that’s ‘edutainment’...that’s ‘edutainment’ summer 2014 nina larock is never far from...

BYMEAGHAN CASEY

As Delaware teachers transition to SmarterBalanced student assessments this year, somemay have more insight as to what to expect. Anumber of the state’s educators, such as CarieDeBaca, an elementary mathematics specialistin the Capital School District, and WatersMiddle School teacher Michelle Conway, wererecruited to write and review items andperformance tasks for content, bias andsensitivity and accessibility.

“It was a very unique experience thatoffered me a chance to explore the relationshipbetween depth of knowledge levels andclaims,” said DeBaca. “It also really helped mebreak down the standards and look at whatexactly the expectation is at each grade leveland how the standards connect to others, both

See ASSESSMENTS 0

VOL. 3, NO. 2

Teachershave sayin newassessments

Waters Middle School teacher MichelleConway, a writer for Smarter Balanced,works with student Sophia Mullins.

McKeanstudents

learnbroadcast

skillsPAGES 6-7

That’s ‘edutainment’

SUMMER 2014

Nina Larock is never far from her EDtv alter ego Wally Wordsworth. PHOTO: JESSICA BRATTON

2 — The Delaware Educator SUMMER 2014

This summer I was visiting theM.E.R.I.T. program—a DuPont-sponsored program for college-bound minority students—when Imet Sara, a 2014 graduate of LakeForest High School.

She told me she was headed tocollege this fall to double major inmechanical and electricalengineering, but I didn’t learn how

she got there until I received an email from her laterthat day in which she shared her story.

Sara’s mother wanted her to apply to as manycolleges as she wanted, but this was a financialchallenge for the family. Sara decided she would limither applications to four schools: the University ofMaryland, the University of Delaware, DelawareTechnical & Community College and TempleUniversity.

“I wanted to apply to Virginia Tech, but I toldmyself that it was too expensive and I probably wouldnot have been accepted anyways,” Sara said.

What Sara didn’t count on was Lake Forest’sCollege Application Month, during which her schooloffered to pay for one college application. With her

UD application now free, she decided she could affordto apply to her dream school on her own.

“I got accepted and will be attending Virginia Techthis fall thanks to the help your organization has donein giving high school students the opportunity to applyto colleges,” Sara wrote to me. The school gave her a$6,000 scholarship.

Sara’s grandparents didn’t have a high schooleducation. Her parents attended college in PuertoRico, and she said she will be the first in her family toattend college here.

Sara’s story reinforces why what we do every daymatters so much. We have the opportunity to affect thelives of 130,000 students each year, one child at atime.

As we begin this new school year—in which manyof you are busy getting to know the personalities,learning strategies and educational needs of your newstudents—I want to thank you for your commitment toensuring the growth of each of those children.

I am proud that in Delaware every educator—thosefrom my staff to every district office to every buildingadministration to every classroom—has a sharedfocus: Student growth matters most. We put ourchildren first as we make decisions and policies and

set goals for ourselves, classes, schools, districts andstate.

We know this can be challenging. We know we areexpecting more of ourselves as we expect more of ourchildren. But we hold ourselves accountable at theorganizational and individual levels because we knowthose goals are more than aspirations recorded onpaper. They are the needs of our children. Thank youfor your commitment.

The state’s new assessment, Smarter Balanced,reflects these higher expectations. We anticipateinitially fewer students will score at the proficientlevel compared to DCAS, but we also know if we aregoing to prepare students such as Sara for thechallenges that face them when they leave our schoolsto enter college or careers, then we must provide themwith realistic assessments of how prepared they are.As we raise the expectations for our students in ourclassrooms and provide them the instruction andsupports they need, they will meet—and exceed—them.

Mark Murphy is Delaware Secretary of Education.

Mark Murphy

PUBLISHED BY:DELAWARE DEPARTMENT

OF EDUCATIONwww.doe.k12.de.us

Mark MurphySecretary of Education

DELAWARE STATE BOARDOF EDUCATION

Dr. Teri Quinn Gray, PresidentJorge L. Melendez, Vice PresidentDonna Johnson, Executive DirectorMark Murphy, Executive Secretary

Gregory B. Coverdale, Jr.G. Patrick HeffernanRandall L. Hughes IIBarbara B. Rutt

Dr. Terry M. Whittaker

SUBMIT STORY IDEAS TO: Alison May

Public Information OfficerDelaware Dept. of Education401 Federal Street, Suite 2

Dover, DE 19901302-735-4000

[email protected]

PRODUCED BY:

GRANT COMMUNICATIONSCONSULTING GROUP

[email protected]

Engineering success stories every day

Twenty Delaware teachers have beennominated for the honor of being namedDelaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2015.

Selected from among the 9,000 publicschool teachers in the state, each of thenominees represents one of the state’s 19school districts and the charter network. Thewinner will be announced Oct. 21 at theannual awards banquet.

The candidates were nominated by theirdistricts during the 2014 calendar yearbecause of their superior ability to inspirestudents with a love of learning, exemplarydemonstration of professional traits andstrong sense of dedication and devotion toteaching.

In September, each nominee will submit adetailed portfolio exemplifying his or herteaching philosophy. Five DelawareDepartment of Education staff membersindependently will evaluate each portfolio. Aformer state Teacher of the Year and amember of the DOE staff also will visit eachcandidate’s classroom to observe his or herteaching.

Taking into consideration the ratings fromthe portfolio review and classroomobservation, another independent panel ofnon-DOE judges then will select the oneteacher who will serve as the 2015 StateTeacher of the Year. The teacher chosen tobecome the State Teacher of the Year will

become Delaware’s nominee in the nationalprogram.

The Delaware Teacher of the Year alsotakes on the important task of representing allteachers in the state, addressing communitygroups, business leaders, legislators andeducational organizations to inform thepublic about education in Delaware.

By action of the General Assembly, theDelaware Teacher of the Year will receive a$5,000 grant to use for the educationalbenefit of his or her students, as well as apersonal grant of $3,000. Additionally, allnominees will receive a $2,000 grant fromthe state.

