Dunlap Dispatch Winter 2024
December 13th, 2023
Dunlap Dispatch Winter 2024
A Note from the Superintendent
Happy New Year! It is amazing how quickly our first semester has gone by! It seems like only
yesterday we were preparing for registration and the start of the 2023-2024 school year
We, as a District, are proud of what our students continue to accomplish both in and outside
the classrooms. We continue to offer so many opportunities to our students. It was again a
privilege to watch our students perform in the high school madrigal, and holiday performances
as well. From basketball, football, lacrosse, scholastic bowl, cheerleading, and dance, to our
band and choir performances and numerous clubs that we offer, our students have access to
participate in so many opportunities!
Together, we have built a strong foundation for future success, and I am excited to see the
positive impact it will continue to have on our students and our entire school community. As
you read and reflect on our accomplishments so far this school year, I ask that you celebrate
the strengths of our entire community, and look forward to what we can accomplish together
in 2024.
Sincerely,
Dr. Scott Dearman
Dunlap School District Launches Mobile App
we have launched a district app on Android and iOS. The app will allow parents to easily view news and calendar items from their child's school. The apps can be found here: https://launch.customschoolapps.net/dunlap-school-district-323/ as well as in app stores.
IT Department Update
Keeping Our Students' Data Safe: IT Department Partners with CISA for Enhanced Security
At Dunlap, the safety and security of our students is our top priority. This extends beyond the physical realm and into the digital world, where protecting sensitive student information is paramount. In pursuit of this goal, we're excited to announce a new partnership with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to implement advanced vulnerability scanning measures within our school's IT infrastructure.
What is Vulnerability Scanning?
Imagine your school's IT network as a fortress. Vulnerability scanning is like having highly trained guards constantly patrolling the walls, searching for weak points that could be exploited by attackers. These scans identify potential security gaps in our systems, software, and devices, allowing us to address them before they can be used to compromise student data.
Why CISA?
CISA is a federal agency dedicated to cybersecurity, and their expertise is invaluable in this endeavor. They provide state-of-the-art scanning tools and resources, along with guidance on interpreting the results and taking appropriate corrective actions. This partnership ensures we're utilizing the most up-to-date and effective methods to identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
What Does This Mean for Our Students?
This initiative directly benefits our students by:
- Strengthening data security: By proactively identifying and patching vulnerabilities, we significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks that could compromise student information, such as names, addresses, or academic records.
- Building a more resilient IT infrastructure: Regular vulnerability scanning helps us create a robust and secure IT environment that's better equipped to withstand cyber threats.
- Demonstrating our commitment to student safety: Partnering with CISA showcases our dedication to employing industry-leading practices and resources to safeguard student data.
Moving Forward:
The IT department is dedicated to maintaining a secure learning environment for all students. This partnership with CISA is just one step in our ongoing efforts to enhance cybersecurity measures and safeguard sensitive information. We will continue to invest in advanced security solutions and work closely with relevant authorities to ensure our students' data remains protected.
As always, we encourage our students and parents/guardians to stay vigilant and practice good online hygiene. Be mindful of what information you share online, use strong passwords, and be wary of suspicious emails or phishing attempts.
Together, we can create a safe and secure digital learning environment where our students can thrive.
Family Literacy Night
This fall, the Curriculum Department hosted a Family Literacy Night to review the new "Dunlap English Language Arts (ELA) Suite of Materials" with participants and talk with families about the "science of reading" that is currently a hot topic and something many states are working to provide guidance on how best to approach literacy instruction. Having performed extensive research during the 2021-22 school year, Dunlap School District has stayed ahead of the curve and ensured our practices and resources are "research-based" and "evidence-proven" in order to make sure our students are skilled readers capable of reading complex infomration and being able to communicate effectively.
Our district is fortunate to have a new position in the Curriculum Department: a Literacy Coach! Leslie Bee, a veteran teacher who previously taught third grade at HGES and BES before, has 17 years of teaching experience, a master's degree in reading, and has been essential in our literacy journey. While new resources are good to have, they are only as effective as they are understood. Lesile will work with our elementary teachers so they have a complete understanding of how our materials will be used at each of our buildings.
