Principal's Corner

IAR Schedule

 

Stuff the Squad - April 15th

 

Countdown to Summer

 

Earth Week - April 20-24

 

The Community Speaker Series - April 28th

 

Spring NWEA MAP | Grades 1-7

The spring NWEA MAP assessment window opens on Wednesday, April 29 and will extend through Wednesday, May 13. 

 

The Elm School schedule will be as follows:

4/29/26: 1st Grade ELA, 2nd Grade ELA

4/30/26: 1st Grade Math, 2nd Grade Math

5/1/26: 4th Grade ELA

5/4/26: 3rd Grade ELA, 5th Grade ELA

5/5/26: 5th Grade Math

5/7/26: 3rd Grade Math

5/8/26: 4th Grade Math

 

Your child’s scores will be available in Skyward after administration is complete and all reports are available. We will reach out when scores are available for parents to view.

 

District 181 uses the data from this assessment in a variety of ways. In the classroom, it provides teachers with a means for monitoring student growth in reading and mathematics over time. At the District and building levels, MAP data help us set goals and evaluate initiatives. Finally, in conjunction with other criteria, MAP scores have historically been used in placement decisions. MAP continues to be one of several indicators used to monitor student academic achievement and growth in D181.

 

FAMP Notification - Multicultural Event Ingredients

The District adheres to State guidance with respect to maintaining an environment free from food allergies. As the PTO Multicultural Event 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. Ingredient information may be found below.

 

China:

Tanghulu. Ingredients: Cane sugar, fruits (strawberry, blueberry, grape, and banana), and edible rice paper. 

 

India:

Gulab Jamun. Ingredients: Sugar, water, milk solids, wheat flour, cornflour, ghee/clarified butter, green cardamom, nutmeg, mace. This item contains dairy and wheat.

Mango Lassi. Ingredients: Cultured pasteurized grade A milk, alphonso mango pulp, citric acid, sugar, honey pectin, vanilla extract, green cardamom, saffron. This item contains dairy.

Behl Sev. Ingredients: Puffed rice, chickpea flour, canola oil, wheat flour, rice flour, salt, spices, turmeric, ascorbic acid, gram flour, edible vegetable oil, iodized salt. This item contains wheat. 

Chakali. Ingredients: Rice flour, water, margarine, soybean oil, salt, vegetable mono and diglycerides, soy lecithin, potassium sorbate and citric acid as preservatives, artificial flavor, colored with beta carotene, vitamin A, corn oil, salt, chili powder, sesame seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida powder, gum Arabic, wheat, turmeric. This item contains dairy, soy and sesame.

Mini Samosas. Ingredients: potatoes, corn oil, spices, salt, sesame seeds, green chillies, coriander leaves, fennel seeds, turmeric, cumin seeds, wheat flour, coconut oil, salt, emulsifier, wheat starch, maltodextrin, ascorbic acid, milk. This item contains tree nuts (coconut) and sesame and wheat. 

 

Ireland:

Irish Soda Bread. Ingredients: Baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, flour*, granulated sugar, raisin, salt, shortening & eggs. *This type of flour is unknown and may contain unspecified ingredients. This item contains eggs, dairy and may contain wheat.

KerryGold Butter. Ingredients: Pasteurized cream & salt. This item contains dairy.

 

Italy:

Tomato Focaccia. Ingredients: Unbleached, unbromated bread flour (enriched wheat flour, niacin, riboflavin, folic acid), non-hydrogenated soybean oil, yeast, salt, roma tomato, oregano. This item contains wheat and soy.

 

Native America: 

Indian/Native American Bread. Ingredients: All purpose flour, molasses, yeast, water, butter, corn meal, salt. This item contains wheat and dairy.

 

Pakistan:

Chai. Ingredients: Water, black tea leaf, cardamom, sugar, evaporated milk. This item contains dairy. This item may contain caffeine.

Chana Chat. Ingredients: Chickpeas, salt, potato, tomato, green chilies, coriander, onion, tamarind sauce, lemon juice, papdi, sugar, fried cumin seeds, red chili powder, red crushed chili, chaat masala*

*The specific spices used in chaat masala is unknown and may contain unspecified allergens.

Gulab Jamun. Ingredients: Wheat flour, cow milk solids, sugar syrup, vegetable oil, sodium bi carbonate, rose water, cardamom, saffron. This item contains wheat and dairy. 

Pakola. Ingredients: Carbonated water, citric acid, sugar, cream soda artificial flavor, FD&C Bleu No 1 (E133), FD&C, Yellow No. 5 (E 102), sodium benzoate.

Samosas. Ingredients: Ground beef, potatoes, minced garlic, cumin powder, minced ginger, coriander powder, cilantro, salt, flour*, water, cumin seeds, clear frying oil*

*This ingredient is unknown and may contain unspecified allergens. May contain wheat.

Mango juice. Ingredients: Sugar, mango pulp, citric acid, sodium citrate, ascorbic acid, carboxy methyl cellulose, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, mango flavor, beta carotene food color. 

 

Poland:

Kolaczki (Polish filled cookies). Ingredients: Cream cheese, butter, flour*, salt, lemon juice, fruit preserve jam, dried apricots, dried raspberries, dried strawberries, dried blueberries (or other dried fruit filling), powdered sugar. *This type of flour is unknown and may contain unspecified allergens. This item contains dairy and may contain wheat.