Meet this year’s candidates:

2015 Teacher of the Year nominees

Appoquinimink School DistrictLisa SpeddenEverett Meredith Middle SchoolGrade 7 MathematicsBrandywine School DistrictThomas DeanMount Pleasant High SchoolMusic Caesar Rodney School DistrictMegan SzaboPostlethwait Middle SchoolScienceCape Henlopen School DistrictStephanie ShuttleworthH.O. Brittingham Elementary SchoolPrimary ILC (K-2)Capital School DistrictJennifer R. HeffernanCentral Middle SchoolGrade 8 Mathematics

Christina School DistrictJamett L. GarlickWest Park Place Elementary SchoolGrade 1Colonial School DistrictLea Ann SkipperSouthern ElementaryGrades 1-2 Integration ProgramDelmar School DistrictJudy MillsDelmar Middle SchoolGrade 8 MathematicsIndian River School DistrictClarissa M. StevensonMillsboro Middle SchoolGrades 6-8 ELA and Social StudiesLake Forest School DistrictPamela HobbsLake Forest Central ElementaryGrades 4-5 STEM

Laurel School DistrictKara RawlingsPaul Laurence Dunbar ElementaryKindergartenMilford School DistrictJudith WoodsMilford Central AcademyGrade 7 ScienceNCC Vo Tech School DistrictSusan MoyerPaul M. Hodgson Vo-Tech High SchoolGrades 9-12 Nursing TechnologyPOLYTECH School DistrictElyse StarrPOLYTECH High SchoolEnglishRed Clay School DistrictTami SoltowAlexis I. duPont High SchoolScience

Seaford School DistrictKara KirbyCentral Elementary SchoolKindergartenSmyrna School DistrictRyan BuchananSmyrna High SchoolGrades 10 & 12 English/LiteratureSussex Technical School DistrictCarolyn MaullSussex Technical High SchoolAllied HealthWoodbridge School DistrictJames WheatleyWoodbridge High SchoolMathematicsCharter School Cathie KennedyThe Charter School of WilmingtonLanguage Arts

The Delaware Educator SUMMER 2014 — 3

BYMEAGHAN CASEY

Angela Williams, principal of Mount Pleasant ElementarySchool in the Brandywine School District, entered the field ofeducation because she wanted to inspire young students tolove science. Today, she is hoping the Next GenerationScience Standards (NGSS) will accomplish just that.

“I’m excited to see the new standards,” said Williams, whopursued a major in chemistry at the University of Maryland atCollege Park before transferring to the University of Delawareand earning her degree in elementary education. Her interestin science was honed in middle school and high school, whileparticipating in summer enrichment and internship programsoffered through the Forum to Advance Minorities inEngineering (FAME), a program formed by the DuPontCompany.

“Those opportunities were critical to deepening my loveand understanding of science,” said Williams. “In a state withso many STEM careers, we have to prepare our students at ayoung age and help them apply what they’re learning to reallife. We want to give them access and opportunity to becompetitive.”

As Delaware approaches its first year of implementation ofthe standards, educators across the state—led by a team ofNGSS Teacher Leaders—will pilot new curricular materials,map courses and present a new vision of science education inwhich students develop a progressively deeper understandingof science each year.

Wendy Turner, a second-grade teacher at Mount PleasantElementary, is one of the NGSS Teacher Leaders, tasked with

promoting and sustaining NGSS reform at the building anddistrict levels. She was one of more than 100 TeacherLeaders that met for the first time in May.

“It was an exciting moment,” said Turner. “You could feelthe energy. We were all there because we wanted to bethere.”

“It’s invaluable to have one of our teachers on the frontlines during this shift,” Williams said. “Wendy is a greatleader and will certainly share the benefits with our staff andstudents.”

The group is working collaboratively with the DelawareDepartment of Education (DOE), Delaware ScienceCoalition leaders, district and charter school leaders andbuilding principals to assist in planning professionaldevelopment, curriculum implementation and assessmentdevelopment. They have been meeting every month fortraining. They also attended a four-day workshop, July 29-Aug. 1, led by national experts such as Brett Moulding,Roger Bybee, Nicole Paulson and Peter McLaren, all NGSSwriters.

“We’re hoping they walked away from the workshop witha clear understanding of the three dimensions of NGSS—crosscutting concepts, disciplinary core ideas, and scienceand engineering practices—and are able communicate that toparents, their school colleagues and their district boards,” saidTonyea Mead, Delaware DOE science education associate.

“Working with other teacher leaders from around the state,my group mapped the new second-grade standards to ascience kit we had never worked with before,” said Turner.“The work was challenging, but rewarding. We'll be pilotingthe new kit this year and I can’t wait to see it in action in myclassroom. Overall, I feel more confident in my role andability to lead in the implementation of the standards inDelaware. The work session was incredibly well run andhugely beneficial, and the collaboration was top-notch.”

In her classroom last year, Turner had already begunintroducing her students to exploratory learning methods:designing models, thinking about cause and effect andlooking for proof in their ideas. She is excited to build on thatthis year.

“Next Gen teaches them to be critical thinkers andproblem solvers, to think and rethink, and that’s what they’llneed to do to be successful on the Smarter Balanced tests aswell, so it’s perfect timing to roll out both,” said Turner.

“The standards will really bring science to the forefront,”she continued. “They’re so encompassing, taking everythinginto consideration from engineering to life sciences, andpreparing them for jobs not yet created.”

Mount Pleasant Elementary student Finn Champneydisplays his innovative side during science class.

New visionfor scienceeducation

Mount Pleasant Elementary student PiperCombs tests the strength of her structure.

Mount Pleasant Elementary student Malti John shows off her design toteacher Wendy Turner, an NGSS Teacher Leader.

Seamus Clark creates a structure with markers.PHOTOS: JESSICA BRATTON

Teacher Leaders help toroll out national standards


BYMEAGHAN CASEY

You might call themthe MVPs ofteaching.

Representing the best ofdistrict, charter andindependent schools in 42states and four countries (U.S.,Singapore, the UK andTunisia), 201 math and EnglishLanguage Arts (ELA) teacherswere named to LearnZillion’s2014 National Dream Team.They are united in their goal todevelop themselves and eachother through a collaborativeprocess of creating, curatingand sharing high-quality,Common-Core-alignedassessment tools and classroomresources to be published bydigital curriculum andprofessional learning providerLearnZillion. They are alsosharing their professionaldevelopment experiences withtheir colleagues to furtherbroaden their impact.

Of the more than 4,000educators who applied for the201 available spots, 11 wereselected from Delaware:Shannon Lapinsky, CaesarRodney School District; KarenWarner and Kate Bowski, CapeHenlopen School District;Shani Benson, Capital SchoolDistrict; Emily Edmonds,Charter School Network;Christina Hanna, ChristinaSchool District; Caitlin Salmon,Reach Academy for Girls CharterSchool; Lindsey Blum, MichelleMorton and Margaret Brady, RedClay Consolidated SchoolDistrict; and Kate Libby,Woodbridge School District.

“It’s a really excitingopportunity to be able to helpdevelop tools and lessons thatwill support teachersimplementing the Common Core across theU.S.,” said Benson, a third-grade teacher atSouth Dover Elementary School.

“Many changes are taking place currentlyin curriculum due to the Common Core,”said Libby, a third-grade teacher atWoodbridge Elementary School. “It’s theperfect time to introduce new andinvigorating materials to other teachers in ourschools and community.”

Christiana High School’s Hanna said,“Being on the Dream Team is a chance toplan, teach and talk about learning alongsidefellow Dream Team members who are goingto help you devise a plan and materials to getyou one step closer to reaching yourclassroom utopia.”

