Pierce Downer This Week
Week of February 14-February 18
Pierce Downer Families-
Thank you to all of our volunteers who helped make our Valentine's Day parties so much fun! As a reminder, there is no school on Monday, February 21st, for Presidents' Day. When we return on Tuesday, we are excited to celebrate TWOSDAY and have some fun on 2-22-22. Please see the graphic below for more details.
Below you will find information regarding the 6th grade outdoor education trip, TWOSDAY, and Grove Preschool open house.
SURVEYS
District 58 invites parents/guardians to take two anonymous surveys: the District’s Parent School Environment Survey and the State’s Parent 5Essentials Survey.
The School Environment Survey measures parent satisfaction with their child’s school experience, and the 5Essentials Survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes. District 58 schools will receive a 5Essentials parent survey report if more than 20% of parents complete the survey.
Take the School Environment Survey here by Friday, March 11.
Take the Parent 5Essentials Survey here by Friday, March 11.
The District will also administer the State’s 5Essentials Survey to staff and fourth-through-eighth grade students between Feb. 22-March 11, 2022. These surveys are also anonymous, and the survey results will become a part of District 58’s 2022 Illinois Report Card. Learn more at www.dg58.org/surveys.
Please remember the doors open each morning at 8:10 and class begins at 8:15.
As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns via email LWagner@DG58.org or call 630-719-5860.
We are PD!
L. Wagner, Principal
Valentine's Day Fun!
Outdoor Education Fees Refunded for 6th Grade Families
District 58 has decided that our 6th students will not attend the outdoor education at Camp Edwards during this school year; this typically occurred in the fall (when there were mitigations in place that prohibited this kind of travel for students.) Though mitigations are beginning to lift throughout the state, we are beyond the point in the school year that we could schedule these trips; additionally, specific to Camp Edwards, the distance of travel and shared overnight accommodations open up many questions about distancing and shared spaces. We hope to resume outdoor education activities in the future - the District is investigating options for our students, potentially including a spring activity for our 6th graders.
The fees that were collected at registration last spring for outdoor education have now been refunded to families' PushCoin accounts. You will be able to use the credit in your PushCoin account to pay for registration fees for the 2022-23 school year; if you would prefer a cash refund, please contact Sonali Patil in the District 58 Business office (spatil@dg58.org).Any additional questions about outdoor education can be directed to Justin Sisul in the Curriculum department (jsisul@dg58.org)
Calling all PD Girls!
Process to share vaccination status
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. Please feel free to send a picture of your child's COVID vaccination card to your school nurse!
Grove Preschool Open House
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, Feb. 23 from 6-7 p.m. 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.
The open house will be in person with the following COVID-19 safety protocols observed:
Parent/guardians only (no children may attend)
Please wear a mask.
Please attend the designated time slot according to last name:
A-I: 6-6:20 p.m.
J-Q: 6:20-6:40 p.m.
R-Z: 6:40-7 p.m.
Grove Children’s Preschool tuition applications for the 2022-23 school year will open online at www.dg58.org/preschool on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 8 a.m. First priority applications are due Tuesday, March 8. Learn here more.
District 58 Inclement Weather Procedures
How does District 58 communicate emergency closure information?
When a decision is made to close school due to inclement weather, the District will send an automated voice and email message to all parents and staff via the SchoolMessenger notification system. The system will also send a text message to parents and staff who have registered to receive texts. Sign up to receive District 58 text messages by texting YES to 68453 using a phone number that is on file with District 58. Opt out at any time by texting STOP to the same number.
District 58 also posts school closure information on its website, Facebook page, Twitter page and on the District’s answering machine at 630-719-5800. The District notifies major news radio and network television stations about closures and posts closure information at www.emergencyclosings.com.
How does District 58 decide whether to cancel school?
District 58’s superintendent consults with a variety of resources — weather forecasts, neighboring superintendents, the bus company and the District’s buildings and grounds teams — to make an informed decision. The decision is based on many factors.
Building conditions: Do the buildings have power, light and heat?
Site conditions: Is the parking lot plowed? Can buses get in and turn around? Can parents drop off students? Are the exit doors free of snow?
Bus operations: Can the bus drivers get to the bus company? Do the buses start? Do the drivers feel comfortable driving?
Road conditions: Are the roads continually plowed and is traffic moving?
Air temperature: How cold is it? What is the wind chill? Can children safely walk to school? District 58 will likely close school during conditions when frostbite may occur after approximately 20 minutes of exposure. Please refer to the District’s Wind Chill Chart and the NOAA Wind Chill Chart.
If the answer is yes to the first four questions, and if the forecast temperature/wind speed is above the threshold in the wind chill chart, District 58 will most likely keep schools open.
Student safety is District 58’s top priority, but the District also understands that canceling school is inconvenient for students, teachers and parents. The superintendent will make the decision as soon as safely possible. Learn more about inclement weather closings here.
February 21
No School: Presidents' Day
February 25
Fun Lunch
March 4
No School
March 10
PTA Sweetheart Dance
Leland Wagner, Principal
Email: LWagner@dg58.org
Website: www.DG58.org
Location: 1436 Grant Street, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 630-719-5860
Twitter: @LWagnerDG58