Flying High Gym Pizza & Open Gym Fundraiser - Saturday 1/18, 7:30-10:30pm

Staying in town and looking for some fun for the long weekend? Drop the kids off for a pizza and open gym night at Flying High Gym on Saturday, January 18th, 7:30-10:30pm. Register by 1/16 for early bird rates. Invite friends, cousins, and siblings to join! The event is open to anyone, even if they do not attend Elm School. Must be 5 years of age or older. And guess what, parents? This IS a drop off event! Enjoy some time to yourself! Sign up HERE.

Afterschool Enrichment Activities

Elm is excited to offer the next session of afterschool enrichment activities. 

Monday: Spanish (1/13-5/12, 3:05-4:05pm)

Tuesday: Chess (1/14-4/8, 3:05-4:05pm)

Wednesday: BAM Theatre (3/5-5/14, 3:05-4:05pm)

Thursday: Golf (1/23-3/27, 3:05-4:15pm)

Friday: Art (1/24-5/9, 3:05-4:15pm) 

Weekdays: Before and After the Bell with The Community House

Order by Wednesday 1/8 12pm for Special Lunch on Thursday 1/16

The next Special Lunch (Tropical Smoothie Cafe) is on Thursday, January 16th. Orders must be placed by 12pm on Wednesday, January 8th. See ordering instructions HERE. 

Principal's Corner

Dear Elm School Family,

As we approach the end of December, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude for your continued support and partnership. Your involvement makes a significant difference in our school community.

This past week has been filled with joy and celebration. Our students showed incredible enthusiasm and creativity during Spirit Week. Last but not least, thank you to all the parents who contributed to making our classroom parties a success! The students had a fantastic time.

As we prepare for the upcoming winter break, we want to wish each of you a restful break and a safe New Year. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2025!

Partners in Education,

Mrs. Sara Olson

NWEA MAP Scores and CogAT (2nd and 5th grade families)

The fall administration of Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) for 1st-5th grade students has ended and student scores will be available to families within Skyward on Friday, January 10th.  

Additionally, Fall 2024 CogAT scores will also be available for second and fifth grade families. 

To access your child’s scores:

• Browse to http://skywardfamily.d181.org/

• Click on TEST SCORES in the left side menu

• Scores will be listed in a table format, with the most recent assessment scores listed at the top

Course Placement for 2025-2026

Specific recommendations for math placement at grades 3-8 as well as middle school language arts and social studies placement for 2025-26 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 move into advanced/accelerated courses in all three subject areas. Course placement requirements can be found on our website at: https://www.d181.org/departments/learning/placement. Please scroll down to “Placement & Trajectory Documents” and select “Placement Criteria (2025-26)” to view the approved documents. A copy of the recent parent placement night slide deck can also be accessed in this location.  

Remaining MAP Windows for 2024-2025

• Spring MAP for grades 1-7: April 21 - May 2, 2025

Library News

Multicultural Event on Saturday 2/8 - Share Your Culture!

Elm School will be hosting its first schoolwide Multicultural Event on Saturday 2/8 from 2-4pm at the Elm School Gym. We are looking for interested families who would like to showcase their culture/country by

• Making a poster with different facts/stories
• Providing samples of food from your culture/country 
• Performing a cultural dance or musical activity
• Teaching a craft or game
• Anything else you can think of!

If you would like to showcase your culture/country, please sign up HERE. Note: You do not need to have ties to a particular culture/country you wish to represent; you may wish to learn more about a region or support someone in the community in showcasing a region. If we have many families interested in representing the same culture/country, we will connect you all to see if it makes sense to collaborate. Please sign up by Sunday 12/22.

Looking forward to this first schoolwide event! Be on the lookout for more communication early in the new year. Questions? Email the PTO Community and Culture Committee Chair, Sumi Pitroda: community@elmschoolpto.org. 

Spring Fundraiser Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available!

We're excited to announce our annual Spring Fundraiser, happening March 22, 2025, at The Elm in La Grange! As valued Elm families, we invite you to support our event, either personally or through your business. This year's theme, "Move, Groove, and Improve," focuses on enhancing student physical wellness through innovative programming. Your support directly impacts our ability to create an engaging environment for active learning and healthy habits. The Spring Fundraiser is our primary fundraising effort. Your donation is tax-deductible - the PTO is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Interested? Complete our FORM, and we'll be in touch!

Thank You for a Successful Toy Drive!

During our Elm School Book Fair, the PTO Community & Culture Committee collected over 100 toys, games, and books to benefit patients being treated at Lurie Children's Hospital. Elm students also created over 70 beautiful cards to bring some holiday cheer to Lurie patients. Thank you for helping us make this an incredibly successful toy drive!