2024 State of Our Schools

AboutCapitalSchoolDistrict

EducationalExcellenceTodayforaChangingTomorrow.Withthis,weareadvancingexcellencethrough innovation.In2022,theCapitalSchoolDistrictlaunchedanewstrategicplanningprocessfocusedon creatingaportraitofagraduatingSenatorof2033.In2023,CapitalSchoolDistrictopenedanew$113million interconnectedmiddleschoolcampus,theMiddleSchoolofExcellenceandtheMiddleSchoolofInnovation Thedistricthaslaunchedaneraof"AdvancingEducationalExcellenceThroughInnovation"

OurcomprehensivestrategicplanfortheCapitalSchoolDistrictprovidestheFrameworkforourdistrict We lookatbecomingaLinearandStreamlinedDistrict,MeetingtheNeedsoftheWholeChild,andbuildingon ourSenatorPride TheCapitalSchoolDistrictisfocusedonMeetingtheNeedsoftheWholeChild Thegoal istohelpourstudentsreflectthePortraitofaSenator;studentswhoareLearners,Respectful,Honest, Engaged,Compassionate,Accountable,Responsible,andDetermined Weaccomplishthiswitha comprehensiveapproachtoTeachingandLearningthatincludesDeliveryinaSafeandSupportive Environment,BuilttobeStandards-Based,OrganizedforPersonalizedLearning,FocusedonRigorous Instruction,andMeasuredthroughDynamicAssessment.

WeareproudofCapitalSchoolDistrict’sheritagehereinDover,DE.

OurstaffmembersstrivetobecomepartofthecommunitythroughlivingintheDoverarea,interactingwith parentsandfamilies,andbecomingengagedwithcommunityactivities.Ourschoolsbenefitfromthe supportofcommunitypartnersandbusinesses.Locally,wehaveawidevarietyofbusinessand employmentopportunitiestoultimatelyprepareourstudentsforcareersbeyondhighschoolfromBanking, Manufacturing,Hospitality,andAgriculture.Geographicallyweareconvenientlylocatedtomajorcentersfor business(Wilmington,Philadelphia)andthearts(NewYorkCity),andopportunitiesforourstudentstosee someofourcountry'smostimportanthistoriclandmarksinWashingtonDC.

Points of Senator Pride!

Leagueof Innovative Schools

ThreeNewLight HouseStatus LeaderInMe Schools

Verizon Innovative LearningSchools

Recipientof Competitive Grants: Longwood Foundation

InauguralParent Summit

Dover High School’s Improved GraduationRate

From the Desk of the CEO

DearSenators,

Welcometothe2ndAnnualStateofOurSchoolsforourdistrict.Thisyear, wecontinuedtoembraceoursharedstrategicdirection:“Advancing EducationalExcellencethroughInnovation”

Wehaveovercomemanychallengesinthisseasonofunprecedented change Aswereflectonourstrengthsandopportunitieswhilepreparing fortheupcomingyear,itisnosecretthatwehavegrappledwith operationalchallenges,particularlyintheshadowsofanationalteacher shortage,transportationshortfalls,andclimateissues.Yet,weremain strongandcommittedtoleveragingSenatorPrideasthecornerstoneof ourresiliencethroughthesestorms.

Thisyear'sjourneyhasbroughtmanylessonsofhopeandunderscoredthe importanceofmanagingthenarrativeofSenatorPride.Ourresilienceand determinationhaveledustonotableachievements,suchasclinchingthe first-everstatechampionshipforourVarsityBoysBasketballTeam,a significantincreaseinourhighgraduationratesandachievingtheLeader InMeLighthousestatusinthreeschools.Thesearethestoriesthatshineas abeaconofhope,illustratingthepowerofperseverance WeareSenators; whenlifeknocksusdown,wegetupstronger Aswereflectonthestateof ourschools,let’srememberthatourpositiveaccomplishmentsfar outweighthenegatives Let’snotgetcaughtupinthenoiseofdefeatbut acceptthechallengetoimprovewhileleadingwithlove.

Todaywewillcelebratemanysuccesses.Humbly,Iwanttoextendheartfelt congratulationstoourstudents,staff,parents,andcommunityforallthe greatthingsthathavehappenedthisyear.Iwanttohighlightafewsuch astheInauguralParentSummit,thelaunchofourSenatorsComeHome Campaign,andprogressincollectinginformationfromstaffasweprepare forthenewSupportingOurStaff'sWellbeingActivitiesin2024-2025.

