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School Reopening Working Groups
On Monday, May 18, 2020, Governor John Carney and Secretary of Education Susan Bunting announced a public strategy to plan for the safe reopening of Delaware school buildings. Three COVID-19 School Reopening working groups have been formed to advise the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE), Delaware school districts and charter schools on ways to safely and effectively reopen Delaware school buildings: health and wellness, academics and equity, and operations and services. In April, Governor Carney closed Delaware public school buildings for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year due to the threat of COVID-19.
The purpose of the School Reopening Working Groups is to develop recommendations for the Secretary of Education, superintendents and charter leaders to consider as they create by July 15 a comprehensive, actionable plan for re-opening school buildings once that decision has been made by the Governor’s Office. Three working groups – Health and Wellness, Academics and Equity, and Operations and Services – will develop recommendations for each of the following public health scenarios in relation to their assigned focus:
- If minimal community spread exists in Delaware (and school buildings re-open)
- If minimal-to-moderate community spread exists in Delaware (situation dependent)
- If significant community spread exists in Delaware (and school buildings remain closed)
Delaware Returning to School Guidance
- Returning to School Guidance document - En español - Guidance and support document for districts and charters as they plan for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. Essential safety protocols are included and required to be implemented by all Delaware schools, pre-K through grade 12. These health and safety protocols have been informed by the recommendations of the COVID-19 School Reopening working groups and finalized by the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) in collaboration with DDOE.
- Returning to School FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for districts and charter schools as they plan for the 2020-21 school year.
Public Comment
The following public comments have been submitted to the School Reopening Working Groups. Comments and ideas will be accepted through Friday, July 3, 2020 via email at reopeningideas@doe.k12.de.us or voicemail at 302-735-4244. All comments are forwarded to the working group committees for review. Comments are posted to this website each week. Please check back often for updates.
- Public Comment June 26 - July 4, 2020
- Public Comment June 18 - June 26, 2020
- Public Comment June 12 - June 18, 2020
- Public Comment June 5 - June 12, 2020
- Public Comment May 29 - June 5, 2020
- Public Comment through May 29, 2020
Upcoming Meetings
The public is encouraged to participate in the virtual School Reopening Working Group meetings. All meetings will be livestreamed on the Delaware Department of Education YouTube channel. Additional meeting information, including agendas, will be posted on the Delaware Public Meeting Calendar. Comments and ideas will be accepted via email at reopeningideas@doe.k12.de.us or voicemail at 302-735-4244. All comments are forwarded to the working group committees for review.
Meeting Archives
- Thursday, July 2, 2020 - Health and Wellness committee
- Wednesday, July 1, 2020 - Academics and Equity committee
- Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - Health and Wellness committee
- Draft recommendations
- Recorded YouTube livestream
- Meeting presentation
- Meeting transcript
- Chat transcript
- Thursday, June 25, 2020 - Operations and Services committee
- Recorded YouTube livestream
- Meeting presentation
- Meeting transcript
- Chat transcript
- Wednesday, June 24, 2020 - Academics and Equity committee
- Tuesday, June 23, 2020 - Health and Wellness committee
- Thursday, June 18, 2020 - Operations and Services committee
- Wednesday, June 17, 2020 - Academics and Equity committee
- Tuesday, June 16, 2020 - Health and Wellness committee
- Thursday, June 11, 2020 - Operations and Services committee
- Wednesday, June 10, 2020 - Academics and Equity committee
- Tuesday, June 9, 2020 - Health and Wellness committee
- Thursday, June 4, 2020 - Operations and Services committee
- Wednesday, June 3, 2020 - Academics and Equity committee
- Tuesday, June 2, 2020 - Health and Wellness committee
- Thursday, May 28, 2020 - Initial meeting
- Thursday, May 21 (cancelled) - Initial meeting
DDOE sincerely apologizes for this Reopening Schools Workgroup meeting crashing. We used the platform we regularly use and it simply could not hold the volume of callers wanting to participate. While we are as frustrated as you are, we are encouraged by the number of Delawareans wanting to participate. As we have learned during this time of COVID, we are all learning to do new things, and we learned we need a larger platform for a call of this size. For inconveniencing anyone, we are very sorry.
