Bulldog Paw Prints
Week Ending April 14, 2023
PLEASE Complete Registration
We look forward to having your child return to District 58 for the 2023-24 school year!
We encourage families to please submit their children's registrations as quickly as possible, as this will help District 58 make critical staffing decisions in a timely manner.
Please view the below registration information to complete your child’s registration.
https://dg58.powerschool.com/public/ (login in and go to forms to register- please complete all 5 forms)
https://www.dg58.org/family-resources/registration
You will complete registration through PowerSchool. Please complete forms A,B,C,D, & E. If medical, dental, or vision are due, please send via email or drop off in the office.
Grove Foundation Award, Gr. 5
Early in its history, The Grove Foundation was involved with a 5th grade outdoor education program at Lyman Woods. When the curriculum changed, we wanted a way to keep the connection with District #58 students, staff, and parents…so we developed the “Helping Children Grow” award.
They ask that teachers nominate one student from each 5th grade classroom for behaviors and attributes not always recognized by traditional awards. Students are selected for various reasons: positive attitude, willingness to help others, eagerness to learn, making good choices, and so forth…all important life-time skills.
Each child recognized receives a framed certificate, a book selected at their reading level and interest, along with a gift card from Anderson’s Bookshop.
Please help me congratulate and recognize Keegan, this year's award recipient!
Tree Donation
The trees are set to be delivered to our school in May, and it's up to us to get them planted. Our planting date is set for Saturday, May 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. I could really use some help from you to get these planted, and the tree you help plant will be enjoyed by many for decades to come.
Grab your family and a shovel, and stop by to help! Please use the attached link to let me know if you are able to pitch in; thank you in advance for considering.
Kyla's Arrived at School in Style!
With sirens blaring, third-grade Belle Aire student Kyla Richardson was driven to school today on a Downers Grove Fire Department fire truck as her classmates and the rest of the school cheered her arrival and chanted her name.
Kyla, along with her teacher, Tara Fulton, first ate breakfast with the firefighters at the fire station, then went by truck to the school. Firefighters Kris Nowak and Tyler Thiessen also provided breakfast for Kyla’s family then helped everyone explore the fire station and showed them the tools that they use.
Kyla won her trip by entering a contest sponsored by the Downers Grove Fire Department as part of the Learn Not to Burn program. Public Education Specialist, Dale Smith, began the program more than 20 years ago, and it’s offered to third grade classrooms throughout the village. Firefighters provide education on fire safety, and they help students understand how to stay safe and safely exit the home in the event of a fire emergency.
As part of the program, students are asked to create a plan to escape their home in the event of a fire by practicing E.D.I.T.H. (Exit Drills In The Home). Students draw a diagram of the home and plan two ways out of every room. They make sure there is a working smoke alarm outside each sleeping area (and one in each bedroom), and the locations are included in the diagram. They make sure that everyone in the home can lock and unlock doors and windows, and they ensure that there is a safe way to exit the home if there are multiple levels.
Student Council, PTA and Mr. Borchelt Met with the District 58 Board of Education
The Belle Aire Student Council led the Board and audience in the Pledge of Allegiance and presented a monthly list of school activities they’ve led, including raising $323 in donations to support the Illinois Veterans’ Home in LaSalle for Veterans Day, a Giving Tree and workshop to help families in need in December and a soup fundraiser during Super Bowl as well as many others. PTA President Beth Green talked about the myriad activities that the PTA sponsored this year, many that were resumed following the pandemic and helped create a sense of community, including the Family Color Run and Parent Trivia Night. The PTA also sponsors a number of clubs and programs and also supports the school and staff with funding and appreciation days. Principal Brent Borchelt highlighted some of the school’s Points of Pride, such as developing common expectations for student behavior in various school settings, creating opportunities for student recognition and involvement and collaborating with staff on restorative practices and growth mindset. He also presented IAR test score results, which noted students showed considerable growth and stronger than expected growth, especially in 2022-23 compared to last year. From those results, he noted, School Improvement Plan (SIP) goals included incorporating various writing strategies. Another SIP goal is to establish a culture and climate rooted in positive psychology.
Earth Week is here!
April 22nd is Earth Day and from April 17th-21st we’ll be commemorating our efforts to create a healthier planet with activities each school day. Earth Day is a special day when we celebrate our planet Earth and how we can take care of it. It started in 1970, when people were worried about pollution and how it was hurting the environment.
Since then, Earth Day has become very popular all around the world. Over 1 billion people take actions to help the planet each Earth Day. People organize events, plant trees, clean up litter, and learn more about how to be kind to the Earth. It reminds us that we all share this planet and that we should take care of it so that it can continue to provide us with clean air, water, and food.
This year’s schedule for Earth Week will be:
MONDAY: Each participating student will receive a Bingo card of earth friendly actions they can take. For each student who completes a 5-in-a-row Bingo and returns it to their teacher a tree will be planted through OneTreePlanted.org.
