Owl Observer News
April 26, 2024
A Message from Administration
Greetings DLES Families,
What a fantastic week! A huge thank you to ALL the staff and students who celebrated math spirit week. It was a lot of fun seeing everyone getting really creative with what they wore each day to celebrate math.
It's that time again to ask your child to check the lost and found. We will be removing any unclaimed items at the end of the day on May 1st. We have to periodically clear out any unclaimed items, as they tend to attract pests and we want to maintain a clean and healthy learning environment. Parents/guardians are welcome to check the lost and found area between the hours of 9:00-2:00 each day to see if their child has left any item unclaimed.
A special congratulations goes out to our two Battle of Books Teams that competed last Friday night. These students and coaches committed to reading 10 books above completing all of their regular school work. We are so proud of these students! They were awesome and did a lovely job representing Ducketts Lane. Congratulations to:
Team Loom Ninjas
Coach: Mrs. Hastings
Aleena
Samantha
Aderinsola
Deethya
Team Book Sprites
Coach: Mrs. Clark
Abi
Triston
Nishvi
Melody
We would like to remind everyone that our individual class picture day is now scheduled for next week, Tuesday, April 30th.
We hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Proudly Serving You,
Mrs. Caroland, Mrs. Van Osdel, and Mrs. Yerashunas
Information Needed for Title I Funding & Planning
Howard County Public School's Title I Office receives Title I funds to provide additional support and resources to Title I Schools. The Title I Office supports family engagement through the implementation of its Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Plan and by providing schools with funds to support family engagement. Please take a moment to complete the HCPSS Title I Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Input Survey, providing feedback on the district's Parent, Family, and Community Involvement Plan and parent involvement funds.
La Oficina de TÃtulo I de las Escuelas Públicas del Condado de Howard recibe fondos TÃtulo I para proveer apoyo y recursos adicionales a Escuelas TÃtulo I. La Oficina de TÃtulo I apoya el compromiso familiar mediante la implementación de su Plan de participación de padres, familias y la comunidad y proporcionando a las escuelas con fondos para apoyar la participación familiar. Por favor, dedique un momento para completar la Encuesta de opinión sobre participación de padres, la familia y la comunidad del HCPSS, realizando comentarios sobre el Plan de participación de padres, familias y la comunidad y los fondos para la participación de padres del distrito.
Save the Date
April 30- Individual Spring Pictures *NEW DATE**
May 3-SCH Spirit Day: Wear RED, WHITE, & BLUE
May 6-10: Teacher Appreciation Week
May 14: Schools closed for students and staff
May 17: Schools dismiss at 12:15pm. No half-day Pre-K/RECC
Related Arts Schedule
Staff Appreciation Week is May 6th- 10th!
PTA is planning an Olympic-sized thank you for our DLES Staff members and we need your help!
Each day will be focused on a different continent as represented by the Olympic Rings. If you would like to donate an item or two, please visit our signup page at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B49ACA628AAFC1-49259335-staff#/.
Thank you for your continued support! We cannot make this event happen without your help!
2024-2025 Bus Transportation Registration Open
Bus transportation registration for the 2024-2025 school year is open for parents/guardians of eligible students.
Parents/guardians whose children are eligible for bus transportation are asked to register to receive bus service each year to help the school system plan for student transportation needs. The transportation registration process opened at 9 a.m. Monday, April 8 and will remain open through May 31st. This registration will be completed online via HCPSS Connect Synergy. Registration must be done for each eligible child.
To be eligible for bus service, your child’s home address must be outside of a school’s walk zones. You can verify address eligibility in the HCPSS School Attendance Area Locator. After inputting your address, a window will appear that will indicate either bus or walk for each school level. Please note, the attendance area locator also includes a link for the bus stop locator, which is set for the current school year. Bus stop information for the 2024-2025 school year will be available in August.
You do not need to take any action if:
- Your child is not eligible for bus transportation
- Your child receives transportation as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, or
- Your child is a graduating senior
Please click here for directions and registration in multiple languages, including English.
