Cedar Lane Elementary Earns National Blue Ribbon Designation!
The U.S. Department of Education announced this week that Cedar Lane Elementary School has been named one of Delaware's 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools!
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized 356 schools as the 2024 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools – just two schools – including our very own Cedar Lane Elementary – received the award in Delaware this year.
This prestigious recognition highlights schools that excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups. Cedar Lane was recognized as one of the "Exemplary High Performing Schools." National Blue Ribbon Schools utilize effective teaching methods and offer robust professional development for their staff. Data-driven instruction is a hallmark, and there is a concerted effort to ensure every student succeeds. Collaboration among families, communities, and educators is a key component of their success.
Please join us in congratulating Cedar Lane Elementary! We'll have much more to share in the weeks ahead!
Huge thank you to our families for celebrating the first days of school with us!
Again this year our families submitted hundreds of first-day-of-school pictures for us to post on our district social media pages! We loved seeing how excited our students were to return to the classroom and for the beginning of the new school year!
LLRMS’s Sarah Leonard is a PLTW teacher of the year!
Louis L. Redding Middle School’s own Sarah Leonard has been named Project Lead the Way National Gateway Teacher of the Year! On PLTW’s website, Leonard is described as:
Sarah Leonard, an accomplished educator since 2011, has dedicated her career to fostering an inclusive and innovative learning environment within the Appoquinimink School District in Middletown, Delaware. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Salisbury University and a master’s degree in Learning and Technology, Leonard is certified in Middle Level Science, Middle Level Mathematics, and Special Education (K-12). Her career began as a middle school special education teacher in Mathematics and Science, and she currently teaches Project Lead the Way courses at Louis L. Redding Middle School, where her passion for teaching has flourished. Sarah is actively involved in her school as the advisor for the National Junior Honor Society, Technology Student Association, and STEM Connect Club, and contributes to the Safety Team and Equity Committee. She is also a mentor for new teachers and a member of several professional organizations, including the NEA and CSTA. Her exceptional contributions to education have earned her accolades such as the 2023 Delaware STEM Educator of the Year and the 2024 Delaware VFW Teacher of the Year.
BHE’s Tina Finch is our district’s Educational Support Professional of the Year!
Tina Finch, Bunker Hill Elementary School’s attendance and registration secretary, was recognized at our September School Board meeting as our district's Educational Support Professional of the Year (ESPOY)! Finch will represent our district in the state-level ESPOY program. Each year, the program recognizes outstanding service by school employees who provide direct or indirect services to students and their families. Nominations are open to school staff, such as paraprofessionals, custodians, secretaries or clerks, child nutritional staff, information technology staff, and transportation staff. Pictured, from left, are Dominic Banks, director of talent acquisition and strategic staffing; Amy Jones, principal of BHE; Finch; Richard Forsten, Esp., Appoquinimink Board of Education president; and Dr. Matt Burrows, superintendent of Appoquinimink School District.
Jennifer Fox selected as a finalist for educator award!
Jennifer Fox was recently selected as a 2024 Outstanding Middle Level Educator Award finalist! This award is delivered by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Fox was previously a teacher at Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School and is now in her first year at Middletown High School.
Appoquinimink School District Named 2024 Community Choice Awards – Best Public School
Appoquinimink School District was recently named the Best Public School as part of the 2024 First State Favorites. Also known as "The Community Choice Awards" we are honored to be named the best public school in the "North" category!
We asked, you answered! Our district’s new hashtag is #appoproud!
We’re thrilled to announce #appoproud will be joining our hashtag lineup (alongside #apposhines and #appotogether). There was a clear winner in the race for our new hashtag — #appoproud captured 78% of the vote on Facebook and 60% on Instagram. We wanted to thank everyone who voted, and we have one more request: show us how you are #appoproud! Send us a picture or video showing how you’re proud to be a part of our district. Maybe it’s a picture of you with a project you completed, or you with a favorite teacher, or you and your teammates! You can submit your photos or videos to communications@appo.k12.de.us.
Be sure you have the blue app on your phone!
