Throughout this publication, you will see the following
color-coded dots accompanying each article. They represent which
strategic goal the article addresses.
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Focusing on Learning
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Connecting the Community
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Securing the Future
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Have a happy summer!
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(
Pictured: Indian Trail first graders celebrate the last day of school! View more photos
here.
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Thank you, District 58 community, for another great school year! School offices are closed for the summer and will tentatively reopen Thursday, Aug. 1. The District's administrative offices will begin summer hours next week. From June 17-July 26, District offices will be open Monday-Thursday from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They will be closed on Fridays. Have a wonderful summer vacation!
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(Pictured: El Sierra sixth graders on June 11.)
Here are some helpful links:
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Thank you for your service, Dr. Cremascoli
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The District 58 community thanks Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli for her seven years of distinguished service to our district and wishes her well as she begins her next journey as superintendent of Wilmette District 39.
“Thank you for your seven years of exemplary leadership. You have put your heart and soul into everything," said Board President Darren Hughes. “You are truly leaving the district in a stronger place than it was when you arrived.”
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Congratulations and best wishes to District 58 eighth graders
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District 58 congratulates O’Neill Middle School and Herrick Middle School eighth graders on their promotion to high school!
The schools held Promotion Ceremonies on Monday, June 10 evening at Downers Grove South High School.
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Curriculum updates for the 2019-20 school year
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District 58 teachers, administrators and parents worked hard this year to enhance the District's curriculum. Here are some improvements you can expect next school year. Learn more about curriculum improvements on the
Strategic Plan Focusing on Learning dashboard
!
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New Science resources:
New science materials will be implemented districtwide. The new science curriculum resources are:
TCI Bringing Science Alive (grades K-5) and
Activate Learning IQWST (grades 6-8).
The District's STEM Committee, which comprises teachers and administrators, selected these resources after several years of research on the new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and curricular options, as well as piloting different resource options in their classrooms this past year.
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Math resource pilot:
Teachers who serve on the Math Committee and some of their partner teachers will pilot new math resources throughout the upcoming school year, with the goal of recommending new resource adoption for full implementation district-wide in the following 2020-21 school year.
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New middle school exploratories
: The Middle School Exploratory Committee worked with students, staff and District 99 staff to review existing and develop new exploratory courses. These updated and new courses will be offered in fall 2019. Courses include: Connections, Art, Music, and Family & Consumer Science for seventh graders; and Art, Foreign Language Exploratory, Family & Consumer Science, and STEAM Studio for eighth graders. Additionally, all eighth graders will have the option of participating in a full-year, high school-level foreign language class.
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Increased elementary art:
In fall 2018, District 58 increased art instruction for students in grades 1-2 from bi-weekly to weekly. In fall 2019, all grade K-6 students will participate in weekly 30-minute art lessons. This will amount to a six-hour increase in art instruction for students in grades 3-6 and kindergarten.
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Facility projects planned for summer 2019
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While students and school staff are off for summer, District 58's Buildings and Grounds staff (including Highland Custodian Tony Stampfl, pictured) are hard at work! This summer, facility work includes:
* Deep clean all schools
* Perform minor maintenance on schools
* Painting touch-ups
* Mulching
* Groundskeeping projects
In addition, the Facility Planning Council will continue developing the District 58 Master Facility Plan.
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Board appoints Rozana Qirjaqi to EL coordinator
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District 58 warmly welcomes Ms. Qirjaqi to the English learner coordinator and teacher position, effective this August.
Learn more.
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Measles information
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The Illinois Department of Public Health and District 58 share
information about nationwide measles outbreaks and the importance of vaccinations.
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District donates used books
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As District 58 updates its curriculum, it will donate retired textbooks to Books4Cause, a nonprofit that provides used textbooks to underprivileged children in other countries.
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Thank you for completing communications survey
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District 58 thanks the 634 residents who completed its communications survey! District teams will review this survey feedback as it improves its communications for next year.
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View the District 58 Communications Guide
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District 58 developed
this Communications Guide to help inform residents about the District's communication channels, frequency and audience.
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Register for Grove Children's Preschool
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Highland creates incredible "This is the Greatest School" video
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"This is the Greatest School" was produced by Mr. Hammond, a talented musician and a Highland instructional assistant. This year, he worked with Highland students and staff to create this original video, inspired by "The Greatest Showman." It contains all original lyrics, and vocals/music are performed by Highland students and staff, under Mr. Hammond's direction. Great job!!
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Coming full circle: Meredith Williams Foundation supports Fairmount
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Retired District 58 teachers Jim and Pam Williams started the Meredith Williams Foundation in 2010 in memory of their late daughter, Meredith.
