Education in the First State
March 28, 2018
Families, educators invited to April 27 Pathways events
  
   
Please note: Due to weather, the Delaware Pathways Conference and student EXPO was rescheduled from Wednesday, March 21 to Friday, April 27. 
Educators, families and community representatives are invited to attend Delaware Pathways events on Friday, April 27 at the Chase Center in Wilmington. From 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., educators and policymakers are invited to the Pathways Conference to reflect on the progress Delaware Pathways has made to date and build momentum for future action. Those who registered for the March 21 event do not need to re-register. Anyone else interested in attending the conference should register here.
From 4 to 7 p.m., students and families are invited to attend the Delaware Pathways Student EXPO to learn more about pathways opportunities in Delaware schools. Registration is not required to attend this free event. In addition, $500 mini-grants are available to schools and community-based organizations to assist with busing students to the event and other related costs. Mini-grants already awarded for the March 21 event will be honored for April 27, and mini-grants are still available. 
Come learn more about Delaware Pathways and discuss how we can continue to work together to equip all young people with the skills they need to compete in a global economy. Delaware is increasingly recognized as a national leader in the career pathways movement. This year's conference will be held in partnership with the National College Access Network (NCAN). Together, Delaware Pathways and NCAN are uniquely positioned to provide a rich professional development opportunity to conference attendees.
For more information about the event or to apply for mini-grants, visit https://tinyurl.com/y8vejnj5.

Meet educators on Secretary's new advisory council  

Delaware teachers attend Secretary of Education Susan Bunting's Teacher Advisory Council meeting yesterday in Dover (more pictures).
 
Educators from across the state will provide feedback to Secretary of Education Susan Bunting through a new Teachers Advisory Council.
Bunting invited two teachers from each of the state's 19 school districts and six charter school educators to join the group, which will facilitate communication, contribute to solutions, and help increase the voice of teachers in policy decisions. The group will meet bi-monthly to discuss a variety of issues affecting teachers.
"This is an opportunity for me to hear directly from those who work closest with our children and often feel the most direct effects of our policy decisions,"  Bunting said .
Find the list of members, the schools they represent and more information on the council at the link below.
Delaware schools get $50,000 for basic needs closets
 
Students help celebrate a recent grant to support basic needs closets in 45 high-needs schools throughout Delaware (more pictures). 

A $50,000 grant from Highmark Delaware's BluePrints for the Community  is helping restock basic needs closets in schools throughout Delaware  so students have access to clothing, school supplies, hygiene products and other essentials.
"Highmark's generosity is a perfect example of how community support can make a big difference in the everyday lives of Delaware's children," said Governor John Carney . "By meeting students' basic needs in a dignified way, we are able to ensure children can focus on their learning and be successful. We are grateful for Highmark's support in this worthy endeavor."
Carney, joined by Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, visited Lake Forest South Elementary School in the Lake Forest School District earlier this month to announce the grant.
The grant comes in two installments. The first $25,000 recently was distributed to help school leaders restock the closets for the second half of the academic year. The second $25,000 will come in June so the schools can restock over the summer for the new school year.
Community partners lead enrichment after school

Halley Chavez-Ramirez adds a walkway to her Leprechaun trap at the Lewes After School Program (more pictures).
 
Children at the Lewes After School Program learn quilting from volunteers, play educational games on an iPad or join a cooking demonstration.

These are just a few of the rotating variety of academic, enrichment and recreational activates open to the children through the program, which is a community outreach program of Lewes Presbyterian Church in partnership with Richard A. Shields Elementary School and the Cape Henlopen School District and supported by a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. The Sussex County Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Delaware, Inc. and the Sussex County Parent Information Center also partner in support of the program.

Program activities usually begin with a snack and homework. After homework is completed, the children can join other activities. These include academic offerings such as KidzMath, LEGO Story Makers, LearnZillion.com, and the Literacy Education Assistance Pups (LEAP) reading fluency activity. Enrichment and recreational activities include arts and crafts, character development, art class, chorus, self-selected games, quiet reading, and the Jump Bunch health and fitness activity.
Smyrna club teaches students robotics, coding  

 
Students learned how to code Ozobot Bit during Smyrna School District's Robotics and Coding Club.
 
Editor's Note: The following submission was written by Smyrna School District instructional technology specialist Justin Malin.
STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), coding, and robotics are becoming more prevalent in our day-to-day lives. Having students understand the importance of these concepts is becoming increasingly important for educators as well.
Through a grant obtained by Edcamp Leader, Smyrna School District was able to offer a six-week, after-school coding and robotics club for fourth grade students. Participants practiced coding and robotics in a variety of ways.
Each student had the opportunity to explore Scratch, a free coding resource. During their exploration, they were able to write code to create their own unique stories.  When asked about their experiences, students said they loved the freedom to explore and create their own ideas as well as the ability to share their finished programs with others.
Other Good News in Delaware's Public Schools