The components of language comprehension and work recognition were reviewed with families and easy at-home strategies were shared. Families were also informed on how student progress is monitored, what new assessments will be utilized to determine what specific skills need to be worked on, and Title I Funding and services provided at our Title-I buildings (Dunlap Grade School, Ridgeview Elementary School, Wilder-Waite Grade School, and Dunlap Valley Middle School). A new literacy page is currently in the beginning planning stages to serve as a resource for Dunlap families!
Curriculum Alignment Work
For the most part, it is understood that in order for a student to be ready for the next level (whether it's the next grade, a career, or college), there are certain skills (things students should be able to do) and concepts (things students need to know) that students need to know. In education, we call this learning mastery and it is through the institute days or school improvement afternoons when the district is able to come together, have discussions about what we know to be what students need to be successful and the best way to impart it to our students in the most appropriate way. Below, you will find a summary of some of the work occurring on all of those full or half-days of school when students are off and staff are in our buildings working!
Elevating Elementary Learning
While elementary teachers are focusing on aligning literacy practices to "structured literacy" (or also referred to as "the science of reading"), elementary curriculum council members have been hard at work ensuring that technology standards are focused upon each week. Last spring, teachers worked diligently to perform a gap analysis of what technology standards are not currently part of regular instruction and what skills and concepts can be combined within reading, math, science, or social studies and what needs its own focus during "technology time" each week. The Curriculum Department and teachers utilized the "Computer Literacy Knowledge and Development Skill Continuum" to make sure we are continuing to prepare students for the next level and informed digital citizens.
Understanding the importance of developing fluent, capable, critical mathematic thinkers, math has not been left behind and continues to be a primary area of focus for our curriculum work. Not only have our teachers been analyzing assessment data, but our elementary curriculum council leaders will have time to learn about "trip steps"--skills and concepts that are more difficult than other grade-level standards and require more of a concerted focus--and making updates to our district scope and sequences and identifying resources and instructional methods best suited to meet our district's needs.
Middle-School Musings
In our last news letter, we talked about our Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum (GVC) work and its importance in any school district, Dunlap especially. We truly believe that between our talented staff members, involved parents and supportive community, along with high-quality resources, we are able to offer our students a phenomenal education. Making sure we are up-to-date with mandates by the Illinois State Board of Education, updated learning standards, and knowledgeable of new resources takes time to make sure everyone is on the same metaphorical page!
By guaranteed, we mean that all students have the same opportunity to learn from a clearly articulated core curriculum. A viable curriculum means that the learning objectives are based on prioritized standards that our talented staff have worked relentlessly to identify and implement to become the basis of classroom learning. As each subject area has more standards than can be given equal focus within a given school year, we have worked to identify which are the most necessary at the next level, utilized in other subject areas, and are used to develop a life-long skill.
At the middle-school level, our teachers have been working to articulate "student success criteria" to ensure that students at either middle school, no matter the teacher, will have the same understanding as to what success looks like. Next up are common assessments that will be used to assess how students are doing in their learning journey and the results of which can be used to montior the impact of our district's curriculum.
To ensure families are aware of students' social-emotional learning and skills necessary to be successful in school (and life thereafter), the Middle School Curriculum Council worked to develop a "SEL Report Card" that was deployed this fall. The report card is aligned to the "BIST Goals for Life" that directly teach skills students need to understand in order to regulate and calm themselves down so they can remain in class and focus on learning.
High-School Highlights
Dunlap High School continues to champion through each academic year! Such success comes with an immense amount of planning and understanding of the content and skills students need to know and be able to execute. High school teachers, too, continue to focus on their "GVC" work and are working to "unpack" the standards we are required to utilize to lead instruction. Teachers are capturing this and creating "learning progressions" that are an essential part of preparing for student learning and must be done before "student success critieria" can be completed.
DHS has well over 100 courses which takes time to orgainze scope and sequence documents (what is being taught when and where) For those departments who have ifnished unpacking their content area's learning standards, they have moved on to "student success critieria" that not only makes leanring transparent and takes a complex learning standard and puts it in student-friendly language, it ensures our district's refined understanding of content-area standards are captured and universally understood.