This year, they donated 200 customized water bottles and keychains to the
Fairmount
Run Club, in honor of the Run Club’s co-sponsor, teacher Colleen Brejcha. Mrs. Brejcha was Meredith's favorite teacher when she attended Fairmount in the 1990s.
Read this inspiring story
on how things come full circle. Thank you, Meredith Williams Foundation, for your generous donation and support!
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Grove Children's Preschool students at
Henry Puffer prepared a special song for their beloved retiring principal, Mr. Todd McDaniel.
The preschoolers did a fantastic job singing their hearts out, and Mr. McDaniel appreciated it very much!
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Pierce Downer transformed a hallway and a spare learning room into special sensory spaces! These new spaces provide a welcoming place for classroom activities, small groups and for individual students who just need a break.
The sensory room and hallway were created by Pierce Downer’s social worker Janette Richelia, occupational therapist Natalie Cramarosso and psychologist Bridget Wagner.
View this video to learn more!
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Indian Trail Speech Language Pathologist Emily Anzelmo plans weekly activities for kindergarten students centering around the book, "There was an Old Lady."
Ms. Anzelmo ended the year by dressing up as Miss Old Lady and visiting the kindergarten classrooms. The kids loved asking Miss Old Lady questions and listening to her read her books.
What a sweet idea, Ms. Anzelmo!
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• What's it like to be principal?
Lester students Maddy and Ady recently found out, after winning a PTA fundraiser this year! The girls read announcements, supervised children, observed staff, wrote letters of recommendation, inventoried supplies, attended planning meetings and more. The students discovered that the life of a principal is never dull!
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• Way to go!
Herrick and
O’Neill Girl Scouts in Troop 51060 earned the Silver Award -- the Girl Scouts’ second highest honor -- for their work supporting the West Suburban Humane Society. The girls took the initiative to meet with the humane society’s staff to understand their needs. They held a bake sale and donated proceeds to fund a library for the humane society's Read to the Cats program.
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Also in Girl Scout news –
Kingsley
and
Indian Trail’s
first grade Daisy Troop used Girl Scout cookie sale proceeds to purchase 25 books from Anderson’s Bookshop, which will be donated to their school libraries.
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June Board Briefs
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The Board of Education met on June 5. They reviewed the Strategic Plan end-of-year report, recognized outgoing Superintendent Dr. Kari Cremascoli, and heard a Council report that recommended District 58 consider the feasibility of grade 6-8 middle schools.
View the Board Briefs.
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Upcoming Board meetings
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This summer, the Board of Education will hold regular business meetings on
Monday, July 8 at 7 p.m. and on
Monday, Aug. 12 at 7 p.m. Both meetings will take place at Downers Grove Village Hall.
Agendas will be posted the Friday before the meeting.
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50 teachers and staff receive Green Apple Awards
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The Education Foundation thanks everyone who made a Green Apple Award donation in honor of a special District 58 teacher or staff member.
Fifty District 58 employees, representing all 13 schools and the Longfellow Center, received a Green Apple this year.
The District's
Facebook page will celebrate this year's Green Apple winners throughout the summer.
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Yorktown Bucks contest awards $13,500 to D58 schools
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Congrats to the four District 58 schools that won prizes in the Yorktown Bucks contest!
1st place:
Highland: $5,500
2nd place:
Lester: $4,000
3rd place:
Henry Puffer: $3,000
5th place:.
Belle Aire: $1,000
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DGJWC awards four $500 teacher grants
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Congrats to this year's DG Junior Woman's Club grant recipients:
Michael Bergmeier,
Herrick
Kate Gorvett,
O'Neill
Ashley Bidlencik
, Kingsley
Caroline Forbes,
Henry Puffer
Leslie Hesterman
, Hillcrest
We will share more info on www.dg58.org next week!
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Oktoberfest will return
Sept. 13-14
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The Education Foundation will host Oktoberfest Sept. 13-14 in downtown Downers Grove. All proceeds from this family-friendly festival will support the
Education Foundation's programs, benefiting District 58 students!
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Monday, June 17
Extended School Year begins
District admin office summer hours begin (M-Th 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Closed on Fridays)
Monday, July 8
7 p.m. School Board Meeting at DG Village Hall
Monday, July 29
Regular District admin office hours resume
(M-F 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Thursday, Aug. 1
School offices (tentatively) reopen
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Monday, Aug. 12
7 p.m. School Board Meeting at DG Village Hall
Monday, Aug. 19
After 4 p.m.: District 58 will email elementary parents their child's class schedules. (Middle school students will receive class schedules during Locker Setup Night on Aug. 20)
Thursday, Aug. 22
First Day of School (Full Day) for K-8
Friday, Aug. 23
First Day of School for Preschool
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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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