DES Family News

I hope you are staying warm and safe on this snowy weekend! As January comes to an end we are looking forward to exciting things in February. Please read the most recent updates and information.

Sincerely,

Dr. Sarah Crebs-Oberdorf

Caroline Family: All schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 26, due to anticipated road conditions. Please be safe in your travels.

January 16, 2026 - Caroline County Public Schools is happy to announce that nominations for both the 2026-2027 Teacher of Year and the Support Employee of the Year are now open. All staff, students, student families and community members are invited to submit nominations. (Submissions may not be made by a relative of a nominee.)

Program website page

Nominations for both awards must be submitted no later than January 30, 2026.

Teacher of the Year Nomination Form – Full-time classroom, resource, or media teachers who spend the majority of their time teaching are eligible. Nominees must have completed a minimum of five years of teaching by June 30, 2026 and be tenured. Caroline County’s selection will automatically represent Caroline County in the Maryland Teacher of the Year program.

Support Employee of the Year Nomination Form – Support employees must have completed a minimum of two (2) years of service with the school system as of June 30, 2026 and must be a regular employee. Support employees are: custodial/ maintenance staff, Family Support Services/ child development staff, Food Services staff, Health Services staff, instructional services staff, secretarial staff and technology staff and transportation staff.

For additional information, please email Communications Officer Sandi Barry, barry.sandra@ccpsstaff.org or Director of Administrative Services Rob Willoughby, willoughby.robert@ccpsstaff.org.

Healthy vision and hearing is important for your child’s success in school. State law requires school systems to have students’ hearing and vision screened when they enter the school system and again in first and eighth grades. Hearing and vision screenings are scheduled to begin on October 27th, 2025.

Students who should not be included in the screenings include:

• Those whose parents/guardians object in writing to the screenings on the grounds that it conflicts with the tenets and practice of a recognized church or religious denomination of which they are a member;

• Those with known hearing loss, including but not limited to, students with cochlear implants or hearing aids; and

• Those who present evidence of testing within the last year.

If your child falls into any of these categories or if you have any questions, please reach out to the school nurse at 410-479-2916 or via email at miller.rachel@ccpsstaff.org

• Walkers and car-riders are required to have a number, so please make sure you still have your assigned numbers or call the school and talk with Mrs. Amy Barnes for assistance. All car-rider and walker numbers MUST be displayed by 9/16, in order to safely pick up your student.
• Please do not get out of your car in the car-rider lane, it is very dangerous for our students and the flow of the car-rider lane. If you need to get out to put your student in the car, please let our car-rider staff know and they will allow you to pull up to do so.

Last year, our Title I Parent/Family Engagement funds provided important resources to our students and families, including family academic nights and engaging materials for all elementary schools. Each year we base our programs on your feedback. Please help us again this year by taking the Title I survey.

January 29th, Early Dismissal

January 30th, No School for Students

February 2nd, School Counselor Appreciation Week

February 3rd, BOE Meeting, 6:00 pm

February 4th, DES Picture Day

February 13th, Early Dismissal, Parent/Teacher Conferences

February 15th, SRO Appreciation Day

February 16th, No School, President's Day

We understand many of our families are impacted by the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. We want to reassure parents and guardians that free breakfast and lunch at every school will continue to be available for all students every day. These meals are funded through a separate program and are not affected by SNAP.

In addition to daily breakfast and lunch at school, all of our schools continue to offer

weekend food support through the Backpack Program, made possible by Food for Learning. This program provides shelf-stable food for students to take home on weekends. For more information and to request services, please complete a Backpack Program form.

Lastly, meals at participating afterschool programs will continue to be served.

Additional Resources for Families

• For a local listing of community resources, including food, please visit Caroline Better Together.

• For resources throughout the mid-shore, please visit the Mid Shore Health Improvement Coalition.

• For resources through the state, please visit the 211Maryland website.

If you have any questions or need assistance connecting with these resources, please contact your school’s Community School Coordinator or school counselor.

This information may also be viewed on the CCPS website.

We love having parents volunteer at DES! Please consider completing the volunteer paperwork to help out at events, support students in the cafeteria, read with students etc.

Caroline County Public Schools is aware of concerns regarding recent changes to U.S. immigration policy and enforcement. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has provided guidance which reinforces our own belief that every student—regardless of immigration status—receives the support they need from our educational system. Please visit the CCPS website for complete information.

