Indian River School District

Half a decade ago, the Delmarva Broadcasting Company and statewide organizations got together to help reduce a horrific epidemic throughout the area and nation. Teenage deaths were on the rise, due to inexperience and poor decisions made when it came to driving.

Sussex Central High School is setting the standard for a school art department — not only in the region, but throughout the state. Advancements in the program over the past several years have benefitted students, recognizing their hard work and unsurpassed talent.

The referendum that included three proposals requesting financial support in the Indian River District was rejected by voters within the area on Thursday. Officials looked to district residents in an effort to generate funds for operating expenses, teacher salaries and implementation of full-day kindergarten.

Parents and teachers publicly confronted the Indian River Board of Education for the first time since the arrest of former Sussex Central principal Dana Goodman on rape charges earlier this month. A special meeting on Monday gave the public a chance to be heard on issues of safety, restoring school spirit and moving on, and they voiced their message, loud and clear.

The Indian River High School Marine Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Drill Team recently won first place at the Sussex County Drill Championships, held at Cape Henlopen High School on April 19. Maj. Frank Ryman, senior Marine instructor at the school, likened it to winning the Cape Henlopen Conference in the school’s more traditional sports.

Kathy Brown, a math teacher retired from the Indian River School District, has found a way to make art and math meld into more than a hobby. She does house portraits, in watercolor and in a pen-and-ink technique. Brown estimates that she has done about 15 to 20 portraits each year for almost 30 years, and she has the good fortune of all her art being commissioned.

The Indian River School Board will be filling three seats today, Tuesday, May 13, in Districts 4 and 5. Voting will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Photos from the May 12-13 storm are shown in slideshow format below, with newer photos toward the end. All photos are copyright © Coastal Point, LLC, and may not be used without express permission of the Coastal Point.

The Delaware State Police and Department of Transportation reopened Route 1 between Dewey Beach and Fred Hudson Road/Road 360 north of Bethany Beach and the Indian River Inlet Bridge late Tuesday afternoon, following a detailed inspection of the inlet and surrounding roadways. Remaining closed Tuesday, due to high water, were: Fred Hudson Road in the area of Route 1 and Old Mill Road in Millville, as well as several other roads in the Lewes, Slaughter Beach and Oak Orchard areas.

The three incumbents running for re-election in Districts 4 and 5 in the Indian River School District were the winners in voting on Tuesday, May 12. Donald Hattier, currently representing District 4, garnered 423 votes, topping challengers Chris White and Harold Walters, who tallied 226 and 162 votes, respectively.

The recent arrest of Sussex Central High School Principal Dana I. Goodman has sent shockwaves through teachers, parents and students statewide. Goodman, arrested on rape charges involving a 17-year-old female student at the high school, was being held this week on $331,000 cash-only bail. Following the past week’s events, the regularly scheduled Indian River School Board meeting on Tuesday, May 6, had another topic for board members to consider in their executive session: Who would be named the acting praincipal of Sussex Central?

The Indian River School Board will be filling three seats next week in Districts 4 and 5, in elections on Tuesday, May 13.

The Southern Delaware School of the Arts, temporarily housed in the “old” Indian River High School – otherwise known as the John M. Clayton Building – will be hosting a Silent Art Auction this Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., to coincide with the school’s World Fair celebration.

Delaware State Police detectives on Friday arrested the principal of Sussex Central High School for the alleged rape of a 17-year-old female high school student at the school.

Most college freshmen will be returning home for their first summer break this month with haste, eager to get some relaxing time away before hitting the books again in a matter of months. For three local students, though, kicking off the summer is hardly a walk in the park. It is, however, a walk — 400 miles of walking, to be exact, and, to top it off, it’s all for a good cause.

On Tuesday, April 29, students, teachers and community volunteers were set to come together to create a new schoolyard habitat at Indian River High School in Dagsboro.

With more than 80 students representing Indian River High School in the National Honor Society (NHS), Monday’s induction ceremony proved that one school can never have too much perfection. In all, 38 new NHS members made their way across the stage in last Tuesday’s presentation to join the John M. Clayton Chapter of the society.

The fourth- and fifth-graders of Lord Baltimore were treated to a special presentation on April 17, of “Tar Wars” a nationwide program that started in Colorado, designed to educate America’s youth about the dangers of smoking.

On Thursday, May 22, the Indian River School District will host a current-expense referendum for the purpose of generating additional local funding for operating expenses, salaries and the implementation of full-day kindergarten.

The Indian River School District’s concern over issues of religious expression in the schools — a matter discussed and debated for the past three years — reached new heights this week when officials mandated on Tuesday that no school in the district can host or celebrate the Easter holiday with egg hunts, candy or the Easter Bunny, etc.

The Indian River Variety Show came out with a bang last weekend, as 35 acts consisting of more than 50 students put on their best performances Friday and Saturday nights. The annual performance, headed by the school’s band and chorus director, Mark Marvel, uses money from ticket and food sales to benefit the music department at the school.

Kim Kleinstuber, a fourth-grade teacher at Frankford Elementary School, was recently picked as the school’s Teacher of the Year. In order to win the honor, a teacher must be nominated by a student, parent or fellow teacher.

Thanks to a Melody Program grant award from the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, third-graders at Frankford Elementary School received instruments earlier this year that have enabled them to start a mariachi band.

The Indian River School Board elections may be a few months off, but the registration time for those running for seats is slim. Eligible candidates who wish to vie for the positions have until 4:30 p.m. today, Friday, March 7, to do so. As of Wednesday, March 5, only the four incumbents have registered for the available seats, representing three-year terms in three districts.

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