HB 81 would permit school districts to deny bussing charter students.

Bill lets districts say no to busing some charter students

Jarek Rutz Education, Headlines

A bill giving school districts power to tell charter schools to transport students living within the district passed through the House Education Committee Wednesday. House Bill 81, sponsored by Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton, the chair of the committee, could force charters to privately contract their own buses to bring students within a district to the schools. Rep. Rich Collins, R-Millsboro, …

SB 61 would increase the number of personal sick days for teachers and other school employees from 3 to 5. (Pexels)

Education leaders fight bills adding days off for teachers

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Bills that would expand the reasons and days for teachers to take days off from work divided legislators and public commenters in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday. Senate Bill 60, sponsored by Sen. Laura Sturgeon, D-Hockessin, who is chair of the committee, would give teachers and other school employees the same protection to be absent without a loss of pay …

The clock is ticking for prospective candidates for file for school board elections. (Unsplash)

Eds up: School Board candidates must file by March 3 

Jarek Rutz Education, Headlines

Candidates have 19 days left to file to run in the May 9 school board elections, and education advocates hope to encourage more people to run in those three weeks. “There’s a lot more community members than there are elected people, so if you don’t like the direction that your community is going in, run,” said Laurisa Schutt, executive director …

State Sen. Eric Buckson bills moving too quickly through Assembly

Bill to stop school boards hiking property tax is tabled

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

A bill that would ban a local school tax increase after the statewide property reassessment is completed was tabled Wednesday in the House Educaiton Committee after a lengthy discussion. House Bill 42, sponsored by Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, would remove the up-to-10% increase in school property taxes that current law would allow schools boards to levy. Rep. Rich Collins, …

Brandywine School District will explore new ways to formally evaluate Superintendent Lincoln Hohler this year.

Brandywine seeks help on superintendent evaluation 

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

The Brandywine School District voted Monday night to explore using the same new model for evaluate its superintendent that Christina decided to consider two months ago. The vote came after Brandywine School Board member Ralph Ackerman recommended contacting the Delaware School Boards Association to set up a workshop to talk about its program they would use with Superintendent Lincoln Hohler. …

Heather Hitchens at the award ceremony Wednesday night. (Delaware Department of Education)

Lake Forest’s Heather Hitchens named support professional of year

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Heather Hitchens of Lake Forest Central has been named Delaware 2023 Educational Support Professional of the Year. A paraprofessional, she works with students with disabilities in small classroom and inclusion settings. “I ensure students with disabilities participate to the best of their ability, whether that be maneuvering their wheelchair to score a goal or learning a picture communication system to …

District school boards are responsible with hiring and evaluating the superintendent. (Unsplash)

Many Del. districts don’t evaluate superintendents annually

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Even though the job of superintendent of education is one of the most powerful in a school district, many Delaware districts don’t perform annual reviews of theirs. “Some boards have a formal review, and some don’t,” said Donald Patton, board member of Christina School District. He was a teacher and principal for decades before being elected in May. “How do …

The Department of Education has released its 20 district and charter schools educator support professionals of the year. (Unsplash)

State to honor school workers who keep systems running

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

The 20 individuals who have been named as Educational Support Professionals of the Year are the “glue that keeps our schools together.” “Educating kids through teachers is the goal and the mission of schools,” said John Marinucci, executive director of the Delaware School Board Association, “but the support folks handle all the things that have to take place around the …

Christina School District is looking for a new model to evaluate Superintendent Dan Shelton.

Christina board looking for new model to evaluate superintendent

Jarek Rutz Education, Headlines

Christina School District’s school board explored a new model to evaluate its superintendent and other administrators during a board workshop Tuesday night.  Dr. John Marrinuci, executive director of the Delaware School Boards Association, showed a new plan to the board that was created by a different district’s board member as part of her doctoral dissertation.  It’s more in-depth than the …

Because the state ended its COVID leave mandate, Delaware teachers will now have to tap into their 10 sick days if they have COVID.

Teachers no longer granted 10-day COVID leave

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

For the first time since fall 2020, Delaware teachers will not be granted paid COVID-19 leave.  That means they have to use their normal sick leave if they or a family member gets sick. “The argument can be made that we’re further away from the craziness of COVID, so I get it,” said Jennifer Saunders, who’s taught in Red Clay …