The WLC will need to have its amended $16 million budget approved. (Photo by billiondigital/Depositphotos)

Here’s how the WLC plans to spend $16 million this year

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative is making the final touches to its nearly $16 million budget for this 2024-2025 school year. After already getting the budget approved, the group voted for amendments Tuesday night in three line items: expanded learning time, professional development and school leader recruitment and retention.  Funds were decreased in the first two buckets and moved to school …

The WLC has launched its new website and logo, designed by First Ascent Design. (Photo via Unsplash)

WLC launches anticipated website, new trademarked logo 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative has a new look.  “Much like when you meet a stranger for the first time, you don’t have associations with their face, and as you start experiencing that person, you gain those associations over time, so the WLC has just launched its new face,” said John Himics, president of First Ascent Design.  The collaborative’s governing board …

The WLC contracted a couple of groups and established its measurables for next school year Tuesday night.

WLC sets metrics of success; hires reading, trauma groups

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A state agency aiming to rapidly improve education in the city of Wilmington has finally organized what measurables it will use to gauge success. The Wilmington Learning Collaborative, created in November 2022, oversees nine city elementary schools in the Brandywine, Christina and Red Clay Consolidated school districts. To reverse longstanding challenges to academic and social success, the collaborative seeks to …

The WLC has filled two director positions.

WLC hires 2, completes school assessments 

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative has hired two directors and completed one element of school assessments needed to begin implementing programs to improve student outcomes. Laura Burgos, the executive director of the Wilmington Learning Collaborative, shared updates of recent work at the governing council’s monthly meeting Tuesday night. “I’m very excited to say that all nine of our WLC partner schools …

The WLC is prioritizing the nine elementary schools included in the signed agreement before scaling its programs.

WLC will focus on tasks at hand, not expanding to other schools

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The new head of the Wilmington Learning Collaborative pushed back Tuesday night on suggestions that the new agency expand to include more city elementary schools. “This is a long journey, this is going to take many years to get our schools where they need to be,” said  Laura Burgos, the group’s executive director.  That’s not going to happen by adding …

The collaborative will use the 2023-2024 school year as a planning year.

Learning Collaborative establishes timeline of planning year

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative seems to have more focus and direction, with a timeline and five-phase approach to its 2023-2024 planning year unveiled this week. The collaborative’s Tuesday night meeting was the first led by its newly hired executive director, Laura Burgos. RELATED: WLC gets another planning year after Brandywine vote The collaborative is a state agency created in November …

With Brandywine's vote, the WLC will have the 2023-2024 as a planning year, per the amendment.

WLC gets another planning year after Brandywine vote

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative’s governing council got its wish and will now have an additional planning year after the final vote to amend the signed memorandum of understanding was approved Monday night. The collaborative, made up of nine city of Wilmington elementary schools across Christina, Red Clay and Brandywine school districts, was waiting on Brandywine’s board to approve the 2023-2024 …

Laura Burgos has been selected to be the executive director of the WLC.

After 6-month search, Learning Collab selects exec. director

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative has finally selected an executive director.  After a nationwide search that lasted more than six months, the board on Friday chose Laura Burgos, a career educator in the public, nonprofit and private sectors. “The WLC continues to establish itself as a non-profit corporate entity, and it is very important work,” said Dan Shelton, a member of …

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative has established its bylaws.

Leaning Collab bylaws outline procedures, stagger board terms

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative has finalized its bylaws, a foundational document in the group’s operations on which the governing council has worked with an attorney for months.  Bylaws are established to set rules, regulations and policies for an organization to help it regulate itself. In part, the bylaws act as a higher authority that all members of the collaborative – …

Red Clay board member pushes transparency for Wilmington Learning Collab.

 Red Clay board member questions Learning Collab’s transparency

Jarek RutzEducation, Headlines

  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 …