The RISE Report

District 58 invites parents and guardians to sign up for fall 2024 parent-teacher conferences using the online PowerPTC conference signup system starting Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. via www.PowerPTC.net.

The sign-up window will close Friday, Oct. 4 at 11 a.m.

Parent-teacher conferences will be held in person. However, families who require a remote option should schedule their conference in PowerPTC and then change the meeting type from “in person” to “video conference.”

Conferences will take place on the evenings of Tuesday, Oct. 8 and Thursday, Oct. 10.

Please view the parent-teacher conference signup guide (para Español: Registro para las reuniones de padres y maestros) to learn how to sign up for a conference using the system, along with other helpful information.

District 58 invites the community to Downers Grove Oktoberfest on Friday, Sept. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 14. The festival will feature live music, a Kids Zone and authentic Oktoberfest food and brew in a traditional German atmosphere. This event is the Education Foundation of Downers Grove District 58’s largest fundraiser, and all proceeds will support the foundation’s programs for District 58 students and staff. Purchase tickets here.

Oktoberfest will take place in downtown Downers Grove in the train commuter lot on Burlington Avenue between Main Street and Forest Avenue, on Friday, Sept. 13 from 3-11 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 14 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

As required by law, all new students, as well as students entering grades K, 2, and 6, must receive health examinations and immunizations and submit completed health forms by October 15th. To learn more check out the Health Services page on the District 58 website.

Thank you to many of the families who have already completed and submitted these forms. In accordance with Illinois law, failure to comply with these requirements by Oct 15 of the current school year, or 30 days following registration for first-time registrants, will result in the student's exclusion from school until such requirements have been met. All sections of the child examination form must be completed including the health history, which must be filled out by the parent.

District 58 communicates frequently regarding these requirements as it is our hope to avoid school exclusion for all of our students. If you are in need of additional assistance, our school nurse, (insert name here phone number, and email), would be happy to assist you in answering questions or connecting you with resources to complete this requirement.

Tuesday, October 8: Parent/Teacher Conferences- Evening Event

Thursday, October 10: Parent/Teacher Conferences- Evening Event

Monday, October 9 : No School

Wednesday, October 14: Board of Education Regular Meeting

Monday, October 28: Board of Education Curriculum Workshop

Tuesday, November 5: No School- Election Day

Monday, November 11: Board of Education Regular Meeting

This week our 3-6th grade community group worked together by following a recipe to create volcano apples.

Please join us for a Series of 3 Zoom Presentations:

Tuesday evenings this Fall from 6-7pm on Zoom

Meeting ID: 602 591 8375

Passcode: 860182

9/10/24: Government Benefits

10/8/24: ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts

11/12/24: Planning for Adulthood & Continuity of Care

Presented by Oak Wealth Advisors:

With decades of personal and professional experience on the topics of special needs planning and financial planning, we can help your family sleep better at night, have more fun in your lives and increase the amount of money that you have available. (Spoiler alert - no insurance products have to be purchased in order to achieve a more successful special needs plan!)

Oak Wealth Advisors understands the challenges that your family is facing because we are also living with those same challenges. We have been educating and empowering families with special needs members by providing them with specific planning strategies that will make their lives, and the life of their loved one better.

ZOOM #1 9/10/24 6-7pm Government Benefits:

Please join us for an informational hour with Founder and President of Oak Wealth Advisors, Mike Walther. Parents and guardians will receive an introduction to governmental benefits. Who is eligible for benefits? How do you access them? Accessing governmental benefits for food, shelter, & health care is financially valuable throughout your loved one’s lifetime. We will discuss Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), & the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which are the primary means-tested benefits the government provides. This presentation is beneficial for families who are interested in understanding their benefit options and is essential for families with loved ones who are around the magic age of 18.

ZOOM # 2 10/8/24 6-7pm Optimizing the Use of ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts:

Please join us for an informational hour with Founder and President of Oak Wealth Advisors, Mike Walther. Parents and guardians will receive an introduction to ABLE Accounts and Special Needs Trusts. Learn about the benefits of an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) account, how to apply for this tax-advantaged savings program, and how to evaluate the various account options. There will also be a discussion of Special Needs Trusts. Both account types allow individuals with disabilities to accumulate assets without reducing their eligibility for means-tested disability benefits such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid. This presentation is beneficial for families whose loved one has a diagnosis and who want to put the essential elements of a special needs plan in place to allow them to maximize their family’s financial resources.

ZOOM #3 11/12/24 6-7pm Planning for Adulthood and Continuity of Care:

Please join us for an informational hour with Founder and President of Oak Wealth Advisors, Mike Walther. This presentation will focus on planning and decision-making for individuals entering adulthood. Parents and guardians will learn about Guardianship, Powers of Attorney, & Supported Decision Making. Housing, employment, transportation, & other planning challenges will also be discussed. We will review the essential need for a care guide or letter of intent that will document your loved one’s wishes, routines, health care needs, strengths, and challenges so that future care givers can be effective at retaining their quality of life. This presentation is beneficial for families with a loved one who is in high school or has recently entered adulthood.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER:

Mike Walther received his BS degree in Economics and MBA with concentration in Accounting from Vanderbilt University. He holds all three of the most respected financial services professional designations: the CPA/PFS designation, the Certified Financial PlannerTM designation, and he is a CFA charter holder.

Mike has a brother on the Autism spectrum. After nearly two decades as a fiduciary financial advisor serving wealthy families, he founded Oak Wealth Advisors in 2008 to provide planning and wealth management services to families like his own. Mike’s passion is sharing his knowledge and experience to enhance the quality of life for families that include loved ones with special needs.

Mike has written articles for the Chicago Sun-Times and has been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, New York Times, and other national publications. He has presented at conferences around the country and taught classes about special needs financial planning at multiple universities.

Mike was the first financial advisor in Illinois admitted into the Academy of Special Needs Planners (ASNP).

He founded and leads the Special Needs Planning subject matter study group for the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA). He is also a member of the NAPFA DEI Committee. In 2023, Oak Wealth Advisors was recognized by NAPFA as their Excellence in DEI Award Winner for mid-sized firms. In December 2023, Mike was recognized by Investment News as one of their inaugural Hot 100 whose contributions have helped shape the wealth industry.

The Find Food IL Community Food Map is an excellent tool for individuals to find places offering free food or meals; school and Summer Meal programs; and grocery stores and farmers markets accepting SNAP/Link, WIC, and senior vouchers. ISBE partnered with the University of Illinois Extension to help families identify what is available in their community more easily.

Many students rely on school for access to meals. Especially as we enter the summer months, you can help by sharing the Find Food IL Community Food Map with your students and families. Those interested in linking to this resource can download hosting guidelines on the Illinois Nutrition Education Programs website. Contact Caitlin Kownacki or read the press release for more information.

Building Bridges is a parent group under the Downers Grove D58 Area PTA Counil. Building Bridges works on building relationships between families with children who have special needs and our school community.

Whether you are a parent/guardian of a child with an IEP or 504, sibling, caregiver, teacher, librarian, or community member... Building Bridges would love to see your participation in our event for the 2023-2024 school year!

Please join our Facebook Page (Building Bridges Parent/Teacher Group)

https://www.facebook.com/pg/buildingbridgesDG58/

Email: jcadard@dg58.org
Website: www.dg58.org
Location: 1436 Grant St, Downers Grove, IL 60515
Phone: 630-719-9478