The Appoquinimink School District offers a mobile app to help parents stay on top of what matters most. When the app was originally launched, it was identifiable as a green tile with our apple logo. However, we now have an updated version that appears as a blue app on your phone. While the old app version is not available for download on the App Store or in Google Play, some of our families may still have the green version downloaded. We want to ensure our families have the most up-to-date version, so please be sure to check and make sure you are using the blue app!
On the latest version of our app, you’ll find access to homework and grades, staff email directories, the calendar of events, breaking news, high school sports, menus, an absence notification feature, confidential bullying reports, maps and directions, and more. Users control the settings so they receive information from only those schools they attend. It’s a quick and efficient way to stay connected while you're on the go.
Our district's HBCU College Fair is October 2
Attention MOT community, families, and students in Grades 8-12! We’re thrilled to invite you to the Appoquinimink School District HBCU Fair! Mark your calendars for an incredible opportunity to connect with representatives from some of the nation’s most prestigious historically Black colleges and universities. Our HBCU College Fair and Resources is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 2 at Middletown High School.
Join us to explore educational paths, ask questions, and gather valuable information from:
- Spelman College
- Howard University
- Morgan State University
- Jackson State University
- Fisk University
Appoquinimink spotlights HBCUs
Our district has been holding a series of HBCU Resource Summit meetings in September leading up to our HBCU Resources and College Fair, happening on Wednesday, October 2! These meetings provide high school students with the opportunity to learn more about the historical significance of HBCUs and the opportunities available to them if they choose to attend one of these prestigious institutions. These pictures were taken at the first HBCU Resource Summit meeting, which was held at Middletown High School and featured Ashley S. Christopher as the keynote speaker. Christopher is a lawyer and the founder of HBCU Week.
Mark your calendars! ASD's College Fair is October 17!
Join us for the annual 2024 ASD College Fair at Appoquinimink High School on Thursday, October 17 beginning at 6 p.m. Students and families in grades 8 – 12 are invited to attend. There will be more than 70 colleges and universities in attendance along with the Department of Labor, trade schools, military recruiters, and more! There are plenty of post-secondary opportunities for all students. Stay tuned for a list of colleges and universities that will be in attendance.
Portrait of a Graduate
Our district is committed to the success of our graduates. We’ve created the Profile of a Graduate to ensure all students who learn in Appoquinimink School District have the knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed for the future. The Profile of a Graduate was created in collaboration with our students, staff, families, local community, and other stakeholders. This cumulative effort helped create the final profile.
We’ll be sharing more about the Profile of a Graduate in the months ahead - but we wanted to first make sure our families saw the completed work. The graphic above showcases the six components of a Profile of a Graduate. Within each component, there are individual tenants to showcase what that means in action.
Here are the six components:
- Academically Ready
- Life Ready
- Future-Focused
- Workplace Ready
- Civic-Minded
- Financially Savvy
In the coming months, we’ll look at each component individually to share more about the methodology and impact.
Join us at our three High School Preview Nights!
High School Preview Night offers an opportunity for eighth-grade families to meet our high school leaders, explore the array of courses, activities, and services available, tour popular classes (where you’ll see demonstrations), hear what a typical day is like, and participate in a lively question and answer session!
LEARN ABOUT:
- College-prep, Honors, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment Courses
- Career-related pathways your student can explore
- Our award-winning clubs, sports, and student-run businesses
- The culture and traditions that define our schools
All of our High School Preview Nights will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.
JOIN US: State of the District Community Information Night
Following our April 23 Referendum, our district has committed to connecting with our community to share regular updates about ongoing initiatives, our financial outlook, and upcoming projects.
We hope you’ll join us on Monday, October 14, at Alfred G. Waters Middle School beginning at 6:30 p.m. for our inaugural State of the District meeting.
We’ll begin with a presentation on our current district outlook and then allow time for questions and answers.
As part of this meeting, we will make sure to outline the impact of the referendum and the change in tax structure as a result.
We hope to see you there!
