IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
Mar 21- Apr 12 Jump Rope for Heart activities at home
Mar 27 Family Bedtime Math Night 5:30-6:30 PM
Mar 28 K Field Trip to Elkridge Library (resched. date-Sneeringer/Shull classes only)
Mar 29 Deadline to return Learning Together Peer program applications (see below)
Apr 4 PTA Silent Auction 6:00-8:00 PM
Apr 5 Career Day for Grades 3, 4 and 5 in the morning
Apr 5 School closes at 12:20 PM-Professional Work Day for staff
Apr 8 2nd Grade Field Trip to the Maryland Science Center
Apr 9 PreK/ RECC Field Trip to the Baltimore Zoo
Apr 9 Celebrity Reader Day- wear your DLES spiritwear!
Apr 10 Volunteer Breakfast 8:00 AM
Apr 10 Plant Sale order deadline
Apr 11 PTA Meeting/ Election of Officers for 2019-20 school year
Apr 15-22 Spring Break- Schools closed
Apr 24 Spring Portraits
Apr 26 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Baltimore Zoo
Apr 27 Home, Health, Harvest event 9:00 AM-12noon
MESSAGE FROM ADMINISTRATION
Dear Families,
Please help us get an accurate student enrollment count for next year by letting the office staff know if you are planning to move out of this district before the school opens in September. If you know you are moving, please call the front office at 410-313-5050 with this information.
In the spirit of kindness, we would like to say thank you to the members of this year’s PTA Executive Board who have served with such commitment and dedication. You have truly made a difference. We would like to thank the parents who have stepped forward interested in positions on the PTA Executive Board for the 2019-20 school year. Your willingness to serve the children of Ducketts Lane is commendable. Kudos to all of you!
Thank you for your continued support,
Mrs. Balter and Mrs. Madden
PTA NEWS
Hershey Park tickets are on sale now! If your family looks forward to great rides, fun water park, and lots of delicious chocolate, then this is the deal for you. An order form came home in the March 7th Thursday folder. Tickets are for one-day (plus a few hours the night before) in the summer season, and cost $38 each until Thursday, March 28th (this is a great bargain, as regular ticket prices are $68.95). Please note that any orders received after March 28th will be charged $40 per ticket (after that date Hershey Park increases their costs). The sweetest place on earth is waiting for you this summer!
Going once, going twice...it’s one of the best nights of the year at Ducketts Lane!
Our PTA Silent Auction will be Thursday, April 4th at 6pm. Gift cards and tickets to Luray Caverns, Mutiny Bar and Grille, Goldfish Swim School and Baltimore’s Center Stage Theater are among the many items awaiting your bid, and best of all, the proceeds go toward amazing cultural arts programs for our students and other family fun throughout the year.
PTA Elections April 11, 2019
The PTA invites you to consider running for a position on the board of directors for the 2019-2021 school year. The terms of several current members are coming to an end, and we need new volunteers to run. Attached, please find an outline of the responsibilities for each available position, as well as a nomination form to fill out for yourself or another member of the DLES community who might be a good fit.
Please note that the fun and important ways that the PTA supports our school depend on great volunteers like you. If we do not fill these positions, the PTA will no longer function. The workload is quite manageable if we all pitch in and most of it can be done at home, though attendance at monthly meetings is required. Please email DuckettsLanePTA@gmail.com if you have any questions.
International Night is coming! On May 17th, take a trip around the world in one fun-filled, delicious evening! Join us as we celebrate our communities’ diversity through food, traditional dress, displays, artifacts, and stage performances from the many countries our DLES families represent. If your family would like to represent your country of origin or culture, please email Erin Martin Nelson at erin.m.nelson@gmail.com by May 3rd.
JUMP ROPE FOR HEART
Information for the Jump Rope for Heart activity was sent home in your child’s Thursday folder on March 21st. The whole family can join in the fun!
DLES Great Kindness Challenge: March 25th-29th
Throughout the week students will participate in spirit days, a "secret" mission to perform Random Acts of Kindness throughout the school day, a chance to earn 3 Owl Feathers each time they are "caught" performing an Act of Kindness and more! Be sure to talk to your child about what missions their class has completed each day! Here is the schedule for our spirit days:
Monday, March 25th- Secret Mission of Performing Random Acts of Kindness throughout the week revealed to each class! DLES Cares pencils will be distributed to remind students to spread CARE and Kindness!
Tuesday, March 26th- Powered by Kindness-Dress up like a Superhero
Wednesday, March 27th- I Dream of Kindness- Pajama Day
Thursday, March 28th- Team Kindness- Wear your Favorite Sports Gear
Friday, March 29th- Wear your DLES CARES T-Shirt
KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION 2019-20
GREAT NEWS! You can now begin the registration process for Kindergarten online! Registration for new students or students entering public school kindergarten in fall 2019 has begun in all Howard County public elementary schools. The time to register your child is NOW! Children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2019 must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2019. Children entering first grade in the fall of 2019 must be 6 years old on or before September 1, 2019. For details about registration and enrollment, visit www.hcpss.org/enroll/. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a registration appointment, please call the DLES front office at 410-313-5050.
