Council will gather feedback from educators statewide, increase the voice of teachers in policy decisions
DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney and Dr. Susan Bunting, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education, announced on Tuesday the establishment of a new Teachers Advisory Council to gather the feedback of educators from across the state.
Secretary Bunting invited two teachers from each of the state’s 19 school districts and six charter school educators to join the group, which will facilitate communication, contribute to solutions, and help increase the voice of teachers in policy decisions. The group will meet bi-monthly to discuss a variety of issues affecting teachers.
“Educators work on the front lines helping prepare Delaware’s children for the future,” said Governor Carney. “We are committed to transforming the Department into a true support agency to help schools and educators better serve their students. This new advisory council will help ensure that we are listening to educators every step of the way as we make policy decisions that affect the classroom. Thank you to the educators who are participating, and Dr. Bunting and our team at the Department of Education for convening this group.”
“This is an opportunity for me to hear directly from those who work closest with our children and often feel the most direct effects of our policy decisions,” said Secretary Bunting.
Teachers participating on the new advisory council were recommended by their superintendents or the Delaware Charter School Network for the voluntary role. Secretary Bunting has asked each to share his or her personal feelings as an individual rather than serve as a representative of a district or charter school’s position on an issue.
This group is in addition to the Teacher of the Year Advisory Council, which Secretary Bunting also meets with bi-monthly.
Educators participating in the new advisory council include:
Kristyn Bradford of Lake Forest North Elementary in Lake Forest School District
Seth Buford of Milford High School in Milford School District
Shorel Clark of Brittingham Elementary School in Cape Henlopen School District
Marisa Clarke of Central Elementary in Seaford School District
Guy Cooper of Providence Creek Academy charter school
Luke Crossan of Waters Middle School in Appoquinimink School District
Todd Cushman of Delmar Middle School in Delmar School District
Chelsea Darczuk of East Side Charter School
Robert Edmondson of Seaford Middle School in Seaford School District
Catherine (Katy) Evans of Sunnyside Elementary School in the Smyrna School District
Christina Gallo of Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest School District
Shelby Gordon of Bunker Hill Elementary School in Appoquinimink School District
Emily Green of Caesar Rodney High School in Caesar Rodney School District
Robert Harrod of Cape Henlopen High School in Cape Henlopen School District
Matt Hoopes of Concord High School in Brandywine School District
Shelley Hovanec of Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center in Woodbridge School District
Michelle Howard of Delmar High School in Delmar School District
Lesley Louder of Dover High School in Capital School District
Tina Lykens of POLYTECH High School in POLYTECH School District
Jennifer MacDonald of Smyrna High School in Smyrna School District
Nathalie Melvin of South Dover Elementary School in Capital School District
Phyllis Mobley of Harlan Elementary School in Brandywine School District
Elaine Norris of Mispillion Elementary School in Milford School District
Petra Palmer of Delcastle High School in New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Michael Paoli of Hodgson High School in New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Sarah Polaski of Christiana Middle School Academy in Christina School District
Moraima Reardon of Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge School District
Lisa Richardson of Millsboro Middle School in Indian River School District
Matthew Sabol of William Penn High School in Colonial School District
Dara Savage of Early College High School charter school
Cameron Sweeney of POLYTECH High School in POLYTECH School District
Crystal Thawley of Sussex Technical High School in Sussex Technical School District
Elizabeth Van Aulen of Wilson Elementary School in Christina School District
Anthony Varrato of Sussex Technical High School of Sussex Technical School District
Kim Weber of Welch Elementary in Caesar Rodney School District
Leigh Weldin of Conrad School of Sciences in Red Clay Consolidated School District
Karen Willey of Sussex Academy charter school
Jill Young of Lord Baltimore Elementary in Indian River School District
Stacie Zdrojewski of Red Clay Consolidated School District Office
The Teacher Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday, March 27th from 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Collette Education Resource Center Conference Room, 35 Commerce Way, Suite 1, Dover.
