Connect41
Connect 41 is the community print newsletter sent to over 12,000 households in the District 41 boundary area. Almost 80 percent of the households in our boundaries do not have children currently attending D41 schools. This newsletter is one way we keep the community informed about the schools in their community.
CLICK HERE to check it out online.
ReferralGPS Mental Health Help
In addition to the already existing systems of support in District 41, a free service connecting families with mental health providers is available to the District 41 community. ReferralGPS connects school district families and staff with a professional Care Navigator who will identify mental health providers based on their specific needs as well as schedule appointments with the providers both in person or virtual. This eliminates the need for families to hunt for therapists and other providers on their own.
School district families and staff, CLICK HERE to access ReferralGPS. Visit this link to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously.
ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored.
NOTE: A limited number of the federal grant funds are available for District 41 families who begin treatment with a mental health provider through ReferralGPS.
If you have specific questions about District 41’s systems of support beyond ReferralGPS, please reach out to your school social worker.
Honoring 'Those Who Excel' in District 41
Every year, District 41 honors staff members who have made exemplary contributions to education, embody our leader characteristics, and are outstanding ambassadors of District 41. Congratulations to all honorees!
Here are the names of the honorees and notes from the nominations about why they are deserving:
District 41 Administrator
Robert Guzzetti, Assistant Principal, Hadley Junior High School
"Bob is a genuine listener to all stakeholders. He is always fair when problem solving and explains rationale for decisions that are made. Bob has an open door policy. Anyone is always welcome to come to him with any issues and he will find the best solution."
"Bob has been an AP at Hadley for 9 years. He is present at work every day and at every staff meeting. He provides direction as well as makes staff comfortable with his kind and witty personality. He has very strong interpersonal skills. Staff has relied on his attention to detail during many situations. He provides excellent ideas to help Hadley grow as a school community to meet the needs of all students."
Certified Student Support Personnel
Tanya Pearce, Case Manager/Special Education Teacher, Benjamin Franklin Elementary School
“Tanya goes out of her way to support newer SST staff and has a plethora of experience to offer. She cares deeply for her students and she's a clear leader on our SST team. Tanya knows the ins and outs of the district, community, and her staff. She helps anyone that is willing to accept the help! She's an expert in terms of special education and documentation. She's one of a kind-- our SST is extremely lucky to have someone like her.”
Educational Service Personnel
Kathleen Hokenson, Library Assistant, Forest Glen Elementary School
“This year, Kathleen began our One Earth Club at Forest Glen. She started this club from scratch, eliciting ideas from many community programs and services. With her guidance and knowledge, she has made such a strong impact on our students and our school. Our students are becoming more environmentally conscious and wanting to make a difference for the future. Through her morning announcements, displays at events, hallway displays, and examples of how kids can help take care of the Earth, she is truly someone who excels!”
Elementary School Classroom Teacher
Katherine Kramer, 5th Grade Teacher, Churchill Elementary School
“Katie's ability to run her classroom with a calm demeanor, yet never boring. She coaches the Science Olympiad team in a way that allows a large number of students to experience the club.”
“We had another team member who needed to be out on an extended leave. Katie really stepped up and went above and beyond in helping plan lessons and prepare materials for our other teammate, in addition to taking on a leadership position on our team.”
Junior High Classroom Teacher
Samantha Buccola, 8th Grade Science Teacher, Hadley Junior High School
“Ms. Buccola works hard at her job; she creates all the science lessons for her PLC and when asked to complete a task she does it with a smile. Ms. Buccola coaches a couple different sport teams at Hadley, she runs her PLC, she leads a Tier 3 advisory. She takes students to science competitions. Ms. Buccola takes an active part in designing the end of the year 8th grade party and field trips.”
Lifetime Achievement
Tim Lofgren, Physical Education Teacher, Hadley Junior High School
“Tim facilitates grade-level discussions within physical education that we affectionately refer to as "Tim Talks." Among these discussions, his most poignant and memorable is centered around bravery, which takes place around Veteran's Day. He imparts insights into the realities of World War II to students and intertwines his personal family narrative, notably his father's experiences as a WWII veteran. He has spoken of being interested to continue the Bravery Tim Talk even after he retires! Tim's commitment extends beyond the classroom as he readily volunteers for tasks such as lunch supervision, detention monitoring, and assisting with after-school scoring for Hadley athletics.”
“Tim's leadership style is characterized by a focus on personal relationships and fostering connections within the educational community. With 4+ decades of experience in education, he has evolved into a figure akin to a "department dad" and mentor, particularly in the latter part of his career. Over the past decade, he has emphasized the importance of developing genuine relationships with students and colleagues.”
Community Volunteer
Kiwanis Club of Glen Ellyn and Kiwanis Club of Glendale Heights
“The Kiwanis Clubs of both Glen Ellyn and Glendale Heights do a ton of hands-on service to support our school district community. The project that I feel deserves this recognition is the Snack Pack Program. Since 2018, they pack over 600 bags of food each week for students in all D41 elementary schools and all students in the GECRC programs. The snack packs go home with students every Friday during the school year.”
“The Kiwanis volunteers meet every Wednesday and Thursday to organize the food, pack the food, break down boxes, and deliver the food to all of the schools in Glen Ellyn and beyond. These are the helpers in our community. Every week they are there packing, heavy lifting and delivering to fight food insecurities for our families. They work with our social workers and school staff to make this all happen like clock work. The largest part of our school district population comes from Glen Ellyn and Glendale Heights. It's fitting that these two Kiwanis Clubs have come together to support our students.”
Next Mental Health Webinar May 14 | "De-escalating Cycles of Conflict"
District 41 is offering twelve one-hour parent coaching webinars (in English and Spanish), referred to as the Mental Health Series. These are designed to support parents on topics such as anxiety, the effects of screen time, and your child’s mental health and suicide prevention.
The next webinar event "De-escalating Cycles of Conflict" will take place May 14, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
Register for the webinar here:
- ENGLISH
Watch Seminars On Demand
Did you miss a mental health webinar? The recordings are available on demand. Click below to watch the recordings of our past webinars. Available in English or Spanish.
+ April 16, 2024 "Bullying - Stop the Cycle" | en español
+ March 19, 2024 "Emotional Regulation: Recognizing What’s Wrong" | en español
+ February 13, 2024 "Social Media: Protecting Your Child" | en español
+ January 16, 2024 "Building Your Child's Confidence" | en español
+ December 12, 2023 "Your Child's Anxiety" | en español
+ November 14, 2023 "Supporting Your Child's Mental Health" | en español
D41 Spanish Summer Camp - Register Now!
Coming this June, District 41 will once again host Spanish Summer Camp for Kindergarten through 5th grade Dual Language students and 1st grade through 5th grade FLES students.
Where: Benjamin Franklin Elementary School, 350 Bryant Avenue in Glen Ellyn
When: Monday, June 10 – Friday, June 14
AM Session: 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
PM Session: 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Cost: $75.00
REGISTER HERE!
Glen Ellyn School District 41
Email: webmaster@d41.org Website: www.d41.org
Location: 793 North Main Street, Glen Ellyn, IL, USA
Phone: 630.790.6400
Facebook: facebook.com/glenellynd41
X (twitter): @glenellynd41
Instagram: Instagram.com/glenellynd41