For more information please go to: https://news.hcpss.org/news-posts/2019/03/2019-2020-kindergarten-registration-online-enrollment-open-completion-in-schools-march-11-15-2019/
PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM 2019-20
Enrollment for our half day Pre-K programs at DLES for the 2019-20 school year has begun! The Pre-K program is a high-quality, early childhood instructional program designed to support early learning and school readiness. It aims to provide experiences that foster children’s academic, social, emotional and physical development. The Maryland State Department of Education requires that the Pre-K program be made available to students who meet priority criteria. Parents of children who will be 4 by September 1, 2019 may contact Ms. Lynette or Mrs. Grove in the DLES front office for an application package. All application information will be kept confidential and reviewed only by school staff. The school will review applications and supporting documentation and then invite students to be enrolled according to the criteria described above.
LEARNING TOGETHER PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAM 2019-20
The Ducketts Lane Elementary School Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) preschool programs are making preparations for classes for the 2019-20 school year. These classes include children with and without disabilities. The program’s focus is helping children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor and social skills. Parents/guardians of children who will be 3 by September 1st or 4 years of age may contact Mrs. Grove or Ms. Lynette in the front office for an application package.
All applications must be returned by March 29th to the front office. A mandatory playdate will be held on April 24, 2019 from 11:30 AM- 12:30 PM. A limited number of openings are available for children without disabilities. Children are selected based upon screening information given on the application form and the “Ages and Stages Questionnaire”, as well as observations of the child’s participation in a playgroup. If necessary, a lottery process will be conducted. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Geiser (mary_geiser@hcpss.org) or Ms. Kest (amy_kest@hcpss.org) or call DLES.
FAMILY BEDTIME MATH NIGHT
Make sure to check your child's Thursday folder for information on our Family Bedtime Math Night on March 27th from 5:30-6:30 PM. We will be reading stories and math problems to get your child's mind in a "mathy" mood before going to sleep, as they eat their milk and cookies that are provided. We will also go over how to download the free Bedtime Math app, so you can do this with your child on daily basis. Don’t forget to wear your pj’s! We look forward to seeing you there!
PLANT and FLOWER SALE
DLES is having our first ever Plant and Flower Sale! The proceeds from this sale will help our school pay for Core Clicks, which is used in every classroom. Please help us by purchasing plants for your home. The plants will be available to pick up on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 9am-12noon at Health, Home, and Harvest. Flyers went home in your students' Thursday folders this week.
All orders are due on Wednesday, April 10th. Cash and checks will be accepted. Please make checks out to Ducketts Lane Elementary School.
CELEBRITY READER DAY
April 9, 2019 is DLES celebrity reader day! Special guests will be reading in classrooms throughout the day! Please wear your Ducketts Lane spirit wear or t-shirts that day.
HEALTH, HOME and HARVEST EVENT
We are hosting our 5th annual Health, Home, and Harvest Festival on Saturday, April 27th from 9:00 am-12:00 pm and we are looking for local Howard County wellness and environmental professionals to set up informational displays and demos at this year's event. This would be an opportunity for you to provide information for our DLES community on your educational resources and promote your business. In addition to being a wonderful outlet to promote your work, it is a chance for our DLES community to improve the health and wellness of their families through a fun and interactive experience. If you are interested in being one of this year's vendors, please contact Meaghan_Liwosz@hcpss.org by April 12th.
Do you have toys, clothes, books, or other items that have been accumulating in your basement or attic??? Sell these items at the Health, Home, and Harvest on Saturday, April 27th! For $20, you can purchase 2 parking spaces in the DLES parking lot to set up and sell your unwanted items. You will provide your own table(s). A limited number of tables are available to rent for an additional cost of $5. You keep the profit of everything that you sell! Remember, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. All proceeds will benefit 5th grade events and activities. For more information, contact Justine Sillers at justine_sillers@hcpss.org.
GIRLS ON THE RUN
Girls on the Run registration ppened February 10: Girls on the Run® inspires girls in grades 3-5 to be joyful, healthy, and confident by using running to teach valuable life skills. Teams of 15-20 girls meet twice weekly after school for 10 weeks. Each season concludes with the girls and their running buddies completing a 5k run. The Spring season started the week of March 17th, with the season-ending 5k scheduled for June 1, 2019, in Columbia, MD. Practices will be Mondays and Wednesdays after school. Registration opened on Sunday, February 10th. Program registration fee is $175 and includes 5k registration, water bottle, t-shirt, and all program materials. Financial assistance is available – no girl is turned away. Visit www.gotrcentralmd.org for a list of program sites and to register. Questions? Call 443-583-7740.
GT SUMMER INSTITUTES
Registration for the G/T Summer Institutes is here. You can view the catalog and find directions to register your child for these classes at https://www.hcpss.org/f/summer/gt-summer-institutes-talent-dev-catalog.pdf.
Scholarships are available for students participating in the Free and Reduced Meals program. Please feel free to contact either Katie Martinelli (katie_martinelli@hcpss.org) or Gavin West (gavin_west@hcpss.org) if you have any questions at all.
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.