Thousands of teachers use LearnZillionevery day to help their students learn. Eachlesson on LearnZillion has been created by aDream Team member directly from the

language of the Common Core, so it is densewith high-quality, easy-to-understandCommon Core content.

In June, the Dream Team traveled to NewOrleans for a four-day conference calledTeachFest, where they kicked off a rigoroussummer-long collaboration. FollowingTeachFest, Dream Team members returnedto their respective districts and havecontinued to work in facilitated onlineprofessional learning communities.

“Attending TeachFest in New Orleans wasa professional development experienceunlike any other,” said Libby. “LearnZillioncreates an atmosphere where teachers fromall over the world come together and can feelthe sense of community immediately whenthey walk in the room. I was humbled towork with so many amazing teachers that allhad the same mindset and were there tomake a difference. LearnZillion and the

products created by hardworking teachers aregoing to change learning experiences forteacher and students all over the world. Thelessons that we are working on this summerreally have strengthened my understandingof the Common Core and why we need toadjust our teaching accordingly. I can't waitto use the finished products in my classroomand challenge my students to take theirlearning to the next level.”

Benson, Hanna and Libby applied for thenational Dream Team based on theirexperiences on the 2014 Delaware DreamTeam. In January, LearnZillion, inpartnership with the Delaware Department ofEducation, hosted TeachFest Delaware, aunique celebration of great teaching and anintensive, structured working session for the34 educators named to the state’s DreamTeam. Along with ample time to collaborateand receive professional development on the

Common Core, they alsoworked with content coaches oncreating assessment tools andresources, like at the nationalconference.

“The 2014 Delaware DreamTeam created rigorous, vettedCommon Core-alignedresources that every teacher inDelaware can now use as partof their instruction and havebecome effective ambassadorsfor how the Common Core cansupport exceptional instructionfor Delaware’s students,” saidDelaware Chief AcademicOfficer Michael Watson.

“[Delaware leaders] reallyunderstand that teachers are themost important factor in studentlearning, and that the traditionalmodel of ‘sit n’ get’ professionaldevelopment doesn’t work,”said LearnZillion CEO EricWestendorf. “They are choosingto do what all the research ontalent developmentrecommends – namely, tosupport professional growth byproviding deep practice of do-able, bite-sized tasks. We’re soenergized to help make thathappen.”

“Hands-down, this has beenthe best professionaldevelopment I’ve ever had,”said Benson. “We’re not justsitting and listening at theseevents. We’re interacting andcreating something that willmake a real difference in theclassroom.”

“The concept and process oftaking one item and back-mapping it and then creatingsome checkpoints from thestudent work collected washighly educational,” said WatersMiddle School math andscience teacher Laura Conner,another member of 2014Delaware Dream Team. “I

learned a lot about how to look at the studentwork through this lens and really analyze thestudent misconceptions.”

The 34 participants were unanimous intheir support of the experience, with 85percent strongly recommending theexperience and 95 percent noting that thistraining had positively and specificallyimpacted their efficacy in the classroom.

Delaware is expanding its successfulpartnership with LearnZillion to recruit up to50 talented educators from across the state tojoin the 2015 Delaware Dream Team. Onceselected, they will attend TeachFest onOctober 23-25. At the suggestion of the 2014team, the 2015 Dream Team will reconvenefor three half-day professional developmentsessions during the school year.

To learn more, or to apply for 2015, visitdelawaredreamteam.fluidreview.com. Theapplication deadline is Sept.19.

Dream Team brings Common-Core resources

back to Delaware

South Dover Elementary School teacher Shani Benson, a member of LearnZillion’s National Dream Team, works with student Tyron Abrams.


In 2013, the statewide initiative Common Groundfor the Common Core 1.0 launched with anambitious goal of working with nearly 100 school-level guiding teams, central office personnel and 17local education agencies.

Each guiding team—consisting of a buildingprincipal or administrator and teacher leaders inELA, math and content areas—was responsible forcreating a two-year Common Core implementationplan. The plans are being used to guide schoolstowards successful implementation of the CommonCore State Standards by addressing school cultureand leadership, curriculum and instruction, andassessment practices aligned to the Common Core.

The 18-month initiative ended in May with acelebration at Dover Downs, where guiding teamsgathered to share best practices and lessons learnedduring their first year in Common Ground. Joinedby their superintendents, local school boardpresidents, PTA representatives, State Board ofEducation members and legislators, theyhighlighted exemplary work across Delaware.

“It was an opportunity to highlight the strongwork being led by educators at the classroom andbuilding levels across our state,” Secretary ofEducation Mark Murphy said. “As we learn fromone another through shared successes andchallenges, we can find ways to replicate what isworking and course-correct what is not so that moreof our schools realize these successes.”

In June, Common Ground for the Common Core2.0 launched. Whereas Common Ground 1.0focused primarily on curriculum and instruction, thefocus of Common Ground 2.0 is assessmentpractices—specifically the application of SmarterBalanced Consortium’s (SBAC) Digital Library ofFormative Assessment Resources, SBAC InterimBank and the SBAC Summative Assessment.Success at the end of the project will be evaluatedby the degree to which guiding teams have linkedCommon Core-aligned instruction with assessmentpractices. Throughout the year, teams willparticipate in full-day professional developmentsessions, evening meetings to share evidence ofimplementation, and webinars to deepen content.They will also meet routinely in clinics at theschool level to disseminate information school-wide.

Common Ground 2.0 consists of 26 localeducation agencies, which includes the addition ofseven charter schools and two districts. A number ofother districts expanded their involvement in theinitiative. Capital School District doubled itsenrollment in Common Ground by adding BookerT. Washington Elementary, Towne PointElementary, Fairview Elementary, East Elementaryand North Elementary schools. The newparticipants met on June 2 for an orientation oncreating a Common Core implementation plan andcollecting evidence to assist in data-driven planreviews.

BYMEAGHAN CASEYGreen is the new gold standard when it comes to

recognizing and supporting healthy, sustainable schools.In May, Red Clay Consolidated School District and Sanford

School were honored as the state’s 2014 Green Ribbonwinners for their exemplary achievement in reducingenvironmental impact, improving health and wellness ofstudents and staff and providing environmentaland sustainability education.

“Their innovative programs have savedmoney, reduced environmental impactsand furthered student learning,” saidSecretary of Education Mark Murphy.“This recognition provides the platformto share these best practices so otherschools and districts can learn from andreplicate their success.”

Red Clay was also one of only ninedistricts from across the country to benamed a U.S. Green Ribbon winner and washonored in Washington, D.C. in July. The federalGreen Ribbon Schools recognition award, now in its thirdyear, is part of a larger U.S. Department of Education effort toidentify and communicate practices that are proven to result inimproved student engagement, higher academic achievementand graduation rates and workforce preparedness, as well asenergy independence and economic security.

