New Parking Lot Procedures

Please click below to read an important message regarding Dirksen’s new parking lot procedures. These changes will take effect on Monday, January 23.

Parking Lot Changes January 2012

Are You Ready for Some {PBIS} Football?

Just as the NFL is preparing for the Super Bowl, Dirksen School is too! Each classroom has been given a paper football field and has chosen a team name and decorated a helmet to represent their team. For every 5 Golden Tickets the classroom earns for their respectful, responsible, and safe behavior, they will move 10 yards down the football field. The classroom team who gets to the other end of the football field first, thus scoring a “touchdown,” will win! We are so excited to watch those helmets move across the field and to reward the winning team at the end of the month! Be sure to ask your student what their team name is and how they are progressing down the field.

In conjunction with the PBIS Football theme, Dirksen’s Student Council is running a SOUPer Bowl Canned Food Drive. The drive starts today, January 17, and will run through January 26.  If you have any canned food that you are willing to donate, please send it with your child to be added to his or her classroom’s collection. Student Council representatives are keeping track of how many cans are brought in, and the growing totals will be displayed on a football-themed bulletin board. The winning grade-level will be announced at our all-school celebration on January 27.

PBIS Helps Students Focus on Treating Each Other Kindly

As we began 2012 and got back to the routines of school after a long winter break, the students and staff of Dirksen School focused on respect in a special way. Each classroom held a discussion about how we speak to one another. Special attention was given to inappropriate remarks and how sometimes we can bruise someone’s heart with our words.

K-1-2: These classrooms used a book entitled Sorry! by Trudy Ludwig to begin their discussion. Students shared a time when they have bruised someone’s heart with disrespectful words or actions or a time when their heart was bruised. . If you would like to borrow a copy of the Sorry! book to reinforce this lesson at home, please contact the main office and they will put you in contact with a Universal Team member.

3-6: These classrooms started their discussion by watching a moving video that used powerful images to evoke the feelings that bullying causes. They also shared a time when they have bruised someone’s heart or had their own heart bruised. Classrooms discussed the lasting effects of hurting someone else.

It is important for everyone to remember that words do hurt, and that while the bruise isn’t always visible, it does have a lasting effect. We hope that everyone will make an effort to use words to lift others up instead of putting others down, both at school and at home. Teachers were impressed with and moved by the students’ honest and reflective comments.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are this week!

Just a reminder that Parent-Teacher conferences at Dirksen will be held this Thursday, January 12 and Friday, January 13. Teachers look forward to meeting with all parents/caregivers to ensure a strong home-school connection. If something should come up and you need to reschedule your scheduled conference time, please contact your child’s teacher.

From the Desk of Dr. Piech–January

Please click the link below to read the latest letter from Dr. Piech to the Dirksen community.

Dr. Piech’s January letter

Student Council Executive Board Announced!

During the week before Thanksgiving, Dirksen held its Student Council elections. Twelve brave 6th graders stood in front of a packed gym and gave speeches as to why they would make a great officer and representative of our school. All students in grades third through sixth then voted on the candidates that they thought most exemplified our 3 Bs: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe.

After a tight race, we are excited to announce that the Dirksen Student Council Executive Board for the 2011-12 school year is:

President Cate Fitzgerald
Vice President Hailey Wilcox
Secretary Luke Shimon

Everyone at Dirksen is proud of each candidate and the hard work that they put into their candidacy. You are all winners at heart!

From the Desk of Dr. Piech–December

Please click the link below to view Dr. Piech’s latest message to the Dirksen community.

Dr. Piech’s December letter

From the Desk of Dr. Piech–November

Please click the link below to read Dr. Piech’s recent message to the Dirksen community.

Dr. Piech’s November Letter

Dirksen Digest–November Issue

Please click the link below to read the lastest edition of our PTA’s publication–the Dolphin Digest.

Dolphin Digest–November

Extra! Extra! Read all about Dirksen’s Pumpkins!

Dirksen students had a pumpkin decorating contest last week to celebrate each classroom earning 20 Golden Tickets for respectful, responsible, and safe behavior throughout the month of October. The event was even written up in the TribLocal. Click the link below to read about our outstanding and creative students!

http://triblocal.com/schaumburg/community/galleries/2011/10/pbis-pumpkins-at-dirksen/#/1