April 2026

The Delaware Department of Education’s 2025–2028 Strategic Plan outlines a clear and unified vision for Delaware: Every learner ready for success in college, career, and life. Grounded in the promise to start with students and build for impact, the plan establishes key building blocks that serve as a roadmap for strengthening teaching, learning, and student outcomes across our state.

This month, the focus turns to Building Block 3: Great Teaching and Learning—a priority centered on strengthening instructional quality and improving student outcomes. This work comes to life through instructional leadership. As the year draws to a close, leaders must determine the extent to which identified growth areas and action steps have resulted in sustained changes in instructional practice and measurable impact on student learning.

Educator Excellence Spotlight: From Practice to Impact Across Delaware Classrooms

This Month’s Focus: Building Block 3 – Great Teaching and Learning

Leader Action Hub: From Feedback to Follow-Through

Professional Opportunities: Strengthening Instruction Through DTGSS

Resource Spotlight: Tools to Support High-Quality Teaching and Learning

This month, we celebrate four educators whose work reflects the priorities of Great Teaching and Learning by ensuring that intentional instructional practices lead to meaningful student outcomes.

Sue Reichle, Kindergarten Teacher at North Star Elementary School, creates hands-on science experiences that translate into active student engagement and early scientific thinking (nominated by Karin Jakubowski, Assistant Principal, Marbrook Elementary School).

Eunique Lawrence, serving in Teaching and Learning for Wilmington Schools within the Christina School District, builds systems that translate professional learning into strengthened practice and improved outcomes across schools (nominated by Aaron Selekman, Elementary Director).

At McVey Elementary School, Paul Sedacca designs authentic, real-world learning experiences—such as a wetlands preservation project that engages students in interviews, letter-writing, and visits to Legislative Hall, culminating in recognition from Governor Meyer—reflecting a sustained commitment to civic responsibility and student voice (nominated by Karen Gray, Special Education Coordinator).

Erin Bobby of Sussex Academy ensures that rigorous instruction and structured support lead to students developing strong voice, critical thinking, and clear postsecondary pathways (nominated by Sherry L. MacBury, Chief of Student Services, K–12).

Know an educator doing great work? Nominate them to be spotlighted in a future issue by completing this nomination form. 

Building Block 3 prioritizes:

This means leaders are not only identifying effective instruction but determining whether feedback has translated into consistent changes in instructional practice over time.

This month’s focus:
Checking for changes in instructional practice based on identified growth areas and action steps—and determining their impact on student learning.

DTGSS directly supports Building Block 3: Great Teaching and Learning by focusing leaders on the instructional practices that drive student outcomes. 

Through structured observation and feedback, leaders analyze how learning experiences are designed (Performance Area 2) and how instruction is delivered (Performance Area 3), ensuring that feedback is grounded in high-leverage practices.

For example:

If feedback focused on checks for understanding (2.3), leaders should now observe whether teachers are using strategies such as real-time questioning, student responses, or formative tasks to adjust instruction during the lesson.

If feedback targeted questioning and discussion (3.2), leaders should look for evidence that students are engaging in extended thinking, responding to one another, and building on ideas rather than providing brief, surface-level answers.

If feedback addressed learning experiences (2.2), leaders should determine whether tasks require students to think critically, apply concepts, and engage in meaningful work aligned to the objective.

At this point in the year, the focus shifts from identifying areas for growth to determining the extent to which those action steps are evident in current instructional practice and influencing student learning.

Determining Growth Over Time

Shifting the Lens: From Individual Lessons to Patterns of Practice

At this point in the year, instructional leadership requires a shift from analyzing individual lessons to examining patterns of practice over time. Leaders should consider how identified growth areas have developed across multiple observations and the extent to which those shifts are now evident in daily instruction.

This work aligns directly to Building Block 3: Great Teaching and Learning, which emphasizes strengthening instructional quality and improving student outcomes. Leaders should look across evidence to determine whether changes in instructional practice are increasing student access to meaningful learning experiences, strengthening engagement, and supporting progress toward intended learning goals.

The key question is no longer: “What happened in this lesson?” but “What has changed in practice over time, and how is it impacting student learning?”

 Leader Action Hub

Leader Moves (Quick Actions)

Revisit the teacher’s primary growth area
Identify the intended shift in instructional practice

Look across evidence over time
Review multiple observations, feedback, and artifacts

Identify changes in instructional moves
Determine what the teacher is doing differently and how consistently

Analyze impact on student learning
Look for evidence of student thinking, engagement, and understanding

Look-Fors in Practice

As you review instruction across time, look for:

Take it Further:

Access the Leader One-Pager: From Feedback to Follow-Through

Leadership Lift 2025: Sharpening observation and feedback
Principals, strengthen your observation and feedback practice with our new 30-minute quick learning series designed specifically for administrators! These virtual sessions build your skills step-by-step, culminating in a personalized Leader Action Plan to drive teacher growth For more information, view the flyer.

DTGSS sessions for teachers by teachers 
The Delaware Department of Education is offering virtual DTGSS sessions (4:30–5:30 PM) to support educators in strengthening their instructional practices and understanding of the DTGSS process. Each month features a focused theme, with special sessions dedicated to Early Childhood and Special Populations. Participants will earn clock hours toward re-licensure. For more information, view the flyer: DTGSS sessions for teachers by teachers.

DTGSS office hours – Monthly support for observation and feedback
School and district staff are invited to join DTGSS Office Hours, held the third Wednesday of each month from 9:00–10:00 AM, beginning August 20, 2025, through May 20, 2026. These informal, one-on-one support sessions offer space to analyze evidence, refine debrief questions, ask questions about DSC, and strengthen your use of the DTGSS framework. Whether you’re looking to think through feedback or clarify next steps, we’re here to help. Drop in as needed.  Let’s strengthen your DTGSS practice—one thoughtful conversation at a time. We’re here to support you! Join Zoom Meeting here. Contact Angela Socorso.

These resources support Building Block 3 by strengthening instructional practice, the use of data, and the impact of teaching on student outcomes.

Edutopia: 5 Ways to Elevate the Effective Teaching Happening in Your School

Research for Better Teaching: 5 Ways to Make Feedback Better

Research for Better Teaching: Insights from the Field: Building a Solid Learning Foundation for Both Teachers and Students