Owl Observer News

It was another wonderful full week at school! We had so much fun celebrating the 100th day of school and reflecting on just how much learning has taken place over the past 100+ days. This week also served as a powerful reminder of the impact of kindness, as we highlighted a different kindness theme each day. We will wrap up our celebrations today with friendship activities in classrooms.

Please remember that schools will be closed on Monday in observance of Presidents’ Day and closed on Tuesday in observance of the Lunar New Year. During the long weekend, we encourage students to continue reading and practicing the math skills they have been working so hard to build.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Wednesday, February 18th at 8:30 a.m. 😊

In honor of Black History Month, one of the many ways we are uplifting this important and meaningful time for our students is by highlighting individuals they may or may not have learned about before. Each day during morning announcements, we share interesting and “cool” facts about influential Black leaders, innovators, and trailblazers.

This week, our students learned about Quincy Wilson, a talented track and field athlete raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland who specializes in the 400-meter race. Students were excited to learn that at just 16 years old, Quincy earned national recognition as a Youth Athlete of the Year, became the youngest American male track and field Olympian in history, and won a gold medal in the 400-meter at the 2024 Paris Olympics. They also learned that Quincy excels in the classroom—earning straight A’s—and has interests in mechanical engineering and sports journalism. His hard work and dedication have even led to national brand partnerships.

The image below highlights some of the facts and accomplishments our students explored together.

We are getting excited to start our March attendance contest- running from March 2–March 27!

Here’s how it works:

Each day that a homeroom reaches 95% attendance or higher, that class earns one point. Every day counts!

There’s a little friendly competition involved—classes within each grade level will compete against one another, and the class with the highest number of points at the end of the contest will win a special award. But that’s not all! Grade levels are also working together, because the grade level with the highest overall total of points will earn a celebration as well.

It’s teamwork, responsibility, and school spirit all rolled into one! Let’s build strong attendance habits and show up ready to learn each and every day. We can’t wait to see which class—and which grade level—comes out on top! 🏆✨ Remember: Every day matters. Every student counts.

Monday, February 16th-No School for Students

Tuesday, February 17th-No School for Students

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.

The Ducketts Lane Elementary school counseling team is looking for volunteers to speak to classes for Career Day on March 26th, 2026.

Please complete this form if you are interested in coming in to share more about your career. You will be asked to share about your occupation/career in an approximately 15-minute presentation and answer questions that students may have. After gathering responses from interested speakers we will contact you to schedule specific times for your presentation on March 26th (different grades will be presented to at different times throughout the day).

Whether you plan to speak at our career day or not we would love to hear more about the work that you do and your path along the way. Please take a couple of minutes to share your journey!

Thank you for your time and consideration!

~The DLES Counseling Team

What is the Kids Heart Challenge?

Building on key learnings from nearly 45 years in America’s schools, the Kids Heart Challenge focuses on whole body wellness, helping students improve their own health and better their character while raising life-saving donations for the American Heart Association to help kids facing heart-health issues.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Abramson at robert_abramson@hcpss.org

Sight words (we sometimes call these heart words here at school) are common words that children learn to recognize by sight, rather than sounding them out. We encourage you to ask your child's teacher if there are any sight words that your child could work with at home.

Here is a website that has a list of fun games and activities you can use with sight words to help your child be a stronger reader.

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 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.

🎬 Movie Night & General Meeting – Thursday, 2/20 6:00pm
Bring your family, grab some popcorn, and enjoy a fun movie night while connecting with our amazing PTA community.

Your involvement—big or small—makes a huge difference in supporting our students and school community. Come join the fun, meet other families, and help make these events memorable!

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

Learn how to set and uphold reasonable limits with your children and their use of electronic devices.

We'll explore:

• What exactly bothers me as a parent about my child's tech use?
• What role does tech play in my child's life?
• How do we collaborate to set and uphold reasonable limits?

If you’re concerned about the time your children spend with electronics -- what they might be doing, or what they’re NOT doing when glued to a screen – join us for this webinar.

For: Parents of school-age children and teens

When: Thursday, February 26, from 8:00 - 9:00 PM ET

Cost: $25

Tackling screen time: Registration link

Please join us for our Primary Grades Library Night, Tuesday, March 3, 2026 at the Elkridge Library.

See flyer for more details and register HERE.

Here is a look at various events taking place at the Elkridge Library.

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