Happy Friday, Fairmount Families!
I hope everyone enjoyed a safe and fun Halloween! It’s always exciting to see our students’ creative costumes and the joyful energy that comes with this time of year. Now, as the days grow a bit shorter and cooler, we welcome November. With that we are also nearing the end of our first trimester of the 2024-2025 school year.
As we welcome the month of November I also wanted to take a moment to thank our parents and Fairmount families for their involvement and commitment to our school community. Within the past week, many of you supported and attended our annual PTA Trivia Night, participated in Trunk or Treat and/or played a key role in planning for and volunteering at our Halloween celebrations. These events are not possible without your support!
Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend!
Sincerely,
Lisa Niforatos
Be sure to follow me on X/Twitter @Fairmount58.
Weather Changes
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)
Staff Email Addresses
For security reasons, District 58 removed its staff email addresses from the school directory web pages. The District replaced it with buttons next to every staff member’s name that say, “Email [Staff Member’s Name]”. When you click this button, a web form will appear. Type your message in that form, and it will immediately be delivered to the staff member’s inbox.
District 58 made this change because we’ve seen an increase in phishing (scam) messages sent to staff. Scammers were previously able to send bulk phishing emails to staff by accessing the email addresses listed in our staff directory. We want our staff to be accessible to our community, while also keeping our staff email accounts secure. We hope this solution will accomplish this goal. Please reach out if you have any questions.
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.
Zones of Regulation
We are so proud of our students and all that they have been learning about the Zones of Regulation. As we wrap-up the month of October check-out THIS STUDENT VIDEO featuring our Fairmount Falcons. Shout-out to our Instructional Coach, Lauren Prosser, for creating this mini-mic video.
You can also learn more information about The Zones of Regulation here.
Teacher (& Staff) Feature
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.
Meet Mrs. Micele - Kindergarten Teacher
Role at Fairmount: Kindergarten Teacher
Years at Fairmount: 19 years
Favorite Subject in Elementary School: Art
Least Favorite Subject in Elementary School: Reading and Math
Favorite Grade in School: My favorite grade in school was 7th grade. My math teacher made learning exciting and engaging for us. She related the concepts to our everyday lives. Her classroom was always so inviting! She loved the Cubs and had pictures of them everywhere. I still remember the pictures of her and Harry Caray above her chalkboard.
A big part of why I became a teacher... When I was younger I struggled in school. I liked being with my friends but didn't enjoy the learning experience. I decided to be a teacher to make learning fun for kids, especially those like me. When kids tell me they don't like to read and it is hard, I always think in my head, "You're right, I don't blame you". I want to help those kids find a love for learning like I eventually did.
A memorable moment of my time in school was... In 5th grade we made a tv show called LNN (Learning News Network) and it even aired on tv!
If I wasn't a teacher/didn't work in a school I would... Dietician.
Mark your Calendars!
11.04: Wear Orange!, Fairmount Feud (School-Wide Celebration), Student Dismissal 2:00 p.m.
11.05: No School, Election Day
11.06: 1st Fairmount ‘Families’ Meeting for Students & Staff; Chess Wizards for Registered Students 3:00-4:00 p.m., PTA Virtual Meeting 7:00-8:00 p.m.
11.07: Student Council Lunch Meeting; BAM Theatre for Registered Students 3:00-4:00 p.m.
11.08: Falcon Friday: Wear School Colors or Spiritwear, PTA Fun Lunch, 4th Grade Girl Scouts 3:00-4:30 p.m.
A Look Ahead...
11.27-11.29: No School, District Closed - Thanksgiving 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)
PTA Information
If you are looking for any information from our amazing Fairmount PTA, please visit their website:
Information regarding upcoming events, spiritwear, membership and more can be found throughout the site.
Sign up for The Reading Games!
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.
Student Change in Dismissal
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.
Fairmount Office Contact Information
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