Owl Observer News

It was a fun and spirited week at Ducketts Lane! Even with spirit days and a half-day sprinkled into a shortened week, the amount of learning packed into each classroom did not slow down one bit. Our students and staff made the most of every moment.

As the weather forecast begins to mention the possibility of snow, we want to remind families that all updates related to school operations due to weather can always be found on the Howard County Public School System website (click here for updates).

We are looking forward to a full day of learning today and can’t wait to welcome everyone back on Tuesday!

Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting student attendance. Last week, our weekly attendance average was 95.1%, which reflects the strong commitment our families show each day. While this is encouraging, we also know that strong weekly attendance alone will not be enough to reduce our chronic absenteeism rate, which is currently 12.4%. Our goal is to bring this rate below 12% by the end of the school year, and consistent, daily attendance for every student is key to making that happen.

Our highest attendance rate last week was on Tuesday, January 13th, with 96.8% of our students present and ready to learn. Our lowest attendance day was Friday, January 16th, when attendance dipped to 93.0%.

We were so close to reaching our first 97% (or higher!) attendance goal—and we know we can get there together. With some schedule differences this week, especially in coordination with middle and high school schedules, we understand that mornings can feel more challenging than usual. Even so, every day matters. Regular attendance helps students build routines, stay connected to learning, and make steady academic and social progress.

We appreciate your continued efforts to get students to school each day and ready to learn. Together, we can strengthen daily attendance, reduce chronic absenteeism, and celebrate our success as a community. We’ve got this!

Starting Yesterday- January 22nd-Parents/guardians may schedule conferences in HCPSS Connect beginning at 8:00 a.m. on January 22nd. Conference scheduling will continue through 4:00 p.m. on January 30th. Conferences will be held with your child's Math teacher. *There will be in-person and virtual options.

TODAY- January 23rd- FULL Student day for Prek through 5th Grade students. No school for our preschool students.

Monday, January 26th- No School for Students

Wednesday, February 4th-No School for Students

Thursday, February 5th-All Students Dismiss at 12:15-Parent/Teacher Conferences. No half-day PreK/RECC

Friday, February 6th-All Students Dismiss at 12:15-Parent/Teacher Conferences. No half-day PreK/RECC

Get ready to let your imagination run wild! Crayola Creativity Week is happening from January 26 to February 1, 2026, and we are inviting all DLES students to help us celebrate the theme "Color Inspires Creativity." We want to fill our school with your amazing talent, so please see the memo below for details on how to bring in your artwork to be featured on our special gallery bulletin board!

We hope the new year has started off positively and productively for you and your family. As we close out January and look ahead to February, we are excited to share some highlights from the DLES Physical Education program.

Our PreK students have been busy practicing a variety of locomotor movements, exploring rhythm and dance, and developing foundational jumping and landing skills.

In grades K–5, students have been focusing on striking skills and volleyball fundamentals. This unit helps reinforce movement concepts, coordination, and teamwork.

• Grades 3–5 have been learning and practicing serving, bumping, setting, and volleying with a partner.

• Grades K–2 have been working on striking objects upward and completing fun and engaging volleying challenges.

Additionally, our 3rd–5th grade students have been discussing the importance of aerobic fitness and cardiovascular endurance. They have even been practicing how to find and calculate their heart rates. We encourage you to join in at home—get the whole family moving and invite your child to teach you how to check your heart rate!

Throughout all lessons, we continue to emphasize being Determined Learners and Embracers, while staying safe and active in Physical Education. Our goal is to support students in developing healthy habits and growing as well-rounded learners at DLES and beyond.

As always, we appreciate your continued support and partnership. Your involvement truly makes a difference, and we look forward to continuing this journey together.

Warm regards,
The DLES Physical Education Department
Mr. Anderson & Mr. Abramson

DLES is excited to hold its second annual Talent Show on Friday, March 6th! The performance will take place from 5:30-7:00 in the DLES cafeteria. All students who want to share a talent with our community are welcome to participate!

To register your performer, please fill out this form by Friday, February 6th. Performance slots will be first-come, first-served.

Talking about reading at home is one of the best ways to help children understand what they read and build confidence as readers. You don’t need special training or the “perfect” questions—just a few minutes of conversation can make a big difference.

When students are asked at school to explain their thinking, make connections, or share ideas, these same skills can be practiced naturally at home.

Easy Ways to Talk About What Your Child Read

After your child reads (or you read together), try one or two of these simple prompts:

1. Talk About What Happened

• “What was the story or text mostly about?”

• “Who was the main character or what was the main topic?”

• “What was one thing you remember?”

👉 This helps your child show basic understanding.

2. Make Connections (This Is a Big One!)

Teachers often ask students to connect reading to:

• Another book

• A movie or TV show

• Something from their own life

You can help by asking:

• “Does this remind you of another book or movie?”

• “Has anything like this ever happened to you?”

• “Does this make you think of something we’ve done as a family?”

Examples:

• Fiction:
  “This character was nervous about school—have you ever felt that way?”

• Nonfiction:
  “This book talked about animals—did we see any like this at the zoo or on TV?”

There is no wrong answer—what matters is that your child explains their thinking.

3. Encourage Them to Explain ‘Why’

If your child gives a short answer, try a gentle follow-up:

• “Why do you think that?”

• “What made you say that?”

• “What part of the book helped you know that?”

This helps them elaborate, which is an important comprehension skill.

Keep It Simple and Positive 💛

• Conversations can be short—5 minutes is great!

• It’s okay if your child struggles to answer at first.

• Praise effort: “I like how you explained your thinking.”

• You don’t need to correct every mistake—focus on understanding.

Support for Foundational Reading Skills: BOOST 💻

For families of students who use research-based reading intervention at school, please remember to have your child regularly access the BOOST computer program at home.

BOOST helps strengthen:

• Letter sounds

• Word reading

• Fluency

These skills are the building blocks for comprehension. When students can read words more easily, they can better understand and talk about what they read.

Even short, consistent practice makes a difference!

A Final Reminder

You are already supporting your child just by listening, asking questions, and encouraging them. Reading doesn’t have to feel like schoolwork—talking, laughing, and making connections together is powerful learning.

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s reading growth!

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.

Join us January 23rd from 6:30-8 pm in the DLES cafeteria for a fun dance night with music from DJ Claw! We will also have snacks, light refreshments, and LOTS OF GLOW STICKS!!!

We are in need of a few more volunteers to make this event a success. If you would like to help out while you are at the dance, please visit our sign-up page at PTA: Glow dance

Please be advised that this is not a drop-off event. All students must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18.

We can't wait to light up the night with you!

Join today at https://duckettspta.givebacks.com/shop! 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.

Together, we can wrap our school community in warmth this season. Thank you for giving, supporting, and sharing kindness! ✨

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