Bloomingdale school launches Veterans Day program

To learn a little more about Veterans Day this year, students at DuJardin Elementary School will close their books and open their ears instead.

For the first time, the school will present a Veterans Day Chorus Program, as well as a lunch with local veterans who will visit classrooms Thursday, Nov. 11.

Traditionally, DuJardin students have not attended school on Veterans Day. But when that changed this year, teachers and administrators decided an interactive program would better help students understand the historical experiences of veterans and the sacrifices they made for our country.

“We thought this would be a great way to acknowledge the day,” said music teacher Kristen Novotny.

All area veterans are invited to start their visit by sharing lunch with students in the school gym. Afterward, several veterans are scheduled to visit classrooms and share stories about their military service with students in all grades.

The program will finish with an all-school assembly, as chorus students in fourth and fifth grades perform patriotic songs like “You're a Grand Old Flag” and war-era tunes like “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy,” Novotny said. The musical program will be repeated at 7 p.m. Thursday for the community.

“The kids are really looking forward to it,” Novotny said.

She added that the DuJardin faculty “definitely” hopes to make these events an annual tradition.

Any veteran wishing to attend any part of this day should RSVP by Tuesday, Nov. 9, via phone or e-mail to Principal Mark Dwyer at mdwyer@sd13.org or (630) 894-9200, or to Kristen Novotny at knovotny@sd13.org or (630) 671-5224.