Students from Newark Charter School collect canned foods.

Let the Race Begin!

Final guidelines for the federal Race to the Top grant competition are now available.  The $4.35 billion fund is the largest education initiative within President Obama’s economic stimulus package, providing only a small number of winning states with tens of millions of dollars to implement innovative, ambitious education improvements.

Several sources have noted that Delaware is a “state to watch,” which is very encouraging.  Yet our ability to out-compete other progressive states will require a bold, comprehensive, and forward-thinking application.

How can we make sure we are bold enough? As we heard from U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and others at the October Vision 2015 and Delaware's Race to the Top conference, providing an excellent education to every Delaware student is possible, if we put the needs of students first and replace excuses with solutions.  If you would like to lend your voice to Delaware’s campaign for excellent education, please go to Education Voters of Delaware. 

Spotlight:  Arts in

Delaware Education

With all the attention on the federal Race to the Top competition, many have raised a simple question: Where do the arts fit in?

Although arts education is not a selection criterion within Race to the Top, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has stated clearly that it is of great significance to him. In a letter to school and community leaders earlier this year, Duncan emphasized "the importance of the arts as a core academic subject and part of a complete education for all students."

Arts education can deepen a child's interest in learning, often opening doors that otherwise would be closed.  Vision 2015 supports learning opportunities that enrich and go beyond the core subjects of reading, writing, and math.  We support giving principals and their leadership teams the flexibility they need to design their own programs within the state's curricular framework that offer families more innovative choices, such as schools that specialize in subjects like music and the arts.  It’s worth noting that among Delaware’s high performing schools, you will find several that emphasize the arts in their school-wide curricula including Sussex Academy of Arts and Sciences and Kuumba Academy, both Vision Network schools, and Cab Calloway School of the Arts.

Vision Network Schools Welcome Guest Principals

Throughout the week of October 26, over 150 business and community leaders spent a day in a Delaware public school through the State Chamber's Principal for a Day program. Since the program launched in 1993, guest principals have carried out the daily responsibilities of a principal and have gained new levels of understanding about the challenges and rewards associated with leading a school.

This year, 18 Vision Network schools hosted guest principals through Principal for a Day.

Fred C. Sears II, President & CEO of the

Delaware Community Foundation, visited George V. Kirk Middle School, which just began Network training in September. “I love the job of being principal for a day,” smiled Sears, who has participated in the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce’s Principal for a Day for nearly a dozen years. “It’s interesting to see principals and teachers in action.”

“With only five weeks as the new principal at George V. Kirk Middle School, Cordie Greenlea

is determined to make his school one of the best in the Christina School District,” Fred added.

“He raves about being a Vision Network School – says it’s the best thing he’s seen to help him implement the programs he believes will improve his school’s performance. The teachers agree – and believe he is on the right track – to making positive changes.”

Contact us! 

For more information on how to become involved with Vision 2015, please visit our web site, http://www.vision2015delaware.org, or e-mail us at info@vision2015delaware.org.

Add your community event to our webpage—visit the Vision 2015 community events page.

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Education:  Our Shared Responsibility

Parental and community involvement in our schools is critical as we aspire to create a world-class education system.  Discussions at the recent Vision 2015 leadership conference highlighted the importance of family and community engagement, and its significance was reaffirmed recently in a special feature in The News Journal.  The paper spotlighted Maurice Pritchett, retired principal from Bancroft Elementary School in the Christina School District, for his ongoing volunteer mentoring activities.  Mr. Pritchett is an icon in Wilmington, helping to guide the lives of many students, especially those in need of a male role model.  He credits teachers from his childhood for helping guide him through his school years and shaping the person he is today. 

Vision 2015 believes that all of us – educators, families, students, policymakers, community groups, and business and foundation leaders – share responsibility for students' academic success and must work together to provide an excellent education for all Delaware students. To get involved, check out organizations like the Learning Link of Delaware, which links families, schools and communities, and Education Voters of Delaware, which is giving citizens a voice in the future of education in our state. Find even more resources and ways to get involved here.

Did You Know?

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Center for American Progress, and Frederick M. Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, issued Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Innovation. It examines what states are doing to prepare themselves for the challenges that lie ahead, based on measure of innovation in education.

Delaware scored:

§         two Bs (staff hiring and evaluation, data)

§         two Cs (school management and finance)

§         three Ds (removing ineffective teachers, pipeline to postsecondary education, and technology) 

Read the full report to see how Delaware compares to other states, and let us know what you think.

Mark Your Calendars!

Delaware School Choice Open Enrollment Period

November 2, 2009 – January 13, 2009

School choice applications, for students in grades 1-12, are due to the "District of Choice" on or before the second Wednesday in January for the school year beginning in September.

For more information, visit the district website of your choice school, or visit the Delaware Department of Education website.

International Education Week

International Education Week, November 16 – 22, is an annual, national celebration of international programs sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and the U. S. Department of Education and celebrated on college campuses across the U.S. Check out activities to be featured at the University of Delaware's celebration of International Education.

Red Clay Family Resource Fair

On Saturday, November 21, Red Clay Consolidated School District will host a Family Resource Fair at the Conrad Schools of Science at Jackson Avenue and Boxwood Road in Wilmington. Make your child’s education a family project!

U.S. Department of Education Hosts Town Hall for Students on November 24

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will host a special national town hall forum with students to discuss what is working and what needs improvement in our nation’s schools. The secretary also will explore how America’s young people are responding to the President’s challenge to take responsibility for their learning and achievement. Details about the special town hall for students on Education News are at www.ed.gov/edtv.

Project Tomorrow's Speak Up Survey

Through December 18, elementary and secondary students, teachers, administrators, and parents from across the nation have the opportunity to share their ideas and opinions on how technology should be used in the education process, through Project Tomorrow’s latest annual Speak Up survey. For more information, please visit Project Tomorrow's website.