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Conversations with Dr. C returns featuring Thanksgiving, teachers
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Students express how the world would be a better place through art
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Kingsley's Reflections participants pose during the Dec. 2 PTA Reflections Awards Ceremony.
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Reflections, a national PTA program, promotes student creativity in the arts: literature, visual arts, photography, dance choreography, musical composition and film production. Several District 58 students created unique and thoughtful works of art related to this year's Reflections theme: "The World Would Be a Better Place If..."
On Dec. 2, the District held a special awards ceremony for students who advanced to the Reflections' District and Regional levels.
More than 60 Reflections participants will advance to the Regional Reflections competition. Congratulations and best of luck to all of you!
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Kyra Cain
Elijah Chen
Nikolas Fotos
Lincoln Peckenpaugh
Linnea Peckenpaugh
Film Production:
Carly Cummings
Pallavi Fisher
Rajan Fisher
Rainu George
Cora Hader
Erich Hene
Madeleine Kelly
Sofia Pieranunzi
Conner Ryan
Dance Choreography
Grace Dicke
Aniya Garner
Emma Gramm
Lukas Kamedulski
Reese Lingertot (2 entries)
Emily Marsaglia
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Literature
Abigail Culcasi
Aidan DeCastro
Lillian Fusco
Joe Grippo
Corinna Irvin
Reese Lingertot
Samantha Mark (2 entries)
Liam Neustadt
Patrick Neustadt
Liana O'Rourke
Matthew Perry
Madeline Riske
Clara Sigale
Teagan Smith
Photography Daniel Adam Emma Aleksiunas Rose Balicki Ethan Bell Lauren Dry Megan Fogarty Bailey Lingertot Margaret Lukes Gabriella Metz William Mulligan |
Photography (cont)
Connor Podjasek
Conor Schewe
Ellis Sioukas
Grant Sioukas
Visual Arts
Ninabella Arlis
Calia Cremascoli
Andrea Davenport
Gianna Fallara
Abbey Goddard
Zachary Green
Dillon Laserna
Sophie Michaels
Amina Rizvi
Blake Ryden
Benjamin Lorenc
Jordan Stewart
Gracie Swierczynski
Special Artists in Visual Arts
Jada Henderson
Elijah Hsu
Owen Murphy
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District offers parent workshops on technology, programs and learning
District 58 will host several parent seminars to help families understand district programs and learning opportunities. All district families may attend. Dates include:
Parent Technology Support
Dec. 15, 2014 - 6:30 p.m. Longfellow Center (1435 Prairie Ave.)
Jan. 21, 2015 - 12:45 p.m. Downers Grove Public Library (1050 Curtiss St.)
Jan. 21, 2015 - 6:30 p.m. Downers Grove Public Library
This workshop reviews the technology students use inside and outside the classroom, as well as digital citizenship.
Parent Learning, Assessment and Reporting Overview
Dec. 15, 2014 - 7:30 p.m. Longfellow Center
Jan. 21, 2015 - 1:45 p.m. Downers Grove Public Library
Jan. 21, 2015 - 7:30 p.m. Downers Grove Public Library
This workshop will focus on how the District measures students' current level of understanding to find ways to best help them learn and grow. This session will also discuss District assessments.
For more information on these workshops, please contact Director of Innovative Technology and Learning James Eichmiller at jeichmiller@dg58.org or Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Matthew Rich at mrich@dg58.org.
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Featured video:
Animation Creations with Mr. Belonio
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Aspiring cartoonists and animators in Mr. Jon Belonio's first ever FROG Animation Creations video imagined and created some really amazing things! Check out this video to see a compilation of his students' recent work. Interested in the class? The spring schedule will be out soon! Learn more on
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Highland celebrates Mrs. Duncan's 45 years of service (and counting!)
Every school day for the last 45 years, Highland Crossing Guard Mrs. Naomi Duncan has ensured that Highland students arrived to school safely.
During a special assembly, Highland thanked Mrs. Duncan for her service, and Principal Dr. Judy Kmak listed the Top 10 Reasons Mrs. Duncan is Special.
Congrats Mrs. Duncan!
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District 58, Wight & Company win Award of Merit for renovations
 The Illinois Association of School Boards awarded District 58 and Wight & Company with an Educational Environment Award of Merit for its recent improvements to Pierce Downer School. This prestigious award recognizes excellence in educational environmental design, energy efficiency and safety.
The award recognizes renovations Wight & Company made to Pierce Downer in summer 2013, including two, new traditional classrooms, dedicated space for resource functions, library resource center improvements and safety/security upgrades.
