Fairmount Families Week END Report

We kicked off the first week of our second trimester! I’d like to commend our students for the strong start we've made together! Thank you, as well, for your support at home; it makes a difference and is truly appreciated.

Don't miss our Home Learning Connection section later in the newsletter! Last month, we shared insights on our focus with the Zones of Regulation. This month, we’re highlighting our Kindergarten through 2nd Grade building goal and providing ways you can support it at home.

A friendly reminder that Trimester 1 Report Cards will be available in Power School on November 22nd. Please see additional information within this newsletter on how to access your child's report card on that date.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to make this a fantastic second trimester. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Lisa Niforatos

Be sure to follow me on X/Twitter @Fairmount58.

Fairmount School Attendance Form

Past Newsletters

Fairmount students and staff held a short program on Monday honoring our country's veterans. Fairmount is honored to acknowledge the devotion and sacrifice our men and women have given to our country. Thank you to all our family members and friends who have served or are currently serving in the Armed Forces.

Congratulations to the following students for advancing to the Reflections Council Level competition:

Zelda A. – Primary - Visual Arts - "Perfectly Imperfect Coconuts"

Rachel C. – Intermediate – Photography - "Weed in a Field of Flowers"
Sophie T. – Intermediate – Visual Arts – "Natural Beauty"
Will L. – Intermediate – Visual Arts - "The Great Pyramid"
Elizabeth L. – Intermediate – Visual Arts – "Anxiety"

Students will be recognized at the Council Ceremony on Tuesday, December 3.

Our Lost and Found is overflowing! Please take a moment to take a look at the items in the Fairmount Lost and Found (located in the entryway vestibule) for any and all missing items. Students can also check the lost and found before and after school.

Unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity/organization following the Thanksgiving Break.

The Education Foundation invites you to thank a special District 58 staff member with a Green Apple Award and donation to the Foundation, which supports many student and staff programs. Learn more. Give a Green Apple.

Moving forward, District 58 schools will share student report cards with families by posting them in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Trimester 1 report cards will be posted and available on Friday, 11/22. Please look for instructions for viewing report cards in the Nov. 20 edition of Communicate 58.

Monday, November 18th is a Professional Learning Monday. All students are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. according to their regular dismissal plan. Please be sure you have made arrangements for your child to be picked up from Fairmount at 2:00 p.m. each Monday.

Fairmount School is focused on a handful of school improvement goals this year that involve our ELA curriculum implementation, a supportive focus on the Zones of Regulation as well as targeted goals centered around ELA/Literacy for K-2 and 3-6. Each month we will provide information in our "Home Connection to Learning" section of the newsletter focused on one of these goal areas.

In an effort to strengthen literacy foundational skills in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, we will focus on further developing students’ reading and writing proficiency through refining and enhancing direct phonemic awareness and phonics instruction.

You can support this important goal by completing the weekly UFLI homework practice with your child.

Check back next week for a video on how to complete homework together.

Our Kindergarten students had an exciting week of learning! From their Creepy Carrots, to phonics work, marvelous math and more... our youngest learners are doing a wonderful job!

From Birthdays (or half-birthdays), Lost Teeth, Positive Behaviors and More... we love celebrating our Falcons!

We are so glad you are part of our school community! Whether this is your child's first or seventh year at Fairmount, we wanted to provide a fun way to get to know the many members of our teaching and school staff. We started this section two years ago and look forward to continuing it during the 2024-2025 school year. This year we have added a "school twist" for our staff.

Role at Fairmount: Art Teacher

Years at Fairmount: Off and on for about 20 years

Favorite Subject in Elementary School: Art

Least Favorite Subject in Elementary School: Science

Favorite Grade in School: 3rd Grade because Mr. Lieneck (my 3rd Grade teacher) was the best!

A big part of why I became a teacher... is because of my elementary school teachers who believed in my artistic talent and kept encouraging me to draw more.

A memorable moment of my time in school was... being the graphics editor of my high school newspaper.