Ensuring our staff are prepared to meet the needs of all students, staff members had the opportunity in October to receive training on supporting English as a Second Language (ESL) students. The October Institute also afforded teachers the opportunity to focus on instructional strategies (that is how teachers choose to engage students in the learning process) and refine their undrestanding of cooperative learning strategies. Cooperative learning strategies are methods that have sutdents work together, equally, and assign roles to complete a common obective. Such engaging learning allows students to develop skills necessary for the workplace (being an effective member of a team) but to broaden their understanding of ideas by listening and interacting with others.
Data Deep Dive!
Currently, the Elementary, Middle, and High School Curriculum Councils are all working to perform a "data dive" and look at historical performance data. The purpose of this activity is to have a deep understanding of our district's performance and identify areas of need and focus as we move forward and making plans for professional learning on future institute days and school improvement afternoons. Each level is examining a host of data, including...
- Assessment data (Illinois Assessment of Readiness, Illinois Science Assessment, Scholastic Aptitude Test, Star Reading & Math)
- Attendance Data
- SEL Data
The results from the data analyses will be shared with grade-level teams/departments, revisions to curriculum will be recommended, and additional resources will be examined if necessary. To make sure we continue to be good stewards of our community's educational system, any change needs to be made with a complete understanding!
Student Services Goals and Initiatives
The Student Services Team has been focusing their work on several targeted areas:
1. School Safety, Health, Nursing, and Wellness
2. Attendance and Truancy
3. Robust systems of intervention
4. Developing connections with community agencies to support all students
5. Supporting administrative processes and procedures in the areas of risk assessment, discipline, residency, and English as a Second Language, and more.
Save the Date
Save the Date for a presentation provided by Sheriff Watkins and his team from the Peoria County Sheriff's Department about the Dos and Dangers of the Digital World. Topics will include social media, bullying, protecting private information, and how to keep your student safe online!
The Student Services Department has compiled a community resource directory for families. Please note that these are community resources that may change programming, services, or support at any time. Dunlap School District does not specifically endorse or promote any one agency over another. To be considered for inclusion in the directory or to suggest an edit, please email Dunlap Community Unit School District #323 Director of Student Services, Mandy Ellis, at mellis@dunlapcusd.net
English as a Second Language
The ESL Middle School Team is partnering with the Illinois Resource Center to adapt the ESL/ELA curriculum for our limited language proficient students. We have many learners from around the world speaking a wide variety of languages in our schools. Some of these students speak little to no English when they arrive here. Our job is to provide them with English language support and to offer them quality literacy instruction that is accessible to them no matter what their language proficiency level is. Mrs. Lofgren and Mr. Kijowski, our middle school ESL teachers, are working with Vanessa Figueroa from the IRC to create book study, vocabulary and character study lessons that allow these students to experience novels in the same way as their English proficient peers. Our goal is to create learning environments that support students wherever they are in their educational journey. This is an exciting year-long endeavor that will benefit students for many years to come!
Social Emotional Learning & Counseling
Elementary Counseling Team Attend the Illinois School Counseling Association Conference
Members of the elementary counseling team attended the ISCA Conference. They attended keynotes, workshops, and learning sessions to support their professional learning. Here they are with ISCA Keynote speakers Brian Coleman (2019 National School Counselor of the Year) and Olivia Carter (ASCA School Counselor of the Year 2021)
National School Counseling Week
National School Counseling Week 2024 (#NSCW24) is Feb. 5-9, 2024, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February. The 2024 theme is "School Counseling: Standards-Based, Student-Focused." Thank you to all of our school counselors!
Introduce a Girl to STEM Event
In November, Caterpillar hosted their annual "Introduce a Girl to STEM" program at the Edwards Demonstration and Learning Center. Several 8th grade girls participated in hands-on, career exploration activities. The event included a construction equipment demonstration, building a simple circuit, 3D printing activities, and a catapult competition. Thank you Caterpillar and the Women's Initiative Network for this enrichment opportunity!
Special Education Initiatives
Literacy Interventions
K-12 Special Education teachers have been working all year with Instructional Coaches Naomi Kosier and Jennifer Chlebowski on learning frameworks that integrate the concepts of Structured Literacy. The frameworks are Guided Reading, Comprehension Focus Group, and Assisted Writing. This year, the teachers are practicing the frameworks and getting comfortable with designing instruction. Next year, teachers will work together to identify students for intervention, organize them into small groups, and meet daily to work on a targeted intervention for one quarter. At the end of the quarter, teachers will collaborate to reorganize groups and assign different interventions.
