Del. Schools Recognized For Progress In Teaching English Learners

14 schools in Delaware are being honored for their efforts and progress in teaching students who are still learning English.

Blades Elementary School in the Seaford School District has also been named a 2021 National ESEA Distinguished School for the success of its students. Schools also get financial awards for their growth and progress towards English language proficiency.

“In a school year when our schools faced extraordinary challenges, including remote and hybrid learning, these students still made extraordinary progress. I am so proud of these school communities for how they rallied to support student needs,” Delaware Secretary of Education Dr. Susan Bunting said. “This recognition is well deserved.”

More details were released by the Delaware Department of Education:

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Seaford School District’s Blades Elementary School is among a host of U.S. schools that have been named a 2021 National ESEA Distinguished School for the extraordinary success of their students. The National Association of ESEA State Program Administrators (NAESPA), formerly the National Title I Association, has been selecting examples of superior, federally funded school programs for national recognition through the National ESEA Distinguished Schools program (formerly the National Title I Distinguished Schools program) since 1996.

Blades is being recognized as a Recognition School for Excellence in Serving Special Populations for the growth and progress toward English language proficiency that the school’s English learners made during the 2020-2021 school year.  Kirsten Jennette is Blades Elementary School’s principal.

The honor comes with a $10,500 award.

The 2021 National ESEA Distinguished Schools will be honored February 16-19, 2022, at the 2022 National ESEA Hybrid Conference both online and in person in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Bunting also is pleased to commend and recognize 13 other schools from across the state for their growth and progress towards English language proficiency.  The English learners showed exceptional growth toward meeting proficiency on ACCESS tests.

Each of the 12 schools named a 2021 Recognition School will receive an $8,000 award, a certificate and a banner to hang at the building.  One school is also recognized as a School of Continued Excellence and will receive a certificate and a banner. This school, which continued to show impressive growth, was honored last year as a Recognition School; the award cannot be won in consecutive years.

2021 Recognition School Award Winners:

• Academia Antonia Alonso Charter School (Charter)
  • School Leader – Mercedes Alonso
• Eisenberg Elementary School (Colonial School District)
  • Principal – David Distler
• Forest Oak Elementary School (Red Clay Consolidated School District)
  • Principal – Ann Marie Swift
• Las Americas Aspira Academy (Charter)
  • School Leader – Margie Lopez-Waite
• Long Neck Elementary School (Indian River School District)
  • Principal – Kathleen Wilson
• Mispillion Elementary School (Milford School District)
  • Principal – Teresa Wallace
• Anna P. Mote Elementary School (Red Clay Consolidated School District)
  • Principal – Lauren Young
• North Georgetown Elementary School (Indian River School District)
  • Principal – Samantha Lougheed
• Phillis Wheatley Elementary School (Woodbridge School District)
  • Principal – Brandon Snyder
• Lulu Ross Elementary School (Milford School District)
  • Principal – Cynthia McKenzie
• West Seaford Elementary School (Seaford School District)
  • Principal – Laura Schneider
• Woodbridge Early Childhood Education Center (Woodbridge School District)
  • Principal – Kim Benton

2021 School of Continued Excellence:

• Frederick Douglass Elementary School (Seaford School District)
  • Principal – Carol Leveillee

More information about all National ESEA Distinguished Schools is available on the NAESPA website: www.ESEAnetwork.org