September 24, 2015

Delaware News

The News Journal
Student with disabilities becomes football player
A photo of the principal at Carrcroft Elementary bringing a student with cerebral palsy into a flag football game is drawing widespread praise on social media. Fourth-grader Samuel Clark loves to watch his older brother play football on the Brandywine Warriors youth league. And he was excited for the year’s first game of flag football at Carrcroft.

WDEL
Bridging the digital divide in Wilmington
The West End Neighborhood House and the Hilltop Lutheran Community Center receive a generous grant that will help increase access to computers for low-income youth.

Town Square Delaware
New “big picture learning” school opens in Wilmington
The new Delaware Met High School, which officially opened it doors three weeks ago, invited community leaders to its campus today for a ribbon cutting ceremony, tours of its facility, and to hear a bit about the school’s unique teaching vision. The Delaware Met’s academic approach is based upon the “Big Picture Learning” model, which focuses on an inspired and personalized learning plan that is developed with each student in conjunction with their family.

Delaware Department of Education
19 top teachers honored, one to be named Teacher of Year
Nineteen Delaware teachers will be honored next month when one of them will be named Delaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2016. Selected from among the 9,000 public school teachers in the state, the nominees each represent one of the state’s 19 school districts. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at the annual awards banquet.

Milford Live
Milford administrator returns to direct elem education
After Dr. Sylvia Henderson resigned from her position as the Director of Elementary Education at Milford School District, the Board of Education searched for a replacement that would provide strong leadership, especially after the announcement that Dr. Phyllis Kohel, Superintendent of the district, planned to retire at the end of the school year. A familiar face was chosen for the position in Dr. Bridget Amory.

National News

U.S. News & World Report
5 reasons federalism in education matters
To be sure, local control has its downsides. But the feds are not well equipped to fix schools. Limiting the federal government’s role in education isn’t a slogan, it’s a way to ensure that American education is both accountable to the public and dynamic enough to meet today’s challenges.

Record News
Christie approves plans for new N.J. teacher training program
Gov. Chris Christie approved plans for a new training program to prepare New Jersey teachers for leadership roles that will allow them to mentor their co-workers while remaining classroom instructors. The state plans to designate a special class of “teacher-leaders.” Officials say the purpose is to provide career-advancement opportunities for teachers as an alternative for those who might leave for administration jobs.

Hechinger Report
Alternative high schools emphasize learning over time in class
For almost two decades, Diploma Plus has operated small alternative programs for students who have repeatedly failed a grade and are on the verge of dropping out. “In most education settings, the constant is time, and learning is a variable. Our approach is that learning is constant, and timing is the variable.”

The New York Times
New York will trim Common Core exams after many students skipped them
New York State’s standardized tests for third through eighth graders will be shortened this year, the education commissioner said on Wednesday, the latest retooling of a group of exams that have grown so unpopular that 20 percent of eligible children sat them out this past spring.