Owl Observer News

What a wonderful week it has been highlighting the importance of embracing and supporting one another! Our students spent time learning about Ruby Bridges and will conclude the week today, November 14th, by walking into school together—just as Ruby did on November 14, 1960. This symbolic walk reminds us of the courage, unity, and collective power our community holds when we stand together in support of every child and their dreams.

As an administrative team, it was our honor to welcome the Morgan State University Band to Ducketts Lane! Their incredible performance reminded us that practice, perseverance, and determination help build a bright future in every area of life. A special thank-you to Mr. Anderson for connecting us with the band and making this memorable event possible—the smiles and dancing from our students are moments we’ll cherish for a long time.

We also want to remind families to sign up for fall conferences if you haven’t already. This round will focus on reading and writing growth, celebrating student progress while partnering together to close academic gaps. At home, we encourage families to continue practicing foundational reading and math skills through play—simple games and daily activities can make a big difference in building confidence and skills!

Parent Teacher conferences will be held in person on Monday, November 24th and virtually Tuesday, November 25th and virtually Wednesday, November 26th. Parents/guardians may schedule conferences in HCPSS Connect beginning at 8:00 a.m. on November 7th. Conference scheduling will continue through 4:00 p.m. on November 20th. Conferences will be held with your child's Language Arts teacher.

The start of a new quarter brings a great opportunity to set a new attendance goal and track progress at home to celebrate together! Consistent attendance builds strong learning habits early on and helps students feel connected to their school community. Adults can support this by setting regular routines, celebrating good attendance, and helping children understand that every school day is an important step in their learning journey.

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

Next week is National American Education Week, a time to celebrate the incredible work happening in schools across the country. Here at Ducketts Lane, we believe every day is special because our staff are dedicated to providing rich and meaningful learning experiences for our students. Below, you’ll find suggested times to visit that help us manage parking and traffic flow—please avoid arrival and dismissal times.

• Preschool & PreKindergarten- Friday, 11/21 times will be shared with classes

• Kindergarten - Monday, 11/17 at 9:00-10:30

• 1st Grade- Wednesday 9:00-11:00

• 2nd Grade- Tuesday 9:00-10:30

• 3rd Grade- Tuesday, 11/18 at 9:55-11:10

• 4th Grade- Tuesday, 11/18 12:05-1:15

• 5th Grade- Wednesday 11/19 11-12:15

Delivery Notice: If you chose to ship your Joe Corbi's/ShopFund orders to DLES, those items will be delivered on Monday, November 24th. They will be available for pick-up on that day from around dismissal time until 7pm. Please be sure to stop by DLES to pick up your orders on this day as we do not have freezer space available to keep any orders that are not picked up.

Thank you for your support!

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Abramson at Jennifer_Abramson@hcpss.org or

410-313-5050.

Helping your child grow as a reader can happen anytime, anywhere! Even just 10 minutes of reading each day can expose children to thousands of new vocabulary words over the course of a year—boosting their comprehension, writing, and overall academic success.

For our youngest learners:

• Point out and name uppercase and lowercase letters in books, on signs, and around your home.

• Ask your child to find letters from their name or favorite words.

• While reading together, talk about what’s happening in the pictures and how it connects to the story being told.

• Ask simple questions like, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Who is your favorite character?”

For older readers:
Encourage deeper thinking with questions that build comprehension, such as:

• “Why do you think the character made that choice?”

• “What is the main idea of this chapter?”

• “How does the story make you feel?”

• “What lesson do you think the author wants us to learn?”

Reading together—whether it’s a bedtime story, an article, or a recipe—helps strengthen skills, vocabulary, and a lifelong love of learning!

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.

PTA Membership Raffle

Not a member yet? Join the DLES PTA today for your chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card! We'll have one lucky teacher/staff and one lucky family winner! Drawing will be held on 11/24. Sign up today at https://duckettspta.givebacks.com/

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.

Staff Conference Dinner

We’re excited to host a Staff Conference Dinner on November 24th to show our appreciation for all the hard work and dedication from the teachers and staff at DLES.

This year’s menu will include a fresh garden salad and a baked potato bar with all the fixings.

We’re asking for a few donations to help make the evening extra special. If you’d like to contribute, please sign up using this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080549A8A92BAAFB6-59961816-staff

General PTA Meeting & Game Night

Join us for our next PTA General Meeting and Game Night on November 14th from 6-8 pm in the Cafeteria!

We’ll kick things off with a brief PTA meeting to share updates and upcoming events, followed by a fun-filled Game Night for families. Bring your favorite board games—or enjoy some of ours—and spend an evening connecting with other families in our school community.

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

Book Fair

Get ready! The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to DLES from November 17th to November 24th! This is a wonderful opportunity for students and families to discover new books, build home libraries, and share the joy of reading.

We’re looking for volunteers to help make the Book Fair a success — from setup and sales to cleanup. If you can lend a hand, please be on the lookout for additional volunteer information!

Here's the link for the book fair or online shopping

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/duckettslaneelementary

Here is the sign up for volunteers to help out with the book fair.

https://tinyurl.com/3a4v6vym

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