Fairmount Families Week END Report
09.22.2023
Happy Friday, Fairmount Families!
This week, our students learned in and out of the classroom as our 2nd and 5th-grade students headed to the Morton Arboretum for a field trip.
We also held our bus evacuation drill, and the students and staff did a wonderful job. We will have our second fire drill this upcoming week, which will be supervised by the DGFD. We are so proud of our students for their focus and attention during these important drills.
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child(ren) arrives at school on time each day, ready to learn! We also appreciate everyone's continued support of our arrival and dismissal (including carline) procedures to support a safe and efficient experience for all.
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Lisa Niforatos, Principal
Be sure to follow me on Twitter/X @Fairmount58.
Quick Links:
Run Club Registration
Please click on the link below for information regarding Run Club, which is being offered to 2nd through 6th-grade students. Fairmount’s Run Club will occur after school (3:00-3:45) where students will walk or run a pre-marked course in the grass. They will track their laps to see how far they can run during the fall session. A second session will occur later in the spring.
Please contact Colleen Brejcha (cbrejcha@dg58.org) or Annabeth Niemann (aniemann@dg58.org) with any Run Club questions.
Important Reminders - Arrival and Dismissal
Additionally, please note that all students must leave the school campus following dismissal according to their dismissal plan. Students may not remain on campus prior to music rehearsals (even if at O'Neill), athletic practices, etc.
Health/Physical Examination & Immunization Record due October 15th
As required by law, all new students, as well as students entering grades K, 2, and 6, must receive health examinations and immunizations and submit completed health forms by October 15th. To learn more check out the Health Services page on the District 58 website.
Thank you to many of the families who have already completed and submitted these forms. In accordance with Illinois law, failure to comply with these requirements by Oct 15 of the current school year, or 30 days following registration for first-time registrants, will result in the student's exclusion from school until such requirements have been met. All sections of the child examination form must be completed including the health history, which must be completed by the parent.
District 58 communicates frequently regarding these requirements as it is our hope to avoid school exclusion for all of our students. If you are in need of additional assistance, our school nurse, Susan Donahue (sdonahue@dg58.org) or Jenny Mazur (jmazur@dg58.org), would be happy to assist you in answering questions or connecting you with resources to complete this requirement.
Safety Drills
Please know that all of the drills above will be announced to students and staff ahead of time, so everyone will be aware of the drill/practice. Additionally, teachers and staff will provide grade-level appropriate follow-up with their classes and ensure students are supported before, during, and after each safety drill.
This week students and staff will engage in the following:
Thursday, September 28th - Fire Drill with the DGFD
Picture Retakes
Please note that retakes will be held at Fairmount on October 26, 2023 for anyone wishing to retake their photo and/or for any absent students.
Picture Day Link - CLICK HERE
School Code: 20059301
Van Gogh Customer Service: 847-382-2282 X7
Attendance Form
We are excited to share that you may now utilize our attendance form to report your child(ren)'s absence(s). This is an alternative option to calling the school office either the day of or in advance of the child's absence. This form allows for daily attendance reporting as well as for future/multi-day absence reporting.
Fairmount PTA
PTA Art Appreciation Volunteers Needed!
No art experience needed! No teaching experience needed! The presentations are already prepared and the supplies are on site! Your child will be so excited when you come to class!
If you can help out, fill in our name on the document below. At this time, we would ask you to sign up for only (1) lesson (if you have multiple students you would like to volunteer for, please start with 1 per grade). If we need more volunteers, we will reach out again. You and the teacher will work together to schedule an agreed upon date for the presentation. Thank you in advance!
Sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1MR9GAMf2WrA18APT2_jC13pMbgamgG9r4HosrCyUKNA/edit?usp=sharing.
More info here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fi4sN6C_PNILhKeEKl1S0Cx2_sGDZPajK6ZVgKpcnt0/edit?usp=sharing
PTA Fun Lunch: Orders due 9/24
The PTA is very excited to coordinate Fun Lunch again this year! The ordering platform is now open at https://fairmount.h1.hotlunchonline.net/. (Families new to the school will need to sign up for an account at that same link before ordering).
All meals are still $5.00 each, and you can order for the entire year at once if you choose. Orders are due by Sunday, September 24th for our first Fun Lunch, which will be delivered by Home Run Inn on Friday, September 29th.
Contact Tiffany Melnyk at tiffanyjoy21@gmail.com with any questions about ordering, forgotten login information, or setting up an account.
Volunteers Needed for PTA Fun Lunch
Save the Date: Trunk or Treat 10/23
WHEN: Monday, October 23rd, 2023.
TIME: 6-7pm.
Please start at the south side of the parking lot. Look for the starting line table. At 6:15pm, the Trunk or Treating line will begin. Please encourage your children to only go through the line once.
LOCATION: Fairmount Parking Lot
Please remember: This event is for Fairmount Families and hosted on school property. Costume/look alike weapons of any kind are not allowed at this event. Costumes and trunks should not glorify violence and/or be offensive to any culture/group.
