Pierce Downer This Week

Pierce Downer Families-

We are officially back to school this week! While the start of school is filled with tons of excitement, it can also be scary for some students and cause others to be nervous about what a new year will bring. To help the transition, Pierce Downer is hosting a "Meet and Greet" and supply drop-off on Tuesday (August 23) from 2:45-3:30. This is a great opportunity to see the classroom and meet the teacher before the new school year begins.

Thanks to the wonderful PD PTA, the celebration will continue on Tuesday August 23rd from 5:30-7:30 with the Back to School Bash! The PTA is still looking for volunteers to help make this event an even bigger success. If you are interested, you can use this link to sign up:

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0f4ca4ad29aafbc52-recruiting

In this edition of PDTW, there are graphics promoting some of the activities being offered for students during and after school, a 2022-23 Need to Know PDF, arrival and dismissal information and information about an upcoming PTA Dine-Out.

Phone/Wearable Technology Use

While a student can bring their electronic device (including cell phones and AirPods) to school, all non-district-issued technologies are to be silenced and out of sight throughout the school day. Students are allowed to wear smartwatches, but they are to be silenced during the school day. The district-provided technology will be utilized for students to participate in lessons and complete assignments. Please be sure to go over the expectations with your student as the policy was recently amended.

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

Do you or someone you know love working with children? Do you have time available between 11:20 and 12:20 in the afternoon each day? You might enjoy being a lunch supervisor at Pierce Downer School! Please fill out this FORM or call the Pierce Downer front office at 630-719-5860.

Arrival

Students may arrive at Pierce Downer School beginning at 8:05 a.m. 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 8:10 am*. Anyone arriving after 8:15 a.m. should enter through Door One for an office pass.

*Please note that entrance times may change as students build routines. We have not used our normal entrance procedures in several years, and we recognize that it may take students longer at the start of the school year to be ready to start the school day. The District also recognizes that bus arrival times vary during the first few weeks of school as drivers learn new routes. As students build routines and bus arrival times become more consistent, student entry times may get pushed back. This time will assist our team we prepare for the school day. Supervision times will remain the same and any changes will be communicated in advance.

Dismissal/After School

Following daily dismissal at Pierce Downer School (2:00 p.m. on Monday/3:00 p.m. Tuesday-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.

Please make sure your child has a snack each day. Snack breaks should consist of nutritious food choices such as fruits, vegetables, and other portable snacks. This aligns with Policy 6:50. The health and safety of our students are our highest priorities. Therefore certain snacks or foods may be prohibited in your child’s classroom due to food allergies. A daily snack can be provided for students who qualify for free/ reduced lunch.

We are excited to launch a new year in band and orchestra and begin making music together again! The DG58 instrumental music teachers have had a wonderful time the past few weeks working with students during our summer music program! Our beginning band and orchestra students are well on their way after spending some time learning the basics of their instruments, while our returning members had a chance to hone their skills in an ensemble setting.

During the school year, the instrumental music students will participate in one weekly pull-out lesson at their school. These lessons will begin at the elementary schools the week of Sept. 12. Please watch your email for a lesson and after-school rehearsal schedules for your building. In the fall, students will also begin participating in a once-weekly after-school rehearsal to prepare full ensemble music to play at their Winter and Spring concerts. We can’t wait to see the growth and progress our students will continue to make as the school year continues!

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.

August 23

Meet and Greet at Pierce Downer School/Supply Drop-Off

2:45-3:30pm

PTA Back to School Bash

5:30-7:30pm

August 25

First Day of School! (Full Day)

September 13

Curriculum Night

6-7:30pm

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