This guest column was written by Delaware Secretary of Education Mark Holodick and Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Secretary Josette D. Manning. --- As summer comes to an end and a new school year begins, now is the time to remind local communities that continuing to protect ourselves against influenza, COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and other infectious diseases is a powerful way to also support Delaware students and school staff. The flu, COVID, and RSV are dangerous but preventable respiratory illnesses that can spread quickly, especially in close-knit settings. A single infected person has the potential [...]

Welcome school staff, families, and community members to the 2023-24 school year. I hope everyone is well and eagerly anticipating the new opportunities ahead. As I liked to say each August when I was a district superintendent, “It’s go time.” All the summer preparation, planning and work is about to pay off, and we are ready for staff and students to return to school buildings. This year, school preparation is less of a return and more of a continuation. Many Delaware public school employees worked through the summer, intentionally offering families positive, out-of-school experiences designed to benefit every student. Several community [...]

Co-written by Dr. Mark Holodick and Delaware Technical and Community College President Dr. Mark T. Brainard. Delaware has been experiencing a teacher shortage for years, but the problem is not unique to the First State. Nationwide, 18% of public schools in the United States last fall had one teaching vacancy, and 27% had multiple vacancies, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Teacher shortages were becoming more common nationwide prior to the pandemic, but the unprecedented challenges caused by the global health crisis exacerbated the problem. Recognizing the seriousness of the issue, Delaware public school superintendents met with the [...]