Welcome to Colonial Nation!
The first-ever virtual New Employee Orientation was held Wednesday for 45 new teachers, guidance counselors, psychologists, and one physical therapist and again on Thursday for additional new hires, along with our teachers. While the gathering was a new experience for all, everyone is looking forward to the upcoming new year. Welcome to Colonial Nation!
The Virtual Academy is Ready to Launch
Starting on September 8, when school begins virtually for Colonial students on a staggered schedule, (Click here for the schedule) the CSD Virtual Academy will be ready for an engaging academic school year. An instructional team spent the summer developing a robust online learning plan for students of all ages. Deputy Superintendent Dr. Peter Leida says, “I’m extremely proud of the work accomplished by our instructional teams. When schools were forced to close suddenly last March, we quickly pivoted to offer online instruction but we knew it wasn’t perfect. Now parents and students can look forward to a highly structured, user-friendly remote learning experience that will meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of our students. Our teachers want remote learning to be not only educational but engaging and fun!”
Click here for more information about the CSD Virtual Academy
Register for Kindergarten!
Will your child be 5 years old on or before August 31st? If so, REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN today!
Device Deployment
If your student needs a Chromebook for the upcoming school year, a device deployment has been scheduled for students who need a Chromebook or need to swap out a defective Chromebook. The deployment dates are:
- Thursday, August 27 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
- Thursday, September 3 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
- Two (2) Locations:
- William Penn High School and Gunning Bedford Middle School
- You can pick up a Chromebook at either location
- EVERY Colonial student is entitled to a Chromebook as long as they attend a Colonial school
Why you should pick up and use a Colonial Chromebook
Safe & Secure
Colonial School District monitors our student devices using web-filtering tools to ensure your student’s safety during both remote learning and face-to-face learning!
The Right Tools
WE can install the correct learning tools required on each student device to avoid student frustrations during remote learning and face-to-face learning!
Support Staff
WE have technology staff that can easily troubleshoot Colonial devices when issues or problems occur. Our staff cannot provide support for home or personal devices.
EQUITY for ALL LEARNERS!
Giving every student access to devices will no longer be a barrier for student learning!
Don’t Miss Virtual Open Houses
After spending the summer planning for the return to school, the Colonial School District staff is excited to meet families during Virtual Open Houses. During this time, families will meet the teacher(s) and learn about grade level and behavioral expectations, curriculum, schedules, grading, and educational technology platforms.
- How to attend your virtual open house:
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- Each family will receive an invite within 24 hours of the open house date from their school that will include the time in which to log on to the Zoom session.
- If you do not receive an invite, please contact your school principal at: http://www.colonialschooldistrict.org/back-to-school-2020/bts-2020-dates/
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Virtual Open House dates for each school in the Colonial School District:
- Carrie Downie: September 1, 2020
- Castle Hills: September 1, 2020
- Preschool: October 8, 2020
- Eisenberg: September 1, 2020
- New Castle: August 31 and September 1, 2020
- Pleasantville: September 1, 2020
- Southern: August 31 and September 1, 2020
- Wilbur: August 31 and September 1, 2020
- Wilmington Manor: September 1, 2020
- Gunning Bedford: September 2, 2020
- McCullough: September 2, 2020
- George Read: September 2, 2020
- William Penn: September 3, 2020
- Wallin: September 3, 2020
- Leach: September 2, 2020
Tips for Parents/Guardians of our Remote Learners
- Help your child maintain a regular sleep schedule (especially middle and high schoolers). Wake them up for Zoom meetings, if needed.
- Check in to see whether your child needs a break, snack, or drink.
- Set boundaries, so your child knows when you are available to help, and when they need to work independently,
- Take care of your own well-being (physically, emotionally, mentally).
Stay Connected!
We’ve compiled a list of vendors who are currently providing free or discounted internet connectivity.
