Dryden Splash | February 15, 2026
February 15, 2026

Dear Dryden Families,
This week was filled with gratitude and joy at Dryden! On February 12, our incredible PTA parents and students helped us celebrate School Crossing Guard Appreciation Day by honoring our amazing crossing guard, Mr. Poteracki. They surprised him with treats, handmade posters, and heartfelt words of thanks for his daily service to our community.
Every single morning and afternoon, he is there; rain, snow, wind, or sunshine; greeting our students with a smile and making sure everyone arrives safely. He is more reliable than the U.S. Postal Service (and definitely friendlier, too!) Beyond safely guiding our children across the street, he builds relationships, learns names, shares jokes, and starts each day on a positive note. His consistency and care help set the tone for a safe, welcoming school environment. We are so grateful for the steady presence and kindness he brings to our Dryden family.
On Friday, February 13, our classrooms were bursting with excitement during our Valentine’s Day parties. Thanks to more than 100 parent volunteers, our students enjoyed games, creative activities, and fun experiences that made the day extra special. The time, energy, and thoughtfulness that went into planning these celebrations did not go unnoticed. Simply put: we couldn’t do it without you!
Thank you for your continued partnership and for the many ways you show up for our students and staff. Please be sure to scroll down to see photos from Mr. Poteracki’s special day and highlights from our joyful Valentine’s Day celebrations.
With appreciation,
Jessica Martinsen
The Man, The Vest, The Legend: Mr. Poteracki
Celebrating with Heart
Parent Participation 🚨 NEED 20% Parent Participation!
(And we only have 12% participation at this time!)
To participate in this survey as a parent/guardian, click the following link:
Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
Lost and Found Items will be donated after Parent-Teacher Conferences on February 16, 2026.
Our Lost and Found is full to the brim of small items like hats, gloves, scarves, water bottles, and more! Additionally, there are 10-15 jackets, coats, and sweatshirts. Unclaimed items will be donated to a charitable organization on February 16, 2026 . If your child is missing any items, please ask them to check the Lost and Found or stop into the school's office or at parent-teacher conferences to check for yourself.
Kindergarten & New Student Pre-Registration NOW Open!
Pre-registration for kindergarten and students in grades 1 - 5 who will be new to Dryden is now open. Information and step-by-step registration guidance will be available on the district website at www.sd25.org/Registration on that date.
If you know of someone with a kindergarten-aged child or new family to the neighborhood, please encourage them to pre-register or give us a call at 847-398-4280. Thank you for helping us to get the word out!
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.
Calendar Sync Update
Due to our recent website platform change, the process for syncing school and district calendars with your personal calendar is now different. The previous calendar sync from our former website will no longer show the most up-to-date information.
To continue receiving accurate event updates, please disconnect or delete the old calendar link and add the new one…it takes just a minute! A short how-to video is linked below to walk you through the steps.
Food & Nutrition Services
Please click on the following links for more information:
- Where can I view the school lunch menu? Click Here
- How does my student order a school lunch? Click Here
- How do I pay for my child’s meals? Click Here
- How do I apply for free & reduced meals? Click Here
For further details on D25 Food & Nutrition Services, please click here.
February
February 16: Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences and Lunch for Teachers
February 17: Book Club
February 20: Dress as your Favorite Color Spirit Day and Family Dance
February 24: Book Club
February 26: 5th Grade Volleyball Night
February 27: PJ and Stuffy Spirit Day to celebrate successful completion of Pack the Piggy Fundraiser
March
March 2: Stock the Lounge
March 5: Jersey Spirit Day
March 6: 1st Grade Musical
March 8: Windy City Bulls Game
March 12: March Birthday Books
March 12: Portillo's Dine Out
March 12-13: 5th Grade Basketball Shootout
March 20: Dress as a Tacky Tourist Spirit Day (wear Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, etc.)
March 23-27: Spring Break
Glow & Snow Bash - THIS FRIDAY! Register & Volunteer!