Assistive Technology
The Special Education team is working on increasing the capacity to implement Assistive Technology (AT). AT is any item, piece of equipment, software program, or product system that helps students with disabilities increase, maintain, or improve their functional capabilities. Our long-term goals are to:
- Use the SETT collaborative decision-making model framework to match students with the appropriate support.
- Provide training and coaching in the classroom to improve the implementation of AT.
- Develop an AT library
- Support families by providing training so devices can be used in the home environment.
We believe that communication is the priority for our students who are nonverbal or demonstrate limited verbal skills. All children are readers and writers and the pathway to development is access to devices that are used with integrity, understanding that AT is the child's voice. Furthermore, students across disability categories can benefit from all kinds of tools. Through collaboration and teacher education, we will grow efficacy with the integration of AT in our learning spaces.
Magical Moments
Magical moments are happening every day in our learning spaces. Teachers, teacher assistants, and related service providers put so much energy into developing relationships with students and creating wonderful learning experiences. Thank you team for all you do! We are so proud of Dunlap Special Education!
Resource Fair
On November 8, agencies across the tri-county area introduced parents to support and services available to persons with disabilities. SpEd Team members gathered to organize and host this incredible opportunity for families. If you missed it in 2023, join us this year.
You're Invited
On behalf of the Parent Advisory Council, Dr. Hastings and Ms. Tiller invite you to join us for our next parent event on January 17. Whether you have a child in our ECE program or an elementary, middle, or high school student, this event is for you! It is time to plan for your child's future. DRS Specialist Todd Welton will explain what you need to know to chart the course for your sons and daughters. If you are a parent new to special education or have many years of experience, School Psychologist Gwen Badgerow will guide you in navigating our world. No sitter? No problem! Our Best Buddies will care for your children on-site while you attend sessions and connect with other parents. We can't wait to see you!
Thank you to our Parent Advisory Council: Megan Crookham, Stacia Fee, Tiffany Hurt, Deanna Marquette, Jane Mason, Tara Michels, Katlin Reardon, and Shannan Werckle.
US News & World Report "Best High Schools"
Dunlap High School was once again recognized in the US News and World Report of Best High Schools! DHS received the #1 ranking for high schools in the Peoria Metro Area, #53 in the State of Illinois and #1,441 in the National rankings! Congratulations to the Dunlap High School staff, students and community on this outstanding recognition!! To see the entire Dunlap High School profile on the report, click here.
Dunlap High School Receives "Exemplary" Status from the ISBE
• Overall performance in the top 10 percent of all schools
• Must have no underperforming student groups at or below the “all students” group of the lowest-performing 5 percent of schools
• High schools must have a graduation rate higher than 67 percent
Congratulations to the entire Dunlap High School Community on this outstanding achievement!
Dunlap High School Named to the 2022-2023 AP School Honor Roll
Congratulations to Dunlap High School students & staff for being named to the 2023 AP School Honor Roll! Dunlap High School is a "bronze" member of the Honor Roll as 48% of seniors took at least one AP exam during high school, of which 44% of graduated seniors scored a three or higher on at least one AP exam. DHS surpassed the “gold-level” benchmark score and had 11% of seniors take five or more AP exams, one of which was during their freshman or sophomore year!
DHS Tennis Finishes in 3rd Place in the IHSA State Finals
Congratulations to the DHS Girls' Tennis Team! The Lady Eagles had an amazing 20-2 overall record in dual matches this season. The ladies were team champions in the Bloomington Purple Invite, the L-P Cavalier Invite , the Diane Pettit Richwoods Invite and the Varsity conference tournament. The ladies went undefeated in conference matches,and were finalists in every division of the Conference Tournament. In the postseason, the ladies had a perfect score of 36 at the Galesburg Sectional tournament for only the second time in Dunlap Tennis history, and qualified all entries for state tournament for only the 2nd time in the history of the ladies tennis program. In the trip to the suburbs for the State Tournament, our ladies fought for 3 days to take home the 3rd place trophy for Class 1A. Sophie Muir & Alassea Michel finished in 3rd place for the doubles portion of the tournament, the highest finish for a Peoria-area ladies team in the past 20+ years, and good enough to secure 1st team All-State honors. Shikha Agarwal won her first 3 matches before playing the #1 seeded player. Shikha ended up finishing 3-2 in the tournament and earned 2nd team All-State singles honors for the second straight year. Sophomore Maya Baman also finished with a 3-2 record at the tournament and earned 3rd team All-State singles honors for the second straight year.
