What's Up at Whittier
Week of February 5
Mr. Krugman's Weekly Message
What a busy week - 100th Day of School, Parent-Teacher Conferences Day 1, Ground Hog Day, and the PTA Family Fun Fair. Good happenings all around! And, looks like Spring is right around the corner!
Thanks to all the parents who attended Parent-Teacher Conferences this past week. We look forward to welcoming more parents this week on Wednesday, as we conclude our Winter Parent-Teacher Conferences. It is always great to see our parents in the building and to talk about all the progress students continue to make throughout the school year. Our 2nd Trimester ends on February 29 - yes, 29 - this is a Leap Year!
All students will attend our annual American Heart Association Assemblies on Thursday during PE classes. This is our annual service project to support the AHA in their research on heart disease and healthy heart awareness. Look for more information to come home with your student regarding the Jump Rope for Heart Program.
As always, thank you for sending your children to us each day - ready to take on new adventures and learn all they can! We appreciate all of your support!
Stay safe, stay healthy, and stay strong!
Michael Krugman - Whittier Principal
Calendar of Events
Monday, February 5 - Choose Happy Orange Day (wear orange today)
Tuesday, February 6 - Grade 6 DGPD Operation Life Saver; Grade 4 Field Trip to Museum of Science & Industry; Young Rembrandts, 3:00-4:00pm
Wednesday, February 7 - SC Spirit Day - Sports Day (wear your sports attire to school today); Grade 5 Candor Health Presentation; Craft Club for Grades K & 1, 3:00-3:30pm; Gr 5/6 STEM Club, 3:00-3:45pm; Parent-Teacher Conferences, 4:45-8:00pm
Thursday, February 8 - American Heart Association Assemblies; Chess Scholars, 3:00-4:00pm; BAM Theater, 3:00-4:10pm
Friday, February 9 -WH Spirit Day (wear your favorite Whittier Spirit Wear or our school colors - blue and gold or yellow to show your school spirit); Fun Lunch; Grade 3 Learn Not to Burn Program
Saturday, February 10 - District 58 Solo & Ensemble Festival, 8:30am-3:00pm, Herrick Middle School
Monday, February 12 - Choose Happy Orange Day (wear orange today); BOE Regular Meeting, 7:00pm, DG Village Hall
Tuesday, February 13 - Young Rembrandts, 3:00-4:00pm; Whittier PTA Meeting, 7:00pm via ZOOM
Wednesday, February 14 - Happy Valentine's Day; SC Spirit Day - Red & Pink Day (wear your red and pink to celebrate Valentine's Day); Language Labs, 3:00-4:00pm
Thursday, February 15 - Chess Scholars, 3:00-4:00pm; BAM Theater, 3:00-4:10pm; Grove Children's Preschool Open Hiouse, 5:00-6:30pm, Henry Puffer School
Friday, February 16 -WH Spirit Day (wear your favorite Whittier Spirit Wear or our school colors - blue and gold or yellow to show your school spirit)
Making Kindness the Norm
See below for the February Make Kindness the Norm Calendar. There are fun things you can do each day to spread kindness and make it the norm.
Thanks for helping us "make kindness the norm" all year long!
School Hours for 2023-24
Kindergarten Half- Day:
8:15-11:20am (Monday-Friday)
Grades K-6:
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 2023-24, which includes all school days off.
Whittier Celebrates 100th Day of School
The 100th Day of School was celebrated this past week. Students in both Kindergarten and 1st Grade celebrated all the learning that has taken place over the first 100 days. And...there is more learning to come! Great job to all the Whittier students on their accomplishments and progress over the first 100 Days of School!
Kindergarteners had fun parading through the building showing off their 100's crowns and t-shirts. 1st graders did an awesome job with a variety of 100 tasks, games, and fun activities. Happy 100 Days of School!
