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Henderson Lobbies Lawmakers to Reauthorize ESEA
By Bryan Shupe
Dr. Sylvia Henderson, Director of Student Support
for the Milford School District, recently
joined elementary and middle-level educators
and leaders from across the country in the nation’s
capital during the National Association of
Elementary School Principals’ National Leaders
Conference to advocate for fair policies that
strengthen schools.
Dr. Henderson took the critical needs of Milford
and Delaware schools directly to lawmakers
on Capitol Hill during meetings with legislators.
Several states across the nation have accepted the
Department of Education’s waivers from provisions
of No Child Left Behind but, Sylvia and her
colleagues stressed that Congress must complete
the long-overdue reauthorization of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act.
During the three-day trip Sylvia met with the
Delaware delegation which includes United States
Senators Carper and Coons and United States
Representative Carney. While there Dr. Henderson
discussed with legislators what cuts to education
funding would mean to teachers and their
classrooms.
“It is strictly for the children and our future,”
commented Dr. Henderson. “If we do not advocate
for them it will directly affect the classroom.
Cuts to funding will be seen firsthand by kids and
teachers.”
According to Henderson, teachers and administrators
will be forced to find ways to teach their
children with less resources if federal funding cuts
are allowed. Her trip to Washington helped Sylvia
inform the Delaware delegation of what is happening
in education in the first state at the grassroots
level.
“Carper, Coons and Carney are one hundred
percent supportive and understand our initiatives,”
stated Dr. Henderson. “They are well informed
of the many positive things we are doing.”
In 2011, Dr. Sylvia Henderson was chosen as
Delaware’s 2011 National Distinguished Principal
of the Year by The Delaware Association of
School Administrators (DASA). Dr. Henderson
has been with the Milford School District for a
total of thirteen years, seven of those years as principal
of Lulu Ross Elementary School. Also in
2011 Sylvia was promoted to Director of Student
Support of the Milford School District and was
most recently honored as the interim Superintendent
in 2012 after Sharon Kanter left the Superintendent
position.
Sylvia Henderson, with US Sen. Tom Carper
and other DASA officials.