Aviator Updates

Hello Duke Families,

Kudos to our amazing band, orchestra, and chorus students for an outstanding performance last Thursday! Your dedication and talent truly shone on stage. A special thank you to Dr. Alvey, our dedicated choral and strings teacher, and Mr. Romano, the maestro behind our band. We appreciate you going above and beyond for our musicians. Huge thanks also to the families who support their musical journeys at home – your encouragement and involvement make a significant impact.

Tomorrow marks the first day of the 3rd marking period. I look forward to watching our Aviators SOAR during the second half of the school year!

All the best,

Katie Kortokrax, Principal

Zach Adams, Assistant Principal

• Mon, Feb 5- 100th Day of School
  
• Tues, Feb 6- Report Card Distribution
• Fri, Feb 9- Two Hour Early Release
• Mon, Feb 19- No School; Presidents' Day

Last week our attendance dropped, largely due to illnesses. We hope everyone is on the mend so we can close out the month of January with strong attendance! If we can get our overall ADA to 94% by the end of January, we will DUCK TAPE a staff member to the wall during lunch one day soon. 4th grade is currently leading the school for best attendance for the month. Thank you for your help with getting your kids to school daily.

Pictures will be posted in next week's Aviator Update #21!

This Friday marks the 137th Groundhog Day at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Thousands gather to await Phil's forecast. If he sees his shadow, it's six more weeks of winter; if not, expect an early spring. Even though he’s been forecasting since 1887, Phil’s track record for the entire country isn’t perfect. On average, Phil has gotten it right 40% of the time over the past 10 years.

Let's see if Duke Aviators are better forecasters than Punxsutawney Phil. Vote below on whether we're in for more winter or an early spring!

Click here for the Menu. Due to supply chain issues, menu changes occur. We recognize that the decision to bring lunch from home or purchase lunch from school is often dependent on the menu.

• 1/31/24 Chicken Patty

• Monday, January 22
• Tuesday, January 23
• Wednesday, January 24
• Thursday, January 25

St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS) will offer a series of Conscious Discipline workshops to Pre-Kindergarten families, Kindergarten families, and local childcare providers.

Participants will learn how to implement effective routines that utilize strategies based on brain science to foster self-regulation skills. These live virtual evening sessions will allow you to interact with a Conscious Discipline Master Instructor from the comfort of your home from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

Please select this link for dates and registration information.

3rd Grade

MCAP ELA: April 15, 17, 22, 24

MCAP Math: April 29, May 1, 6, 8

4th Grade

NAEP: February 27 (more information coming)

MCAP ELA: April 16, 18, 23, 25

MCAP Math: April 30, May 2, 7, 9

5th Grade

MISA Science: March 12 and 14

MCAP ELA: April 16, 18, 23, 25

MCAP Math: April 30, May 2, 7, 9

Capture this year's school memories by ordering your yearbook TODAY!

Click here to order yours today.

There are so many fantastic things happening in our efforts to support SMCPS students with disabilities. Please use this survey to share your praise, story, or news about successes here at CWFDES! Thank you in advance for sharing your appreciation for our special education staff members!

I am so pleased to announce that registration for the 2024 Annual SMAMUN Conference is now open! Our SMAMUN Conference will take place on Friday, February 9th, 2024 and Saturday, February 10th, 2024 at Leonardtown High School and is open to any SMCPS student from 5th to 12th grade. Participants will enjoy exciting exposure to and deliberation on a variety of major real-world issues from across the globe, all through warm collaboration with fellow SMCPS students.

• SMAMUN Website: https://sites.google.com/smcps.org/smamun/home
• SMAMUN Commercial: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mIreZPPxUOy69YbNeIqeGw444g08fH2S/view?usp=sharing

In implementing the requirements and reform initiatives associated with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, St. Mary’s County Public Schools is inviting stakeholders to learn about each pillar of the Blueprint, its requirements, and current status. As part of the Town Hall sessions, stakeholders will be able to ask questions of staff and provide input in responding to the opportunities and challenges associated with the implementation of the Blueprint.

• Pillar 1: Early Childhood Education - Tue, November 7, 2023

• Pillar 4: Resources for Student Success - Tue, December 5, 2023

• Pillar 3: College and Career Readiness - Thur, February 8, 2024

• Pillar 2: High Quality and Diverse Teachers and Leaders - Tue, March 12, 2024

All sessions will be held at 6 PM at the Dr. J. A . Forrest Career and Technology Center, and will be livestreamed at www.smcps.org/streaming.

We welcome your questions and inquiries. Please call 240-309-4658, refer to the SMCPS Back to School website, or our CWFDES website for additional information.

Katie Kortokrax, Principal

Zach Adams, Assistant Principal

Email: klkortokrax@smcps.org
Website: https://cwfdes.smcps.org/
Location: 23595 Hayden Farm Lane, Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: (240) 309-4658
Twitter: @CWFDES_SMCPS