Melissa Wilson was joined by her therapy dog Rebel as she accepted the award as Delaware's 2025 Educational Support Professional of the Year Monday night.

Smyrna’s Melissa Wilson praises her pup after winning 2025 Educational Support Pro of year

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Melissa Wilson, a registration administrative assistant at Smyrna School District’s Smyrna Elementary School, has been named the Delaware 2025 Educational Support Professional of the Year. “Thank you for the opportunity to represent Delaware, and I hope to make you all so proud,” she told the audience of other nominees and families at an award ceremony Monday night in Dover. This …

Three teachers in Smyrna face nearly two dozen charges for inappropriate behavior towards students. (From left: Marrisa Johnson, Morgan Donahue, and Makayla Lomax).

3 Smyrna teachers arrested on 21 charges of child abuse

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Police & Fire

Three teachers from the Smyrna School District have been arrested on charges of child abuse that includes actions like hitting students and force-feeding hot sauce and spicy snacks to a special needs student who had a known digestive disability. The Smyrna Police Department arrested 26-year-old Marrisa Johnson of Smyrna, 31-year-old Makayla Lomax of Smyrna, and 21-year-old Morgan Donahue of Clayton. …

Smyrna's second attempt at referendum in 2024 is successful.

22 votes: Smyrna School District squeezes out successful referendum

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

This is a developing story. Check back for updates. It came down to 22 votes, but the Smyrna School District had a successful referendum Thursday. The district’s first try at raising taxes through referendum was unsuccessful in early March. RELATED: Smyrna School District referendum fails Smyrna School District sought $4,162,286 from local revenue to build a new 600-student intermediate school …

Districts that have had successful referendums are now planning designs, construction bids, and how projects will be phased over the next few years.

Here’s what happens now in districts whose referendums passed

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Now that Colonial, Red Clay and Brandywine have had successful referendums, residents of those school districts may be wondering when they’ll have to pony up finances and when they’ll see new facilities. Delaware school districts that have had a successful referendum typically phase their spending over three years or more.  The concept of the referendum isn’t widespread nationally.  Delaware is …

Several school districts will hold a referendum this year to raise local revenue.

5 school districts to hold tax hike referenda in 2024

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Five of Delaware’s 19 school districts are asking their residents to head to the polls in 2024 and vote for a local tax increase. In the First State, districts must hold referendums if they want to increase their local school tax in order to increase local revenue. They include the Brandywine, Red Clay Consolidated, Colonial, Smyrna and Appoquinimink. Schools get …

Carl Rifino and Joshua Donophan have been selected as Delaware's 2023 delegates for the U.S. Senate Youth Program. (Unsplash)

Kent County seniors picked for U.S. Senate Youth Program

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

Joshua Donophan wanted to join a program that sends students to the U.S. Senate for a week because he believes it’s crucial to understand how the nation’s government officials think and how the government operates. Now the Lake Forest High School senior is getting a $10,000 college scholarship to do that. Donophan and Smyrna High School senior Carl Rifino both …

Smyrna will use $450,000 to install lights at Smyrna Middle School's multisport turf field. (Pexels)

Smyrna to spend $450,000 in COVID funds to light turf field

Jarek RutzHeadlines, Education

A Smyrna School District’s board decision to use the district’s $450,000 in pandemic relief and more to install lighting at its middle school’s turf field didn’t pass without debate. The proposal touched off a flurry of comments about whether that is the best use of the one-time federal money. The district has $80 million in deferred maintenance, according to Roger …

Proposed bill would allow public to see course outlines, materials

Charlie MegginsonEducation, Government, Headlines

A Republican State Representative plans to file a bill in the General Assembly to give parents a better idea of what their children are being taught, and how, in Delaware schools.  It comes as one Smyrna parent’s complaint about a sexually explicit required reading has been rapidly making the rounds on social media and local radio.  The proposed bill, sponsored …

Moms say they will keep kids home rather than send to school masked

Charlie MegginsonGovernment, Headlines

Some Delaware parents say they will keep their children out of classrooms rather than send them wearing a mask. Some parents who oppose Gov. John Carney’s mandate requiring school children and those in childcare to wear masks indoors say they will not send their kids back to school. “For my kid personally, it’s not good for his mental state,” said …