Dryden Splash | August 30, 2026

As a quick review:

Car Line

• No left turn into or out of the Dryden parking lot during arrival or dismissal.
• Please stay in your car when dropping off or picking up your child.
• Do not park in the drop off or pick up lane. This area is intended to be a Kiss & Drive.
• If you prefer to walk your child to or from school, park on a nearby side street.
• Obey our crossing guard.
• The Southminster Church parking lot may not be used.

Soft Start

• Beginning Wednesday, August 26, students will enter and exit through designated doors.
• Students will no longer line up outside with their teachers.
• Use Doors 1 or 2 for general entry.
• Students using the bike racks should use Door 8.

Walk Safely

• Use sidewalks whenever possible.
• If you need to cross the parking lot, always use the crosswalk.

Wheels on Walk Mode

• Bikes and scooters should be walked while on school grounds.

No Dogs on School Grounds

• Dogs are not permitted on school property during arrival or dismissal.

Thank you for helping keep Dryden safe!

Thank you to all of our families who joined us for Curriculum Night on August 26! It was a wonderful evening of learning and connection as teachers shared highlights of the curriculum, important learning goals, and classroom expectations for the year. Families also had the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about what their children will experience throughout the school year. We appreciate our families’ partnership and support as we work together to make it a successful year for every Dolphin!

Thank you to Mrs. Kovacic and her 5th grade volunteers our Hook-a-Book event was a smashing success! Over $1400 were raised which will be used to purchase even more books for our award winning library. Thank you to all who participated!

We completed our first school-wide safety drill of the year on August 27. Our students and staff did a wonderful job following directions, moving calmly and efficiently, and practicing this important safety routine. We will have two additional evacuation drills this fall, with our final evacuation drill on October 21st involving the Arlington Heights Fire Department. These drills help ensure our Dolphins are prepared and know what to do in an emergency.

All Dryden students will participate in the district MAP assessments September 1 - 18, 2026. Classroom teachers will communicate specific testing dates and times. MAP is a computer-based adaptive multiple-choice assessment. Test questions adjust to each student's ability level as they navigate the assessment. There is one math assessment and one reading assessment, taking in total about 1 - 2 hours. More information about the district and state assessment can be found here.

A good night's sleep, nutritious breakfast, and gentle, reassuring, positive encouragement will help our students feel confident and ready to do their best.

As we begin the new school year, we want to remind families of our expectations regarding cell phones and other electronic devices at school, including wearables. These expectations are designed to help students stay focused on learning, minimize distractions, and support a positive school environment.

• Middle school students are expected to turn off electronics and store devices in their middle school locker during the school day.

• Elementary students are expected to leave electronics in the “off” position and in their backpacks throughout the school day.

• A supervising teacher may grant permission for them to be used or if needed during an emergency.

• They may not be used in any manner that will cause disruption to the educational environment or will otherwise violate student conduct rules.

The District will provide access to students who do not own a mobile learning device in circumstances when its use is required for instructional purposes during the day. Electronic devices may be used during the school day if:

• Use of the device is provided in the student’s IEP, or

• Permission is received from the student’s teacher with administrator approval

We appreciate your partnership in helping our students be present, engaged, and ready to learn each day. Please take a moment to review the flyer to the right, along with the full policy in the Parent/Student Handbook.

This is an important reminder that the parking lot at Southminster Presbyterian Church is private property and is not available for use by Dryden or District families at any time during the school day, including arrival and dismissal. Parents are not permitted to enter or use the church parking lot.

We ask for your full cooperation in adhering to this restriction. Please plan ahead by utilizing street parking or arranging carpools. Respecting this boundary is essential to maintaining positive relationships with our neighbors and ensuring the safety of our students, staff, and community.

We are grateful to Southminster Presbyterian Church for their generosity in allowing use of their parking lot after 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and at any time on weekends.

Thank you for your attention to and cooperation with this matter.

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.

Physical/Immunization Record:

• 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

Vision Exam Form:

• 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

Dental Exam Form:

• 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

State-required vision and hearing screenings are starting!

Hearing Screenings will take place for students in grades K, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, students new to the district, and students with IEPs.

Vision screenings will take place for students in K and 2nd grade, students new to the district, and students with IEPs.

Please contact the Dryden health office with any questions.

As part of our commitment to student health, wellness, and safety, District 25 is notifying families that some science lessons this school year may involve the use of food or food-related products as instructional tools. Please click on the letter below that corresponds with your child’s grade level for more information about the specific items that may be used.

Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade

We are excited to share that Fun Fluency Spanish enrichment classes will once again be offered at all District 25 elementary schools during the 2026–2027 school year!

Classes will be offered before and after school right at your child’s school. Fun Fluency classes are designed to make language learning engaging, confidence-building, and interactive for students of all experience levels.

Registration for the 2026–2027 school year is still OPEN. Space is limited, and classes fill up very quickly. Tuition for a full year is $365. For more information or to register, visit https://funfluency.com/registration or click the flyers below:

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.

Saturday, September 19 | 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Arlington Heights Historical Museum
110 W. Fremont St., Arlington Heights

Heritage Fest is looking for families to host booths celebrating their culture, traditions, and heritage. If your family has participated in a D25 Multicultural Fair, this could be a great opportunity to share your culture with the broader Arlington Heights community.

Sign up to host a booth

Heritage Fest is presented by the Arlington Heights Park District, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Arlington Heights Historical Museum, and Village of Arlington Heights.

DirectorySpot (Dryden’s online Family Directory) is being updated to include new families and PTA Members. DirectorySpot information for the 2026-2027 school year should be available by early October. In order to have access to DirectorySpot, you must join as a member of the PTA each year - join the PTA today!

Become a Dryden PTA Member:

https://sd25.revtrak.net/PTA/Dryden-PTA/Dryden-PTA-Membership/#/v/DES-PTA-Membership

Dryden PTA is excited to nurture our students’ love for reading by celebrating their birthdays with a Birthday Book! Below are the dates each student is invited to stop by the Birthday Book table during lunch break to select their book of choice. We celebrate birthdays monthly, so all students will have a chance to choose a book during their birthday month.

Thursday, September 10 - Aug/Sept Birthday Books

Thursday, October 8 - Oct Birthday Books

Thursday, November 12 - Nov Birthday Books

Thursday, December 10 - Dec Birthday Books

Thursday, January 14 - Jan Birthday Books

Thursday, February 18 - Feb Birthday Books

Thursday, March 11 - March Birthday Books

Thursday, April 8 - April Birthday Books

Thursday, May 13 - May/June/July Birthday Books

Purchase your 2026-2027 Dryden Yearbook by September 30th to receive a 10% discount! If you have questions or need help setting up your TreeRing Yearbook account, please email drydenelementaryyearbook@gmail.com.

Purchase Yearbooks Here!

Support a great cause through Dryden's Annual Fall Mum Sale!

Order by September 8th. Pick-up at Dryden on Sunday, September 27th 9:15-10:00am.

Order here: https://my.cheddarup.com/c/2025-fall-mum-sale-copy/items

Join Dryden PTA

Sync the Dryden PTA Calendar to your phone!

Shop Dryden Spirit Wear

Purchase a Dryden 2026-2027 Yearbook

Subscribe to the Dryden PTA Newsletter

Connect with Dryden PTA on Instagram & Facebook