Indian River School District

Indian River School District officials could mandate a uniformed dress code in district schools by next school year. Parents of district students will receive a survey early next month that asks for input, and results from the survey will be used to help determine whether or not to implement the code, according to district press release.

School uniforms can help improve discipline in schools, and save parents money and time, or they can curb students’ creative expression. Those are some of the early arguments for and against a uniformed dress code in the Indian River School District.

State science and social studies scores from the Delaware Student Testing Program released last month were presented to Indian River School District officials at Tuesday’s board of education meeting, and the news was mostly pessimistic.

Percentages of district students who met or exceeded the standard fell in all four groups of test scores. Students took the tests in May.

The Indian River School District partners annually with the Center for the Inland Bays to take middle-school students to James Farm Ecological Preserve to introduce them to and educate them about the watershed. District elementary school students might soon receive that same type of hands-on education without ever leaving their schools.

In Kent County, where failed school district referendums have almost become the norm recently, exploring other possible revenue sources was inevitable. Impact fees on developments, which are said to stress area schools, have become a viable option — even prompting a state code change last year.

Only seven states spend more money on education than Delaware, but this state ranks 27th in educational performance. The United States spends more on education than most industrialized countries, ranking in the top five in the world, but it only ranks 26th in math and 17th in reading achievement levels.

Selbyville Middle School students welcomed a new principal to their school on Monday, Oct. 23 — but only for the day. Delaware State Chamber of Commerce hosted Theodore Dwyer, president of EDiS Co., as the “Principal for a Day.”

Two Selbyville Middle School students were arrested for using counterfeit $20 bills in their school cafeteria on Monday, Sept. 25.

The fraudulent bills may have slipped by school cafeteria workers, but they did not make it past the bank. The incident was reported when Mercantile Bank discovered the counterfeit money, according to Cpl. Jeff Oldham of the Delaware State Police.

Erica Evans was awarded the title of Delaware’s Junior Miss 2007 on Sunday, Oct. 1. With the title, Evans received $1,550 in cash scholarships and also college-granted scholarships from both the University of Delaware and Wesley College.

On Monday, seventh-grade students from Sussex Central Middle School walked through the wetlands at James Farm Ecological Preserve and waded in the Indian River Bay. While some caught wildlife with nets in the water, another particularly enthusiastic student picked up a crab and took a picture. Yet another explained the difference in striping on small male and female fish.

Sussex Technical High School kicked off their football team’s first home game and welcomed the freshman class with their first pep rally of the season on Friday, Sept. 29.

Painted faces, tousled hair and “Go Tech” T-shirts flourished in the masses of high school students stomping, clapping and cheering for their school.

A kindergarten teacher and a childcare professional in Selbyville were among the 11 winners of this year’s Governor’s Award for excellence in early-childhood care and education. The awards were announced at a banquet last Thursday, Sept. 28.

After again receiving the state’s highest accountability rating following another year of impressive test scores, Frankford Elementary School officials received more good news Tuesday. The Indian River school will receive a $10,000 grant, as well as a host of materials and supplies, after being named one of 16 Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction across the nation.

After more than a year away from their Ocean View location, Lord Baltimore Elementary School faculty and staff poured back into the now air-conditioned and bathroom- and elevator-laden building amid boxes and furniture not yet in place.

The mandatory adoption of four policies without following long-standing district procedure was a major reason Indian River School District’s Board rejected a settlement offer in the Dobrich/Doe prayer suit in February, according to court records released Monday.

Since two families — one Jewish and another that remains anonymous — filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the Indian River School District early last year for alleged violations of their freedom of religion, local attention has been affixed to the issue.

After being rated as “commendable” last year, Phillip C. Showell Elementary School regained “superior” status when the state released its ratings Aug. 2, about two weeks after the release of the 2006 Delaware Student Testing Program scores were released on July 20.

After being rated as “commendable” last year, Phillip C. Showell Elementary School regained “superior” status when the state released its ratings Aug. 2, about two weeks after the release of the 2006 Delaware Student Testing Program scores were released on July 20.

Improvements and accomplishments in the reading and math portions of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) highlighted Indian River School District’s 2006 scores, which were released July 20.

Nearly two years after the Jewish Dobrich family complained about Indian River School District’s religiously “exclusive” environment, bloggers, civil rights organizations and discussion forums on the Internet have cast a national spotlight on the First Amendment case the Dobriches filed in federal court in early 2005.

Indian River School District Personnel Director Michael Owens will leave the district at the end of this month and take a job with the Delaware Department of Education, he told the Coastal Point.
Owens will serve as the Associate Secretary of Education for Adult Education and Workforce Development under Secretary of Education Valerie Woodruff.

Indian River School Board voted on Tuesday to revise policies regarding prayer at graduation and religion in schools. The policies were originally adopted on Oct. 19, 2004, after hearing complaints from a local Jewish family.

The policies regarding prayer at graduations and religion in school that were adopted by the Indian River School Board on Oct. 19, 2004, after they heard complaints from a Jewish family, might be amended next week.