Curt Weldon taught in the Darby/Colwyn and then William Penn School District for 7 years (1969-1977). Curt’s initial assignment was at the Walnut Street School in Darby where he taught 5th and 6th grades eventually becoming Head Teacher. Frustrated by the family and social problems adversely affecting the children’s ability to learn, Curt approached Principal John Marino to customize a unique curriculum totally focused on environmental education. Curt applied for and received funding for his program ‘Operation ECOL (Environmental Comparison of Localities)’ from the Federally funded Five County Title 3 Program ‘Project KARE (knowledgeable Action to Restore the Environment).
Curt’s program garnered student interest to learn by requiring students to keep detailed notebooks through which all standard curriculum was taught. Extensive field trips to the County Water Supply Networks, Water and Treatment Facilities and ‘hands-on’ testing by the students at various locations along the Darby Creek at inception to its entry into the John Heinz Tinicum Wildlife Refuge. Culmination of the year-long academic program was a four-day outdoor camping trip at the French Creek State Park and College Settlement Farm.
Recognition for Curt’s unique curriculum and educational success caused the Director of Project KARE to offer Curt a one-year position as Environmental Education Specialist for Schools in the Five County Philadelphia Region.
During Curt’s tenure as a local educator, he also served as Deputy Director of the Title 1 (Chapter 1) Program ‘Keys to Learning’ which served educationally and economically deprived students in the Darby/Colwyn and William Penn School District.
During Curt’s tenure as a public-school teacher, Curt developed and Administered the Delaware County Fire Academy as a volunteer. The Fire Academy served as the fire and EMS training facilitator for 80 paid and volunteer fire departments in Delaware County training hundreds of volunteers in the various skills necessary to confront and suppress emergency situations.
During Curt’s tenure in the Congress, he taught academic courses at Widener, Drexel, Eastern and West Chester Universities on Saturdays. At Drexel Curt taught in the Honors Program a course in ‘International Security Issues”.
