Like most parents with children home for the summer, we've been busy! My daughter participates Extended School Year (ESY) services, so our breaks are very disjointed as we cram a summer's worth of fun into a few weeks in June and August. After taking our Girls Scout troop to Dutch Wonderland, hosting our son's 3rd birthday, re-homing a stray dog, attending an award dinner, repairing our car, and shivering through a cold, wet day at Sesame Place, things are finally quieting down.
DD (Dear Daughter) starts ESY Monday, DS (Dear Son) will spend the morning with a wonderful family friend, and I will be at district offices for an orientation meeting with administration. I will officially enter into the capacity of BOE member on July 1st. Both John Young, the other incoming Board member, and I will be sworn in at the School Board Meeting scheduled for July 14th at Kirk.
Moving on ... Legislative Notes:
SB 151, which permits the use of fed. stim. funds for incentive programs for teachers and SB 149, which allows the Delaware Department of Education to deny teaching licenses to non-public school teachers if they don't meet the requirements, passed in the Senate. Both bills are headed to the House for consideration.
The long-awaited HB 119, in its substituted form, is moving to the Senate for a vote. In sum, it gives districts more control in how they allocate their state funds.
On Tuesday, Rep. D. Scott filed HB 231, a bill that would permit parents to take unpaid leave to attend school conferences and activities. It's goal is to give working parents a means to participate in the education of their children. It's a great concept. But, until we pay folks a livable wage or employ a flexible work , it's still going to be tough for parents take time away from work. That said, we need our families to be active in our schools, now, more than ever! I am a firm believer that it takes a village to raise a child and through community, educational, and family partnerships, we ensure the best outcomes for all children!
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