DOVER, Del. – State Auditor Kathy McGuiness announced today the release of an examination of the Appoquinimink School District’s compliance with authorized positions as established in Delaware Code, Delaware Law, and the Budget and Accounting Policy Manual (BAM).

“Today’s release is the first of 19 reports that will come out over the following weeks,” said McGuiness. “My office examined the number of authorized positions versus the number of actual positions a district has employed as part of our regular annual audit review for all public school districts.”

In accordance with 14 Del. C. §1504, the Auditor’s Office is directed to examine all public school districts for compliance with authorized positions requirements for all public school districts that commence on or after July 1, 1991. The Authorized Position reports reviewed each of the state’s 19 public school districts and examined staffing data for Fiscal Year 2019.

“Many people may not know that public school district personnel costs make up nearly a quarter of the state’s budget,” McGuiness said. “That’s why this annual review is so important; exceeding the number of authorized positions could have a big impact on the state’s resources.”

“I am proud to announce that each of the state’s 19 public school districts complied in all material respects with established criteria for Authorized Positions,” said Auditor McGuiness. We found school districts are doing a great job with the resources they have available, and the few immaterial issues we identified were ultimately due to systems issues that are outside of school district’s control.”

The new special report, “Appoquinimink School District Authorized Positions Examination for 2018 thru 2019” can be found here.

Learn about the Delaware Auditor’s Office at https://auditor.delaware.gov.

###

Contact: Alaina Sewell, Chief of Staff 302-857-3931 Alaina.Sewell@delaware.gov

MIDDLETOWN, Del. – Governor Jack A. Markell celebrated Arbor Day today by honoring the winners of the Delaware Forest Service’s annual school poster contest and joining Appoquinimink High School students and staff to plant more than 30 trees donated by Delmarva Power, which was also recognized with a “Tree Line USA” Award.

Link: Facebook Photo Album of State Arbor Day Ceremony highlights

• The Delaware Forest Service’s Arbor Day School Poster Contest is an annual competition open to students in grades K to 5 in all Delaware public, private, charter, and home schools. Winners from each county are chosen by a panel of judges in four categories: kindergarten, grades 1-2, grades 3-4, and grade 5. Each winner receives a framed canvas reproduction of their winning poster, a gift card, a tree planting ceremony at their school, and a tree-themed keepsake book.
• This year’s theme was “Trees are Terrific… Inside and Out!”
• The 2015 State Winner is fourth-grader Rain Vasey of Watergirl Farm Academy in Lincoln, Sussex County.
• Complete list of 2015 Arbor Day Poster Contest Winners (Click on thumbnails for high-resolution images of the winning poster)

Senator Bethany Hall-Long (D-10, Middletown) joined Governor Markell for photos with the winning students. (Click links for photos)

NEW CASTLE COUNTY
Kindergarten: Kara Maloney, Harlan Elementary, Wilmington (Photo)
Grades 1 to 2: Karina Gendron, Jennie Smith Elementary, Newark (Photo)
Grades 3 to 4: Elena Garber, Christ the Teacher, Newark (Photo)
Grade 5: Ben Sekowski, Christ the Teacher, Newark (Photo)

KENT COUNTY
Kindergarten: McKenzie Slaton, Maj. George Welch Elementary, Dover (Photo)
Grades 1 to 2: Madisyn Woods, Nellie H. Stokes Elementary, Dover (Photo)
Grades 3 to 4: Liam Wilson, Clayton Elementary, Clayton (Photo)
Grade 5: Sofia Estrada, Clayton Intermediate, Clayton (Photo)

SUSSEX COUNTY
Kindergarten: Sydney Johnson, Phillip C. Showell Elementary, Selbyville (Photo)
Grades 1 to 2: Yael Rivas, Lord Baltimore Elementary, Ocean View (Photo)
Grades 3 to 4: Rain Vasey, Watergirl Farm Academy, Lincoln
Grade 5: Mercy Winston, Winston Learning Academy, Milford

