Working groups will focus on health and wellness, academics and equity, and operations and services

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and Secretary of Education Susan Bunting announced a public strategy on Monday to plan for the safe reopening of Delaware school buildings. Three COVID-19 School Reopening Working Groups will advise the Delaware Department of Education (DOE), Delaware school districts and charter schools on ways to safely and effectively reopen Delaware school buildings.

Last month, Governor Carney closed Delaware public school buildings for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to the threat of COVID-19.

The working groups will focus on:

• Health and Wellness
  • Co-chair: Mike Rodriguez, Associate Secretary, Delaware Department of Education
  • Co-chair: Dr. Meghan Walls, Pediatric Psychologist, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children
• Academics and Equity
  • Co-chair: Monica Gant, Associate Secretary, Delaware Department of Education
  • Co-chair: Ashley Giska, Assistant Superintendent, Laurel School District
• Operations and Services
  • Co-chair: Chuck Longfellow, Associate Secretary, Delaware Department of Education
  • Co-chair: Oliver Gumbs, Director of Business Operations, Cape Henlopen School District

“These working groups will provide important recommendations to Secretary Bunting and school and district leaders on how to safely return to school,” said Governor Carney. “I am pleased with the expertise these members bring to this important effort and look forward to their guidance on the key issues that Delaware’s superintendents and charter school leaders must consider before re-opening their buildings.”

Click on working group to view membership

“We’re asking each working group to help the department develop a framework of essential actions that school district and charter school leaders should take to effectuate a safe return to school,” said Secretary Bunting. “These working groups also will help us reach out to our communities so that the ideas and concerns of Delawareans ground our work. These meetings will be open to the public, and I encourage participation across our state.”

Virtual meetings will be listed on the Public Meeting Calendar. The first meeting is Thursday, May 21 at 2:00 p.m.  

“Preparing for the next school year under these extremely difficult times is going to require a multifaceted approach,” said House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst, a member of the Health and Wellness working group. “It’s not enough to plan for the logistics of how the schools will physically operate and how to ensure all students receive the quality education they deserve. We also have to prepare to address the mental health challenges that many of our children will face. This has been a stressful time for everyone, and children are no different. If we want this unique upcoming school year to be successful, we have to address students’ mental health and wellness.”

“It is imperative that we protect the safety, health, and wellbeing of students and staff when we reopen our schools,” said Stephanie Ingram, President of the Delaware State Education Association. “Our primary goal is to meet the educational, social, and emotional needs of all students. These state work groups will give educators a voice in the decision-making process while making sure their thoughts and concerns are heard. This is all about safety. We do not want to rush into a decision that puts anyone in harm’s way.”

“As we work to transition from remote learning back into our school buildings, supporting the health and wellness of our students and staff members is imperative,” said Mike Rodriguez, Associate Secretary of Student Support at the Delaware Department of Education. “I’m excited to work with these leaders from across our state to recommend what programming, supports and protections are needed.”

The working groups, which include student representation and members of the General Assembly, will make final recommendations to DOE in July. The working groups will continue to meet through September 2020, or an alternate time period as set by Secretary Bunting. DOE will provide staffing support to the working groups.

“I’m honored to co-chair this workgroup to support Delaware students as we navigate how to make the safe transition back to school,” said Dr. Meghan Walls, a pediatric psychologist at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children and co-chair of the Health and Wellness working group. “Among our many considerations are the impact of social and emotional distancing and the importance of employing science-based practices to help students return safely to a new normal, prepared to learn.”

“I am honored to work with such a talented group of stakeholders on what will be one of the most impactful challenges on public education in modern history,” said Ashley Giska, Assistant Superintendent at Laurel School District and co-chair of the Academics and Equity working group. “While the logistics of supporting our students academically and with equity as a driving force will be great, the innovation coming from all of our schools in such a short span of time has been truly inspiring. I am certain we can create a robust path forward for all students in Delaware to grow and thrive as learners in this new environment.”

Anyone with a question about COVID-19, whether related to medical or social service needs, should call Delaware 2-1-1. Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can text their ZIP code to 898-211. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Health or medically-related COVID-19 questions can also be submitted by email at DPHCall@delaware.gov.

DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.

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The Delaware Department of Education has received a waiver from the federal government to allow school nutrition programs to provide meals to students during the closure.

“We know that many of our students depend on the meals they receive in schools as their main source of food. Receiving waivers for the operation of the federal School Nutrition Programs means that most of our districts and charter schools will be able to provide meals for students who may need them during the time they are not in school due to COVID-19,” Secretary of Education Susan Bunting said. “Additionally, the state is in communication with other organizations that may assist in the provision of meals for students during this time.”

Please find a list of open meal sites for students here (https://www.doe.k12.de.us/covid19).  Families may pick up meal bags for children 18 and under who live in their home. Children must be present. Any family needing additional information may contact their district or charter office.

Media contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

June 21 deadline for nominations fast approaching

DOVER – Do you know a Delaware student who is striving to make a difference for the environment? The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is encouraging teachers, classmates, parents, club or group leaders, and others to nominate these students for the 2019 Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards. Nominations for the 26th annual awards must be based on actions or projects which have taken place between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.

