What's Up at Whittier
Week of April 8
Mr. Krugman's Weekly Message
April continues to be a busy month for learning and socializing at Whittier!
Registration for 2024-25 - Registration for the 2024-25 school year is coming to an end. The deadine for returning students is tomorrow - Monday, April 8. Having registration information at this time assists us in staffing decisions, scheduling, and overall planning. Please let the office staff know if you have any questions. Instructions on how to register can be found in an article below.
PTA Spring Fundraiser - Whittier Royale - Tickets are still available for this year's PTA Spring Fundraiser on Saturday, April 20. Also available are general raffle tickets and raffle tickets for the Grand Prize Raffle for an All Inclusive Trip for Two! Be sure to read below for more information. Hope to see you there!
PTA Spring Experiences - The PTA Spring Experiences, as part of the Spring Fundraiser, are open for registration and beginning to take place this week! These are always fun events. Some are specific for students and some are adult only events. Please review the calendar of events, along with the individual flyer for each event that you can find below in a separate article.
IAR (Illinois Assessments of Readiness) in both ELA (English Language Arts) and Math continue this week. Be sure to read the article below for more information, along with the testing schedule.
Finally, as you are aware, the Solar Eclipse is scheduled to take place around 2:00pm on Monday. This is right at dismissal time for our students. There will not be any official district or school sponsored viewing of this event. More information can be found in the District article below. Please be sure to advise your child(ren) on the safety of not looking directly at the eclipse while walking home. If you send protective glasses to school, our staff will remind students to put them on as they leave school.
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, April 8 - REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR 2024-25 SCHOOL YEAR; Choose Happy Orange Day (wear orange as we celebrate happiness each Monday); SC Spirit Week - wear Orange/Red today; Board of Education Regular Meeting, DG Village Hall, 7:00pm
Tuesday, April 9 - SC Spirit Week - wear Yellow today; IAR Testing for grades 3 and 4; Young Rembrandts, 3:00-4:00pm; WH PTA Meeting, via ZOOM, 7:00pm
Wednesday, April 10 - SC Spirit Week - wear Green today; IAR Testing for grades 3, 4, 5, and 6; PTA Walking Club; Language Labs, 3:00-4:00pm; Gr 4 STEM Club, 3:00-3:45pm; Northside Gr 5 Orchestra & Chamber Strings Spring Concert, HMS, 7:00pm
Thursday, April 11 - SC Spirit Week - wear Blue today; IAR Testing for grades 3, 4, 5, and 6; Chess Scholars, 3:00-4:00pm; BAM Theater, 3:00-4:10pm; Northside Elementary Musical, HMS, 7:00-9:00pm
Friday, April 12 - SC Spirit Week - wear Purple/Pink today; IAR Testing for grades 5 and 6
Monday, April 15 - Choose Happy Orange Day (wear orange as we celebrate happiness each Monday); SC Oceana Week - Bring a Stuffed Animal
Tuesday, April 16 - SC Oceana Week - Wear Pajamas; Young Rembrandts, 3:00-4:00pm; Northside Gr 4 Orchestra & Gr 6 Spring Concert, HMS, 7:00pm
Wednesday, April 17 - SC Spirit Day - Career Day (dress for a career or job); SC Oceana Week - Bring a Stuffed Animal; PTA Walking Club; Language Labs Open House, 3:00-4:00pm
Thursday, April 18 - SC Oceana Week - Wear Pajamas; Gr 1 & 2 Field Trip - Alice in Wonderland, 9:15-11:30am; Chess Scholars, 3:00-4:00pm; BAM Theater, 3:00-4:10pm; Northside Gr 5 & 6 Band Concert HMS, 7:00pm
Friday, April 19 - WH Spirit Day; SC Oceana Week - Bring a Stuffed Animal; Fun Lunch
Saturday, April 20 - PTA Spring Fundraiser - Whittier Royale, 7:00-11:00pm (see article below for more information)
Making Kindness the Norm
See below for the April 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.
Registration Deadline - Monday, April 8
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.
Student Council Spirit Days & Community Service Projects - April
Spirit Days:
April 8-12 - Color Week (wear a special color each day)
Monday - Wear Orange/Red
Tuesday - Wear Yellow
Wednesday - Wear Green
Thursday - Wear Blue
Friday - Wear Purple/Pink
Wednesday, April 17 - Career Day (dress for a career or job)
Service Project:
Help support Oceana during the week of April 15-19! Please help by participating in a COMFY WEEK. Bring $1 per day or $5 for the whole week.
