Fairmount Families Week END Report
10.14.2022
Happy Friday, Fairmount Families!
With Parent-Teacher Conferences quickly approaching, our teachers and staff are actively preparing to welcome Fairmount parents/guardians to the classroom to discuss your student(s)' educational journey thus far. Please note, the conference sign-up system will close on Monday, October 17th at 11:00 a.m. If you have any questions about scheduling a conference, please reach out to your child(ren)'s teacher or the Fairmount office.
The PTA will again be hosting the Book Fair during Parent-Teacher Conferences. I encourage parents to visit the staff lounge before or after your conference to view the exciting selection of books.
A few items to note for next week:
- If you have a student(s) that currently rides the bus to/from school, please see the communication below for important updates regarding the bus schedules. This information was also shared by the District on Thursday 10/13.
- There is no school on Friday, October 21st due to Parent-Teacher Conferences and a School Improvement Day.
Wishing everyone an enjoyable weekend!
Sincerely,
Lisa Niforatos, Principal
Be sure to follow me on Twitter @Fairmount58.
Please be sure to check out the "Lens into Learning" and "Celebration" sections later in the newsletter for photo highlights from the week.
Building Bricks - Being our Best!
We will be continuously supporting students (both in and out of the classroom) to Be Ready, In Control, Kind and Safe.
Falcon Focus: Be Ready!
Our falcons are filling up our hallway board, as they continue to "Be Ready" each day. Each Friday, students who exemplified this important focus by being prepared for their day and engaged in their learning get to add their name to the board. They are doing amazing things! Go falcons!
Updated Bus Routes in Effect 10.18.2022
District 58 will enact updated general education bus routes on Tuesday, Oct. 18. Most general education student bus riders will be assigned a new pickup and dropoff time. Some students may be moved to a new bus route. Students’ actual bus stops will not change. Please click here to visit District 58’s bus route webpage to view your child’s bus stop and to see if the pickup/dropoff times and bus route number have changed.
These updates were made in an effort to make routes more efficient and shorter, as well as to ensure buses consistently arrive at school on time.
Please see District 58’s Oct. 13 email for more information.
Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up Closes Monday 10/17/22 at 11 a.m.
District 58 invites parents and guardians to sign up for fall 2022 parent-teacher conferences using the online PowerPTC conference signup system at www.PowerPTC.net. PowerPTC is the same tool District 58 used for winter conferences. The signup window will close on Monday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m.
Parent-teacher conferences will be held in person. However, families who require a remote option should schedule their conference in PowerPTC and then change the meeting type from “in person” to “video conference.”
Conferences will take place:
- Preschool through sixth grade conferences:
- Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 4:40-8 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 20 from 4:40-8 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 21 from 8-11:20 a.m.
- Middle school conferences:
- Tuesday, Oct. 18 from 4:50-8 p.m.
- Thursday, Oct. 20 from 4:50-8 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 21 from 8-11:20 a.m.
Please view the parent-teacher conference signup guide ((para Español: Registro para las reuniones de padres y maestros) to learn how to sign up for a conference using the new system, along with other helpful information.
PTA Book Fair Opens October 18th
The Fairmount School Book Fair begins next week! Sales take place during conferences on Tuesday, October 18th, Thursday, October 20th and Friday, October 21st. Students will have the opportunity to purchase books during the afternoon on Thursday. The PTA will be accepting cash, credit or checks made payable to Anderson Bookfair Company. This is a great chance to stock up on good books for the holidays!
If you can’t shop in person, you can order online here! When you are ready to check out, type Fairmount in the coupon code section and school pickup slot and our school will benefit from your purchase.
Email Chelsea Borchers at chenic88@gmail.com if you have any questions.
Fun Lunch November 4th! (Final Ordering due Oct. 30th)
Cozzi Corner will provide the next Fairmount School Fun Lunch on Friday, November 4th. Meals are $5.00 and must be preordered by Sunday, October 30th. No "day of" purchase option is available. You can order at: https://fairmount.h1.hotlunchonline.net/frontend.php
If you have any questions, contact Tiffany Melnyk (tiffanyjoy21@gmail.com).