Inclosing,Iwanttoencourageeachofustolookwithinandembrace PresidentJohnF.Kennedy’swordsofwisdom,“Asknotwhatyourcountry candoforyou–askwhatyoucandoforyourcountry.”Iremainoptimistic that,collectively,wecanguideourchildrentogreatnessifweembracethe beliefthatthefoundationofeducationisaboutacollectivemoral imperative

WithGratitude,

Cade perintendent

SenatorPride Meeting the Needs of the Whole Child/Linear

and Streamlined

SenatorPrideisthefoundationofourpast,present,andfuture.AsSenatorswelead.We remain at the forefront of sharing our enthusiasm about living and learning in the first Capital City of our nation Dover is the centerfold of our dynamic state, Delaware We are appreciative of the City of Dover under the leadership of our beloved Mayor Christiansen,PresidentHareoftheCityCouncil,andalloftheCityCouncilmembers We acceptthatSenatorPrideradiatesthecultureofourcityservingasacatalystfostering local,state,andnationalpridethathelpsaccelerateoureffortstomeettheneedsofthe wholechild.

WiththeDHSClassof2024,welaunchedourComeHomeSenatorsCampaigninwhich weaskedanyclassendingin“4”1954,1964,1974,1984,1994,2004,or2014toseewhich classcanraisethemostfundstowardbecomingaVIPClass

ValuedInnovationPartnersarebeingaskedtohelpwithSTEAMprimaryexperiencesfor studentsatDHSsuchasrobotics.SupportfromourVIPswillallowourSenatorstudentsto participateinandhaveexposuretothearts

DoverHighSchool Classof2024

Congratulations to Dover High School for significantly improving the graduation rate from 85% in 2023 to over 90% in 2024. We look forward to celebrating our graduates on June 7, 2024 at Dover High School.

ValuedInnovation Partners(VIP)

A Bottom-Up Approach to Scale Excellence Through Innovation

WhatistheVIPInitiative?

CapitalSchoolDistrict’sinclusiveprocessforgettingbuy-infor innovation.

WhocanparticipateintheVIPInitiative?

Everyone–students,staff,andparentswiththecommunity The districtwillprovidemoreinformationaboutthenewSenatorVIP Initiative Staffcanopt-intoparticipateandbeapartoftheAdvancing EducationalExcellencethroughInnovation

Ourvisionhasevolvedto“AdvancingEducationalExcellencethrough Innovation” Withthis,wewanttocreateacatalystforasafeculturefor innovation

OurLeadershipTeamandBoardhasinvitedtheSuperintendentStudent AdvisoryCouncil(SSAC)toplayaprominentroleinencouragingstaffto participateinourValuedInnovationPartners(VIP)initiative.

LaunchingtheEraof "AdvancingEducational ExcellencethroughInnovation"

The Middle School of Excellence and The Middle School of Innovationarelocatedat1PatLymDrive,Dover,DE. openedon time and on budget in August 2023. The names of the new middle schools are symbolic of the Capital School District Board of Education and leadership teams’ vision to launch an era of focusing our efforts district-wide on advancing Educational Excellence through Innovation. However, this new middleschoolcampusisthefirstofseveraltransitionsthatthe districtwillundergo.

During2024-2025,thevisionandtheplanningofanewCentral Elementary School will be launched with a year of unity. S d h Willi H C (5 h d ) ill i

GrantAwards&Staff ScholarshipFunding2024

GrantsAwardedThisYear:

ThegrantforCS/CTwas$75,000

ReadingBasedExtendedSchoolYearGrant-$344,363.13

ReimaginingProfessionalLearningGrant-$612,343

Teacher RecruitmentSelf-StudyGroup$100,000

$ 500,000 Back on Track for Graduation grant funded by the LongwoodFoundation

The amount for the current 9 - 21st Century and afterschool grantsis$3,420,000.00

ASUGSVconferenceScholarshipawardedforstaff at$7500

TheFutureofLearningSummitscholarshipforstaff$5,000

TheAgeofLearning LeadershipSummitforStaff$6,500.

ComputationalThinking$75,000.

