Posted February 6th, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
Dirksen School is proud to announce that we were one of 438 schools in Illinois to win the Academic Excellence Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. A few staff members and students went to Collins School today to represent Dirksen as Illinois State Superintendent Chris Koch presented the award. The Academic Excellence Award was given because we made AYP in 2010 and 2011 and that 90 percent of Dirksen students met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for the three most recent school years. This is Dirksen’s fourth consecutive year to receive this award and we couldn’t be happier!
To read the full story on School District 54′s website, click here.
Posted February 1st, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
Student Council’s SOUPer Bowl Food Drive that took place in conjunction with the PBIS Golden Ticket Football event was a HUGE success! As a whole school, Dirksen collected 637 food items! These items have been sent over to the District 54 Food Pantry that is housed at Mead Junior High.
The grade level totals were as follows:
K/1/2: 263 items
3/4: 222 items
5/6: 152 items
Classrooms from our winning grade level were awarded a prize this week. We appreciate everyone who helped to make the food drive such a SOUPer success!!!
Posted February 1st, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
Please click the link below to read Dr. Piech’s latest letter to the Dirksen community.
Dr. Piech’s February letter
Posted January 20th, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
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
Posted January 17th, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
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.
Posted January 17th, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
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.
Posted January 9th, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
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.
Posted January 9th, 2012 by Mrs. Villanova
Please click the link below to read the latest letter from Dr. Piech to the Dirksen community.
Dr. Piech’s January letter
Posted December 6th, 2011 by Mrs. Villanova
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!
Posted December 6th, 2011 by Mrs. Villanova
Please click the link below to view Dr. Piech’s latest message to the Dirksen community.
Dr. Piech’s December letter
Dirksen School is proud to announce that we were one of 438 schools in Illinois to win the Academic Excellence Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. A few staff members and students went to Collins School today to represent Dirksen as Illinois State Superintendent Chris Koch presented the award. The Academic Excellence Award was given because we made AYP in 2010 and 2011 and that 90 percent of Dirksen students met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for the three most recent school years. This is Dirksen’s fourth consecutive year to receive this award and we couldn’t be happier!