By Glenn Rolfe

LAUREL — Recently confirmed U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona arrived at Laurel Elementary School Wednesday to a chorus of second-graders singing the school song.

Following a tour, classroom visits and roundtable discussion with school administration and departmental leaders, he left with several pages of notes after hearing the challenges, setbacks and successes of the Laurel School District during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I know you are doing well here. And to talk to the educators, like the ones I met today in the classrooms who despite their jobs being turned upside down in the last 12 months, they are smiling and giving hope to our students,” said Secretary Cardona.

Laurel, a rural and diverse district of about 2,500 students, has overcome initial hurdles and is now poised to expand in-school hybrid learning model in mid-April.

Counting ESSR 1 (Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief) and ESSER 2 funding through CARES Act legislation and funding in the more recent American Rescue Plan, Laurel has access to just under $14 million.

Laurel School District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Larrimore said the district’s plan is to not spend all the funding spurred by the pandemic.

“We want to make sure we invest this money. Again, we have some glaring deficiencies that are going to come about. They were already here. Now they are just going to be exacerbated by this pandemic,” said Dr. Larrimore.

Since last fall, Laurel’s mission has been to stabilize, strategize and revolutionize.

The district has enlisted upward of 60 stakeholders in planning. Laurel assistant Superintendent Ashley Giska is heading the initiative.

“As funding is coming in the ESSER grants, there has been a big shift and change in mindset that is starting to emerge as we look down the road for the American Rescue Plan funding,” said Mr. Giska.

“We had been so focused in and rightly so on mitigation efforts and just getting the doors open, getting the students in the classrooms, and that is still going to be important throughout our planning for the American Rescue Plan.”

Secretary Cardona’s Laurel visit was his second school stop, following an initial visit in Boston earlier this week.

What stands out in Laurel, Secretary Cardona said, is “they prioritize, and they are thinking long term with the American Rescue Plan to ensure that the digital divide is closed once and for all. I love their thinking. I love their collaboration. There are so many reasons why Laurel is finding success and why they are an exemplar for not only Delaware but across the country.”

Laurel, which opened the 2020-21 year in total remote last fall, experienced a hybrid effort setback in early November due to operational capacity issues, and regrouped over the holiday break.

A phased-in hybrid return began Jan. 12, first with North Laurel Early Learning Academy followed by Laurel Elementary School Jan. 19, Laurel Middle school Jan. 26 and Laurel High School Feb. 2.

“We watched our schools closely,” said Dr. Larrimore. “We also hired whole lot of substitutes at $116 a day. We had saved so much money on substitutes this past year. We had extra money.”

On April 19, Laurel plans to launch its next phase, and projects a modified hybrid initiative will have 80% of students attending the North Laurel Early Learning Center, 75% at Laurel Elementary and Laurel Middle and 65% of Laurel High School students attending in two groups – two days a week, alternating Wednesdays every other week.

“We’ve done our phone calls. We’ve called parents. They know of our plans,” said Dr. Larrimore.

Secretary Cardona saluted Laurel for its community involvement.

“Phase 1 was reset. Phase 2 was recover and Phase 3 was where we are going – reimagining,” he said. “That fourth R – which is such a critical component – is relationships. This is a people business. You have proven that. Clearly, you’re locked in arms – I should say six feet away from each other – putting students at the center of the conversation and putting families at the center of the conversation. That’s why you’re successful.”

“Transportation, IT, teaching, administration … you’re all on same page. It’s probably one of those examples that I wish I can show for the rest of the country to see that it is possible to do it safely and do it effectively.”

Secretary Cardona, who served previously as Connecticut’s education commissioner, was President Joe Biden’s pick for Education Secretary. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate 64-33 on March 1.

“Yes, leading through a pandemic has been the most challenging thing in my life, personally and professionally. But to be in the position we are; we have a president who has put in the resources, has elevated the priority of vaccinating our educators and has provided support for surveillance testing,” Secretary Cardona said.

“What turned into a very difficult year turns into so much hope and humble optimism that we’re going to be better than where we were before. Students are putting so much hope in us, and I’m confident that we can safely reopen schools as quickly as possible,” said Secretary Cardona. “It is important as educators that parents trust us. They look at us that we are communicating out in the community.”

Dr. Larrimore said the Laurel School District is proud and honored to have been selected as a functioning example in the path forward.

“For the secretary who has been on the job all of less than a month, to come up with an initiative called ‘Help Is Here,’ where he is going to roundtable discussions and visit - I don’t know how many he’ll visit - but to be the second on the tour is truly an honor,” Dr. Larrimore said.

“To have the person that has the most impactful influence on education in your school district, taking copious notes while he is listening and making sure that he is going to go back to the Biden/Harris administration and put everything he has heard to work, to be able to say that we’ve been able to have that sit-down with him is truly remarkable. It’s amazing.”