Reminder: Students need to provide their own drink on Fun Lunch days. Fun Lunch is the meal only. Remind your student to bring their water bottle with them to lunch or send an alternate drink from home. If you purchased milk for your student this year, milk will still be available to your student on Fun Lunch days.
PTA Trunk or Treat 10.27.22
National PTA Reflections: Entries Due October 28th
CALLING ALL REFLECTIONS ENTRIES!!!!!! ALL ARTWORK IS DUE BY OCTOBER, 28.
This year’s theme is “Show Your Voice”. There are 7 categories students may enter in, including Dance, Film, Literature, Music, Photography, Visual Arts and Special Artist (IDEA, ADA, 504). Applications and category requirements are available in each classroom, and you may view them in detail here: https://drive.google.com/.../1DJYZKr1ww28hnctx...
3 finalists from each age group will be selected to move to the District competition level. (K-2, 3-5, 6-8).
If you have any questions please feel free to email: reflectionsfairmount@gmail.com
Halloween 10.31.2022
We are looking forward to celebrating Halloween at school on Monday, October 31st. A reminder that since Halloween falls on a Monday, we will follow the typical early-release schedule, and students will be dismissed at 2:00 p.m.
In an effort to support your planning, I wanted to share a few important details ahead of time.
Costumes
All students are invited to wear a costume to school on Monday, October 31st. As you prepare your child for this day, please take note of the following costume guidelines:
Costume Guidelines Kindergarten-6th Grade:
Costumes should allow for safe classroom navigation and participation as students will be in their costumes for the whole school day
Costume/Look Alike Weapons of any kind are NOT allowed at school
Costumes should not glorify violence and/or be offensive to any culture/group
Costumes should not impair vision or ability to walk (costume masks will only be allowed during the outdoor parade)
Costumes should allow children to be comfortable in the weather/temperature as students will go outside for recess, as well as the Halloween parade
Parade and Classroom Celebrations
Parents/guardians are welcome to view our outdoor Halloween parade (weather permitting), which will take place at 8:30 a.m. for our kindergarten students and 12:40 p.m. for our 1st-6th grade students. More details regarding our parade route will be communicated as we approach the date. Classroom parties will take place immediately after the parade. In the event of inclement weather, the outdoor parade may be canceled and parade spectators will not be allowed in the building for a modified student parade.
Kindergarten
At 8:30 a.m., kindergarten students will participate in an outdoor parade (weather permitting). Parents interested in viewing the parade should plan to stand along the parade route, which will be sent out prior to October 31st. After the parade, the students will take part in the kindergarten classroom party from 8:50 - 9:30 a.m. Half-day students will be dismissed at their regular time of 11:20 a.m. OKEEP students will continue to wear their costumes for the remainder of the day.
1st-6th Grade
At 12:40 p.m. 1st through 6th-grade students will participate in an outdoor parade (weather permitting). Parents are welcome to view the parade by standing along the parade route, which will be sent out prior to October 31st. 1st through 6th Grade students will take part in their classroom parties immediately following the parade (1:00-1:45 p.m.).
Additional information
There will be no food or drink provided or distributed to students during the celebration. This includes any goody bag that students may bring to school to distribute to classmates. If your child would like to bring a “favor” to share with his/her classmates, this must be a non-edible item such as a pencil, stickers, or another small token, and have one for each member of the class. This is, of course, completely optional.
We are working directly with the PTA to coordinate 3-4 parent volunteers for our Halloween classroom celebrations. Specific guidelines related to volunteering will be shared with confirmed volunteers. Please note that parents/guardians who are not confirmed volunteers will not be permitted in the building for the classroom celebrations.
Thank you for your attention to the above guidelines and details, which will support a safe and eventful Halloween celebration for our students. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.
Fairmount Library Pumpkin Decorating
District 58 Informational Referendum Open Houses
Please consider attending District 58's upcoming Informational Referendum Open House to learn more about the District 58 referendum.
Monday, Oct. 17 from 6:30-8 p.m.
