Delaware
Education roundup: 2 Delaware schools nationally honored; UD offers new online certificate
Saint Mark’s student adds voice to SL24 awareness event
Maddi Way didn’t just suggest that her school host a SL24: Unlocke the Light Foundation tournament event, she spoke about mental health awareness before taking part on the court.
Delaware is looking ahead.
Two elementary schools are being honored nationally for student success, from progress toward cutting achievement gaps between groups, to sharpening English language acquisition. All the while, NASA is hoping to attract K-12 learners to STEM and maybe even thinking about rocket science.
In higher education, University of Delaware is marking its first year offering an online graduate certificate in epidemiology. The goal? Build a stronger workforce, better prepared for a future public health crisis like COVID-19.
In this weekly roundup, we’ll catch you up on these and other education updates you may have missed.
(Did we miss another good education story? Let me know: kepowers@gannett.com)
2 Delaware schools land national honors
Rehoboth Elementary and Lake Forest South Elementary landed among a host of schools named 2024 National ESEA Distinguished Schools.
The honor comes “for the extraordinary success of their students,” Delaware’s Department of Education shared in a press release. The national association has been highlighting schools since 1996.
Lake Forest School District’s honoree was recognized for closing achievement gaps between student groups and for the academic progress that the students made last school year on standardized tests. Principal Kevin Truitt will welcome the honor.
Cape Henlopen’s Rehoboth Elementary, led by Principal Doris Person, was recognized for serving special populations, while progress toward English language proficiency in particular caught attention last school year.
Next up, these nationally distinguished schools will be honored in a national conference in Texas come February.
Back home in Delaware, DDOE recognized 15 additional schools with “Continued Excellence” awards. Such schools have qualified as a “Recognition School” for the second consecutive year so are ineligible for the recognition award this year.
Check out the full list online.
UD offers online certificate in epidemiology, aiming for a better-prepared workforce
Palma Bauman described epidemiology like zooming out.
“It’s a part of public health, looking at things from a bigger, broader viewpoint,” the University of Delaware graduate student explained. “So you can really look at specific populations and try to work on disease prevention and promotion based on ‘social determinants of health’ – which are things like socioeconomic status, environmental health, access to healthcare – and these are all things that I think are not talked about enough.”
Structural barriers can prevent equitable access to health care, especially during crisis. Currently working on a master’s degree in public health and epidemiology, Bauman knew she wanted to work in health but couldn’t imagine a doctor’s office. Then COVID-19 offered one more push toward public health.
In the heat of pandemic, epidemiologists played a “critical role” in trying to protect public health, while providing governments and health organizations with necessary data that informed policy and strategy, according to UD.
It also laid bare Delaware’s need for more.
For the first time this year, UD’s College of Health Sciences launched a new “Epidemiology Graduate Certificate,” a fully online program aimed at post-pandemic workforce needs. Across the U.S. right now, less than 15% of this workforce has academic training in public health, according to professor Jennifer Horney.
“Certificate programs give those in the workforce the flexibility to receive a graduate level certification, while remaining in the workforce,” the founding director of UD’s Epidemiology Program said in an email. Given burnout and short hands, Horney said the state must “replenish that workforce with a pipeline of students and professionals, especially with training in outbreak response and disease investigation.”
The one-year certificate program aims at professionals already at work in health fields, as well as students in related fields looking for more expertise in epidemiology. The first cohort has six students.
“During the pandemic, public health workers in many areas like environmental health, substance abuse and maternal and child health were moved into responsibilities related to the pandemic response, due to a shortage of trained epidemiologists,” Horney said, also noting she hopes to gain discounts for staff at partner agencies.
“To be better prepared for future public health emergencies, we need a much more robust workforce with training in epidemiology and biostatistics.”
Autism Delaware to host ‘Snowflake Soirée’ to boost funds, inclusion
Autism Delaware says mark your calendars for a night in Rehoboth Beach.
“Autism Delaware is thrilled to present The Snowflake Soirée, an unforgettable night set to become a staple on Sussex County’s social calendar,” the nonprofit wrote in a press release. At 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, the festivities will fill Rehoboth Beach Convention Center for “an elegant evening” dedicated to boosting funds and awareness for Autism Delaware’s programs.
Attendees can expect a curated menu, dancing, live music from Jellyroll Band – a powerhouse 12-piece group, according to organizers – as well as a silent auction. You must be 21 or older to go and expect cocktail attire.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit Autism Delaware’s website or contact the nonprofit directly at (302) 220-6020. One ticket is $125, with additional sponsoring options.
Houston: We have a NASA Moon Exploration Challenge for K-12 students
NASA just launched its fourth “Power to Explore Student Challenge.”
The STEM writing challenge invites K-12 students to, first, learn about radioisotope power systems, “a type of nuclear battery that has, for over 60 years, allowed NASA to explore the harshest, darkest and dustiest parts of our solar system and enabled spacecraft to study its many moons,” NASA said in a release. Then, students are challenged to explain, in a short essay, how they’d use RPS to explore one of our solar system’s hundreds of moons.