Student Council Service Project for RMHC
This past week, our Student Council held a community service project to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities. Our students collected pop top tabs all week. The 3 classrooms with the most pop top tabs collected will each receive a gift card for their classroom from Student Council.
Little did we know, that Mrs. VanKeulen (IA at Whittier) has been collecting pop top tabs for years, and brought in 9 gallon size Ziploc bags of tabs. On Friday, we held a special Jaguar Jackpot Raffle and 3 students' tickets were pulled and each won 3 bags of pop top tabs for their classroom. Congratulations to Mia (3rd grade - Mrs. Modine), Max (5th grade - Mrs. Lyons), and Rachel (5th grade - Mrs. Hodkowski). Student Council will now tally the tabs and award the gift card to the classes with the most tabs. Stay tuned for the announcement of those winners.
Thank you to everyone who brought in pop top tabs to help support Ronald McDonald House Charities!
PTA Family Fun Fair
It was a beautiful day for a Fun Fair! Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday for some fun at Whittier! Looking at the faces of our students, they were having a fabulously fun time! Thank you to our PTA for sponsoring this event - and special thanks to Lindsay Monco, Fun Fair Chair, and all the student volunteers from Downers Grove North!
Student Council Spirit Days - February
Spirit Days:
Wednesday, February 7 - Sports Day - wear your favorite sports attire
Wednesday, February 14 - Red and Pink Day - wear your favorite Valentine's Day colors
Kindergarten & 1st Grade Craft Club
Craft Club will be making Valentine Foam Slime with students in Kindergarten and 1st grade. Craft Club will be on Wednesday, February 7 from 3:00-3:30pm in the Learning Lab. Sign up is now closed for this program.
Reporting Student Absence - Electronically
Looking for another way to report your child's absence from school? Now, you can report absences electronically. Just click on the link below, complete the information, and submit the form. This form can also be found on the Whittier webpage.
https://forms.gle/1Q3gXFonR3by2ppR9
You can still call in an absence 24 hours a day, by calling the Whittier Office (630) 719-5865. Just leave a message.
Whittier Young Authors
Please open the attachment below for infornation from Ms. Coleman regarding this year's Whittier Young Authors.
Whittier PTA Family Fun Winter Event
Please open the attachment below for information pertaining to the Whittier PTA Family Fun Wiinter Event - Ice Skating!
2024-25 Health Requirements
It is never too early to consider an appointment for your child's school physical.
As you begin to think about the 2024-2025 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, 2025. This form can be dated anytime between November 15, 2023 - May 15, 2025. 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 16, 2023, and must be turned in by October 15, 2024. 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 to the school office, mailed, or emailed to the school nurse. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out!
McTeacher Night - February 20
Join us for the Whittier PTA sponsored McTeacher Night on Tuesday, February 20 from 5:00-7:00pm at the McDonald's at 225 Ogden Avenue. See the attached flier for more information.
Grove Children's Preschool holds Open House - February 15
Preschool parents and guardians are invited to an open house to learn more about the District’s gold-rated Grove Children’s Preschool program. The Open House will be Thursday, Feb. 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 2024-25 school year will open online at www.dg58.org/preschool on Wednesday, Feb. 21 at 8am. First-priority preschool applications are due Monday, March 11.
Grove Children’s Preschool is located at Henry Puffer School and Indian Trail School (6235 Stonewall Ave.) in Downers Grove. Students attend school five days per week during either a morning or an afternoon session.
Kindergarten Dual Language Information Night
Join us on Monday, April 29 if you are interested in learning more about the Kindergarten Dual Language Program in District 58.
Whittier PTA Scholarship Application is OPEN
The Whittier PTA Scholarship Application is now live. Below is a direct link to the application. The Whittier Elementary PTA Scholarship is a one-time, $1,000 scholarship awarded to two (2), graduating seniors from Illinois High Schools who attended Whittier Elementary School for at least four years. The intent of this money is to supplement tuition, boarding, meal plans or book fees. Complete and submit the scholarship application by March 15, 2024
ReferralGPS
Mental Health Resources Info -
District 58 strives to create a culture of well-being for students, parents, staff and community. To further support this endeavor, the District has invested in an additional support service through ReferralGPS.
