A Red Clay Consolidated School District board member is pressing the new Wilmington Learning Collaborative to advertise meetings. Cathy Thompson, the former head of the board, asked Superintendent Dorrell Green to ensure that the newly-created board is as transparent as possible during their Nov. 16 meeting. The Learning Collaborative’s memorandum of understanding was signed Nov. 1 by members of …
Colonial awarded 4 eco-friendly buses through federal grant
Colonial School District is adding three electric buses and one propane-powered bus to its fleet, courtesy of an $809,000 federal grant awarded to the state’s Department of Education. In addition to a quieter ride, electric and propane-powered buses are said to be more environmentally friendly than gasoline-powered ones because they release less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Colonial Superintendent Jeff …
Bryan Allen Stevenson charter wins state OK; will open in 2023
Howard T. Ennis school will be home to the Bryan Allen Stevenson School for Excellence in fall 2023. After a few organizational hiccups, a new Sussex County charter school will be opening its doors in fall 2023. The Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence, first proposed in 2017, received state approval on May 5, and it’s already garnered a …
Child care bonuses set at $1,000; registry to open soon
The Department of Education is finalizing a registry that will allow child care workers in Delaware to apply for the direct financial relief they were promised six months ago. They may not get as much as initially expected. By estimating the number of providers who would qualify for assistance, Gov. John Carney and the Delaware Department of Education in Nov. …
Christina School District asks for moratorium on new, expanding charter schools
Christina School District’s Board of Education has called for a statewide temporary moratorium on new charter schools and the expansion of existing charter schools. The board hopes that the pause will stabilize relationships between schools and districts that serve students in Wilmington while they work together on developing Gov. John Carney’s proposed Wilmington Learning Collaborative and implementing proposals from the …
As COVID cases rise, Del. Dept. of Education hosts mask-free party
Delaware Department of Education (DDOE)/Facebook On the same day that the first four cases of the highly contagious COVID-19 omicron variant were confirmed in Delaware, staff from the state’s Department of Education hosted a mask-free party for outgoing education secretary Susan Bunting. The department is now facing growing outrage after images of the event posted on its own Facebook account …
School bus company, Teamsters continue talks about pay, conditions
Three school districts await the answer on negotiations between First Student, Teamsters. Photo by Thomas Park/Unsplash. A potential school bus driver strike that could affect three New Castle County school districts appears to be on hold, for now. Districts with the potential to be affected include Appoquinimink, New Castle County Vo-Tech and Christina School Districts. First Student, a national …
Permanent school mask mandate is on hold – for now
Some interpreted a DOE regulation to mean masks would be permanently required in schools. Photo by Rodnae Productions on Pexels. A regulation that many interpreted to mean Delaware schools would indefinitely require mask-wearing is on hold — for now. A proposed amendment to Delaware Administrative Code 815 — the rule schools follow for health examinations and screenings — would have …
State will pay for 10 days of COVID-19 leave for teachers
The state will offer up to 10 days of pay for teachers who must quarantine, isolate or care for family members. The state of Delaware will fund up to 10 days of paid leave for teachers who need to take time off their jobs to deal with COVID-19 and will pay for substitute teachers needed to cover those classes. …