Rehoboth Elementary opens to visitors
Rehoboth Elementary Principal Amanda Archambault had only four words to describe Cape Henlopen School District’s newest elementary school.
“Every day is fantastic!” she beamed during the Sept. 9 ribbon cutting and tour, which welcomed school officials, state and local leaders, past and present board members, Rehoboth High alumni and the public.
Cape district voters approved construction of the new school by nearly a 3-1 to margin in a March 2016 referendum that included construction of H.O. Brittingham Elementary, which opened in September 2018, and renovations to Milton and Shields elementaries.
Construction began in March 2018 for Rehoboth Elementary, where about 500 students are enrolled in a building with space for 720 students from kindergarten to fifth grade, said Cape Director of Capital Projects Brian Bassett.
Bassett has overseen construction of new elementary schools at Love Creek, HOB and Rehoboth, affectionately dubbed “the triplets.”
“It never gets old to see the joy and excitement on kids’ faces when they see their new school,” Bassett said. “This is a fun and safe school, with all kids now under one roof.”
The little Rehoboth Elementary building was demolished in September; a school bus lot will be installed in its place. Asbestos removal for the original Rehoboth High School building is underway, with demolition to follow in October.
Bassett said it was challenging to build the new school on the same site while school is in session and over two busy summers in Rehoboth Beach.
“It truly is a miracle we were able to pull this off,” he said, particularly so because construction had to work around a herd of foxes, weather and other issues. “The school is unique to the history and all of what makes Rehoboth Beach special.”
Cape school board President Alison Myers thanked everyone involved in getting the school opened on time.
“It is a blessing to live in a community that values education like ours does,” she said.
Cape Superintendent Bob Fulton said the Rehoboth High School alumni group helped the district since planning for the new school began.
“They helped us pass the referendum and find ways to keep the old high school alive with artifacts we’re adding to the history room, and are still adding every day,” he said, as an alumna stepped forward to donate a Rehoboth Seahawks sweatshirt.
Fulton thanked past and present school board members for their vision in seeing the project through.
“They are a group of dedicated volunteers who spend so much time working with me and my team for the betterment of our district,” Fulton said.
