Owl Observer News

We had a wonderful week at Ducketts Lane! Our Girls on the Run and Boys Run Club wrapped up their season with a fantastic event filled with energy, pride, and teamwork—what an inspiration to see our students finish strong! Our SCH event was also a huge success, and we are incredibly grateful to the community volunteers, visitors, and judges who made the day so special. Wednesday evening’s concert was another reminder of the tremendous talent our students possess—thank you to all who attended and supported our young performers.

Today, we’re excited for a fun and festive #WeAreDuckettsFieldDay! Please remember to wear your grade-level DLES shirt or assigned color and don’t forget your tennis shoes for a day full of activity. Spring individual pictures were sent home a few weeks ago—thank you to families who have already returned any unpurchased packages. If you haven’t yet done so, please return any non-purchased photos by Tuesday.

We also want to address a serious safety concern: there has been a recent increase in students being let out of cars along Ducketts Lane during arrival. This practice is extremely dangerous and has resulted in several near-miss incidents. Please help keep all students safe by using the designated car loop for arrival and dismissal, or by having children walk or take the bus. Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and respectful school environment.

A reminder that school will be closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership!

Proudly serving you,

Mrs. Caroland, Mrs. Van Osdel, and Mrs. Yerashunas

Just a friendly reminder that chewing gum is not allowed at school. Gum often becomes a distraction during learning and can end up stuck in places other than trash cans, creating unnecessary messes. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this expectation with your child to help us maintain a clean and focused learning environment.

EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS

Friday, June 6th-Students dismiss at 12:15pm NO PRESCHOOL CLASSES

Monday, June 16th-Students dismiss at 12:15pm NO PRESCHOOL CLASSES

Tuesday, June 17th-Students dismiss at 12:15pm NO PRESCHOOL CLASSES

Wednesday, June 18th- Students dismiss at 12:15pm NO PRESCHOOL CLASSES Last Day of School

PLANNED SCHOOL CLOSURE

Monday, May 26th- Memorial Day-school is closed for all

Yearbook order forms were sent home in your student's Thursday folders before spring break. Yearbooks are $12.00 each. Students in Fifth Grade do not need to purchase a Yearbook, each fifth grader will be provided a Yearbook. All payment information is listed on the order form. Yearbooks will be given to students the last week of school. We have a limited number of Yearbooks so please place your order early.

You can use the code to order your yearbook as well.

As we prepare for our upcoming school year, it is important to have your child registered to ensure we have the correct amount of teachers for our students. Please do not delay! Help us with the process by registering your new kindergartner or first grader as soon as possible.

Children must be 5 years old by 9/1/25 in order to enroll in kindergarten next school year. Every child who is 5 years old by this date must be enrolled in a kindergarten program this fall or have an approved waiver. HCPSS kindergarten is a full day program.

• Please make certain you are on the screen for 2025-2026 if registering for the next school year.

• Parents or guardians are to register students at the school serving the address where the child’s parent or guardian resides. Information on neighborhood schools can be found through HCPSS School Locator.

• Complete your child’s registration online by providing the documents listed below. The registration process will be more efficient if you upload the required documents during online registration. Otherwise, you will be asked to submit the required documents via email as pdfs, or you may contact the office to make arrangements to bring the documents in and we will copy them for you. The following documents are needed for registration and should be submitted during the online registration process: Click here for a checklist for registration.

  • Child’s evidence of birth (i.e. birth certificate, baptismal certificate)

  • An authorized record of immunizations

  • Proof of residency in the form of your entire signed lease/deed including signature pages.

  • Current utility bill with your name and address that has been issued within the last 45 days. (cellular device bills not accepted)

  • Photo ID of parent/guardian

Additional Documents to bring if applicable to your child:

Proof of custody - only if there is information the school must adhere to during school hours (full document including the signature pages)

• Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for Special Education Services

• 504 plan

• Psychological report or related services reports/plans

• English Language Learner (ELL) plans or previous assessments

These forms should be completed by your child's pediatrician and dentist and emailed to our Health Room prior to the first day of school or as soon as your child has their 5 year check-up

• Blood Lead Testing

• Dental Health Form

• Physical Exam Form

• Immunization Form

It is recommended that you work on a laptop or desktop to complete registration. Cell phone registration is not recommended. Please call our front office at 410-313-5050.

Take a moment to see all of the amazing options available to show your Ducketts Lane spirit and pride.

Click here to see all the options and deals!

In P.E., we have continued our collaborative games unit with the focus on getting our students ready for “We Are Ducketts Day (field day)!!!” Students are engaging in activities emphasizing the importance of being Determined Learners, Embracing, and Safe. We hope that We Are Ducketts Day will be the best one yet and that your student will have memories that will last a lifetime! Please ask your students what their favorite part of the day was.

We truly value your continued support and partnership. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference, and we’re grateful to continue this journey together.