Submissions, limited to 275 words, are due by Jan. 31, 2025. One grand-prize winner from each grade category – K-4, 5-8, 9-12 – will receive a trip to NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. More information on how to get involved can be found on the competition website.
ICYMI: Saint Mark’s volleyball player raised $30K for mental health
Maddi Way set up a charity volleyball tournament at her Saint Mark’s High School and raised some $30,324 for mental health awareness in the process, as previously reported by Delaware Online/The News Journal.
The junior linked up SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation, a vocal organization sharing mental health awareness and resource in Delaware, to organize the “Serving Up Support” tournament. It marked the first of its kind for the school.
Serving Up Support follows a summer of similar events that have supported UnLocke the Light, in memory of former Saint Mark’s student Sean Locke. For this October tournament, Saint Mark’s auditorium filled with students and families, while the lobby packed with SL24 volunteers. Tickets sold at $7 to support the foundation.
Way was inspired by her own experience.
“Most people know me as a fun-loving, energetic volleyball player that is committed to my teammates, coaches and classmates. What they don’t know is that deep down, I struggle,” Way said. “The reason I agreed to speak on this topic tonight is to encourage any of you that are in pain or who are suffering to speak up.”
Her team then topped Newark Charter 3-1, clinching the tournament back in October.
Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01.
Delaware
When will Delaware warm up? After snow, ice Tuesday, temps will rise
Ever seen a spring peeper peep?
A spring peeper singing in the Millsboro area.
Meteorological winter has ended and we’ve entered spring.
However, there’s still a last winter blast hitting Delaware early this week before a spring warm up hits at the end of the week.
Here’s a look at the Delaware forecast.
Will Delaware see more snow?
After a brisk Monday, March 2 with sunny skies and highs only reaching 35 degrees, there’s a chance of snow after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 with freezing rain after 4 a.m. in New Castle County. Snow and freezing rain are expected before noon Tuesday, March 3. The county may receive less than a half inch of accumulation.
In Kent County and Sussex County, there’s a chance of snow and freezing rain after 1 a.m. Tuesday, March 3.
When will it warm up in Delaware?
It will start feeling like spring as warmer air moves into the First State on Tuesday evening, March 3, but wet weather is coming as well.
Rain is predicted from Tuesday, March 3 through Friday, March 5, but spring-like temperatures will make it bearable. In New Castle County temperatures will range from the mid-50s on Wednesday, March 3 to the 60s on Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5. Kent County should see temperatures in the 60s and Sussex County will see 70s during the mid- to later part of the week
What’s the weekend forecast?
Remember when you were daydreaming about warm weather during the polar vortex or blizzard? Well, it is coming next weekend.
The forecast is calling for sunny to partly sunny skies throughout Delaware on Saturday, March 7 and Sunday, March 8. Highs will reach the upper 60s in the north to the low 70s in the south.
Delaware
Law enforcement increases security across Delaware Valley after U.S. strikes on Iran
PHILADELPHIA – Law enforcement agencies across the Delaware Valley are boosting security at religious and cultural sites following U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, even as officials say there is no credible threat to the area.
The Department of Homeland Security also issued an alert after Operation Epic Fury, warning agencies to remain vigilant for suspicious activity despite assessing that a large-scale attack on U.S. soil is unlikely.
Hours after the strikes, protesters gathered in cities nationwide. In Phoenixville, dozens rallied Saturday afternoon, calling the military action “senseless.”
“Stop the war. People are suffering in this country with food prices, rent, healthcare, money for the people’s needs here,” said Curry Malott, a West Chester University associate professor of educational foundations and policy studies.
President Donald Trump has said the joint operation would eliminate Iran’s nuclear and military programs and change the regime. Some demonstrators criticized the president’s decision.
“Trump has broken his campaign promises with no new wars, and here he is going into another,” said Kyle Horstmann of Phoenixville.
Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick said in a statement that Iran poses a grave threat, adding, “Iran and its proxies are responsible for countless deaths of Americans and our partners. That record is long, deliberate, and undeniable-and it cannot be ignored.” He adds sustained military engagement should be done with consent of Congress.
Democratic leaders, including Senator Andy Kim, argued the president failed to seek congressional approval for the strikes.
“I have zero confidence in this president who has so flagrantly violated our constitution,” Kim said. He called for Congress to immediately reconvene to vote on a war powers resolution.
“I hope there can be unanimity that when it comes to strikes of this magnitude, when American service members lives are at risk, what greater responsibility do we have in Congress than to look out for our service members and the national security of our country?” he said.
The Homeland Security alert also warned of potential low-level cyberattacks targeting U.S. networks, adding another layer of concern for authorities monitoring threats at home.
