Compassionate Champions ceremony to be held May 17

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney and First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney on Friday previewed the events occurring in May 2023 during the 5th Annual Trauma Awareness Month in the State of Delaware, hosted by the Family Services Cabinet Council (FSCC) and Trauma Matters Delaware (TMD).

In 2018, Governor Carney issued Executive Order 24 prioritizing efforts for Delaware to become a trauma informed state and incorporating Trauma Awareness Month as a key initiative.

“Trauma Awareness Month is an opportunity for all of us to engage with our community and learn how to prevent and interrupt cycles of trauma, especially for our children,” said Governor Carney. “A lot has changed since we first recognized Trauma Awareness Month in 2018 and we are grateful to recognize Trauma Awareness Month in Delaware for the fifth year, this year. We thank Trauma Matters Delaware and the many organizations, state agencies, and individuals who are working hard to make Delaware a more trauma-informed state.”

“With this kind of work, which has generational as well as short-term goals, it can be easy to focus on how far there is to go. But on this fifth anniversary of Trauma Awareness Month, it’s also worth remembering how far we’ve come, thanks to so many partners working together in our state,” said First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney. “It’s an inspiring, collaborative, and essential fight for the future.”

The FSCC and TMD are highlighting a variety of events throughout May, including webinars, movie screenings, and a theme night at a Wilmington Blue Rocks game. Events begin April 25 and run throughout the month of May. A few events include:

• April 28, 2023 –Trauma Awareness theme night at the Wilmington Blue Rocks – 5:35 p.m.
• April 29, 2023– Conference on Moving From Trauma-Aware to Trauma Informed – 9 a.m. at Delaware State University’s MLK Student Center
• May 6, 2023– Film screening of Mister Rogers & Me –  Additional information will be shared on the TMD event calendar
• May 10, 2023– Conversation on “Gun Violence 101” – Online webinar
• May 17, 2023 – Compassionate Champions Award Presentation – Wilmington University’s Dover Campus

The purpose of the Compassionate Champion Award is to recognize outstanding achievement by both individuals and organizations in providing trauma-informed services. Awardees will be recognized from government, community organizations, first responders, education, health care, and other organizations. This year will include the inaugural First Chance award which will go to an outstanding youth from Delaware.

The FSCC and TMD encourage Delaware community organizations to add their own Trauma Awareness Month events to the TMD event calendar. To have events published on TMD’s Trauma Awareness Month calendar, please complete this form.

“We are excited for the fifth-annual Trauma Awareness Month to kick off. This year will include virtual and in-person events, and most importantly, a platform for information-sharing about trauma awareness,” said Erin Mitchell, Executive Director of Trauma Matters Delaware. “After living through a global pandemic, we know mental health is at the front of people’s minds. At Trauma Matters Delaware, our vision is that all people can feel safe, grow beyond adversity and thrive.”

For more information about Trauma Awareness Month events and registration, visit traumamattersdelaware.org/trauma-awareness-month.

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System will streamline and unify the Kindergarten, school registration process statewide

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor Carney, First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney, and the Delaware Department of Education on Monday and Tuesday launched the new school registration system, authorized by Senate Bill 82.

The new registration system makes critical updates suggested by families and school districts. This includes providing 24/7 access to forms, ensuring that all families have access to register their child or children for school, providing forms in English and Spanish, and sets-up a common data system that enables sharing across districts when families move.

“There is nothing more important than ensuring all Delawareans can read at grade level by third grade,” said Governor Carney. “This registration system will help families across the state enroll in Delaware schools. Thanks to my wife Tracey for her advocacy around Kindergarten Registration with critical leadership from the Delaware Readiness Teams, and thanks to our Department of Education for creating this resource.”

First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney traveled to the Seaford District Library, the Harrington Public Library, and the Wilmington Public Library to demonstrate the new registration process. Guests at the events were invited to participate in a Kindergarten Academy activity. The opportunity to participate in Kindergarten Academy school-readiness programs is one of several benefits of registering children for school in November, during Kindergarten Registration Month.

“I’ve been the honorary chair of the Kindergarten Registration Campaign for the past six years for two reasons,” said First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney. “One, it makes sense for everyone — the families, the schools, and, most important, the students. And two, 25 years ago, I flunked kindergarten registration — I couldn’t figure out our system here in Delaware. The new universal, online system is so much more family-friendly; it’s more equitable; and it’s more likely to get kids signed up early, which helps the students, families, and schools prepare more effectively for the coming year.”