If I wasn't a teacher/didn't work in a school I would... an animator.

11.18: Monthly Matters Assembly, Wear Orange!, Student Dismissal 2:00 p.m.

11.19: Yearbook Club - Editors Meeting 3:00 - 3:45 p.m.

11.20: Chess Wizards for Registered Students 3:00-4:00 p.m.

11.21: BAM Theatre for Registered Students 3:00-4:00 p.m., Student Council Meeting 3:00 - 3:40 p.m.

11.22: Falcon Friday: Wear School Colors or Spiritwear, PTA Fun Lunch, 3rd Grade Girl Scouts 3:00-4:30 p.m.; Trimester 1 Report Cards available in PowerSchool

11.27-11.29: No School, District Closed - Thanksgiving Break

12.21.24-01.05.25: Winter Break

2024-2025 DG58 School Calendar (PDF)

Important Calendar Highlights:

• Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 27-29, 2024

• Winter Break: Dec. 21, 2024 -Jan. 5, 2025

• Spring Break: March 31-April 4, 2025

• Last Day of School: Friday, May 23, 2025 (if no emergency days are used)

If you are looking for any information from our amazing Fairmount PTA, please visit their website:

Fairmount PTA

Information regarding upcoming events, spiritwear, membership and more can be found throughout the site.

Please note that information BELOW this point is repeated information that has been shared in a previous newsletter(s), but is still made available here for your reference.

As temperatures drop and vary from day to day, please remember to dress your children warmly and/or in layers. Ensuring that your child has a coat and any needed cold weather gear help them stay comfortable during recess and any outdoor activities. If you are in need of support in regard to securing fall/winter gear for your child(ren), please reach out to Lisa Niforatos (lniforatos@dg58.org) and/or Jen (Glynn) Mejdrech (jglynn@dg58.org)

This is also a great time to label any jackets, gear, and water bottles with your child(ren)'s name to ensure it is returned if lost.

We recently held our very first Fairmount Families meeting, and it was a fantastic opportunity for our students to come together across grade levels. During this time, students joined small groups led by a staff member or teacher, creating a unique space for team building and collaboration. These groups allow students to connect with peers outside their typical classrooms, fostering a strong sense of community and belonging within our school. We’re thrilled with the positive energy and connections that came out of our first session, and we look forward to our next family meeting!

It’s time to form your teams and start reading, because The Reading Games competition is returning! The Reading Games is an annual trivia-style reading competition for District 58 and District 61 students in grades 3-8. It will take place Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025 at O'Neill Middle School. Registration is open now through Friday, Nov. 15.

To participate, complete the following:

1. Form a team and complete the team registration OR complete an individual registration and The Reading Games will do their best to find a team for your child. Teams must have between five and eight students. They can represent a mix of grade levels and schools, but must attend District 58 or District 61.

2. Collaborate with your team to read nine books from one of two book lists. List 1 is geared for readers in third and fourth grade. List 2 is geared for readers in fifth and sixth grade. To prepare, students can meet to discuss the books and quiz each other.

3. Participate in The Reading Games on Feb. 22, 2025! During The Reading Games, students will face other teams to answer questions about the books they've read. Teams are encouraged to dress up and have fun, and prizes are awarded.

The Reading Games is sponsored by the Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58 and the Grove Express Foundation.

Learn more about The Reading Games registration process. Visit The Reading Games website.

If your child's dismissal plan will be different (e.g. not taking the bus), please communicate this to both the school secretaries and classroom teacher as promptly as possible. This is especially important for our younger students, so we can support their dismissal process. In the event of a last-minute change (anytime after 11:30 a.m.), we ask that you please call the school office (630.719.5830) as staff members may not check their emails prior to daily dismissal.

Lisa Niforatos, Principal lniforatos@dg58.org

Jillian DeRango, Secretary jderango@dg58.org

Andrea Laama, Secretary alaama@dg58.org

Website: www.dg58.org/fa/

Location: 6036 Blodgett Avenue, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: 630.719.5830
Twitter/X: @Fairmount58