Students can talk in class and with the adults in your life about Earth Day and ways we can make the planet healthier for your future. There are quizzes available to learn more at https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-quizzes/ .
Tuesday: Wear Blue for the Oceans.
Wednesday: Students are encouraged to go on a walk after school to pick up litter around school, around their neighborhoods or in local parks. Make sure to separate trash from recycling and please send pictures and stories of your trips to BelleAireLovesEarth@Gmail.com so we can share.
Thrusday: Students are encouraged to bring a waste free lunch with no wrappers or single-use plastics. One of the most impactful actions we can take as individuals is to produce less waste and plastics are particularly damaging to the planet.
Friday: Wear green for the earth. Remember that Bingo cards are due back to teachers.
There are many things we can do to help protect our planet! We can use less energy by turning off the lights when we leave a room, walking or biking instead of driving when we can, and planting trees to give us more clean air. We can also recycle, use less plastic, and choose products that are made in an environmentally friendly way. Every small action we take can make a big difference in keeping our planet healthy!
Gr. 6 Orchestra Concert
Gr. 4 Orchestra Concert
Gr. 1 Lyman Woods Field Trip
Grs. 5 & 6 Band Concert
DG58 Elementary Spring Band Concert
The spring band concert featuring the 5th and 6th Grade Northside Bands is scheduled for Thursday, April 20, 2023, 7:00 p.m, at Herrick Middle School. Use the following link for more information:
Last Day of School: June 7
Gr. 6 Families (Repeat Item,)
It is hard to believe that we are already talking about Middle School! We are so excited to partner with you as your students begin to attend Herrick or O’Neill Middle School starting August 2023!
We wanted to send you a Save the Date for Tuesday, May 9th from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM at your student’s middle school. We have attached the flyer below for your reference.
As we move through the rest of the school year, we will be sending out other communication to help support and provide guidance through this transition to middle school. This includes Sneak Preview, Gym Uniforms, and student schedules!
District 58 Author Fest. (repeat item)
Dusti will be visiting the 5th graders at Belle Aire, Fairmount, Kingsley, Lester, Pierce Downer, and Whittier.
The community is invited to meet Dusti at a Book Signing held at Anderson’s Bookshop, 5112 Main Street from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Dusti Bowling grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona, where, as her family will tell you, she always had her nose in a book. Dusti currently lives in Eagar, Arizona with her husband, three daughters, and a bunch of farm animals. She will share with students her inspiration for her middle grade novels including Insignificant and Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus, 24 Hours in Nowhere, The Canyon’s Edge, and Across the Desert. Dusti's books have been honored numerous times with medals and awards including the Sakura Medal, and a Golden Kite Honor, as well as being named best books of the year by the Chicago Public Library, A Mighty Girl, and many more.
www.dustibowling.com, @dustibowling, @58foundation, #AuthorFest, #AuthorFest58, #DG58AuthorFest2023
Dusti will be visiting the 5th graders at Belle Aire on the morning of Thursday, April 27
www.facebook.com/AuthorFestD58PTA, @authorfestd58pta
David Biedrzycki
We welcome David Biedrzycki for his first Author Fest visit to District 58!
David will be visiting the 1st and 3rd graders at Belle Aire, El Sierra, Kingsley, HIghland, Hillcrest, and Pierce Downer.
The community is invited to meet David at a Book Signing held at Anderson’s Bookshop, 5112 Main Street from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
David has always loved to draw. Thanks to an early lesson from his older brother Bob and practice, practice, practice, he was pronounced an awesome artist at the age of 4. While he always strived to be the best artist he could be, he did not want to lead the life of an artist and pursued work as an illustrator which developed into writing the stories he illustrated. David married his best friend Kathy and lives with three kids in Medfield, Massachusetts. David’s presentations are energetic, humorous, and give insights to the creative process that students don’t get from just reading the stories. He will feature just four of his many picture books including SumoKitty, SumoPuppy, Invasion of the Unicorns, and Bear Alert.
www.davidbiedrzycki.com, @DavidBiedrzycki, www.instagram.com/artofdave1, www.facebook.com/david.biedrzycki,, @58foundation, #AuthorFest, #AuthorFest58, #DG58AuthorFest2023
David will be visiting the 1st and 3rd graders at Belle Aire on the afternoon of Friday, April 28
Mark Your Calendars
Monday, April 17: 2:00 dismissal; Gr 6 Outdoor Education (extended day)
Tuesday, April 18: Spanish Class
Thursday, April 20: Young Authors (after school); Grs. 5 & 6 Band Concert
Friday, April 21: Gr. 4 field trip (during the day)
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May 2: Belle Aire Open House (6:00 - 7:30 p.m.)
May 9: PTA Meeting (7:00 p.m. at Belle Aire)
May 19: Belle Aire Variety Show (5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at Herrick)
May 29: NO SCHOOL
May 31: Grs. 1 & 2 Music Performance ( 6:00 p.m. at Belle Aire)