New assistant principal welcomed at H.O.B.

Right after the Cape board approved her hire, Yvette Davenport was greeted with emails and calls from board members and fellow administrators.

“Everyone has been so nice and welcoming,” she said.

As the new assistant principal of H.O. Brittingham Elementary, Davenport takes over for Patti Seabolt, who retired in December 2018 after 30 years with the district and eight years as HOB assistant principal.

Davenport said she was lucky to start her new role during Seabolt’s last few days, and she says she is still being supported by the retired administrator. “She’s been awesome,” Davenport said. “I’ve called and texted her several times with questions, or she’ll send an email about something she wanted to mention.”

Davenport joins the district from Booker T. Washington Elementary School in Dover, where she has been literary coach since 2004. Davenport said Capital School District does not have assistant principals, so she was tasked with many responsibilities typically handled by administration.

“I focused on academic instruction, particularly relating to English Language Arts, and was the school test coordinator,” said Davenport, who noted she loves working with Principal Ned Gladfelter. “I am so excited to have such an enthusiastic role model and mentor,” she said. “You can tell he loves his job, and I can feed off his energy.”

At HOB, Davenport said, she will first learn the school’s American Reading Company framework and how to use data to help teachers guide instruction before turning to master the school’s new math curriculum.

The Dover native and Dover High grad received her bachelor’s degree in primary education and her master’s degree in educational leadership from Delaware State University. She and husband Jahi, a behavioral ILC paraprofessional and girls’ basketball coach at Dover High, have three children: Carissa, 20; Kamryan, 12; and Jayden, 11.