Please contact Greg & Kelli at programs.fairmount.pta@gmail.com with any questions.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! We will need people to volunteer to decorate their trunk and hand out candy. Please use this signup genius link to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848A8AD29A6FACE9-44343813-trunk
PTA Reflections
Calling all Artists! This year's theme for Reflections is "I am Hopeful Because...." Students may enter in one or more of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, Visual Arts, or Special Artist Division. Students will then compete in their age division: Primary (Pre-K - Grade 2), Intermediate (Grades 3- 5), and Middle School (Grades 6-8).
Entries are due to your PTA by Friday, October 27. For more information, visit the Local Council site at https://sites.google.com/view/dupageeastcouncilsite/home or the Illinois PTA Reflections site at https://illinoispta.org/reflections/.
Any questions? Please email us at reflectionsfairmount@gmail.com
Early Dismissal Monday, September 25th
Monday, September 25th is our next Professional Learning Monday. All students are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. according to their regular dismissal plan. Please be sure you have made arrangements for your child to be picked up from Fairmount at 2:00 p.m. each Monday.
Teacher Feature
We are so glad you are part of our school community! Whether this is your child's first or seventh year at Fairmount, we wanted to provide a fun way to get to know the many members of our teaching and school staff. We started this section last school year and look forward to continuing it during the 2023-2024 school year. Our teachers and staff have been asked new questions, so you can learn even more about them.
Meet Mrs. Jen Mejdrech (Glynn)
# of Years at Fairmount: 3rd Year at Fairmount
Favorite Movie: Inside Out
Favorite Place to Go/Travel to: Michigan (to see my family!)
Favorite Dessert or Sweet Treat: Rainbow Cone
A fun or unusual fact about me is... I did Irish Dance for 10 years.
Lens into Learning
Spectacular Second Graders
Marvelous Math
Stop & Go
Field Trip Fun: Grade 2 and 5
Awesome Action
Say Cheese!
Making Music
Fairmount's MVPs - Celebrating Students
Mark your Calendars!
Supervised Fire Drill this Week!
09.25: Wear Orange! 2:00 p.m. Early Dismissal
09.26: 3:00-3:45 p.m. Run Club (for registered students)
09.28: IAR Reports sent home today for current 4th-6th Graders; 3:00-3:45 p.m. Run Club (for registered students)
09.29: Falcon Friday! Wear spirit wear or school colors; PTA Fun Lunch
A Look Ahead...
10.09: School is IN session
10.12: Parent-Teacher Conferences (more details soon)
10.18: Parent-Teacher Conferences (more details soon)
Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 22-24, 2023
Winter Break: Dec. 25, 2023 -Jan. 5, 2024
Spring Break: March 25-329, 2024
Last Day of School: Friday, May 24, 2024 (if no emergency days are used)
Below the Line
Arrival/Dismissal/Carline Reminders
A few important reminders:
If you are choosing to drop off your student (via car), please utilize the car line and do not drop them off on Blodgett.
There are no dogs or other animals allowed on school grounds during arrival, dismissal and/or when on campus during the school day.
To support the flow of the car line, families and students who are arriving or dismissing at Fairmount as walkers are asked to walk behind/around the building to avoid crowding the sidewalk in front of the building.
If you are accessing our Carline, please note the following:
-There is no parking in the carline and we ask that all parents/drivers remain in their vehicle.
-Please do not enter the lot until 8:05 a.m. (Arrival) and 2:55 p.m. (Dismissal).
-All students should exit out the passenger side/curbside of the vehicle. Staff are available to assist with the opening and closing of doors, but cannot assist with safety seats/seatbelts.
-Please see "Below the Line" for additional information regarding the Fairmount Carline.
Attendance & Change of Dismissal
If your child's dismissal plan will be different (e.g. not taking the bus), please communicate this to both the school secretaries and classroom teacher as promptly as possible. This is especially important for our younger students, so we can support their dismissal process. In the event of a last-minute change (anytime after 11:30 a.m.), we ask that you please call the school office (630-719.5830) as staff members may not check their emails prior to daily dismissal.
Safe to Help
- Click here to connect with Safe2Help Illinois. Students can contact Safe2Help Illinois to safely and confidentially report a crisis or threat 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. Through Safe2Help, students can report a crisis or threat through the following ways:
- Website: https://app.safe22helpil.com
- Text: SAFE2 (72332)
- Phone: 844-4-SAFEIL (844-472-3345)
- App: "Safe2Help Illinois" app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
- Email: HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com
- Call or text "988" and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will provide 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
- Text “ACT” to 741741: The National Crisis Text line will connect you with free, confidential assistance.
Phone/Wearable Technology Use
While a student can bring their electronic device (including cell phones and AirPods) to school, all non-district-issued technologies are to be silenced and out of sight throughout the school day. Students are allowed to wear smartwatches, but they are to be silenced (or on school mode) during the school day. The district-provided technology will be utilized for students to participate in lessons and complete assignments. Please be sure to go over the expectations with your student as the policy was recently amended.
We appreciate your support in not texting or calling your child during the school day. The office staff will support any needed communication between you and your child throughout the day if/when needed.
Fairmount Office Contact Information
Lisa Niforatos, Principal lniforatos@dg58.org
Jill DeRango, Secretary jderango@dg58.org
Jill Darrah, Secretary jdarrah@dg58.org
Email: lniforatos@dg58.org
Website: www.dg58.org/fa/
Location: 6036 Blodgett Avenue, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 630.719.5830
Twitter: @Fairmount58