Principal's Corner

Prairie Garden Car Line Entrance Door Change

Due to the ongoing construction project, we will need to move our grades 3-5 prairie garden car line entrance door. The traffic pattern for the car line will remain the same, but students will enter through the door pictured below. This door does not have sidewalk space for students to wait prior to 8:25 am. Students cannot be dropped off or leave their vehicles until a staff member is present at 8:25 am. Additionally, please be extremely careful when driving, as the sidewalk and curb are narrow. We are hoping this is temporary and that we will be able to utilize our usual entrance and exit doors sometime soon. 

Curriculum Night

Purchasing Milk

Families will be able to pre-pay via Skyward for milk to be available for your child daily. 

NOTE: We will not collect cash/coins for milk purchases during lunches. This is a one-time fee at the beginning of the year, and families are encouraged to sign up through SchoolPay via Skyward by the deadline of September 2. If you miss this sign-up, you will need to send your child with their own drink.

$88 = x1 milk a day

$176 = x2 milks a day

Login to Skyward Family Access.

Click on the Fees tab.

Click Add a Fee.

Select the Milk option.

Pay for the fee in SchoolPay

NWEA 

We hope the school year is off to a wonderful start for your family! The fall NWEA MAP assessment window opens on Monday, August 26th and will extend through Friday, August 30th. Elm’s building-specific schedule is below. 

While we realize that some absences are unavoidable, we ask that you make every effort to avoid scheduling appointments or other absences during this time to minimize the amount of instructional time missed for make-up assessments. Thank you so much!

8/26: 4th ELA, 5th ELA 

8/27: 2nd ELA, 4th Math

8/28: 1st ELA, 3rd ELA

8/29: 1st Math, 3rd Math

8/30: 2nd Math, 5th Math

Lunch Drop Box

Please send your child to school with a packed lunch every day. We request that parents do not consistently drop off lunches to school every day. However, if your child forgets their lunch, you may place it in the "forgotten lunch" box located outside near the main entrance. Please do not place drinks with lids in this box. As a reminder, for safety reasons, Door Dash and other delivery services are not allowed for students.

Planned Lockdown Drill Notification 

Per the School Safety Drill Act covered under Illinois Statute (105 ILCS 12/20), this notification is being provided to parents and guardians of students attending Elm School. On 9/6/2024, Elm School will conduct a lockdown drill that will include school staff, students, and Burr Ridge law enforcement agency representative(s). During this drill, teachers will utilize the linked Google Slides to instruct students. 

We understand that some parents/guardians may want to opt out of this type of drill for their child. As the parent/guardian of a student attending Elm School, you have the option to exempt your child, for any reason, from the drill. If you choose to exempt your child from the drill, please notify Mrs. Miscimarra at 630-861-4001 or mmiscimarra@d181.org no later than the morning of the drill.

Thank You for Attending the Welcome Back Coffee

Thank you to all the parents who came to the PTO Welcome Back Coffee last Tuesday. It was so great to see so many familiar faces and meet new Elm parents. We are most appreciative to Cheryl Cai who has organized this fun event for many years. We will miss you next year, Cheryl! Please reach out if you are interested in leading this event for next year. It is never too early to volunteer.

Thank You for Attending the Ice Cream Social

Thank you to all those who attended the Ice Cream Social on Friday night. The event was amazing and it was great to see so many children enjoying ice cream, dancing to fun music, and exploring their creativity with their Legacy Tile designs. Those tiles will be seen for years to come and is such a unique and gorgeous way to decorate the lobby. Thank you to the Family Fun Committee for organizing this much loved event. Also, a big thank you to our parent and staff volunteers. 

Interested in Volunteering for the PTO this Year?

Welcome Back, Parents and Families!
Please see our year-long volunteer Sign Up Genius link HERE. We have included details on events that are known at this time (more events will be added throughout the year so check back often!). There are time slots associated with each role (when applicable) so there are many options to choose from and opportunities for everyone! Please note that this will be available year-long and will be used as the sole sign up for all PTO events where volunteers are needed. Thank you in advance for volunteering!

Join the Elm WhatsApp Community!

Hello Parents! We are utilizing WhatsApp again this year for parent communication - to allow for casual reminders and questions/discussions with fellow parents in your child’s class. If you'd like to join your class's WhatsApp group, please click on the link below for your respective class:

Rising Stars - AM

Rising Stars - PM 

K - AM

K - PM

1 - Bass

1 - Mulroe

2 - DeBolt

2 - Smith

3 - Moen

3 - Morris

4 - Barcus

4 - DeLambo

4 - Martorano

5 - Daebelliehn

5 - Madden

5 - Recktenwall

Be on the lookout soon for class room parent sign up!