Red Clay has implemented a series of energy efficiency andclean energy projects across multiple schools, in collaborationwith the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility. The projectshave helped the district save $1 million each year in energycosts through a solar power purchase agreement, energyperformance contracting and adoption of an energy portfolio

manager. The district also has a wellness committee thatexecutes a district-wide wellness plan and strict guidelines forschool meals and foods sold to students. Several elementaryschools in the district participate in the Fresh Fruit andVegetable Program, which sources produce from local andregional farmers. Many also have school garden programs that

integrate nutrition and science curricula, as well ascomposting and recycling programs.

“It’s not just a program, it’s what we do now,”said Brandywine Springs Elementary School

Principal Stephanie Armstrong. “Three yearsago we started composting and we have

classes to teach the kids what it is and whyit’s important. We also have a smallatrium outside and our Eco Club works to

support that. We’ve seen these effortsfiltering into students’ homes now.”“The work this district is doing is making

people take notice,” said former Secretary ofNatural Resources and Environmental ControlCollin O’Mara. “Red Clay has set a bar extremely

high for school districts across the state.”Sanford, a private preK-12 school in Hockessin, was

recognized for replacing the roof of its math and sciencebuilding with a green roof, reducing the amount of water shedby the building. A campus recycling effort also has helpedreduce solid waste. Students learn through project-basedlearning, including in an outdoor classroom and by employingthe walking trails, ponds and streams on campus. The schoolalso has an ongoing effort to create a rain garden.

Two other schools also were recognized as honorablemention winners: Brandywine School District’s HanbyElementary and Christina School District’s Kirk Middle.

2014winner:Red Clay

CommonGround 2.0

Brandywine Springs

students Gavin Marks

left, and Brynnlee

Golver, right, learn

about recycling and

composting at lunch.

6 — The Delaware Educator SUMMER 2014 The Delaware Educator SUMMER 2014 — 7

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

For the past two years, McKean High Scho

ol senior Nina Larock has lent her

voice and

personality to the popular “Alphab

et Soup” character Wally Wordsworth. Each

episode of the

show focuses on a different childre

n’s book and features multiple seg

ments, including

“Wally’s World of Words,” which is scripted entirely by

Larock and helps children learn

new vocabulary.

The half-hour show—which you might

expect to air on PBS or the Disney

Channel—is

a regular feature on EDtv, Delawa

re’s first 24-hour educational chann

el, broadcast on

Comcast 965.The channel is manag

ed by the Red Clay Consolidated S

chool District

with a goal of challenging the stude

nts who create the programs and in

forming the

parents and community members w

ho watch.

“We didn’t want it to be a station that

just aired school board meetings a

nd

announcements,” said Rob Markopoulos, direc

tor of operations and programming

for

EDtv and EDGE Radio. “We wanted the cont

ent to be entertaining and

educational—what we like to call ‘edutainment.’

I stress to students it’s all about

storytelling.” The students oper

ate out of a state-of-the-art commu

nications center at

McKean that includes a professional

television studio and an expanded

radio

station renamed EDGE. Those in th

e TV and radio broadcasting progra

m at the

school are learning about all aspect

s of the field while taking over mu

ch of the

production and management functi

ons at the center. As Level 1 studen

ts, they

learn the basic skills of broadcastin

g, using story boards and timelines

. By

Level 3, they are responsible for de

veloping 10 installments of a radio

show, a half-hour video documenta

ry and in-house marketing projects.

Level 4 coursework will present th

em with even more challenges.

“Level 4 is much more independen

t,” said teacher Khusbu Joshi.

“They’ll be on air for live radio sh

ows and create their own films.

We’re treating this as an actual produ

ction company, so it’s more like

a job for them than a class. And the

y have the latest technology at

their fingertips. They can come in

to the studio and make demo

tapes or music videos if they want

. It’s an opportunity to explore

what they like.”

“We’re really lucky to have these reso

urces—the cameras to go out and shoot

with and the software to edit with,”

said senior Moises Velazquez.

Velazquez, who plans to apply to th

e Tisch School of the Arts at NYU

, visits the studio

often after school and on weekends

. On average, he produces a new v

ideo each week.

“It’s something I’m really passiona

te about,” said Velazquez. “I wante

d to be a mechanical

engineer or architect before but now

I want to be a director. I found my

calling.”

“They have such creative, open mi

nds,” said Markopoulos. “We teach them the basics and

then let them do their thing. Right

now it’s a student-assisted producti

on company, but we

want it to become a student-run com

pany.”

Regularly featured EDtv programs

include “Food for Thought,” a sho

w on cooking and

wellness; “Spot on Sports,” an upd

ate on athletic events; “The Forum

,” an opinion-based

student talk show; “Life Actually,”

a documentary series that creative

ly presents life as it

actually happens; and “Educationa

l Bumpers,” short informative edu

cational commercials or

public service announcements. This

fall, they will air a number of new

shows including

“Classroom Makeover,” “Families of the World,” “Annenber

g Classroom Presents,” and

“Numbers Bee.”

Student shows on EDGE Radio, ai

ring on 88.1 FM, include: “News at Noon,” “The

National Sports Report,” “The Ente

rtainer,” “The Brent and Jared Show

,” “Women Who

Rock” and “The Zach and Eric Sho

w.” While last year’s music format was p

rimarily

oldies and classic rock, the new an

d improved EDGE Radio launchin

g this fall will

feature a hybrid of genres. There w

ill also be a greater amount of orig

inal programming,

as well as live DJs to keep students

up to date on the news, weather an

d hot topics.

Senior Gavinn Gathers, who serves

as the station manager of EDGE, h

opes one day to

work as a technical director for a n

ews station or a film director. Thro

ugh his experience

with EDGE, he has produced 10 h

alf-hour radio shows exploring the

big bands of the

1960s. “It’s really excitin

g,” said Gathers. “Most kids don’t get

the opportunity to do things

in high school that they might do p

rofessionally.”

Senior GJ Parkstone, who hosts a r

adio show called “Meaning Behind th

e Music,”

hopes to go into the computer scien

ce field, possibly editing or anima

tion.

“The stuff you can do on the comp

uters here and the things I’ve learn

ed are really

preparing me for the professional s

kills of the trade,” said Parkstone.

“It’s not just

the technical side; it’s learning wha

t to say and do, and what not to.”

“They’re so into it,” said Joshi. “T

hey’re coming to me with ideas an

d taking

ownership of what they’re doing. It

’s amazing to see how excited they

are and

how they’ve grown so much.”

Other students in Red Clay, and th

roughout Wilmington and New Castle

County, also have the opportunity t

o submit videos for broadcast.

Original programs can be viewed o

n the channel’s website, at

www.edtv-radio.com.

McKean High School student Moises Velazquez adjusts the sou

nd system.

GJ Parkstone, James Evans and Gavinn Gathers enjoy radio broadcasting.

Kamari Holley operates the camera.

Nina Larock of McKean High School poses with her “Alph

abet Soup” character Wally Wordsworth.

Broadcasting

teacher Khus

bu Joshi

is proud of he

r students’ wo

rk.

