Maiss Hussein, a senior at Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School, is once again Delaware’s Poetry Out Loud winner. She went back-to-back, winning this year’s competition at the Smyrna Opera House Thursday night with her rendition of “’Hope’ is the thing with feathers” by Emily Dickinson. The poem reads: “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in …
Colonial referendum passes one day after Red Clay’s success
Colonial School District’s capital and operating referendum has passed, a day after Red Clay’s referendum also passed. With the successful referendum passes, there will be a phased approach to a local tax increase, with a spike of 25 cents per $100 of assessed property value in fiscal year 2025, 10 cents in fiscal year 2026 and five cents in fiscal …
Legislature to be briefed on new school funding report
Delaware’s legislators will get their first official look next week at a recently released funding report that suggests changes to how the state funds its schools and says it should pump $500 million to $1 billion more into education. Many of the legislators attended the December announcement of the report by the American Institutes for Research. On Thursday, March 7, …
Ursuline’s record $5M Fusco donation to rebuild, expand gym
A downtown Wilmington Catholic girls school has received the largest donation in its 130-year history, and students rocked its gymnasium in delight Thursday. Anthony N. Fusco Sr., a Delaware philanthropist and real estate developer has made a $5 million commitment to Ursuline Academy. The donation will pay for the total renovation of Laffey McHugh Gymnasium, originally constructed in 1980; create …
Red Clay referendum passes with large support
The referendum for the Red Clay Consolidated School District, the largest school district in Delaware, has passed. The district’s residents have voted for both the operating and capital component of the referendum that will increase their taxes $404 on average over three years. It would include $242 more in fiscal year 2025, $81 more in fiscal year 2026 and $81 …
6 named 2024 Superstars in Education & Training Winners
Six institutions in Delaware have been recognized by the Delaware State Chamber as 2024 Superstars in Education & Training winners. Since 1989, the awards program has recognized educational programs for innovative and impactful programming. The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and its affiliate, The Partnership, Inc., stated that all of this year’s winners exemplify creativity and efficacy in workforce development …
12 finalists will compete for 2024 Poetry Out Loud title
Twelve of the finest high school poets Delaware has to offer have been picked to take the stage at the Smyrna Opera House Thursday for this year’s Poetry Out Loud finals. Last year’s winner was Maiss Hussein from Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School, who was crowned the First State champion with her recitation of Tarfia Faizullah’s “The Poem …
Delaware DOJ to appeal absentee, early voting ruling
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday it will move to appeal a Superior Court judge’s ruling on absentee and early voting. Judge Mark Conner ruled last week in favor of former state attorney general Jane Brady’s suit that laws passed by the General Assembly – over objections that they were not constitutional – were indeed “inconsistent with our Constitution and …
Student-directed learning days get thumbs down in Milford
A proposed way to teach through “self-directed student learning time” was met with criticism from several members of the Milford School District. Four of those learning days were proposed in the 2024-2025 academic year calendar presented to the district’s school board during its monthly meeting Monday night. “I’m not an educator but I am a parent,” said Board President Scott …
New Milford middle school has 4 finalists for name change
The new Milford middle school, a key component of Milford School District’s strategic plan to accommodate rapid enrollment growth, will soon be getting a formal name. The school, under construction at 612 Lakeview Avenue in Milford, is expected to open in fall 2025. It is part of the five-year Milford School District Strategic Plan, adopted in 2023. The district is …