Supporting Delaware Educators

In partnership with the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) and the Delaware Association of School Administrators, the University of Delaware’s School Success Center (SSC) and Partnership for Public Education (PPE), housed within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), welcomed nearly 600 educators to the 22nd annual Policy and Practice Institute in June at Dover High School in Dover, Delaware.

The conference is Delaware’s premier networking and professional learning event for educators, school leaders and policymakers. With practical tools and resources, this year’s event enabled participants to take action toward creating stronger and more equitable learning opportunities for Delaware students. With sessions focused on building school, family and community partnerships, recruiting and retaining educators and more, the conference aligned with CEHD’s commitment to supporting Delaware educators, improving educational outcomes and diversifying the education workforce.

“The increase in attendance this year and the number and variety of sessions demonstrates the importance of this annual event to Delaware educators,” said Faith Muirhead, director of the SSC. “We are honored to collaborate in bringing educators together to learn with and from one another. This was a year to celebrate, moving from intention to impact, and the conference theme clearly resonated with participants.”

The event also included remarks from Mark Holodick, DDOE secretary of education and CEHD alumnus, and a keynote address from Jamila Dugan, an educator, coach and author who has spent her career uplifting the experiences of students, families and educators whose voices have historically been marginalized. Dugan’s keynote, titled “The Possible Future of Education: An Invitation to Radically Dream,” invited participants to “radically dream” about a new “future of learning.”

“Even after experiencing time away from schools during the pandemic, we are still clinging to an archaic system,” Dugan said. “Urgency, fear and the pull of the dominant paradigm of schooling have led many educators toward a feverish return to the status quo — reducing schooling experiences to addressing perceived student deficits and learning for the sake of achievement on standardized tests. But what could it look like to make a fundamental mindset shift toward capitalizing on the possibilities of now and the transformative chance to dream?”

The event also featured Delaware TIDE talks, fast-paced and creative presentations meant to trailblaze, innovate, discover and empower. Six educators presented on amplifying student voices, belonging and inclusion, building relationships to address equity gaps, equity in math class and social media use and its impact on schools and families.

“Delaware TIDE talks were designed to elevate the impact of Delaware educators,” said Alison Travers, assistant director of SSC’s Delaware Academy for School Leadership. “Attendees were very responsive to the exciting and engaging presentation style, and we heard several participants commenting on how much they enjoyed the TIDE Talks and how much they learned from the presenters.”

Nancy Ventresca, academic dean at West Park Place Elementary School, shared how valuable she finds the event each year.

“I look forward to the Policy and Practice Institute each year,” Ventresca said. “Coming together with educators and leaders from all over is truly inspiring, and I always come away with fresh ideas and new perspectives to inform and shape my own practice. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to catch up with colleagues and forge new professional relationships. Each year brings interesting keynotes and a wide array of meaningful breakout sessions led by a variety of educational leaders.”

Annastasia Purninton, associate director of the PPE, expressed gratitude for the ability to partner with Delaware educators and policymakers throughout the state.

“We are thankful for the opportunity to share some of PPE’s work through the Policy and Practice Institute and to learn more about the exceptional work happening in Delaware from the people who have the greatest impact on students: Delaware’s educators, administrators and policymakers,” Purinton said. “The partnerships that PPE has initiated with DDOE, districts, charters and UD faculty will not only enhance local expertise but also provide innovative solutions informed by the expertise of all our partners to address education needs across the state.”

About the School Success Center

Launched in 2022, the SSC partners with teachers and administrators in public, charter and independent schools and offers a systemic approach to improving student and school outcomes. The SSC is unique in partnering with both teachers and administrators on the same improvement strategies to ensure that teachers, schools and districts grow together.

In addition to providing differentiated coaching services for school and district leaders, the SSC offers expert-facilitated professional learning programs in literacy instruction, math instruction and multi-tiered systems of support, focusing on student screening, diagnostic assessment, intervention design, progress monitoring and more.

To partner with the SSC, visit its website.

About the Partnership for Public Education

Since 2015, PPE has leveraged UD expertise, evaluation, professional development and advocacy resources to support Delaware’s public education system and foster sustainable partnerships with Delaware’s public education stakeholders.

PPE aims to expand UD’s research impact, recognizing that research in education is often underused nationwide. To achieve this goal, PPE aims to identify, mobilize and optimize UD research to directly address critical needs in Delaware’s education system in ways that have measurable impacts on Delaware’s P-12 policy and practice.

To learn more about PPE, visit its website.

Article by Jessica Henderson. Photos by Maria Errico.

Header image caption: The Policy and Practice Institute is Delaware’s premier networking and professional learning event for educators, school leaders and policymakers.