Red Clay Priority School Plans Approved By Delaware DOE

In a move that probably shocks no one, the Delaware Department of Education approved the Red Clay Consolidated School District’s priority school plans.  This announcement was released today by the Evil Empire, sorry, Delaware DOE.  No word from them about what in the world they are going to do about Christina School District and their three priority schools as the chess match continues.  I find this announcement very interesting in light of the Wilmington Education Committee’s recommendations that Christina and Colonial relinquish their stake in the City of Wilmington’s schools.  Here is the DOE’s own Alison May with the press release:

Red Clay Priority Schools to move forward with school plans

Red Clay Consolidated School District’s three Priority Schools will provide new student supports, add Saturday and afterschool enrichment activities for students and families, and ensure greater parental involvement under plans that are moving forward after the Delaware Department of Education today approved the district to move onto the next steps in transforming these schools.

In September, Gov. Jack Markell and Secretary of Education Mark Murphy announced significant resources and support for the state’s six lowest-performing district schools, providing the opportunity for substantial changes in their approach to improve their students’ academic performance. These Priority Schools, all located within the City of Wilmington and split evenly between the Christina and Red Clay school districts, are eligible to share about $6 million to implement locally-developed, state-approved plans. The funding comes from several sources including federal School Improvement Grant and remaining Race to the Top resources.

Over the following four months, Red Clay leaders worked with educators, families and community members to develop school plans tailored to meet the unique needs of the students in Highlands Elementary, Shortlidge Academy, and Warner Elementary. The plans are in line with a Memorandum of Understanding agreed to by the district and DDOE.

Red Clay’s school board approved individual school plans on January 27, and after review by Delaware Department of Education staff and national experts, the schools will continue to work with the community, district, and state to finalize plans for the 2015-16 school year.

In the coming days, the department will provide feedback to Red Clay about ways to continue to strengthen all three plans during that process so that final plans can be approved in the spring.

“We know that many of the children in these communities face unique challenges that require more support and resources. Thanks to Red Clay’s leadership and collaboration with its school communities, Highland, Shortlidge, and Warner now will have the plans and resources to better meet students’ needs,” Murphy said. 

Red Clay Deputy Superintendent Hugh Broomall said his district is ready to move forward.

“We’re excited about the opportunity,” he said. “The work is hard, but we’re ready to engage in the process.”

Highlights of the School Plans

 

All Schools:

• Parents will notice better coordinated referrals to community services for families and supports for teachers to improve behavior management in the classroom.
• Schools will implement the use of iPads and laptops for students and teachers to improve technology literacy for students, with support to help teachers integrate this technology into their lessons.
• Each school will host a leadership team, which will include a parent and community member, to help inform the decision-making of the school leader. The team’s responsibilities will include: organizing correspondence to the school community on developments in academic and social-emotional programming, improving academic growth and reviewing academic goals, monitoring progress on the implementation of the school’s plan toward its goals, reviewing achievements of teachers, and revisiting ongoing supports to ensure their success.
• The district is implementing a new math curriculum in all three schools.

Shortlidge and Warner Elementary Schools

• The district will reconfigure grades at two of the schools, with Shortlidge becoming a PK-3 grade campus and Warner becoming 4-5 grade campus.
• Schools will offer Saturday Library as a time set aside for students and families to study a particular topic and for families to read with their children.
• Schools will offer increased after school enrichment activities that are academic in focus but have character-building components that teach students skills such as sportsmanship and self-esteem. For example, Reading Basketball would offer students reading remediation with basketball games as a reward for participating.

Highlands Elementary School

• Highlands will foster opportunities for parent-led activities for families at the school, such as family fitness night and a science expo.
• Reading and math activities at Highlands will ensure parents have the tools needed to support their students to be successful in core content areas.
• And Saturday activities at Highlands for students and families will increase tech literacy of students and provide parents with life skills workshops.

Alison May alison.may@doe.k12.de.us (302) 735-4000

.@GovernorMarkell Happy Holidays Mr. Enigma, Here’s Your Present @KilroysDelaware @ed_in_de @RCEAPrez @Apl_Jax @ecpaige @nannyfat @Roof_O @DelawareBats @Avi_WA @TNJ_malbright @RodelDE @DeDeptofEd @DEStateBoardEd #netde #eduDE #Delaware #edchat

I can’t figure you out Jack Markell.  Especially after seeing that video Kilroy put up last weekend from 2008 when you talked about all the segregation going on at the charter schools.  Flash forward to the present when you are holding six public schools hostage to the charter school agenda.  When did you change Jack?  Or were you just trying to please potential voters when you ran in 2008?  Personally, I think it’s the latter, given that you and Rodel did your blueprint for education back in 2005.  But here’s some presents for you to view and think about before you make a big decision in the coming weeks.

As your governorship draws to a close in the next couple of years, Delaware will remember your legacy.  Will you be a Bailey or a Potter?  Cause right now, most of us in this state see you as a Potter.  This clip from It’s A Wonderful Life is the best comparison to the priority schools initiative.  Dangle some money at them, make a big spectacle and flashy presentation, entice them, and draw them in.  That’s what happened on September 4th.  Like Potter, I’m sure you thought they would jump at the chance.  But there are too many Bailey’s in Delaware that know better.  That what you were offering comes at a very steep price.  Too many lives are affected by this decision.

If this is the future of education in Delaware, threats and dangling carrots, then I think Delaware has become a very awful place to raise our children.  Are you a Rodel man or a Delaware man?  Cause guess what Jack, you can’t be both.  I would rather pay more in state taxes than kiss the feds ass when it comes to education.  Take their measly 10% in education funding and send it back to D.C.  Because at the end of the day, it’s not about the money.  It’s about the students, who shine in the darkness, who try to overcome adversity to become more than what society says they are.  The problems in Wilmington won’t go away, not any time soon.  What happens when all these kids are in charter schools and start dropping out?  All you are doing is repeating the cycle, over and over again.  These children are more than test scores.  All the students in Delaware are more than test scores.  Stop treating them like data, and see them as unique and individual creations of God.

The teachers in the priority schools ARE doing the right thing.  They are teaching these students, going the extra mile for them.  They have a passion for helping these kids.  They could go somewhere else, but they choose to stay.  What does that tell you?  Why would you ever want teachers on a fast track degree with very little experience educating these most vulnerable of students?  And nobody cares more about these students than the principals at these schools.  They are given a very heavy task, and while they may not be perfect, they are irreplaceable.  It makes no sense, unless there is a financial payoff down the road.  As my second gift for you Jack, I proudly present the students of the priority schools.

Remember this Governor Markell, if you take these schools away from their rightful districts, you will ALWAYS be remembered as a Potter.