What's Up at Whittier
Week of February 6
Mr. Krugman's Weekly Message
Well, since the groundhog saw his shadow this past week, it looks like we have 6 more weeks of winter. Although, what really is winter weather these days - below 0 windchill temps one week and then over 40 degrees the next - typical Chicagoland weather! Please be sure your child(ren) are dressed appropriately for outdoor recess each day. We will go outside if the real temp/windchill is 0 degrees or higher, as long as playgrounds and blacktops are safe from icy areas.
We hope you and your family are continuing to help us "Make Kindness the Norm." Each month we will share a calendar with Daily Kindness Challenges. Be sure to check out the calendar for February below and help us make kindness the norm!
Be sure to scroll all the way through to the end of the newsletter for updates in the Whittier PTA Corner and the Whittier Calendar of Events.
As always, thank you for sending your children to us each day - ready to take on new adventures and learn all they can!
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong!
Michael Krugman - Whittier Principal
Making Kindness the Norm
School Hours for 2022-23
Kindergarten Half- Day:
8:15-11:20am (Monday-Friday)
Grades 1-6 and OKEEP:
8:15am-2:00pm (Monday)
8:15am-3:00pm (Tuesday-Friday)
Whittier Office Hours:
8:00am-4:00pm
Click the link below for the approved District 58 school calendar for 2022-23.
Winter Parent-Teacher Conferences
Winter Parent-Teacher Conferences are this week!
The online signup window will close on Monday, February 6 at 11am.
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 on:
- Tuesday, February 7 from 4:45-8:00pm
- Thursday, February 9 from 4:45-8:00pm
District 58 values the family-to-school partnership, and parent-teacher conferences are a key component of communication and collaboration between home and school. However, the District has also received feedback that, as a result of strong communication that occurs on a more regular basis, a winter conference may not be necessary for all families. While we encourage families to sign up for a conference, if you do not feel that a conference is necessary at this time, no action is needed and you can disregard this and future communications regarding conferences.
Please view the parent-teacher conference signup guide to learn how to sign up for a conference, along with other helpful information. If you still have questions, please complete a District 58 Technology Help Desk ticket at dg58.org/help.
Espanol
La inscripción para la conferencia de padres y maestros se abre el jueves 26 de enero
El Distrito 58 invita a los padres y tutores a inscribirse en las conferencias de padres y maestros del invierno de 2023 utilizando el sistema de registro de conferencias PowerPTC en línea en www.PowerPTC.net.
La ventana de registro se cerrará el lunes 6 de febrero a las 11 am.
Las conferencias de padres y maestros se llevarán a cabo en persona. Sin embargo, las familias que requieren una opción remota deben programar su conferencia en PowerPTC y luego cambiar el tipo de reunión de "en persona" a "videoconferencia".
Las conferencias se llevarán a cabo:
Martes 7 de febrero de 4:45 pm a 8 pm
Jueves 9 de febrero de 4:45 pm a 8 pm
Consulte la guía de registro para conferencias de padres y maestros para saber cómo registrarse para una conferencia utilizando el nuevo sistema, junto con otra información útil.
También te enviaré un correo electrónico para que tengas el enlace a la guía.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xnj9ypa8kW7vuiUhF4x3G9AutDnzgvPdcOG9ytMb6Ec/edit#
2nd Grade Robots
Kane County Cougars Reading Club
Whittier is once again participating in the Cougars Reading Club, a reading incentive program sponsored by the Kane County Cougars baseball team. Your child will have the opportunity to improve his or her reading skills while earning a ticket to a Cougars game, along with a Cougars drawstring bag, and a free hot dog and drink to enjoy during the game.
The program ends this Friday, February 10th.
All your child needs to do is read daily. Fill out the linked recording form and send it back to school. A ticket certificate will be provided later in the year.
2022-23 Survey Information
Parent/Guardian Survey Information:
To help us ensure a nurturing, supportive, and child-centered learning environment for every student, we ask you to please participate in District 58’s annual Parent/Guardian School Environment Survey. This survey should take just a few minutes, yet the valuable input you provide will help guide the work of our principals, teachers, and district administrators as they plan school improvement efforts. All responses are anonymous.
Parents may take the Parent/Guardian School Environment Survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2023District58Survey now through Friday, Feb. 17. The survey is also linked online at www.dg58.org/surveys. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact your child’s school for a paper copy. If you have a child attending more than one District 58 school, please complete a separate survey for each building. We value your responses and thank you for your time and effort!
