Bobcat Bulletin
March 8, 2024
Be Safe. Be Responsible. Be Respectful
El Sierra School provides all students with a challenging and differentiated education in a safe, nurturing, respectful, diverse, and collaborative school environment.
Principal's Corner
El Sierra Families,
We just began our final trimester of the school year this week! We will be sending home report cards from the second trimester with students on Friday, March 15th. The final trimester is always filled with excitement of spring, and other curricular activities like field trips. We look forward to making this trimester, the best one yet!
Thank you!
Jason Lynde, El Sierra Principal
1st Grade Writing
Our first graders are working hard to explain their ideas with writing!
4th Grade Math
Our 4th graders are learning different ways to solve addition problems!
4th Grade Number Corner
Our 4th graders are using hands-on tools to better understand the concept of fractions!
5th Grade Math
Our 5th graders are learning to use tables to help them solve math problems!
5th Grade Theme
The concept of "theme" is something that our 5th graders have learned this week!
6th Grade Math
Our 6th graders are learning how to find the surface area of 3D shapes!
TRIVIA NIGHT IS FINALLY HERE: The Moose 3/9/24 at 7pm!
For those that can't make it, you can bid online! The silent auction is open now (there may be a few additional items added throughout the day, so check back frequently).
Raffle tickets will only be sold in person at the El Sierra PTA's Trivia Night event on Saturday from 7-10pm. We will be raffling off over 30 items...simply purchase raffle tickets for a chance to win a great item! Cost of raffle tickets are $5 each or 25 for $100.
See something you like in the raffle, but aren't there? Send a friend with $ for tickets and have them put in on your behalf!
There will also be a cash game between rounds and chances to buy a question, bring cash to play!
Can't wait to raise $$ for our fabulous students & school!
Use the link below to access the silent auction and preview the raffle items. You will be prompted to enter your phone number or email.
El Sierra March Reading Challenge!
For the month of March, we are having an all-school reading challenge. Each student has a weekly goal to read at least 150 minutes per week, about 22 minutes a day.
Students will be given a bookmark every week to keep track of the minutes they have read. They will record the number of minutes read each day on the back of the bookmark. Every Thursday evening, write the total number of minutes read for the week along with a parent's signature at the bottom. Return the completed and signed bookmark on Friday. Everyone who returns their completed bookmark on Friday will be entered in a drawing to win a prize. Students will receive a new bookmark to fill out for the next week.
We will keep track and display the school-wide minutes weekly. Our school-wide goal for the month is 100,000 minutes. If we reach our goal, we will celebrate with a week of daily special events.
We look forward to seeing how many minutes are read!
Looking Ahead...
3/6 - BPAC Meeting in El Sierra Library (6:00 pm)
3/8 - Bobcat Friday (Wear Blue & Yellow or other Bobcat Gear)
3/9 - PTA Trivia Night (Adults Only)
3/12 - Tye Dye Tuesday (Wear Tye Dye)
3/13 - McTeacher Night (4:00 pm - 7:00 pm at McDonald's on 63rd St. & Cass Ave, Westmont)
3/19 - El Sierra Kindergarten Round-Up (6:30 pm in El Sierra Gym)
3/22 - PTA Fun Lunch (Free Slice of Cheese Pizza From Lantern Pizza)
3/25 - 3/29 - No School for Spring Break
School Registration for 2024-25 School Year Is Open!
District 58 opened its online registration for returning students for the 2024-25 school year. Parents are asked to please submit their child’s registration by Monday, April 8. To begin, go to https://www.dg58.org/family-resources/registration and click on “Returning Student Application” and follow the prompts in the step-by-step instructions.
District 58 encourages families to register their student(s) promptly, as early registration helps the District determine its hiring, staffing, classroom, and transportation needs for the upcoming school year. While registration is occurring in February, March and April, an invoice won’t be sent until after May 1. Thank you for your help in supporting a smooth transition to the next school year!
If you have technical questions during the registration process, please contact District 58’s Technology Help Desk by filling out a Technology Help Ticket or calling 630-719-2768. For general registration questions, please contact your school office.
New this year, all registration will be conducted online. If families cannot complete the process online, they can call or visit their child’s school and the process can be completed there. District 58’s preschool registration is also open and is accepting applications at www.dg58.org/preschool.
Nominate Outstanding District 58 Staff for Distinguished Service Awards!
The Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58 is calling for nominations for its annual Distinguished Service Awards program. The award honors exceptional District 58 staff and teachers who have positively impacted the lives of students and the community.
The nomination process seeks individuals who consistently go above and beyond in their roles, positively influence children, demonstrate sustained dedication to education, care for the “whole child,” earn respect from peers and superiors, and serve as role models for fellow employees. To nominate an staff member or teacher, please review the Frequently Asked Questions and complete the Nomination Form by March 29.
