Communicate 58
News from Downers Grove Grade School District 58
Vol. 9 Issue 13
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Greetings from Dr. Cremascoli:
Thank you for a great year!
    
Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli shares an end-of-year greeting with families, reflecting on the past school year and previewing the year to come. For example, she shares that next school year, District 58 will increase its art and physical education for various elementary grade levels!

District bids adieu to eighth graders 

District 58 formally promoted its Herrick and O'Neill eighth grade students to high school during two ceremonies on Monday, June 4. 

Congratulations, eighth graders! District 58 wishes you the best of luck in high school and beyond. We hope you remember your District 58 days fondly. 

Education Foundation announces Green Apple Award recipients

Dr. Cremascoli poses with Green Apple Recipient & Hillcrest Teacher Mr. D'Angelo.
The Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58 celebrates 66 staff members who received a Green Apple Award this school year.

The Education Foundation invited the community to make a Green Apple  donation to the Education Foundation in honor of a special District 58 employee. Each honored employee received a Green Apple Award card, with a personalized message from the gift giver, delivered by Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli or the building principal. 

District 58 curriculum committees make progress during 17-18 year

District 58's curriculum committees, which comprise administrators and teachers, met several times this school year to plan and improve the District's curriculum. Here's a brief summary of their accomplishments:


The Math Committee engaged in continuous review of the math blueprint, identifying specific areas to enhance based upon performance and assessment data. The math blueprint provides all District 58 schools with a consistent guide to the District's math curriculum.

New English-Language Arts (ELA) curricular resources were implemented in classrooms throughout the district, and the ELA Committee members synthesized feedback around this first phase of implementation as they prepared materials to support professional development activities for next year's district-wide resource implementation.

The STEM Committee explored and evaluated several curricular resources to support Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-based instruction, and plans to pilot the top options as well as design high-quality professional learning for District 58 teachers during the 2018-19 school year.

The Middle School Exploratory Committee developed recommendations for revisions to the exploratory course offerings. They plan to finalize their recommendation and create curriculum for these potential classes during the 2018-19 school year, with the goal of implementing the classes in 2019-20.

The newly-formed Social Studies Committee met for the first time and reviewed the Social Studies Learning Standards and built the foundation for the committee's future work.
(Icons made by Icon Pond from www.flaticon.com.)
Highland School wins $10,000 in School Bucks program
Henry Puffer, Belle Aire, Lester and Fairmount also win


District 58 schools earned $20,000 this year through the Yorktown Center School Bucks Program.

Yorktown Center staff visited Highland School on Friday, June 1 to present the school with a $10,000 check for winning first place in the Yorktown Center School Bucks program. The check presentation took place during Highland's all-school meeting on Friday afternoon. Other schools that won prizes from Yorktown Bucks include: 

Second Place: Henry Puffer School - $4,000 prize
Third Place: Belle Aire School - $3,000 prize
Fourth Place: Lester School - $2,000 prize
Fifth Place: Fairmount School - $1,000 prize

Congratulations!

Grove Foundation honors fifth graders for work ethic, attitude

Throughout this school year, the Grove Foundation visited each elementary school, surprising one fifth grader from each classroom with a Helping Children Grow Award. This award recognizes students who display characteristics not always captured by traditional school awards, such as work ethic, positive attitude, friendliness and effort.

A preview of summer facility projects

construction_hard_hat.jpg Summertime is the prime time for facility improvements to District 58 schools! This summer, Lester School construction will continue, and the three-room addition is on schedule to be complete for the 2018-19 school year. 

The District is using proceeds from its recent bond issue to fund the Lester addition. The bond issue will also fund the replacement of Kingsley School's fire alarm, as well as electrical work and backup generator installation at Fairmount School. Both school's projects were identified as high priority needs in District 58's master project list.

Other summer facility projects include replacing the bell and clock system at Fairmount School, asphalt work at three schools, distributing ADA-certified playground mulch at nine schools, painting at 10 schools, and general cleaning at all schools.
Community E-flyers
Mission
The mission of District 58, in partnership with parents and community, is to challenge and engage each child by providing quality educational programs and support services in a safe, nurturing, and child-centered environment in order to prepare all students to be lifelong learners and contributing members of a global society.  
 
Communicate 58 shares timely, relevant information about District 58 with parents, community members and others who are interested in how we are living out our mission. If you have any questions/comments regarding Communicate 58, or have an article/photo idea for the publication, please contact Community Relations Coordinator Megan Hewitt at [email protected] or 630-719-5805. 
In this issue
Greetings from Dr. Cremascoli
District bids adieu to eighth graders
Education Foundation announces Green Apple Award recipients
District 58 curriculum committees make progress during 17-18 year
Highland School wins $10,000 in mall contest
Grove Foundation honors fifth graders for work ethic, attitude
A preview of summer facility projects
Community E-flyers
Board of Education news
Board vacancy application
18-19 calendar
Summer learning
School health reminder
Reading Games shares preview books
School supplies
Calendar
District 58 on social media

Like us on Facebook Follow us on TwitterView our videos on YouTube
Board of Education meeting preview

June Board Meeting
Monday, June 11 
7 p.m.
Downers Grove Village Hall

Agenda items include: 
- End-of-Year Strategic Goals Action Plan Report of Progress
- Action on the District 58 Technology Refresh
- Approval of 2018-19 Board calendar

The complete meeting agenda will be posted June 8 on BoardDocs.
Board vacancy application

The Board of Education seeks applicants to fill an anticipated seat on the Board. Applications are due Thursday, June 7 by 4 p.m.


18-19 calendar
Summer learning
 

Research shows that students who take just a few minutes each summer day to enjoy reading and practice math can maintain the great learning they worked so hard to accomplish during the school year. 

Check out the Summer Learning webpage for ideas!
School health reminder
 
It's not too early to start scheduling those doctor visits for the 2018-2019 school year.  Exams required by the State of Illinois:

Kindergarten: Physical, Dental, Vision
Second grade: Dental
Sixth grade: Physical, Dental


Reading Games shares preview books


The Reading Games will return to O'Neill Middle School on March 16, 2019! 

Get a head start this summer! The Reading Games announced three preview books from each reading list.

School supplies
District Calendar

Monday, June 11
District 58 Summer School starts

Thursday, Aug. 23
First day of school
(Full student attendance day)

Thursday, Sept. 6
Curriculum Night for El Sierra, Fairmount, Hillcrest, Indian Trail, Kingsley and Herrick (eighth grade)

Tuesday, Sept. 11
Curriculum Night for Belle Aire, Highland, Henry Puffer, Lester, Pierce Downer, Whittier and O'Neill

Thursday, Sept. 13
Curriculum Night for Herrick (seventh grade)