Owl Observer News

It was a short but great week here at Ducketts Lane. A big thank you to all the parents who were able to attend our General PTA Meeting on Tuesday evening. Your involvement and partnership make a tremendous difference. We also hope to see many of you at our PTA’s Annual Trunk or Treat event this Saturday at 4:00 p.m. It’s always a fun, family-friendly tradition! If you haven’t had a chance yet, please consider volunteering or donating—it’s not too late to help make this event a success.

A gentle reminder that animals are not permitted on school property, even when leashed and friendly. Some students and adults have allergies or previous negative experiences, and we want to ensure that everyone feels safe and comfortable. Thank you for helping us maintain a welcoming and secure environment for all.

We are happy to announce that Morgan State University’s Marching Band—from Maryland’s largest HBCU and the only one in the nation designated a National Treasure—will perform for our students on November 12, 2025. This exciting event will expose students to one of the country’s top marching bands and highlight opportunities in music and higher education at a leading university in liberal arts, engineering, and education.

We hope this experience will inspire our students and strengthen our shared values of Determination, Learning, and Community. We would love to know how many of our parents are proud Morgan State University alumni! 🐻 Take a quick minute to complete this short survey and let us know — your connection and story matter to our school community! If you have questions about this event, feel free to contact Mr. Anderson at kevin_anderson@hcpss.org.

Finally, next week is the last week to complete the Title I application form. If you haven’t already submitted yours, please take a moment to do so soon.

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping to make Ducketts Lane a wonderful place for our children to learn and grow!

Our time is now. #WeAreDucketts
Proudly Partnering with You,
Mrs. Caroland, Mrs. Van Osdel, Mrs. Poquette

As the weather changes, we know that sniffles and mild symptoms become more common. It’s important to remember that students can still come to school with minor symptoms such as a runny nose, a mild cough without other symptoms, or a mild stomachache. However, children should stay home if they have a fever over 100.4°F, vomiting, or diarrhea—these symptoms must be gone for 24 hours without medication before returning. If symptoms persist or seem unusual, please reach out to your child’s doctor or our health room for guidance. Please refer to the chart below for additional information. The important reminder is that many mild symptoms are okay for school attendance, and whether an absence is excused or unexcused, time away from learning still has an impact. Regular attendance helps keep our students growing and thriving!

Monday, October 27th: Coffee & Conversation RSVP HERE

Friday, October 31st: Students are dismissed at 12:15-no preschool classes

Monday, November 10th: Report Cards Issued

Thursday, November 6th: Picture Makeups

Wednesday, November 12th: Students are dismissed at 12:15-no preschool classes

Friday, November 14th: Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day

Monday, November 17th-Friday, November 21st: American Education Week

Monday, November 24th: Students are dismissed at 12:15-no preschool classes/In-Person Parent:Teacher Conference

Tuesday, November 25th: Students are dismissed at 12:15-no preschool classes/Virtual Parent:Teacher Conference

Wednesday, November 26th-Friday, November 28th: Schools Closed For Students

Monday, December 1st: Schools reopen from fall break

Mark your calendars: We will celebrate Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Friday, November 14th! This annual event honors Ruby Bridges, who in 1960 became the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. She faced angry crowds and daily threats, yet walked to school with strength and determination that changed history. Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day celebrates her living legacy by encouraging students to walk to school and take part in conversations about courage and kindness.

Individual student pictures were sent home with students in last week's Thursday folders. Please see the attached flier on how to order pictures. *Student last name and Student ID number will be required for data security.*

NOVEMBER 6th is PICTURE MAKEUP DAY

TODAY~Friday, October 24th: Wild Hair Day-wild and wacky hair

Monday, October 27th: Wear the Words-wear clothes with words

Friday, October 31st: Wear the Numbers-wear clothes with numbers

We are excited to announce the 2026 Young Authors’ Contest is coming soon!