Completed forms can be emailed to District58DSA@gmail.com or mailed to DSA Chair Mia Churma at the District 58 Office, 2300 Warrenville Road, Suite 200NE, Downers Grove, IL 60515
The Education Foundation will host the award ceremony at 4 p.m. May 15 at O’Neill Middle School.
McTeacher Night (3/13)
We will see you there on Wednesday, March 13th between 4:00-7:00 pm
at McDonald's in Westmont (31 E 63rd St). You can expect to see some of your favorite El Sierra
staff members and support our PTA! Teachers will be selling pies in costume (cash only).
Don't forget to bring cash to purchase your pies and tip the staff! (All proceeds to back to the PTA)
20% of sales will be donated back to the PTA
New Approved Calendars for 2024-25 and 2025-26 (Repeated Information)
At its Dec. 11 meeting, the Board approved two years of school calendars in preparation for construction and also to meet the planning needs of parents and staff. As we have mentioned, the calendar next year will be condensed to maximize construction time in the summer of 2025, meaning that classes will end prior to Memorial Day in 2025 and start after Labor Day 2025. Another change in next year’s calendar is to add back Columbus Day as a school holiday in October.
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)
El Sierra's School Improvement Goals (Repeated Information)
Please look at the flyer below to read about El Sierra's School Improvement Goals for this school year. You can also click on the flyer to view the entire school improvement plan.
New service on mental health resources (Repeated Information)
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.
Health Guidance for Going to School (Repeated Information)
Online Absence Form (Repeated Information)
Can we reach you via text in an emergency? (Repeated Information)
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. Or scan this QR code. Text messages will only be sent rarely and only for critical information such as a school closing.
District 58 Lanyard Colors (Repeated Information)
Student Arrival (Repeated Information)
Student Dismissal (Repeated Information)
Following daily dismissal at El Sierra School (2:00 p.m. on Monday and 3:00 p.m. 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 the family's discretion, as our district playgrounds also function as community parks outside of school hours.
Drop Off & Pick Up Procedures (Repeated Information)
8:05 a.m. Student Arrival (Staff Supervision Begins at 8:05 a.m.)
Parents who drive their child(ren) to school will follow normal drop-off/pick up procedures (See map below for traffic patterns)
We will have a crossing guard at the 3rd-6th drop-off on Fairmount Avenue
Please use the drop-off on Fairmount Ave. for grades 3rd-6th (See map below for traffic pattern)
Please use the drop-off on Parkview Ave. for grades Kdg - 2nd (See map below for traffic pattern) & be aware that there is NO PARKING between the drop-off location & the first residential driveway
NEW THIS YEAR... IT IS ILLEGAL TO TURN LEFT FROM FAIRMOUNT AVE ONTO PARKVIEW AVENUE. A SIGN WAS JUST POSTED.
Families with children in multiple grades can choose either drop-off location (See map below for traffic pattern)
Students who ride the bus, walk, utilize daycare vans, or get dropped off will walk straight to their designated entry door and line up with their classmates until staff open entry doors for students to enter their classroom.
Families who want to drive and then park to walk their child to school should park on 68th Street near the soccer fields and use the asphalt walkway by the playground
There is no parking in the school parking lot for families
Students should arrive no earlier than 8:05 am because staff supervision begins at that time
Our playground, fields, and blacktop areas will not be used before school.
3:00 p.m. Student Dismissal
Walkers will exit their classrooms through the door they entered the building in the morning
We will have a crossing guard at the 3rd-6th grade pick-up on Fairmount Ave.
Please use the pick-up area on Fairmount Ave. for grades 3rd-6th (See map below for traffic pattern)
Please use the pick-up area on Parkview Ave. for grades Kdg - 2nd (See map below for traffic pattern)
Families with children in multiple grades can choose either pick-up location (See map below for traffic pattern)
For everyone's safety, we ask that families do NOT turn onto Parkview Ave. from Fairmount Ave. (Instead, drive down to Claremont Ave and turn onto Parkview... See map below for traffic pattern)
Primary teachers will stay with their students until their family member picks them up/makes eye contact/hand waive to release the student
Bus riders will line up in the designated areas in their correct bus line (two lines on the primary side and two lines on the intermediate side)
Daycare students will line up in the gym in their designated areas and will be escorted to their daycare vans in the front of the building by El Sierra staff members
Dual Language students using Kids Cab will line up in the gym in their designated areas, and then be escorted out the front doors to the Kids Cab vans by El Sierra staff
El Sierra staff members will supervise each area
Please alert the El Sierra Office (630-719-5825) if your child will go home differently than normal (i.e. a grandparent is picking up/they are not taking the bus, or walking instead of getting picked up, etc. )
Park & Walk Information (Repeated Information)
2023-24 School Calendar
Contact Information
Email: jlynde@dg58.org
Website: www.dg58.org/es
Location: 6835 Fairmount Avenue, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: (630) 719-5825
Twitter: @PrincipalLynde