Welcome to the District Digest for Glen Ellyn School District 41. This email will be sent to you periodically and will include district happenings and updates.

District 41 in Top 5 for DuPage County

School Report Card information was released to the public on October 31 and is available on ISBE's website. Here is a link to the state's system where the 2013/2014 information is posted.

In addition, last week on October 31, the Daily Herald article Improving DuPage scores show 'teaching math finally makes sense' listed District 41 in the top 5 school districts in DuPage County.

2nd in overall Math growth behind Butler 53 (a district with under 500 students and 2 schools)
8th grade Reading-- we are #5 behind Butler 53, Hinsdale 181, Elmhurst 205, and Naperville 203
8th Grade Math - we are #5 behind Medinah 11, Butler 53, Hinsdale 181, and Naperville 203

Click to the Daily Herald article

Click to the printable version of the article

Community Voice in My Suburban Life Newspaper

Superintendent Paul Gordon was offered the opportunity to write the Community Voice column in the My Suburban Life newspaper. His column reflects on his first year as superintendent and highlighted his remarks from the State of the District Address, September 30, 2014.

Click to the MySuburbanLife article

Click to the printable version of the article

Lincoln's Long Walk for Those in Need

Level 3 (L3) students at Abraham Lincoln School sponsored a gently used shoes and new socks drive. This service project came about after the book, "A Long Walk to Water" written by Linda Sue Park, was read in L3 literacy classrooms. Lincoln connected with community member Providence Rubingisa, a Rwandan National and executive director of Stuff for the Poor, and participated in a gently used shoe drive. Providence shared his story of fleeing Rwanda with the students. He also shared how his organization uses donations of gently used shoes (of all sizes) to support 105 orphans in Uganda and Haiti. Lincoln students were excited to organize a drive and to make a real difference. Stuffforthepoor.org

In addition students were inspired by Kid President's "Socktober" challenge. Kid President challenged his YouTube viewers to participate in a "Socktober" drive to collect new socks for local shelters. What goes better with shoes than socks? Soulpancake.com

The students set a goal to collect 1,200 gently used pairs of shoes and 1000 pairs of new socks by Halloween. The classroom with the greatest number of donated shoes and socks are being challenged to a "Sockball" fight against Principal Schweikhofer, Assistant Principal Stone, and several other staff members. On behalf of the Lincoln Level 3 students, "Thank you for your donations and making us more awesome!"

PTA Council Community Outreach Holiday Sharing

For the past nine years, the PTA School Community Outreach group has been spreading holiday smiles with an all-district effort to provide gifts and food for the holidays to District 41 families in need.

This year we expect more than 280 families, over 700 children, from one year old to high school age will receive support from District 41 families and Holiday Sharing partners.

Partners include:

District 41 Central Services Office
District 41 staff at each school
Glendale Heights Christmas Sharing
St. Petronille Council for Catholic Women (CCW)
Glen Ellyn Juniors Women's Club
District 87 (donating gift storage space)
Westline Church
"Angels" - $5000.00 gift from a Churchill School family and other angels who donate hard to find items such as eye glasses.

The biggest contributors to this effort are the families and staff in each District 41 building who donate gifts, gift cards, wrapping paper and bows. They spend countless hours donating their time to serve as school planners and as gift delivery "elves!" Thank you to the PTA School Community Outreach Chairs and Holiday Sharing Coordinators at each school. The District is able to help these families because of you. Thank you also to the District 41 social workers who help coordinate the application process.

To donate, please contact:
Margaret Giffin

mgiffins@att.net

or
Erica Nelson

nelsondevelopment@sbcglobal.net

You're Invited to the Autumn Choral Concert

The District 41 Elementary Music Department presents an Autumn Choral Concert performed by the 4th/5th Grade Choruses of Churchill, Forest Glen, Franklin, and Lincoln Elementary Schools. The concert will take place on Wednesday, November 19 at 7pm in the Hadley Junior High Auditorium.

Click for the flyer!

Facilities Update

Construction continues at District 41 elementary schools. The additions at Churchill and Forest Glen are ahead of schedule and are now expected to be completed in August of 2015. To view photos of the ongoing construction and to view timelines, project status reports and budget summaries CLICK HERE

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