Pierce Downer This Week

Pierce Downer Families-

Fall is here and cold and flu season is upon us and we are seeing students with cold and flu symptoms. To prevent the spread of these common viruses in the close confines of the classroom, we are cleaning daily and encouraging handwashing in the class. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines.

Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

· Very stuffy or runny nose and/or a cough

· Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)

· Headache

Definitely keep your child at home and consider seeking medical attention if he or she has any of these symptoms:

· Fever (greater than 100 degrees by mouth. Your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been consistently below 100 degrees, by mouth, for a minimum of 24 hours without medication)

· Vomiting (even once)

· Diarrhea

· Chills

· General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches

· Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough

· Shortness of breath

· Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose

To help prevent the flu and other colds, encourage good hygiene habits:

· Wash hands frequently

· Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth

· Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands

· Avoid close contact with people who are sick

The flu shot is one of the best ways to prevent illness from the seasonal influenza virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults and children receive the flu vaccine each year. Yearly flu vaccination is needed because immunity against the flu wears off over time. In addition, the flu virus strains often change, so the vaccine also changes from year-to-year in order to match the flu viruses expected to be circulating in the community.

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 Pierce Downer Haunted House Competition has arrived! Students may bring in their Haunted Houses on Monday or Tuesday of this coming week. Please be sure their name is somewhere on their house.

Reflections is a nationally acclaimed PTA sponsored student recognition program to encourage artistic creativity. The National PTA Reflections Arts Program invites all Pierce Downer students (grades K–6) to create an original creative work in response to this year’s theme: Show Your Voice! Students choose from one or all of the below categories and create an original artwork based on this year's theme.

Categories:

• Dance choreography

• Film production

• Literature

• Music composition

• Photography

• Visual arts

• Special artist (student who receives IDEA or ADA services)

  
  

How to Submit:

1. Students choose a category, read the guidelines carefully, and create their piece!

2. Complete the entry form sent home with your child or here and get your submissions in by Friday, October 28th!

3. Put the creative work (physical art or file saved on a USB drive) and attached submission form in the Reflections box in the main office.

   
   

NOTE: STUDENTS CANNOT PUT THEIR NAME ON THEIR WORK — only on the submission form. (Signed paintings will not be accepted.)

Entries will be professionally judged using these criteria: interpretation of the theme, creativity, and technique. School winners will advance to the district competition, followed by regional, state, and national levels. National awards range from recognition to scholarships! Everyone who enters will be recognized!!

We visited the classrooms this week to gain excitement for this amazing program. Please ask your students about our visit and see what they brought home! All participants will be recognized at a pizza party AND will earn a coupon for a small ice cream at Every Day’s a Sundae!

Questions? Email Kara Morrissey at piercedownerreflections@gmail.com

Brick sales for the playground’s Legacy Path are a great way to support our efforts and a memorable way to honor your time at PD. The decorative brick path will be next to the new play equipment. If you are hoping to recognize your students (past, present or future) with this unique opportunity, it is TIME to place your order!

To date we have sold 38 bricks. We have set a goal to reach 100 bricks sold by the end of October!!

Personalize with your family name or a message, and complete your donation – it is that easy! Pick from two sizes: 4x8 for $250 and $8x8 for $500. If you have any questions, please contact Francesca Rabchuk at franesca.rabchuk@gmail.com.

** Thank you to Pierce Downer former parent and playground Silver Sponsor, Joanna Matthies, for including our brick push in her local mailing. We appreciate your continued support for our community! **

The PD PROMISE monthly focus continues in October with an emphasis on being RESPECTFUL. Here is an activity you could try at home:

Look up the definition of RESPECT as a family. Discuss with your student how they can show respect to themselves, their peers, teachers, family, and school!

The Reading Games will return for its ninth year on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023 at O'Neill Middle School. The Reading Games is a fun and friendly reading competition open to District 58 students in grades 3-8.

Start forming teams now! Team and individual registration is open now through Nov. 2. Please click here for general Reading Games information, including team and individual registration links. Visit www.readinggamesdg58.com for detailed information.

The Reading Games also seeks question writer volunteers! Click here to learn more information and to sign up to volunteer.

Our latest recipient of the PD Cup is Ms. Finnegan. Ms. Finnegan is a Resource Teacher at Pierce Downer School and is regularly collaborating with teachers and supporting students both in and out of the classroom.

Thank you Ms. Finnegan for all that you do!

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.

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.

October 24-28

Red Ribbon Week (spirit days listed above)

October 31

Halloween/Halloween Parties

November 8

NO SCHOOL

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