H.O. Brittingham groundbreaking ushers in new era

School officials and H.O. Brittingham faculty celebrated the official groundbreaking March 23 of a new elementary.

“H.O. Brittingham has always been at this site and will always be at this site,” said Brian Bassett, director of administrative services for Cape Henlopen School District, during a ceremony at the Milton school.

Cape Henlopen School District residents approved a referendum in 2016 to build or improve four elementaries in the district. The cost of a new HOB is about $27 million. Already, a foundation, electrical, plumbing and sewer lines are in progress for the new HOB. The building is expected to be completed in 2018 and open for operation by the 2018-19 school year.

Superintendent Bob Fulton said 74 percent of district voters approved the elementary construction project, and he thanked everyone for their support.

“That’s everybody in it together,” he said.

The original HOB, built in 1966, will remain standing after students move into the new elementary. Nearby Milton Elementary School students will move into the original building during renovations to Milton Elementary.

Once Milton Elementary renovations are complete, the original HOB building will be torn down, making room for open space.

The new HOB will use the same design as Love Creek Elementary on Route 24, a kindergarten to fifth-grade school housing 720 students which is expected to be complete this summer and open for the 2017-18 school year.