Task Force to Improve Planning for Students With Disabilities Prepares to Begin Work

Task Force Is Seeking Three Parents to Complete Membership

WILMINGTON, Del.– Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn, chair of the state’s newly-formed IEP Improvement Task Force, announced today that the task force membership was near completion and that the state is seeking three more parents to serve on the task force.

The task force was created by the General Assembly (Senate Concurrent Resolution 63) at the end of June to make recommendations to improve the process by which the state creates Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) for students with disabilities. Lieutenant Governor Denn, who has authored legislation in prior years to address deficiencies in the IEP process, was appointed by Senate President Pro Tem Patricia Blevins to chair the task force.

The task force already has three parents with students on IEPs as members, all of whom were appointed by the Governor’s Advisory Council on Exceptional Citizens (the state council that represents the interests of children with disabilities in schools). However, the resolution creating the task force allows for three additional parents to be appointed to the task force. Those parents will be appointed by the four state legislators who are task force members.

Parents of students who are currently on IEPs – or parents of individuals who were on IEPs in the past – who are interested in serving on this task force can contact Michele Rush at the Department of Education at 302-735-4210 or michele.rush@doe.k12.de.us by Friday, August 1, 2014. The Department of Education will communicate the names of interested parents to the four legislators, who will in turn pick the three parent members.

The task force will meet once or twice a month beginning in August for a report that is due to Governor Markell and the General Assembly by January 1, 2015. Meetings will alternate between Dover and Wilmington with videoconferencing available at both sites. All meetings will be open to the public; audio and materials from all meetings will be posted on the Lt. Governor’s website.


Lt. Governor in Newark for Events on Wednesday

Visits Las Américas ASPIRA Academy & Participates in Ribbon Cutting for Integrity Staffing Solutions at New National Headquarters

DOVER, Del. – Tomorrow, Lt. Governor Matt Denn will be in Newark for two events.

His first visit will be to Las Américas ASPIRA Academy to see the examples of work from the QUEST program. ASPIRA was a recipient of the Accelerated Academic Grant program, the new state program that made funds available for programs targeted at academically advanced students. The program, created through legislation proposed last year by Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn and the chairs of the General Assembly’s education committees, allows school districts to design programs targeted at students who are ahead of grade level in reading, writing, math, or science.

Local school districts and schools applied for start-up grants for programs targeted at students who are at least a half year ahead of grade level based upon current state standards. ASPIRA received $17,576 and has begun to implement the QUEST (Quality Utilization and Enrichment of Student Talents) Program, focused on developing students’ critical, creative and logical thinking skills and well as problem-solving abilities. The Lt. Governor will learn more about each of those programs and talk with kids participating in the QUEST program.

The Lt. Governor will then participate in the ribbon cutting for Integrity Staffing Solutions, recently relocated to a larger and more expansive office campus located at the Iron Hill Corporate Center in nearby Newark, Delaware.

As one of the nation’s fastest growing, privately-held companies, Integrity’s new 17,230 square-foot work space will support its Delaware-based corporate employees and will include conference, training and collaborative work spaces designed to support Integrity’s growing client roster. In 2013 alone, Integrity provided over 90,000 seasonal and permanent job opportunities for its associates at various client locations across the U.S.

About Integrity Staffing Solutions: Since its launch in 1997, Integrity Staffing Solutions has been committed to generating opportunities for its associates to exceed their own expectations by supplying the skills that advance future fulfillment. The company specializes in temporary and direct-hire employment and customized staffing models that facilitate the growth of careers, communities and companies.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

9:00am – 10:00am Visit to Las Américas ASPIRA Academy
329 Ruthar Drive
Newark

1:00pm – 2:00pm Ribbon Cutting for Integrity Staffing Solutions
Iron Hill Corporate Center
700 Prides Crossing, Suite 300
Newark


Lt. Governor Delivers Dover High School Commencement Address

DOVER, Del. – This evening, Lt. Governor Denn will deliver the Commencement Address to the Dover High School Class of 2014.

This is the Dover High’s 113th commencement program and the last to be held at this location.

6:00pm – 7:00pm
Commencement Address
Dover High School Stadium
1 Patrick Lynn Drive
Dover, DE 19904

DoverHighSchoolSenator


Lt. Governor In New Castle County for Events

Visits Old State Elementary School
Delivers Speech on Public Education at The Rotary Club of Wilmington

WILMINGTON, Del. – On Thursday, May 29th, Lt. Governor Matt Denn will be in New Castle County.

He will visit Old State Elementary School in the Appoquinimink School District, where he will be in Carrie Maxwell’s 4th grade class. Her class extended an invitation for the Lt. Governor to visit and learn more about the Leader in Me process at the school. Mrs. Maxwell’s 34 students have been working on a presentation for the Lt. Governor and he will then take a short tour of the school.

