Bobcat Bulletin

El Sierra School provides all students with a challenging and differentiated education in a safe, nurturing, respectful, diverse, and collaborative school environment.

El Sierra Families,

Thank you to everyone for all of your generous support of our PTA's most recent fundraising event! I was amazed to see that the event last week raised over $25,000! That is truly amazing.

As we look ahead to next week, please know that our 3rd - 6th grade students will take their state assessments (IAR or Illinois Assessment of Readiness). There will be two tests for ELA and 3 tests for math over the next two weeks.

Please reach out to the El Sierra office (630-719-5825) if you need any assistance with registration for next school year. We ask that registration be completed by March 31st districtwide. More information is included in this newsletter. Thank you to those families who have already completed registration.

Thank you!

Jason Lynde, El Sierra Principal

District 58 asks families to complete 2025-26 student registration by Monday, March 31 on the PowerSchool Enrollment platform. We ask the following groups to register online:

• All returning District 58 students

• All new District 58 students

• All current District 58 students (in grades preschool through 7) who will not attend District 58 next year. You will only need to answer two questions confirming your withdrawal.

• All outplaced District 58 students (these are students who attend a special education school/program not located at a District 58 school)

• All Grove Children’s Preschool students, after receiving admittance into the preschool program

Click here to learn more, including registration links.

Our PushCoin fee system recently sent 2025-26 fee invoices to most returning students entering grades 1-8 for next school year, regardless of registration status. Please note: all students must complete registration in PowerSchool for the 2025-26 school year. Receiving a fee invoice does not indicate that registration is complete. If you are uncertain whether you completed your child's registration, please log on to your PowerSchool Enrollment account and click on "Returning Student Registration" in the left hand navigation menu to check your registration status. Thank you.

3/17 - St. Patrick's Day (Wear Green & a little Orange)

3/18 - IAR (State Testing for 3rd - 6th Graders) Testing Begins

3/21 - Bobcat Friday (Wear Blue & Yellow or other Bobcat Gear)

3/28 - Rainbow Day (Each Grade Wears A Color... Please See Flyer Below)

3/31 - 4-4 - Spring Break

4/8 - PTA Meeting (6:45 pm)

4/11 - Bobcat Friday (Wear Blue & Yellow or other Bobcat Gear)

4/15 - McTeacher Night at McDonald's on 63rd & Cass (4 pm - 7pm)

4/18 - No School

4/24 - El Sierra Open House (6:00 pm - 7:30 pm)

Our biggest El Sierra Restaurant Fundraiser is coming up! Please join us for McTeacher Night on April 15th from 4-7pm You will have the chance to see some of your favorite El Sierra staff members, run into some friends from school, and support our wonderful PTA. So grab some friends and we'll see you at the McDonald's in Westmont on 63rd Street! Bring your cash to purchase chocolate chip cookies and to tip the El Sierra staff!

Dear 6th Grade Parents,

Does your student plan to participate in a fall sport in middle school? A completed sports physical is required for all middle school athletes—even for practice before tryouts.

Since fall sports practices begin before the school year starts, we strongly encourage you to schedule your child’s sports physical as soon as possible to ensure they are eligible to participate. Sports physicals are valid for 13 months from the exam date, so be sure your child’s physical is up to date. Our health offices are currently accepting physicals dated after September 2nd, 2024.

Please submit completed sports physicals to Susan Donahue at sdonahue@dg58.org. before the first practice. If you have any questions about requirements, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your attention to this important step in preparing for a great season!

We’re excited to announce a new system for submitting medical records and health reports for all students at El Sierra. This system is focused on making the process easier for families, particularly for those submitting medical records related to physicals, or other health requirements.

If you have medical records you'd like to submit, we encourage you to use this new system by emailing your documents to ESMedicalRecords@dg58.org. Please note that this email address is for form submissions only and is not monitored for inquiries.

For any health-related questions or if you need assistance, feel free to reach out to our school nurse, Mrs. Donahue, at sdonahue@dg58.org.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us keep student health records up to date!

Do you know a District 58 employee who goes above and beyond? Please consider nominating that individual for a Distinguished Service Award! The Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58 annually hosts the free Distinguished Service Awards program to recognize the remarkable contributions of District 58 employees. Nominations are due Friday, March 21. The DSA ceremony will be Tuesday, May 6 at 4 p.m. at O’Neill Middle School.

English

• View DSA Frequently Asked Questions

• View the 2025 DSA Nomination Form

Spanish

• Premios al Servicio Distinguido Preguntas Frecuentes

• Premios al Servicio Distinguido Formulario de nominación

Please visit www.dg58.org/dsa for more information.

