IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Dec 17-21 STEM Week activities at DLES
Dec 19 Wellness Wednesday- wear your work out gear to school!
Dec 19 Interim Progress Reports issued
Dec 20 DLES CARES T-shirt Day
Dec 21 Pajama Day
Dec 21 Dental Clinic forms due to DLES Health Room
Dec 24- Jan 1 Schools closed for students- Winter Break
Jan 2 Schools reopen for students
Jan 15 5th Grade Band Concert 6:00-7:00pm at Thomas Viaduct MS
Jan 15 4th & 5th Grade Orchestra Concert 7:00-8:00pm at Thomas Viaduct MS
Jan 18 1st Grade Field Trip to Robinson Nature Center
Jan 21 Schools & Offices closed- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATION
Dear Families,
Many families find their calendars quite full in December. This can mean changes in homework and bedtime routines for some students. In addition, students often begin to get excited in anticipation of the winter break. Thanks for those “little things” you can do to help your child maintain their focus this month. Your reminders and your actions give the message that school and learning are a priority at all times of the year. Again – many thanks for your help.
Next week, students will receive their second quarter interim progress reports. Please check your child’s backpack for this important information. After reviewing this document with your child, if you should have questions or concerns, please contact your child’s teacher to discuss this data with them.
Recently, we have noticed an increase in cars in our car loop and feel that it may be due to the colder weather. As always, if your child is eligible to ride the bus, we would prefer that your child ride the bus to reduce the number of cars in the loop. If you are now using the car loop or have a new car, you may choose to put your child’s name on a card in the front window to assist us with your child’s dismissal. Thank you for your assistance!
Keep warm and have a wonderful weekend,
Mrs. Balter and Mrs. Madden
PTA NEWS
If you ordered Spirit Wear from the PTA, your items will be coming home with your student on Tuesday, Dec. 18th. Happy Holidays from the PTA!
STEM WEEK
Ducketts Lane Elementary School’s 5th Annual STEM Week will be held December 17th-2st. During this week, students will engage in a variety of STEM projects, such as building “snow” forts and creating toys for children in other countries. This will be a time for students to showcase their future-thinker, discoverer, and competing strengths as they collaborate to complete various projects throughout the week. We can’t wait to see all of their unique creations!
SQUARE 1 ART FUNDRAISER
Orders will be sent home on Thursday, December 19, 2018.
DENTAL CLINIC FORMS DUE DECEMBER 21st
In school dental care is coming to Ducketts Lane on February 7th and 8th! Check your Thursday folders for more information or sign up online at www.myschooldentist.com. Forms are due back to DLES on Friday, December 21st.
Feel free to call Mrs. Rocha or Ms. Fleischer in the DLES Health Room with questions at
410-313-1739.
FEDERAL IMPACT AID SURVEY FORMS
Federal Impact Aid surveys were sent home in yesterday’s Thursday folder to all families that indicated they were employed on federally owned property in the State of Maryland or are an active duty member of the military as shown on the HCPSS Family File. If you received a form, please complete the entire form, including eligibility, sign it and return it to DLES by Friday, Dec. 21st. If you have any questions, please contact the DLES Front Office.
FREE WINTER LUNCH PROGRAM
Free lunch will be offered to all children under 18 years of age on Thursday, Dec. 27th and Friday, Dec. 28th from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm at the following locations:
Florence Bain Center
5470 Ruth Keeton Way
Columbia, MD 21044
Howard County Library- East Columbia Branch
6600 Cradlerock Way
Columbia, MD 21045
YEARBOOK COVER DESIGN CONTEST
Wow! We have so many talented artists here at DLES! There were over 60 entries for the yearbook cover contest and it was hard to pick just one. Congratulations to Vanesa Alvarez in Mrs. Siller’s 5th grade class! Her design met the requirements needed and stood above the rest! We look forward to her winning design being on the front cover of the 2018-2019 Ducketts Lane Elementary School Yearbook!
Congratulations to the 10 runner ups: Hannah Mitchell, Joanna Kim, Adyson England, Eunise Tapia Rodriguez, Naariyah Clottey, Chidera Nwokeh, Lincy Rivera Alvarenga, Ashley Pineda, Sofia Rodriguez, and Chinye Ezimako! Their hard work will be featured on the back cover showcasing their creative designs!
Thank you to all the amazing artists that entered this yearbook cover contest. Your effort has not gone unnoticed! Keep making art and stay creative! If you have the opportunity, please try again next year! And remember, as Edwin Louis Cole says “Winners are not people who never fail, but people who never quit.”
WINTER CONCERT INFORMATION
January 15th - 6:00 pm – 5th Grade Band Concert @Thomas Viaduct MS
All 5th Grade Band students should report to TVMS by 5:30 pm.
January 15th - 7:00pm - 4th& 5th Grade Orchestra @Thomas Viaduct MS
All 4th & 5th Grade Orchestra students should report to TVMS by 6:30pm.
January 23rd - 6:00pm - 3rd Grade Orchestra & 4th Grade Band Concert @DLES
All 3rd Grade Orchestra and 4th Grade Band students should report to DLES by 5:30pm.
Students will need their own transportation both to and from the concerts.
Concert Dress
All students should wear a plain white dress shirt with black/dark dress pants (or skirt) and dark dress shoes and socks. No tank tops please! Ladies, if you are wearing a skirt please be sure that it is knee length or wear black leggings/tights underneath.
The Winter Concerts are mandatory for all Band and Orchestra students.
COMMUNITY NEWS AND PROGRAMS
Please visit the Community News and Programs page at
http://www.hcpss.org/community-news-and-programs/ for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.