A Message from Principal
Rolland Jasper
Welcome to Dirksen Junior High School! COVID-19 and the pandemic have created some challenging times in education across the world. I am extremely proud of the resiliency our students and staff have demonstrated during these unprecedented times. I can't say that we will return to normal, but what we will do is learn and grow from our experience over the last two years.
Through dedication and hard work of staff, students, and community, our students demonstrated significant growth in reading and math on our local STAR assessments. We have many accomplishments to celebrate and it is with great anticipation that we plan to build upon our successes and continue to provide excellence to our children and community.
Our focus is academic and social and emotional growth. Academically, our goal is to exceed last year's growth in reading and math. Staff will use the local STAR 360 assessment (given in reading and math and taken by all students in fall, winter, and spring), to determine focus standards and skills to improve. In the spring, students will take the state of Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) to assess achievement. Students will participate in weekly lessons on character development and will be rewarded for demonstrating positive character traits at school.
I believe all children can and will learn at Dirksen. When students experience a safe and nurturing environment they are more likely to focus on learning. The staff at Dirksen strive to serve as positive role models and will consistently lead by example. Junior high school can be a tough time in adolescence - while teenagers need support and guidance, peer influence is very strong. This is also a time when our students begin making decisions about high school, college, and careers. It is critical that we partner as parents and educators to push each student to high school graduation and beyond.
I appreciate your continued support of Dirksen Junior High School and everything you do to reinforce high expectations and prepare our students for greatness!