CulturallyRelevantTeachingSocraticSeminar$15,000

SpotlightonSenators

TEACHERSOFTHEYEAR

TeachersoftheYear

AbdallahCelestin-DHS-Winner

MichelleWilson-BTW

LaurenVictory-KCCS

KristineBurger-FV

AngelaHunter-North

LaurenThompson-South

TareshaScott-KCSILC

VincentChandler-East

AnwarAtif-SOE

MasheaJasmineBrown-SOI

AustinFarrell-WHC

RodneyDavis-TP

AmandaReilly-Hartly

BehavioralHealthProfessionals

JackieCollins-Hartly-Winner

AndrewRoyer-EarlyChildhood

DawnCrews-Seams-WHC

JoannGriffin-SOI

KrystalLittle-East

RyanJones-North

BrianaWhite-BTW

PaulaMast-South

CrystalSheets-KCSILC

CarolAsante-TP

MarieMcGrellis-KCCS

MariahMinor-DHS

EducationalSupportProfessionals

LeishaRutkowski-DistrictOffice-Winner

DianaGosnell-FV

PaulReynolds-KCSILC

DonnaHealy-WHC

YarizaDonatiu-Harris-East

KaylaCurto-South

DaquanHarris-SOI

AutumnFisher-SOE

TiaRoach-DHS

JuliaWebber-KCCS

RubyRobles-Hartly

PhadreWest-TP

AubreySimpson-EarlyChildhood

StudentServices/OfficeofEquity

Incollaborationwithotherdepartmentstomeettheneedsofour diversestudentlearners,ourdepartmentworkswithT&Ltodiscuss academicprogressandneededsupportforstudentgroups.Our departmenthasbeenworkingwithschool-levelteamstodiscuss dataaroundwhatsupportsstudentsneed

Ourdepartmentisworkingwithagenciesanddepartmentsto streamlinedisciplinepracticesandsystems Wehavebeen workingwithadminteamsinordertoutilizestrategiestoprovide supporttoimprovebehavior OurdepartmentisworkingwithDOE toreviewourdisciplinepracticesandprovideuswith implementationstrategies

revisionsthatfosteramorecollaborativerestorativeapproachforexpectations ThegrouphasalsoprovidedourfamilieswithparentworkshopsthroughThe ParentUniversity Wehadinputfromstakeholdersregardingthelanguageshift WorkingwithDOEtoreviewourdisciplinepracticesandprovideuswith implementationstrategies DOEwillbesharingstrategiesthatareimplemented inotherdistrictsinthestatethataresuccessful EducatingallAngles: (Virtual creditrecoveryfortheHighSchool) Weareworkingtothinkoutoftheboxto providesupportforallofourlearners.Thisprojectwillprovidecreditrecovery supportthroughoutthesummerforseveralofourhighschoolstudents

SpotlightonSchools

BecameaLeaderinMeLighthouseSchool CreatedaSchoolGardenemphasizingthe environment implementedReadingAssist’sevidencebasedapproachtoreadinginstruction forourstudents

21stCenturyGrantRecipient Wehavekeptourturnoverratetoaminimum. 14ofour16homeroomteachersremainedin place

StrivePartnership

Ourstrivepartnershiphasgrownand continuestoimpactourbuildinginpositive waysforallpartiesinvolved

Celebrating100YearsofGreatness (OriginalBuildingturns100yearsold)

DelawareProbationandParole’s16thAnnualOperationZiPPUpclothingcampaign collectedarecordnumberofcoldweatheritemsforvulnerablearearesidentsthis winter Anall-volunteerprograminitiatedbyProbation&ParoleOfficersandstaff, OperationZiPPUpsolicitscoats,blankets,gloves,hats,socksandotheritemsfor distribution to community organizations that serve residents who face homelessnessandothercriticalneeds Thisyear,the3rdgradestudentsfromEast DoverElementarySchooljoinedtheeffortandtogetherdonatedaheartwarming–and footwarming – 100 pairs of new socks for Code Purple of Kent County The DepartmentofCorrectionextendsasincerethankstothesecaringyoungpeople, totheirPrincipalJenniferChristman,andtotheirteachersJenniferMiller,Davynn Roberts,JulieO'Reilly,andNolanKatz

ThisyearwecontinuedtocelebrateourleadersatourmonthlyLeaderLineUp followedbystudent-ledassembliestorevieweachhabit Thisyearwe implementedschoolwideaccountabilitypartnersonWednesdays Students partnerwithanotherstudenttosharetheirgoalsandleadershipportfolios

Spotlighton Schools

TopAchievements

WilliamHenry MiddleSchool

LeaderinMe

We were recognized with Lighthouse Status through LeaderinMe,aculminationofyearsofrevisionstoour practicestobetterserveourstudents

OneSchoolTwoBooks!

Our focus on literacy this year led us to holding a One School, One Book session- two times! Our students each received their own copy of “The BFG” and “Bud, Not Buddy” we read both books together and for some students this wastheirfirstnovel.

Cl b !

W w p St 3r ot th

DoverMiddleSchools

STARMeritAward

23studentsfromcampusearnedover$2,300 asyoungscholarsparticipatingintheLt.Gov. Hall-Long’sSTARMeritAwardinitiative,writing essaysabouttheimportanceofeducation.