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Delaware
Delaware County looks to boost maternal services in face of need
As the Delaware County Health Department recognized success over a year period, county officials also voiced work needed to be done particularly in light of infant and maternal outcomes.
“Unfortunately, in Delaware County, we do still have some issues with maternal and child health,” county Executive Director Barbara O’Malley said. “Between 2019 and 2023, 1.3% of our births were classified as ‘very low birthweight.’
“That’s actually higher than our neighboring suburban counties, which are all under 1%,” she explained. “And Philadelphia is at 1.6. So, we know we have work to do and that’s what our health department is here to do.”
O’Malley added that 15.6% of Delaware County residents received inadequate prenatal care, which is determined by when someone begins their prenatal care.
In addition, County Deputy Health Director Stephanie Reese said the disparity among communities of color has grown.
“While Pennsylvania’s Black and white infant mortality gap has narrowed in recent years, Delaware County’s gap has widened. Black infant mortality in Delco increased from 2.9 to 3.9 times that of whites,” she said.
That’s a factor driven by low birthweights linked to premature birth and preventable social and environmental factors.
Last week, Delaware County Council approved to advertise a request for proposals for an awareness and education campaign for the county health department’s Centralized Intake System and the Delco Doula Collaborative. This is funded through a U.S. Department of Labor grant.
This action will allow the DelcoDoula.org to go live once completed. This site for the Delco Doula Collaborative is a web-based registry of perinatal doulas offering doula information and matching services in Delaware County.
“We have so many resources available to people but they may just not be aware of how much we can do for people that are around maternal and child health issues,” O’Malley said.
She said the intake system would be a single point of entry for maternal and child health resources, including eligibility-based matching.
“Once we maybe learn about you, we can give you customized services and resources that you would qualify for,” O’Malley added.
The executive director explained why it’s critical to focus on these outcomes.
“We do know that maternal and child health is very important for so many reasons,” O’Malley said. “A healthy infant, a healthy pregnancy obviously gives people a healthy life, a great start in life, has better health outcomes, educational outcomes and better outcomes for the families.”
Doula programs can help, she explained.
“Research shows that doula programs such as the one that is supported by grant funding through the health department (and) through The Foundation for Delaware County … that there are lower rates of pre-term births, lower rates of low birthweight, lower rates of Caesarian section and higher rates of breastfeeding,” O’Malley said.
One way to support this is through increased awareness of these programs and initiatives, something O’Malley said is hoped to improve birth outcomes and advance health equity in Delaware County.
While the awareness campaign is coming, many of these programs already exist.
“People can avail themselves of them right away,” O’Malley said, directing the community to the health department website.
There, moms and moms-to-be can get support through virtual pre- and postnatal partum doula groups, where moms can learn how to care for their baby, free supplies including diapers and baby essentials, immunizations for infants as well as mental health support for new moms.
“It is critical that we get our Delaware County infants and youth off to the right start and taking care of their moms and families is the way to do it and we do have a lot of resources and we want to make sure that people take advantage of them,” O’Malley said.
Other health programs
Among some of the efforts the Delaware County Health Department have done include meeting with residents during February to offer free blood pressure screenings across the county, including Yeadon, Lansdowne, Chester and Springfield.
Through its Delco Revive! program, it also continues to offer free CPR classes with another one being held at the Yeadon Wellness Center at 125 S. Chester Road from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 26.
“According to the American Heart Association, about 70% of cardiac arrests that happen outside the hospital occur in homes,” county Council Chair Richard Womack said. “Please take the opportunity to learn how to save a life by participating in one of these classes.”
The health department also released its 2025 Annual Report that focused on strengthening public health infrastructure, expanding equitable access to services, and deepening community partnerships across the county.
Some of the accomplishments included expanded doula services, maternal wellness programming, and youth health initiatives to support healthy families and improve early-life outcomes; comprehensive Back-to-School events and community-based education efforts, including the Lead Free in 1-2-3 campaign connecting residents to screenings, supplies and preventive services.
Over the last year, the department has also offered continued implementation of Delco Revive! by increasing community training, lifesaving supply distribution, and overdose response capacity while also strengthening data-driven monitoring and outbreak response to guide prevention strategies and protect residents from communicable diseases; and also expanded the public health kiosks.
The department is also responsible for conducting inspections, investigations and regulatory enforcement to safeguard food safety, monitor environmental hazards, respond to complaints, and prevent vector-borne disease.
The annual report stated that 83% of the department’s $11.4 million budget came from federal and state funding and that the remainder for that time period was funded through American Rescue Plan Act revenues.
“As we reflect on 2025, this report represents the dedication of our staff and partners who work every day to protect and promote the health of Delaware County residents,” county Health Director Lora Siegmann Werner said. “We remain committed to building a resilient, equitable public health system for the future.”
The full Delaware County Health Department annual report can be viewed at https://delcopa.gov/sites/default/files/2026-02/DCHD-2025-Annual-Report-Revised.pdf.
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