Nominations will be accepted through Friday, June 21, 2019. A winner will be chosen from each of the following categories:

• Elementary (grades 1-4)
• Middle School (grades 5-8)
• High School (grades 9-12)

The Young Environmentalist program honors Delaware students who have helped protect, restore or enhance Delaware’s natural resources through one or more of the following actions:

• Demonstrating Environmental Stewardship
• Initiating an Innovative Project
• Increasing Public Awareness
• Demonstrating Environmental Ethics

Winners will be honored in a special ceremony on Governor’s Day at the 2019 Delaware State Fair Thursday, July 25. Each category winner will receive a certificate, gift card and prize pack in recognition of his or her contribution to the community.

Nominations may be submitted online on the DNREC website, or by U.S. mail to Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, or by email to joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

For more information, including nomination forms, please visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/young-environmentalists, or contact Joanna Wilson at 302-739-9902.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 149

First Place in the 2019 Delaware Envirothon: Wilmington Team A, left to right: Victoria Deng, Udeerna Tippabhatla, Darren Wu, Shan Yu, and Shriya Boyapati. DNREC photo.

DOVER – Charter School of Wilmington Team A is the winner of the 2019 Delaware Envirothon competition held April 11 at Delaware State University’s Outreach and Research Center near Smyrna. This is the school’s 20th win in the event’s 24-year history, including an unbroken winning streak since 2002. Charter School of Wilmington Team C finished second and Charter School of Wilmington Team B placed third in the Envirothon competition.

The Envirothon is a Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD) program with sponsorship and staff support from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. This year’s 17 competing Envirothon teams from eight high schools and one 4-H club statewide – Calvary Christian Academy, Charter School of Wilmington, Delaware Military Academy, Dover High School, Middletown High School, Newark Charter School, Polytech High School, Sussex Tech High School and Peach Blossom 4-H Club – worked hard all school year to prepare for the event.

Each team answered questions, reviewed specimens and took measurements in topics dealing with aquatic ecology, soils/land-use, wildlife, forestry, air quality and the current environmental issue of “Agriculture and the Environment: Knowledge and Technology to Feed the World.” Teams also had to give a seven-to-10-minute oral presentation of a scenario based on the current environmental issue. After more than three hours of testing, Charter School of Wilmington Team A was crowned the 2019 state champion. They will now represent Delaware at the National Conservation Foundation International Envirothon held at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina in late July.

Each member of the winning team earned a $500 scholarship from the Delaware Envirothon and other prizes. The winning team will also receive an award plaque for their school. The second through seventh place teams received more than $2,400 in special team awards and cash prizes. Special cash awards for the top three teams in Air Quality, Forestry, and Soils were provided by DNREC Division of Air Quality, the Delaware Forestry Association, and the Pocomoke Chapter – Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Prizes in the form of gift cards and ribbons were awarded to the top seven teams. The official results are as follows:
First place: Charter School of Wilmington Team A
Second place: Charter School of Wilmington Team C
Third place: Charter School of Wilmington Team B
Fourth place: Peach Blossom 4-H Club
Fifth place: Middletown High School
Sixth place: Delaware Military Academy
Seventh place: Newark Charter School

Since its inception, the Delaware Envirothon has awarded $60,000 in scholarships to 120 students (these numbers are updated from last year’s release). It is hosted by the Delaware Association of Conservation Districts (DACD), which is a voluntary, non-profit association that coordinates conservation efforts statewide to focus on natural resource issues identified by Delaware’s three local districts.

For more information about the Delaware Envirothon, please visit www.delawareenvirothon.org or contact Rick Mickowski at 302-832-3100 ext. 113.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 95

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DOVER – Do you know a Delaware student who is working to make a difference for the environment? The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is encouraging teachers, classmates, parents, club or group leaders, and others to nominate these students for the 2019 Young Environmentalist of the Year Awards. Nominations must be based on actions or projects which have taken place between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019.

Nominations will be accepted through Friday, June 21, 2019. A winner will be chosen from each of the following categories:

• Elementary (grades 1-4)
• Middle School (grades 5-8)
• High School (grades 9-12)

The Young Environmentalist program honors Delaware students whose actions have helped protect, restore or enhance of Delaware’s natural resources through one or more of the following means:

• Demonstrating Environmental Stewardship
• Initiating an Innovative Project
• Increasing Public Awareness
• Demonstrating Environmental Ethics

Winners will be honored in a special ceremony on Governor’s Day at the 2019 Delaware State Fair Thursday, July 25. Each category winner will receive a certificate, gift card and prize pack in recognition of his or her contribution to the community.

This is the 26th year for the Young Environmentalist awards program.

Nominations may be submitted by U.S. mail to Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901, or by email to joanna.wilson@delaware.gov.

For more information, including nomination forms, please visit https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/young-environmentalists/, or contact Joanna Wilson at 302-739-9902.

Contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 49, No. 71