2019 Annual Report

IDEAS THAT SHAPE THE WORLD START HERE ANNUAL REPORT & REFERENDUM GUIDE ON THE FRONT COVER Carly Steckline, Dominika Nowakowicz, Jillian Morris, Jacqueline Bajek These AHS seniors organized a dance marathon called appoTHON that incorporated dancing, live music, student- run games and food in the Commons at Appoquinimink High. Hundreds of students participated, raising more than $13,000 for the B+ Foundation, an organization that provides support to children and families battling pediatric cancer. Carissma McGee Carissma shared her love of science and the stars as a volunteer in the children’s program at Delaware’s nonprofit Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory. Topics she discussed ranged from “How to use a telescope” to cool facts about the solar system, constellations, planets and more. Corey Sparks Corey founded a nonprofit organization that spreads joy to children in need. Dressed as the superhero Spider Man, he visited children in hospitals, special needs daycare centers and even made home visits. “There are so many kids who feel like they are less than others because of a disability. My goal is to bring out the inner superhero in every child I visit!” Paul Butler Paul put together a Summer Jazz Benefit Concert in tribute to his late father. In addition to recruiting performance groups, he secured promotional coverage on TV, and played in an all-student band. The event raised $2,000, money that was distributed between the Colon Cancer Coalition and the AHS Music Department. Appoquinimink issues an annual report to the community each fall. In it, we present standardized testing results and other key indicators including college acceptance rates and persistence. The report is distributed by mail to district residents and archived on our website & mobile app. AN ASD EDUCATION: CONNECTED, INNOVATIVE, ENTREPRENEURIAL or more than a decade, the Senior Project has been a rite of passage in the Appoquinimink School District. While topics are selected independently, there’s a strong emphasis on undertaking challenges that build linkages with the F community. We encourage students to think about problems in their own neighborhoods and then take steps to tackle them. It’s a process called service learning. We emphasize it (the service-learning model) at all grade levels as an important way to foster creativity, problem-solving skills, leadership, and the empowerment that results from pulling together to make a difference. Our world is facing many problems, from environmental perils to poverty to human rights violations and war. We must increase the skills of the next generation, and give them the tools they’ll need to confront these and other emerging issues on the local, national and global scene. Talking about these challenges is not enough. Citizenship is a set of skills that needs to be In just five years our District, which learned. Our school communities are providing opportunities to discuss, practice, reflect encompasses Middletown, Odessa, upon and hone these abilities. The beauty of this approach is that learning takes on a new Townsend and parts of Bear, has seen an dimension when students are engaged intellectually and emotionally with a topic. explosive increase in enrollment. We’ve grown by 19 percent (1,875 students) and And when it comes to service, the earlier you learn it the better. Research suggests are now the third largest PK-12 education the benefits of bringing this subject into the classroom include: increased self-esteem, system in the State. Each year, ASD adds heightened awareness of civic and social responsibility, long-term involvement in 400+ students, enough to fill an entire community work, higher voting and graduation rates, and decreased stereotypes elementary school if growth were limited and prejudice.* to primary grades. We’ve added trailers, put instruction on a cart, repurposed That’s why, this year, I’m proud to introduce you to members of the Class of 2019, a offices and storage space, and found other cross-section of young people who used their Senior Project as an opportunity to make creative ways to address the challenge. But a difference: training a service dog, founding an inclusive cheer team, staging a summer it’s not sustainable. When classrooms get jazz concert, creating an event to celebrate local veterans, teaching at the Mt. Cuba overcrowded, teachers can’t teach effectively observatory, developing a device to filter harmful chemicals from drinking fountains, and students can’t learn. bringing happiness to young people who are hospitalized or have special needs, hosting a dance marathon to battle cancer (B+ Foundation), and organizing a health 12000 advocacy fair. Their efforts represent just a fraction of the dozens of service-learning activities happening in our schools and/or developing from the Senior 11000 Project challenge. At Appoquinimink, we embrace our role as a leader in quality education. This report 10000 tells the story of how we’re doing and our plans to bring even greater value to our students, families and community in the future. The staff and I are enormously grateful for your support, which not only makes these programs possible, but provides the 9000 ongoing investment in facilities, staff and materials required to meet the demands of unprecedented growth. Together, we’re helping grow Delaware’s leaders, workforce 8000 and future. 