The Wilmington Learning Collaborative hopes to get more candidates for its executive director position. (Unsplash)

Learning Collab extends director application indefinitely

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

With only seven applicants for executive director, the Wilmington Learning Collaborative council voted Thursday to extend the application deadline indefinitely. It was to have ended by March 23, with the post being filled by June 1.  The council also discussed whether to alert the current applicants that the deadline was being extended, whether to post the job ad in Ed …

A SITE intern working on baking Valentine's Day treats. (Brandywine FaceBook)

Brandywine program preps special needs students for workforce 

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Brandywine School District has been helping students with special needs land trade jobs for nearly two decades. Nazim Bailey, a 20-year-old in his second year with Brandywine’s Skills for Independence, Transition and Employment (SITE) Program, said his experience has made him a leader and mentor to his peers. “This has helped me not only be an intern in the workforce, …

Wilmington Learning Collaborative officials voted on a salary range for the executive director. (Unsplash)

Learning Collab talks budget, executor director salary

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Wilmington Learning Collaborative officials grappled over budget plans and filled two vacant council positions Thursday night in their second meeting since forming. Shanika Perry, a Brandywine school board member on the governing council, was appointed by Gov. John Carney to serve as the chair of the collaborative, which is dedicated to helping the city’s elementary and middle school children learn …

Parents showed out to Brandywine's school board meeting to discuss school safety. (Unsplash)

Parents plead for safety in heated Brandywine board meeting

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Complaints about safety at Springer Middle School at Monday night’s Brandywine School District meeting devolved into a shouting match between a board member and a parent. About 12 parents and several students told the Brandywine School District the same thing:   They’re concerned and outraged about the lack of action after bullying, fights and other events  have compromised student and staff …

The three women appointed as parent representatives to the Wilmington Learning Collaborative Council bring definite ideas to the table.

Meet the Learning Collab’s 3 parent representatives

Jarek Rutz Education, Headlines

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative’s three parent representatives share a passion and background for social work and educational advocacy. They have similar goals they want to address as  members of the council that will guide the new organization. Those areas include mental health services, teacher support and transparency. Appointed by their school district boards, Red Clay’s Jennie Yeow, Christina’s Shanette Graham …

The Learning Collab will have its first public meeting since its creation Friday, and will fill out it's board by Feb. (Unsplash)

Learning Collab to hold first public meeting Friday

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative will hold its first public meeting Friday, and the board is expected to be filled with its final three positions – all student representatives – by February. The final parent representative to the collab’s governing council was named Tuesday night by the Christina School District. Shanette Graham, a parent of a student at Stubbs Early Education …

Matt Auerbach and his family with Eagles cheerleaders and mascot Swoop. (Brandywine School District)

Mt. Pleasant’s Matt Auerbach named Eagles fan of 2022

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

Mount Pleasant Elementary School Principal Matt Auerbach was delivering his routine morning announcements on a November Wednesday when the livestream was suddenly taken over by  Brandon Graham, his favorite Philadelphia Eagle. Graham had a surprise: Auerbach had been named the 2022 Eagles Fan of the Year. “We actually were doing an Eagles spirit day that day, and I didn’t know …

Delaware Teacher of the Year Jahsha Tabron

2022 Rewind: Meet Delaware’s Teacher of the Year

Jarek Rutz Education, Headlines

This story was originally published in May 2022. Jahsha Tabron’s passion for English and literature exploded after reading Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Macbeth” in her 11th grade honors English class in the Bronx.  Thirty years later, Tabron – who is Delaware’s Teacher of the Year for 2022 – leads her own English class at Brandywine High School. Tabron, whose lively and …

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative's priority is filling out the remaining seats of its governing board and hiring an executive director. (Unsplash)

Learning Collab still has 5 vacant board seats

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

The Wilmington Learning Collaborative will have to wait until next month for Christina School District to select its parent representative to serve on the group’s governing council.  In its monthly board meeting Tuesday, Christina’s school board announced it is still reviewing applications from four parents vying for the seat.  “We have not had the number of applicants that we would …

Brandywine School District will explore new ways to formally evaluate Superintendent Lincoln Hohler this year.

Brandywine seeks help on superintendent evaluation 

Jarek Rutz Headlines, Education

The Brandywine School District voted Monday night to explore using the same new model for evaluate its superintendent that Christina decided to consider two months ago. The vote came after Brandywine School Board member Ralph Ackerman recommended contacting the Delaware School Boards Association to set up a workshop to talk about its program they would use with Superintendent Lincoln Hohler. …