DES Family News, Back to School

We are so excited to have our K-5 students back tomorrow! Please remember to be at the bus stop early and be patient as our drivers adjust to the new routes and take time to make sure all students are safely getting on and off of the bus. DES staff are ready to welcome all students in the building and support them in walking to their classes. Please take a moment to carefully read school and county-related updates, policies, and information. We look forward to our partnership and another amazing year at DES!

Sincerely,

Sarah Crebs

Principal of Denton Elementary School

Pre-kindergarten families will be contacted by their teachers soon!The Pre-kindergarten teachers will notify parents of their teacher assignment. Pre-kindergarten has their own orientation on September 11th to allow pre-kindergarten students and parents to visit the classroom, bring in supplies and receive additional information prior to starting school on September 12th. Students who ride a bus will receive notification in the mail regarding the bus number and pick up time. If you have questions about your child's method of transportation please call Mrs. Amy Barnes at DES.

Good attendance for your student begins on the first day of the school year. Consider the following facts:

• Chronic absenteeism may prevent children from reaching early milestones.

• Chronically absent students have difficulty keeping up with the pace at which they are expected to learn and grow.

• Students who are absent even a day or two every few weeks fall behind their peers.

• Irregular attendance can be a better predictor of whether students will drop out before graduation than test scores.

• Consistent, on-time attendance is a habit that lasts into adulthood.

In addition to wanting the best possible education for your child, we also closely monitor absences because Maryland law requires that children ages 5-18 attend school. Students may be withdrawn if not attending school regularly; students not enrolled or attending will be considered truant. How Can Parents Encourage Good Attendance?

• Build good attendance habits early so children know that getting to school on time every day is important!

• Set a regular bedtime & morning routine, laying out clothes and backpacks the night before.

• Avoid scheduling appointments & trips when school is in session.

• Don't let your child stay home unless he/she is truly sick.

• Consider that sometimes a stomach ache or headache is a sign of anxiety. If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to the school about helpful resources.

CAR RIDERS......A few reminders -Efficiency is key for a SAFE and smooth car rider line.

• Have students ready with their book bag and other items ready to exit the car.
  

• Practice getting in/out of their car seats independently (if your child is too young to do this independently, please try to be as quick as possible, as not to hold up the car rider line-or wait to pull up to the front of the line.)

• Parents may not walk up students to the car rider door in the morning. Parents may not walk to the car rider staff to pick up their children. This causes a break in the system of getting kids out of school and safely in vehicles. Safety must remain our number one priority.

• Celebrate our DES team! The first days will be slower and at times confusing-it's ok! We have students (and parents) doing this for the first time. Some of our new staff will be learning our system. Let's work together with our fellow families and our Dolphin Trainers. We will only get better each day as we continue to work together and each do our part.
  REMINDERS FOR BUS RIDERS: The routes will be adjusted each day for the first few weeks. Please be patient with pick up and drop off times.
  The DES staff and I are honored to be an important part of your student's school journey. Our student's safety, learning and happiness are a top priority. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with questions, concerns and compliments!
  

From Choptank Health
Principal’s Message – Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot County Public Schools

September 2023

Dear Parents,

Be sure to set your students up for a healthy school year by ensuring they are enrolled in our School-Based Health Centers.

Enrollment forms, locations, contact information, and enrollment forms can be found at www.choptankhealth.org/schoolbased.

Not sure what our School-Based Health Centers provide? Listen in to Choptank Health’s Director of Community-Based Programs Chrissy Bartz, PA-C as she answers your questions in this video, Choptank Health Ask a Provider: School-Based Health Centers.

All Caroline County Public School students may eat breakfast and lunch free of charge this year, with no application needed. CCPS now participates in the Community Eligibility Provision, which allows free meals for all students in schools in low-income areas. There will still be a charge for extra items such as snacks. School menus may be found on the Caroline Schools, MD free mobile app and on all CCPS websites. Please continue to complete the free and reduced lunch forms to help with funding and for additional resources.

DES Summer Office HOURS: 8:00 am-4:30 pm, Monday-Thursday

For ALL of our DES Families

August 31st, Back to School/Meet the Teacher Night at DES, 5:00-6:30pm

September 5th, First day of School for Students in Grades K-5

September 11th, PreK Orientation

September 12th, First Day for PreK Students

September 15th, Early Dismissal Day, DES begins dismissal @12:40 pm

September 20th, DES Fall Picture Day

September 29th, No School For Students

Down the line....

October 2nd, Custodian Appreciation Day

October 9th, Columbus Day/Indigenous People Day

October 9th-13th, School Lunch Week

October 12th, Quarter 1 Interims Issued (3-5)

October 16th-20th, Safe Schools Week, School Bus Safety Week and Digital Citizens Week

October 20th, School Closed, National Teacher Convention

October 23rd-27th, Red Ribbon Drug Awareness Week

October 28th, National First Responders Day

October 31st, Early Dismissal (begins at 12:40 @ DES)

October 31st, Happy Halloween

As changes and or more updates arise we will keep families informed on Apptegy.

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