Appoquinimink marching bands wow at Sounds of Champions
Odessa High School hosted its Sounds of Champions event on September 21 where area marching bands showed off their skills and competed for prizes! As the event was hosted by OHS’s marching band, they performed in exhibition and were not eligible to place within their group. The band did receive a score, which is listed below. Congratulations to all the bands for a job well done! If you missed this event, there’s another marching band showcase and competition coming up soon on Saturday, October 5 at Appoquinimink High School. More information to come!
Group 1 - Open
- 71.70 - Lake Forest
Group 1 - A
- 75.80 - Perryville
- 75.56 – Elkton
Group 1 - Festival
- Concord – Silver
Group 2 - Open
- 81.10 - Cab Calloway
Group 2 - A
- 79.18 - North East
- 78.51 - Rising Sun
- 78.23 - Middletown (9)
Group 2 - Festival
- Salesianum School – Bronze
Group 3 - Open
- 82.30 - Appoquinimink
- 81.30 - Caesar Rodney
- E. 82.20 – Odessa
Group 3 - Festival
- Indian River - Silver
Mark your calendar for our upcoming fall plays
Our theatre students are busy preparing for their first shows of the school year! More information will be posted closer to the shows on our district page and each school’s page, but for now, mark your calendars for the upcoming fall play dates:
- Girls in the Boat: October 25 and 26 at Odessa High School
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: November 8-10 at Middletown High School
- 12 Angry Jurors: November 14-16 at Appoquinimink High School
Be on the lookout for more information like where to purchase tickets, show times, and show dates when ASL interpreters will be available. Thank you for your support of students!
JROTC students hold ceremony to commemorate September 11
On Wednesday, September 11, our district was joined by local first responders and dignitaries to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This ceremony, hosted by JROTC students from our three high schools, helps ensure new generations will never forget the event of that day.
The event also saw the raising of the Freedom Flag. In May 2022, Senator Stephanie Hansen and Representative Kevin Hensley introduced SB 278 to encourage the statewide adoption of a 9/11 Remembrance Flag. The Act encourages all government buildings and facilities to display the 9/11 Remembrance Flag on September 11th of each year. The 9/11 Remembrance Flag is permitted to be flown beneath, and not in place of, the American Flag. This Act also encourages schools to offer instruction on the events of that day. While the flags of Delaware and the USA are recognizable to most, the Freedom Flag raised in Appoquinimink Schools is still relatively new here in the First State.
DE Law Enforcement Thank You Ride makes a stop at Townsend campus
Connecting with their core value "We value our families and community,” Townsend Early Childhood Center and Townsend Elementary School students showed their support as the DE Law Enforcement Thank You Ride stopped at the Townsend campus. The annual two-day bike ride and charity event aims to bring awareness and gratitude first responders and law enforcement individuals.
ASD Students Make History in First-Ever MOT Little League World Series Appearance
The summer of 2024 was anything but ordinary for a group of young athletes from Appoquinimink School District. Rather than spending their days by the pool or lounging in front of screens, these students were swinging for the fences, diving for grounders, and running the bases. Their hard work and dedication paid off in the biggest way imaginable: the MOT Little League Senior Softball All-Stars and Intermediate Baseball All-Stars made history becoming the first teams from MOT Little League to qualify for the Little League World Series.
The two teams, composed of young athletes from various schools across the district, fought their way through a series of tournaments to earn their place among the best in the world. The Senior Softball All-Stars earned their spot by winning the District 1 Championship, the Delaware State Championship and the East Region Championship. The Intermediate Baseball All-Star team won the District 1 Championship and the East Region tournament to punch their ticket.
While neither team took home a championship trophy, they marked a thrilling chapter in local sports history. Facing the toughest competition in the world, they brought their best to every game, capturing the true spirit of Little League.
The road to the World Series has been paved with hard work and perseverance. “These kids have put in countless hours of practice, even during the sweltering summer heat,” said Manager Joe Ponden, “Their determination, teamwork, and love for the game have brought them this far, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
“This team has brought us all together,” said parent Jake Andrews, whose child played in the baseball series. “Watching them play with so much heart has been truly inspiring. They didn’t just make it to the World Series; they made history.”
