Welcome from Superintendent Dr. Cremascoli

Downers Grove SD58 News

Dear District 58 Parents,

Welcome back to school! District 58 teachers and staff eagerly await the arrival of our students next week, and we look forward to another productive year of learning and discovery!

Parents will receive an email on Thursday, Aug. 25 after 4 p.m. with their child’s teacher assignment. To protect the privacy of students, we will not publish class lists online. We will also post bus routes at www.dg58.org by this Friday, Aug. 26. The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 29. It is a regular, full day of attendance.

We recently published our 2016 Schools of 58 Parent Handbook online. Please review this important handbook with your child, as it offers an overview of the District’s policies. During school registration, you indicated whether you wanted an electronic or printed copy of the handbook. Parents who requested a print copy will receive it in backpack mail during the first week of school. Parents will be asked on Curriculum Night to confirm that they received the handbook, either electronically, as linked here, or in print.

We are mailing the 2016 Annual Report to the Community to all homes within District 58’s boundaries this week. This report highlights the many achievements that our students, staff, schools and district accomplished this past school year. We have a lot to be proud of, and I hope you take time to read this report with your family!

Please plan to attend Curriculum Night at your child’s school this September. Parents can meet their child’s teachers and learn more about the curriculum, technology and instructional practice of each class.

* Curriculum Night Schedule:

  • Tuesday, Sept. 6: El Sierra, Fairmount, Hillcrest, Indian Trail and Kingsley
  • Tuesday, Sept. 6 : Grove Children’s Preschool (Henry Puffer location)
  • Tuesday, Sept. 6: Herrick Eighth Grade
  • Tuesday, Sept. 13: Belle Aire, Highland, Henry Puffer, Lester, Pierce Downer and Whittier
  • Tuesday, Sept. 13: Grove Children’s Preschool (Indian Trail location)
  • Tuesday, Sept. 13: O’Neill
  • Wednesday, Sept. 14: Herrick Seventh Grade

Over the summer, District 58 updated its Strategic Goals for the 2016-17 school year. We will share goal progress updates with parents throughout the school year. Our key focus areas for this school year will include:

  • Student learning: Curriculum, instruction and programming
  • Student well-being and social-emotional learning
  • Technology for teaching and learning
  • Facilities, finance operations and maintenance

Parents may view the District’s Strategic Plan and its 2015-16 Strategic Goal Progress Report to the Board of Education on the Board’s Strategic Plan web page.

On behalf of District 58, I hope you each enjoyed a restful summer vacation, while still finding time to read a few good books and practice math with your child. We look forward to seeing your child next week as the 2016-17 school year begins!

Sincerely,

Kari Cremascoli, Ph.D.

Superintendent of Schools

* Please note a correction: Dr. Cremascoli's original welcome letter listed times associated with each Curriculum Night. Depending on your child's grade level and school, those times might not be accurate! Principals will email parents their school's precise Curriculum Night schedule soon, if they haven't already. In addition, due to a scheduling conflict, Herrick recently changed the date of its Seventh Grade Curriculum Night from Sept. 7 to Sept. 14. We apologize for any confusion.