Principal's Corner

Parent Placement Night

This year’s D181 Parent Placement Night will be held on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025 in the HINSDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAFETORIUM as follows:

  • 5:45-6:45pm - Current 2nd-4th Grade Families

  • 7:00-8:00pm - Current 5th-7th Grade Families

This event provides our families with the opportunity to learn more about the 2026-2027 placement process for 3rd-8th grade math and 6th-8th grade A-ELA and ACE courses. A question and answer session will be held after the presentation related to placement requirements and the summer math bridge program. 

A copy of the presentation and frequently asked questions will be available after the event at https://www.d181.org/departments/learning/placement
 

Questions?

Contact Kristin Reingruber

Director of Assessment, Instruction, and Evaluation

kreingruber@d181.org

 

Spelling Bee Information

Throughout the month of December, students in third, fourth, and fifth grades will participate in their classroom Spelling Bee assessments, given in a paper format. To help your child prepare, you can use the study list linked here. Participation in the Spelling Bee is optional. If you prefer that your child not participate, please contact your child’s classroom teacher to let them know.

 

Winter NWEA MAP Assessment Information and Schedule

12/8/25: 2nd Grade ELA, 5th Grade ELA

12/9/25: 4th Grade ELA, 5th Grade Math

12/10/25: 1st Grade ELA, 2nd Grade Math

12/11/25: 3rd Grade ELA

12/12/25: 4th Grade Math, 1st Grade Math

12/15/25: 3rd Grade 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

We will continue the use of Skyward to communicate your child’s scores on MAP. This will allow families to receive their student’s results more quickly. An email will be sent alerting families when scores are visible. Directions for viewing results will be included in this follow-up email. Should a paper copy of the report be preferential, please contact your child’s principal.

 

Head Lice Notification

We are sending this letter to all parents/guardians to increase head lice awareness. Direct, physical, head-to-head contact is the usual method of transmission. Lice do NOT jump or fly. Head lice die within two days when not on the head. Eggs not attached to the head will not hatch. Indirect transmission may occur through sharing of bedding and other personal items such as brushes, hair accessories, or hats of an infected person. Remember, head lice do NOT transmit disease.

                                
HELP KEEP HEAD LICE OFF YOUR CHILD 

• Check your child’s head weekly for signs of head lice 

• Teach your child not to share or trade personal items 

• Contain long hair in braids or ponytails 

• Teach children to avoid head-to-head contact

  • Even though they do not jump or fly, they can spread from one student to another by sharing combs, brushes, clothing, hats and in bedding. To reduce your child’s risk of getting head lice, make sure that long hair is tied up. Head lice can happen to anyone. It is not a sign of poor health habits or being dirty. Remember - Anyone can get head lice – they have no preferences for cleanliness, hair color, hair type, ethnicity or age.

  • Please reach out to our building nurse, Kim Pavich If you have any questions or concerns KPavich@d181.org or 630.861.4008

Holiday Market - Thank You!

THANK YOU to all the parents, teachers, staff, and volunteers for supporting the inaugural Holiday Market! The children were so excited to shop for their loved ones. Due to overwhelming interest, we unfortunately sold out of certain items, but your child was able to pre-order and pay on Friday. Once the order comes in, we'll wrap the items and send them home with your child. 

Holiday Cards that GIVE BACK!

Ordering holiday cards this season? Order through Minted and you will not only get 20% off your order, but Minted will donate 10% back to our school. USE CODE: FUNDRAISEELMPTO to save and give. This code is not limited to holiday cards only - browse Minted's incredible selection of art, gifts, and stationary! Code is valid STARTING NOW!

Principal's Corner

Parent Placement Night

This year’s D181 Parent Placement Night will be held on TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2025 in the HINSDALE MIDDLE SCHOOL CAFETORIUM as follows:

  • 5:45-6:45pm - Current 2nd-4th Grade Families

  • 7:00-8:00pm - Current 5th-7th Grade Families

This event provides our families with the opportunity to learn more about the 2026-2027 placement process for 3rd-8th grade math and 6th-8th grade A-ELA and ACE courses. A question and answer session will be held after the presentation related to placement requirements and the summer math bridge program. 

A copy of the presentation and frequently asked questions will be available after the event at https://www.d181.org/departments/learning/placement
 

Questions?

Contact Kristin Reingruber

Director of Assessment, Instruction, and Evaluation

kreingruber@d181.org

 

Spelling Bee Information

Throughout the month of December, students in third, fourth, and fifth grades will participate in their classroom Spelling Bee assessments, given in a paper format. To help your child prepare, you can use the study list linked here. Participation in the Spelling Bee is optional. If you prefer that your child not participate, please contact your child’s classroom teacher to let them know.

Library News

The Bookfair is Coming!

