As members of the board of directors of the Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation, we urge you to vote to approve the school expansion project Tuesday, March 20. Polling locations are Cape Henlopen High School, Mariner Middle School and Rehoboth Elementary School, and polls are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. All Delaware citizens who are 18 years of age or older and reside in the Cape School District are eligible to vote.
Your "Yes" vote will enable the Cape School District to continue to expand its facilities to accommodate the rapid enrollment growth in Cape schools. Since 2001, the student population has increased from 4,150 to 5,451, and population studies show our enrollment will continue to increase over the next 20 years.
Included in this project are additions to Cape High School (20 new classrooms, offices, cafeteria expansion, site improvements) and the construction of a new 600-student middle school on Shields Elementary property and connecting district-owned parcels.
The total cost of this project is $55,578,900, and the State of Delaware - pending approval of the referendum - has agreed to contribute $34,197,700, which is 60 percent of the cost. Importantly, the Cape School District is the only school district in the state to receive an approved major capital request this year. (The state will also cover 100 percent of the cost of four Sussex Consortium classrooms at the high school.)
Those of us who have children in the new Love Creek Elementary School, or who have visited this exceptional facility, understand the incredibly positive impact a new school can have. Love Creek is the first step in an expansion that will include exciting new school construction and renovation in Milton, Lewes and Rehoboth schools. The Cape High renovation and new middle school are a necessary part of this program, given our enrollment growth and current capacity limitations.
The estimated cost for the high school/middle school project for the average household will be $11.55 per year starting July 1, 2019 and an additional $34.65 per year starting July 1, 2022, which includes operating expenses. We view this as an extremely reasonable "investment in excellence" for our children and future community leaders.
All of us who reside in the Cape District - whether parents, retirees, businesspeople or other citizen category - are the beneficiaries of an outstanding Blue Ribbon school system like ours. Cape students of all ages enrich our lives every day; this is a chance to further enrich their educational experience.
Please join us in approving the Cape School District referendum March 20. Thank you!
Jeff Gordon, CHEF president
Dr. Eileen Baker, vice president and CHSD faculty member
Jennifer Glenn, treasurer
Alison Hughes, secretary
Christopher Burkhart, board member and CHSD faculty
Cathy Deighan
Karen Falk
Lisa Kammerer
Janis Lopez
Gail Mack, board member and former CHSD faculty
Catherine Hopkins Miller, board member and CHSD faculty
DeeDee Montgomery
Dana Orton, board member and CHSD faculty
Dr. Roni Posner, CHSD board member
Gavin Radka
Rick Grier-Reynolds
Alyssa Titus
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