Royal Decree Family Newsletter

April 2

• Parents Club Meeting (7:00 pm)

April 3

• Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
• 2nd Grade Hult Center

April 4

• DGS Spirit Day/Popcorn at Lunch
• 3rd Grade Sommer Farm Field Trip

April 7-18

• IAR Testing

April 18

• Progress Reports Issued

April 21

• Teacher's Institute/No School

April 22-May 12

• Spring STAR Benchmark Testing

April 23

• 5th Grade Three Sisters Park

April 24-30

• Spring Book Fair- More Details to Come!

April 29

• K Music Program (6:00 pm)
• 1st Music Program (6:45 pm)

April 3 - Mrs. Gonzalez

April 10 - Mrs. Weiss

April 16 - Ms. Nemeth

Students in 3rd-5th will be taking the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) from April 7-18. Please make every effort to have your child in school and on time during the testing window. Avoid scheduling routine dental or medical appointments as it is difficult to complete the required makeup testing within the testing window.

Please take time to complete the 5Essentials Survey if you have not already. The survey takes just 5-10 minutes and provides essential insights that help us improve our school community. Currently we have 23% participation rate and are going for 40-50%. Thank you as we value your feedback!

CLICK HERE to take the 5Essentials Parent/Guardian Survey.

On time attendance is important and necessary for learning. If your child will be absent due to an appointment or is ill, please notify the office by 8:00 am each day.

You can call the office or email your absence to:

Mrs. Kamin lkamin@dunlapcusd.net and

Mrs. Sullivan msullivan@dunlapcusd.net.

All first grade students will need to get a dental exam for 2nd grade. Please remember to get the Illinois School form and turn it in after your next check up!

It's not too early to schedule your physical for the 2025-2026 school year. All 6th grade students must have a current physical with updated immunizations in order to receive a schedule and start middle school in the fall. Call their health provider to make an appointment soon.

To promote a positive, safe, and healthy lifestyle and classroom learning community, birthday celebrations at school will not include treats or favors from home. Teachers will choose to celebrate students in their classroom in grade and age appropriate ways.

Get to know other parents, Mrs. Rychener, and the entire staff at DGS by volunteering with the

Parents Club. We have multiple open Officer and Committee Chair positions for the 2025-2026

school year. Information specific to each committee can be found on the DGS Parents Club

website: Meet the Team | DGS Parents Club (dunlapparentsclub.wixsite.com), or you can contact any of our current officers or the nominating committee with questions.

Yes, you may self-nominate! Elections will take place at the May 6th Parents Club Meeting. Please

email dunlapparentsclub@gmail.com if you are interested in submitting a nomination or volunteering

for one of our 2025-2026 Officer or Committee Chair positions!

The last 2 Parents Club meetings of this school year will be on Wednesday, April 2nd and on

Tuesday, May 6th. Both will be at 7:00 pm in the DGS Café. All parents and guardians of DGS

Royals and DGS staff are welcome! We hope you can join us!

Thanks,

Annalee Huntington

DGS Parents Club President

The DGS Parents Club would like to thank all DGS families for the support demonstrated at the SIP lunches this year. Your donations made it possible for us to provide our wonderful DGS staff

members with a great lunch before an afternoon full of professional learning. We can't wait to

continue to recognize our amazing DGS educators during Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you

again for your ROYAL support!

The Royal Reader Spring Book Fair will take place on Tuesday, April 29th with themed activities throughout the week. More details will be forthcoming!

Muffins in the Morning will be on Friday, May 2nd from 6:45 – 7:30am. We will be serving delicious muffins, fruit, and yogurt along with coffee, juice, and milk in the DGS gym. Keep a lookout for more information.

This year we will be having the Royal Fun Run on Thursday, May 8th (rain date of May 9th). We NEED several volunteers to help set up the obstacles outside in the morning before school starts on the day of the Fun Run. If we do not get volunteers, we cannot have the event. So please mark your calendars! More information about the Fun Run will be coming home in early April!

Any student in 3rd-8th grades interested in building or improving their basketball skill is invited to attend upcoming HOI Spring Basketball workouts beginning Wednesday April 2nd through Wednesday, April 30th. All workouts will take place at Dunlap Valley. There will be a strong emphasis on shooting off the catch, shooting off the dribble, and ball handling skills. For more information visit www.heartofillinoisbasketball.com. This is a great opportunity to get ready for the upcoming basketball season. Last year's sessions did fill up so sign up soon!

The Peoria Park District’s Summer Camps and Sports Guide is now ready for you! Click the link below to explore all the exciting programs and activities available for the upcoming season. From sports leagues to creative camps, there’s something for everyone this summer.

Access the Summer Camps and Sports Guide here!

As part of our commitment to ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for all students, we want to take a moment to explain the Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which we have adopted in our school.

The Standard Response Protocol is a set of clear, consistent actions that are designed to help students and staff respond effectively in an emergency situation. Developed by the I Love U Guys Foundation, the SRP provides a common language and set of procedures that can be used during all types of emergencies.

How Can Parents Help?

• Stay Informed: We will communicate with parents via text, email, and our website in the event of an emergency.
• Practice Emergency Plans: Talk to your child about the SRP so they feel prepared and understand the importance of each step.
• Stay Calm: In the event of a situation, your child’s safety is our top priority. We will provide information as quickly as possible.

The safety of your child is a shared responsibility, and we believe the Standard Response Protocol will help ensure we are all prepared in case of an emergency. If you have any questions about SRP or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

It is our mission to serve Each Student, Every Day!

Dunlap Gives Back serves to supply students and families with resources to meet their basic needs to ensure that all children are equipped with the resources they need to be prepared to learn.

If you are a staff member, family member, or student, please use this form to request resources. Items that can be requested include, but are not limited to food, clothing, school supplies, hygiene supplies, ect. If further support or resources are required, please email Director of Student Services, Mandy Ellis, at mellis@dunlapcusd.net.

All requests will be confidential and protect the privacy of the student and family.

Dunlap Gives Back Referral Form

The Dunlap School District Shine Award honors employees who go above and beyond for the students and schools in our community. Honorees positively influence, inspire, and leave a lasting impact in the work that they do every day, helping to fulfill the overall District mission to empower all students to reach their individual potential.

Nominations can be submitted by students, parents, District employees, business, or community members by completing the following nomination form. District employees will be selected and honored throughout the school year to receive this prestigious honor.

Selected nominees will receive a crystal apple in recognition of their exemplary efforts, provided by Horace Mann. Additionally, Peoria Prints & Graphic Designs will provide yard signs for staff to celebrate their achievement at home!

Please provide your email in the field below so that a copy of your nomination will be sent to your email address and so that we can contact you with any additional questions.

Dunlap Shine Award Nomination Form