ReferralGPS is a service providing assistance to our community in finding local mental health and substance use-related treatment resources. The service compliments the District’s existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS assists families in triage and appointment setting.
School district staff and families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:
Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors) to seek out treatment options
Visit this link at https://referralgps.com/find-help/DG58 to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously
The platform has the ability to filter by mental health concern, clinician gender/specialty, location, and insurance acceptance. The service is available for all types of private and public insurance options including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, and families that are uninsured or underinsured.
ReferralGPS is available for use by district students, staff, and families at no cost. All information entered on the ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored.
Order your 2023-2024 Whittier Yearbook!
Hello Parents! The 2023-2024 Yearbook is available for order. Please see the attached flier. Even though the 10% discount is no longer available, you can still order yours today! As with previous years, you are able to create 2 customized pages to add to your child's yearbook FOR FREE. Additional pages can be added for a fee.
Please note the NONNEGOTIABLE deadline of April 12 for completing custom pages. :)
Let me know if you have any questions.
Mrs. Z (ezagorski@dg58.org)
Whittier PTA Corner
Whittier PTA 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 be central to our work and used in our day-to-day decisions and actions. Learn more HERE.
The info below is abbreviated for length - more details provided in the Whittier Weekly (PTA Newsletter) - Exclusively sent to Members of the PTA. Join Now! HERE
★ PTA MEETING ★
Next Tuesday, Feb 13th at 7:00pm via Zoom, LINK HERE
Meeting ID 476 355 8071
Password: WH PTA
Check the PTA website for the agenda (HERE).
★ SAVE THE DATES! ★
Tues, February 13th at 7pm (Zoom): Next PTA meeting (Link HERE)
Tuesday, February 20th (5-7pm) (225 Ogden Ave.): McTeacher Night
Sun, March 3 (3:30-5:00pm) Family Fun Winter Event at Rocket Ice Arena
Fri, March 15th. Scholarship Applications due on. More info HERE.
Sat, April 20: Casino Royale Spring Fundraiser (Adult Event).
★ MASTERPIECE OF THE MONTH ★
The following classes still have openings for Masterpiece of the Month parent volunteers: Boehm (K), Richards (1st), Sullivan (2nd), Swade (2nd), Miller (4th), Hodkowski (5th), Lyons (5th). Artwork, books, supplies and ideas are available for any volunteers to join the classroom for 30 minutes to share art with students and lead a related activity. Reach out to esolnerberger@gmail.com if interested.
★ GREEN TEAM TIPS: ECO-FRIENDLY VALENTINES! ★
Don’t forget to check them out HERE!
★ OPEN POSITIONS ★
Fun Fair Chair/Co-Chairs: contact Lindsay at lindsay.x.monco@gmail.com
Variety Show Chair/Co-Chairs: contact Melissa at melissarausch3@gmail.com
2024-2025 Executive Board (Co-Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer): Contact Christine and Britta at president@whittierschoolpta.org
★ BAM THEATRE ★
Winter/Spring Session is open for registration! BAM will be held on Thursdays from 3:10-4:10pm starting Feb 8th (ending April 18th). More info HERE.
★ SPANISH CLUB ★
Winter/Spring Session is open for registration! Spanish Club will be held on Wednesdays from 3:00-4:00pm starting Feb 14th (ending May 15th). More info HERE.
★ McTEACHER NIGHT ★
Save the Date! Please join us on Tuesday, February 20th from 5-7pm for McTeacher’s Night @ McDonald’s (225 Ogden Ave.)
20% of sales will be donated back to the Whittier PTA Family Fun Committee
McDonald’s Cookies will be available for sale in the lobby for $1 each! 100% of cookie sales will go back to Whittier PTA!
