School is marching ever closer — and one company seems to be looking out for where those tiny student feet will land. Carpet & Tile Mart is set to host another free classroom rug giveaway across all of its locations in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
This comes as many school supply drives and community events have been spotted across the state, and many school districts are planning open houses and more to welcome families.
Also, some school districts are sharing plans for a new safety app on student smartphones this year.
Oh, and a Delaware State University rebrand just dropped.
In this roundup, we’ll try to catch you up on some education headlines you may have missed.
[ Did we miss another good story? Tell me about it: kepowers@gannett.com. ]
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Classroom rug giveaway hopes to support teachers
It may remind you of that “Abbott Elementary” episode that ends in new Eagles floor mats — but these teachers won’t need a shady “rug guy” from Ms. Schemmenti for new digs.
Carpet & Tile Mart is set to host another free classroom rug giveaway this weekend. From 8 to 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, all 14 locations will participate in this one-day event. Delaware made the list with three spots.
Airbase Carpet & Tile Marts:
- 230 N. DuPont Highway, New Castle
- 257 N. DuPont Highway, Dover
- 28587 DuPont Blvd, Millsboro
The first 50 teachers in the door can claim their free rug — donated by manufacturers Nourison and Mohawk, at retail values near $200 — with valid identification to confirm teaching status. Organizers also noted no stand-ins or holds will be permitted.
Stores are limited to giving away just 50 rugs, but special discounts will also be available during this promotion, according to an event press release.
“Our goal is to show our appreciation for the dedicated service teachers provide for our children,” said Michael Longwill, company president and third-generation owner.
“With many budget cuts hurting local school systems, teachers often reach into their own pockets and personally sacrifice to furnish their classrooms. We want to recognize in our own small way what the teachers of our community do for our families, especially over the last few years.”
Tests, tests, tests:Statewide results 2023: Comparing top performances across Delaware school districts
Community summit aims to support ‘Our Boys and Men of Color’
Brittany Hazzard is tired of hearing a deficit narrative.
“Whether it’s incarceration, whether it’s school to prison pipeline, whether you’re talking mental health concerns, violent crime, you name it — that normally drowns out the narrative,” said the mental health provider. “If we look at over the past couple of years, even connected with the social justice movement, there has been a lot of loss, a lot of Black males that have been highlighted tragically.”
Hazzard has also watched Black men and kids be labeled as “aggressive,” or in need of anger management, like a defining diagnosis.
“A lot of it really is more so connected to depression and anxiety,” said the host of an upcoming community forum in Dover. “And because of that, we want to educate our community. We want to empower those who support men of color, but also the boys and men of color themselves.”
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A seventh annual “You Matter, We Care” event will focus on promoting education, encouragement and empowerment, while continuing a theme of “Valuing Our Boys and Men of Color.” The event hopes to draw in educators, professionals, nonprofit organizations, families, youth groups and more.
Its expert lineup is set to discuss mental wellness, education, athletics and even keeping healthy relationships, Hazzard said, while offering opportunities for networking.
“I look forward to it every year,” Hazzard said. “We often have young people from the communities share; we highlight champions from our communities — and it’s just important to continue to lift up groups that may be underprivileged or underserved, and that’s our goal.”
The free event will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Aug 19, at Delaware State’s MLK Student Center on campus. Anyone can register online.
Appo unveils transition to new safety app for students, families
Appoquinimink School District is gearing up to share the new app students, staff and community can use for safety. The SAFE DE app, a transition from the STOPit app, will deliver a districtwide system for seeking help or anonymously reporting incidents.
The mobile app has three main features, the district explained, aiming to allow users to access aid with “dignity and privacy.” It should feel relatively familiar to STOPit, with some additions.
- Asking for help — this can be used to anonymously request help from local school contacts, including Messenger, which allows anonymous two-way communication with school contacts and help requesters.
- Crisis text line — this can be accessed directly from the app to text with non-local trained crisis counselors.
- Get resources — this can be used to search community, local, state, and federal resources and helplines.
Appoquinimink will be hosting a kickoff event to showcase how students can use the app at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Middletown High School.
Education roundup:Delaware’s school safety upgrades with new maps, updated safety plan
A Delaware State rebrand just dropped
Still the Hornet Family — but bring it to 2023.
Delaware State University unveiled some logo facelifts last week, updating its academic emblem and the hornet logo for university athletics. Students will head back to campus later this month to a refreshed brand, meant to capture the university’s growth over the last decade.
The university logo is now a simpler “DSU” in dark cyan, below six flag poles at a red base mimicking that of the entrance to the HBCU’s main campus in Dover — often switched among many nations’ flags, as the school’s students and staff have represented more than 20 different countries. It also dons a familiar timestamp: “Founded in 1891.”
The flags represent more than countries, as many of some 600 stakeholders engaged for the rebrand told DSU, also capturing a campus center where students meet.
“It’s what we all remember from our first campus tour visit in middle or high school,” said Josh Holloway, incoming Student Government Association vice president. “Even now, we say, ‘Meet me at the flagpoles!’”
For athletics, the Hornets will now also see an updated, more modern “HORNETS” logo. University mascot Too-Fly isn’t headed anywhere, though, having also been included in the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum’s first HBCU bobblehead series earlier this year.
“With the most diverse intercollegiate athletics program in DSU history, it was time for a more modern, powerful look,” Director of Athletics Alecia Shields-Gadson said in a statement. “This new Hornet athletics logo ushers in a new era for all of Delaware State University’s sports teams.”
Have a story? Kelly Powers covers race, culture and equity for the USA TODAY Network’s Northeast Region and Delaware Online/The News Journal, with a focus on education. Contact her at kepowers@gannett.com or (231) 622-2191, and follow her on Twitter @kpowers01.
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