CSD Staff Update: May 2025

• May 6th at 7 pm - Board of Education Meeting
• May 8th at 6:30 pm - Rock the Castle (William Penn Garage Band Outdoor Concert
• May 9th - Professional Development Day
• May 17th, 10:00am-1:00pm - WE Belong Multicultural Day & Mental Health Fair (Flier with participant RSVP Link)
• May 26th - Memorial Day Schools and Offices Closed

• Staff, be on the lookout for our annual End of Year survey where you have the opportunity to provide feedback to us about PD and many other topics for next school year. It should be available to you for the May 9th PD day to complete.

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  Delaware Department of Education: Multilingual Learners Strategic Plan 2023-2028

  
  

  The development of the Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) Multilingual Learner (MLL) Strategic Plan from January 2023 to June 2023 was a comprehensive and collaborative effort aimed at improving educational outcomes for multilingual learners in the state. The process involved a diverse and dedicated Steering Committee representing various students, educators, and community members from across the state, ensuring a well-rounded and inclusive approach to crafting the strategic plan. The Steering Committee operated under the common understanding that a Multilingual Learner is a student in a Delaware school that is acquiring a new language while maintaining their current language. The four core values of the strategic plan are as follows:

  
  

• Our first annual WE Belong Multicultural Day & Mental Health Fair is Saturday, May 17th, 10:00am-1:00pm (Flier with participant RSVP Link)

• • We need games and activities reflecting our diverse cultures in Colonial.

  • Link to list of ideas

  • Link to Spreadsheet to sign up

  • These are due by Wednesday, May 7th

  • We need volunteers for the event!

  • Sign up genius

  • Volunteer Descriptions

The Critical Need Reimbursement application for coursework taken in Spring 2025 term will be available from Thursday, May 1, 2025 - Thursday, May 15, 2025 at 4:30pm. No late applications will be accepted. Educators can apply online for reimbursement for up to $1,300 for coursework taken during the Spring term of the 2024-2025 academic year.

• To view eligibility requirements and submit an application, please visit our website: Critical Needs Reimbursement Program

• Questions or concerns? Contact the Delaware Higher Education Office at: dheo@doe.k12.de.us prior to the closing date and time.

• Attention Educators – are you planning to take graduate level coursework in 2025-2026? Apply for the Educator Support Scholarship – Graduate Programs! This $5,000 scholarship was created to support educators attending a Delaware public or private college who intend to pursue a career in a high need area of education (classroom or specialist). Visit the website to view the list of eligible certifications/areas of study, review eligibility requirements, and complete your application today. The application only takes a few minutes to apply! Don’t wait, applications will close May 15, 2025 at 4:30pm. *For those pursuing an undergraduate degree and planning to attend full-time in 2025-2026, please apply for the Educator Support Scholarship – Undergraduate Programs.

Complete the RSVP form by May 19th RSVP Link: http://bit.ly/3GKwhci.

Colonial School District Student Services HUB (Click Here)

All things related to special education and supporting students with disabilities.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a powerful tool in education—helping us save time, personalize instruction, and spark creativity in the classroom. Whether you're just getting started or looking to deepen your skills, there are several opportunities available to help you explore how AI can support teaching and learning located in our Continuous Learning Catalog.

As we explore the integration of AI into teaching and learning, we're guided by our Tech CSD Vision for AI: tools must be Safe, Education Focused, and Secure & Private. This means we only recommend AI platforms that provide protected access, are intentionally designed for educational use, and meet all federal and state compliance standards for student and staff data. Every tool we support has been vetted through this lens to ensure it enhances instruction while keeping our community safe and supported.

We’re also happy to announce a newly available AI tool that many staff have already started exploring and meets our above Vision for AI: Google Gemini. Gemini is now accessible for CSD staff and can be found by going to https://gemini.google.com while logged into your CSD Google account.

When we say school nutrition professionals are heroes, we mean it! That’s why we celebrate them every spring with the annual School Lunch Hero Day. Join schools across the country that are recognizing the difference these team members make for every child who comes through their cafeteria.

Colonial is gearing up for our Summer Food Service Program, a federal initiative that funds meals served by nonprofit organizations, school districts and public agencies to children during the summer months. Summer meals will be offered from June 23, 2025 - July 31, 2025 at the following locations: Eisenberg Elementary, Southern Elementary, Rosegate & Surrate Park, Old New Castle Library.