 

Serbia:

Kiflice (Soft Rolls). Ingredients: Dough (flour*, warm milk*, dry yeast, sugar salt, oil* or butter, egg), Sweet filling (apricot or plum jam, nutella or chocolate spread, ground walnuts, sugar, milk), Savory filling (feta or farmer's cheese, ham and cheese, spinach and cheese). *This ingredient is unknown and may contain unspecified allergens. This item contains dairy, tree nuts, wheat and eggs.

Cevapi (Grilled Meat). Ingredients: Ground beef, pork or lamb, garlic, salt, pepper, baking soda, cold water.

 

Sri Lanka:

Milk Rice with Local Cracker. Ingredients: Coconut milk, salt , white rice, onions, eggs, rice flour, coconut oil, water, tea. This item contains tree nuts (coconut) and eggs. This item may contain caffeine. 

 

Sweden:

Swedish Cinnamon Buns. Ingredients: Yeast, butter, dairy milk, sugar, salt, egg, cinnamon, cardamom, all purpose flour. This item contains dairy, eggs, and wheat.

 

Syria:

Kibbeh. Ingredients: ‏Bulgur (wheat/gluten), pepper paste, salt, black pepper, minced meat, walnuts, onion. This item contains wheat and nuts.

Cheese fatayer. Ingredients: All purpose flour, yeast, dairy milk, olive oil, parsley, mix of white cheeses, black seed (nigella). This item contains wheat, dairy and may contain sesame.

Date Maamoul. Ingredients: All purpose flour, dates, butter, sugar, semolina. This item contains wheat and dairy.

 

Venezuela: 

Tequenos. Ingredients: All-purpose flour, butter, egg, sugar, salt, water and specialized white cheese. This item contains flour, eggs and dairy. 

Treering Yearbook Custom Pages Due by Friday 4/17

DEADLINE EXTENDED! For those who have purchased Treering yearbooks, you have 2 free pages to customize and add your own photos. The deadline for parents to create and submit custom yearbook pages has been extended to Friday, April 17th. Click HERE for a tutorial video.

You can still purchase a yearbook by visiting the TreeRing website HERE. Enter passcode 1014149644632589.

 

Multicultural Event - Sunday 4/19, 2-4pm - RSVP NOW!

The Multicultural Event is on Sunday, April 19th, 2-4pm in the Elm School Gym. Join us for table displays, performances, and food samples! The event is open to all - bring your family, friends, and neighbors! Please RSVP HERE. 

Earth Day Family Service Opportunities

Earth Day is right around the corner! The Community & Culture Committee has rounded up a handful of local opportunities for your family to make an impact and help the environment. Sign up on your own or gather a few friends to go as a group!

• Saturday, April 18th - Restore, Educate, and Preserve Community Workday with Downers Grove Park District
• Saturday, April 18th - Salt Creek Watershed Network Spring Cleanup
• Saturday, April 25th - Illinois Prairie Path Annual Trail Clean Up
• Sunday, April 26th - Wild Day of Service with Downers Grove Park District
• Any day - Self-led Litter Cleanups with Forest Preserves of Cook County

Principal's Corner

 Registration

Register now to receive a $50 discount! Put your discount to good use by purchasing a PTO membership for the 2026-27 school year HERE.

  

IAR Schedule

 

Bring a Board Game to School on April 9th

 

Stuff the Squad - April 15th

 

Countdown to Summer

 

The Community Speaker Series - April 28th

 

Spring NWEA MAP | Grades 1-7

The spring NWEA MAP assessment window opens on Wednesday, April 29 and will extend through Wednesday, May 13. 

 

The Elm School schedule will be as follows:

4/29/26: 1st Grade ELA, 2nd Grade ELA

4/30/26: 1st Grade Math, 2nd Grade Math

5/1/26: 4th Grade ELA

5/4/26: 3rd Grade ELA, 5th Grade ELA

5/5/26: 5th Grade Math

5/7/26: 3rd Grade Math

5/8/26: 4th Grade Math

 

Your child’s scores will be available in Skyward after administration is complete and all reports are available. We will reach out when scores are available for parents to view.

 

District 181 uses the data from this assessment in a variety of ways. In the classroom, it provides teachers with a means for monitoring student growth in reading and mathematics over time. At the District and building levels, MAP data help us set goals and evaluate initiatives. Finally, in conjunction with other criteria, MAP scores have historically been used in placement decisions. MAP continues to be one of several indicators used to monitor student academic achievement and growth in D181.

Parents' Trivia Night - Saturday 4/25 - Ticket Sales End Friday 4/10

 

Order by Wednesday 4/8 12pm for Special Lunch on Thursday 4/16

The next Special Lunch (Home Run Inn) is on Thursday, April 16th. Orders must be placed by 12pm on Wednesday, April 8th. See ordering instructions HERE. 

VOLUNTEER AT LUNCH TIME! Join your child during their lunch hour on Special Lunch days! You will be monitoring your child's class while they are enjoying their lunch. This special time is only for PTO members so if you are not a paid member, you will be taken off the schedule. Sign up HERE. Only sign up for ONE date as any additional dates will be deleted. 
*As always, be sure to bring your photo ID for entry into the school.

PTO Meeting - Friday 4/10, 9-10am

Please join us on Friday, April 10th at 9am in the staff lounge for our monthly PTO Meeting. You can also access the meeting via Zoom HERE if you're unable to attend in person (Meeting ID: 833 9431 6349, Passcode: 347206).