Stay Informed - Get Involved
Join the PTO
Attend PTO Meeting
Sign Up for Remind App Notifications
Submit Feedback/Suggestions to the PTO
Important Dates
Thursday 1/29 - Special Lunch (Potbelly)
Wednesday 2/4 12pm - deadline to order Special Lunch for 2/12
Friday 2/6, 9-10am - PTO Meeting
Wednesday 2/11, 5-7pm - Science Fair
Thursday 2/12 - Special Lunch (Sarpino's Pizza)
Friday 2/13 2:15pm - Third Grade Concert
Friday 2/13, 6-8pm - Elm Daughters' Night Out: Galentine's Day Party
Monday 2/16 - NO SCHOOL (Presidents' Day)
Friday 2/27 - NO SCHOOL (Institute Day)
Principal's Corner
Community Speaker Series
Please join us on Wednesday, February 11th at 7pm for a Community Speaker Series webinar. We are excited to welcome child and adolescent mental health expert and psychotherapist, Katie Hurley, DSW, LCSW. Dr. Hurley, is the Senior Clinical Advisor for The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to teen and young adult mental health. She is also the author of five books at the intersection of youth, parenting, and mental health. In her new book, Breaking the Boy Code, Dr. Hurley shines a light on the urgent mental health crisis facing boys. Aimed at parents and educators of boys ages five and older, this webinar will provide actionable guidance on fostering empathy, emotional regulation, and healthy connections.
Dr. Katie Hurley
Breaking the Boy Code: The New Playbook For Raising Resilient Boys
Wednesday, February 11th from 7pm to 8:30pm (webinar)
Register here: https://wl.donorperfect.net/
The Community Speaker Series is committed to fostering a sense of community through hosting in-person and virtual events that inform and inspire. CSS is funded jointly by District 86 and District 181 and is supported by the D181 Foundation. Our events are free and open to the public. We encourage everyone to join our events, connect and learn together.
Registration
We are excited to announce that student registration for the 2026-2027 school year will officially open on Monday, February 2, 2026. This registration window applies to all current and new students. Families will receive an email from the district on Thursday, January 22 with more details about registration!
Are you interested in a PTO Role in 2026/27?
Are you interested in getting more involved with the Elm PTO for the next school year? If so, please fill out this Google Form. We have quite a few vacancies coming up and would love to involve more families. If you have any questions about these roles, feel free to reach out to President@elmschoolpto.org.
Elm Daughters' Night Out - Friday 2/13, 6-8pm - Tickets on Sale Now!
The Family Fun Committee is thrilled to invite you to our annual Daughters' Night Out - a fun-filled evening of dancing, games, and quality time together!
Date & Time: Friday, February 13th, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Elm School Gym
Tickets: $20 per daughter + mother (or favorite dance partner), $10 for each additional child or adult
Dress Code: Everyone attending is encouraged to wear PJ's.
What’s Included: Two hours of DJ & dancing, face paint, photo-booth, Valentine's crafts, and a sweet treat.
Purchase tickets HERE. Prepayment is strongly encouraged and is the only way to guarantee a spot. Day-of pricing will be $30 per pair, pending availability.
Science Fair - Wednesday 2/11, 5-7pm
60 students. 41 exhibits. Endless curiosity. Join us on Wednesday, February 11th from 5–7 PM, and stop by the Museum of Science and Industry table for hands-on fun and giveaways.
Sons' Night Out - Thank You!
Even subzero temperatures couldn’t freeze the Elm School Bulldogs’ spirit! A total of 80 dads, sons, and bowling buddies bundled up and rolled in for Boys’ Night Out, filling the lanes with strikes, spares, and nonstop smiles. It was a night full of laughter, friendly competition, and school spirit. Thank you to everyone who braved the cold and helped make it such a fun and memorable evening for our community.
Principal's Corner
District 181 Foundation - Young Writers 2026
MAP, CogAT, and Placement Information
The winter administration of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for 2nd-7th grade students and MAP for Primary Grades (MPG) for 1st grade students has ended. Additionally, 2025 CogAT scores are now available for current second and fifth grade families. To access your child’s scores:
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Browse to http://skywardfamily.d181.org/
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Click on TEST SCORES in the left side menu
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Scores will be listed in a table format, with the most recent assessment scores listed at the top
MAP Score Interpretation
When viewing your child’s MAP scores, you will see two types of numbers. The first, called a RIT score, stands for Rasch UnIT. This is a measurement scale developed to simplify the interpretation of test scores. It is an equal-interval scale, like feet and inches on a ruler. The RIT scale ranges from 100–350. RIT scores make it possible to follow a student’s educational growth from year to year.
The second score you will see is a percentile rank. A percentile rank tells you how your child’s score compares to other students of his/her age and grade. For example, a percentile rank of 50 indicates that a student performed the same as or better than 50% of his/her same-age peers. Both scores help families and educators track student learning over time.