The project was judged using the following criteria: program/challenge met; how the facility meets 21st century education environmental needs; design; unique energy efficiency or green features; and safety.
Congratulations District 58 and Wight & Company!
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Support small biz and District 58
Shop at Lester's Holly Days and Kingsley's Vendor Fair
 Get your holiday shopping done at Lester's Holly Days and Kingsley's Holiday Vendor Fair this weekend!
The Lester School PTA will hold its annual "Holly Days" this Friday, Dec. 5 from 3-8 p.m. at the Lester gymnasium, 236 Indianapolis Ave. The Kingsley School PTA will host its annual Holiday Vendor Fair in conjunction with its Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kingsley, 6509 Powell St. Both events are free.
Lester's Holly Days will feature more than 30 local small businesses, crafters and vendors. Families can also enjoy a visit with Santa; raffles; mini manicures and chair massages; a kids' shopping and craft area; free gift-wrapping; a bake sale; and more! The first 50 visitors will receive a free "swag bag." Gifts start at 50 cents.
The fun continues Saturday at Kingsley's Holiday Vendor Fair. Many local artists and small businesses will sell artisan crafts; affordable handbags; jewelry; gourmet foods and more! Many vendors will have cash and carry items on-hand to sell. Enjoy a raffle and pancake breakfast for a small donation as well.
A percentage of each item sold at both events will be donated to the Lester and Kingsley PTAs.
For more information about Holly Days, please contact Lester Holly Days Event Chair Pamela Nicholas at pamelanicholas7@gmail.com. For more information about the Holiday Vendor Fair, please contact Kingsley PTA Event Chairperson June Krecek at jakrecek@comcast.net.
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Dr. Meg Van Dyke's students debate the benefits of different types of alternative energies with students in Taiwan,
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Dr. Meg Van Dyke's seventh grade science students arrived at O'Neill Middle School on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 7:15 a.m. - on their free will, with only the bribe of Dunkin Donuts. They were there on a mission: to successfully argue scientific thought with fellow middle schoolers in Taiwan. Yes, Taiwan. It was 7:15 a.m. here and 9:15 p.m. there.
Thanks to Skype and Lucid Charts-an interactive collaborative diagramming tool-the two classes could work together as though in the same room.
Dr. Van Dyke's students separated in six groups to debate different types of alternative energy with the Taiwanese students: nuclear, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydrogen and hydropower. Each group pre-selected their topic and prepared evidence and facts to back it up.
"The students are learning to argue like a scientist with technology," Dr. Van Dyke explained. "Arguing is one of the main components of Next Generation Science Standards; it teaches kids to recognize new perspectives other than their own."
Dr. Van Dyke added that learning to argue is a key component in science.
"To successfully argue alternative energy, the students need to really know what they're talking about. They can't just have opinions -- they need to have reasons and facts to support their opinions," Dr. Van Dyke said. "It's a good experience for them to learn the value of having facts, counterarguments and rebuttals prepared."
Dr. Van Dyke will incorporate her class's Skype alternative energy debate as part of her research project with Dr. Pi-Sui Hsu at Northern Illinois University's Department of Education Technology, Research and Assessment. Dr. Hsu participated in the Skype conversation in Taiwan. The two will use the debate to study how gender and cultural differences affect scientific learning.
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O'Neill, Henry Puffer and Herrick celebrate VIP Day
 O'Neill, Henry Puffer and Herrick celebrated their annual VIP Day Nov. 25 morning. This special day celebrates grandparents and other VIPs in our students' lives!
At O'Neill and Herrick, VIPs enjoyed performances by the school choir, band,
orchestra and cheerleaders. Afterward,  their student gave them a tour of the school. Henry Puffer invited its VIPs for a coffee reception in the morning, followed by an hour in the classroom with their student. Puffer's VIPs were able to participate in hands-on learning experiences with their student!
We hope all of our District 58 VIPs enjoyed their visit today. Thank you for making a difference in our students' lives!
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Lester's Stuck on Giving fundraiser nets more than $1,000 for charity
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Lester PE teacher Mr. Donnelly got duct taped for charity. What a trooper!
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Lester raised $1,023 to help local families in need have a truly Happy Thanksgiving, via their "Stuck on Giving" fundraiser.
 | | Lester Student Council treasurers, Clare Rhodes and Sam Bowerman, pose while cutting pieces of tape. |
During Thanksgiving week, students "bought" pieces of duct tape for $1. Then, they gathered at lunchtime to duct tape PE teacher Mr. Donnelly to the wall!