Sign Up For Remind Texts

Everyone who registered last school year will automatically get continued texts for this school year.  ONLY sign up for the "ElmPTO24-25" class if you are not already getting text reminders from last school year and click here.

If you are receiving duplicate text messages, you can log in to the Remind app on your phone and remove yourself from a class. Tap on the 3 horizontal lines in the upper left. Find "classes joined" and tap on "edit." Delete classes until you are only in one class. 

PTO Co-Presidents' Welcome Back to School

Principal's Corner

School Day

Rising Stars Kindergarten, 1st - 5th School Day - 8:40 a.m. - 3:05 p.m.

Rising Stars Kindergarten, 1st - 5th Lunch - 11:25 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

AM Kindergarten - 8:40 a.m. - 11:25 a.m.

PM Kindergarten - 12:20 p.m. - 3:05 p.m.

• Student Arrival will begin daily at 8:25 a.m. Please do not drop your child(ren) off before this time as we do not have adult supervision prior to these times.

• Student Dismissal will begin at 3:05 p.m.

• We recognize the need for appointments and understand that situations may arise that require you to pick your child up early from school. We ask that you please try your best to schedule appointments OUTSIDE of the school day and not pick your child up early from school, so as to not disrupt the learning process. If students must be picked up early, please ring the bell in the vestibule to let the office know who you are picking up. Students can be signed out on the sheet on the cart in the vestibule.

• To report a child's absence, please access the district website at www.d181.org/parents/report-absence

Prairie Garden Car Line Entrance Door Change

Due to the ongoing construction project, we will need to move our grades 3-5 prairie garden car line entrance door. The traffic pattern for the car line will remain the same, but students will enter through the door pictured below. This door does not have sidewalk space for students to wait prior to 8:25 am. Students cannot be dropped off or leave their vehicles until a staff member is present at 8:25 am. Please be extremely careful when driving, as the sidewalk and curb are narrow. We are hoping this is temporary and that we will be able to utilize our usual entrance and exit doors sometime during this school year. 

First Day of School Arrival Plan

We use only the front door (near the cow) and the fifth grade door (near the prairie garden) only to enter and exit school each day. Students are welcome to use either door; whichever is more convenient for your family. 

On the first day of school, we will meet on the back blacktop, in lines by grade level and classroom teacher. This will give parents the opportunity to briefly see the classroom teacher and to say an extended good-bye to their child. 

At 8:40, teachers will lead their classrooms into the building and assist students in navigating their way through the school. For parents that wish to drop their child(ren) off in the car lines, there will be school staff to assist them in finding their homeroom teachers on the blacktop starting at 8:25. 

On Day 2, students are asked to use only the proper entrance door, per our usual routine.

Curriculum Night

Handbook Changes - Please Review

Cell Phones and Similar Electronic Devices Cell phones, smartwatches, and similar electronic devices shall be collected by a teacher (elementary) or kept in a student’s locker (middle school) during the regular school day and while attending school-sponsored activities unless: (a) the teacher/staff member grants permission or (b) use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP). The school does not claim any responsibility or liability for student’s personal items like these or others. Cell phones, smartwatches, and similar electronic devices not stored or used appropriately may subject a student to disciplinary actions. Students who are unable or unwilling to refrain from the use of a cell phone or similar electronic devices at school may receive consequences and confiscation of the cell phone until such time as a parent/guardian can come and meet with the building administration. Students are strictly prohibited from using cell phones or other electronic devices to take pictures or record school personnel or fellow students without authorization. Students using cell phones or electronic devices for unlawful purposes will be referred to local law enforcement.

Family Photo Request

We kindly ask that you send a family photo to school with your student by August 23rd. We are creating a school-wide bulletin board and would love for everyone to be represented. Your contribution will make our bulletin board a beautiful display of our diverse and vibrant community!

Purchasing Milk

Families will be able to pre-pay via Skyward for milk to be available for your child daily. 

NOTE: We will not collect cash/coins for milk purchases during lunches. This is a one-time fee at the beginning of the year, and families are encouraged to sign up through SchoolPay via Skyward by the deadline of September 2. If you miss this sign-up, you will need to send your child with their own drink.

$88 = x1 milk a day

$176 = x2 milks a day

Login to Skyward Family Access.

Click on the Fees tab.

Click Add a Fee.

Select the Milk option.

Pay for the fee in SchoolPay

NWEA Schedule 

8/26: 4th ELA, 5th ELA

8/27: 2nd ELA, 4th Math

8/28: 1st ELA, 3rd ELA

8/29: 1st Math, 3rd Math

8/30: 2nd Math, 5th Math