Volume 11, Issue 6 | Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2019
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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Happy Principal Appreciation Week, District 58!
It's Principal Appreciation Week! Great schools have great building leaders, and District 58 is thrilled to have both.

District 58 thanks its principals and assistant principals for their leadership and dedication. We are grateful for their hard work and commitment to the students!

Learn more about Principal Appreciation Week from the Illinois Principals Association.
D58 prepares for facility planning community engagement
Last week, the Board of Education selected Beyond Your Base (BYB) to work with District 58 on its facility planning community engagement. District 58 aims to share its draft master facility plan with the community and get their feedback, which will be used to revise and finalize the plan.

BYB is led by Paul Hanley, the same person who led District 99's recent community engagement process. District 58 will share opportunities for the community to get involved later this fall. To learn more, visit District 58's facility planning page.
ISBE will publish school report cards on Oct. 30
The Illinois State Board of Education will publish the 2019 school report cards on Wednesday, Oct. 30. This report card presents metrics on every Illinois school, including student growth, school funding and demographics. It also gives each school a summative designation - a descriptor of how well the school is meeting its student needs.

Parents will receive their individual school's designation on Oct. 30. In addition, the District will hold informational forums regarding school report cards at individual schools in November.
Congrats! ILMEA selects 39 District students for elite festivals
The Illinois Music Education Association, or ILMEA, selected 39 District 58 students to perform in its music and jazz festivals next month.

ILMEA's festivals take place each year and feature talented musicians from District 1, which includes students from 50 participating schools in the surrounding area. The students audition for the chance to perform in concert. Congratulations! 
Halloween in District 58

Repeat item: Schools will email parents specific guidelines for school Halloween celebrations and costumes.

When selecting a Halloween costume, please make sure it is appropriate for school! Please avoid costumes that show or imply violence, and costumes that include props that could resemble a weapon. Thank you!
Teal Pumpkin Project

This Halloween, please consider joining the Teal Pumpkin Project and have some non-food treats to share with children who may have food allergies.

How? Place a teal pumpkin outside. This signals that your home has something to offer children with food allergies.

Keep healthy! Get the flu shot

Flu season is coming. Let's keep our schools healthy! The flu is a serious illness. On average, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized each year because of complications from the flu. Influenza causes more hospitalizations among young children than any other vaccine-preventable disease.

SCHOOL SNAPSHOTS
Cross country season wraps up, Herrick clinches conference
All four Herrick cross country teams clinched the DMVA conference championship title this year! Herrick also won the coveted Franklin Invitational. Congratulations! Learn more about Herrick's cross country program and its fantastic 2019 season.

O'Neill also fared well, with its seventh grade girls taking second place in conference, and its three other teams all placing in the top four. Great work!
Lester fourth grader overcomes cancer, raises awareness
Penelope, a Lester fourth grader, recently defeated a rare form of skin cancer. Now, she's on a mission to share her experience with others and to fundraise to support cancer prevention. Jack's Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to cancer awareness, recently tapped Penelope to serve as the race starter for their annual 5K fundraiser. Thank you, Penelope, for your incredible efforts. District 58 is very proud of you and so happy you are doing better! Learn more.
El Sierra's Bobcat Dash went down in history - literally! Students stopped at different stations and completed activities before proceeding with the race. To celebrate El Sierra's 50th birthday this year, each station represented a different decade that El Sierra has been open! Learn more.
Whittier's Color Run fundraiser brightened up everyone's mood! During this Oct. 4 event, students were splashed with color as they ran around their school's perimeter. They finished by crossing a large colorful "Color Me Whittier" balloon canopy.
Pierce Downer, pictured, tied red ribbons around its trees in recognition of Red Ribbon Week.

This week, schools are promoting healthy lifestyles by encouraging students to make good choices, take care of themselves, and make a positive difference on their communities.
Fairmount fifth graders investigated how mining affects the Earth by using different tools to "mine" chocolate chips (coal) out of chocolate chip cookies (the Earth). They discovered it's hard to mine without harming the surrounding environment!
 The Hillcrest Book Fair was a tremendous success! Students enjoyed browsing the shelves and picking out new books.

"Seeing students walk out excited about their new books in hand is priceless!" said Principal Rzepka.
Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell surprised Highland students as their One Book, One School mystery reader on Wednesday, Oct. 16!
He enjoyed spending time reading the book, "Finding Gobi," with the students!
O'Neill students are honing their percussion abilities in general music class! Watch this 45-second video of the students performing in class!
Using the new TCI Science curriculum, Kingsley students created a pinlight camera as a model for our eye and how it responds to light. Wow!
Henry Puffer's Student Council, PTA and Principal Britta Waszak presented to the Board of Education on Oct. 16. View the Student Council's presentation .
Grove Children's Preschool bundled up and visited the Willowbrook Wildlife Center, where they took a hike and visited animals. They especially enjoyed watching a baby squirrel be fed a bottle!
Indian Trail celebrated Kindness Day on Oct. 16, as part of Bullying Prevention Month! They helped clean the school, created kindness bookmarks, and left positive messages for their peers. Way to go!
Several District 58 schools, including Belle Aire (pictured), recently elected new Student Council members. District 58 thanks all students who ran for Student Council - thank you for seeking leadership opportunities!
BOARD NEWS
Board of Education: Oct. 16 meeting

The Board held a regular meeting Oct. 16. It included a Henry Puffer presentation, a tax levy process spotlight, the approval of a facility planning community engagement consultant and more. Read the Board Briefs.
Looking ahead: Curriculum Workshop

The Board will hold its fall Curriculum Workshop on Monday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. at Whittier School. Afterward, there will be a 30-minute extended reception of visitors, during which the community and Board can engage in conversation. The Board agenda will be posted on BoardDocs on Oct. 25.
COMMUNITY NEWS
District 58 participates in homelessness discussion
Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell joined several community partners for a public panel discussion on homelessness in Downers Grove at the Downers Grove Public Library Oct. 9.

"I was honored to participate on a panel for such an important topic. I am grateful to serve Downers Grove, a community that cares so much about the welfare of its residents," said Dr. Russell.

Recycle your pumpkin at the Pumpkin Smash Nov. 2
Environmental non-profit SCARCE invites the community to recycle their pumpkins at the Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9 a.m. to noon at Downers Grove North and Downers Grove South high schools. SCARCE will compost the pumpkin donations. Learn more!
E-FLYERS
CALENDAR
Oct. 21-25
Principal Appreciation Week

Wednesday, Oct. 23
7-8:30 p.m.: Building Bridges Meeting at Hillcrest

Monday, Oct. 28
6:15 p.m. Staff Meet & Greet with the Board of Education at Whittier
7 p.m.: Board Curriculum Workshop at Whittier

Wednesday, Oct. 31
Happy Halloween! Please check with your school for Halloween procedures.
Sunday, Nov. 3
Daylight savings time ends

Monday, Nov. 4
6-7 p.m. ESSA Parent Forum at Pierce Downer

Tuesday, Nov. 5
6-7 p.m. ESSA Parent Forum at Henry Puffer
7:30-8:30 p.m.: ESSA Parent Forum at El Sierra

Friday, Nov. 8
7 a.m.: Board Financial Advisory Committee Meeting at the ASC
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