Dover, Del.–August 17, 2005Delaware’s Department of Education (DOE) has announced a unique partnership with Delaware State University, the University of Delaware,Wilmington College and local school districts in piloting a unique educator program called the “Aspiring School Leaders’ Internship Program.”This program is one piece of DOE’s major goals for the State Action for Education Leadership Project (SAELP)which requests an effort to develop a diverse and highly qualified pool of school leaders to fill administrative positionsin local school districts.

A task force whose members included superintendents, personnel directors, principals, and representatives from Delaware’s three universitiesthat offer education leadership programs was convened to develop the internship program.The task force worked with SAELP project director Dr. Jacquelyn O. Wilson and project consultant Dr. Joseph F. Murphyfrom Vanderbilt University to develop the pilot. This is the first time in Delaware history that all three institutions have collaboratedto provide services to school districts in the training and preparation of school leaders.

Wilmington College and the University of Delaware now offer school leadership programs that result in licensure and certificationfor individuals who seek employment as assistant principals, principals, directors, supervisors, administrative assistants,assistant superintendents, and superintendents. Delaware State University is in the process of finalizing plansto offer both masters and doctorate programs for school leaders. As a result of a review of their programs in the spring of 2003,both Wilmington College and the University of Delaware have either revised or are currently revising their masters and doctorate programsso the programs include the administrator standards adopted by the State.

This summer, five Wilmington College students and five University of Delaware students were selected and assigned to a mentoring principalin a Delaware School District. Each principal provided school-based and district experiences for the intern who completed 120 hoursof experience in the school and maintained a reflective journal throughout the experience.Dr. John Gray, Program Coordinator for the Education Leadership Program at Wilmington College and Dr. Dennis Loftus,Director of the Delaware Academy for School leadership at the University of Delaware worked as supervisors for the internsduring their 120 hours of leadership experience. The advisory committee for DOE’s Aspiring School Leaders’ Internship Programwill meet in September to discuss the pilot and make recommendations for future internship programs.

Interns participating in the pilot are: Molly Chorman (WC) placed with Dave Sechler at Fifer Middle in the Caesar Rodney School District;Mildred Batiste-Weldon (WC) and Patricia Barnthouse (WC) placed with Todd Harvey in the Christina School District;Damon Daniels (WC) placed with Judy Curtis in the Brandywine School District; John Buttil (UD) placed with Rolando Toccafondiin the Christina School District; Shane Rifenburg (UD) placed with Debbie Panchisin in the Appoquinimink School District;Nicholas Baker (UD) placed with Jeff Menzer in the Colonial School District; Daniel Smith (UD) placed with John Jingeleskiin the Smyrna School District; and Michelle Hawley (UD) placed with Amy Levitz and Carol Chambliss in the Christina School District.