Bulldog Paw Prints
Week Ending April 5, 2024
Is your family returning next year?
Families who have not yet registered their child(ren) for the coming year will have received an email from the District earlier this week asking them to register as soon as possible, preferably by Monday, April 8. In addition, our school will start contacting families inquiring whether their child(ren) will be returning for the 2024-25 school year and to ask them to register as soon as possible.
Timely registration is very important to us. It allows us to know how many students will be in each grade level and in each school, and allows us to plan for the number of teachers and support staff needed.
Click here to register. Please call the school if you have questions.
Please call our school office to let us know if your family will not be returning -- 630-719-5820
State Testing (Illinois Assessment of Readiness -- IAR)
*ALL STUDENTS WILL NEED TO HAVE A FUNCTIONING SET OF HEADPHONES/EAR BUDS IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE ASSESSMENTS.
When we return from spring break, students in grades 3-8 will complete the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) which has a focus on ELA and math. This is a state-mandated assessment as is the Illinois Science Assessment that our fifth graders have already completed. Students have seen sample test items and reviewed online assessment tools, which allow them to familiarize themselves with the structure, format and questioning style of the test. Our curriculum and instruction are robust and complete and aligned with the standards measured on the assessments, therefore we do not “teach to the test.”
How you can support your child:
These tests are important and as with any other assessment, we ask students to give their genuine best efforts as we know they are strong, persistent and capable. In fact, our approach to these tests continues to be “can-do” rather than “must endure.” We continue to ask for your support in encouraging your children to approach these tests with the same rigor and investment as they would with any other test. Please read this letter from Assistant Superintendent Liz Ehrhart about these tests and ways to help support your student. As always, thank you for your support and partnership.
Students in Grades 3-6 will complete one session of the testing in the morning of each of the following dates:
Tuesday, April 9
Wednesday, April 10
Thursday, April 11
*Accelerated math will not be hosted at Belle Aire or at the middle schools on any of these dates.
*Gifted instruction resumes during the week of April 8.
*Students who attend gifted education during the week of April 8, will make up any missed IAR sections at a later date.
Varsity Tutors
Did you know that the Downers Grove Grade School District has partnered with the DuPage County ROE to offer all students support with studying and academic practice? This support is already available on your child's device. Simply navigate to Clever and select the Varsity Tutor app. It's that simple!
April 8, 2024, Solar Eclipse
On Monday, April 8, 2024, District 58 will be along the path of a solar eclipse. Locally, this will be experienced as a partial eclipse, occurring during our regular school dismissal time, 2:00 pm for elementary schools and 2:10 pm for middle schools. There will be no changes to the regularly scheduled instructional day.
While this is a rare and exciting phenomenon, it presents a risk of eye injury to everyone, including children who may not understand the dangers of looking directly in the direction of the sun. The timing of the eclipse, when children are transitioning home, requires coordination in explaining to students they should not at any time be looking at the sun without appropriate eye protection. As students are dismissed staff will be reminding students about the importance of not looking directly into the sun.
If you choose to send properly certified protective eyewear to school with your child(ren), we will allow them to put on the glasses when they exit the building. Due to the timing of the partial eclipse occurring at dismissal, there will be no viewing events at any of the schools.
Construction Begins in District 58
Construction begins at many District 58 schools over spring break. To keep parents apprised of construction progress, updates will be provided on our website here, including progress dashboards of our middle schools.
If you’d like to learn more about spring break work in the District, click here.
On-Demand Tutoring
Did you know that the Downers Grove Grade School District has partnered with the DuPage County ROE to offer all students free homework assistance? This support is already available on your child's device. Simply navigate to Clever and select the Varsity Tutor app. It's that simple!
Approved School Calendars (2024-2025 AND 2025-2026)
The Board approved two years of school calendars in preparation for construction and also to meet the planning needs of parents. The calendar next year will be condensed to maximize construction time in the summer, meaning that classes will end prior to Memorial Day in 2025 and in the following calendar year start after Labor Day 2025.
Highlights of the 2024-25 calendar include:
First Day of School: Friday, Aug. 16, 2024 (this aligns with District 99’s first day)
Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 27-29, 2024
Winter Break: Dec. 23, 2024-Jan. 3, 2025
Spring Break: April 1-4, 2025
Last Day of School: Friday, May 23, 2025 (if no emergency days are used)
District Calendar, 2023-2024
Mark Your Calendars
Monday, April 8: 2:00 Dismissal; Gr. 6 Outdoor Ed.
Tuesday, April 9: Spanish Class (3:00 p.m.); Run/Walk Club (3:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, April 10: Young Rembrandts (3:00 p.m.)
Thursday, April 11: Young Authors (3:00 p.m.); Kindness Club (3:00 p.m. for Grs. 1-2)
Friday, April 12: Hot Lunch (for those who ordered, for real this week!)
=-=-=-
April 18: All-School Meeting (wear team colors)
April 23: Belle Aire Open House (6:00 - 7:30 p.m.)
May 14: Grs. 1 & 2 Music Performance (6:00 p.m. at the school)
May 29: Last day of student attendance (dismissal at 11:30 a.m.)