Fairmount Families Week END Report
11.17.2023
Happy Friday, Fairmount Families!
Thank you to the PTA for your tireless efforts before, during, and after Trivia Night. It was wonderful to see so many of our Fairmount parents/guardians at the fun event! We appreciate all that you do in support of our students, staff, and school.
At the beginning of the week, Fairmount School presented at the Board of Education meeting. Our Student Council Sponsors (see below) did an amazing job sharing information related to our current and upcoming service projects. We also had the opportunity to share about our school improvement focus for this year as well as the improvement we have made collectively in previous target areas of teaching and learning.
Please note this week's newsletter carries us through the end of next week and the holiday break. The calendar section includes all items through December 1st.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sincerely,
Lisa Niforatos, Principal
Be sure to follow me on Twitter/X @Fairmount58.
Quick Links:
Fairmount School - Board of Education School Spotlight
Dismissal Reminder
Thank you to everyone for your assistance and patience at dismissal each day. Just a friendly reminder, please avoid the front walkway if possible when dismissing as a walker out of the kindergarten door, door 3 or door 4. By walking around the back of the building, we avoid a potential bottleneck of students and staff at the front entrance. This often causes safety concerns as we try to navigate the car line, bus, and after care dismissal. Thank you for your help keeping our students safe!
Educational Support Professional's Day
Instructional Assistants:
Ms. Grace Bostwick
Mrs. Ginger Sallas
Mrs. Lety VonKerens
Building Secretaries:
Mrs. Jillian DeRango
Mrs. Jill Darrah
Student Council Collects Donations for NAWS Humane Society
Thank you to all our wonderful Fairmount families for your donations in support of NAWS Humane Society in Mokena, Illinois. We greatly appreciate your generosity and are so proud of our Student Council members for spearheading this important event.
Science Fair registration opens 11/27 (previously in Communicate 58)
Students in grades 1-6 are invited to participate in the Science Fair this winter! Registration will be open Monday, Nov. 27 through Friday, Dec. 22. To register for this year’s Science Fair, use this Registration Form. The Science Fair will take place Saturday, Jan. 20 from 8-11 a.m. at O’Neill Middle School. The fair is open to all District 58 students in grades 1-6. Participating in the Science Fair is voluntary, but District 58 encourages every student to consider participating! Students may register as an individual or with one partner. More details can be found here.
District 58 shares e-learning plan and winter weather school closing procedures (previously shared in Communicate 58)
If inclement winter weather prompts District 58 to close its schools and facilities this year, the District will notify families and staff as soon as possible using a variety of communication tools. Please note, extreme weather is very unpredictable, and the decision to close schools is typically not able to be made until the morning of the event. District 58 will only send a message if schools will be closed. Otherwise, the day will proceed as usual. District 58 anticipates that most inclement weather "snow days" will be e-learning days.
If schools cannot be open due to inclement weather, District 58 will have the option to declare an emergency day (also known as “snow day”) or an e-learning day. The Board of Education has approved an e-learning plan that allows District 58 to use e-learning days in lieu of emergency days. As communicated previously, because of construction plans this summer and the need to maximize that time for construction, it is more likely that District 58 will prioritize an e-learning day in lieu of an emergency day (“snow day”). An e-learning day does not need to be made up in June. However, students are required to participate in e-learning from home in order to earn credit for the school day. If District 58 uses a traditional emergency day, that day will need to be made up in June. Read more about winter weather procedures.
Cold Weather Approaching
Fairmount PTA
Fairmount is lucky to have a very active PTA. We encourage all parents/guardians to join the PTA. Please see the the PTA website for detailed information related to membership, events, and to subscribe to the weekly Falcon Flyer. We also encourage you to visit the events page on the PTA website to view all upcoming and ongoing events hosted by the PTA. As always, thank you to our wonderful PTA!
PTA Reflections: Fairmount Students advance to the Dupage East Council level!
Congratulations to the following students who are moving on to the DuPage East Council level:
Brooklyn Aycock (with assistance of Edith Zimolzak, Katherine Susmarski, and Danielle Cox), Music Composition - "Taller Than Trees"
Kate Hettinger, Visual Art - "Spending Time With My Family and Friends"
Jessica Fischer, Literature - "The Hopeful Adventure to the Quaren Kingdom"
Elizabeth Lewandowski, Visual Arts "Me and My BFF"
We are so proud of your hard work and creativity!