James Evan

s works the

board and

Kamari Ho

lley

operates th

e camera fo

r EDtv.

PHOTOS:JESSICA BRATTON

Students shine in the

spotlight


The 2014 Delaware ComprehensiveAssessment System (DCAS) results show thatstudents statewide have sustained past gains,with some variations in student progress bygrade and subject, while more students mettheir individual growth targets than last year.

Also released were results of DCAS-Alt1,the test administered to the students with themost significant cognitive disabilities, whichshowed increases in student learning in allsubjects tested. The report highlights schoolsand districts that have experienced remarkableincreases in the percentage of studentsreaching the proficiency standard in math andreading and in the percentage of studentsexceeding their academic growth targets.

Among schools showing the mostsignificant progress, Red Clay ConsolidatedSchool District’s Lewis Dual LanguageSchool, one of the state’s Partnership Zoneschools, has made some of the strongest gainsin the state over the past three years. Acrossall grades, the number of students scoring atthe proficient level increased by 10percentage points in math and sevenpercentage points in reading. Highlightsinclude fifth-grade reading, in which 66percent of Lewis students scored at the

proficient level this year, up from only 48.44percent in 2013. In third-grade math, theschool saw a 16.94 percentage-point increaseover last year.

Other schools demonstrating particularlystrong and sustained gains over this periodinclude: Capital’s Booker T. WashingtonElementary School (one of the state’s Focusschools), Red Clay’s Marbrook Elementary(another Partnership Zone school), EastSideCharter School and Family FoundationsCharter School.

“We are extremely excited about theimproved student growth that occurred atLewis and Marbrook,” said Red ClaySuperintendent Merv Daugherty. “It is a creditto the hard work and dedication of theteachers, school and district staff memberswho made the necessary changes to benefitstudents. These schools have establishedpositive learning communities ofcollaboration and teamwork models that wewill replicate in other schools throughout thedistrict.”

Many grades saw major gains at LaurelSchool District, where ninth graders scoringproficient increased by 9.14 percentage pointsin math and 8.96 in reading. The district alsosaw gains of 10.52 percentage points in sixth-grade math and 5.5 in fifth-grade reading.

“These increases were the result ofincreased fidelity to district curriculum,instructional walkthroughs focused oninstructional delivery, and ongoing support toteachers and their instructional practices,”Superintendent John Ewald said. “The districtlooks to continue to operationalize thesepractices leading to continued increases instudent achievement at each grade level fromkindergarten through 12th grade.”

Taking into account significant variationamong schools and districts, overall studentproficiency levels held steady compared to2013. In reading, 72 percent of studentsattained proficiency, the same as 72 percent ayear ago. In math, 69 percent of studentsattained proficiency, compared with 70percent a year ago. Science scores were upslightly from last year in two of the threetested grades. The greatest gain was in 10thgrade by 4 percentage points. Social studiestests, which are administered in grades 4 and7, show a decrease of 4 percent and 1 percent,respectively, in the percentage of studentsscoring proficient.

Some schools making the greatest gains inthe number of students scoring at the highestlevel (“advanced”) included Cape Henlopen’sShields Elementary, where 90.7 percent ofstudents in grades 3-5 were proficient inreading with 72.1 percent scoring at theadvanced level. And 95.1 percent of Shieldsstudents in grades 3-5 were proficient inmath, with 53.2 percent scoring at theadvanced level.

Statewide, more students—particularly thelowest performing students—met theiracademic growth targets in 2014. Each childis provided with a growth target based onexpected growth by the end of the year. Thisprocess allows for schools to better trackstudent progress throughout the year. Changein growth target results were first reported in2013. In math:• 57 percent of students met theirexpected growth target, up from 52percent in 2013.

• 65 percent of the students scoring at

the lowest performance level in the fallmet their spring target, compared to 62percent in 2013.In reading:• 55 percent met their expected growth target, up from 52 percent in 2013.

• 59 percent of students performing at the lowest performance level in the fall met their spring target, which was the same as last year.

Secretary of Education Mark Murphypraised the educators whose hard work helpedtheir students make progress and the childrenwhose hard work led to their own success.

“We are committed to giving all studentsthe best chance to reach their potential,” hesaid. “Looking at the big picture over the pastfew years, we have continued to raiseexpectations for our students across the stateand we are seeing educators andadministrators do more every year to rise tothe challenge of preparing more students tograduate ready for success in college orcareer.

“But we have a lot more to do. As the workwe have done in recent years starts to takeeffect in our classrooms, we have aresponsibility to ensure every student has thesupports he or she needs to be successful,” hesaid.

This was the last year students took theDCAS in reading and math. In 2015, theSmarter Balanced ELA (English languagearts) and Smarter Mathematics assessmentswill replace DCAS in those subjects, offeringsignificant improvements. Students willcontinue to take DCAS science and socialstudies exams and the DCAS-Alt next year.The new Smarter assessments, which arealigned with the Common Core StateStandards, will be administered for students ingrades 3-8 and 11 in spring 2015, and willprovide an academic checkup by measuringreal-world skills like critical thinking andproblem solving.

Full results area available online at:http://dstp.doe.k12.de.us/DCASOR/default.aspx.

DCAS Percentage of Students Proficient in Mathematics— Spring 2011–2014*

* A change of 2 percentage points or less is considered within the Margin of Error and not significant

DCAS Percentage of Students Proficient in Science—Spring 2011–2014*


Sustained Gains Overall

Taking into account significant variation among schools and districts, overall student proficiency levels held steady compared to 2013.

� In reading, 72 percent of students attained proficiency, compared with 72 percent a year ago

� In math, 69 percent of students attained proficiency, compared with 70 percent a year ago

Gains were maintained from 2011 when 61 percent of students scored as proficient in reading and 62 percent of students scored as proficient in math.

Science scores were up slightly from last year in two of the three tested grades. The greatest gain was in 10th grade by 4 percentage points.

Social studies tests, which are administered in grades 4 and 7, show a decrease of 4 percent and 1 percent, respectively, in the percentage of students scoring proficient.

DCAS Percentage of Students Proficient in Reading— Spring 2011–2014*


Schools with Highest Share of Fall Performance Level 1 Students That Met Growth Targets in the Spring of 2014 (Reading)

School Name

% of Fall PL-1 Students Meeting Growth Target in

ELA St. Georges Technical 95 Sussex Academy 91 Lake Forest East Elem 90 Banneker (Benjamin) E 89 Sussex Technical High 86 Shields (Richard A.) 85 Howard High School of 84 Lake Forest North Ele 84 Stokes (Nellie Hughes) 83 Indian River High Sch 82 Beacon Middle School 81 Star Hill Elementary 80 Keene (William B.) El 80

Secretary of Education Mark Murphy praised the educators whose hard work helped their students make progress and the children whose hard work led to their own success.

