Innovative Schools Staffing Update

Delaware Leadership Project

The deadline to submit applications to the Delaware Leadership Project (DLP) passed on April 15^th.  DLP is a  program to prepare aspiring principals who are interested in leading the state's highest-need schools.  The team now has the difficult task of selecting, from all of the impressive candidates, those who will be invited to participate in the summer intensive training program. Group and individual interviews for the DLP's first cohort are currently under way. The DLP is looking for dynamic people who are passionate, professional and committed to Delaware public schools. To learn more about DLP, click here.

Delaware Teaching Fellows

Delaware Teaching Fellows (DTF) has extended the final application deadline. DTF is a highly-selective  alternate certification program, May 9^th is the absolute last opportunity to apply to the 2011 cohort. Now more than ever, strong teachers are needed to address the persistent issues that continue to exacerbate educational inequalities within our schools. We need to recruit excellent teachers in several subject areas. For more information and to apply, click here.

committed to helping outstanding mid-career changers and recent college graduates enter the teaching profession in Delaware. DTF is helping to make a difference in some of the most difficult to staff schools and subject areas across the state. 

Thank you to everyone who applied and/or attended an information session. We look forward to sharing with you information about the first cohorts for both of these programs in the coming months!

What We Are Reading

Innovative Schools' staff is currently reading Yong Zhao's, Catching Up or Leading the Way: American Education in the Age of Globalization. Zhao, currently Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education, College of Education at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as the director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education, wrote this book based on his own experience as a student in China, juxtaposed against his experience as a parent of students in the United States. Zhao explains how the virtual world and the "death of distance" are transforming everyday life in regards to jobs, the economy, and education. His unique dual perspective has led him to the conclusion that American education is at a crossroads and needs to make changes in order to maintain leadership in the face of globalization. Zhao's suggestions to educators include new measures of achievement other than test scores, personalizing schools to better serve every student, and fully accepting and integrating technology.

Anyone interested in preparing students to become competent and fruitful global citizens will appreciate Zhao's view of the types of knowledge and skills they will need. This book explains how schools can rise to meet both the challenges and opportunities that come with offering this new world preparedness.

Have you read this book?

Visit us on Facebook and let us know what you think about Zhao's book. Add your voice to the on-going dialogue about the state of education American and in Delaware. To join the discussion, click here.

Changes to the Innovative Schools' Team

Innovative Schools is excited to announce Dawn Downes, Ed.D. as Director of School Models, and Melissa Hentges, Ed.D. as Director of School Solutions.

Dawn Downes, Director of School Models

As the Director of School Models, Dawn will be researching school designs and models with potential for replication in Delaware. Dawn has a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a literacy specialization. Her prior experience includes working with curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development. Dawn has held the position of middle and high school English language arts teacher, coordinating lead teacher, and literacy instructional coach. At the University of Delaware she supported the Delaware Reading and Writing Project as the Program Coordinator, and taught undergraduate and graduate courses. Dawn has served as an evaluator for the Struggling Readers federal grant, and worked on numerous Delaware Department of Education committees. She has developed and aligned curriculum for several successful charter school applications, as well as customized and implemented the Learning Focused Strategies (LFS) professional development model.

Melissa Hentges, Director of School Solutions

As the Director of School Solutions, Melissa will now be Innovative Schools' liaison with Delaware's charter school community. Melissa earned her Master's Degree in urban education and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in literacy and school leadership. She has experience as a teacher in charter schools in Texas and Philadelphia, PA. She has served as a grade level and curriculum chair, has developed curriculum and assessments for multiple grade levels, and has served as a community contact to coordinate parent outreach and partnerships. Melissa helped to found two KIPP charter schools in New Orleans, and worked along-side Chancellor Rhee of DC Public Schools organizing and leading their Instructional Superintendent orientation and on-boarding process.

To learn more about Dawn, click here. To learn more about Melissa, click here. You can also contact them here.

Additions to the Innovative Schools' Team

We would also like to welcome three new team members to Delaware Teaching Fellows:

Tamara Brown, Site Manager

Tamara has earned her BA in Urban Studies and Political Science from Temple University, a Graduate Certificate in Philanthropy and non-Profit Management from Loyola University and is currently pursuing her MPA with a concentration in non-profit management at Widener University.Prior to joining us, Tamara worked at the Chicago Public Education Fund as a program analyst, funding benchmark achievement for alternative certification programs like Teach for America and The New Teacher Project, and managed a youth entrepreneurship program with an in-school component in Philadelphia. Most recently Tamara worked at United Way as the campaign director leading the resource development and strategic planning aspects of the organization. 

Dana Spadotto, Summer Institute Director

Dana Spadotto is currently in her seventh year in the classroom after beginning her teaching career as a Teach for America Corps Member in South Louisiana in 2004.  After gaining certification through The New Teacher Project and working in her placement school for three years in Baton Rouge, Dana moved back to her hometown of Philadelphia to continue teaching elementary school.  Dana works as a Lead Selector for both the Philadelphia and Delaware Teaching Fellows, was a Literacy Specialist for Teach for America's 2007 Summer Institute, and spent the last three summers as Deputy Institute Director for the Philadelphia Teaching Fellows.  Dana is extremely excited to serve as the Institute Director for Delaware's inaugural Teaching Fellows cohort!

TeRay Ross, Assistant Director

TeRay Ross is an eighth grade Math teacher at Bayard Middle School in Wilmington, DE. In addition to teaching she has also worked a variety of other jobs within Bayard, including Math Department Chair, Technology Coordinator, and Instructional Leadership Team Member. TeRay is excited to share her enthusiasm for teaching with others and is very optimistic about the impact that the Delaware Teaching Fellows will have on education in the state of Delaware.

Employment Opportunities

Innovative Schools continues to grow and so does our staff. In alignment with our restructuring and to increase our capacity to support more public schools, we are currently seeking:

School and Instructional Support Specialist

Program Operations Manager

Fellows Advisor

To view the job descriptions, and to apply, click here.

The Parent Information Center of Delaware is hosting their 1^st Annual Picnic!

Join PIC on Saturday, June 4^th as they celebrate parental involvement and the coming of summer! Come to Brandywine Park (Monkey Pavilion) for a day of fun and food! Families will have the opportunity to connect with other parents, gather resources about their child's learning, and learn tips on effective parent engagement. Bring your family and a picnic blanket to enjoy the summertime festivities - games, food, raffles, crafts, and more!

All are welcome to attend! Pre-registration is required for free access to the food and fun. Please register by May 2nd! Non-registrants will pay fee at the event: $5/adult and $2/youth or $15 for families at the door.

Event Details:

Saturday, June 4, 2011
10:30am to 3:30pm
Brandywine Park Monkey Hill Pavilion (across from the Brandywine Zoo entrance, North Park Drive, Wilmington, DE.

For more information contact: Shayla Nastasi 302-999-7394 snastasi@picofdel.org or visit their website.

Save the Date!