Working group members
Health and Wellness
- Co-Chair Mike Rodriguez: Associate Secretary, Delaware DOE
- Co-Chair Dr. Meghan Walls: Pediatric Psychologist, Nemours
- Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald: Superintendent, Caesar Rodney School District
- Dr. Laretha Odumosu: Executive Director, Charter School of New Castle Middle School
- Dr. Susan Haberstroh: Director of School Support Services, Delaware DOE
- Stacy Greenly: Counselor, Polytech High School
- Dana Carr: Delaware Division of Public Health
- Sue Smith: Nurse, Mispillion Elementary and member of the Professional Standards Board (PSB)
- Dafne Carnright: Former Chair, Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens and Family Services Program Manager, Autism Delaware
- Dr. Marisel Santiago: Director of Pediatrics, La Red Health Center
- Rev. Provey Powell: Mt. Joy United Methodist Church and Delaware State Board of Education Member
- Kristin Dwyer: Delaware State Education Association
- Representative Valerie Longhurst: Delaware House Majority Leader
- Representative Michael Smith: House Education Committee Member
- Senator Laura Sturgeon: Chair, Senate Education Committee
- Senator Anthony Delcollo: Senate Education Committee Member
- Student Representative: Sussex Technical High School
Academics and Equity
- Co-Chair Dr. Monica Gant: Associate Secretary, Delaware DOE
- Co-Chair Ashley Giska: Assistant Superintendent, Laurel School District
- Dr. Matt Burrows: Superintendent, Appoquinimink School District
- Laura Schneider: Principal, West Seaford Elementary
- Loretta Greig: Parent, Lake Forest High School and member of the Professional Standards Board (PSB)
- Dr. Lisa Lawson: Executive Director of Special Education and Support Services, Brandywine School District
- Eugene Young: President, Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League
- Dr. Maria Alonso: Board President, Academia Antonia Alonso Charter School
- Rebecca Vitelli: 2020 Delaware Teacher of the Year, Colonial School District
- Stephanie Ingram: President, DSEA
- Allison Castellanos: ESL Professor, Delaware Technical & Community College
- Gwendolyn Haar: English Teacher, Dover High School
- Representative Kim Williams: Vice-Chair, House Education Committee
- Senator Tizzy Lockman: Vice-Chair, Senate Education Committee
- Representative Bryan Shupe: House Education Committee Member
- Senator Brian Pettyjohn: Delaware State Senate, District 19
- Student Representative: Smyrna High School
Operations and Services
- Co-Chair Dr. Chuck Longfellow: Associate Secretary, Delaware DOE
- Co-Chair Oliver Gumbs: Director of Business Operations, Cape Henlopen School District
- Dr. Sherry Kijowski: Principal, Caesar Rodney High School
- Heath Chasanov: Superintendent, Woodbridge School District
- David Hearn: Athletic Director/Drivers Ed Teacher, Delmar School District
- Stacey Clark: Director of Instruction and Student Services, First State Military Academy
- Natosha Rivera: Transportation Supervisor, Seaford School District
- Gerald Allen: HR Director, New Castle County Vo-Tech School District and member of the Professional Standards Board (PSB)
- Kristine Bewley: Manager of Information Systems, Red Clay Consolidated School District
- Leolga Wright: School Board Member, Indian River School District
- Mary Nash Wilson: Senior Fiscal and Policy Analyst, Delaware Office of Management and Budget
- Jeff Taschner: Executive Director, DSEA
- Mike Williams: Delaware PTA Secretary/Parent, Christina School District
- Representative Earl Jaques: Chair, House Education Committee
- Senator Dave Sokola: Senate Education Committee Member and Former Chair
- Representative Charles Postles: House Education Committee Member
- Senator Dave Lawson: Delaware State Senate, District 15