There are about 400 children in Grades K-5. The Kindergartners occupy a separate building behind the main school (where music classes are held too). Grades 1 and 2 are located in the North-South hallway along with the Library, Computer Lab, Reading Lab, and “Specials” – Art and Gym. Grades 3 through 5 are located in the East-West hallway. For children with special needs and corresponding individual education plans we have three special education classrooms as well as one resource teacher.

The goal of discipline at Dawes, as at any school, is to keep everyone safe and preserve the best possible learning environment for our students and staff. All District 65 schools implement a program called Positive Behavior Interventions Systems (PBIS). PBIS is a system we use to reinforce positive behaviors through incentives – known at Dawes as “Power Points.” This program is about “catching” kids doing the right thing in order to celebrate positive behavior. We operate around 4 basic “rules”—Be safe, Be caring, Be respectful, and Be here and ready.

Children get dropped off at the front door to the Kindergarten building. Playground supervision begins at 8:40am. The entry bell rings at 8:55am. At that point, children line up to enter the classroom. We ask that parents leave children in care of the teacher, allowing the child to develop independent skills - unpacking, taking off coats, etc. School starts at 9:00am.and dismisses at 3:20pm. The playground is supervised after school for a short while. Children who have not been picked up are brought to the office.