★ SCHOLARSHIP FUND ★
The Whittier Elementary PTA Scholarship is a one-time, $1,000 scholarship awarded to two (2), graduating seniors from Illinois High Schools who attended Whittier Elementary School for at least four years. The intent of this money is to supplement tuition, boarding, meal plans or book fees. Complete the scholarship application by March 15th, HERE
★ FAMILY FUN WINTER EVENT ★
Sunday, March 3rd, 3:30-5:00pm
Rocket Ice Arena in Bolingbrook (180 Canterbury Lane)
Enjoy an afternoon of complimentary ice skating for the whole family! Entry is FREE. All parents, guardians and siblings welcome! There is $4 skate rental fee (cash, card and Apple Pay accepted). Questions? Contact Sarah Patterson at iuskula@gmail.com
WHITTIER GENERAL INFORMATIONAL ITEMS AND RESOURCES
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 kpeters@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!
Phone/Wearable Technology Use
School Supply Lists for 2023-24
Can We Reach You in an Emergency?
If you have not yet opted into the District’s text messaging service, please text “Y” or “yes” to 67587 to ensure that you will receive text messages from District 58. Text messages will only be sent rarely and only for critical information such as a school closing.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedure 2023-24
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.
- There is no parking on the west side of Blodgett, south of Randall from 2:30-3:30pm. Please follow these parking regulations.
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.
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.
Student Arrival Reminders
As we continue to observe and live through Student Arrival, please remember to follow these helpful procedures:
1. As our Kindergarten and 3rd graders arrive at the Primary Wing Entrance, we ask that parents allow students to line up on the blacktop, and then move to the grass area or sidewalk to wait for the bell to ring. Parents are welcome to drop students off and then head home, as well. Staff supervision and student safety patrols begin at 8:05am and remain with students until they enter the building at 8:15am.
2. As our 1st and 2nd graders arrive at the Main Entrance, we ask that parents line up along the sidewalk. Please do not wait in the street or too close to the street, as this is our Drop-off Lane. Parents are welcome to drop students off and then head home, as well. Staff supervision and student safety patrols begin at 8:05am and remain with students until they enter the building at 8:15am.
3. As our 4th, 5th, and 6th graders arrive at the Intermediate Entrance, as ask that parents wait on the other side of the fence. Parents are welcome to drop students off and then head home, as well. Staff supervision and student safety patrols begin at 8:05am and remain with students until they enter the building at 8:15am.
While we all love our furry four-legged friends, and many of them are so cute, we do ask that you keep all pets off of school property. Some of our students may be allergic or scared of dogs and other pets. You are welcome to walk to school with them, but then please stay on the sidewalks across the road on Hill, Blodgett, and Grand.
Thank you for your cooperation, and for assisting us in maintaining the safety of our students.
Additional Drop-Off and Pick-up Information
When entering the Drop-Off/Pick-Up Lane, please notice that there is NO PARKING along Hill Street in this area. This lane is strictly drop off and pick up. All drivers need to remain in their vehicles and exit the lane once students have exited or entered the vehicle. Again, please do not allow children to exit the vehicle on the driver's side and into traffic.
Please DO NOT double park on Hill, Grand, or Blodgett in order to avoid traffic and either drop off or pick up students. This is very dangerous.
Together, we can all assist in providing the safest environment for our children. Thank you!
Safety and Security at School
The District has instituted the RAPTOR security system this school year, which requires ALL visitors to show a state-issued ID, have it scanned, and then the visitor receives a name badge to wear during their entire stay in the building. Please be prepared to show your ID upon arrival at Whittier.
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/ALICE 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.
Fruit/Snack Break
Gym Shoes for PE Class & Shoes at Recess
As the school year begins, we want to remind you about wearing appropriate and safe footwear to school. Please review the article below.
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!
Delivering or Dropping Off Items for your Child(ren)
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.
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