Dunlap High School Unified Program
On December 8, the Dunlap High School Unified Program held a basketball scrimmage with Limestone's Unified Program prior to the boys' basketball game. The program continues to grow and add opportunities in which our Unified students can participate. Thank you to all the community members and businesses who have contributed to the Unified Program!
DHS St. Jude Club 2022-2023 Donation
The St. Jude Club was presented with a banner In September for their amazing donation of $23,190 for the2022-2023 school year. The club worked very hard to raise this money hosting a variety of events such as candy sales at halloween, an easter egg hunt, a 5K run, and also a black out cancer event that was made possible by the girls’ basketball team. We couldn’t have done this without the help of our amazing community. Thank you for your support!
DHS 2023 Retirees
Congratulations to our 2023 retirees from Dunlap High School! Pictured L to R are: Becky Hopkins (Math), Paula Recker (Paraprofessional), Debbie Smith (Office Assistant), Kenneth Baker (Chemistry) & Ed Tallon (Social Studies). Congratulations to these five individuals and thank you for your service to the students at DHS!!
Dunlap High School Class of 2023
Congratulations to the Dunlap High School Class of 2023! On May 13, 297 graduates walked across the stage at the Dunlap High School Stadium. We are proud of all of their accomplishments during their time at DHS. Best of luck to the Class of 2023 in their future endeavors!
IHSA Girls' State Track Final Results
Congratulations to the DHS Girls' Track state qualifiers on medaling at the 2023 IHSA State Meet in Charleston!
Chelsea Wetzel-Pole Vault STATE CHAMPION
Teagan Sullivan-Long Jump State Runner-Up
Samantha Yeh-High Jump-4th Place
Abby Tudeen-3200 M Run-7th Place
Teagan Sullivan/Olivia Jacobson/Madeline Kammerer/Jordyn Manback-4X200 Relay-8th Place
2023 National Honor Society Induction
On April 12th, the Dunlap High School Chapter of the National Honor Society held its annual induction ceremony. Juniors and seniors with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and above were invited to apply for membership. The students who were selected for membership into the NHS demonstrated excellence in ideals of the National Honor Society, which are academics, character, citizenship, leadership, and service. At the ceremony, 120 new members were inducted.
Dunlap Art Student Receives Gold Medal
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards host a regional show each year. Gold Key winners from the regional show are submitted for a juried national show in New York City. Of the 260,000 works of art entered, Neena D'Souza was awarded a Gold Medal; less than 1% of all entries received this award. Neena will be awarded her medal at a ceremony at Carnegie Hall this summer.
DHS Wrestling Gets First State Medalist
Congratulations to Nick Mueller on placing 2nd in the IHSA Class 2A Wrestling State Finals. Nick competed in the 160 lb. weight class and is the first DHS athlete to medal in Wrestling. NIck is Dunlap High School's first state medalist in the school's fourth year of the program.
DMS #14 Middle School in U.S. News & World Report
Dunlap Middle School was recognized as the #14 middle school in Illinois according to the U.S. News & World Report. A well-deserved congratulations to the students, staff, and families of the Dunlap Middle School community for their hard work, partnership, and dedication to student growth. Read the report by clicking the button below.
8th Grade Girls Basketball State Champions!
The 8th Grade Lady Panthers Girls Basketball Team finished their season as the IESA Class 4A State Champions! The team worked hard and were a pleasure to watch as they finished their season with a 25-5 record. Congratulations to the team and coaches Nick Romolo, Cameron Nieseman, and Kristina McWilliams on a great season and for representing our school community in such a positive way.
