Dirksen is participating in our annual Walk and Bike to School Day on Friday, April 27!  Join us as we promote physical activity as well as reduce traffic congestion, pollution and speed near our school!  If you bike, don’t forget to wear your helmet and bring a bike lock.  Please make sure your bikes are always locked to the bike rack when you bring them to school. We look forward to seeing everyone outside on Friday morning!

Save the Date for Field Day on Friday, May 18! “Out of This World, Space and Beyond” is our theme!  Dirksen’s Field Day is a full school day event.  The day is about celebrating our students’ hard work all school year, showing good sportsmanship, and having fun at a variety of outdoor activity stations!  Each grade level has a team color for Field Day.  Kindergarten is yellow, first- and second-grade is green, third- and fourth-grade is red, and fifth- and sixth-grade is blue.  Feel free to wear your team color or space themed clothing!

PTA provides lunch, unless students choose to bring a lunch from home.  All students must return a lunch form with their option by May 4th.  The forms will be sent home on green paper.   Volunteers help make Field Day great!  Parents and guardians, if you are available to volunteer from 8:30am- 3:00pm we would love to have you help run stations.  Volunteers please complete the volunteer form or sign up online at http://signup.com/go/F2kt36.  We greatly appreciate your time!

We can’t wait to enjoy a fun filled day! If you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Rintz.

The following students were honored at a recent assembly for demonstrating the key of Flexibility. These students are willing to do things differently and often with a smile!

Kindergarten: Jessica T., Brynn G., Faith R.

First- and Second-Grade: Sophia S., Terry P., Krishna P., Gabriel S., Isra Q., Irina S.

Third- and Fourth-Grade: Emilia E., Loghan F., Harishankar M., Haruka O., Alex S., Avery W.

Fifth- and Sixth-Grade: SaMya J., Nitya B., Simran P., Kacie C., Abhay K., Hailey P.

On Friday, the fifth- and sixth-grade students took a field trip at the Windy City Fieldhouse. The students participated in various teambuilding events that promoted respect and communication.

Earlier this year, the District 54 Board of Education approved a plan to build an addition onto our school for the 2018-19 school year.  This amazing addition will result in adding 8 more classes, a remodeled office with a secure entranceway, and a modified library (Learning Commons).  In order for the school to be on track for the start of the 2018-19 school year the construction company will be starting some of the construction phases prior to the end of the school year.

The construction company has installed protective fencing on the west side of the building.  This fencing will allow us to ensure that students, parents and staff are safely kept away from the construction site.   If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Kort.

School District 54 is offering several summer camp opportunities for students to enhance creativity and innovation. To learn more about these opportunities and to register, please view the SD54 Summer Camp Brochure.

The fifth-grade packet is being sent home the week of March 19th with your student.  It explains what health requirements must be met for your child to enter 6th grade in August.  If you don’t receive a packet or have any questions about the requirements, please contact the school nurse at 847-357-5628.

We hope you enjoy this short video showing some of the many ways our Dirksen students and staff are shining this year!

Thank you to all of the families who are using our drop off zone.  We wanted to share a few reminders to make sure the process flows smoothly and that all of our students arrive safely to school.

• Please make sure your children are ready to hop out of the car quickly.  This will help to keep the line moving.
• If you are dropping students off on the south side of Beech Drive please make sure they cross with the crossing guard.  With the heavy flow of traffic at drop off time we want to make sure the students are crossed safely.
• Please do not park on Beech Drive to the right of the parking lot exit.  There are signs posted that say no stopping or parking in between the two signs. The police will ticket cars who are parked there.
• Please refrain from turning around in neighbors driveways.  When cars are backing out into the line of traffic, it is also causing disruption to the traffic flow.