Orders due 12/3 for December PTA Fun Lunch
While the students will enjoy Home Run Inn on Tuesday, November 21st, we are busy preparing for the first December Fun Lunch, which is scheduled for Friday, December 8th. Cozzi Corner will provide the food and orders are due by Sunday, December 3rd. The ordering platform is now open. All meals are $5.00, and you can order for the remainder of the school year, if you wish. Contact Tiffany Melnyk at tiffanyjoy21@gmail.com with any questions about ordering, forgotten login information, or setting up an account.
Early Dismissal Monday, November 13th
Monday, November 20th is our next Professional Learning Monday. All students are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. according to their regular dismissal plan. Please be sure you have made arrangements for your child to be picked up from Fairmount at 2:00 p.m. each Monday.
Teacher Feature
We are so glad you are part of our school community! Whether this is your child's first or seventh year at Fairmount, we wanted to provide a fun way to get to know the many members of our teaching and school staff. We started this section last school year and look forward to continuing it during the 2023-2024 school year. Our teachers and staff have been asked new questions, so you can learn even more about them.
Meet Mrs. Stephanie Quigley
# of Years at Fairmount: 14 Years
Favorite Movie: The Princess Bride
Favorite Place to Go/Travel to: Italy
Favorite Dessert or Sweet Treat: Vanilla ice cream with tons of fruit and berries!
A fun or unusual fact about me is... I was a ballerina for 19 years!
Lens into Learning
Spectacular Science
Look for a Book...
Hydroponic Systems
Talk about Tuesday
This week's Talk about Tuesday was brought to Fairmount by Ms. Kroll's first graders. This created an amazing video announcement!
Fantastic 4th
4th graders in Ms. Meehan's class were excited to explore with pinhole cameras outside.
Spectacular Scientists
6th Grade students in Mrs. Brejcha and Mrs. Chick's classroom engaged in their sea lamprey and perch dissection.
Swing "Surf" Slide & Sunshine!
We are so appreciative of the sunny weather this week and the fun we are having outside!
Fairmount's MVPs - Celebrating Students
Mark your Calendars!
11.20: Wear Orange! 2:00 p.m. Early Dismissal
11.21: PTA Fun Lunch
11:22-11.24: Fairmount School & Office Closed - Thanksgiving Break!
11.27: Wear Orange! 2:00 p.m. Early Dismissal
11.28: 3:00-4:00 p.m. Bricks 4 Kidz (for registered students); 3:00-3:45 p.m. Student Council Meeting (for registered students)
12.01: Falcon Friday! Wear spirit wear or school colors
A Look Ahead...
12.25-01.05: Winter Break
2023-2024 School Calendar - Updated
Spring Break: March 25-29, 2024
Last Day of School: Tuesday, May 29, 2024 (if no additional emergency days are used)
Below the Line
Veterans Day Program 11/10/23
Fairmount students and staff held a short program on Friday honoring our country's veterans. Fairmount is honored to acknowledge the devotion and sacrifice our men and women have given to our country. Thank you to all our family members and friends who have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces.
Safe to Help
- Click here to connect with Safe2Help Illinois. Students can contact Safe2Help Illinois to safely and confidentially report a crisis or threat involving themselves or someone they know. Safe2Help is monitored 24/7 by trained crisis professionals. District 58 staff will receive an alert after the Safe2Help professional provides support. Through Safe2Help, students can report a crisis or threat through the following ways:
- Website: https://app.safe22helpil.com
- Text: SAFE2 (72332)
- Phone: 844-4-SAFEIL (844-472-3345)
- App: "Safe2Help Illinois" app available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store
- Email: HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com
- Call or text "988" and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will provide 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
- Text “ACT” to 741741: The National Crisis Text line will connect you with free, confidential assistance.
Fairmount Office Contact Information
Lisa Niforatos, Principal lniforatos@dg58.org
Jill DeRango, Secretary jderango@dg58.org
Jill Darrah, Secretary jdarrah@dg58.org
Email: lniforatos@dg58.org
Website: www.dg58.org/fa/
Location: 6036 Blodgett Avenue, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 630.719.5830
Twitter: @Fairmount58