Parent asks Seaford board to review gifted program and late absence notifications

Jennifer Gaswaters, a parent of two Seaford School District students, told the board on Feb. 17 she received a text at 10:50 a.m. on Feb. 11 saying her middle‑school child was absent despite being expected on the bus. She asked the district to clarify its policy on timely notification of student absences and to explain why the message arrived almost three hours into the school day.

Gaswaters also questioned the structure and sufficiency of the district’s gifted-and-talented program. “The current program only includes one 45‑minute pull‑out session each week,” she said, and asked whether that model meets Delaware Department of Education guidance and best practices for differentiated services. She told the board that, after speaking with teachers and comparing other districts, she believes students in Seaford may not be receiving adequate daily differentiation in core subjects where they excel.

Board members acknowledged the concerns and President Kimberly Hopkins asked staff to follow up with Gaswaters directly. Hopkins said staff would gather relevant policy language and data and report back to the parent and to the board. The district did not provide immediate written policy text or student‑level data at the meeting; board members requested that staff outline the district’s process for parents to request program reviews or reevaluation of services.

The parent’s requests included: (1) the district’s formal absence‑notification timeline and communication methods; (2) documentation showing how the gifted program’s services are calibrated to students’ demonstrated needs; (3) evidence of academic growth for students enrolled in gifted services; and (4) the district’s process for parents to request a program review. The board committed to follow up but made no formal motion or vote on program changes at the meeting.