We also invite parents/guardians to take the Illinois State Board of Education’s 5Essentials Parent Survey at https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/ now through Friday, March 31. District 58 will receive 5Essentials Parent Survey data if 20% or more of a school’s parents/guardians participate in this survey. This survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. Your participation in this survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept confidential and will not be connected to you or your child.
Student Survey Information:
In addition to the parent/guardian surveys, fourth through eighth-grade students will be asked to participate in a 5Essentials Student Survey sometime between January 31 - March 24.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey: Organizing Schools for Improvement was developed by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). The survey’s results will become part of the 2023 Illinois State Report Card for your child’s school. Student, staff, and parent identities will be kept confidential, and responses will not be linked to any individual. To view the privacy policy related to this survey, visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/privacy. To view the 5Essentials survey that will be administered to fourth through eighth-grade students, visit https://impactsurveyshelp.force.com/s/article/illinois-5essentials-survey-questions. The survey results will be used by your child’s school to inform planning.
If you have any questions about these surveys, please contact District 58 Community Relations Coordinator Megan Hewitt at mhewitt@dg58.org.
ATTENTION 1st Grade & 5th Grade Parents - Health Requirement Letter
As you begin to think about the 2023-2024 school year, we wanted to remind you of the health requirements for your incoming second or sixth-grader. All second and sixth graders will need to have a dental exam completed and turned in no later than May 15, 2024. This form can be dated anytime between November 15, 2022 - May 15, 2024. The form can be downloaded and printed here: Dental Form
All sixth graders are required to have a physical and two additional vaccinations; Meningococcal and Tdap, which are required at the age of 11. If your child is not 11 years old at the start of the year, they still should have their physical completed with a note from their physician stating when they are scheduled to return for their required vaccinations. This physical can be dated as early as August 23, 2022, and must be turned in by October 15, 2023. Prior to turning it in, be sure to complete and sign the top of the backside! The form can be downloaded and printed here: Physical Form
The completed forms can be dropped off at the school office, mailed, or emailed to the school nurse.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out!
Stay well,
Laura Monyek and Michelle McGarry
Pre-School Information 2023-24
Grove Children’s Preschool will hold an open house on Feb. 15
Will your child be 3 or 4 years old this August? Do you have a neighbor or friend with a future preschooler? Please share! Grove Children’s Preschool will hold an open house on Wednesday, February 15 from 5:00-6:30pm at Henry Puffer School, 2220 Haddow Ave. Parents and guardians may tour the preschool, meet the staff, hear an overview of the program, and ask questions throughout the open house.
Grove Children’s Preschool tuition applications for the 2023-24 school year will open online at www.dg58.org/preschool on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 8am. First priority applications are due Wednesday, March 8.
Outdoor Recess Information
Now that the cold weather and snow is upon us, I wanted to share with you the Outdoor Recess Procedure at Whittier, and throughout District 58. We will do our best to give our students an outdoor recess opportunity whenever safe and possible. Across the District, we follow the "0" degree guideline. If the outside temperature is "0" degrees or below; or the windchill factor is "0" or below, recess is held indoors.
If recess is outdoors and there is snow is on the ground, we follow our snow procedure:
If student wears snow pants AND boots - play in the snow
If student wears snow pants OR boots - play on the blacktop
If student wears NO snow pants or boots - play on the blacktop
We want to make sure students return to the classroom after being outside in the snow ready to learn.
Please make sure your child(ren) comes to school prepared to go outdoors for recess. Coats, hats, mittens or gloves, scarves, boots, and snow pants are necessary items to stay warm while playing outside in the wintery weather.
Thank you for your assistance.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedure 2022-23
Student safety is always at the forefront of our mind when planning at school. It is extremely important for all individuals who are driving students to and from school to follow all the rules of the road, along with our Whittier procedures. Please share this information with anyone transporting students.
Arrival
Students may arrive at Whittier beginning at 8:05am each day when adult supervision begins. In order to assist with a timely and safe arrival process, the school playground will be closed before school. Upon arrival, students should line up by their assigned door. Students will be directed to enter the building beginning at 8:15am. Anyone arriving after 8:15am should enter through Door One for an office pass.
Dismissal/After School
Following daily dismissal at Whittier (2:00 pm on Monday and 3:00 pm Tuesday through Friday), all students who are not scheduled to remain in the building must leave the school grounds and check in at their destination as there is no supervision on school grounds. We want to ensure the safety of all students.
Students may return to the playground after school hours and/or on the weekends. This will be done at family discretion, as our district playgrounds also function as community parks outside of school hours.
Hill Street traffic - travels WEST ONLY from 8:00am-4:00pm (One Way Street)
- Hill Street will be used as a Student DROP OFF ONLY during school hours.
