Everett Mckinley Dirksen Elementary School

Hard to recommend Dirksen right now if you care about the school's air quality and upkeep. My kid’s chronic absenteeism is mostly because they're always coming home with some bug, and looking at the CPS records, it's clear why. They've been having constant issues with the univents and HVAC systems for years—it feels like they're always patching up old air conditioning or dealing with glycol transfers instead of just having a clean, healthy space. With the student-teacher ratios being what they are in these neighborhood schools, the nurse is stretched way too thin to actually keep an eye on sick kids. It's frustrating because the staff is nice enough, but the building environment feels like a constant battle against poor ventilation and stagnant air.

Dirksen has been pretty solid for my daughter since they finished the new annex construction. The classrooms finally have decent HVAC and ventilation, which makes a huge difference with all the germs going around in winter. I really appreciate how the nurse handles the frequent 'stomach bug' outbreaks—they're quick to send out email alerts so we actually know what’s hitting the classroom. My only gripe is that the bathrooms can get a bit messy by the end of the day, but that's just typical elementary school stuff. Overall, it feels like a clean, healthy spot for the kids.