DMS Panthers with a Purpose Service Day
In November, Dunlap Middle School students participated in our annual “Panthers with a Purpose Service Days”! As part of our fundraising efforts with the DMS Parents’ Club, students collected pledges to participate in service projects throughout Peoria County. Students helped create Thanksgiving food baskets for families at Dream Center Peoria, helped organize and restock the food pantry at the Peoria Friendship House, cleaned fire trucks at local fire stations, amongst other service projects at various schools and organizations. The fundraising efforts brought in about $12,000 to help fund school events and projects but more importantly, students gained a sense of how important it is to give back to their community. We look forward to our 2024 Panthers with a Purpose Service Day!
DMS Boys Cross Country 2nd at State Meet
The Dunlap Middle School Cross Country teams had another great season, led by head coach Heather Baker and assistant coaches, Randy Black and Natalie Lanser. The boys team finished 2nd place at the IESA class 3A state cross country meet! Students Tyson H. earned all state honors finishing in 6th place and Tyler O. earned all state honors finishing in 11th place. Great job to all the runners!”
Holiday Meals Provided
Dunlap Valley partnered with our Parents Club and Hy-Vee to provide nine Christmas meals for some our families this holiday season. Mrs. Stonewall's class enjoyed their shopping trip and put the meals together for these families. We are very thankful for everyone's generosity this holiday season.
Salvation Army Bell Ringers
Dunlap Valley Student Council along with Mrs. Seymour’s Choir group volunteered to sing and work the Salvation Army collection at Hy-vee.
Dunlap Valley Dance Team is advancing to the State Dance Competition in February.
On Saturday, December 9, 2023, the Dunlap Valley Dance team competed at the Dunlap Eaglettes competition for IDTA (Illinois Drill Team Association). The DVMS Dance team placed first in the Poms division with a crowd-pleasing number featuring music about America. During the competition, the girls enjoyed watching and cheering on the Eaglettes as they performed. The DVMS Dance team has been working hard on technique and learning three dances while practicing several times a week. Their time and dedication are showing and the team is excited to perform on February 9th at the state competition! Way to go girls!
Introduce a Girl to STEM Field Trip
Dunlap Valley had the opportunity to bring several 8th grade students with interest in careers in science, technology, engineering, and math to this program. They traveled to the Caterpillar Demonstration Center in Edwards, Illinois to participate in hands-on learning experiences. The students were able to view a live demonstration of Caterpillar's tractors, work with simulators, use 3D pens, and worked as a team to create a catapult! These direct learning experiences helped students increase their understanding of what they could pursue in their future endeavors.
3D printing group donation
Dunlap Valley's 3D Printing Group collected orders from students for a few weeks and created different products for their customers. Using their profits they were able to present a donation of a $100 to Mrs. Yadlosky's STEM classroom. Mrs. Yadlosky plans to use the funds in her STEM class to enhance her lessons.
Start of the year and staff focus
The 2023-2024 school year has gotten off to a great start. Banner Elementary experienced an increase in enrollment with nearly 40 more students than last school year. We are so happy to welcome so many new families to the Banner community as well as new teachers and staff.
In preparation for the challenges faced by students dealing with trauma, our staff underwent five training sessions provided by the Peoria Regional Office of Education. These sessions focused on understanding the importance of regulating students before they are ready to engage in learning.
"Bobcat Families"
In order to enhance our school culture, our Banner Vision Team, consisting of teachers from each grade level, initiated the creation of "Bobcat Families." This innovative approach involved forming 31 families, each made up of students from different grade levels, ranging from 12 to 15 students per “family.” Monthly gatherings were organized, where “families” discussed and participated in activities related to the designated character word of the month. These Bobcat Families have strengthened our sense of community.
Banner PTO
Our Banner PTO has been working diligently to create fun family events while also raising funds for a new digital sign. After two years of fundraising, we are thrilled to announce the upcoming installation of a new school digital sign at the intersection of Cedar Hills and Allen Rd. This project required nearly $50,000 in funding. In addition to the digital sign initiative, the PTO successfully coordinated events such as an ice cream social, Fall Fest, dine-out nights, and a blood drive, demonstrating an enormous support for our students, teachers, and school.
Sign coming soon!