The annual bookfair is returning to conference week! I am so excited to be able to offer teacher wish lists again so teachers can select books that they would like to have purchased for their classrooms, along with great books for your own family.

Students will preview the bookfair on Thursday, November 20th and can bring money for purchases on Friday, November 21st. The bookfair will also be open during conferences for shopping on Monday, November 24th from 2-8 PM and Tuesday, November 25th from 8 AM-12 PM. Please note the bookfair will close at 12 PM on Tuesday, so it can be packed away.

If you are interested in volunteering at the bookfair, please sign up here. 

 

Schedule Change - Monday/Tuesday in the Library
Please note that due to the book fair beginning next week, Monday and Tuesday will be library checkout days instead of iLab. That means that Kindergarten, 2nd and 5th grade students will have checkout on Monday. Students in 1st, 3rd and 4th grade will have checkout on Tuesday. Please return any books to school on Monday or Tuesday so students can check out new books for Thanksgiving break. Thanks!

Chick-fil-A Night - Monday 11/17, 4-7pm

Join us again on Monday 11/17, 4-7pm at Chick-fil-A (Willowbrook) for a fundraising event to support our school! We had an excellent turn out at the last event, with hours full of fun! Invite friends and family to make it extra special and don’t forget to bring cash to spin the wheel - $1 per spin for amazing prizes! **MUST MENTION ELM SCHOOL AT COUNTER OR DRIVE THROUGH**

Holiday Market - Thursday 11/20 & Friday 11/21

Elm students will get the chance to shop for holiday items for family members during the book fair this year! Preview Day is on Thursday 11/20, where students will be able to create a wish list. On Friday 11/21, students who bring money will be able to shop for pre-wrapped gifts and experience the joy of giving this holiday season! See below for pictures of all items for sale. Please consider volunteering to make this event a success!

FMSC - Thank You!

THANK YOU to all the Elm and Oak families, teachers, Principal Olson, and Principal Nassis for volunteering on Saturday morning at Feed My Starving Children! With 140 people in attendance, we packed 27,864 meals, which will feed 76 children a daily meal for a whole year. Great work, everyone! 

If you could not attend, but would like to make a donation to FMSC, please click HERE.

Principal's Corner

Veteran’s Day Assembly

Please join us on November 11th at 9:00 am for our Veterans Assembly featuring the Elm School Choir. 

 

Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be administered to all second and fifth grade students between November 10 - 14, 2025. This assessment indicates the level and pattern of a student’s cognitive development in comparison to other students enrolled in the same grade-level and/or who are of the same age. 

The CogAT is comprised of three sections, each taking approximately 30 minutes with breaks in between.  

  • 2nd and 5th: Quantitative - measures a child’s understanding of relational mathematical concepts and ability to discover patterns, to figure out a rule or principle, and to transfer this information. 

  • 2nd and 5th: Non-Verbal - measures a child’s ability to reason using pictures and shapes. In addition, this section appraises a child’s ability to use his/her cognitive resources in new situations.

  • 5th ONLY: Verbal - measures a child’s ability to remember and transform sequences of words, to understand them and to make inferences and judgements about them. 

2nd Grade will take their assessments on November 10th and 12th.

5th Grade will take their assessments on November 12th, 13th and 14th.

 

How your child can prepare for assessment—and what you can do to help

A student who is well-rested and well-fed and has a positive attitude about testing 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 her or his assigned test day.

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

  • Remind your child that these tests are 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.

 

Parent Teacher Conference Information

Starting at 7:00 a.m. on Monday, November 3rd, you will have access to schedule parent-teacher conference(s) for your child through Skyward Family Access. Parent-teacher conferences will be held from 2:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Monday, November 24th, and 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 25th. Elementary conferences are scheduled for 15 minutes. Parent-teacher conference sign-up will close on November 14th at 3:00 p.m. 

Once you log into Skyward, you will have the option to sign up for a conference with your child’s elementary classroom teacher. If your child is in middle school, you will see the option to sign up for multiple conferences. We look forward to seeing you in our schools on November 24-25, 2025. 

Please use this document for detailed directions on how to sign up using Skyward Family Access. If you are having any issues with selecting your child's conference in Skyward Family Access, please email Nick Skrip at nskrip@d181.org.

 

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Invites Sender School Families to Complete Superintendent Search Survey 

Stakeholder input is an important part of District 86's process of identifying the school district's next superintendent. To gather that feedback, District 86 invites parents and guardians of students who will one day attend Hinsdale Central or Hinsdale South to share their perspectives by completing an anonymous survey.

Your feedback will help in the development of a Leadership Profile that outlines the professional and personal characteristics needed to be successful in this role.

Click Here To Take The Survey In English

Click Here To Take The Survey In Spanish

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