Herrick Middle School, 4435 Middaugh Ave.
The open house will include a brief presentation, tour and a question-and-answer opportunity. To learn more, please visit District 58's referendum information website at www.dg58.org/referendum. This website includes links to the Master Facility Plan, facility presentation, videos, frequently asked questions and much more.
District 58 Referendum
District 58 will place a proposal on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot to issue $179 million in bonds to improve District 58’s facilities. To learn more about the District 58 referendum, please visit www.dg58.org/referendum.
This website contains helpful information, including the District’s Master Facility Plan, frequently asked questions, ballot language, voter information, tax impact, facility presentation and videos and much more. If you have any questions about the referendum not answered on the website, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Please know, as a school district, we can provide factual information about a referendum, but we cannot advocate for or against it.
The Reading Games Registration
The Reading Games will return for its ninth year on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at O'Neill Middle School. The Reading Games is a fun and friendly reading competition open to District 58 students in grades 3-8.
Start forming teams now! Team and individual registration is open now through Nov. 2. Please click here for general Reading Games information, including team and individual registration links. Visit www.readinggamesdg58.com for detailed information. The Reading Games also seeks question writer volunteers! Click here to learn more information and to sign up to volunteer.
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 hope you enjoy learning a little more about each of our staff members in the NEW weekly Teacher Feature.
Teacher Feature - Mrs. Swallows
Role at Fairmount: 3rd Grade Teacher
# of Years at Fairmount School: 21
Favorite Food or Restaurant: Sushi
If she is not at school, you can catch Mrs. Swallows running a few miles, shopping or reading.
Favorite Quote: "Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, dreams are forever." -Walt Disney
The best thing about working with children every day is... getting the opportunity to watch them learn and grow!
Lens into Learning
Rhyme Time!
I See a Similie!
Dig In!
YET knows you will, when you think you won't!
Celebrating Students
Early Dismissal Monday
Mark your Calendars!
10.17: Happy Monday! Wear Orange! 2:00 p.m. Early Dismissal
10.18: P.M. Parent-Teacher Conferences
10.19: 3:00 p.m. Run Club (for registered students)
10.20: 3:00 p.m. Bricks for Kids (for registered students); P.M. Parent-Teacher Conferences
10.21: No School Students - A.M. Parent-Teacher Conferences/ P.M. School Improvement Day
A Look Ahead...
10.27: Picture Retakes
11.08: No School - Election Day
11.23-11.25: No School - Thanksgiving Break
Calendar Highlights:
Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 23-25, 2022
Winter Break: Dec. 19, 2022 -Jan. 2, 2023
Spring Break: March 27-31, 2023
Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 (if no emergency days are used)
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Below the Line
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, 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 2 Help
District 58 has partnered with Safe2Help to give students a safe and confidential way to report potential threats or crises. Safe2Help was launched by the State of Illinois in December 2020 and aims to help prevent suicide, bullying, school violence and other threats to school safety.
With Safe2Help, students can connect with a trained crisis professional during their own crisis, or to report a potential threat. Students can submit a Safe2Help alert via 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
All alerts are responded to by a trained Safe2Help crisis professional. Safe2Help is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
District 58 staff are not the initial responders to the alert and will receive each alert after the Safe2Help professional provides support. District 58 staff will review alerts sent by Safe2Help during regular school hours, unless the nature of the alert necessitates immediate school action.
Learn more about Safe2Help and District 58's crisis resources.
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 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.
District 58 Handbook
District 58 has published the 2022-23 Schools of 58: A Handbook for Families. Please take time to review this important handbook with your child, as it offers an overview of the District’s policies, procedures, resources and student expectations. During the first full week of school, all families will receive a handbook receipt to sign, acknowledging that they and their child reviewed and understood the handbook. Please sign and return the handbook receipt at Curriculum Night or sooner. Here are the links to this year’s family handbook. If you need a print copy, please contact the school office at 630-719-5830, and we can print you a copy.
Fairmount Office Contact Information
Lisa Niforatos, Principal lniforatos@dg58.org
Jillian 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