D58 board members take oath of office, elect officers

New Director of Technology appointed for District 58 

Scott Meech has been appointed District 58's new Director of Technology, effective July 1, 2011. He will replace Dr. Connie Hodson, who is retiring from her post after nearly 20 years with District 58.

Meech, who has spent the past three years as technology coordinator/facilitator for Kenilworth District 38, brings to the district 16 years of experience in education, including seven years in educational technology leadership. Meech also has teaching experience both locally and internationally, having served in South Korea and Honduras. He was recently named an Apple Distinguished Educator, a title also held by Dr. Hodson.

The District 58 Board of Education approved Meech's appointment April 11.

For more about Meech, click here.  

District 58 schools donate nearly $9,000 for earthquake relief

Students and staff at schools throughout District 58 raised a total of $8,852 to be donated to the Red Cross for Japan's earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.  

Fund-raising activities at District 58 schools over the past month have included: Students contributing money for the privilege of wearing hats, costumes or mis-matched clothing in school; "penny wars"; teachers contributing money for the privilege of wearing jeans in school; collections at school events, including a variety show and a choir concert; a dodgeball tournament; and money donated as a result of students completing good deeds and extra credit problems.  

District 58 has a history of giving generously to relief efforts, with schools having collectively donated more than $12,000 to relief efforts after the earthquake in Haiti.  

This year's Entertainment for Education fundraiser, an evening of comedy featuring The Second City April 8, brought in more than $21,000 for the District 58 Education Foundation.  

"We'd like to thank everyone who attended the event for making it such a huge success. We also want to thank the community for its continued support of the District 58 Education Foundation in its mission to enhance education in District 58," said event chair Jay Stocki.

Education Foundation-sponsored programs in District 58 include grants for curriculum, technology and staff development; the Select 58 eighth-grade service awards; and Sneak Preview for incoming seventh-graders.

For more information on the District 58 Education Foundation, visit www.dg58ef.com.  

District 58 is working with Community High School District 99 and STARTALK to offer a Chinese language immersion program for its middle school students this summer. Districts 58 and 99 will be two of just seven area school districts to offer such a program.

STARTALK is a  federally subsidized language program that provides a rigorous but fun Chinese language immersion experience, which will be offered to current sixth and seventh grade students in District 58. Current eighth graders will have the opportunity to participate in the program being offered by District 99.

O'Neill students place at regional fair

Akila Shanmugham has always enjoyed Family and Consumer Science - particularly cooking -- so when she was cooking up an idea for this year's science fair project, it seemed appropriate to choose something food-related.

The O'Neill Middle School seventh-grader's project, "Which Temperature Takes the Least Amount of Time to Turn Milk Into Yogurt," earned her first place at the Regional Science Fair in March and the opportunity to represent District 58 at the state level in May.

"I'm very excited," Shanmugham said. "Regionals was a really good experience. Even if I hadn't been chosen for state, I would have been happy because I learned a lot, and it will help me to improve for next year."

O'Neill eighth-grader Ago LoBello earned second place at regionals with his project, "What is the global stability failure of different materials?"

Click here for the full story!   

April 13 marked a very special night for 58 eighth-graders in District 58, along with their proud families, as they were honored at the annual Select 58 banquet for their citizenship and contributions to school and community.

About a year ago, Dylan Tlusty, now a third-grader at Lester School, was eating dinner with his family when his father began to choke on a piece of steak. Using skills recently learned while attending his first Cub Scout meeting, Dylan saved his father's life -- earning him the Chief's Award from the Downers Grove Fire Department.

Click here for the full story!  

Distinguished Service Awards recognize dedication of District 58 staff members 

Seventeen District 58 staff members with a variety of job titles and responsibilities were honored April 7 at the annual Distinguished Service Awards ceremony sponsored by the District 58 Education Foundation.  

In addition, two winners were announced: Hillcrest first-grade teacher Leslie Walker in the category of classroom teacher, and Lester secretary Tamea Mochel in the category of staff member working in a capacity other than classroom teacher.

Walker was praised for her "compassion, intuition and keen understanding of the strengths, weaknesses and needs of each of her students." Mochel was referred to as the "glue that holds the building together--praising and nurturing students; making parents feel welcome; and supporting and encouraging colleagues."

Click here for a full listing of this year's Distinguished Service Awards nominees and a photo gallery from the event! 

The Downers Grove Junior Woman's Club honored three District 58 staff members with Outstanding Teacher awards during the Club's annual education awards ceremony March 22.

The awards are open to teachers at all public and private schools within Downers Grove; students write essays nominating a current or past teacher for the honor. This year's winners were Lester first-grade teacher Rosemary Zolnierowicz, Belle Aire resource teacher Linda Vandeyacht and Fairmount/Pierce Downer speech therapist Jane Ingersoll.

Click here for the full story! 

Parents and community members can view District 58's e-flyers at www.dg58.org/e-flyers. E-flyers are posted twice monthly. For families without Internet access, copies are available at the Administrative Service Center, 1860 63rd St., and at individual schools.  

Flyer postings for April include:

Benedictine University summer soccer camp

Children's Youth Theater Camp

Downers Grove North playgroup

Downers Grove Swim and Racquet Club spring tennis lessons 

First Presbyterian Church indoor yard sale

Moving Image Summer Drama Camp

Downers Grove North and South summer sports programs

Level UP summer basketball camp

Indian Boundary YMCA specialty camps

A few spots remain for tuition students at the Indian Trail and Henry Puffer locations of District 58's Grove Children's Preschool program.

Grove Children's Preschool uses an established, research-based curriculum to meet the educational and developmental needs of its students, who range in age from three to five years old. The preschool is a blended program, meaning tuition students and at-risk students are taught in the same classroom.

For more information on Grove Children's Preschool, including registration information and tuition costs, call (630) 968-0454. An informational brochure and DVD are available at the Administrative Service Center, 1860 63rd St., or online at

www.dg58.org/preschool.

Seniors, students connect over literature at annual Herrick Intergenerational Read

Documentary filmmakers wow students with photos, footage from Antarctica

In Antarctica, the temperature can range from a relatively balmy 50-some degrees below zero to a frigid 150 degrees below zero.

Students at Whittier, Hillcrest, Lester and Indian Trail schools got to pay a visit to the icy continent April 19 without having to don any protective gear, thanks to assemblies presented by documentary filmakers Frida Waara and John Major.

Click here for the full story! 

Eighth graders in the scarlet cluster at O'Neill Middle School are doing their part to raise awareness of past and present genocides -- and to bring in funds for the Chicagoland Sudanese Community Center -- during their annual "Got Awareness?" campaign.  

Residents wishing to support the cause can eat at bd's Mongolian Grill at the Bolingbrook Promenade on Thursday, May 5 and say they are there for the "guest grillers" -- the scarlet cluster teachers. The students also partnered with Home Run Inn for a dine-in event April 28. 

Click here for the full story! 

Dates to note 

MUSICAL NOTES

Tuesday, May 3--Herrick Vocal Recital Night, 7 p.m., Herrick  

Tuesday, May 17--O'Neill choir and orchestra spring concert, 7 p.m., O'Neill

Tuesday, May 17--Herrick orchestra spring concert, 7 p.m., Herrick

Monday, May 23--O'Neill band spring concert, 7 p.m., O'Neill 

Tuesday, May 24--Herrick band spring concert, 7 p.m., Herrick

Thursday, May 26--Herrick choir spring concert, 7 p.m., Herrick 

School snapshots