Bulldog News

August 9, 2024

September 6, 2024

A note from Mr. Dubinsky

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude for your support as we kicked off the school year. We have been focusing on building strong communities in every classroom. Our teachers and staff are setting up engaging activities that encourage students to collaborate, listen, and develop trust.

Thank you for your partnership!

Students in third, fourth, and fifth grades will participate in BESS screener

Community Consolidated School District 89 is committed to helping all students grow academically while also developing life skills that will help them be successful adults. In order to better measure students’ ability to manage emotions and make good decisions, CCSD 89 students in third, fourth, and fifth grades will be participating in the Behavioral and Emotional Screening System (commonly known as BESS) in September.

The BESS screener will take students less than 10 minutes to complete. Students are asked to indicate whether they never, sometimes, often, or always agree with 28 different statements. Examples of the statements include “I’m happy with who I am” and “I’m good at making decisions”. Students will take the BESS more than once this school year.

BESS is not a tool for making a diagnosis and there is no grade associated with it. BESS will give the school data about how your child internalizes risk, self-regulates, and establishes good relationships. This data will be paired with in-class observations to help track student growth over time. If the BESS screener shows any immediate concern for your student’s emotional health, a social worker or school psychologist will reach out to you by phone and discuss ways to support you and your student.

Congratulations to fifth-grader Bela

Bela entered her original artwork into the Wheaton Festival of Cultures and won!

Way to go, Bela!

Support music in schools by volunteering with Music Boosters

The CCSD 89 Music Boosters support elementary and middle-school music classes, bands, choirs and orchestras. The Boosters have two annual fundraisers - holiday wreaths and Music Café - which support the purchase of instruments, scholarships, guest teachers, transportation to special performances, and more. Volunteers are needed to make these events possible. Sign up and learn more about the Music Boosters at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe86MT1zo23YMfEsKvXZqAHcsaudvqDfgmKVbNGPPaq2Nwblw/viewform

Help us review district’s pre-approved food list

The district is looking for at least one family member from each CCSD 89 school to review the district’s pre-approved food list. This is a list of safe classroom foods that is used anytime snacks are handed out in school. Anyone interested in reviewing this list should contact CCSD 89 district nurse Araceli Orozco at aorozco@ccsd89.org or (630) 545-3260.

Families invited to Cub Scout new family donut hike

Families interested in joining or learning more about Cub Scouts are invited to attend upcoming events with local packs 55 and 382. Cub Scouts welcomes boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade.

Interested families are invited to attend:

Monday, September 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Pack meeting at Briar Glen
Sunday, September 22, 6 p.m., hike at St. James Farm. Register by September 20 at www.cubscoutpack382.com/hiking

More info: https://bit.ly/3Xw8nap

Meet our family-engagement liaisons. They are here to help!

The CCSD 89 family-engagement liaisons help parents navigate and succeed in the school system. They are a multilingual team that can help connect families with resources.

Get to know our family-engagement liaisons:

Meet Phill Brown English

Meet Maria Collins English | Español

Meet Paolo DeAngelo English | Español

Meet Asima Fatimah English | اردو

Reach out to any of our liaisons for support. Their contact information is at www.ccsd89.org/familyengagement

Please turn in a Handbook Acknowledgement form for each child

The CCSD 89 Student-Parent Handbook is available online at www.ccsd89.org/handbook

All families must return the handbook acknowledgment form, indicating you have reviewed the handbook. If you need a form, you can print one here: https://bit.ly/46WMTql If you have more than one student in the district, you must return a form for each student.

The technology acceptable use form was signed during registration. View student presentations here: www.ccsd89.org/acceptableuse

Classroom party volunteers needed!

We’re excited to kick off another school year full of fun classroom parties, and we need your help! If you’re interested in volunteering, please scan or click on the QR code below and fill out a separate form for each of your children. You can choose which parties you’d like to help with on the form.

Thank you for being so supportive in making these events memorable for the kids!

Families can link MySchoolBucks, PowerSchool accounts

Families can now link their MySchoolBucks account to their PowerSchool account. MySchoolBucks is used to pay for various school items, including lunch and fees. Families that used MySchoolBucks last year may have already linked their accounts. While you can log in to MySchoolBucks separately, linking the accounts provides a single sign-on many users find convenient. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3Mf7PiV

Order your yearbook by scanning the code or click here

The PTC welcomes kindergartners!

LOCATION CHANGE: Due to construction, the location for Saturday’s kindergarten playdate has been moved to Lake Foxcroft Park, 2S540 Lambert Road, Glen Ellyn. The kindergarten playdate will still be held from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 7.

Upcoming Events

August 26 - September 13: MAP testing grades 1-5

September 2: No school (Labor Day)

September 4: Parent Series: Becoming the parent you want to be, noon and 7 p.m.

September 5: Preschool-fifth grade curriculum night, 6-7:30 p.m.

September 7: PTC new kindergarten event at Lake Foxcroft Park, 9-11 a.m.

September 11: Parent Series: Stress reduction for teens, adults, noon and 7 p.m.

September 13: Preschool developmental screenings

September 16: Fire drill, 10 a.m.

September 19: PTC meeting, 7 p.m.

September 23: Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m.

September 24: Parent Series: The many ways of conditional love, noon and 7 p.m.

September 25: Fall pictures

September 30: Parent Series: A new term for ADHD, noon and 7 p.m.

September 30: Boosterthon Fun Run kickoff

October 1: Parent Series: “બાળકોને શારીરિક અને માનસિક રીતે મજબૂત બનાવવા માટે ના માતા પિતા ને માર્ગદર્શન, 7 p.m.

October 2: Parent Series: Criar al niño pequeño a través de crisis, noon and 7 p.m.

October 8: Parent Series: Who gets into college and why, noon and 7 p.m.

October 9: D89 Music Boosters fall fundraiser online meeting, 6 p.m.

October 10: Evening conferences

October 10: Boosterthon Fun Run, time TBA

October 10: Parent Series: El proceso de solicitud de ingreso en la Universidad, 7 p.m.

October 11: No school (conferences)

October 14: No school (Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day)

October 17: PTC meeting, 7 p.m.

October 17: Parent Series: Solutions to our disaffected youth, noon and 7 p.m.

October 21: Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m.

October 30: Preschool Halloween parties

October 31: K-5 parties, 2:30 p.m.

Parent Series: Stress-reduction strategies for teens (September 11)

At noon and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11, clinical psychologist Dr. Ali Mattu will discuss how to overcome our challenges at a time when many people are feeling isolated or anxious about the future. Preview Mattu’s presentation. This is a free GPS Parent Series presentation that will be both available both in person at the College of DuPage and on Zoom. More info: https://bit.ly/3AQsAis

Follow Briar Glen on X!

Check out what's going on at Briar Glen and get announcements too! Click here to follow @BriarGlenSchool.

Students, families can report crises and threats through Safe2Help

Students and families can confidentially call, email, or text the Safe2Help tip line to report bullying, threats, or classmates in crisis. Students or families can call (844) 4-SAFE-IL, which is (844) 472-3345; text SAFE2, which is 72332; email Help@Safe2HelpIL.com; or submit tips through the online form. Safe2Help submissions are monitored every hour of every day. More info: https://bit.ly/3BPxObO