Winter blues got you down? Get ready to GLOW in the SNOW! Join us for a night of music, dancing, and fun family-friendly activities. Dryden’s Glow & Snow Bash will be held on Friday, February 20th from 7:00 - 9:00 pm.
This FREE event is open to all Dryden students and their families so register below and let’s GLOW crazy! This is not a drop-off event, parent/caregiver supervision is required.
Please click the following link to register and consider volunteering to help the PTA make this night a success!
Family Dance Registration & Volunteer Sign Up:
https://forms.gle/fkMSDBF9uFHmBwzq6
We will have plenty of space for every family to participate but please sign up promptly so we can plan accordingly. Looking forward to seeing you all!
Calling all 5th Graders!! 5th Grade Volleyball Night is February 26th @ 7pm!
All 5th graders are welcome to join us on Thursday, February 26, 2026 from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm in the Dryden gym for a fun night of volleyball!
Registration is required! The registration deadline is Thursday, February 19, 2026.
**If you have more than one student in 5th grade, please complete the form for each student**
Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc5GwQrHSVSbTyZXUmo2xyrtD93HAJSoHuILTWs5Pth3edSxg/viewform
This is a drop-off event - PARENTS/GUARDIANS MUST SIGN THEIR CHILD IN AND OUT.
Wear comfortable clothes and gym shoes. Snacks will be provided!
We do need volunteers to make this night successful so please consider signing up to help in the registration form. We'll contact you directly to confirm your volunteer spot once the sign-up deadline is over!
Contact Jennifer Garcia (jennifergar1980@gmail.com) or Mindy Turner (melinda.turner880@gmail.com) with questions.
5th grade Baby Photo Slideshow
Attention all 5th Grade Parents! Please email a baby’s picture to the 5th grade slideshow team. Please follow the directions below!
Instructions:
1.Choose ONE baby picture of your 5th grader (ideally less than one year old)
2. Email it to: DrydenBabyPics@gmail.com
3. Be sure to include your child’s first and last name and teacher
4. Include the answer to the following question "What does your child want to be when they grow up"
Feel free to also include any questions you might have in your email! Thank you!
🎵 Save the Date! The 1st Grade Musical Is Almost Here! 🎶🍌
Get ready to go bananas for our amazing 1st graders! They’ve been working a-peel-ingly hard, and we can’t wait to share their performance with you. It’s sure to be a bunch of fun!
Parent & Family Performance: Friday, March 6th at 2:45 PM
🌟 Calling All Volunteers! 🌟
We need your help to make the 1st Grade Musical bananas-tastic! Volunteers are needed to assist during rehearsals and on the day of the performance. Your help will help everything run smoothly—and keep things from getting slippery 😉
👉 Click here to view available dates and times to sign up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4FADA82CA1FCC61-62335252-1stgrade
Questions? Contact us at drydenptachildrensprograms@gmail.com
Time to Stock the Lounge!
Let's show our teachers how lucky we are to have them by stocking the lounge this March 2nd. Please sign up via Sign up Genius and drop off your items by March 1st.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A48A9AE2DA3F94-62268754-dryden#/
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Every February, the U.S. honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who have helped shape the nation. Black History Month celebrates the rich cultural heritage, triumphs and adversities that are a part of our country's history.
PRESIDENTS DAY- FEB 16
A federal holiday for honoring all the past and present presidents who have served as president of the United States of America.
Celebrated on the third Monday in February, date changes year to year.
LUNAR NEW YEAR- FEB 17
Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year based on moon cycles. Also known as: Chinese Chunjie, Vietnamese Tet, Korean Solnal, Tibetan Losar, or Spring Festival, typically celebrated in Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later.
*Dates change year to year
RAMADAN (Begins FEB 17)
Ramadan is a holy month of fasting, introspection and prayer for Muslims. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to sunset, they break their daily fasts by sharing meals with family and friends. The end of Ramadan is celebrated with a three-day festival known as Eid al-Fitr.
*You can exchange Ramadan greetings by saying “Ramadan Kareem,” which translates into “Have a generous Ramadan,” or “Ramadan Mubarak,” which translates into “Happy Ramadan.”