May 23, 2016
Delaware
Cape Gazette
Lewes fifth-grader Lily Manlove wins statewide essay contest
When Lily Manlove of Lewes was given the task of writing about “What My Mother Means to Me,” the biggest problem she had was in keeping to the 150 word limit required by the contest. There were so many wonderful things to write about her mother, she said. “She brings me hope when times are tough, clarity when moments are blurry, confidence when I’m nervous, and most of all, joy,” wrote Manlove.
Newsworks
Delaware legislators procrastinate fixing Wilmington schools’ ‘dysfunctional mess’
More often than not, resolutions fly through the Delaware General Assembly faster than the blink of an eye. For example, one soared through the House on Wednesday, “…extending sincere thanks to the Career and Technical Student Organizations of Delaware for the presentation of the beautiful geraniums.” But there are exceptions. Consider the item that dominated discussion that same day in the House Education Committee, HJR 12, the resolution to support the recommendations of the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission (WEIC) on the redistricting of public schools in the city.
Office of the Governor
Governor’s weekly message: Preparing our students to thrive in rewarding careers
In his weekly message, Governor Markell highlights Delaware’s commitment to ensuring students have the skills and education they need to thrive in the new economy. “Building a rewarding career in growing industries today increasingly requires education and training beyond the traditional high school curriculum. We’re committed to opening those pathways for every Delaware student. One way is through our innovative Pathways to Prosperity program,” Governor Markell said.
Sussex County Post
Clayton Elementary to implement STEM education in 2016-17 school year
John M. Clayton Elementary School will implement a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Education Program for the 2016-2017 school year. The program will be taught during an additional class rotation that also includes art, music, research/technology and physical education for all students in grades K-5. The focus on these four STEM areas together is important because the skills and knowledge in each discipline are essential for student success.
The Harrington Journal
Lake Forest Teacher of the Year chosen: Heather Melvin
The Lake Forest School District is proud to announce that it has selected Mrs. Heather Melvin as its Teacher of the Year for the 2016-2017 school year. Ms. Melvin is a first grade teacher at Lake Forest North Elementary School in Felton. Her selection was announced at Lake Forest School District’s 46th Annual Recognition Ceremony on May 19. She has 15 years of teaching experience, all in the Lake Forest School District. She started at Lake Forest East before moving to Lake Forest High School for a short time.
The News Journal
Delaware Futures helps underprivileged attend college
For 21 underprivileged students, graduation from the Delaware Futures program helped secure their hopes of one day being able to attend college. Delaware Futures is an after-school program that aims to empower economically disadvantaged youth and prepare them for college. The program focuses on academic enrichment, group meetings on topics such as problem-solving and teamwork skills, community service and one-on-one counseling so students can apply those skills in high school.
National
Deseret News
19 Utah schools receive official state STEM designation
The Utah State Board of Education approved 19 public schools throughout the state for the Utah STEM School Designation. The board, in partnership with the Utah STEM Action Center, developed the designation program to better define the elements necessary to create a comprehensive learning environment for students in science, technology, engineering and math.
EdSurge
Spreading personalized learning: Results from Summit Public Schools’ first Basecamp run
Summit Public Schools didn’t wait for the proper K-12 personalized learning tools to be made by companies. Instead, the charter system internally created the software, called it the “Personalized Learning Platform” (PLP), brought in Facebook engineers to improve it, and invited 19 other schools and districts to try it through a program dubbed “Basecamp.”
Education Dive
Sesame Street, IBM teaming up on personalized pre-K initiative
Sesame Workshop already offers mobile games, story apps, e-books and digital Family Toolkits, and the new collaboration is meant to deepen the organization’s reach on digital devices and platforms. The company is also no stranger to partnerships: In February 2016, Speakaboos added 10 Sesame Street music videos to its platform to support early literacy, and Sesame has also collaborated with Exceptional Minds to create Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children.
Education Week
Video: A day in the life of a multilingual high school
At Pennsylvania’s Upper Darby High School in suburban Philadelphia, more than 15 languages are spoken in a student body of nearly 4,000. To help support such a diverse array of English-language learners, the school created a peer tutoring program.
The Atlantic
A status update on all those testing opt-outs
With state testing season wrapping up, the decision by some families to skip the K-12 exams in protest this spring has once again sparked widespread discussion—and news coverage around the country. In San Diego, for example, teachers handed out fliers to parents earlier this month informing them of the right to keep their children from taking state tests, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.