Owl Observer News
October 13, 2023
A Message from Administration
Greetings DLES Community,
We have had a fantastic week here at Ducketts Lane ES. We wanted to a moment to that all of our Hispanic families that provided all of the staff with an amazingly delicious and authentic lunch to showcase another amazing gifts of flavor and food that Hispanic Hertitage brings to our community daily.
Looking ahead, we want to encourage your children to start dressing in layers as the weather is beginning to change. We want our students to be comfortable for both indoor and outdoor activites throughout the day.
We have begun to have a conversation with our students about respect and how we all need to behave in different situations. The way one acts or behaves with family at home, within the community, at a doctor's office, in the movie theater, and at school can all have different expectations.
We are working to have our students understand that as adults within the school, we are friendly to our students but we are not friends in the way they define friends. We are working with our students to remember that adults within the school setting are professionals and are to be treated as such. Children should not be referring to adults in the same manner they refer or respond to a friend. In addition to our responsibility to teach our children academically, we are also working to support their social-emotional learning so that they can navigate successfully in the community.
We are asking for you to have a conversation with your child about being respectful in our school towards adults. We have children that have begun to respond to us in a manner that they would a peer (calling us "bruh," rolling their eyes, calling out that the learning is lame, etc). We are asking that our students call us by our preferred professional name and to respond in a respectful manner, even when they disagree.
Thank you for your continued partnership towards making Ducketts Lane a truly special place to learn.
Proudly Serving You,
Mrs. Caroland, Mrs. Van Osdel, and Mrs. Yerashunas
Trunk or Treat Candy Donations
Helping Out 5th Grade
Save the Date
October 20-Schools closed for students
October 26- Join the PTA Meeting 7:00pm in the cafeteria
October 28- Show up in your costime and join us on the bus loop for Trunk or Treat 4:00-5:00pm
October 31- EARLY DISMISSAL DAY Students dismiss at 12:15pm-NO half-day PreK classes
October 31-End of the 1st Quarter
November 2- Makeup Picture Day
November 3-Flu/COVID vaccine clinic for students
We've Got Spirit
October 13-TIE DAY- in honor of Donuts with Dudes find a funny tie to wear for tie day!
October 23-Make Learning a Pattern-wear your favorite patterns-don't be afraid to mismatch and mix them up!
October 31-Pajama Day
Related Arts Schedule
Flu/COVID vaccine Clinic
If you would like your child to be vaccinated against the flu and/or Covid at this clinic, please register at this link. You are not required to provide your child’s insurance information. It is perfectly fine to receive both vaccines on the same day. If you have any concerns about the new Covid vaccine, you are advised to speak with your child’s pediatrician. All in-school clinics will be closed to registration one week (10/26/23) before the clinic date to allow our health room staff time to review and prepare the consents and make sure enough vaccine is ordered. If you have any questions, please call your school’s health room at 410-313-1739.
link in Spanish here
How Can We Best Serve You?
Title I Benefits Beyond School Lunch/Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS)
Did you know that our access to Title I funds and supports is dependent on all of our families taking a moment to complete this form? We have no way of knowing who fills this out, but federal funds and our school allocations are dependent on us filling out this form EACH YEAR.
Being a Title I school brings so many benefits that are provided to all students.
Being identified as a Title I school is not guaranteed and is only considered based on our families completing the FARMs application each year. These supports go well beyond free breakfast for all and free lunches for many. Title I provides us the ability to have additional math and reading specialists on staff, presents resources to parents, additional instructional materials for student use, additional computers, tutoring and more. We really want to maintain access to all of the supports but everyone needs to complete this form- link.
Breakfast and lunch are served daily for all students at DLES. Daily meal prices apply to students who do not qualify for free and reduced meals. The cost of lunch is $2.80. Students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Parents/guardians must submit an application every year to maintain their student’s eligibility. All families are asked to use this link to apply. **This application must be completed each year.** Any family who has not filled out an application up to the 30th school day will have their prior status changed to full pay status until a new application is received.