Fall Fest Fall 2023
Ice Cream Social in August
Banner Community's Generosity
Continuing the tradition of generosity, Banner's families made significant contributions this year. In November, we collected 3,886 boxes of macaroni and cheese for donation to the Midwest Food Bank. Since 2016, Banner has donated nearly 25,000 boxes of macaroni and cheese to the local community. Currently, we are in the process of collecting funds for the annual Holiday collection for the Children's Home of Peoria. The funds raised (over $5,700) were distributed, and the entire school participated in a shopping trip in December. The gifts were delivered to the Children's Home, where they were greeted by "Mr. and Mrs. Claus." Since 2005, Banner families have generously donated over $98,000 to support this meaningful cause.
Macaroni Mountain
Shopping at Target
Delivery to the Children's Home
Food Drive
Dunlap Grade School recently organized a highly successful food drive to support local families in need. Students, parents, and teachers joined forces to collect non-perishable food items, creating a generous donation that will undoubtedly make a significant impact on the lives of those facing food insecurity in our community. The outpouring of support highlights the school’s commitment to instilling a sense of social responsibility in its students.
Therapy Dog
Meet Teddy! He is the lovable therapy dog at DGS. His presence at the school has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, creating a more positive and inclusive learning environment. Teddy’s visits are not only enjoyable but also play a crucial role in promoting emotional well-being among the school community.
Royal Fun Run
The Royal Fun Run is a DGS Parents Club sponsored event that promotes physical activity and fun all while raising money to support the school. Parents donate their time and energy to make this a successful event by constructing obstacles, setting it up in the early hours before school, and volunteering throughout the day. From the rope climb wall to the hanging treads, fun was had by all as they navigated a variety of obstacles. Adding to the excitement, the Dunlap Fire Department came out, sponsored a station, and cheered on the Royals as they skillfully maneuvered through the obstacles. The Royal Fun Run isn’t just a race; it’s a celebration of community, fitness, and support for our school.
The Royal Bell
At DGS, we celebrate not only academic achievements but also the positive character and actions of our students. One particularly joyous tradition is the opportunity for students to ring the Royal bell when recognized for their outstanding accomplishments. Whether it’s reaching an academic goal, demonstrating a positive character trait, or leveling up on personal goals, students beam with pride as they get to sound the bell. In addition, students receive a sticker that says, “I rang the Royal bell today! Ask me what I did!” It’s a small act with a resounding impact, demonstrating our shared journey towards preparing every student to succeed each day.
School Rankings
The start of the 2023-2024 school year has been one of success and celebration. We are very proud of our students’ efforts, community involvement, and many accomplishments. The teachers and staff at HGES take great pride in making personal and purposeful connections with every student each day. Hickory Grove continues to be recognized for academic excellence at the local, state and national level. HGES was recently ranked #31 out of all elementary schools in Illinois by US News and World Report (up 19 spots from last year).
We are so proud of our students and teachers for this special achievement!
Direct Donation Drive for the Outdoor Learning Center
Hickory Grove is fortunate to have an active and dedicated PTO. This year, through a direct donation drive, they were able to raise over $15,000. Students and families were motivated to bring in donations in order to turn Mrs. Wooden into a human sundae! The money will be used for the next phase of our Outdoor Learning Center which will include dedicated spaces for both music and art. Research is clear that outdoor learning promotes greater creativity, problem solving, and engagement.
Human Sundae
Not all classrooms have four walls
Gardening Club
Challenger Field Trip
The 5th grade classes at HGES successfully completed their field trip to the Challenger Learning Center this past fall. As part of the experience, students are able to participate in a 2 hour immersive space simulation. In Mission Control, students take charge and are responsible for guiding the astronauts. In the Spacecraft, students become astronauts and conduct important research experiments. “Rendezvous with a Comet” is a highly engaging, team building experience for all involved. Year after year, the students overwhelmingly agree that this is one of their favorite field trips while in elementary school.
Life Support
Keeping the Space Station safe for all astronauts.
Isolation Team
Keeping the astronauts safe from "radioactive" space objects.
Remote Team
Checking the insects to make sure none are "poisonous".
Canned Food Drive
The Hickory Grove kindergarten team held their annual school-wide canned food drive during the month of December. This is a friendly competition between the grade levels to see who can bring in the most donations. The canned food drive offers our students the opportunity to make a difference in our community. This year, the students of HGES donated over 2,000 items to the Peoria Area Food Bank. HGES is very proud of our students’ generous donations.