- Comcast: https://www.internetessentials.com/apply
- Atlantic BroadBand: Keep families connected plan
- Verizon: Lifeline Discount Plan
- Verizon Wireless: https://www.verizonwireless.com/support/covid-19-faqs/
- AT&T: https://www.att.com/help/covid-19/ – FAQ3
- T-Mobile: https://www.t-mobile.com/support/account/covid-19-updates
Updates for William Penn Students
To get students and families prepared for the upcoming school year, we will have several events in the weeks ahead.
WP Collection of Materials: August 24-26
Any items that students needed to be returned at the end of the 2019-20 school year can be dropped off at William Penn from August 24-26. This includes any item, besides a Colonial Chromebook, that is property of the school. Examples are: class textbooks, novels, math materials, calculators, sports uniforms and equipment, ROTC uniforms, library books, etc.
Please return items you may have during the following dates and times
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Monday, August 24 – 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm
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Tuesday, August 25 – 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
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Wednesday, August 26 – 8:00 am to 11:00 am
WP Open House: Thursday, September 3 – 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
After spending the summer planning for the return to school, the staff at WP are excited to meet families during their Virtual Open House. During this time, families learn more about grade level and behavioral expectations, curriculum, schedules, grading, and educational technology platforms. Details about how to attend will be provided soon.
WP Device and Schedule Pickup: Tuesday, September 1 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
If a student has not received a device or a class schedule online, they can pick up both on September 1 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Schedules will also be available via Home Access Center. Students and parents will need their username and passwords to access. If they do not have their username and password, email their counselor.
WP Pick Up New Materials – SAVE THE DATE
Students will be able to pick up items needed for this semester’s classes — textbooks, novels, math items, etc. More specific information will follow about where students and parents should report in the building to pick up the items.
– Monday, September 14: Seniors from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
– Tuesday, September 15: Juniors from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
– Wednesday, September 16: Sophomores from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
– Thursday, September 17: Freshmen from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
An Update on Athletics
The “new normal” for schools also means a “new normal” for sports at William Penn. Athletic Director Matt Sabol says all schools are waiting for mandates from the DIAA (Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association), along with guidelines from the Department of Education and the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH). That said, Sabol says he’s hoping to see three (3) condensed seasons that would include a two-week pre-season and seven (7) games/competitions.
While firm dates have not been decided for all, here’s what sports could look like this school year:
- Winter Sports: Mid-December – Mid-March
- Swimming, girls and boys basketball, indoor track and possibly wrestling
- DIAA, with consultation from DPH, has yet to make a final decision regarding wrestling.
- Fall Sports: Mid-February – Mid-April
- Football, field hockey, volleyball, boys soccer, and cross country
- At this time, there is not a decision from DIAA, with consultation from DPH, regarding football.
- Spring Sports: Mid-April – Mid-June
- Baseball, softball, tennis, golf, girls soccer, track & field, and lacrosse
For now, athletes are participating in conditioning and skill workouts in small groups and spending as much time practicing outside as possible. “I’m really hoping everybody gets to play. I think that’s the main goal here and why we bought time moving these seasons to later to make a great plan where everybody stays safe, but everybody plays,” Sabol said. Like everyone, Sabol is hoping the pandemic gets under control so traditional seasons can resume. As for fans attending games and other competitions this year he says, “I would really like to see at least parents or some type of family allowed in to watch their kids play. I think that’s important, so I’m going to do everything in my power to do that.”
Athletes and potential athletes should be on the lookout for Zoom meetings for each sport. A schedule for these meetings will be announced next week. Mr. Sabol hopes to meet with each sports team in early September to go over schedules, new regulations, and procedures, and answer any questions about sports for this upcoming year.
What about Middle School sports?
According to DIAA, Middle School sports will play a similar time frame for their sports as the high schools. Once a schedule has been developed, we will be sure to share it with families immediately.
Stay in Touch
Free COVID testing available for the community!
Free Saliva-Based Testing:
Seeds of Greatness Bible Church • August 21 from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Watch the following videos available in English, Spanish, or Haitian Creole to learn how to perform the test. Seeds of Greatness is located at 828 Frenchtown Rd. in New Castle.
- Click here for the English video: de.gov/testing
- Click here for the Spanish video: de.gov/pruebas
- Click here for the Haitian Creole video: de.gov/tes