Appo will buy metal/weapon detectors for all 3 of its high schools. (Photo from Evolv)

Appo to lease weapon detectors amid schools’ focus on safety

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Appoquinimink School District’s vote this week to install weapon detectors is the latest move by Delaware schools to combat violence and the presence of guns. It’s an issue that’s plagued schools since fall, with the latest incident occurring Wednesday when a Sussex Central High School student was found with a firearm on school property.  The student was taken into custody …

Colonial students experiencing homelessness received free haircuts and haircare training Tuesday. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

Operation Hair Care: Cuts, training for homeless students

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

On Tuesday a steady procession of elementary students climbed into chairs at the Paul Mitchell The School  and were transformed from apprehensive to glowing. The students were participating in Colonial School District’s Operation Hair Care, a program that offers homeless students help with hair and makeup styling. It’s also for students whose families are financially challenged. It involved about 15 …

Dawson Raught, Jeffery Brennan and MaKayla Counts with some of the Penn Farm chickens used to harvest eggs.

William Penn eggstra: Ag students provide campus-grown eggs

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

William Penn staff have one benefit most educators don’t: Eggs. Karen Ferrucci’s animal science class harvests eggs from their chickens, giving first choice to the school’s nutritional program to feed students, and the second to the school’s culinary program. Any extra eggs are sold to school faculty and staff. Last week, Ferrucci and the 150 students involved in her various …

Mark Holodick said he anticipates the second round of testing for lead in school water will be completed near the end of April. (Unsplash)

DOE owns lead testing blunder, expects new results by May

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

A Senate committee hearing Tuesday heard the state Secretary of Education apologize about the way lead testing in schools was handled and that trained pros will handle testing instead of school staff. Through a federal grant, the Department of Education began a sampling initiative in October, 2020 to identify the levels of lead within drinking water at schools. “While well-intentioned, …

A 16-year-old has been arrested in connection with the shooting at William Penn High School last week. (Jarek Rutz/Delaware LIVE News)

16-year-old male charged for shooting at William Penn High

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

A 16-year-old male from Wilmington has been arrested in connection to a shooting at William Penn High School Tuesday that shut the school for the rest of the week. “We’re all relieved and we’re hoping the school community and the community as a whole can move forward and heal,” said William Penn High School Principal Lisa Brewington. “This was a …

William Penn High School will close for the rest of the week. (William Penn High Facebook)

William Penn cancels classes to investigate Tuesday shooting

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

William Penn High School will close the rest of the week to allow the Delaware State Police to investigate an incident Tuesday in which a gun was fired. Friday, Jan. 13th is a professional development day, so students were already scheduled to have the day off.  Classes won’t be held virtually Wednesday or Thursday, and the Colonial School District has …

Reading score discovery at Colonial

2022 Rewind: Colonial Reading scores higher after COVID

Betsy Price Education, Headlines

This story was originally published in November 2022. Colonial School District Superintendent Jeffrey D. Menzer unearthed a surprising fact while he was devising a method to track the effectiveness of a new focus on student reading skills and scores. The 2022 eighth graders who had been at Colonial schools since second grade scored higher on reading proficiency tests than those in eighth …

John G. Leach's Tom Winkler guides student Grayson Otto's hand as he makes music using the digital board in the school's sensory room. (Jarek Rutz / Delaware LIVE News)

School sensory room aims to build disabled students’ skills

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

A New Castle County school has debuted a sensory room designed to help disabled students better recognize things they see, hear and touch – and become more confident in acting on that information. Colonial School District’s John G. Leach School is home to 88 special needs students, ranging in age from 3 to 22. Their needs range widely, one reason …

Wilmington's Riverfront Market will host districts and schools for Saturday's DE connectED event. (Riverfront Wilmington)

DE connectED to host schools, community event at Riverfront

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

A new education group will hold a multi-level event in Wilmington Saturday, Dec. 10, to help people find jobs in schools, register students for school and learn about public school options they may not know about. The ultimate goal for DE connectED – the name of the group and the Saturday event at Wilmington’s Riverfront Market – is to make …

IMG 1514 1

William Penn High forms student advocacy group

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

When William Penn High School senior Ethan Davis visits his alma mater next year, he hopes to see student-led changes driven by a group founded two weeks ago. The group, which includes Davis and nine of his schoolmates, is called the Student Voice Committee.  The committee’s purpose, according to Davis, is to advocate for students and recommend policy that will …