"We're making Thanksgiving baskets for needy families. We bring in the canned items, and we'll use the fundraiser money for gift cards for turkeys," explained
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Lester students wait to tape Mr. Donnelly.
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Clare Rhodes, Lester student and Student Council co-treasurer.
"It's a fun way for kids to donate money," added Sam Bowerman, the Student Council's other co-treasurer. Lester teacher Marina Kasicki said that $1,023 was far more than they expected to raise.
"We have more than enough money to provide turkey gift cards to families, so we will use the leftover funding to help out at Christmas!"
These kids are really "stuck on giving!" Thanks for your generosity!
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Belle Aire harvests $440 in change
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Belle Aire Student Council members Adam Sitabkhan, Ella Campbell, Emily Greifhahn and Arden Zajack surround the Penny Harvest wagon, which they used to raise $440 in change.
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Belle Aire students turned pennies into hundreds during their annual Penny Harvest, Nov. 17-21.
Each day, Student Council members wheeled the harvest wagon to classrooms and collected students' spare change. By the end of the week, they raised $439.10 in change!
The money will be donated to local families in need and charitable organizations.
The Penny Harvest is coordinated by the Student Council and its teacher co-chairs, Betsy Matson and Joan Mommsen.
"It has become an annual tradition," Mommsen said. "The kids really enjoy it and help the needy in the process of having fun."
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Whittier goes crazy for charity!
Whittier students got a little crazy this November!
The Student Council hosted a Hat and Crazy Hair Day. To participate, students paid $1. The Student Council raised $189.04 for the Heavenly Hats Foundation, a non-profit started by a Wisconsin boy to provide new hats to patients in hospitals and clinics who lose their hair due to chemotherapy or an illness. Nice job, Whittier!
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Bloom's Angels FUNdraiser raises $8,500 for Herrick families in need
 Families packed the Downers Grove North High School gym on Nov. 17 in support of Herrick's Bloom's Angels FUNdraiser. Herrick Middle School hosted a cross-town boys' basketball game against Jefferson Junior High to raise money to help Herrick students and families in need.
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Herrick's boys basketball team wears honorary Bloom's Angels T-shirts.
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Bloom's Angels successfully raised $8,500 from the 750 people who jammed the bleachers to enjoy two great basketball games. The crowd enjoyed rockin' performances by the Herrick Middle School and North High School jazz band. The Herrick choir did a beautiful job singing the National Anthem, and the cheerleaders did a great job performing at both half times.
"What an exciting night for our organization!" said Gail Pistello, co-founder of Bloom's Angels. "It does my heart good to see so many students step up and participate in one way or another to make this night great!"
A special thank you goes out to all the parents, teachers, PTA members and students who supported this event.
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The Board of Education held a Financial Workshop on Nov. 24. During this meeting, District Controller Dr. James Popernik shared 2015-16 budget projections, noting that carefully planned and effective budget changes over the past two years will help the District maintain a balanced budget. This is especially significant since the 2015-16 budget year was previously projected to be in significant deficit.
"Two years ago, we identified that 2015-16 would be a difficult budget year. We took steps in our most recent budgets to make effective changes, and as we look at current 2015-16 projections, we are in a significantly better position than was projected two years ago," Dr. Popernik said.
The Financial Workshop also proposed an upgrade to the District's administrative financial software -- its current service has existed since the 1970s and offers many inefficiencies for the District's finance and human resources staff. This proposal will be brought to the Board for approval at the December meeting.
The Board will hold its next Regular Board Meeting on Monday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Longfellow Center.
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  The mission of District 58, in partnership with parents and community, is to challenge and engage each child by providing quality educational programs and support services in a safe, nurturing, and child-centered environment in order to prepare all students to be lifelong learners and contributing members of a global society.
Communicate 58 is designed to share timely, relevant information about District 58 with parents, community members and others who are interested in how we are living out our mission. If you have any questions/comments regarding Communicate 58, or have an article/photo idea for the publication, please contact Community Relations Coordinator Megan Hewitt at mhewitt@dg58.org or 630-719-5805.
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District 58 on social media
Follow #dg58learns on Twitter to come along with us on our journey of learning!
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Looking ahead
Friday, Dec. 5
- Lester Holly Days, 3-8 p.m., Lester
- Kingsley Pancake Breakfast, 8 a.m.-noon
- Kingsley Holiday Vendor Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Monday, Dec. 8
- Regular BOE meeting, 7 p.m., Longfellow
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