“It was the experience of a lifetime,” said Ally Taylor, one of the softball players. “We played our hearts out, and even though we didn’t win, we know we gave it everything we had. It’s been the best summer of my life.”
In addition to the MOT Senior Softball All-Stars and the MOT Intermediate Baseball All-Stars, several other MOT Little League teams had successful All-Star seasons. The 8-10 Baseball All-Stars, the Major Baseball All-Stars and the Major Softball All-Stars captured the Delaware State Championship.
Congratulations to the All-Stars for a summer to remember — your school community is so proud of you!
Members of the teams who are students of Appoquinimink School District are listed below:
Senior Softball: East Region Champions
- Ally Taylor, Odessa High School
- Bridget Archer, Appoquinimink High School
- Juliana Garofalo, Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Kamryn Tuffy, Middletown High School
- Mackenzie Landry, Appoquinimink High School
- Madison Washburn, Appoquinimink High School
- Mia Orr, Appoquinimink High School
- Myranda Talmadge, Appoquinimink High School
- Saniyah Norman, Odessa High School
Intermediate Baseball: East Region Champions
- AJ Nichols -Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Charlie Koch -Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Cole Clark - Meredith Middle School
- Dylan Andrews - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Kai Johnson - Louis Redding Middle School
- Kevin Koerner - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Mason Guth - Alfred G. Waters Middle School
- Miles Clark - Meredith Middle School
- Aiden Markowitz - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
Major Baseball: Delaware State Champions
- Brant Abbott - Alfred G. Waters Middle School
- Evan Anderson - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Jonah Coker - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Kyle Bailey - Meredith Middle School
- Nicholas Eide - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Trevor Abbott - Alfred G. Waters Middle School
Major Softball: Delaware State Champions
- Ashleigh Johnson - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Avery Olsen -Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Emma Williams - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Gianna Gambino - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Grace Overby - Alfred G. Waters Middle School
- Reagan Hansel - Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School
- Aubrey Lloyd - Alfred G. Waters Middle School
8-10 Baseball: Delaware State Champions
- Gage Harrison - Cedar Lane Elementary
- Liam Roop - Old State Elementary
- Lochlyn Jones - Townsend Elementary
- Miles Boggus - Old State Elementary
- Noah McFarland - Crystal Run Elementary
- Tyler Andrews - Old State Elementary
Appoquinimink High School students present at Delaware Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
Appoquinimink High School world language students presented at the Delaware Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (DECTFL) Fall Conference on September 10, 2024! The conference brings together over 200 world language teachers across Delaware annually.
Ankolik Das (Grade 11), Felipe Martinez (Grade 12), Kara Jessop (Grade 12), and Elisha Liu (Grade 10) accompanied their teacher Kathryn Rump to speak about language proficiency in and out of the classroom as well as share their insights on competing at the DECTFL Showcase. The showcase is a competition between language students participating in individual and team events. The four students competed last year, with Felipe and Kara on the winning team for Intermediate Storytelling and Ankolik as part of the winning Intermediate Escape Room.
At the DECTFL conference, the room was packed, and creative discussion was fostered among all participants. One Session attendee said, "I LOVED hearing from students and their experiences! I would like to learn more about the showcase events and how to replicate/model these events in the classroom to aid in proficiency development."
Appo arts educators recognized at conference
At the Delaware State Arts Conference, held September 10, two of our district’s art teachers were recognized with M.U.S.E awards, also known as art educator of the year awards. M.U.S.E awards are given to recognize “Masterful, Unique, Strong Educators” in the visual arts.
Brianna Shetzler, art teacher at Odessa High School, was presented with the Secondary Division 2025 Delaware M.U.S.E Award. Shanna Weiss, art teacher at Silver Lake Elementary, was presented with the overall 2025 Delaware M.U.S.E Award, also known as the Delaware Art Teacher of the Year
Additionally, three of our district’s arts educators presented sessions at the conference, showing that Appoquinimink arts teachers are thriving, both as educators and as leaders in their field. Those teachers were: Cary Ioli, an art teacher at Olive B. Loss Elementary School; John Gordon, an orchestra teacher at Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School and Odessa High School; and Brianna Shetzler, an art teacher at Odessa High School.