The Leader in Me process helps develop the essential life skills and characteristics students need in order to thrive in the 21st century and is designed to be integrated into a school’s core curriculum. Based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People®, The Leader in Me produces results such as higher academic achievement, fewer discipline problems, increased self-confidence, and increased engagement among teachers and parents.

The Lt. Governor will then be the featured speaker at The Rotary Club of Wilmington with his speech focusing on the future of public education. The Wilmington Rotary Club, founded in 1914, is an established Community Service Organization with a practicing motto of “SERVICE ABOVE SELF.” This Club proudly supports life-enhancing services to citizens of all ages in the City of Wilmington and greater Wilmington areas through their finances, time and talent. The Wilmington Rotary Club has a membership of over 240 community and business leaders.

Thursday, May 29, 2014
9:30am – 10:30am Visits Old State Elementary School
580 Tony Marchio Drive
Townsend

12:45pm – 1:30pm Featured Speaker at The Rotary Club of Wilmington
Hotel DuPont, Gold Ballroom
42 W. 11th Street
Wilmington


Lt. Governor and CJC Announce 2014 Byrne Grant Recipients

82% of non-profit funding dedicated to re-entry services; up from 46% in 2007

WILMINGTON, Del. – Today, Lieutenant Governor Matt Denn, Chair of the Criminal Justice Council, and Chris Kervick, Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Council, announced the 2014 Byrne Grant recipients at a press conference at the Rick VanStory Resource Center in Wilmington.

This year’s Byrne Grants were awarded to seven non-profits agencies – representing all three counties – that specialized in the CJC’s priority areas of Re-entry and Recidivism Reduction for Adults and Juveniles, Juvenile Prevention and Intervention, and Reducing Homicide and Violent Crime. The total of all awards is $501,079.76 and 82% of funding is dedicated to re-entry services, up from 46% in 2007. The increase in re-entry funding reflects a decision by the CJC to concentrate its limited federal grant resources in this important area.

"Recovery"

Lt. Governor Denn said, “These groups have proven track records of providing quality services that continue to make a difference in our communities. I am impressed with their plans to expand these much-needed programs in our state.”

“The Byrne Justice Assistance Grant is the cornerstone federal assistance program for the Criminal Justice Council,” said Executive Director Chris Kervick. “It allows the flexibility required to support local programs as they provide much needed services to the people who need them most. The Criminal Justice Council congratulates this year’s grant recipients and we look forward to working with the agencies to make each program successful.”

Rick VanStory Resource Center CEO Allen Conover said today, “We would like to thank the Delaware Criminal Justice Council for the opportunity to enhance our ability to provide essential services to individuals involved with the criminal justice system that are mentally ill and/or that suffer from substance abuse. We look forward to utilizing our collective experiences to assist others.”

Here is a list of recipients, the award amount, and short description of what the funding will be used for:

Boys & Girls Clubs at Oak Orchard/Riverdale: Stop It Before It Starts Prevention Program $50,930.00
Facilitating 2 curriculums: “Positive Action” on bullying, substance abuse, and suicide for 8 to 13 year-olds; and “Courage to Speak” on drug abuse prevention for parents. Grant will fund program facilitators, counselor, and educational equipment.

Courageous Hearts Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Learning Center Equine Assisted Learning: Power Tools for Living Program $39,690.00
Providing therapeutic equine activities for at-risk youth. The program teaches youths to interact with and care for horses, and offers mental health counseling. Grant will cover salary for the director, bookkeeper, equine specialists, & therapist, as well as facility rental.

Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing, Inc.: Re-entry Opportunity and Recidivism Prevention $97,900.00
Provide shelter, job placement, case management, and counseling to former inmates.

The Hospitality School, Inc.: Culinary Arts & Restaurant Training Reducing Recidivism $69,933.00
Provide culinary training for hard-to-employ individuals, specially focusing on ex-offenders. This free, 14-week program also teaches soft skills & financial literacy, and includes an internship.

Rick VanStory Resource Centers: Case Management for Mental Health Offenders $115,711.76
Provide case management, mental health counseling, and substance abuse treatment to homeless former inmates. Program will operate in all counties.

Victims’ Voices Heard: Victim Impact: Listen and Learn / Stand Down: Courage to Change $60,000.00
Implement two programs that involve group sessions at correctional institutions; one focuses on victim impact awareness and the other on setting and working toward re-entry goals.

The Way Home, Inc.: Expanding Way Home Case Management Services $66,915.00
Add to the agency’s case management staff to serve inmates who are re-entering the community. Case manager will assist with employment, education, and basic needs.

Background: The Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program (42 U.S.C. 3751(a)) is the primary provider of federal criminal justice funding to state and local jurisdictions. JAG funds support all components of the criminal justice system from multijurisdictional drug and gang task forces to crime prevention and domestic violence programs, courts, corrections, treatment, and justice information sharing initiatives. JAG funded projects may address crime through the provision of services directly to individuals and/or communities and by improving the effectiveness and efficiency of criminal justice systems, processes, and procedures.

Event pictures can be found here.