Aviator Updates
SY23 CWFDES FAMILY ISSUE #20
B WEEK: January 16-20
Greetings Duke Families.
"The time is always right to do what is right."
Tomorrow, we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and how he inspired the human race to strive for equality among all people. His words and his impact on the Civil Rights Movement continue to inspire us today.
Did you know George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Cesar Chavez are the only other Americans to have had their birthdays observed as a national holiday. In 1983 President Ronald Reagan signed a bill that created a federal holiday to honor King. The holiday, first commemorated in 1986, is celebrated on the third Monday in January, close to the civil rights leader’s January 15 birthday.
Wishing You a Wonderful Week Ahead,
Katie Kortokrax
School Resource Officer (SRO) program expands to elementary schools
Capture this year's school memories by ordering your yearbook TODAY!
Duke PTA Upcoming Events
Let's Make The New Year POP!
NEW! Menu Changes
[Current] Lunch Changes for this week:
- No changes at this time!
[Last Week's] Duke Morning News
Stay tuned for this week's Duke's Morning News in next week's update!
CWFDES - Where Children SOAR!
Intermediate Fridge of Fame Recipients
Attention 3rd Grade Parents/Guardians!
Joke of the Week!
Q: What does a gingerbread man put on his bed?
A: A cookie sheet!
Do you have a joke that you'd like featured in the weekly update? Click here to submit it!
At our January Staff Meeting, we took 3 minutes to write down some reasons we love working at Duke, and we wanted to share them with our community!
American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge
Our American Heart Association Kids Heart Challenge event will kick off on January 9th! All donations will be made online. Students will take part in fun heart healthy activities during the week of February 14 to celebrate their hard work in helping the American Heart Association. The celebration will occur during their scheduled PE time. February 20th will be the last day to raise online donations. Students will receive the wristband and key tag items as they earn them. Any other thank you items (jump ropes, socks etc) will be ordered on or about February 20th and normally ship to our school sometime in March.
We need your help to accomplish our goal of having 100% of our families to know Hands-Only CPR, and you can help us by registering your child and spreading the word.
Here’s how you can help:
Register: CWFDuke Registration
Complete Finn’s Mission: Watch a 2-minute video to know Hands-Only CPR, spot the signs of a stroke and more!
Share with friends and family through social media, text and/or email
Our goal is to have 100% of our students register online and complete Finn’s Mission.
The class that has the most Finn’s Missions complete will get an extra 30 minute PE class.
Helpful Links from Previous Updates
PTA Membership Link: We love our PTA. Members can be as involved (or not involved) as they would like. We appreciate any support you can offer; click here to sign up!
Register to be a Volunteer: New for the 2022-23 school year. Volunteers must apply annually for approval. Vetting of applications can take several weeks. Field trip chaperones must have successfully completed the volunteer application process before they can be considered.
Here Comes the Bus App: This application allows parents, guardians and students to receive push notifications and email notifications for when their student’s bus approaches their bus stop.
CWFDES Absence Reporting: Click here to report absences to ensure they are marked lawful.
MySchoolBucks: MySchoolBucks is an online payment service that provides a convenient way for parents/guardians to pay for school-related purchases by using their credit/debit card or electronic check.Meal Benefit Application: Families must submit an application to receive free or reduced-price lunch.
Interested in Subbing at Duke? You will need to attend a one-day virtual class. Pick one day from the several class dates available. Contact Cindy Toothacker with questions at cctoothacker@smcps.org.
Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary
We welcome your questions and inquiries. Please call 240-309-4658, refer to the SMCPS Back to School website, or our CWFDES website for additional information.
Katie Kortokrax, Principal
Zach Adams, Assistant Principal
Email: klkortokrax@smcps.org
Website: https://schools.smcps.org/cwfdes/
Location: 23595 Hayden Farm Lane, Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: (240) 309-4658
Twitter: @CWFDES_SMCPS