In celebration of proclaiming the 92nd anniversary of American Education Week, we express our greatest appreciation for the extraordinary work done by educators, administrators and other school leaders throughout our state who devote themselves to giving all of our students the best opportunities. We honor teachers like Lisa Mims at
Pleasantville Elementary in New Castle. Visiting her fifth grade class during their its Mystery Skype lesson, it was inspiring to see the enthusiasm for learning among her students. They tested their geography, critical thinking and communications skills to determine the location of the class on the other end of a virtual conversation. The students have partnered virtually with peers from Arizona to Spain and New Zealand, opening their eyes to the changing world around them. We are seeing many examples of these types of creative, engaging activities in our classrooms. A partnership between Mount Pleasant and Maple Lane Elementary Schools is setting a foundation for second graders in basic physics concepts like force and motion by having the students build and refine toy sail cars. As one teacher said of the program: “The way we teach is changing, because the way the world works is changing.” The approach of teachers like these is making it possible to raise expectations for students across our state so they are prepared for success in colleges and careers. We must continue to highlight the incredible possibilities for innovative educators to provide these kinds of unique opportunities that have a lasting impact on our youth. By highlighting successful programs like these that serve as examples to schools throughout our state, we’ll keep Delaware moving forward.

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