Title I Parent Rights
The Howard County Public School System is committed to ensuring equity and giving every child an opportunity to succeed. Essential to this mission is hiring and retaining highly effective teachers and support staff who are invested in providing safe and secure classroom environments where every child is encouraged to thrive.
Your school has been identified as a Title I participating school for the 2023-24 school year. Title I is a federally funded program that is part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. Title I is designed to close achievement gaps and ensure all children have an opportunity to access a high quality education by providing funding for supplemental academic services and supports.
The Federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) contains several provisions that promote a parent/school partnership through communication. One such provision gives parents at Title I Schools the right to ask for and receive information in a timely manner about the professional qualifications of their child's classroom teachers. A parent may request the following information:
● Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction
● Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualification or licensing criteria have been waived.
● Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher
● Whether the parent's child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
If you would like to request the above, please submit a written request to Mrs. Caroland. Mrs. Caroland will provide the information to you within 30 business days of the date of your request. Thank you for supporting your child’s education. Strong partnerships with parents and families are essential to a student's academic success and social-emotional well-being.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Martirano, Ed.D.
Superintendent
PTA NEWS
The DLES PTA needs your help! If you would like to help volunteer at any of our events, please fill out this form.
Our Charleston Wrap fundraiser is underway. Every purchase makes a difference and we appreciate your support! Register online at registercw.com. Our Organization ID is 26189.
Trunk or Treat- Our 3rd Annual Trunk or Treat is on Saturday, October 28th from 4-5 pm in the bus loop. We will have a bake sale, free candy, and a chance to win a pumpkin decorated by a DLES teacher! We still have spots available if you would like to decorate your trunk and pass out candy or volunteer at the event. Visit our sign-up page here if you are interested. We are also accepting candy and other treats donations in the Monster Box located in the vestibule.
International Night- Join us for a trip around the world on Friday, November 10th from 6:30-8 pm in the cafeteria. We are looking for families to volunteer, join the fun, and share their culture with our community! Let’s all come together to celebrate our community’s diversity through art, food, traditional dress, displays, artifacts, flags, and stage performances from some of the many countries and cultures represented at DLES. Stay tuned for more information on how to sign up if your family would like to participate.
To stay up-to-date on all of our upcoming events, visit our website and Facebook page.
Hispanic Heritage Trivia Fun Fact
The answer to last week's trivia question: What country of Central America uses the dollar as their currency is-The currency in El Salvador is the US dollar
Here is this week's Trivia Fun Fact
Out of the 7 countries that make up Central America, there is only one where English is the main language spoken, which one is it?
De los 7 países que conforman Centroamérica sólo hay uno donde el inglés es el idioma principal que se habla, ¿cuál es?
The answer will be shared during Monday morning announcements.
Happening Around Town
WINTER CLOTHING GIVEAWAY ALL CLOTHING FREE
SATURDAY, November 4, 2023
9:00 - 11:00 am
Lines may form at 8:30 am
Long Reach High School
6101 Old Dobbin Lane
Columbia, Md 21045
Your Voice is Important
Please click on the Feedback Form to share your thoughts with how we can make DLES the best for everyone.
We are here to help!
Principal, Mrs. Caroland Molly_Caroland@hcpss.org
Assistant Principal, Mrs. Van Osdel Amy_Van_Osdel@hcpss.org
Leadership Intern, Mrs. Yerashunas Brianna_Yerashunas@hcpss.org
Principal Secretary, Mrs. Canter Teresa_Canter@hcpss.org
Registration Support, Secretary Ms. Lynette Carmen_Lynette@hcpss.org
Attendance, Synergy and Family File Support, Secretary Mrs. Forman Julie_Forman@hcpss.org
Counselor Mr. Leisawitz Alexander_Leisawitz@hcpss.org