Council will gather feedback from educators statewide, increase the voice of teachers in policy decisions
DOVER, Del. – Governor John Carney and Dr. Susan Bunting, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Education, announced on Tuesday the establishment of a new Teachers Advisory Council to gather the feedback of educators from across the state.
Secretary Bunting invited two teachers from each of the state’s 19 school districts and six charter school educators to join the group, which will facilitate communication, contribute to solutions, and help increase the voice of teachers in policy decisions. The group will meet bi-monthly to discuss a variety of issues affecting teachers.
“Educators work on the front lines helping prepare Delaware’s children for the future,” said Governor Carney. “We are committed to transforming the Department into a true support agency to help schools and educators better serve their students. This new advisory council will help ensure that we are listening to educators every step of the way as we make policy decisions that affect the classroom. Thank you to the educators who are participating, and Dr. Bunting and our team at the Department of Education for convening this group.”
“This is an opportunity for me to hear directly from those who work closest with our children and often feel the most direct effects of our policy decisions,” said Secretary Bunting.
Teachers participating on the new advisory council were recommended by their superintendents or the Delaware Charter School Network for the voluntary role. Secretary Bunting has asked each to share his or her personal feelings as an individual rather than serve as a representative of a district or charter school’s position on an issue.
This group is in addition to the Teacher of the Year Advisory Council, which Secretary Bunting also meets with bi-monthly.
Educators participating in the new advisory council include:
Kristyn Bradford of Lake Forest North Elementary in Lake Forest School District
Seth Buford of Milford High School in Milford School District
Shorel Clark of Brittingham Elementary School in Cape Henlopen School District
Marisa Clarke of Central Elementary in Seaford School District
Guy Cooper of Providence Creek Academy charter school
Luke Crossan of Waters Middle School in Appoquinimink School District
Todd Cushman of Delmar Middle School in Delmar School District
Chelsea Darczuk of East Side Charter School
Robert Edmondson of Seaford Middle School in Seaford School District
Catherine (Katy) Evans of Sunnyside Elementary School in the Smyrna School District
Christina Gallo of Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest School District
Shelby Gordon of Bunker Hill Elementary School in Appoquinimink School District
Emily Green of Caesar Rodney High School in Caesar Rodney School District
Robert Harrod of Cape Henlopen High School in Cape Henlopen School District
Matt Hoopes of Concord High School in Brandywine School District
Shelley Hovanec of Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center in Woodbridge School District
Michelle Howard of Delmar High School in Delmar School District
Lesley Louder of Dover High School in Capital School District
Tina Lykens of POLYTECH High School in POLYTECH School District
Jennifer MacDonald of Smyrna High School in Smyrna School District
Nathalie Melvin of South Dover Elementary School in Capital School District
Phyllis Mobley of Harlan Elementary School in Brandywine School District
Elaine Norris of Mispillion Elementary School in Milford School District
Petra Palmer of Delcastle High School in New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Michael Paoli of Hodgson High School in New Castle County Vo-Tech School District
Sarah Polaski of Christiana Middle School Academy in Christina School District
Moraima Reardon of Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge School District
Lisa Richardson of Millsboro Middle School in Indian River School District
Matthew Sabol of William Penn High School in Colonial School District
Dara Savage of Early College High School charter school
Cameron Sweeney of POLYTECH High School in POLYTECH School District
Crystal Thawley of Sussex Technical High School in Sussex Technical School District
Elizabeth Van Aulen of Wilson Elementary School in Christina School District
Anthony Varrato of Sussex Technical High School of Sussex Technical School District
Kim Weber of Welch Elementary in Caesar Rodney School District
Leigh Weldin of Conrad School of Sciences in Red Clay Consolidated School District
Karen Willey of Sussex Academy charter school
Jill Young of Lord Baltimore Elementary in Indian River School District
Stacie Zdrojewski of Red Clay Consolidated School District Office
The Teacher Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday, March 27th from 4:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Collette Education Resource Center Conference Room, 35 Commerce Way, Suite 1, Dover.