Pierce Downer This Week

Pierce Downer Families-

We had a GREAT week at Pierce Downer School with the unseasonably warm temps. The intramural basketball program began for our 3rd and 4th graders, we had a general PTA meeting, recognized Veterans Day, and had a blast with Chicago Bears mascot Staley, in an educational assembly put on by our generous PTA.

The community approved District 58’s $179 million bond referendum to improve District 58’s 13 school facilities in the Nov. 8, 2022 election. With 100% of precincts reporting, unofficial results posted on the DuPage Election Commission websiteshow 67.13% of voters in favor and 32.87% against the measure. The results will be certified by Tuesday, Nov. 29.

In a message from Dr. Russell: “On behalf of District 58, I want to thank the families, staff, Board members and community members who participated in the five-year community engagement process leading up to this vote. While the community has discussed District 58’s facilities for decades, the current Strategic Plan, which began development in fall 2017, created a clear plan toward addressing our facility needs,” said Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell. “For those community members who did not support the referendum, please know that we hear you and appreciate your voice. District 58 will continue to expend funds in a fiscally-responsible manner while respecting taxpayers. We are very grateful to our community for their continued support of our schools and for recognizing the needs across our facilities.” See the full message here.

Grove Express

The Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58 invites the community to participate in the Grove Express 5K on Thanksgiving Day. A portion of the proceeds will benefit District 58 students! Early bird registration has been extended through Nov. 6. Learn more here. Sign up here.

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

We are PD!

L. Wagner, Principal

Head lice has been reported at Pierce Downer School in our 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades. It is District 58’s practice to inform parents when there is one confirmed case of lice in their child’s grade. When there is more than one confirmed case in our school, across multiple grade levels, we send an email to the entire school.

Although a nuisance, lice do not carry infectious diseases, nor do they pose a health risk to students and staff. However, to help prevent the spread of lice, we recommend that parents check their child’s head routinely over the next three weeks as indicated below by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What to look for:

• Lice are about 1/8 inch long. They range in color, from transparent to black. Nits (lice eggs) are oval-shaped and very small. They are firmly attached to the hair shaft and often appear to be yellow or white. They can sometimes resemble the affected person’s hair color.

• Use good lighting to search your child’s hair for lice and nits.

• Part the hair many times, especially behind the ears, the crown of the head, the nape of the neck and the thickest hair areas.

• Nits are not easily removed, except by a fine-tooth comb or actually pulling the nit from the individual hair.

How to prevent lice:

• Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).

• Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons or barrettes.

• Do not share combs, brushes or towels.

• Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an affected person.

What to do if your child has lice or nits:

• Please notify the school office immediately 630-719-5860.

• Check all household members for signs of lice.

• Treat your child with a lice shampoo or alternative treatment, as recommended by your doctor or pharmacist. Please follow the instructions carefully!

• After the treatment, use a nit comb on your child’s hair to remove nits and lice every two to three days.

• Use a washing machine and dryer on the hottest setting to clean clothing, bed linens and other items that the affected person wore or used during the two days before treatment. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry cleaned or sealed in a plastic bag and stored for two weeks.

• Soak combs and brushes in hot water (at least 130°F) for five to 10 minutes.

• Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay. However, the risk of getting infested by a louse that has fallen on the floor or furniture is very small. Head lice survive less than one to two days if they fall off a person and cannot feed; nits cannot hatch and usually die within a week if they are not kept at the same temperature as that found close to the human scalp. Spending much time and money on housecleaning activities is not necessary to avoid reinfestation by lice or nits that may have fallen off the head or crawled onto furniture or clothing.

• Do not use fumigant sprays; they can be toxic if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

When your child can return to school:

• Students should attend school while they have lice and/or nits, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Association of School Nurses.

• Our school nurse will work directly with the affected student’s family to ensure the student receives appropriate treatment for lice.

The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend classroom or whole school lice checks, as there is no evidence that classroom or whole school screenings for lice are effective in reducing the amount of head lice in a school community.

Additional facts about head lice, as well as information on treatment can be found following this link to the District 58 website. Our school nurses, Michelle McGarry, Christine Cuyugan, or Jennifer Jackson can assist families in accessing care and provide guidance in successfully treating head lice.

Thank you for your cooperation with this matter. Please feel free to contact me with questions or concerns.

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.

The PD PROMISE monthly focus continues in November with an emphasis on being OPTIMISTIC.

Go on a Happiness Scavenger Hunt Next time you are taking a walk or on a drive with your children, ask them to point out anything they notice that makes them smile: a friend waving to them, a bright red cardinal peeking out from a tree limb, the sight of their favorite ice cream shop. This activity teaches your children to notice and share the everyday good things that surround them, and builds optimism and happiness.

Our latest recipient of the PD Cup is Mrs. Peinado! Mrs. Peinado is an instructional assistant at Pierce Downer School and is regularly seen throughout the building provide support for students. A fun fact about Mrs. Peinado is if your child has ever come home with an origami animal, chances are it was her that made it!

Thank you Mrs. Peinado for always going above and beyond for Pierce Downer School!

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.

November 23-25

No School

Thanksgiving Break

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