- Hill Street will be used as a Student PICK UP ONLY during school hours.
- Car drivers will need to travel west down Hill Street entering the Drop-off/Pick-up Lane.
- As you enter the Drop-off/Pick-up Lane, please pull all the way up to the white street
markings and drop-off or pick-up. The car does not need to be at the ramp to drop-off
or pick-up students. Driver stays in the car. Students should exit the vehicle from the
passenger side.
- If car drivers want to park and walk their child(ren) to their designated area, they may do so after parking in a designated parking space at the west end of Hill, or on Blodgett or Grand. Parents may walk students to the sidewalk.
Grand Crosswalk at the Intermediate Playground
- Students should cross the street at the Grand crosswalk at the Intermediate Playground.
- Car drivers who travel south on Grand, may drop off intermediate-level students on Grand.
- If car drivers want to park and walk their child(ren) to their designated area, they may do
so after parking in a designated parking space at the west end of Hill, or on Blodgett or
Grand. Parents may walk students to the sidewalk.
Hill & Blodgett Crosswalk
- A crossing guard will be stationed at Hill & Blodgett to assist students in crossing to
school.
Blodgett Street
- We continue to ask parents NOT to drop off students on Blodgett.
Staff Parking Lot
- Please do NOT use the Staff Parking Lot as a drop-off or pick-up location.
- Students should NOT walk through the parking lot, they should only use the sidewalks.
Student Entrance and Exit
- Each class has been assigned to a specific door for entrance and exit to the building. (See the article below for specifics for each class).
- Please follow these guidelines to assist us in maintaining safety for all.
You may also review this information in the attachment below.
Order Your 2022-23 Whittier Yearbook
Delivering or Dropping Off Items for your Child(ren)
Reporting Student Absence from School
As a reminder - we ask that parents report their child(ren)'s absence to the school office. Please call the school office at (630) 719-5865 (24 hours a day), and leave a message regarding your child's absence from school. You can also email the Whittier secretaries (ccasella@dg58.org and adunbar@dg58.org). It is important to notify the office of any student absence from school.
While many parents contact the classroom teacher with absence information, the school office MUST also be notified. Thank you for your assistance!
Homework Requests
We wanted to share with you how we handle homework and classwork when a student is absent. If you have any specific questions, please contact your child's teacher; otherwise, we ask that parents honor the homework request process that is followed by teachers at Whittier.
If a student is absent 3 or more days, on the third day, homework can be requested if they are feeling well enough to complete it. Otherwise, the teacher will touch base with the student upon his/her return to school and work on what needs to be made up.
If a student is going to be absent due to a vacation or other out-of-town obligation, daily homework will not be provided. Upon return to school, the teacher and student will touch base to discuss what was missed and what needs to be made up. During their time out of school, we recommend that students read, keep a journal of experiences on the trip, and practice math facts or current concepts.
There is no change to the Home Learning Connection process, which is followed when students are required to quarantine at home.
It's Cold and Flu Season
Cold and flu season is upon us and we are seeing students with cold and flu symptoms. To prevent the spread of these common viruses in the close confines of the classroom, we are cleaning daily and encouraging handwashing in the class. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines.
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
· Very stuffy or runny nose and/or a cough
· Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
· Headache
Definitely keep your child at home and consider seeking medical attention if he or she has any of these symptoms:
· Fever (greater than 100 degrees by mouth. Your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been consistently below 100 degrees, by mouth, for a minimum of 24 hours without medication)
· Vomiting (even once)
· Diarrhea
· Chills
· General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches
· Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough
· Shortness of breath
· Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose
To help prevent the flu and other colds, encourage good hygiene habits:
· Wash hands frequently
· Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
· Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick
The flu shot is one of the best ways to prevent illness from the seasonal influenza virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults and children receive the flu vaccine each year. Yearly flu vaccination is needed because immunity against the flu wears off over time. In addition, the flu virus strains often change, so the vaccine also changes from year-to-year in order to match the flu viruses expected to be circulating in the community.
Fruit/Snack Break
Phone/Wearable Technology Use
Gym Shoes for PE Class & Shoes at Recess
It is important for students to be prepared for PE class. In order to participate safely in PE class, we ask that ALL students wear closed-toe gym shoes during each PE class. This allows for maximum safety during PE activities, and does not mark up the gym floor. Students can keep a pair of gym shoes at school to change into, or wear gym shoes on PE days. If a student arrives to PE class without the appropriate shoes, he/she will be given an alternate activity to complete. He/she will not be able to participate in the regular class activity that day, due to safety concerns. Thank you for helping us keep our students safe during PE class.