Please remember, for all notifications, parent/guardian numbers and emails are taken directly from information provided by the family in PowerSchool. Staff contact information is taken directly from the Employee Access Center.

School delays and closings are shared via:

• a phone call, text, and email through our notification system

• a message on the CCPS Mobile App the district website (carolineschools.org)

• social media: Facebook (Caroline County Public Schools and all school pages), and Instagram (carolineschoolsmd)

• some local news and radio stations

The process for making weather-related decisions is outlined on carolineschools.org.

CCPS uses an online form (no paper!) to verify or update student information through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. The process typically takes less than five minutes per student, and allows families to verify that all of the student's data is correct and provide updates for any important data that has changed. This process replaces the old paper form sent home in previous years.

Please note: If the student’s address has changed, proof of residence will be required. This may be uploaded through PowerSchool or provided directly to the school.

For more information, please see the CCPS news post on this topic.

Dear DES Families,

As we begin the 2025–2026 school year, I want to share an important focus for our school community: student attendance.

Every day in school matters. When students attend consistently, they not only build a strong foundation in academics but also develop important social and emotional skills. Regular attendance allows students to stay connected to their teachers, peers, and learning opportunities, which directly impacts their confidence, growth, and overall success.

This year, Denton Elementary will be following the state’s attendance requirements and Caroline County Public Schools’ (CCPS) policies closely. Our goal is not to be punitive, but to ensure that every child receives the full benefit of the education they deserve. We know that strong attendance is one of the best predictors of long-term achievement, and we are committed to working together with families to support this.

We also understand that challenges can sometimes make daily attendance difficult. Please know that our team is here to partner with you. By communicating openly, we can find solutions and build the trusting relationships that help our students thrive.

Together, we can make this a bright and successful year for your child. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to your child’s education.

In collaboration with the Caroline County Health Department and Choptank Community Health, we are working to prevent the spread of colds and flu in our schools. Please review the following measures that will aid in keeping your family healthy.

• If your child is sick, especially with a fever*, keep him or her at home until he or she has been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication.

*Fever: oral temperature of 100° or more, or ear or forehead temperature of 100.4° or higher

• Follow up with your child’s health care provider if he/she becomes ill.

• Encourage your child to cover his/her mouth and nose with tissues when sneezing or coughing. If a tissue is not available, cough or sneeze into the bend of the elbow.

• Remind your child to wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

• Remind your child to keep his or her hands away from the face.

• Avoid being around people who are sick.

• Make sure your child and family members receive a seasonal flu and COVID vaccine if recommended by their doctor.

• Make the school aware of new or changed contact numbers so that we may reach you promptly.

The staff at each school will be reinforcing these measures with the students. In addition, we are asking that if your child is at home sick with a fever and symptoms of an influenza-like illness (cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose), please let your child’s school nurse know. This will enable CCPS to track and identify patterns of illness more quickly.

Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact your school’s Health Room, or your school’s School Based Health Centers.

Beginning November 1, 2024, CCPS will start holding students accountable for damaged or missing technology equipment, including laptops, iPads, carrying cases, chargers, and charging cables. The CCPS Student Technology Obligation Program encourages responsible use of technology and curbs rising repair costs through a tiered pricing system.

For questions and program details, please visit the link below: Student Obligation information

DES is a Title I School receiving federal funds to improve instruction in math and reading.

Parents of students attending Title 1 schools may request information about the professional qualifications of their child's teachers. Parents of elementary students may request in writing to the school principal information about their child's teacher including:

* Any college or university degree or certification held.

* The subject area of the teacher's degree or certification.

* Whether the teacher is certified by the State of Maryland to teach a grade level or subject area.

* Whether the teacher holds a provisional certificate.

* Whether the child is served by paraprofessionals and, if so, parents may request their professional qualifications.

All DES dismissal changes must be made by 12:00pm each day. This allows time to ensure that the teacher, student, and dismissal staff are all aware of the changes.

Caroline County Public Schools prohibits discrimination in its educational programs, and in employment, on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, or disability.

Email: crebs.sarah@ccpsstaff.org
Location: 303 Sharp Road, Denton, MD, USA
Phone: 410-479-1660

Assistant Principal Mrs. Lindsay Grow

Email: grow.lindsay@ccpsstaff.org