Final Delaware 2017 School Board Candidate Filings

It is now after 4:30pm on March 3rd, 2017.  The filing deadline passed so all candidates are known for the 2017 School Board election.  We have a big list and quite a few races! A 5-way race in Milford, 4-way in Red Clay, and 3-ways in Appo, Caesar Rodney, Christina, and Lake Forest.  2-ways in Brandywine, Capital and Smyrna.  NO filings in Cape Henlopen as of this writing.

Appoquinimink: Charlisa Edelin, Trevor Tucker, Keinna McKnight

Brandywine: Alma Gillis, John Skrobot

Caesar Rodney: Alan Claycomb, Tawanna Prophet-Brinkley, David Failing

Cape Henlopen: No filings as of 4:46pm

Capital: Andres Ortiz, Joan Loewenstein-Engel

Christina: Jeffrey Day, Kimara Smith, Meredith Griffin Jr., *Shirley Saffer withdrew

Colonial: Leo Magee

Delmar: Thomas Elliott

Lake Forest: Austin Auen, Phillip Thomas, Stephanie Justiniano-Johnson

Laurel: Linda Wintjen

Milford (Area D): Judith Purcell

Milford (At-Large): Ronald Evans, Michael Firch, Jason Miller, Michael McKain, Michael Wells

Red Clay: Ashley Sabo, Henry Clampitt, Thomas Pappenhagen, James Startzman Jr.

Seaford: Michael Kraft

Smyrna: Vetra Evans-Gunter, Karin Sweeney

Woodbridge: Paul Breeding

*Indian River has no open board seats this election year

 

 

Red Clay Piloting Common Core Standards-Based Report Cards

Standards-Based report cards are here.  Three schools in the Delaware Red Clay Consolidated School District, Cooke, Forest Oak, and Richey are beginning a pilot program this year for 2nd and 3rd Grade.  The plan is to have standards-based report cards for all elementary grades, K-5, by 2019.  Modeled after the Smarter Balanced “scores”, the goal is to align report cards with the Common Core standards.  Really Red Clay?  Really?  It was bad enough when you took on Standards-Based IEPs, now this?

This is something Rodel has pushed for years through their plan for Competency-Based Education in Delaware (now the subject of a series I’ve been working on).  Note how the schools beginning this pilot aren’t exactly “struggling schools”, like the three priority schools in Wilmington.  This is how these kin of pilots go.  The suburban parents will lap it up because it is new and exciting.  The district will tell the board, “Look at this resounding success,” and lo and behold it is a part of the entire district.  I’m sure the Delaware DOE and Rodel were going “cha-ching” when they heard this.  Or perhaps they pushed Red Clay towards this.

Just another way Rodel has completely taken over education in Delaware.  Rodel estimated up to ten school districts and charters will implement these Common Core report cards this year.  I have to say I’m disappointed with Red Clay for drinking the Rodel Kool-Aid.  What are they thinking?  First they joined BRINC, now it’s 1:1 devices for all students and this.  Should they change their name to Rodel Consolidated School District?