"We are committed to giving all students the best chance to reach their potential,” he said. “Looking at the big picture over the past few years, we have continued to raise expectations for our students across the state and we are seeing educators and administrators do more every year to rise to the challenge of preparing more students to graduate ready for success in college or career.

“But we have a lot more to do. As the work we have done in recent years starts to take effect in our classrooms, we have a responsibility to ensure every student has the supports he or she needs to be successful,” he said.

Reading

� 55 percent met their expected growth target in reading, up from 52 percent in 2013

� 59 percent of students performing at the lowest performance level met their reading targets, which was the same as last year

The state has placed significant emphasis on growth data to determine schools’ progress in educating all students, including whether students who start the year significantly below the proficiency mark get closer to that goal and whether those who reach proficiency in the fall also improve throughout the year.

Some schools particularly exceled at helping their students – especially their students who were performing at the lowest level in the fall -- meet their goals. For example, at New Castle County Vo-Tech’s St. Georges Technical High School, 95 percent of students scoring at the lowest performance level in the fall on the reading test met their spring targets and 92 percent did so in math. Lake Forest’s East Elementary had 90 percent of its lowest-performing fall students meet their reading targets with 93 percent doing so in math.

Schools with Highest Share of Fall Performance Level 1 Students That Met Growth Targets in the Spring of 2014 (Math)

School Name

% of Fall PL-1 Students Meeting Growth Target in

Math Lake Forest East Elem 93 St. Georges Technical 92 Sussex Technical High 91 Sussex Academy 89 Banneker (Benjamin) E 89 Shields (Richard A.) 88 Howard High School of 88 Beacon Middle School 87 Milton Elementary Sch 85 Stokes (Nellie Hughes 85 Wilson (Etta J.) Elem 85 East Side Charter Sch 84 Hodgson (Paul M.) Voc 84

DCAS results show sustained progress

DCAS percentage of students proficient in reading — Spring 2011-14DCAS percentage of students proficient in mathematics — Spring 2011-14


Looking for information you can share with your students’ families about the CommonCore State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and Smarter assessments?

Check out DelExcels.org. The site, a collaboration between the Delaware Departmentof Education, Delaware State Education Association, Delaware Parent TeacherAssociation and Rodel Foundation of Delaware, includes a great deal of information inparent-friendly language.

You’ll find a Principal’s Tool Kit with everything you need to host a community night,including annotated agendas and PowerPoint slides, parent guides to the shifts in thestandards, FAQs, links to other resources and more. You’ll also find videos withDelaware teachers talking about the standards and links to practice tests so families cansee for themselves what Smarter Balanced assessment questions will be like. There alsois information on NGSS, including FAQs, teacher training modules and a copy of thestate’s implementation plan.

And be sure to check back regularly for updated posts on the news page. You’ll findshort articles on things such as what Common Core looks like at each grade level andlinks to other helpful resources. Check it out today at www.DelExcels.org.

The Delaware Department of Education is determined thatevery student in the system will graduate with the freedom tochoose his or her life’s course.

A study released in July 2013 by the Harvard Strategic DataProject found that 18 percent of college-ready students inDelaware did not apply to any college or university. The goalof the state’s Getting to Zero initiative is to get that number tozero by providing the guidance and support needed to ensurethat these students, who have shown the potential to succeedin college, apply and ultimately enroll in a post-secondaryprogram.

“We believe that zero of our college-ready students shouldfail to apply and attend college,” said Gov. Jack Markell.

“Our goal,” said Secretary of Education Mark Murphy, “isthat all of our children are prepared for college when they’refinished with high school and can make that first step intocollege successfully.”

Last fall, the state launched a partnership with the CollegeBoard to better inform low-income students of their optionsand provide them with information on college affordabilityand financial aid, materials to help them choose the bestinstitutions for them, and application fee waivers, which havetraditionally been far too complicated to obtain. Some ofDelaware’s highest-achieving low-income students receivedletters signed by all of the Ivy League schools congratulatingthem on their accomplishments and reminding them ofscholarship and financial aid opportunities.

Through targeted marketing campaigns and increasedprofessional development, schools are raising awareness aboutthe importance of completing the Free Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA). During the 2013-14 school year,Delaware partnered with the U.S. Department of Educationand local post-secondary institutions to provide professionaldevelopment to counselors. Financial aid information sessionswere held throughout the state for parents and students; theseefforts will be expanded for the upcoming school year.

All Delaware public and charter high schools will beparticipating in College Application Month this fall, withactivities and technical assistance to encourage students tosubmit their applications. Delaware’s College ApplicationWeek was piloted in two schools in 2012 and expanded toCollege Application Month last year in 20 Delaware schools.During that time period, 2,749 students submittedapplications, and of those students, 744 would have been thefirst in their families to attend college, and 140 would not haveapplied otherwise. Celebrations were held at high schoolsacross the state on May 1 in coordination with NationalDecision Day, with displays to demonstrate where studentswere enrolling and assemblies to recognize those students.

Getting to zero Students from Cape Henlopen High School prepare for college.

Students from Sussex Central High School pledge to go to college.

The goal is for allDelaware seniors to apply to college


within a grade level and vertically between others.”“I think I have a better understanding now of what

our students have to do, where they are and how wecan help them close the gap,” said Conway.

Delaware is one of 23 states across the countryadopting the new assessments, which will go beyondmultiple-choice questions to include extended responseand technology-enhanced items, as well asperformance tasks that allow students to demonstratecritical-thinking and problem-solving skills.Performance tasks challenge students to apply theirknowledge and skills to respond to complex real-worldproblems and measure capacities such as depth ofunderstanding, writing and research skills, andcomplex analysis, which cannot be adequately assessedwith traditional assessment questions.

Both Conway and DeBaca wrote for the first twophases of item development. Their work was guidedby the Smarter Balanced item and task specificationsand review guidelines and then field tested.

“As an item writer, I now understand the importanceof teaching a variety of strategies to students andhelping them build connections between strategies andthe mathematical practices,” said DeBaca. “I think theSmarter Balanced assessments will truly measure howwell students understand deeper ideas around topicsand more importantly, ways to problem solve andapply strategies. Students not only need to be able toaccess information but apply it to multiple situationsand have the ability to persevere.”

“Smarter Balanced assessments are more rigorousand require students to be more intuitive,” saidConway. “They’ll need to use the evaluation tools and

thought-processing techniques we’re giving them.”Conway has been working closely with Lara

Crowley, Appoquinimink School District’s ELA K-12specialist, to prepare their district for the changes byincreasing the quantity and quality of resources forteachers, revising assessments to be more reflective ofSmarter Balanced, sharing best instructional plans andcreating mini performance tasks.

“We need to ensure the way we instruct and assessaligns with Smarter Balanced,” said Crowley, who wasone of the state’s educators recruited to review SmarterBalanced items. “It’s a shift in assessing to the nextlevel, beyond initial understanding and regurgitation.We want students to really process the material.”

