Education in the First State
October 27, 2021
Brandywine’s Jahsha Tabron named State Teacher of the Year
Brandywine High School Teacher Jahsha Tabron was named Delaware's 2022 State Teacher of the Year at a celebration earlier this month (more pics).

A high school special education teacher from the Brandywine School District is Delaware’s 2022 State Teacher of the Year.

Jahsha Tabron of Brandywine High School now is Delaware’s nominee for National Teacher of the Year. She will use her position to share her message to fellow teachers about the importance of teachers building strong communities.

 “As a special education teacher, I have witnessed the power of inclusive classrooms. Inclusion erases educational barriers, embraces diversity, develops resilience in students, and fosters their perseverance,” Tabron said. “Teachers, our ability to persevere and succeed is dependent on the communities we build; we cannot and should not do this alone! Our greatest resource is each other.”

Governor John Carney made the announcement during a Dover ceremony to honor the 20 district/charter teachers of the year.

As a co-teacher in grades 9 to 12 English classes, Tabron works to make learning relevant to her students. She maintains academic rigor while helping students make connections to themselves, the text, and the real world. Her primary focus is ninth-grade special education students who are transitioning to the high school setting. Her expertise is in working with students and families to foster community connections between home, school, and educational agencies.

Tabron also works to uphold equitable educational practices; she facilitates opportunities for fellow educators to foster student-centered growth. She mentors new teachers in special education compliance requirements necessary for developing individualized education programs.
Video: Meet the 20 district/charter Teachers of the Year
Twenty Delaware educators were selected from among the 9,500 public school teachers in the state as nominees for the 2022 Delaware Teacher of the Year award, which was announced earlier this month in Dover. The nominees each represent one of the state's 19 school districts and network of charter schools.
 
Candidates were nominated by their districts or the charter network during the 2021 calendar year because of their superior ability to inspire students with a love of learning, exemplary demonstration of professional traits and strong sense of dedication and devotion to teaching. Check out this video to learn more about what makes these teachers so amazing.
Stock reflects on time as 2021 State Teacher of Year: 'I actually flew'
Editor's Note: This guest post is from McKean High English learner teacher Kimberly Stock, who has represented the First State for the past year as Delaware's 2021 State Teacher of the Year.

Imagine this, I am representing Delaware at the National Teacher of the Year Space Camp … I am climbing up six flights of stairs to a cement platform over 30 feet in the air. The sun is shining hot and the Alabama humidity weighs on my shaking shoulders. I am terrified of heights as I start to lightly hyperventilate as I slowly reach the top. Other State Teachers of the Year safely on the ground start cheering for me. I take a deep breath as sweat or tears roll down my cheek. I have never ziplined and I have never ziplined into a lake …. I hate roller coaster rides and haunted houses… so this was not in my wheelhouse. 
 
“Come on, Kim!” … “You rock, Kim.” … “You can do this, Kim, ” the other teachers of the year shout!
 
I take a brief second and think about the over 10,000 Delaware teachers and our nearly 140, 000 students. I take a step forward towards the edge of the platform, stop, and freeze. 
 
And I remember, Delaware teachers have proven time and time again we are stronger than fear, apathy, and a pandemic. This is what Delaware teachers do:
 
  1. We step out of our comfort zone to do crazy things so our students are engaged
  2. We take a scared and unsure child and help them step off the railing and leap to new places they didn’t even know they could reach
  3. We hide our fear with a smile because we always put our students first.  
  4. We cheer each other and our students and we encourage each other to do our best
  5. And during the pandemic we are continually remaining strong and doing an amazing job despite our fears. 
 
Thinking about the thousands of DE teachers and our students, I wanted to represent and give my students a new story to motivate them to just try … to just step off the platform
 
And, so that’s what I did. I took a step back, screamed, and I leaped … And what do you know? I actually flew.
Delaware State Teachers of Year represent DE in Washington, DC
Rebecca Vitelli and Kimberly Stock meet with Senator Tom Carper as they represent Delaware at this year's 2020 and 2021 Teacher of the Year Conference in Washington, DC (more pics).

Delaware's 2020 Teacher of the Year Rebecca Vitelli and 2021 Teacher of the Year Kimberly Stock joined other State Teachers of the Year earlier this month for a week-long conference in the nation’s capital.

The celebration began with the 2020 and 2021 State and National Teachers of the Year Ceremony hosted by First Lady Jill Biden in the White House Rose Garden. President Biden spoke at the event about how teaching "is not what you do, it's who you are." Listen at 1:14:23 to hear the President give a shout out to Delaware’s teachers!

Later in the week, Vitelli and Stock joined Senator Tom Carper for breakfast at the Capital. The Senator has always taken time to host Delaware Teachers of the Year when they are in town.

As a preschool special education teacher at Colonial School District's Early Education Program in New Castle, Vitelli believes that every child has an innate drive and extraordinary ability to learn. Her mission as a teacher is to build meaningful connections with and among her students and families, instilling a life-long love of learning in all. 

Stock is an English learner teacher from the Red Clay Consolidated School District's McKean High School. Stock continually uses her position in education to share her message about how schools must adapt to give students equitable access and opportunities.

Thank you to both Vitelli and Stock for representing the First State in Washington, DC!
Delaware highlights educators, school staff using #ILoveDEschools
More than ever, families are aware of the incredible work happening in Delaware schools. Help us show appreciation for these great schools by submitting shoutouts to schools.
 
The I Love DE Schools campaign aims to celebrate the good in our schools and offer the public the opportunity to share their stories about why Delaware public schools are great. Submit stories at de.gov/IloveDEschools. 

Shoutouts will be shared using the hashtag #IloveDEschools on Facebook (@DEDeptEducation), Twitter (DEDeptofEd) and Instagram (@DEDeptEducation). Check out current shoutouts so far!
Other Good News to Share
Delaware Department of Education | www.doe.k12.de.us