Principal's Corner

The Hinsdale Rotary Run Charity Classic is on October 6, 2024. This event supports the Rotary Club in its international and local efforts, including these local non-profit organizations:

• The Community House

• D181 Foundation

• Hinsdale Hospital Foundation

• Rotary Foundation

• Hanson Center-Ray Graham Association

Click Here for More Information

Unable to join? There is an incredible opportunity for you to win amazing prizes while supporting The Hinsdale Rotary Run! By participating in the prize drawing, you are giving yourself a chance to win fantastic prizes and support local organizations. 

Click here for the Rotary Run Charity Classic Prize Drawing

Walk and Roll to School Day

Elm School is participating in National Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 9. Parents and students are all invited to walk/bike to school. This movement is aimed at inspiring our school community to come together in promoting health and safer routes for students to walk and bike to school. 

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 | 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Wednesday, October 30, 2024 | 9:30am – 11:00am

In Person at The Community House

In the age of high-pressure parenting, when so many of us feel like we’ve got to get everything exactly right the first time, Dr. Aliza Pressman is the compassionate, reassuring expert we all need—and the one whose advice we can all use.

Already beloved by listeners of her hit podcast, Raising Good Humans, Dr. Pressman distills it all with a handful of strategies every parent can use to get things right often enough: Relationship, Reflection, Regulation, Rules, and Repair.

Click here to register for the 10/29 PM session

Click here to register for the 10/30 AM session

Join the D181 Foundation for a free webinar on Tuesday, October 1st at 7 pm with international educational author Myron Dueck. Discover how AI is shaping education and learn practical strategies to navigate the digital landscape as a parent.

Register Now

Elm School Blanket Making Food Information

The District adheres to State guidance with respect to maintaining an environment free from food allergies. As the Elm Elementary School Blanket Making Volunteer Event on Monday, September 30th is not a part of the school curriculum, the food brought to the event has not been subject to the District’s food allergy restrictions. Everyone attending is responsible for enjoying the food while observing their own dietary restrictions.The list of food items available can be found below.

Introducing PTO's New Community & Culture Committee

New for the 2024-25 school year, a committee has been created within the PTO that is focused on bringing families, staff and students together for community service opportunities and to celebrate the diverse cultures at Elm. For example, at Fall Fest, students were able to decorate paper bags for DuPage Senior Citizens Council’s Meals on Wheels program. Interested in joining? Have ideas for events or volunteer opportunities? Please contact Sumi Pitroda (sumipitroda@gmail.com). We hope to see you at an event soon!

Last Day to Sign Up for Elm Family Volunteer Event - Monday 9/30, 3:30-5PM

The PTO Community & Culture Committee will be partnering with Knitting It Together to kick off its first community service event tomorrow! Families and teachers will gather in the Elm School gymnasium after school on Monday, September 30th to make tie blankets for cancer patients receiving treatment at various hospitals throughout the Chicagoland area. Please sign up HERE and indicate the number of family members participating, the name(s) of Elm student(s), along with their corresponding teacher. Supplies will be donated by the PTO, and families also have an option to sponsor blankets for $5 each. Snacks (That's It fruit bars and Skinny Pop popcorn) have been sponsored by the Community & Culture Committee for students to enjoy during the event. See you there!

Order by Wednesday 10/2 12PM for Special Lunch on Thursday 10/10

The next Special Lunch (Potbelly) is on Thursday, October 10th. Orders must be placed by 12pm on Wednesday, October 2nd. See ordering instructions HERE. 

Monthly PTO Meeting - Friday 10/4, 9-10AM

Everyone is welcome to join us on Friday, October 4th, 9-10AM in the Elm School Teachers' Lounge for our next PTO meeting of the year. Come hear about upcoming events, fundraisers, and initiatives; join in thoughtful discussions; and meet the officers and members of our hard working PTO. RSVP HERE. For those unable to attend in person, we will be hosting a Zoom meeting HERE.

Bike Rodeo - Tuesday 10/8 after school

3rd, 4th, & 5th Grade Parents - today is the last day to sign up for the Bike Rodeo!

Do you think that your child is ready to ride his/her own bike to/from school and are worried about his/her safety on the road? Or if your child has not participated in a Bike Rodeo and is interested in doing so? Sign them up for this safety course! In this course, they will learn about the rules of road safety, get their bike checked and registered with the Hinsdale Police Department (Hinsdale residents only), and most importantly, bikers will take a road test and get a bicycle license, which is REQUIRED to bike to school.

This event will take place right after school and you need to sign up in order to participate. If your child is signed up via the Google form, his/her teacher will have a list of names and have them report to the school blacktop. Please bring a bike and helmet to the school blacktop BEFORE dismissal and view the two required videos (video 1, video 2) prior to the rodeo. A parent/nanny/babysitter must be present for the student to participate in the course. Course will take about 90 minutes. Parents, sign up to volunteer HERE.

To sign up your student for the course, please fill out the Google form. Last day to sign up is Sunday, October 6.

Fall Fest Recap & Thank You!

Huge Thanks to All Who Joined Our 3rd Annual Kickball Game & Fall Fest! Friday's event was a blast, with a fantastic turnout. Not even the wind could dampen our Bulldog spirit! Fifty Bulldogs took the field for Team Kolar and Team Jensen, cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd of students, staff, and families. The energy was electric, and the games were a hit. Thanks to everyone, especially Mr. Kolar and Mr. Jensen, who made it unforgettable. Go Bulldogs!

Reminder: You can still donate to treasurer@elmschoolepto.org on Zelle to help provide new basketball hoops for the kids and to support more fun events like Fall Fest!

Destination Imagination Program

Calling all innovative students looking for an opportunity to have fun and learn new skills as a team!  My name is Lisa Matta and I am the Elm School Destination Imagination Coordinator.  I am very excited to have this program at Elm School again this year!  

For those who are not familiar, Destination Imagination (DI) is a team-based, after school, creative problem-solving competition rooted in STEAM. Students work in teams to create a solution to a Challenge.  The program is guided by parent volunteers (Team Managers) but is student lead --- meaning the end solution to the challenge and all decisions along the way must be made by the kids!  

We need parent volunteers to make this possible for the kids, so please strongly consider assisting.

If you are already familiar with DI or have heard enough and are ready to sign up your child, please do so via the link below.  We are asking all to sign-up below (unless you already did so at the Ice Cream Social).  This will ensure we have parental permission for all students as well as the correct contact information for all who are interested.

Sign-Up Link for Students (deadline to sign-up is October 6th):

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054AABAD2AA4FA7-50771059-2024#/

Once we have enough team managers and students, we will form teams and contact you with additional information.  If you have any questions on the DI program or would like to make any specific requests, please feel free to reach out to me directly at di@elmschoolpto.org.  I participated in this program as a student many years ago and have also been a team manager for 3+ years so I have lots of information to share!  I am looking forward to a great DI year full of fun and learning for our students!