Principal's Corner

Walk/Bike to School Day

Elm School is participating in National Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 8th. 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. 

 

D181 Foundation Community Speaker Series

Announcing the Community Speaker Series lineup for the 2025-2026 season! Please join us on Wednesday, October 8 at 7:15pm for the Community Speaker Series fall event at Hinsdale Middle School. We are thrilled to welcome Ethan Kross, PhD, two-time National Bestselling author of Shift and Chatter, and an award-­winning professor in the University of Michigan’s top-­ranked Department of Psychology and its Ross School of Business. We look forward to connecting with our parent community.

Register HERE for Ethan Kross, PhD - Shift: Managing Emotions So They Don’t Manage You. Staying Regulated and Confident - a Guide for Parents and Kids.

 

Tech Ambassadors

We are pleased to embark on another year of the Tech Ambassadors leadership program at Elm Elementary. This year, students in grades 2-5 are invited to apply. Students who complete the application process and are chosen as Tech Ambassadors will serve as leaders within our school and district. 

2-3 Tech Ambassadors will meet once a month on Wednesdays from 11:50 AM-12:15 PM. 

4-5 Tech Ambassadors will meet twice a month on Fridays from 7:45 to 8:30 AM. 

Goals and Mission of the Tech Ambassadors: 

• To develop leadership skills in order to help their school community

• To serve as technology integration leaders in their school

• To foster positive digital citizenship

We ask both new and returning students to indicate their interest in the program by October 1st. Please discuss this opportunity with your child prior to starting the application process.

  • If your student would like to apply for the Tech Ambassadors program, please have him/her complete this Google Form by October 1st.

  • We cannot accept late applications.

Thank you,

Lea Bishop, Barbara Folan, Susan Petersen, and Cassie Soofi

 

Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee Representatives

If you are interested in joining the PTAC, please fill out this form.

 

Satchel Pulse Social Emotional Screener

Elementary students and teachers will once again participate in the Satchel Pulse Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener, a tool to help us monitor and improve the social-emotional skills of all our students. D181 first utilized this SEL screener in our elementary schools during the 2023-2024 school year after a successful pilot during the 2022-2023 school year. Teachers of students in grades KG-5th will complete the screener about their students, and students in grades 3rd-5th will complete the screener about themselves. SEL skills include developing healthy habits, managing emotions, setting and achieving goals, developing empathy for others, establishing and maintaining supportive relationships, collaborating with others, and making responsible and caring decisions. 

Satchel Pulse is a student-friendly screener with 25 simple questions, which will be administered during October and May. Students and teachers will complete the screener which includes self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship, and responsible decision-making questions.  Information gained from this screener will provide our school teams with additional insight to best support our students’ social, emotional, and academic growth. If you have any questions related to the Satchel Pulse screener, please contact Sara Olson at solson@d181.org.

 

Let's Refocus on School-Ready Behaviors

As we settle into the school year, we've noticed a higher-than-usual number of students making choices that fall outside our expected school behaviors. To help us create a safe, respectful, and focused environment for all learners, we’re asking for your support at home.

Please take a few minutes this week to speak with your child about the importance of school-ready behaviors—including using quiet voices, safe hands, and walking feet. This was our behavioral focus last week. These simple expectations go a long way in helping our school run smoothly and safely. It also helps us respect the learning that’s taking place in each classroom.

Our staff is actively reinforcing these expectations through morning announcements and positive incentives like Bowser Bucks, but we’re still seeing some challenges. Your partnership makes a big difference. Please remind your child that doing the right thing—whether in the classroom, hallways, cafeteria, or playground—is important, even if others around them are making different choices.