The Howard County Literacy Association invites students in grades 1-5 to submit their original poems and/or short stories to the annual writing contest called The Young Authors' Contest. Please see the attached Young Authors’ Contest Guidelines in English or Spanish for information about the rules and guidelines. Stories and poems must be typed and saved as a Word Doc or Googledoc. All entries must have a completed YAC Cover Sheet (English/español) sent as a PDF. Submissions may be emailed to Keri Esposito by December 15, 2025. Contact Keri Esposito (keri_esposito@hcpss.org) and/or Casey Sawyer (casey_sawyer@hcpss.org) with any questions. All Young Authors’ Contest information can be found on the HCLA website.

Howard County Literacy Association welcomes parents as members. Visit the HCLA Welcome Page for information about joining.

Reading Specialists have visited classrooms and shared information about the contest with students! Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Attention 5th Grade Parents!

It's not too late to register for Battle of the Books! More information here. https://hclibrary.org/battle-of-the-books/

Register here. https://live-howardcounty.pantheonsite.io/event/battle-books-2026-mandatory-coaches-meeting-online-342613

See Mrs. McAfee if you have any questions of concerns.

Show your DLES pride and let everyone know you’re part of one of the best school communities! Check out our new school spirit wear store—new weekly deals are added regularly, so be sure to check back often.

You may be missing out on Talking Point text messages

Did you know that without this being done, students are not allowed to attend a field trip? It's true, complete this task today!

Parents/guardians must verify and/or update emergency information for each child every school year. This is completed online in Family File, which has several new updates, including how and where to access. Full details on updating your Family File are available online.

Click Below to Update Now!

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals.

Free and Reduced Meals eligibility provides discounts for summer programs, SAT, recreation programs, Maryland Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and internet programs. FARMs eligibility can also provide our school with much needed Federal funding.

Families must submit a new application every school year

How to Apply

Please submit only one application per household. We will host some events later in the month for families that need computer or language assistance to apply online. Be on the look out for more information.

Online Applications for the 2025-2026 School Year are available on the new LINQ Connect website. Just click on the button below.

Access to online resources can increase a child's exposure to many types of books, such as fiction vs. nonfiction. The link below will provide you and your child access to a wide range of books. When listening to a book being read aloud, press pause to give a child-friendly definition for an unfamiliar word, ask the child to predict what will happen next, and make connections between the book and the child's own experiences.

Unite for Literacy: Unite for Literacy provides free access to more than 400 original picture books, one fourth of them written in Spanish. The digital books provide audio narrations in more than 40 languages, spoken by native speakers in warm, expressive voices.

🎃 Trunk or Treat

Get ready for a frightfully fun time at our 5th Annual Trunk or Treat on Saturday, October 25th from 4:00–5:00 PM!

Want to join the fun behind the scenes? If you’d like to decorate your trunk, pass out candy, or volunteer, sign up here.

Not a member yet? Join the DLES PTA today at https://duckettspta.givebacks.com/store! When you become a member, you are supporting the students and teachers at DLES, as well as the nation. Each voice makes the PTA louder when advocating for what they need.

To stay up-to-date on all of our upcoming events, visit our website and Facebook page.

We strive to be a school that actively partners with our students, staff, families, and surrounding community members. We welcome your feedback.

Please click on the Feedback Form to share your thoughts with how we can make DLES the best for everyone.

• Principal, Mrs. Caroland Molly_Caroland@hcpss.org

• Assistant Principal, Mrs. Van Osdel Amy_Van_Osdel@hcpss.org

• Leadership Intern, Mrs. Poquette Laurie_Poquette@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

• Synergy and Family File Support, Secretary Mrs. Haque Puna_Haque@hcpss.org

• Counselor Mr. Leisawitz Alexander_Leisawitz@hcpss.org

• Counselor Mrs. Barron Krista_Barron@hcpss.org

• Community School Coordinator Mrs. De La Cruz- Van Natta ndelacruzvannatta@hcpss.org