Pierce Downer This Week

Pierce Downer Families-

Fall was right on time with some cooler temps to end the week! This was a great reminder to make sure our students are dressing for the weather that sometimes has cooler mornings and warm afternoons. This week we enjoyed our first Fun Lunch with the help of the PD PTA, who also held their first general meeting on Wednesday night. As a reminder, Fall assessment data is being sent home today with students.

I am proud and thankful for the Pierce Downer staff and students for successfully completing our active threat/lockdown drill. The students did such a great job! Also, I would like to thank the Downers Grove Police Department for joining us today and observing our drill.

Coming up, we will also be partnering with the Downers Grove Fire Department on Friday, October 7th, 2022, to perform our evacuation drill.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns via email LWagner@DG58.org or call 630-719-5860.

We are PD!

L. Wagner, Principal

The PD PROMISE monthly focus starts with the letter P for POLITE. Students are hearing daily quotes during announcements that encourage being polite and kind to others. You can help support these monthly focuses by talking at home about the PD PROMISE and sharing ways we can be polite to one another!

Students and staff have done a nice job building routines at the start of the school year. The routine building is very important this year, as many well-established practices were changed due to the pandemic. Now that schools have returned to normal operating procedures, the District is reestablishing many past practices.

To start the school year off, elementary students were permitted to enter the building early at 8:10 a.m. to provide more time to prepare for the school day. Since school has been open for approximately four weeks, well-established entry routines are now in place.

Starting Monday, Sept. 26, elementary students will enter the building at 8:15 a.m. This aligns with the District's previous practice before the pandemic. Morning announcements will continue to take place at 8:20 a.m. Please note that while students will enter at 8:15 a.m., supervision will still start at 8:05 a.m. as usual. Bus route pickup times will also remain the same. Allowing students adequate time to enter the building will be monitored closely throughout the year. In the event students are not able to be ready to go by 8:20 a.m., we will evaluate entry time once again. Should you have any questions, please contact Mr. Wagner.

Dear Staff and Families,

District 58’s number one priority is ensuring that all our students and staff are safe. Last December, I sent this letter to all families outlining how seriously we take threats to our schools. The purpose of this letter is to be proactive in terms of safety and ask for your assistance. Preventing school violence is the responsibility of the entire community and we need your help.

Last school year, the United States once again experienced senseless acts of school violence. School shootings in Oxford, Michigan, and Uvalde, Texas, underscore the urgent need for all of us to be vigilant. I am asking all families to once again speak with their child (ren) in an age-appropriate manner regarding school safety. Please emphasize with your child(ren) the following:

1. If you see something, say something.

2. Making any kind of joke about violence toward someone else or the school is not permitted.

3. Making a threat against someone else or a school (in-person or online) is not permitted.

4. Possessing a weapon or a look-alike weapon is not permitted.

5. Talking about a weapon or a look-alike weapon is not permitted.

Please remind your child(ren) that if he/she makes a threatening statement or brings a weapon or lookalike weapon to school, they will immediately be referred to the Downers Grove Police Department. Police consequences may include arrest, referral to the State’s Attorney, and the Juvenile Court System. Further, your child(ren) will receive significant consequences at school, which may include expulsion (see Board Policy 7:190). We will not take any chances when it comes to the safety of our students and staff. District 58 is also here to help any student or family that is struggling with mental health issues. If we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us right away.

I am once again asking for your assistance to help ensure the safety of our students and staff. Please speak with your children about the importance of being safe at school. As I shared last year, I view every student and staff member in our District as a part of my family. Let’s continue to be proactive and collaborate with one another, as the safety of our students and staff is the highest priority. If you see something, say something. District 58 staff are ready to assist anyone in need and we are grateful for your partnership.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kevin Russell

District 58 Superintendent of Schools

It’s time for us to get the Earth Helpers Club up and running once again! This club is open to any students in grades 3-6 that are wanting to help with after-school recycling a few times a month. If this club sounds like it’s for you, there will be an after-school meeting on Tuesday, October 4, from 3:00-3:45 with Mrs. de Buhr. In order to attend this meeting and be part of the club, you need to have your parents sign and return the green permission slip that will be coming home today (Friday) or Monday. Earth Helpers is a great way to help our school!

District 58 will place a proposal on the Nov. 8, 2022 ballot to issue $179 million in bonds to improve District 58’s facilities. To learn more about the District 58 referendum, please visit www.dg58.org/referendum.

This website contains helpful information, including the District’s Master Facility Plan, frequently asked questions, ballot language, voter information, tax impact, facility presentation and videos and much more. If you have any questions about the referendum not answered on the website, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Please know, as a school district, we can provide factual information about a referendum, but we cannot advocate for or against it.

All Pierce Downer students have the option to receive white milk at school each day. The cost for milk (for the year, per child) is $23. If you would like your child to receive milk each day, please complete the form linked below by next Friday. If you do not want your child(ren) to receive milk, you do not need to complete the form.

Pierce Downer Milk Form

If you have questions, please contact the school office.

District 58 has partnered with Safe2Help to give students a safe and confidential way to report potential threats or crises. Safe2Help was launched by the State of Illinois in December 2020 and aims to help prevent suicide, bullying, school violence and other threats to school safety.

With Safe2Help, students can connect with a trained crisis professional during their own crisis, or to report a potential threat. Students can submit a Safe2Help alert via 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

All alerts are responded to by a trained Safe2Help crisis professional. Safe2Help is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

District 58 staff are not the initial responders to the alert and will receive each alert after the Safe2Help professional provides support. District 58 staff will review alerts sent by Safe2Help during regular school hours, unless the nature of the alert necessitates immediate school action.

September 30

Custodian's Day

October 3

Bus Evacuation Drills

October 7

Fire Evacuation Drill

October 10

No School: Columbus Day

Email: LWagner@dg58.org
Website: www.DG58.org
Location: 1436 Grant Street, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 630-719-5860
Twitter: @LWagnerDG58