Happy Friday, Fairmount Families!
With November here, we're noticing the darker days brought by the end of Daylight Savings and the vibrant colors of fall. Today marks the end of Trimester 1 and we’re proud of our students' hard work and growth so far this year.
This week we held our first (EVER) Fairmount Family meeting. If you haven't already, be sure to ask your child about their "school family." Additional information about Fairmount Families can be found in this week's newsletter.
In this time of gratitude, we also look forward to honoring our veterans. Fairmount will once again host a Veteran’s Day recognition event (details previously emailed by classroom teachers and included below). A very special shout-out to Mrs. KC Chick for her annual organization of this event for our students and community. Your child(ren) are invited to wear red, white and/or blue on Monday, 11/11.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership and commitment to our students’ success.
Sincerely,
Lisa Niforatos
Be sure to follow me on X/Twitter @Fairmount58.
Veteran's Day 11.11.2024
On Monday, November 11th, Fairmount School will honor our local veterans for Veterans Day 2024. We are very excited to acknowledge the devotion and sacrifice our men and women have given to our country. We would love for you and your veteran family members and veteran friends to join us outside in front of the school for our special morning ceremony at 8:25 a.m. We will recognize and honor the veterans within the Fairmount Elementary School community by reading the names of your family members who have served or are currently serving in the armed forces. If you have a family member who is a veteran, please submit their name by filling out this form.
We look forward to sharing this special moment with you!
In the event of inclement weather, we will cancel the outside program and observe Veterans Day inside with our students. Should this occur, we will not be able to move outside guests into the building.
Fairmount "Families"
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!
Lost & Found
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.
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)
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.
Thank a Fairmount teacher or staff member with a Green Apple!
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.
Illinois Report Card
District 58 is proud to share that all District 58 schools earned either an "Exemplary" or a "Commendable" designation from the Illinois State Board of Education on the 2024 Illinois Report Card on Oct. 30.
Fairmount and Whittier schools earned an Exemplary rating, which is the state's highest rating and awarded to the top 10% of schools. All other schools earned a "Commendable" designation, the state's second highest rating.
In addition to designations, the 2024 Illinois Report Card also includes metrics on every Illinois school, including student growth, school funding and demographics.
Report cards will be posted on PowerSchool on Nov. 22
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.
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.
Fairmount Families
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. Swallows - 3rd Grade Teacher
Role at Fairmount: 3rd Grade Teacher
Years at Fairmount: 23 years
Favorite Subject in Elementary School: Reading
Least Favorite Subject in Elementary School: Science
Favorite Grade in School: Senior Year!
A big part of why I became a teacher... I always loved working with kids, and I knew teaching was the place for me! I loved helping kids in elementary school and trying to teach them new concepts. In high school I took a preschool education class and loved making lesson plans for my little scholars. At Northern Illinois University I was a mentor and tutor for student athletes. My love of teaching also branched into coaching cheerleading for Elite and gaining a few certifications to teach English online.
A memorable moment of my time in school was... In first grade, our teacher allowed us to read aloud to the class! I was so excited as I viewed this as an opportunity to teach my classmates. I practiced and rehearsed my reading over and over again until it was perfect! That read-aloud was certainly my teaching debut!
If I wasn't a teacher/didn't work in a school I would... in real estate or at Disney World!
Mark your Calendars!
11.11: Veterans Day, Wear Red, White and/or Blue!, Student Dismissal 2:00 p.m.
11.12: Photographers Yearbook Meeting 11:40 a.m. - 12:20 p.m.
11.13: Chess Wizards for Registered Students 3:00-4:00 p.m.
11.14: BAM Theatre for Registered Students 3:00-4:00 p.m.
11.15: Falcon Friday: Wear School Colors or Spiritwear, Kindergarten & 1st 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.
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.
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.
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