Monday - Bring a stuffed animal
Tuesday - Wear pajamas
Wednesday - Bring a stuffed animal
Thursday - Wear pajamas
Friday - Bring a stuffed animal
The mission of Oceana is to campaign around the globe to protect and restore the world's oceans.
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.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
PTA Spring Experiences are Here!
The PTA Spring Experiences, as part of the Spring Fundraiser, are open for registration and beginning to take place this week! Please review the calendar of events, along with the individual flyer for each event below.
The 3rd Grade H.O.R.S. E. Tourney was a lot of fun this past Friday. The Karate Experience for all grades starts on Monday. Please sign your kid(s) up for any of the activities they may be interested in!
Proceeds from these Experiences go towards PTA programs, as well as supporting special projects such as the Library Refresh (new furniture) and the Intermediate Playground Renovation. Thank you!
PTA Math/Science Night Event at DuPage Children's Museum
Come join your Whittier friends at the DuPage Children's Museum for a fun event on Friday, April 19. Click on the link below for more information and to register for this FREE event.
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)
IAR Testing Schedule
IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) testing continues this week. Assessments are administered to students in grades 3 through 6 in the areas of ELA (English Language Arts) and Math. Whittier students will be tested on the following days and times:
Tuesday, April 9
8:45-10:00am - Grade 3 Math Unit 1
12:45-2:00pm - Grade 4 Math Unit 1
Wednesday, April 10
8:30-9:45am - Grade 3 Math Unit 2
10:00-11:15am - Grade 4 Math Unit 2
12:30-1:45pm - Grade 5 Math Unit 1
1:15-2:30pm - Grade 6 Math Unit 1
Thursday, April 11
8:30-9:45am - Grade 4 Math Unit 3
10:00-11:15am - Grade 3 Math Unit 3
12:30-1:45pm - Grade 6 Math Unit 2
1:30-2:45pm - Grade 5 Math Unit 2
Friday, April 12
12:30-1:45pm - Grade 6 Math Unit 3
1:30-2:45pm - Grade 5 Math Unit 3
Please be sure your child(ren) is/are in school during their testing periods. We also ask that you remind your son/daughter to get a good night sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and try their best as they take their IAR tests. These tests are used to categorize schools throughout the state as to how well students are performing and progressing. We appreciate everyones support of the IAR assessments.
Get Familiar with the PUNS Process - Building Bridges
Have you ever pondered what PUNS is and how it could potentially assist you with securing funding for your child with special needs? If so, you're not alone! Building Bridges and the DG58 Special Services Department invite all parents of students with special needs to delve into the importance of proactive planning for their child's future.
Join us to gain insight from the firsthand experiences of a local parent who successfully navigated the state system to secure funding for their child with a disability. Learn practical strategies to endure and triumph throughout the process.
Click on the attachment below for dates of the presentations and for more information.
Construction Begins in District 58
Construction began at many District 58 schools over spring break, including work at our school. To keep parents apprised of construction progress, updates will be provided on the District website, including progress dashboards of our middle schools.
In addition to the middle schools, over spring break, the District began preliminary construction work at the Phase I Elementary Schools (Henry Puffer, Highland, Hillcrest, and Whittier). In small areas at each of these four schools, asbestos was abated using a licensed and trained Asbestos Abatement Contractor utilizing workers trained, accredited, and licensed to perform asbestos abatement in Illinois public school buildings. In addition, the project was monitored at all times by TEM Environmental, Inc.
Attention 6th Grade Parents & Students - Upcoming Herrick PTA Events!
Check out the upcoming Herrick PTA events that current 6th graders and parents are invited to!
Reporting Student Absence from School - Now an Electronic Option is Available
As a reminder - we ask that parents report their child(ren)'s absence to the school office.
There are a variety of ways you can now report your child(ren)'s absence from school:
1. Call the school office at (630) 719-5865 (24 hours a day), and leave a message regarding your child's absence from school.
2. Email the Whittier secretaries (ccasella@dg58.org and kpeters@dg58.org) indicating the reason for your child's absence.
3. 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
While many parents contact the classroom teacher with absence information, the school office MUST also be notified. Please report student absences using one of the 3 methods above. Thank you for your assistance!
