Last month, the Delaware Charter Schools Network celebrated their annual IDEA awards. Not to be confused with the Federal IDEA program for special needs students, their IDEA stands for Innovation, Dedication, Education, and Admiration. This years big winners were charter leaders, legislators, teachers, and even students. Here is a list of the winners, direct from the Delaware Charter Schools Network website. I know quite a few of the individuals on this list, either through writing on this blog or actually meeting them before. Some I have never heard of, but congrats on your award. While I have been a teeny tiny bit critical of charters on rare occasions (okay, a lot), at the end of the day, it is about the students. And if the traditional school districts can have a teacher of the year and all that comes with that, the charters should be able to have their own shindig. While I may not agree with many of the funding issues with charters, some of their enrollment practices, financial issues, and special education issues, they are still schools with children in them.
2015 IDEA AWARD WINNERS
COMMUNITY TIES AWARD
Charles S. McDowell, Esquire, EastSide Charter School
CORNERSTONE AWARD
Henry Clampitt, The Charter School of Wilmington
GIVING BACK AWARD
Caroline Dowd, Providence Creek Academy
Johnny Means, Delaware Military Academy
Jagger Peck, Gateway Lab School
Eric Long, The Charter School of Wilmington
Hannah Cote, Campus Community Charter School
IMPACT AWARD
Ed Emmett, Positive Outcomes Charter School
Sally Maldonado, Kuumba Academy
IMPACT AWARD TOO
Denise Parks & Kathryn Standish, Odyssey Charter School
INNOVATION AWARD
Elementary School
Kristen Egan, Las Americas ASPIRA Academy
Middle School
Kelly Hanson, Providence Creek Academy
High School
Robert Lingenfelter, Delaware Military Academy
DEDICATION AWARD
Elementary School
Trina Willey, Providence Creek Academy
Middle School
Great Oaks Charter School Wilmington Founding Tutor Corps, GOCS-W
High School
Cathie Kennedy, The Charter School of Wilmington
FOUNDERS AWARD
Kuumba Academy; Sally Maldonado, School Leader; Joan Coker, Board President
Newark Charter School; Greg Meece, School Leader; Stephen Dressel, Board President
STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Senator Brian Bushweller
Representative Joseph Miro
FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Senator Tom Carper
Senator Chris Coons
Congressman John Carney
Legislative Awards: how clever.
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Hi!
Fyi: at least one honoree was a student. Their Award system casts a wide net.
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