In addition, we want to maintain safety at recess, too; and having students wear the proper shoes to play outside is very important. Please make sure that your child wears closed-toe shoes for outdoor recess. While sandals and flip-flops are cute and comfortable, they are not always safe for kids when they are playing. Thank you for your assistance and cooperation in keeping kids safe!
District Health Requirements
Please note the Health Requirements at different grade-levels below. Any documents may be
Kindergarten - Completed physical dated within the past year (no earlier than August 25, 2021), full immunization record and vision exam by October 15. Dental exam is required this year, but they have until May 15, 2023.
Second grade - Dental exam is required this year, but they have until May 15, 2023.
Sixth grade - Completed physical dated within the past year (no earlier than August 25, 2021), and proof of the Meningococcal and Tdap vaccinations are due by October 15. Dental exam is required this year, but they have until May 15, 2023.
District 58 invites families to voluntarily share an electronic image of their child’s vaccination card with their building’s health office. Providing proof of vaccination is not required. However, current CDC guidance excuses fully vaccinated individuals from having to quarantine unless symptomatic.
By sharing a copy of your child’s card, if your child is a close contact, having the vaccination card on hand will expedite the school’s investigation process. Copies of proof of vaccination will be kept in each student’s individual health file and treated in the same way as all health records.
Elementary Student Entry Time
Just a reminder that students now enter the building at 8:15am. Supervision still begins at 8:05am, but if your child(ren) do not want to stand in line for 10 minutes, please plan your arrival to school in the morning accordingly. Students arriving after all have entered the building will need to enter through the Main Entrance and go to the office for a tardy slip.
Student Entrance and Exit from the Building
Student Arrival
Parents may not escort their students to entry doors. Parents may walk students to the sidewalk, at which time students will join the line to enter the building.
Students may arrive at Whittier beginning at 8:05am each day when adult supervision begins. In order to assist with a timely and safe arrival process, the school playground will be closed before school. Upon arrival, students should line up by their assigned door. Students will be directed to enter the building beginning at 8:15am. Teachers will direct students to their cubby area. Anyone arriving after 8:15am should enter through Door One for an office pass.
Upon arrival to school, students in these classes will line up at the Main Entrance (Door 1):
1Q - Mrs. Quill
1R - Mrs. Richards
2Su - Ms. Sullivan
2Sw - Mr. Swade
Upon arrival to school, students in these classes will line up at the Primary Entrance at the west end of the building off the Staff Parking Lot (Door 2):
KB - Miss Boehm
KL - Mrs. Hedman
3K - Miss Karius
3M - Mrs. Modine
Upon arrival to school, students in these classes will line up at the Intermediate Entrance off the Intermediate Playground (Door 4):
4M - Mr. Miller
4S - Mrs. Smitley
5H - Mrs. Hodkowski
5L - Mrs. Lyons
6M - Mrs. Miller
6Z - Mrs. Zagorski
Student Dismissal
Following daily dismissal at Whittier (2:00 pm on Monday and 3:00 pm Tuesday through Friday), all students who are not scheduled to remain in the building must leave the school grounds and check in at their destination as there is no supervision on school grounds. We want to ensure the safety of all students.
Students may return to the playground after school hours and/or on the weekends. This will be done at family discretion, as our district playgrounds also function as community parks outside of school hours.
Primary Students will dismiss from Door 2 (west end of the building near the Staff Parking Lot).
Intermediate Students will dismiss from Door 4 off the Intermediate Playground.
Safety and Security at School
The District and School Emergency Management Plans are reviewed with all staff at the start of the school year, as well as re-visited throughout the school year.
Safety Drills are held throughout the school year.
- Intruder/Lock Down Drills are practiced in coordination with the DG Police Department.
- Fire Drills are practiced in coordination with the DG Fire Department.
- Tornado/Take Cover Drills are practiced.
A Parent Guide, developed in conjunction with MAVinS (Mothers Against Violence in Schools), on talking to children about safety drills is sent home in early fall.
We do our best each and every day to maintain the safety of all who are in our school.
Whittier PTA Corner
OUR MISSION: To make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. Our mission requires that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) be central to our work and used in our day-to-day decisions and actions.
The Whittier PTA strives to create a kind, responsive culture where all feel welcome.
★ IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN YOUR PTA, CLICK HERE ★
We need 9 more families for 80%!
We need 5 more staff for 80%!
★ JOIN US FOR FREE INTERNET SAFETY LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ★
The most recent PTA School of Excellence survey identified a desire for more parent/guardian learning opportunities at Whittier - there was strong interest in digital/internet safety.