“Registering your child in school for the first time can be an overwhelming process for families,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Mark Holodick. “We’re excited this site will make it easier by providing a consistent statewide process. We also hope it will remove barriers some may have, such as transportation and/or getting to a school office during a week day.”

“The Delaware Readiness Teams are committed to supporting families through the registration process,” said Delaware Readiness Teams Program Manager Diane Frentzel. “We have created Kindergarten Registration Information Packets to support families as they register for school. Packets are available at all libraries throughout the state. Transitioning into Kindergarten is a big milestone for children and their families. This universal registration system will make the registration process easier so we can focus on connecting families to resources that will prepare children for the transition.”

To view the Registration Event at the Wilmington Public Library, visit the Governor’s website.

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Kindergarten Registration Month launched last year in partnership with First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney

DOVER, Del. – First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney and the Delaware Readiness Teams will kick off Delaware’s second statewide kindergarten registration campaign at a special event on October 18 at the Dover Public Library.

In the weeks that follow, the Delaware Readiness Teams will host over 20 events at local libraries, schools, and childcare centers around the state to encourage families and caregivers to register students for kindergarten and help guide them through the process. The events – a mix of information sessions and resources fairs – will feature the Delaware Readiness Teams’ signature Kindergarten Registration folders, family activities, and free books.

Kindergarten Registration Month launched last year in partnership with First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney.

Click here for a full list of resources and 2019 event details.

“I am proud to be a partner in Kindergarten Registration Month,” said First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney. “Parents everywhere – myself included – know that navigating the registration process can be complicated, but we’re here to help. Registering as early as possible is one way that parents can set their young ones up for success.”

“We know that starting kindergarten on time is important in helping children get off on the right track,” said Diane Frentzel, program manager for Delaware Readiness Teams. “That’s why the Delaware Readiness Teams are working diligently in communities getting the right information in the hands of families and providers.”

All three counties will host family engagement events throughout Kindergarten Registration Month this November. Families and caregivers of children who will be five years old by August 31 are encouraged to register their student for kindergarten as soon as possible.

ABOUT THE DELAWARE READINESS TEAMS

The Delaware Readiness Teams are a statewide grassroots initiative aimed at helping children from birth through age eight get ready for school and life. The teams focus on early learning, healthy children, and successful transitions, hoping every child will enter school ready and eager to learn.

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WILMINGTON, Del. – First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney will attend four kindergarten registration events throughout the month of November to highlight the importance of supporting Delaware’s youngest learners.

Last month, the First Lady launched Delaware’s first statewide kindergarten registration campaign alongside the Delaware Readiness Teams to encourage families and caregivers to register students for kindergarten and help guide them through the process.

Governor John Carney has proclaimed November “Kindergarten Registration Month.”

All three counties will host family engagement events throughout Kindergarten Registration Month. A full list of events can be found here. Families and caregivers of children who will be 5 years old by August 31st are encouraged to register their student for kindergarten as soon as possible.

Kindergarten Registration Month Information Session at Georgetown Public Library

WHAT: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney will attend a kindergarten registration information session at the Georgetown Public Library, hosted by the Delaware Readiness Teams.

WHO: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney
Delaware Readiness Teams
Community Members

WHEN: Tuesday, November 6, 2018
4 p.m.

WHERE: Georgetown Public Library
123 W Pine Street
Georgetown, DE 19947

Kindergarten Registration Month Information Session at Milford Public Library

WHAT: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney will attend a kindergarten registration information session at the Milford Public Library, hosted by the Delaware Readiness Teams.

WHO: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney
Delaware Readiness Teams
Community Members

WHEN: Monday, November 19, 2018
4 p.m.

WHERE: Milford Public Library
11 S E Front Street
Milford, DE 19963

Kindergarten Registration Month Information Session at Dover Public Library

WHAT: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney will attend a kindergarten registration information session at the Dover Public Library, hosted by the Delaware Readiness Teams.

WHO: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney
Delaware Readiness Teams
Community Members

WHEN: Monday, November 19, 2018
6 p.m.

WHERE: Dover Public Library
35 E Loockerman Street
Dover, DE 19901

Kindergarten Registration Month Information Session at Smyrna Public Library

WHAT: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney will attend a kindergarten registration information session at the Smyrna Public Library, hosted by the Delaware Readiness Teams.

WHO: First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney
Delaware Readiness Teams
Community Members

WHEN: Tuesday, November 20, 2018
4 p.m.

WHERE: Smyrna Public Library
107 S. Main Street
Smyrna, DE 19977