Principal's Corner

Ramadan

With the Ramadan holiday upon us, we recognize that some of our students will be fasting during the school day. Wanting to be sensitive to their needs, we will have lunch tables outside of the cafeteria during the lunch period where they may sit if they choose to do so, or, the option to NOT go to the lunchroom and instead participate in an extra recess period. Please notify your child’s classroom teacher of your wishes. Thank you!

District 181 Summer Camp Expo

Fifth Grade Placement Writing Assessment 

The Placement Writing Assessment (PWA) and Placement Literature Assessment (PLA) will be administered to all fifth grade students at Elm on March 4, 2025 and March 6, 2025. PWA and PLA scores are considered in the sixth grade placement process for Advanced English Language Arts (A-ELA) and Affective Cognitive Enrichment (ACE). More information about A-ELA and ACE placement can be found on the Placement, Advancement, and Acceleration page of the D181 website. 

The Placement Writing and Literature Assessments are:

• Designed as pre-assessments by William & Mary University

• Measure prerequisite skills necessary to be successful in middle school A-ELA and ACE courses

• Aligned to Common Core State Standards for writing and literature

• Assesses each student’s ability to use claim and opinion writing, support, elaboration, and conclusion

The assessment will be split into two parts and given over the course of two days. Multiple fifth and sixth grade teachers will score the assessments. Once all student work from the assessment is scored, your child’s score will be made available in Skyward. 

More information about the PWA/PLA can be found on the Assessment page of the D181 website. 

Please contact your child’s teacher or building principal with any further questions.

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 3/10/25, 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 your continued support.

Order by Wednesday 3/5 12pm for Special Lunch on Thursday 3/13

The next Special Lunch (Potbelly) is on Thursday, March 13th. Orders must be placed by 12pm on Wednesday, March 5th. See ordering instructions HERE. 

PTO Meeting - Friday 3/7, 9-10am

Please join us on Friday, March 7th 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). At the beginning of our meeting, Mrs. Elyte Santini, our AMAZING Elm Social Worker, will speak to us about “Zones of Regulation,” which our children are learning every day. We are excited to welcome Mrs. Santini to our meeting!

Spring Fundraiser Tickets on Sale Now!

Don’t miss Elm School’s Spring Fundraiser on March 22nd! Join us for a night of prime March Madness games, cocktails and mocktails, photobooth, elevated bar bites, and great company - all while supporting our school. Snag your tickets now and don't miss your chance to win incredible auction items, including premium Bears tickets and custom artwork created by your children. It’s an event you won’t want to miss! Get your tickets today!

Principal's Corner

Ramadan

With the Ramadan holiday upon us, we recognize that some of our students will be fasting during the school day. Wanting to be sensitive to their needs, we will have lunch tables outside of the cafeteria during the lunch period where they may sit if they choose to do so, or, the option to NOT go to the lunchroom and instead participate in an extra recess period. Please notify your child’s classroom teacher of your wishes. Thank you!

Registration

CSCI Climate Survey Information 

The D181 2024-25 CSCI climate survey is now open! Please take the Elm survey today by clicking here! 

Participation from parents, teachers, and students is crucial to ensure we get a valuable snapshot of D181's school climate. All survey results are anonymous, as responses are reported directly to the National School Climate Center before being made available to the District and public. If you elect to skip a question or feel a question does not apply to you, please select “Does Not Apply.”

District 181 Summer Camp Expo

Fifth Grade Placement Writing Assessment 

The Placement Writing Assessment (PWA) and Placement Literature Assessment (PLA) will be administered to all fifth grade students at Elm on March 4, 2025 and March 6, 2025. PWA and PLA scores are considered in the sixth grade placement process for Advanced English Language Arts (A-ELA) and Affective Cognitive Enrichment (ACE). More information about A-ELA and ACE placement can be found on the Placement, Advancement, and Acceleration page of the D181 website. 

The Placement Writing and Literature Assessments are:

• Designed as pre-assessments by William & Mary University

• Measure prerequisite skills necessary to be successful in middle school A-ELA and ACE courses

• Aligned to Common Core State Standards for writing and literature

• Assesses each student’s ability to use claim and opinion writing, support, elaboration, and conclusion

The assessment will be split into two parts and given over the course of two days. Multiple fifth and sixth grade teachers will score the assessments. Once all student work from the assessment is scored, your child’s score will be made available in Skyward. 

More information about the PWA/PLA can be found on the Assessment page of the D181 website. Please contact your child’s teacher or building principal with any further questions.

Cosmic Bowling Day - Friday 3/14

Join your child for cosmic bowling on Friday, March 14th! See schedule below.

Science Fair Thank You!

The Science Fair last week was a success and it was great to see so many young scientists showing off their knowledge and presentation skills. Experiments included everything from making rock candy, to vegetables conducting electricity, to soil erosion and more! There were 34 projects total, and all grades were well represented. Thank you to all of our volunteer judges who came and provided feedback to student projects!

Principal's Corner

Registration

CSCI Climate Survey Information

The D181 2024-25 CSCI climate survey will be open on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Families will receive a link to complete the survey via email on Tuesday, February 18, 2025. Staff will complete the survey during a staff meeting, and students (grades 4-8) will complete the survey during school. 

This annual survey is not only a requirement for all school districts in the state but also an opportunity to share how we're performing as a school district with audiences near and far.

Participation from parents, teachers, and students is crucial to ensure we get a valuable snapshot of D181's school climate. All survey results are anonymous, as responses are reported directly to the National School Climate Center before being made available to the District and public. 

If you elect to skip a question or feel a question does not apply to you, please select “Does Not Apply”.
For more information, visit https://www.d181.org/departments/communications.