In the House Education Committee, House Bill 234 Will Be Heard

House Bill 234 (wellness center bill) will be heard in the House Education Committee today–I am the prime sponsor of this bill. Below is a letter that I submitted to JFC members with respect to the missing wellness centers at our three public high schools. I have been advocating for  wellness centers since I was first elected. There were four high schools in the state that did not have wellness centers when I was first elected–those schools were AI High School, Conrad Schools of Science, St. Georges Votech, and Appo High School–AI High School received their wellness center in 2014.

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Why Must Schools Choose Between Larger Class Sizes or Unified Arts Programs?

I believe every school in our state should have technology, pe, art, music, library and talented and gifted programs. I know it costs lots of money. Our class sizes should not have to suffer because of these programs. Schools should not have to choose between class size and the arts. These programs are just as important as reading, math, social studies and science.

My daughter participated in Youth in Government, she wrote a bill called the Mandatory Unified Arts. I am proud to say, she won best Senate Bill that year. Just a shout out to Melissa Tracy at Conrad for running a fabulous program and Beth Blohm for chaperoning every year.

Thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with me? Very interested to hear what folks have to say.

Reminder: Red Clay School Board Meeting – October 21st – 7:00 – Conrad

Red Clay School Board Meeting – October 21 7:00  at Conrad Schools of Science.

• There will be a presentation on WEIC.
• Finalizing Mascot Committee, click here for more information.
• Delaware College Prep and DMA charter renewals are up and they are both requesting charter modifications.
  • DMA is requesting an increase in enrollment to 715 cadets by the year 2021. This would begin in 2017-2018 and would amount to 36 cadets
  • DCP is requesting a decrease in their enrollment 300 to 255
    • Increase the number of K-2 classrooms
    • Adjust the attrition rate from 7% to 15%
    • Enroll scholars in Grades 3-5
    • Clarify DCPA’s two-teacher model (one teacher, one para)
    • Align DCPA’s school year with local districts
    • Allow for a model of co-leadership at DCPA
  • Policy Opt-Out 7015 – Click here to view policy.

Click here to view complete agenda.

Red Clay School Board Meeting – October 21st – 7:00 – Conrad

Red Clay School Board Meeting – October 21 7:00  at Conrad Schools of Science.

• There will be a presentation on WEIC.
• Finalizing Mascot Committee, click here for more information.
• Delaware College Prep and DMA charter renewals are up and they are both requesting charter modifications.
  • DMA is requesting an increase in enrollment to 715 cadets by the year 2021. This would begin in 2017-2018 and would amount to 36 cadets
  • DCP is requesting a decrease in their enrollment 300 to 255
    • Increase the number of K-2 classrooms
    • Adjust the attrition rate from 7% to 15%
    • Enroll scholars in Grades 3-5
    • Clarify DCPA’s two-teacher model (one teacher, one para)
    • Align DCPA’s school year with local districts
    • Allow for a model of co-leadership at DCPA
  • Policy Opt-Out 7015 – Click here to view policy.

Click here to view complete agenda.

Parents Who Opted Out, No Need to Worry When Filling Out Red Clay Choice Applications Which Require Spring Smarter Balanced Scores

Exceptional Delaware published a post about Conrad Schools of Science choice application which requires Spring Standardized Test Scores which would be Smarter Balanced for all public school children in Delaware. You can read Exceptional Delaware’s post by clicking here. 

I wanted to make sure students were not penalized because their parents opted them out of the state assessment. Red Clay’s Superintendent Dr. Daugherty has assured me that will not happen. Conrad Schools of Science staff is well aware of the concerns and the lack of a state assessment score will not hinder any student’s chances of getting into Conrad.

Thank you to Red Clay School District for respecting a parent’s choice to opt out and not penalizing the child.

Delaware Leadership Project all candidates to work in lower performing schools for 3 years what happened?

• Delaware Leadership Project is an alternative route to principal certification for teachers who aspire to lead the state’s lowest performing schools. The Delaware Leadership Project is ran through Innovative Schools.
• The School Improvement Grant describes the program in more detail.
• The Leadership Project is operated by a nonprofit organization (Innovative Schools) that has experience working with the state’s low-performing public and charter schools (I was not aware that Innovative Schools has so much experience working in the state’s lowest performing schools). DDOE opted for an external provider for the program (rather than an established educational institution such as a university or school district) to secure independence in the recruitment, selection, evaluation, and dismissal of candidates. (Interesting that DOE would not actually want an educational institution providing these services. It is also interesting that DOE points out that they would want an independence in recruitment, selection, evaluation, and dismissal of candidates, not really sure I understand that statement.)
• The Delaware Leadership Project is a 15-month fellowship program for aspiring principals that begins and ends with two full summers of training and includes a school-year residency during which candidates work under a mentor principal in a low-performing school. The program, which is free for participants, also leads to a principal certificate. Participants receive a stipend of up to $65,000 based on their present salaries. The Leadership Project is funded through the state’s Race to the Top grant as well as two private foundations.(Now that Race to the Top Funds are gone, who is actually paying for this program?) Program graduates must make a commitment to work in one of Delaware’s low-performing schools for at least three years after completion of the program; however, there is no guarantee of a principal’s position at the end of the 15 months. (On Innovative Schools website, they do not advertise that the candidate must work in a low performing school, 
• Some of the folks who have graduated from the program have been place into some of our schools. Not all of the schools where these folks have been placed are low performing schools, so my question is how can this be? Two of the candidates were sent to Forest Oak Elementary School and Conrad Schools of Science neither one of these schools is a low performing school.)  Click here to see candidates.
• To be eligible for this program you must have a valid teacher certification from any state or from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, (Interesting, Delaware does not have reciprocity with every state.) 

What are the selection criteria for Delaware Leadership Project aspiring principals?

 

Admission to the Delaware Leadership Project is highly selective. In order to be eligible for the program, candidates must have:

• A master’s degree in any field from a regionally accredited college or university
• A minimum of three to five years of teaching experience
• Valid teacher certification from any state or from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 
• A graduate school GPA of 3.0 or higher
• A willingness to commit in writing to working in the Delaware public school system for 3 years upon graduation from the program

Read more about the Delaware Leadership Project click here.