Delcastle Technical High School
Preparing Students To Be Career & Post Secondary Ready
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Welcome Back Staff Edition
Back to School Principal Letter
Dear Delcastle Families,
Today is a great day to be a Cougar! On behalf of the Delcastle administrative team, I want to officially welcome all of you to the 2019-2020 school year! This has been a busy summer. We are excited about some of the new school improvements that we have received over the summer such as new flooring in the math classrooms, resurfaced track, and building safety enhancements. However, we are most excited to receive board approval for updating the AC unit this coming October. Besides some of the building upgrades we have also experienced a few district and building staff changes. The majority of our changes are in response to promotions and funds from an opportunity grant to add additional positions. You will have a chance to see the names and positions of the new staff members later on in this newsletter.
As you know, we are celebrating our 50th anniversary this year. For the past 50 years, we have been building the state, and now the global, workforce. As start on the next 50 years of educating students it is imperative that we take it to the Next Level! I am looking forward to partnering with you to ensure that our students achieve at a very high level. So, this year’s theme will be “Taking it to the Next Level". We are committed to our student’s success. With a collaborative effort from Team Delcastle, parents/guardians, the school community, and business partnerships our students will be able to take it to the Next Level and achieve their post-secondary aspirations.
This newsletter will provide you with some of our summer highlights, important information, and various changes. Again, welcome to back and here’s to a fabulous school year.
What are you going to do the first day of school to take it to the Next Level?
Guidance Staff and Opening Calendar
Opening Calendar:
August
19 – Teacher Leader Mtg. C100 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
20, 21, 22 – Professional Development Days
21 – New Student Orientation, 6:30 p.m.
22 - Senior Class Meeting & Chromebook Distribution
23 – No School/Offices CLOSED
26 – First Day of School Freshman & Seniors
27 – First Day of School Sophomores & Juniors
28 – All Students Attend School
30 – No School/ Offices Open
September
2 – No School/Offices CLOSED
19 – Parent Night, 6:30 p.m.
Welcome New Assistant Principal
This past summer Dr. Vasta retired after faithfully serving our district and staff as a science specialist, administrative intern and assistant principal. We would like to thank Dr. Vasta for her many years of service.
Now, I would like to introduce and welcome Kevin Thomas to the Delcastle administrative team. Mr. Thomas has a long connection with vocational education which began when he attended and then graduated from Delcastle in 1982. After graduating from Delcastle, he completed an apprenticeship in both the sheet metal and HVAC trades. In 2001, he was hired to teach the sheet metal program at Delcastle. In 2008, he became the cooperative employment (co-op) coordinator. In addition to working at Delcastle during the day, Mr. Thomas taught post-secondary students enrolled in an apprenticeship program and the past eleven years he has served as the night school principal for the adult education programs.
Mr. Thomas holds a Skilled and Technical Sciences (STS) certification and has a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational and Vocational Education. In the spring of 2008, he earned a Master’s Degree from Wilmington University in Career and Technical Education with an emphasis in school leadership. In addition, he currently holds a CTE teaching license and a Principal / Assistant Principal Certification.
Mr. Thomas has been involved in career and technical education for most of his life, first as a student and graduate from Delcastle Technical High School, instructor, and now administrator. Additionally, both his daughter and son, Heather and Matthew, are Delcastle graduates. Please join me in celebrating Mr. Thomas and his new role.
Welcome New Staff
Summer Hires
Lauren Cressman – Intensive LSC
Lakeysha Harmon – ELA Teacher
Christopher Laws, Jr. – STEP
Sara Lister- Nurse Tech Teacher
Janelle Mitchell – DFTA Teacher
Kenneth Solem – Psychologist
Belinda Talley – Spanish Teacher
TBD – (2) Spanish Teachers
Returning from Temp Positions:
Kyle Bressler – Digital Media
Kathleen Pakkebier – Physical Science
Anthony Tiberi, Jr. - Social Studies
District ESL
Tina Guerrero
William Paulino
On August 21st our staff will engage in a Poverty Simulation through a collaborative partnership with the United Way of Delaware. Poverty is a reality for many individuals and families. But unless you’ve experienced poverty, it’s difficult to truly understand. The Community Action Poverty Simulations (CAPS) bridges that gap from misconception to understanding. CAPS is an interactive immersion experience. It sensitizes participants to the realities of poverty. It is not a game. It is based on real peoples’ lives.
