Delco educators named to Superintendents Academy

A statewide academy focused on poverty in school districts has recruited two Delaware County educators as participants.

Southeast Delco School District Superintendent Stephen Butz and Delaware County Intermediate Unit Executive Director Maria Edelberg are among the 33 members of the Superintendent Academy created by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The academy invites superintendents and charter school leaders from around the state to take part in the twoyear professional development endeavor that will pool together ideas on how to improve educational environments that are affected by poor socioeconomic conditions.

The program started on Nov. 8 to introduce the ideas that will be explored throughout the program.

The department announced the latest slate of academy participants in a press release outlining the academy’s goals.

“Poverty creates conditions for learning that all school leaders must be cognizant of,” said state Education Secretary Pedro Rivera in a prepared statement. “In additional to ensuring students receive quality instruction, they often must respond to ancillary needs like access to food and nutrition programs, mental health resources and other support services.

“The Superintendent’s Academy offers an intensive professional development opportunity focused on improving achievement of all students regardless of need, demographics and socioeconomic standing, while also establishing a professional learning community for exchanging best practices and ideas.”

According to the state, superintendents and charter school leaders will meet in regional cohorts and online communities for the next two years. Two, twoday colloquiums will be hosted in Harrisburg as well.

The first academy cohort finished in May and the second cohort will complete the program in Oct. 2019. Butz and Edelberg’s class is expected to finish in April 2020.