If you would like more information about NWEA MAP, please visit the family toolkit at https://www.nwea.org/parent-
CogAT Score Interpretation
Current D181 second grade students participated in the CogAT during the month of November. CogAT scores uploaded to Skyward reflect your child’s standard age score and age percentile rank in the areas of both quantitative and non-verbal reasoning. You will also see a composite QN score, which combines the results from the quantitative and non-verbal batteries.
Current D181 fifth grade students participated in the CogAT during the month of November. CogAT scores uploaded to Skyward reflect your child’s standard age score and age percentile rank in the areas of verbal, quantitative, and non-verbal reasoning. You will also see a composite QN score, which combines the results from the quantitative and non-verbal batteries.
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Standard Age Score (SAS): The standard age score has a mean of 100. It allows educators to compare the rate and level of cognitive development to other same-aged students. For example, students with an SAS of 100 have a rate and level of development that is typical of their age group. A student with an SAS of 132 has a faster rate and higher level of development than a typical student in the same age group.
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Age Percentile Rank (APR): A percentile rank indicates the percentage of same aged students whose scores fall below the score obtained by a particular student. For example, a percentile rank of 60 means that 60 percent of students in that age group scored below a particular student. Performance is shown as a percentile.
A student’s MOST RECENT CogAT Standard Age Score (SAS) may be used to inform their placement in mathematics (QN SAS), ELA (V SAS), and/or social studies (V SAS). Students take the CogAT in second and fifth grades, so you may need to scroll back to a previous year to view the correlating data in Skyward.
Course Placement for 2026-2027
Specific recommendations for math placement at grades 3-8 as well as middle school language arts and social studies placement for 2026-2027 were approved at the Board of Education meeting in November. MAP and CogAT scores are included, in conjunction with other data, in the requirements for students to qualify for advanced/accelerated courses in all three subject areas. Course placement requirements can be found on our website at: https://www.d181.org/
Placement Pre-Qualification
Fifth Grade PWA qualification emails will be sent in mid January to fifth grade students who currently meet MAP placement criteria. These students will be invited to participate in the PWA after school in early March. Fifth grade students who do not qualify for the PWA in March will have the opportunity to qualify for the PWA with their Spring MAP score.
Spring qualifying fifth grade students and qualifying sixth and seventh grade students will be invited to participate in the PWA during early May after school. Any student who requires a PWA as a part of an appeal will participate in the assessment prior to the end of the school year.
Math Bridge pre-assessment qualification emails will be sent to second-seventh grade students who qualify based on MAP and current common assessment averages. These students will be invited to participate in the Math Bridge pre-assessment during the school day in mid-March. Students who do not qualify for the pre-assessment in March will have the opportunity to qualify for the pre-assessment with their Spring MAP score and/or end of year common assessment average. Another Math Bridge pre-assessment will be offered during the school day in early May. Bridge is required for students who successfully appeal their math placement.
Remaining MAP Windows for 2025-2026
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Spring MAP for grades 1-7: April 29 - May 13, 2026
Community Speaker Series
Please join us on Wednesday, February 11th at 7pm for a Community Speaker Series webinar. We are excited to welcome child and adolescent mental health expert and psychotherapist, Katie Hurley, DSW, LCSW. Dr. Hurley, is the Senior Clinical Advisor for The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to teen and young adult mental health. She is also the author of five books at the intersection of youth, parenting, and mental health. In her new book, Breaking the Boy Code, Dr. Hurley shines a light on the urgent mental health crisis facing boys. Aimed at parents and educators of boys ages five and older, this webinar will provide actionable guidance on fostering empathy, emotional regulation, and healthy connections.
Dr. Katie Hurley
Breaking the Boy Code: The New Playbook For Raising Resilient Boys
Wednesday, February 11th from 7pm to 8:30pm (webinar)
Register here: https://wl.donorperfect.net/
The Community Speaker Series is committed to fostering a sense of community through hosting in-person and virtual events that inform and inspire. CSS is funded jointly by District 86 and District 181 and is supported by the D181 Foundation. Our events are free and open to the public. We encourage everyone to join our events, connect and learn together.
Elm Sons' Night Out - Friday 1/23, 6-8pm - Buy Tickets by 1/19
*** Monday, January 19th is the last day to purchase tickets!!! ***
The Family Fun Committee is thrilled to invite you to our annual Sons' Night Out - a fun-filled evening of bowling, food, and quality time together!
Date & Time: Friday, January 23, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Suburbanite Bowl, 201 W. Ogden Ave, Westmont, IL
Tickets: $20 per son + father (or favorite bowling buddy), $10 for each additional child or adult
What’s Included: Two hours of bowling, Shoe rental, Pizza and refreshments
Purchase tickets HERE. Prepayment is strongly encouraged and is the only way to guarantee a spot. Day-of pricing will be $30 per pair, pending availability. We can’t wait to see you there for a night of strikes, spares, and great memories! 🎳
Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, January 27
- Wednesday, January 28
- Thursday, January 29
School/District Resources
