Elyse Baerga to serve as new Fred Thomas Middle principal
The Cape Henlopen School District announced June 6 that it has selected Elyse Baerga to serve as the new Frederick D. Thomas Middle School principal starting this summer.
Baerga brings 25 years of experience in education, since starting her career at Roberto Clemente Middle School in Philadelphia in 2000.
Since 2018, she has served as director of student services for the Woodbridge School District, where she oversaw special education and 504 compliance, student enrollment and school counselors. Prior to that, she spent seven years as a principal in the Smyrna School District.
She is a bilingual Spanish/English speaker and has dedicated much of her time to giving back to the community through work with La Colectiva, the Boys & Girls Club, the Police Athletic League and Special Olympics Delaware, both as a coach and volunteer. She was nominated as this year’s Special Education Director of the Year.
Baerga takes over for Dave Frederick, who served as the school’s first principal. Frederick was recently named the Cape district’s first athletic administrator.
Ellen McIntyre is a reporter covering education and all things Dewey Beach. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State - Schreyer Honors College in May 2024, then completed an internship writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In 2023, she covered the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand as a freelancer for the Associated Press and saw her work published by outlets including The Washington Post and Fox Sports. Her variety of reporting experience covers crime and courts, investigations, politics and the arts. As a Hockessin, Delaware native, Ellen is happy to be back in her home state, though she enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures. She also loves live music, reading, hiking and spending time in nature.