JuryTrialEssayContest

A group of 15 students was recognized for theiressaysubmissionstotheJuryTrialEssay Contest They were recognized by the US MagistrateJudgesofDelawareforJuryDayin Wilmington, DE on May 6th and read their essaystothecourt

DoverHighSchool

SpotlightonSchools

TopAchievements

2023 Recognition School for Serving

Holding our 1st annual Hispanic Cultural Night with eight families showcasing their native country and over 50 families attending Dismissed two students from Special Education

Preliminary data shows that we will surpass our ELA and Math scores from last year to thisyearatbothgradelevels.

As a school, we completed over 15,000

Fairview ElementarySchool

SpotlightonSchools Top3Achievements

Kent County Community School

PROJECTSEARCH

Nine graduates for PROJECT SEARCH It’s our 10thgraduatingclass!

Pre-KStudents

70percentofour4yearoldpre-Kstudentsare beingmovedtoalessrestrictiveenvironment

TeacherTraining

Four paraprofessionals worked while attending teacher prep program and werehiredasteachers.

KCSILC

Attendance

Attendance - Avg attendance - 77% 12thgrade-824%(YTD)

CreditRecovery

250creditsrecovered

KCSILCGraduation

GraduationRate-92%=24of26

Early Childhood

WehavesuccessfullyrolledoutourParentSupportBinderswithallofourfamilies.

EarlyChildhood&ourChildFindteamhavescreened80+communitychildren, with 69% moving forward through the IEP process to get supports for their developmentalgrowth

Wehavehostedfourlargefamilyeventstoprovideopportunitiesforfamilies toengageinacommunity-basedeventthatissensory&familyfriendlyfor young children with developmental delays, as well as opportunities for socialinteractionwithpeers.

SPOTLIGHTONOURSENIORS

Seniors will be attending both in-state and out-of-state schools:

Temple University

Northeastern University

East Stroudsburg University

Harrisburg University of Science and Technology

Salisbury University

Immaculata University

Neumann University

Washington College

University of Delaware

Delaware State University

Thomas Jefferson University

Morgan State University

Lincoln University

Virginia State University

The University of Arizona

Swarthmore College

Delaware Technical Community College

Yale University

Susquehanna University

Albright College

Mount St. Mary University

York College of Pennsylvania

Monroe College

Reese Culver- Bowie State University

Students will be furthering their education and careers by enlisting in a branch of the Armed Services

Students will also be extending the skills learned at Dover High School by enrolling in a trade school.

2023-2024

ATHLETIC&PERFORMINGARTSHIGHLIGHTS

ATHLETICS:

BoysBasketballStateChampions

UnifiedBasketballStateChampions

CheerSquadStateChampions

CheerSquadNationalChampions

GirlsHenlopenConferenceBasketballChampions

BoysHenlopenConferenceBasketballChampions

BoysSoccerTeam-Firststatetournamentappearanceinoveradecade

InauguralseasonforBoys'Volleyball

DorrellLittle-DelawareGatoradeBasketballPlayeroftheYear

JahiDavenport-GirlsBasketballStateCoachoftheYear

MichaelStevenson-DelawareLinemanoftheYear Senior,AshtynTorbert,broketworecordsforgirls'lacrosse Sheendedhercareerwith214career goals,breakingthepreviousrecordof201.Shealsobrokethepointsrecordwith309totalpoints, with the previous record being 276 points. Ashtyn ended her career with 95 assists, just shy of beatingtheassistsrecordof100.

PERFORMINGARTS:

Twostudents,SofiaBallestas,violin/clarinetandGiannaReed,trombonerepresentedDoverHigh School in the 2024 Delaware All-State Orchestra and the 2024 Delaware All-State Band. They wereselectedviaaudition.

19studentsrepresentedDoverHighSchoolinthe2024KentCountyHonorBand.

The Senator Marching Band closed the Marching Band Season in Magic Kingdom by parading down "Main Street" in Orlando, Florida on April 25, 2024 The Concert Band presented an adjudicatedperformanceonApril26,2024inOrlando,Florida,andreceivedan"Excellent"status Fall/Winter/SpringConcert(ConcertChoir/SelectEnsemble/ChamberChoir) DowntownTreeLighting(SelectEnsemble)

HolidayTour(East/BTW/North-SelectEnsemble/JazzBand)

All State Chorus (Mason Burgoyne/Victoria Garthwaite/Thea Paxton/Yanialis Ramos/Izabella Raughley/GiannaReed/KhadijahTrower)

The DHS Marching Band participated in the Dover St Patrick's Day parade and won the "SHAMOCKIN'ScholarsAward" BandstudentCaitlynSolomonreceivedafulltuitionscholarshipforBandatMonroeCollege.

Dr.ViliciaCade,CEO&Superintendent Dr.VictoirCahoon,AssistantSuperintendent