Sunday, October 30, 2016

A School with Great Character

 Throughout Character Counts Week, students wrote their names on hearts and added to our Caring Tree to pledge against bullying and promise to be caring to others at Dryden. 


It's great to see our caring grow!

We focused on making healthy choices during the lunch hour. Mrs. Moxley and Student Council tallied the fruits and vegetables students were eating throughout the week. 

At recess, students drew and wrote messages and drew pictures to show their school pride and how
"Character Counts" at Dryden.  









Our students learn so much about good character by the examples set by the adults around them. 

Below is a photo of our lunch supervisors working together to bring in the school lunches one rainy day last week. They always have a positive outlook, and really care about our students!

On that same rainy day, our Facilities Operations Manager, Mr. Bob, was at Dryden very early in the morning to accept a delivery of pumpkins and set up a pumpkin patch to surprise all of our first grade students. He assisted the students in selecting and carrying the heavy, slippery wet pumpkins to their classrooms safely throughout the morning. 





In the classroom, students weighed and measured their pumpkins. 

Many caring adults like Mrs. Riesing and Mrs. Beane volunteered their time to help the students design and carve their pumpkins into creative jack-o-lanterns.

Amidst the excitement of Character Counts Week and pumpkin-carving, our teachers observed demonstration lessons together and participated in valuable professional learning conversations about the teaching of reading. Our teachers love teaching AND learning! 


The film, Movement, created by former Dryden Dolphins under the direction of Art Teacher, Mrs. Fuglestad was featured at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival over the weekend. Their film was presented along with other films created by children from countries all over the world. 



They were honored guests at the Film Festival. After the showing of their film, they were interviewed and answered questions from the audience. 


This weekend also is an important weekend for the Chicago Cubs! Many of our students and staff are cheering them on in the World Series. 


Go, Cubs, Go!







































Sunday, October 23, 2016

A Caring Community Comes Together


This past Friday, we kicked off Character Counts Week at Dryden. Each day, we review a pillar of character. Students are invited to wear the color of the featured pillar.


Even our school mascot, Echo the Dolphin, dresses up! Echo wore green for the character pillar of RESPONSIBILITY.  Do you see the big green tree behind Echo? It will be interesting to see how the tree "grows" over the week as we learn more about how "Character Counts". 


Last week was also Digital Citizenship Week. As we think about the character pillar of RESPONSIBILITY, we can think about what it means to be a responsible digital citizen.  LMC Director, Mrs. O'Kelly, and Technology Facilitator, Mrs. Frantzen, teamed up to bring a powerful message to students.

 

Mrs. Frantzen and Mrs. O'Kelly have been using resources from Common Sense Media to help our young students remember to demonstrate good digital citizenship. 

The song in this video helps young children remember to...
THINK (with their head) to remember to keep your personal information private
FEEL (with their heart) to be kind, respectful and fair 
BALANCE (with their arms) tech time and unplugging
TRUST (with their gut) to stay away and tell a trusted adult if they find something inappropriate
STAND UP (with their legs) against cyberbullying  


Common Sense Media's website contains a summary of the updated guidelines regarding screen time for children from the American Association of Pediatricians. There are also many other resources for parents at this site that you may find helpful. 


We were jumping for joy at the PTA Just Jump fundraiser this past Friday! It was amazing to see the donations pouring in from the school community throughout the week. We have just about reached our goal! This fundraiser makes many special activities like Running Club, Birthday Books, Rollerskating Party, assemblies, author visits, and book clubs possible for our students. 


We greatly appreciate PE teacher Mr. Gries' leadership in preparing the students and overseeing their participation throughout this special event. 








What better day to have a jump rope fundraiser than on Make a Difference Day?  Friday was also Make a Difference Day. We were so excited to have staff from the Dunton Administration Center visit Dryden and lend us a helping hand. 

 

 


We had wonderful assistance with supervising recess and lunch, and reading to our kindergarten students! We are truly fortunate to have a caring community that comes together. Such a caring community certainly makes a difference in our students' lives!

Friday, October 14, 2016

Cardboard Challenge Day of Play

After several days of planning, designing, building, testing, and rebuilding, students in grades 1, 2 and 4 came together to share and learn about one another's Cardboard Challenge creations in a Day of Play celebration at Dryden Elementary School. 



Advanced Learning Facilitator, Laurie Wasik, collaborated with students and staff, and inspired them with examples from Cain's Arcade and Imagination Foundation's Global Cardboard Challenge


Students worked in teams to incorporate one another's ideas, design and construct something to play with out of cardboard. They came up with many creative ideas: a carwash, a rocket ship, a sailboat, a train, a robot, scuba diving equipment, a hospital for toy animals and more...



The children were very proud to share their creations, and they were very eager and genuinely interested to learn about what others created. 



They persisted and problem-solved through challenges when their initial ideas didn't work.


On our Day of Play, everyone was very interested in playing the games that others created: pinball, bowling, basketball, air hockey and more...



Before the Day of Play, the older students collected data on the scoring elements of their games. They used this data to make refinements in their games and determine winning scores and prizes. This was a very meaningful application of the math skills they have been learning. 



Some of the most powerful learning while participating in the Cardboard Challenge was revealed as students reflected on their experiences after the Day of Play. 



Through experiences like these, our students are developing confidence in themselves while strengthening their problem-solving, collaboration and creative thinking skills. They are developing a playful and innovative mindset that will help them be successful and happy throughout their lives.