Dryden Splash | October 25, 2026

Our 1st and 2nd Grade Activity Night on October 15th was filled with fun, laughter, and teamwork! This special PTA-sponsored event gave students the chance to work together to build impressive Magna-Tile towers, play Gaga Ball, climb the climbing wall, and race scooters. It was wonderful to see everyone cheering each other on, trying new things, and enjoying time with friends. Thank you to our PTA for organizing such a fun evening of teamwork, movement, and making memories!

On October 16th our first graders had a blast celebrating our annual Pumpkin Day! Students began by investigating their pumpkins, making predictions about their height, weight, and circumference before measuring and weighing to see how close they were. We even tested whether pumpkins float or sink and watched a fun video to learn more! To top it all off, each student invited a special person to join them in decorating their pumpkin. With the help of our amazing volunteers, students brought their creative designs and interests to life! It was a fun-filled day of hands-on learning, creativity, and special memories. We love this first grade tradition!

The 5th graders extended their study of Earth and Space by researching astronomers and space telescopes like the James Webb Space telescope. They became an expert in their topic, then were re-sorted into new groups to combine their knowledge. After completing a chart comparing the astronomers, we did a 50 question Kahoot quiz game. The competition was fierce and they demonstrated how much they learned. Next up, to classify galaxies using actual data from the Webb Telescope. Check it out in the Galaxy Zoo. https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo

The Kindergarten and 1st grade students have been enjoying the pumpkin patch in the LMC. We read about a real pumpkin patch and farm and learned about how pumpkins grow. Groups then rotate through 3 stations including a pretend pumpkin patch. In the pumpkin patch, they can buy and sell pumpkins, dig in the "dirt" to plant pumpkins and other vegetables, or visit the snack shop. Other stations include math skills like making patterns with fall shapes or counting fall shapes. We also create more items for our pumpkin patch, like pumpkin "cookies" and candy corn. A huge thank you to our parents who volunteer to help run the stations!

A huge thank-you to our amazing Dryden PTA for treating our teachers and staff to such a delicious dinner on conference night! This year, they decided to try something new, and it was a hit! The PTA brought in a wonderful Mexican dinner catered by Fat Rosie's in Schaumburg, giving everyone a chance to enjoy a delicious meal, take a little break, and recharge during a busy evening of parent-teacher conferences. We are so fortunate to have a PTA that continually finds thoughtful ways to show appreciation for our staff. Your generosity, kindness, and willingness to go the extra mile never go unnoticed. Thank you for taking such good care of our Dryden team! We appreciate you more than you know!

Please click here for information on the following:

• Costume guidelines
• Going home for lunch - Extended lunch for students who go home (New 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.

If your child is in need of a Halloween Costume for the Halloween Parade, please reach out to school social worker Caroline Elsey (celsey@sd25.org).

The playground, blacktop, and fields are closed to families and the public during school hours (8:50 a.m.—3:35 p.m). At 4:00 p.m., our after-school CAP program utilizes the playground and blacktop area. As a result, other students and community members should not use the school's outdoor play areas until CAP is finished using them at 5:00 p.m. Families are welcome to use smaller playground that is just south of the school parking lot on Dryden Place during this time.

Thanks to generous community donations, Wheeling Township offers seasonal support programs for eligible local residents:

• Thanksgiving Meals: Food pantry recipients receive a complete Thanksgiving dinner in November, including turkey and all the traditional fixings.
• Adopt-A-Family Program: Each holiday season, donors are matched with low-income families using their wish lists to provide gifts of clothing and toys.

Financial eligibility requirements apply. To apply for assistance or become a donor, please reach out to the General Assistance Office at 847-259-7730 or email ksabbini@wheelingtownship.com.

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.

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.

Give Thanks & Stock the Lounge!

Our 2nd Stock the Teacher’s Lounge Event

Let’s fill the teacher’s lounge with comfort, treats, and gratitude this season!

As we reflect on all we are thankful for, we are especially grateful for the teachers and staff who give so much to our school community each day. Please help us refresh the lounge with cozy drinks and thoughtful treats!

Donation drop-off: November 2-7

Location: 522 S Dryden – place items in bins outside of front door

Thank you for helping us share a little extra gratitude with our wonderful teachers and staff!

Dryden PTA was recognized by the Northwest Cook Regional Council of PTAs this past Monday, October 19, 2026. Dryden PTA received two awards: one for our membership and one award for our Bike Rodeo, an award that celebrates the efforts of our PTA to provide a bike safety event for our students. We also received a shout out from another D25 PTA for our work in helping other PTAs in our district! Thank you to all the Board Members, Volunteers & Dryden Families who contribute to the success of our PTA! If you haven’t joined PTA yet, you can help us reach our goal of achieving the Gold Membership Award for 2026-2027! Plus, with PTA membership you receive access to Directory Spot and your dues help us provide programming for students and teachers!

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