Behavioral-health nonprofit gets education contract

Delaware Tech launches high school nursing path

With most of spring break out of the way, it’s time to get back to work.

Delaware students focused on health care know as much, preparing now for a national leadership conference. And Delaware Technical Community College is focused on the same industry, particularly nursing a new career pathway for allied health students, starting in a local high school.

Additionally, as educators continue to battle behavior and mental wellness challenges post-pandemic, one nonprofit provider of behavioral health care announced late last month it was awarded a contract with Delaware schools. It looks to offer education counseling supports.

There’s more where that came from. In this weekly roundup, we’ll catch you up on these and other education updates you may have missed.

New behavioral-health provider hopes to be at Delaware educators’ fingertips

One of the nation’s large nonprofit providers in behavioral health care announced late last month it was awarded a contract with Delaware’s Department of Education. Now, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health said it’s set to provide education counseling services across 19 school districts, 23 charter schools and early childhood/adult education programs.

The outfit is looking to grow its network in the First State, serve schools and get the word out to educators.

“Let’s sit down and have a conversation. We do offer a comprehensive array of services, but they may not be everything that your district needs,” said Jackie Auris, VP of educational services with Devereux. “So it’s really just asking for the most precious gift they could give us — which is time.”

Auris said service areas seeing the most growth nationally have been school-based mental health specialists, alongside support with school anxiety and refusal, as some nearly 6,500 employees work in programs across the country. Delaware has been no stranger to struggles with student mental wellness, as well as behavior challenges.

According to a press release from the organization, services can range from:

● School support consulting: Often focuses on creating and improving programs for students with academic, social-emotional or behavioral challenges.

● Parent, student and community consulting services/resources: Materials, activities, strategies and trainings to promote social-emotional development.

● Professional development -person, virtual or hybrid support)

● Research and data analytics

● Curriculum consulting

“The number one, most important thing that school systems can do is to build a culture within a school system that has the ability to serve the most diverse group of students needs,” Auris said. “Creating universal supports in a school system that are really informed by trauma-informed care.”

Educators were encouraged to reach out to Auris and the team via email — Jacalyn.Auris@devereux.org and schoolbasedservices@devereux.org — for more information or questions.

New Castle County leader honored with Delaware education award

New Castle County Councilman Jea P. Street was just honored with the John H. Taylor, Jr. Education Leadership Award, as announced by the state chamber of commerce last week — for “his commitment, leadership, guidance and contributions to the education system in Delaware.”

A product of Wilmington High School, the University of Delaware and much more, Street was honored as having dedicated his career to striving for educational equity and community development.

“Jea Street is an icon among Delaware’s education, community and government leaders, and his north star has been to provide equal access to safe and high-quality education opportunities for students who were disadvantaged,” said Rick Deadwyler, a regional director at Corteva Agriscience.

Out of all Street’s leadership positions, his achievements, his awards — it has been helping children in his own community that has meant the most to him, writes Delaware State Chamber of Commerce in its announcement.

“All of them didn’t listen. All of them didn’t go the right way. But I love them, and they love me,” Street said in a statement. His work will be honored on April 16, at the Navigating Delaware Pathways: An Education Workforce Development Summit.

Aspiring Delaware health care workers headed to nationals

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With state awards already in hand, several aspiring health care workers are headed to represent the First State in a national leadership conference this summer.

Late last month, more than 1,000 middle and high school students participated in the 13th annual HOSA State

Leadership Conference at Wilmington University. Members who earned a medallion, per DDOE press release, qualified for the International Leadership Conference in Houston, Texas, this June.

Delaware HOSA is a “Career and Technical Student Organization,” according to DDOE, dedicated to students interested in health care careers. Membership reaches around 1,300.

Delaware Tech launches nursing pathway program at William Penn High

Delaware Technical Community College was charged with meeting community needs through programs that address “secondary education, job readiness and workforce development,” as it earned a Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award.

Now, a portion of that funding will look to bolster a pipeline of allied health and nursing students.

That’s through a new patient-care technician and nursing pathway program at William Penn High School, DelTech announced at a launch this week. A pilot program will provide up to 15 William Penn High School sophomores the opportunity to earn 12 college credits before they receive their high school diploma, the college explained in a press release.

Upon successful completion and graduation, students will be prepared to enter competitive academic programs in health care. They can also earn workforce credentials, allowing for jobs in the industry as they finish degrees.

Georgetown Middle School gets a new greenhouse thanks to some help

According to a district spokesperson: “Georgetown Middle School would like to thank Contractors For A Cause and Morning Star Construction for their time, knowledge and willingness to assemble a greenhouse for Ms. Kristina Lowe’s agricultural science course.”

In late October 2023, teacher George Schwendtner contacted Nick Kypreos hoping for help building something. Quickly, Kypreos connected the middle school educator with Ted Stephens of Morning Star Construction, who heard him out on erecting a new greenhouse.

Then, the Morning Star team was able to get it completed within three months — sometimes using their personal time on the weekend to continue the build when weather permitted, the district said.

Now, with final panels installed late last month, it looks like the greenhouse will be functional by the end of the school year. Lowe and Schwendtner told their district they couldn’t be more thankful for all the help.

Got a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for Delaware Online/ The News Journal and USA TODAY Network Northeast, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on X @kpowers01.