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D58 board gets first look at proposed 2011-12 budget
The District 58 Board of Education got its first look May 9 at the tentative spending plan for 2011-12. The district's budget is expected to be in balance, or very close to it, again this year.
Conservative budgeting, careful monitoring of--and proactive responses to--economic conditions, and continued maintenance of fund balances has put District 58 in a better financial position than many surrounding and benchmark districts. District 58 balanced its 2009-10 budget through approximately $600,000 in cuts in the areas of supplies, equipment and purchased services, and balanced its 2010-11 budget through an additional $2 million in cost-containment measures.
The 2011-12 tentative budget includes approximately $55.3 million in normal operating aggregate revenues, and approximately $55.6 million in normal operating aggregate expenditures. This does not include the Medical Reserve Fund, the Life Safety Fund or the Debt Service Fund. A number of unknowns remain with regards to the proposed spending plan. For example, details regarding state budgets for General State Aid and categorical aid will not be available until this summer.
"The 2011-12 budget does reflect some relief from the revenue problems experienced in the past two budget years, and we anticipate that normal operating revenue sources will match or come close to normal operating expenses," said Controller James Popernik.
Click here for the full story.
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D58 Math Committee set to review potential curricula The District 58 Math Committee has been hard at work this year and plans to recommend a new curriculum for adoption by the School Board in 2012.  During the board's May 9 meeting, the committee presented an overview of its work to date and next steps towards the district's adoption of a new Math curriculum for the 2012-13 school year. Board members were able to view the online database that has been created for the Math and Language Arts curricula, which align with the common core standards adopted by Illinois. By Fall 2012, teachers will be able to access the entire curriculum on the database, including objectives, materials, assessments, and a timeline for when particular topics are taught during the course of the school year. One focus of the committee is to provide a continuum of instruction and a smooth transition from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school with regard to math. Click here for the full story. |
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District 58 to issue RFP for facilities assessment
On May 9, the District 58 School Board approved the development and issuance of a Request for Proposal for a comprehensive facilities assessment.
The district has 15 buildings: 11 elementary schools, two middle schools, the Administrative Service Center and Longfellow Center. Longfellow houses the district's maintenance department, technology department and Media Services Office, and also serves as a storage center for district materials.
Now that District 58 is carrying out its plan to address its most immediate maintenance needs, including roof replacements, through the use of Life Safety bonds issued in 2010, the next step is to develop a comprehensive long-range facilities plan.
Click here for the full story.
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Retired teacher Diehl takes D58 board oath
On May 9, Roberta Diehl was sworn in as the newest member of the District 58 Board of Education. Diehl was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the recent passing of member Gary Lester.
Diehl taught at Lester School for 16 years before retiring in 2010, and is a parent of two District 58 graduates. She was the recipient of the District 58 Education Foundation's Distinguished Service Award in 2007, and served a one-year ex-officio term on the Foundation board.
Diehl was chosen from a pool of five applicants interviewed by School Board members the week of May 2. Board member Steve Funk administered the oath of office on May 9 for Diehl to complete the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends in April 2013.
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 District 58 honors retirees for service
During a special luncheon May 26, the District 58 Board of Education honored this year's 24 retirees for nearly 500 years of combined service to the district's schools and children. "Each and every one of these individuals was absolutely committed to providing the best possible educational experience for the children in this district. They will be very much missed," said Superintendent Paul Zaander. Click here for the list of retirees and years of service! |
Last day of school, promotion ceremonies approaching
The last day of school in District 58 for the 2010-11 year will be Thursday, June 9. Eighth-grade promotion ceremonies will take place on Wednesday, June 8. O'Neill Middle School's ceremony will take place at 5 p.m. at O'Neill, and Herrick Middle School's ceremony will take place at 7 p.m. at Downers Grove North High School.
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Summer maintenance projects planned in District 58
When school is out for the summer, crews tackle a variety of maintenance and construction projects. The following work is planned for this summer:
- Concrete sidewalk repair at Henry Puffer, Herrick, and Pierce Downer
- Curb repair at Herrick Middle School
- Installation of a new roof at Henry Puffer
- Relocate stage curtain supports at Henry Puffer
- Sealcoat new asphalt walks at Fairmount and Highland
- Scrape and paint designated walls and ceilings at all schools
- Overlay with new asphalt a handicapped walk at Pierce Downer
- Inspect all 28 boilers in District 58
- Inspect bleachers at Herrick and O'Neill middle schools
- Safety inspections of all playground equipment
- Heating systems coil cleaning and valve replacements
- Double door replacement at Herrick outside equipment storeroom
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Two staffers honored by peers as Teachers of the Year
Not only do they strive for ever-greater heights of excellen ce, they inspire their students and colleagues to do the same. This is among the many qualities that make Jonathan Ball and Pamela Williams excellent teachers, and earned them the designation of 2011 Teacher of the Year from the Downers Grove Elementary Education Association.