• The Arbor Day Ceremony took place at Appoquinimink School District’s Outdoor Classroom – designed to demonstrate renewable energy in a way that students and the community can understand. The building features hydronic heating, photovoltaic power, a wind turbine, and a system for rainwater collection and reuse.  (Architectural photos of the outdoor classroom)

Delmarva Power and the Arbor Day Program:

• Delmarva Power donated more than 30 trees to be planted by Appoquinimink High School Students on the district’s campus on Bunker Hill Road near the entrance to the school complex. The planting was completed on May 1 through the cooperation of Delmarva Power, the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, and the Appoquinimink School District grounds staff.  Students planted the trees under the guidance of teacher Karen Weiner of the AHS Career and Tech Education Department.
• Tree Line USA is a program of the National Arbor Day Foundation that recognizes best practices in utility arboriculture.  It is awarded each year to utilities that meet five core standards: 1) Quality Tree Care; 2) Annual Worker Training; 3) Tree Planting and Public Education; 4) Tree-Based Energy Conservation Program; and, 5) an Arbor Day Celebration.
• Delmarva Power has demonstrated a commitment to conservation and education through its Energy Saving Trees Program™  that allows homeowners to fill out an online application to request free trees for their property and a calculator that can estimate their cost and energy savings.
• Delmarva Power is the sole corporate sponsor of community Arbor Day Celebrations in all three Delaware counties. Each of Delaware’s 18 Tree City USA communities gets a free tree from Delmarva Power to use as part of their municipal Arbor Day Observance. In addition, each of the winners of the Arbor Day School Poster Contest receives a free tree and Arbor Day planting ceremony – courtesy of Delmarva Power.
• Delmarva Power employs forestry staff and administers a professional tree maintenance program that conforms to American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Delmarva Power is a division of Pepco Holdings, one of the largest suppliers of electricity and natural gas in the Mid-Atlantic Region. It has 305,000 Delaware electric customers, along with 126,000 Delmarva natural gas customers in New Castle County. Another 201,000 Maryland residents are served by Delmarva on that state’s Eastern Shore.

Wilmington DE – The Board of Elections for New Castle County certified the results of the May 13, 2014, School Board Elections in the Appoquinimink, Christina, Colonial and Red Clay Consolidated School Districts at its meeting on May 15, 2014..

The Official results of the May 13, 2014 School Board Elections in New Castle County, Delaware are as follows:

Appoquinimink School District

Norman A. Abrams, Jr.     364

Debbie Harrington            188

Christina School District

 Martin W. Nicholson     133

 John M. Young             207

Colonial School District

 John C. Megahan, Sr.   40

 Melodie A. Spotts        197

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Dennis C. Cini, Sr.         198

 Michael J. Piccio           372

Contact: Howard Sholl, Department of Elections for New Castle County, (302) 577-5066

The initial report of the Colonial School Board results was only for William Penn High School. The updated results are below.

The unofficial results of the May 13, 2014 School Board Elections in New Castle County, Delaware are as follows:

Appoquinimink School District

Norman A. Abrams, Jr.   364

         Debbie Harrington      188

Christina School District

 Martin W. Nicholson     133

 John M. Young            207

Colonial School District

 John C. Megahan, Sr.   40

 Melodie A. Spotts        197

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Dennis C. Cini, Sr.         198

 Michael J. Piccio        372

The Board of Elections for New Castle County will meet at 7 p.m. on May 15, 2014 to certify the results of the School Board Elections. The meeting will be in Suite 400 of the Carvel State Office Building, 820 North French Street, Wilmington, DE 19801.

Contact: Howard Sholl, Department of Elections for New Castle County, (302) 577-5066

There are School Board Elections on Tuesday, May 13th in the Appoquinimink, Christina, Colonial and Red Clay Consolidated School Districts. The polls are open from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Voters must be US citizens, live in the school district in which they are voting, be 18 years old on or before May 13th and show proof of identity and address before being permitted to vote. Visit the links below for candidates and polling places.

Appoquinimink School District

Christina School District

Colonial School District

Red Clay Consolidated School District

Contact: Howard G. Sholl, Jr., Department of Elections for New Castle County, (302) 577-5066