Toy Drive to Benefit Lurie Children’s Hospital - 12/7 at the Book Fair

This year, Elm PTO’s Community & Culture Committee will host a toy drive to benefit Lurie Children’s Hospital through a collection box at the Book Fair on December 7 (9 am – 3 pm). Items may be purchased off of Lurie’s wish list and brought to the book fair for donation. For families that cannot attend the book fair, items may be shipped directly to Lurie’s by selecting the “HEM/ONC DONATIONS – Charlotte Miller” shipping address, which will automatically show up as an option on Amazon when you visit the wish list and check out. Students will also be invited to make cards at the book fair for Lurie’s patients to send along with the donations. Please contact Sumi Pitroda at community@elmschoolpto.org with any questions.

Minted Fundraiser

Help the Elm School PTO fundraise by shopping at Minted! You'll get 20% off holiday cards and gifts and 15% of every purchase gets donated to the PTO. 

D181 Foundation Kids Grant

Did you know that the D181 Foundation awards Kids Grants of up to $150.00? The foundation encourages children to initiate a difference in society by providing grants to students so they can do something good for their community, the environment, or the world. No idea is too big or too small. What could you do with $150.00? More information can be found HERE.

Principal's Corner

Elm School Spelling Bee

This year, The Elm School Scripps Spelling Bee will be offered to our third through fifth grade students. During the week of December 2nd, written spelling bees will be conducted in each third, fourth and fifth grade classroom. To prepare, students should start with the classroom bee study list below that includes words from level 3, 4 and 5, all of which may be included in the school bee. Every child in these grades will be given a study list, however, this is an optional activity. This "test" will not count as a grade.

Classroom Bee Study Lists

If children are interested in participating further, they can begin studying the school bee study list, linked below. 

Scripps School spelling bee list

The top two students from each classroom are invited to participate in the Elm School spelling bee held in person on December 18, 2024 after school. More information regarding the Elm School spelling bee will be shared with the classroom bee winners after the classroom bees are held. 

The two overall students with the highest scores from the Elm School spelling bee will move on to compete at the District 181 spelling bee on January 22, 2025. More information will be provided to the school bee winners after the school bee is complete. 

One more family resource for the Scripps Spelling Bee is Word Club App. Click here for more details

 

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are a valuable opportunity to engage with your child's teachers, discuss their progress, and collaborate on their educational journey. Your participation is key to their success! Our goal is for all parents/guardians to have an opportunity to attend conferences with their child’s teacher/s. We highly encourage all parents to come onsite to meet with our staff in person, however, we are offering a virtual option if needed. Those that select the virtual conference will receive a meeting link closer to the conference date. 

 

In the News

Recently, Elm School has been featured consistently ranking among the top educational institutions! This remarkable achievement underscores the school's dedication to fostering an exceptional learning environment for its students and celebrates the academic successes of its learners.

For those interested in exploring more, Chicago Parent magazine has recently published an online article that features an overview of the top schools in the Chicagoland area. This article also highlights the leading schools in DuPage County. Furthermore, Elm School has earned recognition in the U.S. News rankings, identifying it as one of the top schools in Illinois. A big shout out to the Bulldogs for their hard work and dedication!

 

NWEA MAP Testing Building Schedule

12/9: 4th ELA, 5th ELA

12/10: 2nd ELA, 4th Math

12/11: 1st ELA, 3rd ELA

12/12: 1st Math, 3rd Math

12/13: 2nd Math, 5th Math

 

Preparing for MAP

A student who is well-rested, well-fed, and has a positive attitude about assessment is best prepared for testing. You can help your child do his or her best by considering these tips:

  • Make sure that your child is in school and on time on test days.

  • Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast before each day of testing.

  • Remind your child that this assessment is only one measure. Emphasize that you have confidence in his or her ability to do the best job possible.

  • Remind your child to listen to the directions and read each question carefully during testing.

Communication of Student Scores

Your child’s score report will be available in Skyward after D181 administration is complete.

Principal's Corner

Elm School Spelling Bee

This year, The Elm School Scripps Spelling Bee will be offered to our third through fifth grade students. During the week of December 2nd, written spelling bees will be conducted in each third, fourth and fifth grade classroom. To prepare, students should start with the classroom bee study list below that includes words from level 3, 4 and 5, all of which may be included in the school bee. Every child in these grades will be given a study list, however, this is an optional activity. This "test" will not count as a grade.

Classroom Bee Study Lists

If children are interested in participating further, they can begin studying the school bee study list, linked below. 

Scripps School spelling bee list

The top two students from each classroom are invited to participate in the Elm School spelling bee held in person on December 18, 2024 after school. More information regarding the Elm School spelling bee will be shared with the classroom bee winners after the classroom bees are held. 

The two overall students with the highest scores from the Elm School spelling bee will move on to compete at the District 181 spelling bee on January 22, 2025. More information will be provided to the school bee winners after the school bee is complete. 

One more family resource for the Scripps Spelling Bee is Word Club App. Click here for more details

 

Report Cards

Report cards are available and can be viewed electronically through your Skyward Family Access account. Please use the following steps to see your child’s report card:

  • Login to Skyward Family Access at http://skywardfamily.d181.org

  • Select the Portfolio Tab

  • Click on your child’s T1 Report Card

  • Once it processes, click “View Report”

We are pleased to share your child's progress. Please contact your child's teachers directly with any questions you might have. If you have any difficulty logging into Skyward Family Access, or difficulty accessing your child’s report card once you have logged in, please contact Nick Skrip at nskrip@d181.org.

 

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences are a valuable opportunity to engage with your child's teachers, discuss their progress, and collaborate on their educational journey. Your participation is key to their success! Our goal is for all parents/guardians to have an opportunity to attend conferences with their child’s teacher/s. We highly encourage all parents to come onsite to meet with our staff in person, however, we are offering a virtual option if needed. Those that select the virtual conference will receive a meeting link closer to the conference date. 

Feed My Starving Children - Saturday 11/30, 9-10:45am

The Community & Culture Committee has set up a volunteer opportunity with Feed My Starving Children (Aurora) on Saturday, November 30th, 9:00-10:45am. Visit the sign-up HERE for more details. Today is the last day to sign up! Please plan to wear Elm Spiritwear!

Last Chance - Charleston Wrap Fundraiser!

Our Charleston Wrap® fundraiser has been extended through Sunday, November 17th! Start your holiday shopping early and 30%-40% of every purchase will be donated back to Elm School PTO. 


Son's Night Out - Friday 12/13, 6-8PM

Save the date for the Elm School Son's Night Out on Friday, December 13th. Tickets will go on sale on November 24th. See next week's Bowser Notes for further event details and a link to purchase tickets.