Please click on the flyer below to order more El Sierra spirit wear!

District 58 invites students to register for its Summer School programs! Registration is now open for most Summer School programs. Leap Into Kindergarten registration is an exception and will open on Tuesday, April 8 at 9 a.m. Registration deadlines vary depending on the class. In addition, registration is also open for the District’s Extended School Year program.

District 58 Summer School classes are open to students enrolled in public, private or parochial schools who live within the District 58 attendance area. Please register for the grade level your child will enter in fall 2025.

Families who need assistance registering for Summer School may contact Summer School Secretary Alissa Drake at adrake@dg58.org or 630-719-5869. Please see details about District 58’s Summer School programming below or visit www.dg58.org/summer.

Summer School: General Education and Enrichment

• Registration: Summer School registration is open Feb. 27 through April 11. Click here to register. A confirmation email with payment directions will be sent within three school days of your registration.

• Schedule: Weekdays, Monday, June 9-Friday, June 27 (excluding June 19) from 8-11 a.m.

• Location: Henry Puffer School 2220 Haddow Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515

• Cost: $109

• Bus Transportation: Not provided - Families are responsible for their student’s transportation.

• Description: District 58 will offer math and reading grade-level readiness courses, as well as two art classes. Art classes are limited to the first 30 students who register for each class. Once a class reaches capacity, a waiting list will form. Classes are:
  
  

  • Reading and Math (Incoming Grades 1-8): 8-11 a.m.
    District 58 will offer individual Reading and Math classes for every grade level, from grades 1-8. The class will focus on grade-level readiness in both reading and math.
    
    

  • Art Exploration I (Incoming Grades 2-3): 8-11 a.m.
    Students will use a variety of media to express their creativity while exploring classic and modern styles of art. This class will use various artistic mediums including, paint, oil pastel, colored pencil and mixed media such as ceramics and textiles. Students will be encouraged to improve their technique and comfort level through a wide range of different projects.
    
    

  • Art Exploration II (Incoming Grades 4-6): 8-11 a.m.
    Students will use a variety of media to express their creativity while exploring classic and modern styles of art. This class will utilize various artistic mediums including, paint, oil pastel, colored pencil and mixed media such as ceramics and textiles. Students will be encouraged to improve their technique and comfort level through a wide range of different projects.

Summer School: Leap Into Kindergarten

• Registration: Leap Into Kindergarten registration opens Tuesday, April 8 at 9 a.m. and will close when capacity is hit. Starting April 8, click here to register. A confirmation email with payment directions will be sent within three school days of your registration.

• Schedule: Weekdays, Monday, June 9-Friday, June 27 (excluding June 19) from 8-11 a.m.

• Location: Henry Puffer School 2220 Haddow Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515

• Cost: $109

• Bus Transportation: Not provided - Families are responsible for their student’s transportation.

• Description: This program is intended for students entering kindergarten in the fall of 2025 and will focus on reading and math readiness. Some of the topics covered include: letter and number recognition, letter sounds, and fine motor activities, including cutting, coloring, pasting, and writing.

Extended School Year

• Schedule: Weekdays, Friday, May 30 - Friday, June 27, 8:15-11:15 a.m. (excluding June 19)

• Location: Henry Puffer School 2220 Haddow Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515

• Cost: Extended School Year: $65; Speech-only Services: Free

• Bus Transportation: Provided for Extended School Year

• Registration: By invitation only. District 58 will offer Extended School Year programming for students who qualify through their individualized education plan, or IEP. Families of students who qualify for Extended School Year will receive a direct email invitation from the student’s IEP team with program details. Please direct registration questions to the Special Services Department at 630-719-5824.

• Description: The student’s IEP team will identify targeted goals and specific special education services for the student. This often includes resource, speech and language, occupational and/or physical therapy services. Extended School Year also includes speech-only itinerant services for students who require intensive speech/language support, but who may not be eligible for the full Extended School Year program. Service delivery is based upon the student’s IEP goals and generally is for between 25 and 50 minutes per week during the weeks ESY is in session. There is no fee for itinerant speech services, and transportation is not provided.

Please contact Summer School Secretary Alissa Drake at adrake@dg58.org or 630-719-5869 with questions

Will your child attend kindergarten at El Sierra next school year? Or do you have a friend or neighbor whose child will? Here are four steps to prepare!

1. If we don’t already know that you have an incoming kindergartner, contact the El Sierra office at 630-719-5825 or shutchison@dg58.org or emcintosh@dg58.org and let us know! We will add you to any school-specific kindergarten contact lists.