“We’re not teaching to the test,” said Conway. “Butour Lexiles have to match up and we have to makesure there’s that complexity there. For students, this isleveling the playing field. We need our student tomatch up and compete on a national and global scale.”

The new assessments will be administered forstudents in grades 3-8 and 11 this spring. Last spring,some schools participated in a practice run of theassessment system to ensure that the tests are accurateand fair for all students. It also gave teachers andschools a chance to practice test administrationprocedures, and students had the opportunity toexperience the new assessments.

Through a digital library of formative assessmentstrategies and interim assessment banks, Smarter willprovide information during the year to give teachersand parents a better picture of where students aresucceeding and where they need help.

To learn more about the new assessments and takepractice tests for each grade and subject, visitwww.DelExcels.org.

Moving forward with Smarter BalancedASSESSMENTS from Page 1

Waters Middle School teacher and Smarter Balanced item writerMichelle Conway with students Maddie Tolson and Joey Serafin.

To ensure more students are college- and career-ready, the Delaware State Board of Education isgoing back to the basics and putting its focus onearly literacy.

In 2013, only 38 percent of Delaware’s fourth-graders scored proficient or advanced in reading onthe National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP). The board believes the state must do moreto provide students with a firm foundation inliteracy and guarantee that educators have thecontent and pedagogy skills to teach reading andmathematics, and enable students to overcomeliteracy challenges.

“Students need an early literacy education that isrich not only in reading instruction, but alsovocabulary development, written and oralcommunication skills,” said Donna Johnson,Executive Director of the State Board of Education.

There are four pillars to the board’s campaign:strengthening teacher preparation programs;tightening the certification and licensing of teachersand the training of teachers already in the system;launching new literacy efforts in early educationcenters; and reaching out to parents and the public.

“This is not an initiative the board can do alone,”said Johnson.

Action to address the first two pillars was takenin June 2012 with the passage and signage into lawof Senate Bill 51, an act to strengthen teacherpreparation and initial licensing. This act requiresall teacher preparation programs to prepareprospective elementary school teachers in age-appropriate literacy and mathematics instruction.The details of these education program componentswere further specified in Department of Educationregulation 290, approved by Secretary MarkMurphy in July.

Next, the board will coordinate with the Officeof Early Learning, Department of Education EarlyChildhood Office, Delaware Early ChildhoodCouncil and the Department of Services forChildren, Youth and their Families to developpolicy recommendations regarding professionaltraining and requirements for early learningeducators. It also hopes to develop birth-pre-Kassessment systems to measure success and targetnecessary interventions for each child as early aspossible.

Finally, the board will roll out a public awarenesscampaign, utilizing strategic partners to generatecommunity engagement and building a team ofadvocates to help drive the issue through 2016.

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE)awarded Delaware $15,000 in April to advance state education reformwork in the areas of School Leadership, Common Core State Standards(CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Deeper Learning.

For the first time, NASBE encouraged states and territories to developconnected plans for multiple stipends, enabling award winners to leverageincreased funding for their work while promoting greater coherence acrosspolicy areas. The Delaware State Board of Education’s work expands oncurrent pursuits in the areas of CCSS, NGSS and School Leadership. Thestate’s plan focuses on educating members about policies that supportcollege, career and civic readiness and leadership development such asaccountability, assessments and leader evaluation and preparation, and theconnections between them.

With the funding, the board has been able to host a number ofworkshops and webinars for educators. The most recent webinar, held Aug.4, focused on a national overview of educator evaluation systems andcurrent research around the use of multiple measures in studentachievement. Specifically, it provided a summary of the educatorevaluation systems of the six states/territories to be awarded NASBEgrants: Delaware, the District of Columbia, Guam, Kentucky, Maine andWest Virginia. The state stipends, which total $72,000, will support policyefforts through December 2014.

Delaware’s next webinar will highlight two research firms that have beenevaluating and building a model for states and districts to use. Early thisfall, the board will host another workshop featuring a panel discussion andpresentation from three states featured in the Aug. 4 webinar.

National funding helpsadvance reform work State Board putting focus on literacy

Back to the basics


kids are exploring science, art, dramaand community service while they’rehere.”

“It’s really cool to do experimentsin the science room, and to growplants and tomatoes,” said AsaiahJones, a fourth-grader at Welch.

The center also runs a 10-weeksummer program and a membershipprogram is available to students inmiddle school and high school. Thesite is open on weekends too.

For Master Sgt. Mimi Kramer,who has been stationed in Dover for13 years, the school-age program has

been invaluable. “They’ve raised my babies,”

Kramer said. “It really is like afamily. They know our kids and theirwhereabouts and they’re invested intheir futures. Education-wise, mykids are able to get their homeworkaccomplished before they even gethome. And in the mornings, they canalso go in and get that extra help ifthey need it.”

Her son, Ryan, is at the middleschool and her daughter, Megan, is atCaesar Rodney High School. “It wasan easy transition for her, going fromon-base to off-base,” Kramer said.“They’ve been well prepared.”

Air Force Base prepares studentsAIR FORCE from Page 12

Sisters Azaniah and Asaiah Jones learn to garden.

Rising juniors from public high schools acrossDelaware spent part of their summer gainingskills that will help them in college thanks to afree residential program that launched in June.It is the beginning of a three-year program thatwill ensure they have the academic and socialskills they need to enroll in and graduate from afour-year university.The Delaware CollegeScholars Program is a partnership between theDelaware Department of Education and St.Andrew’s School in Middletown. This public-private partnership is the first of its kind inDelaware and hopes to serve as a model ofwhat can be done to better the educationalfuture of students across the state.

The 40 students were selected for the programbased on their high academic performanceswith preference given to those from low-incomefamilies who would be first-generation college-goers. The students spent their summer takingmath and literacy classes aimed to preparethem for university-level work. They also learnedhuman development and general organizationaland study habits that will help them succeed incollege and participated in college tours to learnabout the college admissions and financial-aidprocess. SAT preparation also was taught.

The students will return the next two summers tocontinue in their studies and preparation. Eachsummer will have a different focus in preparingstudents for the college selection and transitionprocess. Students will learn about college lifefrom college students and gain the experienceof being away from home by staying in dorms atSt. Andrew’s.

Rachel Wagner, a junior at Appoquinimink HighSchool, was elected National President ofBusiness Professionals of America (BPA),Secondary Division. With 43,000 members in23 states, BPA is America's premier career andtechnical organization for students interested inbusiness, IT and finance.

Wagner was elected by popular vote at the BPANational Conference in May - an event attendedby more than 5,000 delegates. She is servingas the National President during the 2014-15school year. Her duties will include participation

in local and national efforts to promote BPA andstudent participation in its programs. She nowhas an opportunity to travel on behalf of theorganization, and will be a key member of theplanning team responsible for developing the2015 National BPA Conference in Anaheim.

"I have dreamt of becoming a National Officersince I was in 7th grade, simply to make adifference within this amazing organization,”she said. “I believe in the BusinessProfessionals of America; I know this will be alife-changing year."