DLES Spring Concerts!
Our Spring Concerts are right around the corner! If your child is in Band, Orchestra or Chorus, please review the concert flyers linked below.
6:00pm Concert (students arrive at 5:30pm)
4th Grade Band
4th Grade Chorus
7:00pm Concert (students arrive at 6:30pm)
3rd Grade Orchestra
4th Grade Beginning Orchestra
May 21 Concert @ Thomas Viaduct MS
6:00pm Concert (students arrive at 5:30pm)
4th Grade Intermediate Orchestra
5th Grade Band
5th Grade Orchestra
5th Grade Chorus
* If your child is in need of a white concert shirt, please contact Mrs. McKay, Ms. Abrams or Mr. Wagner. DLES has been given white polo shirts in several sizes that are available for students in need.
SCH Spirit Day
#WEAREDUCKETTSDAY 2024
If you can believe it, it's that time of year, and #WEAREDUCKETTSDAY 2024 (Field Day) is around the corner on Friday, May 24th, 2024, with a rain date on Monday, May 28th, 2024. Once again, #WEAREDUCKETTSDAY(Field Day) will be an all-day event, with morning and afternoon activities for all grades.
VOLUNTEERING:
Here’s the essential part: We cannot have #WEAREDUCKETTSDAY(Field Day) without you! Please consider volunteering to help our DLES students have the best day possible by running a station or supporting an activity area. Note: You may not specifically support your student's class, but you may place where needed.
Schedule of Events:
Volunteers, please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled volunteer time.
If you can volunteer, click the link below and sign up and support when and where possible. Sign up for as many shifts as you are available!
#WEAREDUCKETTS Day volunteer sign-up
We are SO excited to continue this tradition with our entire school community.
Thank you; P.E. Department Kevin Anderson & Robert Abramson
Kindergarten Registration is Open
Did you know that we depend on registration to keep our amazing teachers?
Each year, we have to rely on the number of students who are registered for kindergarten to anticipate the number of kindergarten classes we will have next year. We have one of the most amazing kindergarten teams and we would like to keep that team at 4 teachers next year, and even increase to another teacher if we have enough students register. All of this will depend on the number of kindergarten students we have registered for the fall.
We need your help in spreading the word regarding new Kindergarten registration for the 2024-2025 school year.
Registration for incoming kindergarteners and newly enrolled first graders is open. As we prepare for our upcoming school year, it is important to have your child registered to ensure we have the correct amount of teachers for our students. Please do not delay! Help us with the process by registering your new kindergartner or first grader as soon as possible.
Children must be 5 years old by 9/1/24 in order to enroll in kindergarten next school year. Every child who is 5 years old by this date must be enrolled in a kindergarten program this fall or have an approved waiver. HCPSS kindergarten is a full day program.
Please make certain you are on the screen for 2024-2025 if registering for the next school year.
Parents or guardians are to register students at the school serving the address where the child’s parent or guardian resides. Information on neighborhood schools can be found through HCPSS School Locator.
Complete your child’s registration online by providing the documents listed below. The registration process will be more efficient if you upload the required documents during online registration. Otherwise, you will be asked to submit the required documents via email as pdfs, or you may contact the office to make arrangements to bring the documents in and we will copy them for you. The following documents are needed for registration and should be submitted during the online registration process: Click here for a checklist for registration.
Child’s evidence of birth (i.e. birth certificate, baptismal certificate)
An authorized record of immunizations
Proof of residency in the form of your entire signed lease/deed including signature pages.
Current utility bill with your name and address that has been issued within the last 45 days. (cellular device bills not accepted)
Photo ID of parent/guardian
Additional Documents to bring if applicable to your child:
Proof of custody - only if there is information the school must adhere to during school hours (full document including the signature pages)
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for Special Education Services
504 plan
Psychological report or related services reports/plans
English Language Learner (ELL) plans or previous assessments
These forms should be completed by your child's pediatrician and dentist and emailed to our Health Room prior to the first day of school or as soon as your child has their 5 year check-up
It is recommended that you work on a laptop or desktop to complete registration. Cell phone registration is not recommended. Please call our front office at 410-313-5050.
