Fairmount Families Week END Report
10.27.2023
Happy Friday, Fairmount Families!
It was definitely a strange weather week as we wrapped up our last full week of learning in October. Our PTA's Trunk or Treat had a phenomenal turnout and WONDERFUL weather - thank you to everyone who participated in this festive event.
As we prepare for Halloween fun next week, please take a moment to review the costume guidelines and details for the day to support your child(ren) in their costume choices. We appreciate your support in this to make it a fun day for all.
Please see below for a playground update included in this week's newsletter.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Lisa Niforatos, Principal
Be sure to follow me on Twitter/X @Fairmount58.
Quick Links:
Playground Update
I wanted to provide you with an update on the Fairmount playground. Construction of the playground is nearing completion, however, there are still some components that will likely further delay the opening. First, the contractor needs to asphalt the apron on the east side (facing the school) of the playground. Secondly, some coupling pieces need to be added to join some older pieces of the play equipment to the newer components. Those pieces should arrive shortly.
A final step will be to complete the drainage connections, which can be done after the playground is open. Safety fencing will be installed on the affected area of the playground and in the play field.
As I have mentioned earlier, we have all been very frustrated with these delays and the progress of the contractor. We have used this contractor in the past for many years for similar work and had experienced no issues. Obviously, this is no longer the case. The District does not intend to use this contractor moving forward. We understand your frustration as well and apologize for these continued delays.
Above all, thank you for your support of this project as well as the wonderful support you have provided in fundraising for the playground. It is a great testament to the unity and generosity of the Fairmount school community.
I hope this is the last message about a playground delay and that the next one will be about the completion and ribbon cutting ceremony. As always, please reach out to me with any questions.
Halloween Celebrations
We are looking forward to celebrating Halloween at school on Tuesday, October 31st. 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 Tuesday, 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 Route Details - 1:40 p.m.
The Halloween parade will take place at 1:40 p.m. All students will parade out of Door 4 (north side of the building) onto the blacktop and parade around the building. Their parade will end at Door 3, where students will re-enter the building. Parents/guardians are welcome to view the parade by standing along the parade route.
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. A communication will be sent should this occur.
Classroom Celebrations
Classroom parties will take place immediately after the parade. The PTA has coordinated 3-4 parent volunteers for our Halloween classroom celebrations. Specific guidelines related to volunteering have been 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. All confirmed volunteers will need to check-in outside Door 1 with our office staff and the PTA Room Rep Chair to receive a volunteer/visitor badge.
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.
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.
Lost and Found
Dressing for the Weather
Lunch Program begins Oct. 30th
Parents should have received an email on Thursday, Oct. 19 inviting them to sign up to purchase lunch for their elementary-age student (K-6) if they choose. Parents can sign up and begin ordering lunch now, but the program begins the week of Monday, Oct. 30.
The lunches can be ordered through MyMealOrder (www.MyMealOrder.com) and are made by District 58’s food service provider Quest. The online program gives you the ability to manage and pay for your student’s meal purchases, and they will be delivered to your child’s school. To sign up, visit: https://MyMealOrder.com and click the login button, then click on “Register for a Free Account.”
Red Ribbon Week 10.23-10.27
Monday: Wear Red!
Tuesday: Pajama Day
Wednesday: Vacation Attire
Thursday: Team Day
Friday: Rainbow Day
More Friday Rainbows!
Fairmount PTA
Trunk or Treat
PTA Fun Lunch: Orders due 11/5
The next PTA Fun Lunch is Friday, November 10th. Food will be provided by Al's, and orders are due by Sunday, November 5th. The ordering platform is now open. All meals are still $5.00 each, and you can order for the entire year at once if you choose. Contact Tiffany Melnyk at tiffanyjoy21@gmail.com with any questions about ordering, forgotten login information, or setting up an account.
Reading Games 2024
The 2024 Reading Games Registration is now open thru Wednesday, November 15th! Please see the linked video, created by Fairmount librarian, Liz Stroud: Reading Games Video
Reading Games will be February 24, 2024
The Reading Games is a fun reading competition for District 58 students in grades 3-8. Students read books from the book lists, then face other teams to answer questions about the books they've read. It is a great opportunity for kids to read new books and discuss them with friends. Teams are made up of 5-8 students, and may include students from different grades and schools. However, due to space limitations, participation in the Reading Games is limited only to DG58 students.
