Relay Launches Mid-Atlantic Campuses
Relay Graduate School of Education (Relay) today announced that it will open two campuses in the Mid-Atlantic region to prepare more great teachers for the area’s high-needs public schools: a Delaware campus and a Philadelphia & Camden campus.
At the invitation of the Delaware Department of Education, Relay will provide high-quality training programs for district and charter school teachers serving students across the state. In its first year, Relay expects to enroll a cohort of approximately 30 novice and early career teachers in its master’s and alternate certification program.
“Teachers – especially new teachers – need access to rigorous training programs that build their skills and support their ongoing development,” says Pete Leida, Director of Schools at Colonial School District. “At Colonial School District, we are excited to welcome Relay to Delaware to support comprehensive efforts underway to ensure that all students in our state graduate high school college- and career-ready.”
Relay’s work in Delaware will build upon its success training local principals through its National Principals Academy Fellowship (NPAF). To date, 12 local principals have participated in the year-long fellowship program focused on instructional leadership.
Relay will also open a new campus to develop and support current and aspiring teachers in Philadelphia and Camden. At this site, Relay will offer certification programs for new teachers and teaching residents, in partnership with local public schools serving high-needs students. In the upcoming school year, the institution plans to serve about 40 teachers and apprentice teachers in the area, while also continuing to serve cohorts of 15-20 local principals through its National Principals Academy Fellowship program (NPAF).
Beginning this summer, 12 principals from the School District of Philadelphia will enroll in Relay’s national principal training program. Locally, Relay will host targeted professional development workshops for novice teachers at the School District of Philadelphia. Naomi Wyatt, Chief Talent Officer at the School District of Philadelphia, remarked: “All teachers and principals need access to high-quality programs that advance their practice. We’re eager to partner with Relay to provide new professional development opportunities for our educators.”
In total, Relay will operate eight campuses across the country in the 2015-16 school year, up from five campuses in the 2015-16 school year. In addition to the two Mid-Atlantic campuses described above, Relay is establishing a new site in Memphis, Tennessee. By expanding to these three new sites, Relay will train and support more great teachers in some of the highest-need regions of the country. To learn more, visit the Relay Delaware campus page and the Relay Philadelphia & Camden campus page.
About Relay Graduate School of Education
The Relay Graduate School of Education is a national, accredited, nonprofit institution of higher education whose mission is to teach teachers and school leaders to develop in all students the academic skills and strength of character needed to succeed in college and life. Now operating in eight sites across the country, Relay is excited to bring about transformational change in teacher preparation, becoming the place where a new generation of continuously-improving, results-focused individuals can fulfill their destiny in the world’s greatest profession. For more information, please visit the Relay website (www.relay.edu) or follow Relay on Twitter (@RelayGSE).