Here are 2 upcoming opportunities:
A FREE NATIONAL PTA VIRTUAL SEMINAR - Tues. Feb 7th at 6:30pm (CLICK HERE for more info)
A WHITTIER PARENT DISCUSSION ON INTERNET SAFETY - Date TBD (CLICK HERE to tell us your availability)
You do not need to attend the National seminar to participate in Whittier's discussion! If you are interested in the Whittier Parent/Guardian Discussion on Internet Safety, please fill out the interest form so we can identify a date, format, etc. HERE IS THE FORM (it should take no more than 2 minutes). Of course, Whittier staff and teachers are welcome to attend!
★ HOST A SPRING EXPERIENCE! ★
Experiences are a fun way to build community among students and parents while also fundraising for the PTA in support of our Fall & Spring Fundraisers.
Typically, twice a year all are invited to host or sign up for Experiences, which are funded and organized by Whittier families and/or staff. The hosts cover the cost of the event and then all registration fees collected from those signing up for the event go to the PTA. Past experiences have included student focused events (movie night,, kickball, etc.), while other experiences have been geared towards families or adult only events (BINGO, volleyball, cooking, etc.)
If you are interested in hosting or want to know more, please contact Julie Orozco at juliembaker@gmail.com.
★ SUPPORT YOUR PTA - RIGHT FROM HOME! ★
Givebacks and RaiseRight are simple ways to support the PTA community AND you can even earn cash back!
GIVEBACKS: Join HERE
Includes over 25,000 local merchants, including: Gia Mia, Capri, Walgreens, Costco, Old Navy, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Macy’s and more!
RAISERIGHT: (ENROLLMENT CODE is MXUC7281TCYN)
Reload your Starbucks account and earn 4.5% for the PTA (HERE)
Get a Fannie May gift card to purchase all of your Valentine's treats and earn the PTA up to 25%! (HERE)!!
Using Airbnb for spring break? Pre-purchase a gift card to load into your account and earn the PTA 5% HERE!
★ SAVE THE DATES: VARIETY SHOW & SPRING FUNDRAISER ★
Whittier PTA Variety Show: Saturday, March 4th 10am @ The Tivoli
Questions? Contact Melissa Rausch at whittiervarietyshow@gmail.com
Whittier PTA Spring Fundraiser: Saturday, April 29th at the Tivoli. Adult Event. Committees for planning, fundraising, etc. will begin forming soon - interested? Contact Jenn McDonald (jenn.mcdonald430@gmail.com) or Meghan Landers (meghanlanders1@gmail.com).
★ PTA MEETINGS ★
The next general meeting is on Tuesday, April 11th at 7:00pm. Please mark your calendars! Meeting Minutes and Agendas can be found on our website HERE.
Calendar of Events
Monday, February 6 - Choose Happy Orange Spirit Day
Tuesday, February 7 - 5th Grade STEM Club, 3:00-3:45pm; Young Rembrandts, 3:00-4:00pm; Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:45-8:00pm
Wednesday, February 8 - SC Spirit Day - Jersey Day (wear your favorite sports jersey/clothing); 4th Grade STEM Club, 3:00-3:45pm; Language Labs, 3:00-4:00pm
Thursday, February 9 - Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:45-8:00pm
Friday, February 10- Whittier Spirit Day (wear your favorite spirit wear or our school colors - blue and gold/yellow)
Monday, February 13 - Choose Happy Orange Spirit Day; BOE Regular Meeting, DG Village Hall, 7:00pm
Tuesday, February 14 - Happy Valentine's Day!; Friendship Club, 3:00-3:45pm; Young Rembrandts, 3:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, February 15 - SC Spirit Day - Crazy Hair Day (do something fun with your hair); 4th Grade STEM Club, 3:00-3:45pm; Language Labs, 3:00-4:00pm
Friday, February 17- Happy Random Acts of Kindness Day!; Whittier Spirit Day (wear your favorite spirit wear or our school colors - blue and gold/yellow); Fun Lunch
Whittier Vision Statement
Whittier strives to develop lifelong learners within a caring, safe, and healthy learning environment. Our staff will be responsive to each student and collaborate with families and community. Our students will solve problems with perseverance, and develop a social conscience which enables them to contribute to their school, family, and community. Together we will be respectful of diversity and inclusivity, and we will positively impact the world.
Whittier School
Email: mkrugman@dg58.org
Website: www.dg58.org/wh
Location: 536 Hill Street, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 6307195865
Twitter: @MKrugmanDG58