Mark DeLay School

www.darien61.org/Domain/71

466 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 2nd

School Overview

Mark DeLay School, located in Darien, Illinois, serves as an early childhood education center within Darien Public School District 61. The school is specifically dedicated to the foundational years of a child’s academic journey, typically serving students in Preschool and Kindergarten. By focusing exclusively on this early age range, the school creates a specialized environment designed to foster social-emotional development, early literacy, and basic mathematical concepts through play-based and structured learning experiences.

The school is well-regarded for its community-oriented approach, emphasizing a smooth transition for children entering the public school system for the first time. With a focus on creating a welcoming and supportive atmosphere, Mark DeLay integrates classroom instruction with initiatives that encourage parent involvement and collaborative learning. Its curriculum is structured to build the essential building blocks for academic success, ensuring that young students develop the confidence and foundational skills necessary to thrive as they advance to elementary school.

466

Total Students

37.1

Full-Time Teachers

12.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Mark DeLay School
Demographic	Student Count
White	264
Hispanic	95
Black	55
Asian	27
Two or More	24
American Indian	1

White
264 (56.7 %)
Hispanic
95 (20.4 %)
Black
55 (11.8 %)
Asian
27 (5.8 %)
Two or More
24 (5.2 %)
American Indian
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Darien SD 61
Phone:	(630)852-0200
Website:	http://www.darien61.org/Domain/71
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 2nd
Total Students:	466
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	37.1
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	12.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 70

Kindergarten 124

Grade 1 146

Grade 2 126