The Delaware City Schools Board of Education heard a presentation from Woodward Elementary during its meeting Monday and approved the purchase of new propane school buses.
Woodward Principal Ryan Malany gave a brief presentation to the board about the elementary school. He said the three themes at the school this year are connections, forward and purpose.
“In all that we do, if we’re a preschool educational assistant or a fifth-grade math teacher and everything in between, we want to work on those three things,” Malany said.
Malany added the school has 660 students, which is up 58 students from last year. He said the preschool program recently earned a five-star rating.
Malany also noted the school has expanded its English Learner program, which assists students whose primary or home language isn’t English, and the school is also focused on promoting students’ social and emotional care.
He said that four out of five students who receive disciplinary reports at Woodward are males, and he added that on March 18 from 7:40 to 8:45 a.m., the school will have an “Hour to Empower.” Malany said he is inviting men from the community to greet Woodward students as they arrive at school.
“We are going to celebrate them arriving for the first day of their fourth quarter with as many males from the community that we can put together,” Malany said. “We’re just going to share a simple message; we believe in you. We are excited that all of our students will be taking on this fourth quarter and empower them to go forward.”
Woodward Elementary was also represented at Monday’s board meeting by students and staff members from three clubs at the school: the Girls on the Run, a running group for female students aimed at promoting health and fitness; the Maker’s Club, which teaches students how to make items with materials and their bare hands; and the LMC Makerspace, a group of activities in the library that allow students to “think differently, be creative and have fun.”
The students spoke to the board and then gave them demonstrations of the things they do in the club.
Additionally, the board approved the purchase of five 77-passenger, propane-powered school buses. Director of Facilities and Transportation Jason Sherman told the board that three of the buses will replace older buses, and the other two will be additions to the fleet. Sherman said the propane buses cost about $5,000 more than their diesel counterparts but start easier in the cold weather and have cheaper fuel and maintenance costs. Sherman said the savings will pay for the buses in a few years.
Sherman added the nitrous oxide emissions of five to 10 propane buses is equal to a single diesel bus.
Board President Jayna McDaniel-Browning praised the decision and information Sherman prepared about the buses.
The board also approved the resignations of Jessica Braun, a teacher at Smith Elementary School; Melissa Hoffman, a teacher at Carlisle; Jan Anible, a Hayes High School Educational Assistant; Jane Butler, a library media specialist assistant at Conger Elementary; Cindy Butts, a bus driver; and Walter Golden, a bus driver.
The board then approved the employment of Cassidy Brown, a School-Aged-Child-Care program assistant; Christine Moore, a cook/cashier at Smith; and David Swisher, a bus driver.
The board also accepted the resignation of Dawna Tompkins as an educational assistant at Smith but rehired her as an intervention specialist at Smith.
The next board meeting will be held at 6 p.m on March 18 in the board room at the Willis Education Center.
