Dryden Splash | October 11, 2026

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High Fives from Echo!
On Friday, October 2, Echo, Dryden School’s beloved dolphin mascot, made a special appearance at dismissal! Our Dolphins loved giving Echo high fives as they headed home, and families had the opportunity to snap some fun photos together. Echo’s visit was all about building excitement and encouraging families to support the PTA’s biggest fundraiser of the year, Fund the ’Phin! Thank you to our PTA and families for helping make Dryden such a special community!
Walking Together, Shining Together: National Walk to School Day!
On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, the Dryden community came together to celebrate National Walk to School Day! This special day encourages healthy habits, promotes pedestrian safety, and strengthens our sense of community by bringing students, families, and staff together on the journey to school. Dryden teachers and I met families at neighborhood corners to walk and bike to school together. It was wonderful to see so many students and their siblings participating, enjoying the fresh air, and sharing smiles along the way! A special thank-you goes to our crossing guard, Mr. Poteracki, for helping keep everyone safe and making the morning run smoothly. Thank you to all the families who joined us for this fun and active start to the day! Be sure to check out some photos from our morning below!
Veterans Day Invitation
Veterans Day is a truly special tradition at Dryden as we come together to honor and thank the veterans in our community who have served our country. Our annual Veterans Day Breakfast and Assembly gives our Dolphins an opportunity to show their appreciation and learn about the service and sacrifices of the brave men and women in our armed forces. Families are welcome to recognize veterans who can join us in person as well as those who will be honored in spirit. If you would like to invite a veteran to Dryden for breakfast and our assembly on Wednesday, November 11, please click the link below to RSVP. We look forward to celebrating this meaningful tradition together.
RSVP by 11:00 pm on Monday, October 19, 2026!
Halloween Celebration Information
Please click here for information on the following:
- Costume guidelines
- Going home for lunch - Time frame is updated for this year!
- Parade route - Updated for this year!
- Classroom parties
- And more!
We look forward to a safe and fun parade and celebration for our students!
Click the orange button above to complete the Halloween Home/School Lunch and Party Participation Form for each student so we know your family's plan for Halloween and can plan appropriately.
Updated Parade Route for 2026
No Cough Drops in School
Cough drops are not allowed at school. They can be kept in the health office for your student with the following three steps!
Cough drops need to be dropped off by a parent, they cannot be sent in a student's backpack
Cough drops need to be in an unopened package, not just individually wrapped drops
The district medication authorization form completed by parent and doctor, not a doctors note
If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Rixon, at mrixon@sd25.org
October 15th is Exclusion Date for students without completed health forms
We appreciate the families who have already submitted their child’s required health forms.
It is crucial that all necessary forms are provided to avoid any interruption in your child’s education as the State of Illinois REQUIRED EXCLUSION date of October 15th.
Our school nurses will be reaching out to families who need to submit updated information, so please be attentive to any communication via voicemail, email, or backpack mail. For any questions or further assistance, please visit our D25 Health Services page for the school nurse contact information.
Required for all kindergarten and new students
The physical must be completed within a year of school start, dated on or after August 20, 2025
Parents must complete and sign the health history section
Immunizations Requirements must be met or include a MD approved schedule of administration
Failure to submit the form and have it reviewed by the School Nurse prior to the OCTOBER 15th deadline will result in your child being EXCLUDED from school
Required for all kindergarten and students new to the state of Illinois
The exam must be completed by a licensed eye doctor and dated on or after August 21, 2025
The official State of Illinois Eye Examination form is required
Due date of October 15, 2026
Required for all kindergarten, second grade and six grade students
The exam must be completed by a licensed dentist and dated after November 15, 2025
The official State of Illinois Dental Examination form is required
This is due by May 15th, 2027
Lost and Found: Take a Look Before It’s Gone!
Dryden’s Lost and Found is overflowing with hoodies, sweaters, water bottles, lunch bags, and so much more! You might be surprised by what your child has left behind. Remember, children often don’t realize they are missing something, so it is well worth taking a look yourself! Please contact the Dryden School office to make arrangements to come in and search for any missing items.
As a reminder, unclaimed items are donated to a local charity on the last day of each month. Our next donation date is Saturday, October 31, 2026. Any items with a student’s name written in or on them will be returned to that student before the remaining items are donated.
Finally, please take a moment to label your child’s clothing and belongings with their first and last name. This simple step makes it much easier for us to return lost items to their owners and helps prevent perfectly good belongings from ending up in the donation pile. Thank you for helping us keep our Lost and Found manageable and getting those missing items back where they belong!
Here is a photo of some of the many items currently in our Lost and Found.
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.
Fall Parent Teacher Conferences | October 22 and 23, 2026
We are preparing for and looking forward to meeting with you during Parent Teacher Conferences! Conferences will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from 8:20 am to 7:40 pm and Friday, October 23, 2026, from 8:20 am to 11:40 am.
If you did not already sign up for a conference time, please contact your child's teacher AND the Dryden School office at 847-398-4280 to schedule one.
Important PTA and School Dates
UPCOMING DATES
October
10/13: Chess Club
10/15: 1-2 Activity Night
10/19: Last day to RSVP for Veterans Day breakfast and assembly
10/20: Chess Club
10/22-23: No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences
10/27: Chess Club
10/30: Class Halloween Parties
10/31: Lost and Found items will be donated to charity
November
11/03: No School - Election Day
11/09: Stock the Lounge
11/10: Chess Club
11/11: Veterans Day Events
11/12: November Birthday Books
11/12: 3rd - 4th Activity Night
11/23-27: Thanksgiving Break
12/10: December Birthday Books
12/10: Parent Social: Ugly Holiday Sweater Party
12/16: 4th Grade Musical
12/17: Stock the Lounge (Breakfast)
12/18: Winter Wonderland/Winter Celebration
12/21-1/4: Winter Break
THANK YOU!
WOW! A HUGE THANK YOU to all of those who joined the wave of giving by donating to Fund the ‘Phin! ❤️🐬Our amazing community helped us not only meet but exceed our goal! 🎉 Every dollar raised will go towards funding programs for our students, staff, and families.
Letters for tax purposes and a little thank you gift will be sent home via backpack mail to those who donated in the next couple of weeks. Thanks again to those who helped us shine for our Dolphins!
Activity Night - 1st & 2nd grade
Our 1st and 2nd Grade Activity Night is happening this Thursday, October 15th! If you have not signed up - we will have a separate sign-in for any walk-in families. Feel free to drop off or stay and hang out! Either way - it will be a memorable evening for our 1st and 2nd graders! We can't wait to see you there!
📍 Thursday, October 15 | 6:00-7:00 PM
SAVE THE DATE! Veterans Day Appreciation Breakfast
Dryden’s Annual Veterans Day Appreciation Breakfast is coming up!
📅 Wednesday, November 11th
⏰ 8:10–10:00 a.m.
📍 Dryden Commons
Join us as we honor and celebrate the Veterans in our Dryden community!
Sign-ups for volunteer opportunities and pastry donations will be at the October 25th Splash!