Bulldog Paw Prints

October 18, 2024

Our Next Safety Drill

District 58 schools practice a variety of safety drills throughout the year to ensure everyone is prepared if an emergency occurs. The safety drills include: fire drills, tornado/severe weather drills, bus evacuation drills and active threat drills. Drills are designed to educate and prepare students. Schools take precautions to avoid scaring students during drills.

Next up, we will hold the ALICE drill (Active Threat Drill) with the Downers Grove Police Department on Monday, October 21. This drill helps students understand what steps they would take if there was ever an active threat within our school. Students will learn how to recognize an active threat within the building, follow adult directions, and practice getting to safety. This topic was heavily covered during our September 25, PTA meeting.

Our district now practices the ALICE model. For more information on ALICE, you can visit: LINK HERE.

Students may have some questions after our drill, and we will work through those at school. Some questions may come at home as well and wanted to send some ideas to you on how to respond.

-Reassure children that the adults are there to help them stay safe.

-Validate their feelings.

-Make time to talk. Early Elementary: Keep it brief and simple, reassure that school and home are safe and that adults are there to protect them. Intermediate: Clarify reallity and fantasy, reiterate that there are protocols in place to help maintain safety.

-Correct misinformation

Halloween

Many of our students are already brainstorming costume ideas, and it's been fun hearing about so many options.

We are looking forward to hosting Halloween at Belle Aire School, and I have some very general and initial information to share today.

If they so choose, students will be able to wear a costume to school on Tuesday, October 31. The key to this is that the costumes need to allow the students to participate in classroom activities as they would on a typical day. While costume masks may be worn for the all-school parade, they won't be worn during the school day.

As an alternate option, students can wear part of their costume (sweatpants, shorts, leggings, shirt, etc.) and then slip the remaining pieces of the costume over that later in the day. There will be a very short amount of time to allow this to take place before our parade.

*I'm excited to see the final costumes that each student chooses, and I ask for your help in making sure that the choices remain free from references to violence, drugs, and alcohol.

*Any desired make-up, hair color, hair spray all need to be applied at home prior to the start of the school day and allow for participation typical school activities.

*Any accessory or play weapons (axe, arrows, swords, etc.) that go along with costumes need to stay at home.

We will be hosting a costume parade. The costume parade will be held outside of the school and really makes for some great photo opportunities.

Classroom parties are scheduled to take place after the parade, and Mrs. Yoho (THANK YOU) has been working with parents to facilitate a party in each classroom. Those volunteers who signed up for the party will be the only parents/supporting the given classroom. Parties typically include different stations of games and crafting, and the volunteers may opt to have a snack station. That snack station may only consist of fresh fruits/vegetables and bottled water. Students may not bring food items/candy to share with others.

As of now, we are planning the parade to start at 2:00 p.m. with classroom parties concluding at 2:45 p.m. In the event of inclement weather, we will have a modified, indoor parade for families to see.

District 58 has a rich and diverse population in our learning community. District 58 staff members recognize that many families have different beliefs; and because of religious, cultural, or personal reasons, some families may choose to not be involved in Halloween activities. If you would not like your child(ren) to participate in Halloween activities, please communicate this with your classroom teacher and with me. We will then find an alternative location and activity for your child during the Halloween activities.

Picture Make-up/Re-take Day is Coming!

This year's school picture day went really smoothly, and the students looked great. The pictures will be coming in soon, and we will be having a make-up/re-take day on Monday, October 28.