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Going for the Gold
Apolo
Ohno leaves Vancouver as the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian in history
with eight career medals in short-track skating. Apolo credits
his historic Olympic career to his father. From transporting young
Apolo to competitions hundreds of miles away to financially and emotionally
supporting his son’s budding interest in the sport, Yuki Ohno has been the
driving force behind this world-class athlete. Whether raising an
Olympic athlete, an academic superstar, or just an all-around great kid,
parents throughout Delaware know what Yuki and Apolo Ohno know... involved
families help our students become the best that they can be.
President
Obama also has highlighted this importance by emphasizing family and
community engagement in the Race to the Top
competition. Points are given in the review process to states that implement
strategies that effectively engage families and communities in supporting the
academic success of students. Delaware has a lot to boast in this area; if
you would like to learn more, here are several outstanding resources:
Spotlight: Family Involvement at Millsboro Middle
Administrators
and teachers devote countless efforts to ensure that Millsboro families are
an integrated part of the learning process. Millsboro Middle School, a Vision
Network school in the Indian River School District, is one of ten
Delaware schools that received funding to establish a Family Resource Center
as part of an initiative of the U.S. Department of Education. Opened in fall
2009, the Millsboro Family Resource Center is a place where parents find
information and support, as well as activities to encourage parent
involvement in the school. The center offers seminars to help parents
support the learning that takes place at the school. In addition, the
school’s website is full of information and links especially for parents,
including homework assignments, newsletters, and fun programs to help
children to continue to learn outside of the classroom.
An important focus of Vision Network training is
helping schools implement a range of strategies to engage parents and
families. Read more about the Vision Network.
Who Spoke at Your Graduation?
Years
from now, students at one extraordinary school will have no problem answering
that question because President Obama will present their commencement address
this spring. The White House recently announced the first annual Race to the Top High School
Commencement Challenge. Public schools
across the country are invited to compete to have President Obama speak at
their graduation. At
the beginning of the school year, the President encouraged students
across the country to take responsibility for their education, study hard,
and graduate from high school. The Race to the Top High School
Commencement challenge encourages schools to show how they are making great
strides on personal responsibility, academic excellence and college
readiness. Applications
must be submitted by March 15.
Mark Your Calendars!
The
Rotary Club of Wilmington's 2010-2011 Scholarship Program
The
Rotary Club of Wilmington, Delaware is now accepting applications from high
school seniors in New Castle County, Delaware for its 2010-2011 College
Scholarship Program. The scholarship application is available online here.
Applications are due no later than April 26 at 5:00 p.m.
First
Annual Mom Congress
Join Parenting Magazine at
the first annual “Mom Congress on Education and Learning at Georgetown
University,” featuring U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. If you
or a mom you know has made a real difference in the fight for better schools,
Parenting wants to hear about it. One outstanding mom advocate
from every state will be selected to attend. Click here
for more information.
PIC of Delaware’s Family Leadership
Academy
Would you like to find out how your
experience and knowledge can be used to improve the supports and services for
students in Delaware schools? Join the Family Leadership Academy and
become a change agent in the Delaware educational community. Click here for more
information.
To find
more events or to add your community event to our webpage—visit the Vision
2015 community events page
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Sneakers on, Blue Hens…
March Madness Has Begun
Delaware
has made it to the "Sweet Sixteen" in the Race to the Top
competition. The First
State, along with 14 other states and Washington D.C., has been
selected as a finalist from among the initial pool of 41 first-round
applicants. Governor Markell and his team will travel to
Washington D.C. during the week of March 15 to present their case for
funding. The U.S. Department of Education has made the narrative
portions of all applications available
online.
Race
to the Top
awards will go to states that are leading the way with ambitious yet
achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and
comprehensive education reform. Delaware has been noted as a
"state to watch;" check out a
recent blog that puts Delaware among the leaders in the race.
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Congratulations, Superstars!
The
Delaware State Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners in its 2010
Superstars in Education Awards program, which promotes and shares
academic programs and best practices in education. Superstars
include:
· Thomas McKean High School
(Wilmington)
· Skyline Middle School (Wilmington)
· Richardson Park Learning Center
(Wilmington)
· Phillip Showell Elementary School
(Selbyville)
· Frankford Elementary School
(Frankford)
· Wheatley Middle School
(Bridgeville)
· Seaford Middle School
(Seaford).
· Special Recognition was awarded to
the Indian River School District (Sussex County)
and Central Middle School (Dover), both of which are Vision
Network Schools.
Did You Know?
Delaware
voters strongly believe that every child has a right to a quality public
education, according to a recent survey of likely voters conducted for Education Voters of Delaware.
Support for public education is a deeply held core value for Delaware voters,
parents and non-parents alike across the state. Additionally, 80%
of poll respondents would like to see public leaders in the state,
specifically the Governor and state legislators, pay more attention to
improving public education. Survey results show that voters are willing
to take action to improve education in Delaware, whether it is voting for
candidates who are committed to funding education, voting for increases in
education funding, or contacting elected officials.
“This
survey revealed a universal desire in Delaware for high quality public
schools that was extraordinary,” Education Voters of Delaware Executive
Director Doug Gramiak said. Read
more.
VISION-aries
“The
support given to high-quality schools must be universal and set a tone for
increasing better and better performance -- this means looking for more ways
to encourage excellence; and it means constantly striving for ways to ensure
your child leaves you each day and moves to an environment where they feel
respected and protected because they are becoming world-class students, and
as their parents, you have helped to create and support this system of
change!”
- Dr.
Sondra Shippen, Head of School at Kuumba Academy Charter School, in a recent
opinion featured in The
News Journal
Coming Up
Once all
of the Race to the Top presentations are complete, the U.S. DOE has
promised to post the videotaped interviews online. Stay tuned.
Forward to a Friend
Click here
to forward this Vision 2015 newsletter onto a friend.
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.
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