Bulldog Paw Prints

We held our next all-school meeting this week, and the students were great. Each month, we establish an all-school challenge, and the primary grade/classroom and the intermediate grade/classroom that best meets the challenge houses one of our school trophies for the month.

We really enjoyed the all-school challenge this month as we were putting a focus on responsibility. Overall, the number of items dropped off at the school after arrival drastically dropped as did the calls home with requests to deliver something forgotten. I hope you felt the benefit of not making extra trips to the school. Similarly, the number of calls to and from school to share after-school plans also dropped. The primary classroom with the least number of reminder points was Mrs. Fulton, and the intermediate classroom with the least number of reminder points was Mrs. Barnick. They are currently proudly displaying the school trophies.

We are hopeful that the responsible behaviors that we saw over the past month will continue for the rest of this year and into the next. Please continue to encourage and support your students in the same manner as well. I know this took effort on your part too!

We also accomplished a lot of other things at our meeting as well.

The following students had their Bark-Outs pulled and were recognized for their respectful, responsible and safe behavior over the past month:

KH: Maddox; Mikey

KO: Liam; Quinn

1S: Grace; Shane

1W: Ensley; Carter

2L: Lukas; Alice

2S: Grace; Lulu

3F: Emna; Aiden

4C: Molly; Owen

4L: Mae; Rudra

5DE: Janae; Sofia

5DO: Sam; Nehemiah

6B: Sage; Reagan

6M: Alex; Kinsley

This month's Minute-to-Win-It game was the Valentine-Candy-Heart-Stacking challenge, and the YELLOW team came out on top and walked away with the championship belt. All players did a great job and showed some fantastic balancing skills. :)

We met our all-school goal for Bark-Outs, and students will enjoy a virtual field trip.

We recognized all February birthdays and August half-birthdays for students and staff.

We closed out the meeting with our Kindness Club Belle Aire Pledge.

Students earned their all-school reward at last month's all-school assembly, and they enjoyed their neon glow lunch on Friday...which was also a PTA fun lunch. The students really enjoyed the lights, colors and their new accessories. Our fun lunch volunteers also got to take part in this activity, and they got to see first hand how much the students enjoy the rewards and recognition they earn by be being respectful, responsible and safe.

Alright, parents. We are going to need your help on this one! Registration is currently open for all new and returning families, and the primary classroom and the intermediate classroom with the highest percent of families registered will proudly display the school trophies during the next month.

Your efforts in registration help us better understand student rostering needs and staffing requirements, and this process will help us get an early jump on what needs to be completed prior to summer break.

FOR RETURNING FAMILIES:

Simply follow the directions below to get your returning student(s) registered. There are no fees due at this time. We will be able to monitor completed registration on our end.

FOR NON-RETURNING FAMILIES:

Please contact our school office to let us know that you will not be returning for the 2025-2026 school year (630-719-5820).

FOR CURRENT SIXTH GRADE FAMILIES:

We don't have the capabilities to monitor your registration at Herrick, so I ask that you complete this simple form once registration is completed. There are no fees due at this time.

This is the "I've-Completed-Registration-at-Herrick Form" (for current sixth grade families only)

District 58 opened 2025-26 student registration on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Please look for an email from Megan Hewitt with registration details or visit www.dg58.org/registration for more information. Some families have already completed their registration for next year! (THANK YOU!) We are asking all families to complete registration by March 31.

Student registration is vital to classroom rostering and district budgeting, and I thank you in advance for working through this as soon as you are able.

New this year, we will ask families who are leaving District 58 to please complete registration as well; you will only need to answer a couple of questions confirming your withdrawal.

Downers Grove Grade School District 58 invites parents and guardians of soon-to-be kindergarteners to attend Kindergarten Roundup at their future school this March. Kindergarten Roundup gives parents and guardians the opportunity to visit their child’s future school, meet the principal and staff, and ask questions.

Children who will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2025 may attend kindergarten during the 2025-26 school year. Parents and guardians are encouraged to directly call or email their neighborhood elementary school prior to Kindergarten Roundup to request to be added to any school-specific kindergarten contact lists.

Families may visit www.dg58.org/kindergarten to access the District 58 Kindergarten Resource Guide. This guide includes school boundary maps, kindergarten registration information, immunization requirements, kindergarten curriculum information, the two-way Dual Language Program for kindergarteners, and much more. District 58 will continue to update this page throughout the winter and spring.

Belle Aire School is set to host our roundup on Thursday, March 6, from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Information will be directly shared with our incoming families as the event nears.

As the weather changes, I'd like to send a couple recess reminders your way.

-As in past years, we will continue to have outdoor recess during the winter months so long as the weather permits AND so long as the real feel temperature is zero degrees or above. It will be important that students come to school dressed for the weather and that they have the appropriate outdoor clothing and footwear to stay safe and warm.

-At the times when we have snow, students will be able to head off of the blacktop to play in it. The key to that is that they are prepared. In order to play in the snow off of the blacktop areas, the students need to be wearing snow boots and snow pants/snowsuit.

Monday, February 24: 2:00 p.m. Dismissal

Tuesday, February 25: BAM Theater

Wednesday, February 26: Lunchtime Book Club (Grs. 5-6)

Thursday, February 27: Lunchtime Book Club (Gr. 2); Young Authors Club

Friday, February 28: NO SCHOOL (Teacher Institute)

2024 - 2025