Running Club
One of the extracurricular opportunities offered to students at Hickory Grove is Running Club. Staff members volunteer their time to teach students the importance of physical health, running endurance, and sportsmanship. The club is open to 5th grade students in the fall and 4th grade students in the spring. As a culminating activity for each group, the students and volunteers participate in a local race.
International Fair
One of the traits that makes our school unique is the rich cultural diversity that exists within our school. We have over 20 different languages represented in our student body and roughly 15% of our students qualify for English as a Second Language (ESL). Our students have a chance to learn side by side with students from all walks of life and this allows for a broader overall educational experience for our students. One way we showcase this diversity is through an annual International Fair. Our International Fair took place in November and consisted of a variety of different countries stationed around our commons area. Students obtained a passport upon entry to the event and had their passports stamped as they visited each country. Parents and families who hosted displays set up artifacts, poster boards, and even food from their culture. It is a wonderful way to celebrate our diversity and to learn from one another.
5th Grade Challenger Center Experience
Our 5th grade students had the opportunity to take part in a simulated space mission as part of their Challenger Learning Center field trip in November. This trip is funded by our PTO and allows students to engage in hands-on exploration and discovery opportunities that strengthen knowledge in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM). This experience also aims to inspire curiosity in these fields in pursuit of future educational and career growth. The Challenger Learning Center is part of Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois. Big thanks to our PTO for providing funding for this fantastic learning experience for our students.
RES Haunted Glow Run
All students took part in our main PTO fundraiser for the year, the Haunted Glow Run! This took place during physical education classes prior to Halloween. Students solicited donations for the run and all proceeds went directly to our PTO to support the work they do for our school. Our PTO plays an active role in supporting our staff and students by providing additional funding for teacher materials and supplies, classroom sound systems that amplify teacher voices, additional reading material for our Media Center and classroom libraries, playground equipment, funding for special classroom and grade level projects, field trips, and so much more. We surpassed our fundraising goal of $8,000 and celebrated this accomplishment with an all-school staff pie eating contest. Mrs. Kuethe dethroned our returning champion Mrs. Blayney in a closely contested match.
Ridgeview Outdoor Education Center
The Ridgeview Outdoor Education Center continues to develop. This space was originally designed as a natural wetlands area when the school was built in 2001. Over time, the area became overgrown and unusable. In the spring of 2020, a decision was made to refurbish this space into an outdoor learning space for students. The PTO has played a significant role in building our Ridgeview Outdoor Education Center and countless volunteers have devoted hours upon hours of time supporting this work. The space was cleared in the summer of 2020 and, since that time, we have built several outdoor learning stations, added a storage shed, planter boxes, a sandbox, bench seating built by Cub Scouts, wooden signage for each station, landscaping material, and finally a path to connect all of our stations. There is still much work to be done, however, we are fortunate to have an authentic, nature-based educational area for our students to have access to. For a more complete overview of the progression of our work, check out the Ridgeview Outdoor Education Center Overview.
Building Updates
Wildcats were excited to return from summer break to many updates on our walls and halls! New updates to our building's interior included a fresh color scheme, new carpet, updated windows and blinds and new colorful Wilder-Waite rugs. These enhancements create a more vibrant and comfortable learning environment, reflecting our commitment to providing a welcoming place for all to learn and work as a school family.
73rd Annual Spook Spectacular
Following a modified format for the past few years, the 73rd Annual Spook Spectacular returned in October of 2023. All families were invited to participate in the event at no charge. The event included:
- Carnival Games
- The Haunted Library
- Dunk Tank with Wilder-Waite Teachers
- Sweet Shop (home baked goodies for purchase)
- Food Trucks
- Cotton Candy
- Raffle Drawing
- Silent Auction Items on Display
- The Little Pumpkin Patch (for the youngest pumpkins attending)
The event was well attended and positive feedback was shared as families were happy to connect with the school community and with each other. We are grateful for the PTO team who organized the event and their commitment to keeping this long standing WIlder-Waite alive and well.
Wildcat Dens
Wildcat Dens kicked off again in September! The purpose of dens is to create meaningful relationships across our school family. Our first Den of the year focused on “get to know you” activities and welcoming our new kindergartners and all new students to their dens. Each month the Den meets to build small groups within our school community. Dens provide another way for students and staff to make meaningful connections and foster a sense of belonging.