2. Attend Kindergarten Roundup at El Sierra on March 12 at 6:30 pm. Kindergarten Roundup gives parents and guardians the opportunity to visit their child’s future school, meet the principal and staff, and ask questions.

3. Visit our Kindergarten Resource webpage for kindergarten resources and helpful information.

4. Attend Kindergarten Dual Language Information Night. Learn more about the Dual Language Program below!

Please feel free to use this Google Form to report your child's absence. This form is also linked on our website near our Weekly Newsletter link at the bottom of the page.

Kindergarten (Perez) - Door 9

Kindergarten (Smith)- Door 10

1st Grade (Lopez, Meyers, Wyatt) - Door 8

2nd Grade (Hietpas & Sinnes) - Door 9

Dual Language 2nd (DeLeon) - Door 2

3rd Grade (Bennett & Claver) - Door 2

Dual Language 3rd & 4th - Door 2 for 3rd Grade & Door 5 for 4th Grade

4th Grade (Clinnin & Iaquinto) - Door 5

5th Grade (Incrocci & Rohlfing) - Door 4

Dual Language 5th & 6th (Blanco) - Door 4 for 5th Grade & Door 3 for 6th Grade

6th Grade (Echevarria & Scanlon) - Door 3

8:15am - 2:00pm (Kindergarten - 6th Grade) on Mondays

8:15am - 3:00pm (Kindergarten - 6th Grade) on Tuesdays - Fridays

Dear District 58 Families,

If your child is a bus rider, you may now access 2024-25 general education bus routes online at www.dg58.org/family-resources/bus-routes or on your PowerSchool parent account (instructions are on the bus route webpage). Families whose children use specialized bus routes will be directly contacted by the bus company/bus driver with their bus pickup and dropoff information starting Monday, Aug. 12.

Taking the bus is an exciting time for students, and we have worked hard to ensure our students are on a bus route and ready to go. However, there may be some students who recently registered or who did not select transportation during enrollment that may not have a bus stop assigned to them. We are working to update our records. If you signed up for general education bus service and your child’s bus stop is either missing or inaccurate on PowerSchool, please do two things:

1. Look at your school’s bus routes and determine the closest stop to your house. Your child should use that stop and will be allowed on the bus.

2. Please email or call your school office and let them know. We will be working with the bus company to update PowerSchool student accounts with the correct bus route and stop.

If your child rides on a specialized bus route and you don’t receive a call from the bus company or bus driver by Wednesday, Aug. 14 by 3 p.m., please contact your case manager or Special Services Secretary Amy Dunbar at adunbar@dg58.org or 630-719-5824.

District 58 requests that students please arrive at their bus stops a few minutes early during the first weeks of school. As bus drivers get acquainted with new routes, it is likely that some routes may run early or late, and we may adjust bus stop times as needed. Any student who arrives late due to a delayed bus will be excused. We appreciate your patience and flexibility!

Sincerely,

District 58

Students may arrive at El Sierra School beginning at 8:05 a.m. each day when adult supervision begins. In order to assist with a timely and safe arrival process, the school playground will be closed before school. Upon arrival, students should line up by their assigned door. Students will be directed to enter the building beginning at 8:15 am. Anyone arriving after 8:15 a.m. should enter through Door One for an office pass.

Following daily dismissal at El Sierra School (2:00 p.m. on Monday and 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday), all students who are not scheduled to remain in the building must leave the school grounds and check in at their destination as there is no supervision on school grounds. We want to ensure the safety of all students.

Students may return to the playground after school hours and/or on the weekends. This will be done at the family's discretion, as our district playgrounds also function as community parks outside of school hours.

8:05 a.m. Student Arrival (Staff Supervision Begins at 8:05 a.m.)

• Parents who drive their child(ren) to school will follow normal drop-off/pick up procedures (See map below for traffic patterns)

• We will have a crossing guard at the 3rd-6th drop-off on Fairmount Avenue

• Please use the drop-off on Fairmount Ave. for grades 3rd-6th (See map below for traffic pattern)

• Please use the drop-off on Parkview Ave. for grades Kdg - 2nd (See map below for traffic pattern) & be aware that there is NO PARKING between the drop-off location & the first residential driveway
  

• IT IS ILLEGAL TO TURN LEFT FROM FAIRMOUNT AVE ONTO PARKVIEW AVENUE. A SIGN IS POSTED.

• Families with children in multiple grades can choose either drop-off location (See map below for traffic pattern)

• Students who ride the bus, walk, utilize daycare vans, or get dropped off will walk straight to their designated entry door and line up with their classmates until staff open entry doors for students to enter their classroom.