The P.E. Department

Mr. Anderson & Mr. Abramson

#WEAREDUCKETTS

Are you still confused about the difference between HCPPS Connect and Canvas? Did you receive a new Chromebook and are unsure how to use it? Have you forgotten your HCPSS password? If you need any computer assistance, we are here to help you feel confident in accessing your student's grades, emailing a teacher, seeing attendance records, making a parent teacher conference, and downloading the Canvas app on your phone.

If you answered YES to any of these questions, please sign up on this Computer Assistance Request Form. A Ducketts Lane Liaison will then reach out to you to set up a time to meet for Computer, Chromebook, HCPSS Connect or Canvas assistance.

We are here to help you learn how to access HCPSS information on your computer or phone for you to support your student's success.

¿Aún tiene dudas sobre la diferencia entre HCPPS Connect y Canvas? ¿Recibió una Chromebook nueva y no sabe cómo usarla? ¿Olvidó su contraseña de HCPSS? Si necesita asistencia con la computadora, estamos aquí para ayudarle a acceder con confianza a las calificaciones de su estudiante, comunicarse con un maestro, ver los registros de asistencia, programar una reunión de padres y maestros o para descargar la aplicación Canvas en su teléfono.

Si respondió SÍ a alguna de estas preguntas anteriores, complete este Formulario de solicitud de asistencia informática con la computadora. Un enlace de Ducketts Lane se pondrá en contacto con usted para programar una reunión con ellos para obtener asistencia con la computadora, HCPSS Connect o Canvas.

Estamos aquí para ayudarle a aprender a acceder a la información de HCPSS en su computadora o teléfono para que pueda apoyar el éxito de su estudiante.

🎉 Congratulations & Call for Volunteers!

We are excited to announce that Miriam Anderson has been elected as our PTA Vice President for the 2025–2026 school year — congratulations, Miriam!

But we’re not done yet! We are still looking for passionate and dedicated individuals to join our PTA Executive Board. The following positions are currently open:

• President

• Treasurer

• Recording Secretary

• Corresponding Secretary

We also have Chair positions available, including:

• Membership Chair

• Ways and Means Chair

• PTACHC Representative

If you’re interested in making a difference at Ducketts Lane Elementary, we’d love to have you on our team! Please email us at duckettslanepta@gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook at @dles.pta.

Use code: PEPFREE to enjoy PEP's Live Webinars and On-Demand Videos free of charge

All parents experience moments of anger and frustration from the daily pressures of raising a family. While it's only human to lose our cool sometimes, expressing extreme anger is not healthy or productive.

Learn how to become aware of your thoughts, words, and actions and how they impact interactions with your children. Finding calm in moments of frustration keeps us grounded and models appropriate ways to deal with anger.

Join us to:

• explore the purpose of anger
• understand what's behind your anger
• learn a 4-step process to manage angry moments

For: Parents of children of all ages

When: Wednesday, May 7, from 8:00 - 9:00 PM ET

Cost: $25 Add Coupon PEPFREE

Registration: https://pepparentonline.org/p/managing-anger-2025

Parents, are you searching for ways to empower your children with a positive ‘can-do’ attitude? Do your children fear making mistakes, criticize themselves, or struggle with motivation when facing a challenge? This state of discouragement often leads to nagging, conflict, and feeling helpless by everyone in the family.

Turn the Discouragement cycle into Encouragement. Discover simple tools to infuse the parent-child relationship with the ‘I Can Quotient,’ a useful measure of a child's ability to thrive in life developed by psychotherapists Betty Lou Bettner and Amy Lew.

Learn strategies to increase your child’s:

• sense of feeling connected, capable, competent, and courageous
• ability to flex their ‘can-do’ muscles
• self-confidence to face challenges more independently

For: Parents of children of all ages

When: Tuesday, May 20, from 8:00 - 9:00 PM ET

Cost: $25 Add Coupon PEPFREE

Registration:https://pepparentonline.org/p/raising-i-can-kids-2025

Positive Discipline for Families

May 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m. / Register

Gain insights about parenting and explore tools to reduce power struggles, cultivate respectful family relationships and set limits for your kids.

Positive Parenting Series

May 7 - June 11, 10 - 11:30 a.m. / In-person at the Family Support Center / Register

This six-week series takes a more in-depth look at Positive Discipline tools to enhance your parenting practices. Learn how to gain cooperation from your kids, increase your connection with them, keep your cool and set limits without power struggles.

Effective Parenting Plans: Co-Parenting Across Two Households

May 21, 7 p.m. / Register

Learn how to build a comprehensive co-parenting plan to foster a harmonious environment for your children, focusing on practical steps to ensure a smooth and collaborative experience.

Creating a Calming Corner: Tools to Support Your Child’s Emotional Growth

May 22, noon - 1 p.m. / In-person at the Family Support Center / Register

May 29, 6 p.m. / Virtual / Register

Learn how creating a calming space in your home can support a child's emotional development and build healthy coping skills.

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. Yerashunas Brianna_Yerashunas@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

• Counselor Mr. Leisawitz Alexander_Leisawitz@hcpss.org

• Counselor Mrs. Baron Krista_Baron@hcpss.org

• Community School Coordinator Ms. Medina Alejandra_Medina@hcpss.org