The two were nominated by their peers for the honor, and recognized during a special reception May 23.
Click here for the full story!
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Pierce Downer participates in TECH 2011 at Capitol
Pierce Downer was among approximately 80 schools statewide that participated in TECH 2011: Students for the Information Age May 5 in Springfield. 
Taking part in the demonstrations in the Capitol Rotunda as representatives of their third-grade class at Pierce Downer were students Samantha Neveril, Mason Ringbloom and Lauren Schenk, and their teacher Karyn Vanko. The class had transformed their Beverly Cleary novels into hypothetical movies, created movie posters using a web-based application and podcasted commercials to advertise their movies. Click here for the full story! |
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Destination ImagiNation team from District 58 advances to Global Finals
A talented team of students from District 58 took first place at the state Destination ImagiNation creative problem-solving tourname nt in April at Illinois State University, earning them the right to compete at the Global Finals in Tennessee last month.
The team members of DI Dynamite -- Herrick seventh-graders Beth Jensen and Annie DeCero, and Whittier sixth-graders Abby Murphy, Hannah Krusenoski, Natalie Raden and Erin DeCero -- have been working together and competing as a team for more than six years. The team manager is Julie DeCero.
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District 58 students win art awards in annual contest sponsored by Downers Grove Junior Woman's Club
Several Herrick and O'Neill students earned awards in the Downers Grove Junior Woman's Club's annual Junior High Art contest. The ceremony took place April 26. The contest is open to all seventh and eighth grade students in Downers Grove.
Click here to see the list of winners from District 58!
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Hillcrest second grader sings national anthem to kick off DGS Senior Night festivities
The Downers Grove South Mustangs boys volleyball team celebrated their senior players and parents prior to the game on May 17 with the annual Senior Night festivities at Downers Grove South High School. Dillon Kohls, a second grade student at Hillcrest School, concluded the pre-match festivities by singing an a cappella solo of The Star-Spangled Banner. The Mustangs' varsity head coach, Tony Nevrly, saw Kohls open the Hillcrest annual variety show with The Star-Spangled Banner. Impressed with the performance, the coach asked the second-grader to sing before his varsity volleyball team's Senior Night.
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Latest e-flyer postings
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.
End-of-year postings include:
Downers Grove Public Library summer reading program
Downers Grove Park District May and June Park AveNews
Downers Grove Swim and Racquet Club summer activities
Downers Grove Junior Sabres skating/hockey intro summer workshop
Family Video Rentals for A's
CASANA and Windy City/Chicagoland Apraxia Network Workshop (event June 16)
Maple Hill Pool School Days
Rep. Sandra Pihos Summer Reading Club
Roadrunners Soccer Club open player evaluations
Sokol Fitness Fun Fair (event June 11)
Camp FBW (Fullersburg Woods)
Indian Boundary YMCA summer programs
Lacrosse America Camp
Rep. Patti Bellock's Summer Reading Club
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Communicate
58 is a periodic, subscriber-based e-newsletter published by the
Downers Grove Grade School District 58 Office of Community Relations.
It is designed to offer our district community a convenient way to stay
informed about what's happening in the
district.
Please send questions, comments and feedback to Jennifer
Waldorf, Coordinator of Communications, at jwaldorf@dg58.org.
Do you know someone who would like to receive Communicate 58? Please encourage them to visit www.dg58.org to sign up--and please pass this e-mail along to anyone who might be interested in the information.
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Dates to note
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Monday, June 13 -- Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m., ASC Office
Tuesday, July 5--Financial Advisory Committee meeting, 7 a.m., ASC Office
Monday, July 11--Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m., ASC Office Monday, August 15--New teachers report Wednesday, August 24--First day of school, 2011-12
Click here for the 2011-12 Board of Education calendar.
Click here for the 2011-12 District 58 calendar, including institute days and holidays. | | |
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School news
| | Did you know--you can check out the latest headlines and photo galleries from events and activities throughout District 58 under the Community Relations link at
www.dg58.org!
Latest headlines include:
Salsa dancing brings Latin-American culture to life for Herrick Spanish students
El Sierra thanks volunteers
O'Neill students raise $4,300 for Sudanese Community Center
Belle Aire donates 16 gallons of pop tabs to Ronald McDonald House Fairmount students make 'mail call' memorable for veteran Pasta prize motivates giving at Indian Trail Highland celebrates the 'Power of One' Lester pennies add up for Japan Puffer reading specialist throws out first pitch Wikis bring science to life at Whittier Kingsley staff serves it up at McTeachers Night |
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Get the latest news from District 58! Go to www.twitter.com/DGDistrict58, sign up for your own account and request to follow DGDistrict58, or click on the link below.
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