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 If you are a member of a community or civic group and would like to request a More students mean we need more schools, presentation about our schools, I hope you’ll contact me. teachers, books and materials; face added safety and security considerations; and Yours sincerely, require support to lessen the gap in pay between ASD teachers and the rest of New Castle County. All of this has prompted a referendum on December 17, 2019. A guide at the back of our report is designed to educate you about the proposal. Matt Burrows, Ed.D. Superintendent Appoquinimink School District *Source: youth.org and Mission Measurement REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 1 HISTORIC MILESTONES Cedar Lane Elementary was named Middletown High’s Class of 2019 hosted a National Blue Ribbon School, the a Community Festival to celebrate their second school in our District to earn own proud history. The school hosted this distinction, joining Olive B. Loss its 100th Commencement Ceremony in Elementary, a 2017 winner. The title, June. The event, hosted by the Class of National Blue Ribbon School is reserved 2019, included music, inflatables, athletic for institutions that demonstrate academic activities, campus tours, food trucks and excellence, strong school culture, more. opportunity for all students, and continued progress among all students. A new four-year old preschool program, featuring financial assistance for low- Louis L. Redding Middle School was a income and English Language Learner part of a special commissioning ceremony families, opened at Brick Mill Elementary. last spring, when a state historic marker was unveiled at the school. Hundreds of ASD celebrated the 50th anniversary students, staff, alumni and community of Middletown High’s Class of 1969 with members gathered to celebrate the a tour of their alma mater (now Meredith school’s proud history as a K-10 school Middle), including a preview of the two- for students of color in an era before year renovation process (beginning June the Civil Rights Movement ended 2020) that will transform the school into a We dedicated our newest school, desegregation. The effort was 21st century learning center. Lorewood Grove Elementary, home of spearheaded by the Redding Alumni the Lions. The event included more than Association, supported by State Senators 1,000 students, parents, staff and Board Stephanie Hansen and Bruce Ennis, and Members and featured special guests: featured a keynote address from U.S. Senator Chris Coons, Lt. Governor J.B. Redding, the daughter of Delaware’s Bethany Hall-Long, Secretary of Education luminary civil rights lawyer. Susan Bunting, and ASD’s State Senators, State Representatives and County Council Members. A video capturing the opening of our STEAM-focused grade 1-5 school is available on our website. Nearly 300 teens, students who will be attending Odessa High as 9th Graders in Fall 2020, enjoyed a preview night with games, ice breakers and a beam signing ceremony at the Fairview Campus. This fall, the parents and teens began a series of meet-and-greet events with founding OHS Principal Dr. Veronica “Voni” Perrine that will continue into the summer. We’ll dedicate the new school in August 2020 with a grand opening that will include an original commissioned work debuted in the Performing Arts Center on campus. 2 APPOQUINIMINK SCHOOL DISTRICT POINTS OF PRIDE Eight ASD schools were among the 45 Preschool Labs opened at both of our ASD proudly awarded Delaware’s honored statewide with an “Exceeds High Schools. Students in the School Certificate of Multiliteracy to more Expectations” rating. of Education and Human Studies now than a dozen high school students. We’re train alongside college-degreed, early proud to have graduated one of the first We were named one of America’s Best childhood educators in 4-year old and largest groups in the state. Students Communities for Music Education for classrooms. who earn this designation have attained the fourth consecutive year: 2016-2019 a high level of proficiency in one or more (NAMM Foundation). Nearly 400 ASD families helped us kick languages in addition to English. off our Summer Reading Program at the We were named Delaware’s Best School Appoquinimink Community Library. 90 percent of the students enrolled in District for the third year: 2018, 2019, Chinese Immersion Kindergarten earned a 2020 (Niche.com). ASD was awarded innovation grants perfect score on their state assessment of to launch new high school pathways interpretative listening.

Load more