The Delaware Department of Education awardedfour state merit scholarship programs for the2014-15 academic year. Merit scholarships arecompetitive and awarded based on a student’sacademic performance, participation in schoolactivities and service to the community.Students may apply for Delaware meritscholarships in their senior year of high school.All four awards are renewable. Three of theprograms are memorial scholarships that honorstate legislators and provide full tuition, fees,room, board and books at the publicuniversities in Delaware. Those scholarshipsand their recipients are:

• The B. Bradford Barnes Memorial Scholarship,in honor of the former Speaker of the StateHouse of Representatives, is awarded to onestudent each year enrolling full-time at theUniversity of Delaware. Zachary Scott Jones ofAppoquinimink High School in theAppoquinimink School District is this year’srecipient.

• The Herman M. Holloway, Sr. MemorialScholarship, in honor of the first African-American state senator in Delaware, is awardedto one student each year enrolling full-time atDelaware State University. Crystal Burbage ofHoward High School of Technology in the NewCastle County Vo-Tech School District is thisyear’s recipient.

• The Charles L. Hebner Memorial Scholarship, inhonor of the former Speaker of the State Houseof Representatives, is awarded annually to onefull-time student at the University of Delawareand one full-time student at Delaware StateUniversity who are majoring in the humanities

or social sciences. (Preference is given topolitical science majors.) Brian Spicer of CapeHenlopen High School in the Cape HenlopenSchool District and Chyvante Floyd of POLYTECHHigh School in the POLYTECH School Districtare the recipients this year.

• The Diamond State Scholarship assists full-timestudents attending regionally accredited,nonprofit colleges in any state. Winners of theDiamond State Scholarship receive $1,250 peryear. For the 2014-15 academic year, 70students were awarded Diamond StateScholarships. This year’s winners, listed byschool, can be found atwww.doe.k12.de.us/dheo.

Students from across Delaware represented theFirst State as part of the Delaware TechnologyStudent Association at the 36th annualNational Technology Student AssociationConference in Washington, D.C., this summer.The delegation of 151 participants competed in101 individual and 93 team events that werefocused on technology, innovation, design andengineering. Delaware students competed inevents such as architectural renovation, CAD3D, career preparation, dragster design,electrical applications, fashion design, flightendurance, geospatial technology, greenmanufacturing, inventions & innovations,manufacturing prototype, on-demand video,open source software development,promotional graphics, structural engineering,system control technology, technical design,technology problem-solving, vex robotics, videogame design, website design and more. At theJuly 1 awards ceremony, the Delaware highschool and middle school students receivedhonors for placing in the Top 10 of severalnational events. Also, Ashley Gold and TessaStone of Brandywine School District’s MountPleasant High School were recognized with theGold TSA Achievement award and admitted intothe National TSA Technology Honor Society. JeffEpting of Christina School District’s Gauger-Cobbs Middle School and Charles Cooper ofAppoquinimink School District’s AppoquiniminkHigh School were named Chapter Advisors ofthe Year and for Chapter Excellence.

Eighteen Delaware health science studentsbrought home Top 10 finishes from the HOSA-Future Health Professionals 37th annualNational Leadership Conference in Orlando.In addition, Bansri Patel of Sussex TechnicalHigh School was recognized as a NationalTechnical Honor Society scholarship recipient.More than 50 Delaware HOSA students fromIndian River School District’s Indian River andSussex Central high schools, New Castle CountyVo-Tech School District’s Hodgson Vo-Tech andSt. Georges Technical high schools, POLYTECHSchool District’s POLYTECH High School andSussex Technical School District’s SussexTechnical High School participated incompetitive events along with more than 7,000students from around the country.

The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association(DIAA) honored schools for exceptionalsportsmanship, as measured by a set of 10standards. The process is demanding andrequires that the entire school community beinvolved. Member schools submit an extensiveapplication book that is judged by a committeethat evaluates each application to determine ifthe school has successfully met the standards.Eighteen schools were named DIAA StateChampions in Sportsmanship this year. A totalof 28 schools have won this award at leastonce in its 17-year history, including first-timerecipients: Christina School District’s Christianaand Glasgow high schools, Indian River SchoolDistrict’s Sussex Central High School, privateSaint Marks High School and Red ClayConsolidated School District’s Charter School ofWilmington.

Repeat winners included: Smyrna SchoolDistrict’s Smyrna High School; Sanford School;Appoquinimink School District’s AppoquiniminkHigh; Woodbridge School District’s WoodbridgeHigh and Phillis Wheatley Middle School; RedClay’s Conrad Schools of Science and AI duPontHigh; Caravel Academy; New Castle County Vo-Tech’s Hodgson Vo-Tech; Sussex Tech’s SussexTech High; Brandywine’s Concord High; andPrivate Tower Hill School. Colonial’s WilliamPenn High School has earned the title of StateChampion in Sportsmanship for the 17thconsecutive year.

Around Delaware Schools

Gioielle DelVecchio enjoys base activities.


Delaware Department of Education 401 Federal Street, Suite Dover, DE 19901

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDDOVER,DE 19901PERMIT NO. 481

home base

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

For military families and their children, a place to callhome may not remain fixed for very long.

At the Dover Air Force Base, School Liaison OfficerSonya Dyer works with families to ensure a smoothtransition as they adjust to their new community andschool system. Dyer serves as the point of contact forschool-related matters between commanders, militaryfamilies and the local school districts; initiatespartnerships with both on- and off-base organizations;provides special needs family support services to families;and provides post-secondary preparation.

One family she has worked with, MSgt. Christopherand Kimberly Comeau, relocated to Delaware in August2010. Their son, Alex, is a fourth-grader with high-functioning autism at George S. Welch ElementarySchool, part of the Caesar Rodney School District andlocated on-base.

“Sonya has helped me tremendously in terms oftransitioning here and finding special needs groups andresources,” said Kimberly. “If I need anything, I just call.”

In addition to Welch, the base also houses Dover AirForce Base Middle School. A majority of students thenmove on to Caesar Rodney High School. Dyer says theCommon Core State Standards are helping students intheir transition within the district and from state-to-state.

“Long-term, it will definitely level the playing field forour students moving in and out,” said Dyer.

The Air Force Base also runs before- and after-schoolcare for students in grades K-5. The school-age program,housed at the Youth Center, is designed to meet students’emotional, social, cognitive and physical needs. The staffplans a variety of learning activities and field trips thatencourage growth and learning through play. Studentsparticipate in extracurricular clubs as well.

“Learning doesn’t stop here,” said Bonnie McGill,coordinator of the school-age program. “The staff ishighly qualified and we’re not here to be babysitters. The

Dover Air Forceprograms prepare students in and outof the classroom

Alisha Navarro with her daughters

Azaniah and Asaiah Jones. See AIR FORCE

that’s ‘edutainment’...that’s ‘edutainment’ summer 2014 nina larock is never far from...

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