As the school year comes to a close, this is a critical moment for reflection and intentional planning. Across the state, leaders have engaged in meaningful work to strengthen feedback, deepen instructional practice, and support educator growth. This work reflects our shared commitment to Building Block 3: Great Teaching and Learning within the Delaware Department of Education’s 2025-2028 Strategic Plan—grounded in high-quality instruction and ongoing professional learning.
The shift to summer preparation and setting priorities is a key part of this work. It is during this time that leaders align professional learning, refine instructional focus, and plan for consistent implementation in the year ahead. This issue highlights key updates, upcoming learning opportunities, and the work underway to continue strengthening our systems in service of great teaching and learning.
Educator Excellence Spotlight: From Practice to Impact Across Delaware Classrooms
This Month’s Focus: From Reflection to Implementation
Leader Action Hub: Planning for Consistent Implementation
Professional Opportunities: Summer Learning
Resource Spotlight: Tools to Support High-Quality Teaching and Learning
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This month’s spotlighted leaders exemplify the shift from reflection to implementation. Through collaboration, modeling, and targeted support, they ensure that professional learning translates into consistent instructional practice. Their work strengthens alignment across classrooms and schools, resulting in more coherent, high-quality teaching and learning experiences for students.
Ellen Uszenski, Reading Specialist at Lewes Elementary School, supports teacher growth through lesson modeling, co-planning, co-teaching, and actionable feedback that strengthens planning and instruction (nominated by Kim Corbidge, Principal, Lewes Elementary School).
Gina Baumgartner, high school librarian at Lake Forest High School, strengthens teaching and learning by designing aligned, engaging experiences, collaborating across teams, and building educator capacity to ensure equitable and sustained impact for all students (nominated by Danyel Burgett, Instructional Technology, Lake Forest School District).
Denise Warshany of Cab Callaway School of the Arts builds instructional coherence and educator capacity through strong PLCs, aligned curriculum, and a focus on data-driven, high-quality instruction (nominated by Larisa Israilova, ELA/MLL Instructor).
Know an educator doing great work? Nominate them to be spotlighted in a future issue by completing this nomination form.
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Pictured from left to right: Ellen Uszenski, Cape Henlopen School District; Gina Baumgartner, Lake Forest School District; Denise Warshany, Red Clay Consolidated School District.
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From Reflection to Implementation |
As the year closes, the focus shifts from reflection to implementation. Leaders use what has been learned—through observations, feedback, and professional growth—to set clear instructional priorities and ensure consistent practice across classrooms.
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For example, after reviewing professional growth goals, a leader may notice a pattern in teachers selecting Indicator 3.2: Questioning and Discussion, particularly around strengthening Level 3 practice where student talk drives discussion and structures support engagement for all students.
- The real question becomes: Are students doing the thinking and talking, or is the teacher doing most of the cognitive work?
- Structured collaborative approaches, such as collaborative pairs, are high-impact strategies (effect size of 0.92), making this a powerful focus for planning forward. Leaders can align professional learning, coaching, and modeling across content areas to increase student talk and cognitive engagement.
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Similarly, a leader may identify a trend in Indicator 2.2: Learning Experiences, specifically around strengthening Level 3 practice where students summarize and synthesize their learning. While many classrooms include a closing activity (Level 2), the shift to Level 3 requires students to actively make meaning of their learning.
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The real question becomes: Are students simply completing a closing task, or are they synthesizing and making sense of their learning?
- Summarizing is a high-impact strategy (effect size of 1.00), making this a powerful focus for planning forward. Leaders can align support to ensure learning experiences intentionally include opportunities for students to synthesize their thinking across content.
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3 Moves Leaders Can Take Now
Analyze patterns across data sources
Review trends across Professional Growth Goals, DTGSS indicators, and feedback to identify consistent areas of strength and need.
Select one high-leverage instructional focus
Prioritize a specific area (e.g., 3.2 Questioning and Discussion or 2.2 Learning Experiences) to ensure clarity and consistency across classrooms.
Align supports for implementation
Plan professional learning, coaching, learning walks, and feedback cycles that directly support the identified focus.
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Reflection for Planning:
What patterns are emerging across classrooms and schools?
Where is there a gap between current practice and Level 3 expectations?
How will professional learning and feedback support consistent implementation of this focus?
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Take it Further:
Review trends across DTGSS indicators using your school’s Indicators with Tagged Evidence/Claims Report. Access the indicator directions.
Examine the quality of claims, evidence, impacts, and action steps to inform feedback and support using the School Observation Report. Access observation report directions.
For support in running your school data report, contact Angela Socorso.
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Summer Professional Learning Opportunities |
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Summer Spark
Strengthen your ability to analyze teaching, align feedback, and lead instructional improvement through the Delaware Teacher Growth and Support System (DTGSS). Each session builds practical skills to immediately apply. All sessions run 9:00–10:30 a.m. and count toward DTGSS recertification. Register for PDMS course #42563. For more information, visit the Summer Spark flyer.
Summer DTGSS Professional Learning for Teachers - June 23
Teachers are invited to join an upcoming virtual session designed to support reflect on practice, strengthen instruction, and support professional growth. Participants will earn 2 clock hours.
Attend Session 1: 9:00–11:00 AM or Session 2: 1:00–3:00 PM
Registration in PDMS #44477. For more information, visit the Teacher Professional Learning DTGSS Session
Summer DTGSS Professional Learning for Administrators - June 24
Building and district administrators are invited to join an upcoming virtual session designed to strengthen observation and feedback cycles, with opportunities for calibration, networking, and DTGSS framework clarification.
Attend Session 1: 9:00–11:00 AM or Session 2: 1:00–3:00 PM
Registration in PDMS #44478. For more information, visit the Administrator Professional Learning DTGSS Session
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These resources support the shift from task completion to student thinking—ensuring learning experiences reflect Level 3 practice.
Edutopia: Research-based practices for helping students synthesize learning. Collaborative Learning
3-2-1 Strategy (Facing History & Ourselves): Simple structure for summarizing and reflecting on learning. 3-2-1 Teaching Strategy
Summarizing & Note-Taking (ASCD / Marzano): Research-based practices for helping students synthesize learning.
The Art and Science of Teaching / Summarizing to Comprehend
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We are working to ensure the Learning Leader Digest continues to be relevant, practical, and aligned to your needs as a leader.
This brief survey (1–2 minutes) will help shape future topics, tools, and supports.
Access the survey.
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