November 28, 2016
Delaware News
Coastal Point
IRSD too trusting of Miller, lacked policies
Many Indian River School District staff and residents were holding their breaths this week in anticipation of the Delaware Auditor of Accounts’ report on the district, which was released Nov. 17. The good news? The problems are easily fixed, said Delaware State Auditor R. Thomas Wagner Jr. The bad news? There are definite problems.
Delaware Public Media
Christina School District adopts proactive approach to mold
The Christina School District is hoping to make up for an embarrassing mold and pest problem at one of its schools by adopting a more proactive approach. When Wilmington City Councilwoman Sherry Dorsey-Walker found out there was mold, mildew, maggots and mice at Pulaski Elementary School this past summer she wasn’t frustrated.
Rodel Blog
New York Times shoutout for Delaware Pathways
Blog post by Paul Herdman, president and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware
As we get ready to take a few days off to enjoy time with family and friends, I wanted to share a New York Times column that acknowledges some good work in Delaware that’s helping our young people navigate high school and a changing economy. The career pathways work at William Penn High School, which clearly builds on the great work of vocational schools, has taken off.
The News Journal
Delaware’s schools try to get more bang for their buck
A group of nine school districts is trying to save money by purchasing supplies together instead of individually. The push comes at a time when districts are under pressure to cut down on bureaucracy and spend money more efficiently. “There’s a lot more power in numbers,” said Steve Mancini, supervisor of Information and Instructional Technology at the New Castle County VoTech School District, who led the initiative.
The New York Times
A jolt of blue-collar hope
The nearby factory that made Dodge Durangos closed eight years ago. The General Motors Boxwood Road Plant — open since 1947 — closed the next year. So did the oil refinery in Delaware City. In the span of a year during the financial crisis, once-prosperous northern Delaware had to confront post-industrial devastation. It’s the sort of devastation that now has the country’s attention.
National News
Education Week
Betsy DeVos: Five things to know about Trump’s pick for Education Secretary
President-elect Donald Trump has picked national school choice advocate Betsy DeVos to be his education secretary, according to the Associated Press, after meeting with DeVos on Nov. 19. DeVos must still be confirmed by the Senate, but here are five things to know about the potential next leader of the U.S. Department of Education under Trump.
New York Daily News
NYC’s Child Savings Account program will help more than 10,000 kindergartners save for college
More than 10,000 city kindergartners will get a jump start with their college funds thanks to a $10 million program announced Tuesday. The NYC Child Savings Account initiative will provide low-income families with $100 toward college, with another $200 over time if they make contributions to the fund.
The Atlantic
When Finnish teachers work in America’s public schools
“I have been very tired—more tired and confused than I have ever been in my life,” Kristiina Chartouni, a veteran Finnish educator who began teaching American high-school students this autumn, said in an email. “I am supposedly doing what I love, but I don’t recognize this profession as the one that I fell in love with in Finland.”
The Hechinger Report
How text messages help mentors connect with students in Idaho
The text message is a powerful tool in an unconventional high school program in Idaho. The technology allows mentors working with Idaho PTECH to reach high school students in far-flung places in this sparsely populated state. The high-tech, one-on-one mentoring is part of a pilot program that aims to help students discover and prepare for a career that they can embark on right out of high school, or with minimal post-secondary training.