Early Childhood Programs is accepting Pre-K Applications for 2024-25 School Year
For consideration and enrollment into the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Pre-K Program you must first submit a completed application and proof of household income. Household income documentation is required by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and will be used to determine eligibility for the program as well as state reporting. Families applying for Pre-K must provide income verification. If this is not submitted, your application cannot be considered.
Please click here to get a copy of the Pre-K application.
Families that need language support should contact the Multilingual Family Registration Center at 410-313-1525.
If you have questions regarding Pre-K registration for next school year, please call the front office at 410-313-5050.
Optional #WeAreDucketts Day T-Shirt Sale
This year, we are offering students and adults the opportunity to purchase a #WeAre Ducketts Field Day T-Shirt. The design will be specific to Field Day, but the color will still match the grade-level identified color. All students will continue to be encouraged to wear their grade level color during #WeAreDucketts Day.
Ordering Instructions!
To order, click the link here or scan the QR Code Below:
Pick your grade, color, and size:) To note these are optional for field day, not required.
SEL Corner
SELF-AWARENESS at School & at Home
What Exactly is SELF-AWARENESS?
The ability to understand one's own emotions, thoughts, and values and how they influence behavior across contexts. This includes capacities to recognize one's strengths and limitations with a well-grounded sense of confidence and purpose.
What Does SELF-AWARENESS Look Like?
Identify Emotions
Recognize Strength
Self Confidence
Self Efficacy
What Does SELF-AWARENESS Sound Like?
How am I feeling and why?
When am I at my best?
When do I feel angry?
What kind of person do I want to be today?
What stresses me out?
Where do I fit into my family/community?
What Can I Do At Home to Help Promote My Child’s Self-Awareness?
Show them what feelings look like- identify feelings when they occur- even within you, the adult.
Help them identify the feelings of others.
Set a good example by expressing your emotions in a constructive way. If you lose your cool, use it as a teachable moment. Explain to your child what you were feeling and what strategies you used to regulate your emotions.
Do your best to empathize with your child when they communicate their feelings with you.
Eliminate the blame game and when a problem occurs- ask your child what can be done to solve the problem instead of asking who started the problem.
Let your child communicate freely with you. Provide a safe space for your child.
Be present and be a good listener, even when busy try to pay attention to what they are trying to communicate.
Nurture their passions.
Try new things.
Embrace a growth mindset-Having a growth mindset challenges us to rise above negativity and limitation. It encourages perseverance in the face of failure, determination in the face of difficulty, and a focus on what is possible for us to achieve. For these reasons and others, the growth mindset is one of the most valuable attitudes we can nurture within our children.
Be a Guest Reader
Come be part of our Celebrate Reading Day at DLES on Friday, May 17! We are looking for volunteers to come and read to our students! Bring your favorite book or pick one out from our school collection. Complete this Google Form if you are able to be a guest reader and one of the members of the Reading Team will contact you with more information!
PTA NEWS
Save the date for our final PTA events this school year:
We have had a year filled with fun and we only have a couple more events scheduled for this school year-we hope that you will be able to join in the fun!
Monday, May 13th: Pastries with Pals, 8-8:30 am in the cafeteria
Thursday, May 16th: General PTA Meeting/Book BINGO, 7 pm in the cafeteria
Happening Around Town
Summer Camps at Guilford Park High School
You can find more information here.
Camp Outrageous
Drive-Thru Medication and Sharps Disposal
April 27 in the Wilde Lake Village Center Parking Lot near the Swim Center from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Safely dispose of prescription medication, over-the-counter meds, sharps, vitamins, pet meds, vape devices, inhalers, and more! Also, 100 medication lockboxes purchased by HCPSS will be given away for FREE!
Free Clothing Drive
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