August 31, 2022

Governor, secretary celebrate new school year

Delaware Governor John Carney and Secretary of Education Mark Holodick visited Red Clay Consolidated School District's Castle Hills Elementary School in New Castle and North Star Elementary School in Hockessin earlier this week to celebrate the first day of school for many Delaware students. 

Students and staff were eager to start the school year. During the visit Governor Carney also signed three important pieces of legislation related to literacy aimed at improving literacy rates across the state.

• House Bill 304 requires students to participate in universal reading screenings three times a year to identify potential reading deficiencies and access early intervention and prevention as needed.
• Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 4 requires DDOE to maintain and publish a list of evidence-based, reading instruction curriculum for grades K through 3 as well as establishes requirements for schools beginning in the 2027-28 school year.
• Senate Bill 195 requires DDOE to develop and maintain evidence-based media literacy standards, including responsible and healthy online behavior, for use in grades K through 12.

State Education Secretary Mark Holodick says these laws are part of a comprehensive approach to literacy in the First State.

“Our goal is to support teachers around using the science of reading in Delaware classrooms,” Holodick said. “This includes providing high-quality professional development opportunities and also allowing teachers time - more time embedded within the school day - to focus on student literacy.”

For all of the Delaware schools starting the 22-23 school year, welcome back!

Back to school...it's go time

Editor’s note: The following guest column was written by Delaware Education Secretary Mark Holodick.

As we begin the start of another school year, I would like to thank each of you for your hard work and resilience, especially these past few years. During my time as principal and superintendent in Delaware schools, I would start each school year with colleagues by saying, “It’s go time.” This meant that all the summer preparation, planning and work was about to pay off, and we were ready for staff and students to return. An air of excitement and wonder would fill the halls, the buildings were prepared, and goals had been developed. Seeing students enter their first day filled with curiosity and excitement always reminded us why we worked so hard, and why we all do our best every day to help ensure successful school days are filled with effective learning and good memories.

As schools re-open this fall for the 2022-23 school year – and for the first time since Fall 2019 – our schools will look and feel more “normal” to our students, families, and educators. For many of us, that comes with great relief. We are no longer stressing about the number of feet between desks, helping students with proper mask-wearing etiquette, or balancing remote and in-person learning schedules. Exposures no longer mandate quarantines, and our school nurses are not tasked with extensive contact tracing.

Yet, as we begin to distance ourselves from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must continue to take care of each other and prioritize community need over personal convenience. This school year, students, schools, families, and local communities will have greater autonomy and flexibility in decision-making around their health and safety. The most recent COVID-19 guidance issued by the Delaware Department of Education and Delaware Division of Public Health, which is in line with that of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, relies on all of us to self-monitor. That’s why it is imperative that we embrace the “greater good” philosophy.

Student interns spend summer with DDOE

This summer DDOE welcomed two student interns as part of the Future Leaders Internship Initiative (FLii) program, a six-week summer opportunity aimed at preparing Delaware students for high school and college through personal mentoring, rigorous teaching and leadership.

MOT Charter School's Kayla Kaspin and Dover High School's Jo-Saniya Brown worked with DDOE's Educator Excellence team. Both students are incoming juniors. 

During their time with DDOE, the students provided input on the redesigned Joindelawareschools.org website as well as presented the website to district and charter human resources directors for input and feedback. The students also sat in on recruitment interviews, helped create student surveys focused on teaching careers and met with Secretary Holodick.  

"Students are the primary focus for the Department of Education, so knowing students' concerns, interests, pressures and feelings is key," Kaspin said. "When these issues are voiced directly from students, the department is better equipped to understand students' needs and offer programs which will best lead to greater student achievement."

Kaspin says after her time at DDOE, she is now considering a future career in education.

Thank you, Kayla and Jo-Saniya, for your commitment and contributions to Delaware education!

Governor announces State Board of Education appointments

Governor John Carney has appointed former State Teacher of the Year Dr. Megan Szabo and high school student Nathan Cho to serve on the State Board of Education. Szabo was Delaware’s 2015 State Teacher of the Year and Cho is a current student at Conrad Schools of Science.

Szabo will be the second teacher and Cho will be the fourth student to serve in their respective roles since the General Assembly passed House Bill 455 in 2018. The legislation allowed the Governor to appoint to the board an 11th or 12th grade student and former State Teacher of the Year who also is a current educator to serve as non-voting members.

“Students and educators always deserve a seat at the table when we’re making decisions about Delaware schools,” said Governor Carney. “I appreciate the willingness of Megan and Nathan to serve in these important roles. I look forward to the great work they will do on behalf of all Delawareans.”

Szabo is a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Resource teacher in the Caesar Rodney School District. In this position, Szabo leads professional development, observe science classrooms across the district, and provide feedback to teachers to help them grow as science educators. Previously, she taught science at Postlethwait Middle School. Szabo is a member of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, the Delaware Teachers of Science, the Caesar Rodney Education Association, the Delaware Education Association, and the Nation Education Association. Szabo is a graduate of both the University of Delaware, where she received her Bachelors of Arts and Science degree in Biology Education, and Wilmington University, where she received her Masters of Education degree in Secondary School Counseling and her Doctorate of Education degree in Leadership and Innovation.

Cho is a Senior at Conrad Schools of Science in the Red Clay Consolidated School District. Cho participates in many educational and community-related extracurricular including serving on student government. Cho was Student Body President from January to August 2021. Cho is the Founder and Leader of the Debate Club, Vice President of the Green Club, Team Captain of the Science Olympiad, President of the Minority Student Union, High Brass Section Leader in the Marching Band. Cho is passionate about college readiness and serving his community.

Middle and high school students win digital mapping awards

Six students took home $100 prizes each as Delaware’s winners of the Esri’s 2022 ArcGIS US School Competition.

Secretary of Education Mark Holodick congratulated the winners in an recognition event in Dover earlier this month.

The winners with links to their projects are:

• Eric Lewis, a seventh grade home school student (1st place for middle school competition)
• Natalie Lewis, a sophomore at Caesar Rodney High School (1st place for high school competition)
• Alejandro Lobo, a senior at Newark High School (2nd place for high school competition)
• Wendy Santana Medina, a junior at Newark High School (3rd place for high school competition)
• Mariam Samake, a junior at Newark High School (Honorable mention)
• Naina Sharma, a senior at Newark High School (Honorable mention)

Eric Lewis and Natalie Lewis also represented Delaware in the national competition, where Natalie received recognition.

• Delaware seeks federal grant to support cleaner school buses
• 2022 state test results provide baseline for pandemic recovery
• State launches education funding study
• Tony Alleyne wins national award for Delaware College Scholars
• Participate in DIAA Strategic Planning Survey