Today marks the end of the first week of Delaware City Schools’ fourth quarter of the 2021-2022 school year, and officials are looking forward to what the rest of the school year has in store.
“Our goal for the fourth quarter is to finish the year strong while preparing students for the transition to the next grade level,” Superintendent Heidi Kegley said. “The fourth quarter always seems to be the busiest time of any school year. Many of our students will engage in state assessments, end of course exams, AP tests and more. Of course, we have a final push to ensure each of our seniors stay on track to graduate.”
Assistant Superintendent Craig Heath added the end of the year also allows students who are about to move to a new building get familiar with their new surroundings.
“It is also an exciting time for our students who are transitioning schools,” he said. “Our fifth grade students will visit Dempsey Middle School to meet the staff and learn about middle school expectations. Our eighth grade students are getting exposed to high school course options as well as the activities available to them at Hayes. To cap it off, we get the pleasure of meeting our incoming kindergarten and new preschool students as they register for next school year.”
Heath said he also looks forward to the fourth quarter because it allows students to spend more time outside.
“One of the best parts about teaching in the spring is taking advantage of the weather and utilizing our outdoor spaces for educational activities,” he said. “Our teachers do a great job of getting students outdoors for a variety of activities to support the classroom learning. It’s amazing to see the many creative lessons for math, science, language arts, etc. that can be supplemented with a little adventure around the school.”
Kegley said the rest of the school year will be filled with events and celebrations that students and families can look forward to, especially after many events were altered or cancelled the last two years.
“We are very excited to have many of our typical end-of-year celebrations being planned,” Kegley said. “Each of our schools will be planning experiences, including class trips, field days, and other culminating activities. Of course, we look forward to celebrating with the class of 2022 at graduation and through their special award ceremonies.”
Kegley added that May will be special this year as the district celebrates National Teacher Appreciation week from May 2-6.
“In a year when our staff have done so much to support our students and families, we are particularly excited to celebrate all staff during National Teacher Appreciation week,” she said. “The district will be recognizing our retirees and staff members who are celebrating milestone years in education at a special staff event.”
Kegley said the ongoing construction projects within the district will continue this quarter ahead of their completion before next school year.
“Our community will see that the construction projects at Woodward and Conger are really taking shape,” she said. “The additional classroom space and playgrounds at those schools will offer excellent opportunities for our students and staff for next school year.”