• Families who want to drive and then park to walk their child to school should park on 68th Street near the soccer fields and use the asphalt walkway by the playground.

• There is no parking in the school parking lot for families.

• Students should arrive no earlier than 8:05 am because staff supervision begins at that time

• Our playground, fields, and blacktop areas will not be used before school.

3:00 p.m. Student Dismissal

• Walkers will exit their classrooms through the door they entered the building in the morning

• We will have a crossing guard at the 3rd-6th grade pick-up on Fairmount Ave.

• Please use the pick-up area on Fairmount Ave. for grades 3rd-6th (See map below for traffic pattern)

• Please use the pick-up area on Parkview Ave. for grades Kdg - 2nd (See map below for traffic pattern)

• Families with children in multiple grades can choose either pick-up location (See map below for traffic pattern)

• For everyone's safety, we ask that families do NOT turn onto Parkview Ave. from Fairmount Ave. (Instead, drive down to Claremont Ave and turn onto Parkview... See map below for traffic pattern)

• Primary teachers will stay with their students until their family member picks them up/makes eye contact/hand waive to release the student

• Bus riders will line up in the designated areas in their correct bus line (two lines on the primary side and two lines on the intermediate side)

• Daycare students will line up in the gym in their designated areas and will be escorted to their daycare vans in the front of the building by El Sierra staff members

• Dual Language students using Kids Cab will line up in the gym in their designated areas, and then be escorted out the front doors to the Kids Cab vans by El Sierra staff

• El Sierra staff members will supervise each area

• Please alert the El Sierra Office (630-719-5825) if your child will go home differently than normal (i.e. a grandparent is picking up/they are not taking the bus, or walking instead of getting picked up, etc. )

For families who drive their child(ren) to school, and then want to walk their child onto school grounds, we ask that you park on 68th Street by the soccer field, and use the asphalt path to walk to your child's designated area. By not parking on Fairmount Avenue and Parkview Avenue, we have a much safer drop-off and pick-up area. Please see the map below:

For all students, there is a 20-minute lunch period and a 20-minute recess period. These times occur between 11:20 a.m. and 12:40 p.m. Lunch will take place in the gym/cafeteria.

All students will have a 15-minute recess time and a healthy snack break during their school day.

Please make sure your child has a snack each day. Snack breaks should consist of nutritious food choices such as fruits, vegetables, and other portable snacks. This aligns with District Policy 6:50. The health and safety of our students are our highest priorities. Therefore certain snacks or foods may be prohibited in your child’s classroom due to food allergies. A daily snack can be provided for students who qualify for free/ reduced lunch.

As required by law, all new students, as well as students entering grades K, 2, and 6, must receive health examinations and immunizations and submit completed health forms by October 15th. To learn more check out the Health Services page on the District 58 website.

Thank you to many of the families who have already completed and submitted these forms. In accordance with Illinois law, failure to comply with these requirements by Oct 15 of the current school year, or 30 days following registration for first-time registrants, will result in the student's exclusion from school until such requirements have been met. All sections of the child examination form must be completed including the health history, which must be filled out by the parent.

District 58 communicates frequently regarding these requirements as it is our hope to avoid school exclusion for all of our students. If you are in need of additional assistance, our school nurse, Stacie Davis (sdavis@dg58.org) or Amie Rickert (arickert@dg58.org) , would be happy to assist you in answering questions or connecting you with resources to complete this requirement.

Please be sure that the office staff at El Sierra has your family's emergency contact information. In the event of an emergency, it is best to have two contacts. Please contact our secretaries (Beth, emcintosh&dg58.org, or Sarah (shutchison@dg58.org) with this information.

District 58 annually provides students and families with the Schools of 58 Handbook for families (English) or (Spanish) . Please review this important handbook with your child, as it offers an overview of the District’s policies, procedures, resources and student expectations.

During the first full week of school, District 58 will send home a letter and receipt with your child. This handbook receipt asks parents/guardians to acknowledge that they and their child reviewed and understood the Schools of 58: A Handbook for Families. When you receive the handbook receipt, please sign it and return it either with your child or at Curriculum Night. Handbook receipts are due by El Sierra’s Curriculum Night on August 28th.

This year’s handbook is only available electronically. If you need a printed copy, please contact our school office, and they can print you a copy.

View the District 58 Calendar 2024-25 for important district dates, including breaks, holidays, parent-teacher conference days, and more.

Email: jlynde@dg58.org
Website: www.dg58.org/es
Location: 6835 Fairmount Avenue, Downers Grove, IL, USA
Phone: (630) 719-5825
Twitter: @PrincipalLynde