Teams will read books and be asked questions from:
Book List 1 (3rd-4th grades): https://www.readinggamesdg58.com/list-1-books
or Book List 2 (5th-8th grades): https://www.readinggamesdg58.com/list-2-books
Team Registration
Completing the team registration form below reserves your spot as a team to compete on Saturday, February 24, 2024. You do not need to identify the students that will be on your team for this registration, so there is time to finalize the team members. Before Winter Break, you will be asked to provide more information about your team, including team name. Each team should plan to have the following overall adult participation:
1 Team Contact – This person would be a contact point for the Reading Games committee over the next several months until the event, and would work with the team to coordinate practices and reading. (This person can fill one of the three volunteer roles on the day of the event, if they wish, but that’s not required.)
1 Adult Team Volunteer - This person will fill a role separate from the team on the day of the event, as a moderator, scorekeeper or other needed role. (This can be the Team Contact or another parent)
2 Adult Team Chaperones – These people will stay with the team on the day of the event to supervise the team. (The Team Contact can fill one of these roles, or both can be filled by other team parents. This is in addition to the separate Team Volunteer listed above and would not be the same person)
Team Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3D1QniMms5cq6T_mmvy9M-eNd8-iFv7MY6-DJm_YLBwca0w/viewform
Individual Registration
If you have a child who would like to participate but does not have a team, you may request a spot using the individual registration form. Although we cannot guarantee a spot on a team, we will do our very best to match children to existing teams, or to assist you in creating a new team. Individual Registration Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSek6i4z-f00mBt3J4iGdeJcRRwG7GVVrMx5AiFqIbXyevta0A/viewform
Question Writers Needed
Calling all book lovers - we need your help! We are in need of volunteers to write questions for the 2024 Reading Games. As a question writer, you will work in pairs to develop a set of 15 questions for a book. You can grab a friend or pick a book and be paired with a partner. Questions are due January 7, 2024. Link to the 2024 Reading Games Question Writers sign up genius can be found here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040F49AFAC2AA4FB6-44339595-2024#/. Any questions related to question writing can be directed to rgquestionwriters@gmail.com.
For more information, visit the Reading Games website www.readinggamesdg58.com.
All of this information will also be on our PTA website. https://sites.google.com/view/fairmount58pta/events/reading-games
Volunteer for the PTA for Reading Games
We are still in need of a Reading Games Chair for the Fairmount PTA: https://sites.google.com/view/fairmount58pta/volunteer
PTA Art Appreciation Volunteers Needed!
Still plenty of openings throughout the year! You may sign up for more than 1 month if you like!
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 this document. You and the teacher will work together to schedule an agreed upon date for you to come present. 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
Early Dismissal Monday, October 30th
Monday, October 30th 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. Alicia Micele
# of Years at Fairmount: 18 years
Favorite Movie: A League of Their Own
Favorite Place to Go/Travel to: Any place warm. :)
Favorite Dessert or Sweet Treat: Vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup.
A fun or unusual fact about me is... My grandmother introduced me to my husband at the pool.
Lens into Learning
Awesome Ambassadors
Talk about Tuesday
Compare and Contrast
Fill it Friday
We love "Fill it Fridays!" It is a wonderful time for students to come together to our school-wide accomplishments. During the month of October we are working together to earn a school-wide BINGO game. We are so proud of our students for showing Respectful, Responsible and Safe behaviors.
Fairmount's MVPs - Celebrating Students
Mark your Calendars!
10.30: Wear Orange! 2:00 p.m. Early Dismissal
10.31: Halloween! 1:40 p.m. Halloween Parade, followed by classroom parties (see above for details)
11.01: 7:00 p.m. PTA Meeting
11.03: Falcon Friday! Wear spirit wear or school colors
A Look Ahead...
11.11: PTA Trivia Night
11.22-11.24: Thanksgiving Break
2023-2024 School Calendar - Updated
Winter Break: Dec. 25, 2023 -Jan. 5, 2024
Spring Break: March 25-329, 2024
Last Day of School: Tuesday, May 29, 2024 (if no additional emergency days are used)
Below the Line
Health Guidance for Schools
Dropping off Supplies
We recognize that students may forget items at home from time to time. We appreciate your support in only dropping off items that are essential for your child to navigate their school day (e.g. forgotten lunch, iPad).
To minimize classroom disruptions, any item or note from home will be dropped off during lunch time. This will help create a stable learning environment for the students in the classroom. Thank you!
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.
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