The poverty simulation helps groups up to 80 people understand the everyday realities faced by people who live in financial hardship. Participants assume the roles of members of low-income families, from single parents trying to care for their children to senior citizens trying to maintain their independence on Social Security. Each family member must seek assistance from a variety of human services and other organizations to provide for their family’s basic needs during the course of a four, 15-minute “weeks.” The intended result is an increased understanding of the challenges faced every day by people struggling to make ends meet. This tool is made possible by CAPS and is a copyrighted tool made available by the Missouri Association for Community Action to organizations that want to promote a greater understanding of poverty.
A. Strategic Alignment - Who
This empathetic experience is designed to provide employees of Delcastle Technical High School with a greater connection to communities and individuals it serves, and exposure to a diverse population of cross-sector constituents (stakeholders, elected officials, community). This poverty simulation also provides opportunities to connect Delcastle employees to advocacy, volunteerism and giving (year-round) to help address the needs of individuals and families in Delaware, and especially those residing in promise (high need) communities. The vision of the district New Castle County Vo-Tech School District is “to deliver world-class Career and Technical programs combined with rigorous academic curricula to equip students with the 21st century skills that will best serve the State of Delaware, and the global community.”
At United Way of Delaware, our overarching goal and strategic initiative is to improve the quality of life in Delaware and to “disrupt poverty” by heightening the sensitivity through exposure to the plight of hurting people bringing this empathetic experience to life. Until individuals are made aware of what people face, they may never realize what others are going through and in what ways they can help or make a difference.
National Competitions
Over the summer, 31 students represented Delcastle as part of Team Delaware at the National SkillsUSA Leadership Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. There, our students competed against nearly 6,000 students from around the country. All of the students did an outstanding job representing Delcastle and the great state of Delaware. Congratulations to each of the students who participated and their career area instructors. I am most proud to report that 13 students were top 10 national finalists with one student winning third place for National SkillsUSA 2019!!! The top ten students are listed below:
o Niderah Goldsborough (Silver Medal) - Automotive Refinishing Technology
o Luca Teoli (4) - Employment Application Process
o Tania Malave, Malik Hardin, Tamye Wilson (5) - Promotional Bulletin Board
o Julia Valcarcel (5) – Sheet Metal
o Shane Montgomery, Benjamin Geiser, Bjorn Cummins (7) – Welding Fabrication
o Baron Smith, O’Shea Smith (8) – Community Action Project
o Maxwell Calvert (8) – Aviation Maintenance Technology
o Savion Hollis (10) – Welding Sculpture
Technology Assistance
Del Tech's Annual Drafting Contest
· Congratulations to 10th grader Jayson Guzman-Castillo for being awarded first place in the 26th drafting contest sponsored by Del Tech Stanton. One hundred and thirty students competed from eight different high schools. Jayson received a one year full scholarship, Solid Software, Bentley Software, Drafting and Design textbook, and $50.00 Wawa gift card. Also, Kudos to Mr. Baeriswyl for preparing him.
2019 Graduate Makes the Team
Ignite the Night
· We would like to thank all of those who participated in Delcastle's 50th "Ignite The Night" 5K. There were over 140 people registered to run. In addition to running, food trucks, bouncy houses, cotton candy and more were made available. This event would not have been a success without the help of so many staff and student volunteers. Also, kudos to Mrs. Anderson and Mr. Hollis for coordinating this wonderful event!
Supervisory Chart
Delcastle School App
Delcastle has a school app that enables parents, students, alumni, faculty, and staff to quickly access all of the who, what, when, and where for Delcastle Technical High School. The Delcastle Technical High School app by SchoolInfoApp is free and can be found in the Apple App Store℠ and Google Play by searching for “Delcastle Technical High School.” With it, you can:
• Opt-in to receive push notifications
• Keep up with the latest news and information
• View calendars for general events, athletics, clubs, and school organizations
• Add events & calendars to your device calendar or share calendars
• View a map of event locations & get directions to off-campus events
• Find faculty and staff contact info
• Get important documents & other media
• Access quick links to school menus, online
• Have a virtual assignment book for students and more
Please download the Delcastle Technical High School App today and stay in the loop!
Join the Delcastle PTA today!
The Parents and Teachers
of
Delcastle Technical High School
Welcomes you to the 2019-2020 School Year
and invites you to join
The Delcastle PTA!!
Meetings will be held the First Tuesday of the Month, beginning September 3, 2019
For more information you may contact:
Elaine Davis
Membership Chair, Delcastle PTA – 302.239.9462 – wendellandelaine@aol.com
Gail Webb
President, Delcastle PTA – 302.998.0886 – shupegs@comcast.net
Warren Howell
Parent and Community Engagement Coordinator - 302.995.8106 - warren.howell@nccvt.k12.de.us
PTA®
Every child. One voice®