PTA Spring Fundraiser - Tickets are ON SALE NOW!
The PTA Spring Fundraiser - Whittier Royale is coming - Saturday, April 20.
Have you purchased your Whittier Royale Spring Fundraiser ticket yet? If not, click on the link below. Raffle tickets are available here too, along with tickets for the Grand Raffle - An All Inclusive Trip for Two!
Complete details can be found in the information below.
PTA Family Fun Dinner Events
Be sure to check out the upcoming Family Fun Dinner Events -
Pierce Tavern - Tuesday, April 9
Uncle Bub's - Wednesday, April 24
Culver's - Thursday, May 9
Chipotle - Tuesday, May 21
Fliers and information for each event can be found in the attachments below. Hope to see you there!
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!
Varsity Tutors
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!
See the attachment below for more information.
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.
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.
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.
★ APRIL PTA MEETING ★
The next general meeting is THIS Tuesday, April 9th at 7:00pm - our 2024/2025 budget will be presented, as well as candidates for next year’s board. Please join us!
Meeting ID: 476 355 8071
Password: WH PTA
Meeting minutes and the agenda can be found on our website HERE.
★ FAMILY FUN DINNER ★
Before (or after) the meeting, save yourself the dishes and hassle - order the family a delicious dinner at Pierce Tavern between 4-10pm! More info HERE.
★ IMPORTANT DATES! ★
Tues, April 9
PTA Meeting at 7pm
Fri, April 12 - Deadline to customize Yearbooks, HERE
Sat, April 20: Casino Royale Spring Fundraiser (Adult Event). BUY TICKETS
Wed, April 24th - Uncle Bub’s Fundraiser
Thurs, May 9th - Culver’s Fundraiser
Tues, May 21st
Last PTA Meeting at 7pm
★ SPRING WALKING CLUB - ONLY A FEW SPOTS LEFT! ★
Want 55-minutes of fresh air and pure joy mid-week?
STEP ONE: Choose a Wednesday (11:20am-12:15pm)
STEP TWO: Stand outside the school (we'll tell you where)
STEP THREE: Hand out tickets/prizes
STEP FOUR: Enjoy your new hero-status from the kiddos
★ EXPERIENCES ARE OPEN! ★
Take a look at the CALENDAR of Experiences to organize your fun!
Ready to sign-up? Just click HERE!
★ SPRING FUNDRAISER TICKETS AND MORE! ★
The Whittier Royale Spring Fundraiser is coming up on Sat, April 20th! Don’t forget to:
Purchase your entry tickets
Pre-purchase your raffle tickets for fun prizes (think grade level baskets, Principal for a Day or an amazing teacher experience and much much more!)
Purchase a raffle ticket for a 3-night All-Inclusive Cancun trip for two + roundtrip airfare! ONLY 1,000 tickets will be sold - get them now!! HERE is more info.
All proceeds go to the Whittier PTA General Fund. The Whittier School PTA supports students throughout the year with various programs, resources, field trips and more! Some larger upcoming projects include updating our library and a new playground.
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.
There are a variety of ways you can now report your child(ren)'s absence from school:
1. Call the school office at (630) 719-5865 (24 hours a day), and leave a message regarding your child's absence from school.
2. Email the Whittier secretaries (ccasella@dg58.org and kpeters@dg58.org) indicating the reason for your child's absence.
3. 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
While many parents contact the classroom teacher with absence information, the school office MUST also be notified. Please report student absences using one of the 3 methods above. 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.
When Visiting Whittier
As everyone knows, safety is always at the forefront of our mind, especially when students are in the building. Many safety protocols have been established and are followed on a daily basis by both staff and students.
One of these safety measures is that no staff member or student should allow a visitor into the building at any time. Even if the visitor is recognized, they still need to enter the building at the main entrance and be buzzed in after identifying themselves to an office staff member.
We would ask that parents and other visitors to our building during the school day, be aware of this procedure and follow this protocol when already authorized to be in the building. Please do not allow entry to anyone - even if you know them. This is the responsibility of our office staff. If you are waiting or walking in the hallway and you see someone at the door, please allow them to be recognized and acknowledged by our office staff. This is the only way we can maintain who is in the building at any given time. We appreciate your assistance and follow through with this very important safety protocol.
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