Davis Elementary Summer Update
July 23rd, 2025
Davis Summer Updates
Greetings Davis Families,
I hope this message finds you well and that you have been enjoying a wonderful summer with your children. As we approach the new school year, I wanted to reach out and share how eager we are to welcome your students back to Davis Elementary!
While you've been making summer memories, there has been a tremendous amount of activity happening in our building. Our dedicated teachers have been coming in to set up their classrooms, creating warm and engaging learning environments for your children. We've had countless packages arriving daily with new materials and resources, and our newest Davis staff members have been working hard to prepare themselves to become valued members of our Davis community.
I wanted to remind you that the Home Access Center (HAC) will open on August 1st. This is when you'll be able to see who your child's teacher will be for the upcoming school year. We know many of you are anxiously waiting for this information, and we appreciate your patience.
Please mark your calendars for Monday, August 11th from 4:00-6:00 PM for our school supply drop-off event. This is a wonderful opportunity to visit the school, meet your child's teacher, and help your student get settled before the first day on Wednesday August 13th.
Continue to enjoy these remaining summer days with your families. We are counting down the days until we can see all of our Davis students again and begin another fantastic year of learning and growth together.
Kind Regards,
Gina Shaw
Principal
Important Dates - Mark your calendars
- 7/28 - Taste of Davis for ALL DAY Kindergarten students and families.
8/5 - Half Day Kindergarten Round Up (4:30-5:30)
8/11 - School Supply Drop Off & Meet the Teacher (4:00-6:00)
8/13 - First Day of School!
8/27 - Early Release Day
8/29 - No School - Teacher Institute
Welcome Our New Staff to Davis
After a busy season of hiring, I am excited to introduce our new staff members to Davis Elementary.
Carol McCabe - Long Term Sub for Chantelle DeNicolo-Judge while on maternity leave
Amy Notter - Math Specialist
Stephanie Brennan - Second Grade Teacher
Monique Davis - AM Kindergarten Teacher
Katie Dybas - .5 Social Worker
Carly Hull - Social Worker
Katelyn Karayannis - School Psychologist
Annelise Ranney - Speech Language Therapist (M & Tu)
Mary Bernie - .4 Occupational Therapist
Jessica Benzin - EL Paraprofessional
Lauren Kruse - Art (Th)
Josh Henley - PE (Fri)
50 Box Challenge!
We’re excited to launch our 50-Box Challenge—and your school could win $2,500 in FREE school supplies!
Here’s how it works:
- Sell 50 additional School Tool Box kits between July 15 – August 15, 2025
- Your school will be automatically entered into a drawing for the prize
- Winner will be notified on August 18, 2025
Prize: $2,500 in School Tool Bucks- your school will receive an electronic balance of $2,500 to use during your 2026–27 School Tool Box sale. Use them to purchase bulk classroom supplies or kits for students in need!
🎵 Band & Orchestra Schedule for 2025-26 School Year 🎶
Dear Music Parents,
Get ready for another exciting year of making beautiful music together! We're thrilled to kick off the 2025-26 school year with your talented young musicians. Here's everything you need to know about our rehearsal schedule:
🎼 During School Lessons
Starting the week of August 25th - Individual and small group lessons will begin during the regular school day. Students will receive their specific lesson times from their music teachers.
🌅 Before School Rehearsals
Starting the week of September 22nd - Morning rehearsals begin! Here's when your musician needs to be ready:
-
Beginner Orchestra: Tuesday mornings
-
5th Grade Orchestra: Tuesday mornings at Richmond Elementary
- Special note: Students will be bused to Davis after rehearsal - no need for parent pickup!
-
4th Grade Orchestra: Wednesday mornings
- 5th Grade Band: Thursday mornings
We can't wait to hear the amazing progress your children will make this year! Music education builds confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Let's make this a year full of musical magic! 🌟
Instrumental Music Teachers,
Ms. Rohrbach, Mrs. Mezera, and Mr. Basich
Taste of Davis (for ALL DAY Kindergarten)
We are inviting ALL Day Kindergarten students to the Taste of Davis held at the end of July. This is an opportunity to practice eating lunch in the community room and meeting other students and families. Please make sure to RSVP via the link in the invitation here. The event is open to ALL Day Davis Kindergarteners and their immediate family members.
Kindergarten Round Up (for Half Day Kindergarten)
We are so excited to invite our half day kindergarten families to Davis! We will be hosting students and parents to visit Davis on Tuesday, August 5th from 4:30-5:30. We will all meet in the community room at Davis to meet some of our staff and the kindergarten team. Our kindergarten students will have the opportunity to meet with the teachers, play, explore, and meet friends in a kindergarten classroom. Parents will get more information about the nuts & bolts of Davis and get a guided tour of the building. Parents will then meet up with their kindergartener and see the classrooms. Please RSVP HERE to let us know if you will be attending with your child.
New D303 SMART Device Procedures
Please review the new smart device procedures that take effect on August 13. Please review the links below for Elementary Procedures and D303 video for more information.
Water Bottle Design Contest
Dear Davis Families,
We’re excited to share a fun and creative opportunity for our elementary and middle school students this summer! In partnership with District 303, the St. Charles Business Alliance is hosting a Water Bottle Design Contest inviting students to design a label for a 100% recyclable aluminum water bottle. The winning design will be printed on over 1,600 bottles and handed out during the 40th Anniversary of Scarecrow Weekend in fall 2025!
Who can participate?
All D303 elementary and middle school students are welcome to submit a design.
What are the judges looking for?
Designs will be evaluated based on:
• Creativity – Is the design unique and visually appealing?
• Relevance – Does it reflect the 40th Anniversary of Scarecrow Weekend?
• Execution – Is the artwork clean, clear, and high quality?
How do students submit their design?
All details, including the downloadable template and the submission form, can be found here:
Water Bottle Design Contest Info & Submission Link
Deadline to submit: August 20th
Students are welcome to start their designs over the summer, and art teachers may also be sharing this opportunity during the first week of school for those who’d like to participate then.
We can’t wait to see what our creative students come up with!