The Splash
February 7, 2022
We hope your family stayed safe and warm over the past few days! We really appreciated the opportunity to check in with many families during Parent Teacher Conferences. We value your partnership in supporting our students and helping them reach their potential. Wishing you a great Dolphin week!
February
21 - 25 - Love for Lurie, 5th Grade Service Project
21 - PTA Book Fair Parent / Student Shopping in the LMC, 3:45 - 8:00 pm
21 - Evening Kindergarten Registration paperwork drop-off, 3:45 - 7:30 pm
21 - One Book One School begins
24 - Board of Education Meeting, 7:00pm
25 - End of 2nd Trimester
28 - Read Across America Week begins
28 - Reading is Better With a Friend! Bring a stuffed reading buddy to read with today.
March
1 - Reading Gives You Superpowers! Wear your superhero cape, shirt or outfit.
1 - Shelter In Place Drill
1 - Family Reading Night via Zoom, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
2 - Read to Succeed - Dress up as your future self. What do you want to be when you grow up?
3 - Fan Favorite - Dress up as your favorite book character.
4 - Snuggle Up with a Good Book - Wear your pajamas and share your favorite bedtime story.
4 - Report cards emailed to parents by Tech25
14 - 17 - AHC PTA Pack the Piggies Fun-Raiser
18 - School Spirit Beach Day
21 - 25 - Spring Break
28 - School resumes
Shelter In Place Drill, March 1
Classes will be practicing our required annual "Shelter In Place" drill on Tuesday, March 1. This helps students know what to do in case of a severe weather emergency, such as a tornado. Teachers will show students the safe place to go and how to position their bodies as well as cover and protect their heads with their hands in such an emergency.
Upcoming State Assessments
Students in 5th grade will participate in the Illinois Science Assessments (ISA) at Dryden on March 1, 3 and 4. 60 minutes are allotted for each assessment session. Each student will participate in the three sessions. More information regarding the ISA can be found on the district website at https://www.sd25.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=923.
Students in grades 3 - 5 will participate in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) at Dryden on March 7, 8, 10, 14, 15 and 17. For English Language Arts (ELA), students will participate in 3 testing sessions. 90 minutes are allotted for each of two sessions. Because Dryden was assigned by the state for field testing, our students will participate in a third ELA assessment (75 minutes for 3rd grade; 90 minutes for 4th and 5th grade). For Math, students will participate in three testing sessions. 60 minutes is allotted for each of three sessions. More information about the IAR can be found on the district website at https://www.sd25.org/Page/919.
Classroom teachers will share information about specific testing times in the near future. As with any school day, students will feel positive and ready to do their best when they are able to have a good night's sleep, healthy breakfast and positive encouragement. We appreciate the positive support you provide your children!
School Lunch for Monday, February 21
Illinois 5Essentials Survey | Now Open!
Student Survey (Grades 4 - 8 only)
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered to 4th and 5th grade students at Dryden between February 21 and March 10. For a copy of the questions, click here. If you do not want your child to participate, fill out the information at the bottom of this form (linked here) and have your child return this sheet to their teacher.
Parent Survey
It’s that time of year again and we want your input! Please participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey, as a part of the Illinois 5Essentials Survey administration. The survey responses will never be connected to the identity of you or your child as school reports will only present aggregated information of how parents responded as a whole. In order for the survey report to be generated we need at least 20 percent of our parents to take the survey. So far, nine percent of Dryden parents have completed the survey. Please CLICK HERE to take the parent survey. It is open now through March 11.
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact 5Essentials Customer Support at 1-866-440-1874 or 5essentials@uchicago.edu.
Kindergarten & New Student Registration
Evening drop-off of registration paperwork for new students is scheduled for Monday, February 21 from 3:45 - 7:30 pm.
Please note: Registration for current Dryden students will begin in the spring. You will receive an email in late spring with a registration link. There is nothing you need to do at this time.
Book Fair Family Shopping
Dryden families are invited to stop by the LMC on Monday, February 21 between 3:45 and 8:00 pm to shop the Book Fair. Enter your name for a chance to win a $50 Anderson's book credit when you are here, and don’t forget to check the teachers’ book bins and add to their class libraries! The Book Fair is also open online for the next two weeks. Use this link for shopping and please fill in all required information (including School/Teacher/Student name) at https://www.abcfairs.com/. You can also make a purchase from the online teacher wish lists at this link: https://www.abcfairs.com/dryden-elementary-school-wish-list. Contact Alina Laurie with any questions (alinalaurie@gmail.com).
5th Grade Service Project: Love for Lurie, February 21 - 25
This year's 5th Grade Service Project is called LOVE for LURIE. The 5th graders are helping the Dryden community send our love and care to the children at Lurie’s Clinical Research Unit. CRU is a specialized department where kids work with researchers to find new and better medical treatments. Please join us in supporting these brave kids by sending new art/craft supplies, books, games, stuffies or toys to Dryden the week of February 21-25. We will collect all items and bring them to the kids at CRU to let them know we are thinking of them and sending love their way!
AHC Scholarships Available
The Arlington Heights Council of PTAs, which incorporates all the PTAs in District25, has scholarships available at the High School and Elementary school level. Please see the attached flyers for application information or contact drydenpta@gmail.com with questions. Keep an eye out later this spring for the Pack the Piggies fundraiser which AHC will be running at all D25 schools to help fund these annual scholarships.
Pack the Piggies Fun-raiser!!
Are you ready to Pack the Piggies? The Arlington Heights Council of PTA’s (AHC-PTA) funds $11k worth of scholarships each year. The scholarships are divided into $10k for graduating D214 seniors, and $1k given to D25 elementary students. This March, the AHC-PTA will be initiating our first ever “Pack the Piggies” fun-raiser across the district to help raise funds for the scholarships.
The contest begins March 14 and goes thru March 17. Each school will have a goal of raising $1,000. Students at Dryden will have an extra recess if we reach our goal! Please help us reach this goal by sending in coins, cash, or checks to pack their school’s piggy! Let’s have some fun for a great cause!