Lastly, Liz Long, art teacher at Cantwell’s Bridge Middle School is the current president of the Delaware Art Education Association. She has worked tirelessly to provide support to art educators around the state, and works to ensure that our visual art teachers receive professional development at the State Arts Conference that is both inspiring and relevant.
Middle school students visit University of Delaware for Construction Expo
Students from our district’s middle schools traveled to the Bob Carpenter Center at the University of Delaware, on September 25, for the Governor’s Construction Expo. They participated in demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences with flooring, painting, HVAC, plumbing, masonry, transportation, logistics, drones, and much so much more! Kudos to our students for being phenomenal representatives of our district!
Join us on October 12: Community of Wellness Fair from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Join us at Appoquinimink High School on Saturday, October 12 for an afternoon of information, fun, and games for students and families of all ages! We’re coming together to celebrate wellness and connect as a community. Activities are free and open to everyone!
Please note the new location this year of Appoquinimink High School, 1080 Bunker Hill Road, Middletown.
There will be:
- Free resources
- Free food
- Bounce houses
- Vendors
- Music and entertainment
- Gaming truck
- Face painting
- Free giveaways
The implementation specialists at our Restorative Community Schools host the annual Community of Wellness Fair in collaboration with the Middletown Police Department and our school district. Our Restorative Community School leads are Mr. Thornton at Louis L. Redding Middle School, Mrs. Alston at Silver Lake Elementary School, and Mr. Burrowes at Everett Meredith Middle School.
2024 Delaware School Bus Roadeo is October 12!
It’s time to find out who is the top school bus driver in Delaware! On Saturday, October 12, the Fairview Campus is playing host to the Delaware Department of Education’s annual School Bus Roadeo where bus drivers from across the First State will compete in a variety of challenges — from parallel parking a bus to navigating a course to executing an emergency exit. The competition begins at 11 a.m. There is an inclement weather date of October 19.
Upcoming Events/Meeting Reminder
- National Principals Month
- National Physical Therapy Month
- 2 October - National Custodian Day
- 2 October - HBCU College Fair - 6:00 PM at MHS
- 4 October - MHS Band Day - 7:00 PM in the Cavalier Stadium
- 5 October - TOB Invitational Competition - 2:00 PM at AHS
- 6 October - National Coach Day
- 8 October - School Board meeting, 7 PM at the Marion E. Proffitt Training Center, 118 S. Sixth St, Odessa. Tune in virtually by CLICKING HERE
- 10 October - HBCU Resource Summit Meeting - 9:00 AM at MHS
- 11 October - No school PreK-12 - Staff PL Day/ Paraprofessional PD
- 11 October - OHS Fall Dance - time TBD at OHS
- 11 October - MHS Homecoming Football Game - 7:30 PM at Cavalier Stadium
- 12 October - MHS Homecoming Dance - 7:00 PM at MHS
- 14 October - No school PreK-12 - Staff PL Day
- 15 October - AHS NHS Fall Induction Ceremony - 7:00 PM at AHS
- 16 October - PSAT Grade 10-11; Grade 12 Asynchronous Day
- 16 October - Boss's Day
- 17 October - Appoquinimink School District College Fair - 6-8 PM at AHS
- 19 October - TOB Region IX Championships - 3:00 PM at Caesar Rodney High School
- 23 October - MHS Coffee House - 6:30 PM at MHS
- 24 October - Marching Band State Championship - time TBD at Lake Forest High School
- 25 October - AHS Homecoming Football Game - 7:00 PM at AHS
- 25-26 October - OHS Fall Play - 7:00 PM at OHS
- 26 October - AHS Homecoming Dance - 7:00 PM at AHS
- 30 October - A capella, Chamber, & Gospel Choir Concert - 7:00 PM at St. Pauls UMC
- 1 November - End of Marking Period 1
- 4 November - No school PreK-12 - Staff grading day
- 5 November - School/offices closed - Election Day