Franzen Falcon

Dear Franzen Families,

It is with great excitement and gratitude that I introduce myself as the new Principal of Franzen School! As we prepare for the start of another school year, I am honored to join you in this new role and look forward to partnering with our students, staff, and families to make the 2026–2027 school year a memorable and successful one.

This year marks my 11th year in Itasca School District 10 and my first year serving as Principal of Franzen. Throughout my time in Itasca, I have experienced firsthand what makes this district and community so special. From the moment I joined District 10, I have been welcomed with kindness, support, and a shared commitment to providing exceptional opportunities for every student. I am incredibly grateful for those experiences and excited to continue serving the Franzen community in this new capacity.

I hope you and your family have had a wonderful summer filled with opportunities to rest, recharge, and enjoy quality time with family and friends. Summer provides a chance to create lasting memories and prepare for the exciting school year ahead.

As we begin this new chapter together, I look forward to building meaningful relationships with our students, staff, and families. Strong partnerships between home and school are essential to student success, and I am committed to fostering an environment where every child feels welcomed, supported, and inspired to learn each day.

At Franzen, we will continue to uphold District 10's vision of Every Learner, Every Day by creating a school environment where every student is valued, seen, and heard. Together, we will provide engaging learning experiences, support students' academic and social-emotional growth, and cultivate a positive school culture where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

I cannot wait to welcome our students back on Wednesday, August 19th! The hallways are simply not the same without the energy, laughter, and excitement our students bring each day. We are looking forward to an incredible year of learning, growth, and celebration together.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve the Franzen community. I am honored to be your principal and look forward to getting to know each of you throughout the school year.

Until then, enjoy the rest of your summer. We'll see you soon!

• 12 - New Parent Orientation (5:00-5:30pm)
• 14 - Classroom and Bus Assignments Posted to TeacherEase @ 3:30pm
• 19 - First Day of school for students
• 27 - 5th grade Outdoor Education Parent Information Meeting 6:00-6:30 - Franzen Gym
• 27 - Franzen Curriculum Night 6:30 - 7:30 pm

• 4 - Early Release
• 7 - No School - Labor Day
• 8 - Picture Day

Classroom assignments and busing information will be available via TeacherEase on August 14 at 3:30pm.

**If your child has more than one stop TeacherEase will show as blank. This should only impact approximately 10 students** Please contact the school office for information.

As the year begins please know it is normal for your route to be delayed and we have a service to help you be notified if there is a delay.

Please click the link below to sign up for BUS BULLETIN notifications.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we'd like to share an important update regarding school supplies. Benson, Franzen & Peacock will not be hosting a School Supply Drop-Off event for students in Grades 1–8 this year. Instead, students are encouraged to bring their school supplies with them on the first day of school.

We understand this is a change from previous years, and we recognize that changes to familiar routines can sometimes create questions or concerns for families. Please know that our staff has planned for this transition and will be ready to support students every step of the way. Teachers have built time into the first day to help students unpack, organize their supplies, and get comfortably settled into their classrooms. Our goal is to make the process smooth, welcoming, and stress-free for both students and families.

If your child has a larger item or several bags of supplies, our staff will be available to assist as students arrive. We appreciate your flexibility and partnership as we implement this new process and are confident that our students will be off to a great start.

Thank you for your understanding and support. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another fantastic school year!

School Office Hours - 7:30 - 4:00

School Hours Monday-Friday--8:20 - 3:10

Select Wednesday Early Release (see building calendar) - 8:20 - 1:10

• Students will enter the school at 8:20 a.m. (1st bell)
• The tardy bell rings at 8:25 a.m.
• The telephone is not answered prior to 7:50 A.M. or after 4:00 P.M.
• The office can be reached at (630) 773-0100.

Students are to arrive at school between 8:10 A.M. and 8:20 A.M. All students arriving to school by bus, by car or walking from home will line up at their class’s designated end of the building.

• 5th grade students will use the walkway by the 5th grade doors.

• 4th grade students will use the walkway by the main doors. (closest to flagpole & main sign)

• 3rd grade students will use the 3rd grade doors. (closest to our playground)

Supervision of students does not begin until 8:10 A.M. Please do not drop off your student prior to 8:10 am.

For health and sanitary reasons, Franzen students are only allowed to bring fresh fruit or fresh vegetables for their morning snack.

• 11:30 - 12:20 - Lunch/Recess
• 11:30 - 11:55 -3rd/4th grade Organized Activity/Recess - 11:55 - 12:20 - 3rd/4th Lunch
• 11:30 - 11:55 - 5th grade lunch - 11:55- 12:20 - 5th grade recess

If a child forgets his/her lunch or a parent is planning a surprise lunch.

• Children can either call their parents from their classroom in the morning or go to the office to call their parents.

• Children can check in the office to see if someone has brought lunch to school for them. If it has not been brought, a call can be made at that time.

• All lunches dropped off during the school day should be placed on the cart in the main office vestibule and labeled with the student’s first and last name and grade. The office will notify the student.

• If the lunch is a surprise - please let the office staff know so that we can notify the student.

• Franzen does not have personnel or the supplies to make lunches.

Parents have two options when reporting their child’s absence from school.

OPTION 1 Parents may call between the hours of 4:30 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. This option allows parents to be connected with the District #10 Administrative Center Voice Mail System.

To report an absence at FRANZEN INTERMEDIATE dial 1-630-773-1232 and press 7004.

By pressing the extension number you will gain access to the Student Absence Hotline. Upon gaining access to the Hot Line, please state:

1. Your child’s full name

2. His/her teacher’s name

3. Reason for absence

4. Dates and/or amount of time your child will be absent from school

5. Telephone number where you may be reached during the day

6. Requests for homework at Franzen need to be made by 9:00 a.m. or we cannot guarantee it will be ready.

Homework can be picked up after 3:15 p.m. and before 4:00 p.m.

OPTION 2 Parents may call the school offices between 7:50 am - 8:20 am and give the appropriate information to the school secretary.

Join us for the first PTO meeting of the year on August 25 at Benson at 6:30pm. At this meeting, you will pay your dues and sign up for committees as well as join the list to sign up for class parties.

IPTO August 2026 Newsletter

If you are interested in volunteering at Hot Lunch, please attend the first PTO meeting on August 25th for further information. Questions or comments, reach out to denisedicianni@hotmail.com

The IPTO is proud to announce online clothing store that will also be linked on their website. Here are some details

• Store never closes
• Items ship directly to your house
• Shop from several school stores and all items will be placed in one shopping cart
  

Below are links to our school stores:

• Benson Primary School
• Franzen Intermediate School
  
• Peacock Middle School

• English
• En Espanol

Students may only distribute birthday invitations at school if they are inviting their entire classroom of boys and/or entire classroom of girls. Students are not allowed to leave their class to deliver invitations to other classrooms. Students may only bring non-food items to share with their classmates.