Background
I teach at William B. Keene Elementary school in the Christina School District. Once the largest district in Delaware, recent closings of some of our city schools has changed that distinction. Christina is spread out between the City of Wilmington, Suburban Newark, and the nearby region of Bear. It is one of only four districts in the United States to serve a non-contiguous area.
Keene Elementary School is located in a region known as “Bear” in New Castle County, Delaware. The school address is technically “Newark, Delaware” but our location is far from the bustling college town of that name. Despite the school’s proximity to some of its feeder neighborhoods, its location between a major highway and a strip of woods means that all students are either bus riders, or car riders, not walkers. This corridor of the highway has a very transient population and many of our students come and go throughout the K-5 grade span of the school.
Our location is next to the Troop Two State Police Barracks, which is a mixed blessing. We have the benefit of quick security response but proximity to the comings and goings of criminals. While the students were off for this year’s Spring Break, a criminal assaulted a Troop Two Officer and escaped, prompting an all-out manhunt that eventually culminated in the escapee being taken down by a police dog just outside of our school building. There were tons of police cars, a helicopter, and eventually a few ambulances on the scene. Administration, office and custodial staff were all on lockdown during the incident. While the students weren’t exposed to the significant trauma inherent in an actual lockdown, swarming law enforcement, sirens, hovering helicopters, and the powerful and dangerous efficiency of a police dog doing its job just outside of their classrooms, most of them living in our surrounding neighborhoods were still at risk. Our students are acutely aware of the gravity of these kinds of situations and are often concerned about their personal safety and that of their loved ones. Additionally, school and other mass shootings are now happening with such frequency that we cannot afford to think we are immune.
Our school is considered a Title 1 school and over 70% of our students receive free or reduced lunch. The majority of our students come from non-traditional households. Many of our families are single parent or even another relative (grandparents, aunt or uncle, older sibling). It is not unusual for a family to have transportation and technology issues. We also have a large population of English Language Learners from a variety of cultures: Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern and the Caribbean. Despite this wide range of differences, Keene is a close-knit family.
I am dual certified, so I have Special Education students assigned to my room. These students’ IEPs range from Speech Therapy only, to Occupational Therapy, Learning Disabilities, Autism, and Severe Oppositional Disorders. There are also children with 504 Plans for Attention Deficit Disorder. I do have a full time Special Education teacher who comes in every other day and a para professional that comes in on the interim days. We find ways to motivate and engage these students by providing as many hands-on opportunities as possible.
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