
Students may not jokingly make any type of threat, in person or online.
Students may not talk or joke about guns, bombs, knives or other weapons, or use words that threaten harm on another person or place, in a threatening or joking manner, in person or online.
Students may not bring any weapon, lookalike weapon or toy weapon to school. This includes on the bus, field trips and extracurricular activities. This also includes weapons/lookalike weapons/toy weapons that are concealed.
If a student makes a threatening statement or brings a weapon or lookalike weapon to school or a school activity, the student will be referred to the Downers Grove Police Department.
Police will investigate and consequences can include arrest, referral to the State’s Attorney and/or referral to the Juvenile Court System. The police may also require parent/guardian interviews, a psychiatric evaluation of the student, a police search of the home, etc.
School consequences will be significant and in line with Board Policy 7:190, and may include suspension or expulsion.

Please also:

Monitor your child’s social media usage. Report any threats or potential threats to the police or the school. Call 911 for emergencies.
Talk to your child about the importance of “If you see something, say something.” The school can only investigate what it knows.
Share Safe2Help and the District’s other crisis resources with your intermediate or middle school child. Students can contact Safe2Help Illinois to safely and confidentially report a crisis, threat or bullying involving themselves or someone they know. Safe2Help is monitored 24/7 by trained crisis professionals. District 58 staff will receive an alert after the Safe2Help professional provides support.

Together, District 58 and families can work together to help keep our schools safe. Thank you again for your partnership and support.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin Russell

District 58 Superintendent of Schools

Get involved! Join a District 58 committee by Oct. 4 •••••

District 58 is fortunate to have engaged families, staff and community members who care deeply about the quality of education their children receive and desire to contribute to the school district’s decision-making. District 58 values the robust and diverse opinions that the community contributes, and to encourage this feedback, annually invites community members to join a District committee.

This year, District 58 is recruiting parents/guardians, staff and community members for the following committees/councils:

Superintendent’s Community Advisory Council
Curriculum Council
Connection and Communication Council
Board Financial Advisory Committee
Board Legislative Committee
Board Policy Committee
Board District Leadership Team

Please click here to learn details about each committee/council, including group goals, meeting dates, types of new members needed, etc.

Please click here to read Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell’s message about the committee recruitment process.

Please complete this Committee Signup Form by Friday, Oct. 4 to apply for a committee or council. Thank you for your interest!

Thank you for attending Downers Grove Oktoberfest! •••

The 11th Downers Grove Oktoberfest was a huge success! All proceeds from this annual festival will support the Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58's programs for District 58 students and staff.

District 58 thanks everyone who attended, volunteered at, coordinated, sponsored and otherwise supported this community event! Learn more about the Education Foundation at www.58foundation.org.

District 58 provides free developmental screenings for ages 0-5 ••

Do you have young children at home? Do you have friends or neighbors with little ones? Please share this information!

District 58 offers free preschool and developmental screenings designed to identify young children, ages 0-5, who might have developmental delays and who would benefit from special education prior to beginning kindergarten.

Learn more.

Health exam and immunization forms due Oct. 15 •

Reminder: Tuesday, Oct. 15 is the deadline for students in grades K, 2 and 6, and any new students, to submit required examination and/or immunization forms.

Please visit the "Health Form Information" section of District 58's Registration webpage to access the forms. Your doctor's office also likely has the forms.

Preparedness in District 58 Topic 1, Part 1: How does District 58 proactively address school safety? •••

In the last issue of Communicate 58, we shared links to our full four-part Emergency Preparedness series . Throughout the school year, we will also highlight parts of this series within this newsletter.

Today, we will highlight the first half of Topic 1: How does District 58 proactively address school safety?

District 58 staff and Downers Grove emergency responders meet annually and as needed to review District 58’s emergency management procedures. Updates are recommended based on national emergency response best practices and the unique safety needs of District 58.

District 58 also has a Threat Assessment Team comprised of administrators, social workers, other school staff and Downers Grove police that frequently meets.

Any emergency procedure updates are communicated to administrators and principals, who review the plan with their teachers and staff at the start of the school year, and as needed throughout the year. A primary safety component of the emergency plan requires that plan details only be available to employees and emergency responders.

Teachers keep copies of a summarized emergency classroom action guide and ALICE reference card, which they can quickly reference during actual emergency situations. These guides are also available to, and reviewed with, substitutes. Learn more.

Thank you, District 58 custodians and maintenance staff! ••

National Custodial Workers Recognition Day is Wednesday, Oct. 2. On behalf of District 58, thank you, custodial and maintenance staff, for keeping District 58 schools clean, functional and safe. We appreciate you!

We especially appreciate the extra challenges our custodians and maintenance staff have faced as District 58's schools have been under referendum construction. We appreciate your flexibility and hard work!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

District 58 is moving

District 58's administrative offices will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27, as staff and operations transition to our new offices. We will reopen at our new office in the Downers Grove Civic Center on Monday, Sept. 30. Our new address is:

Downers Grove Grade School District 58

850 Curtiss St., Suite 200, Downers Grove, IL 60515

Parent-teacher conference signups now open

Fall parent-teacher conference signups are open now through Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. Conferences take place the evenings of Oct. 8 and 10.

Click here to learn how to sign up for a conference and more. (Haga clic aquí para obtener la guía de inscripción a la conferencia de padres y maestros en español.)

District 58 is hiring ••

District 58 is currently hiring for the following positions:

Wrestling coach
Instructional assistants
Night and sub custodians
Business office secretary
Special services secretary
School psychologist intern
Temporary speech and language pathologist

Click here to learn more and apply.

SCHOOL BOARD NEWS •••••

The Board of Education held a regular business meeting on Monday, Sept. 9. The meeting included:

A Highland School presentation (pictured)
A public hearing on the 2024-25 tentative budget and the approval of the 2024-25 budget
A spotlight on District 58 enrollment and key legal updates
The approval of 2024-25 outdoor education fees

View the Board Briefs to learn more.

Reminder for prospective School Board candidates

District 58 voters will elect four School Board members during the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election.

School Board candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions for signatures. These petitions must be filed at the DuPage County Clerk's Office between Nov. 12-18, 2024. This filing period is earlier than previous elections due to a change in election law.

To assist candidates, District 58 will hold a Candidate Forum this fall. More information will be shared at a later date. In addition, prospective School Board members may also access the below resources:

IN THE COMMUNITY

PTA invites student artists to participate in Reflections

Reflections submissions are due Nov. 1 ••

The Downers Grove Area PTA Council invites all students to participate in the PTA Reflections program! Artwork submissions are due Friday, Nov. 1.

Reflections is an art program/contest. Each year through Reflections, more than 300,000 students around the country in preschool through high school create original works of art inspired by a student-selected theme. This year's theme is "Accepting Imperfection" and categories for entry include visual art (painting, drawing, sculpture, textile art), photography, film-making, music composition, dance choreography and literature.

Click here to learn more.

Community e-flyers •

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

Downers Grove Grade School District 58

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

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

STAY CONNECTED