Appoquinimink

Community

Buildings. Community. Legacy. Appoquinimink.

February 12, 2019 • 3 MIN READ

The Appoquinimink School District has embarked on the largest and most ambitious educational referendum project in the history of Delaware, and as we surpass our 110th anniversary, it is fitting that EDiS Company is once again taking the journey along with them.

Delaware’s fastest growing school system, the Appoquinimink School District located in southern New Castle County, serves more than 10,000 students in grades PK-12. The vision of the educators in Appoquinimink is simple – they strive for the highest achievement in 21st century learning. In order to do that, the district’s facilities need to keep up with their growth while at the same time spending their money effectively and responsibly.

Since 1998, EDiS Company has worked to deliver certainty to Appoquinimink School District. EDiS helps the district in building what matters by working with them to help focus their resources on their greatest needs. By working together, every construction dollar the district receives is maximized for the benefit of Appoquinimink’s most important stakeholder – their students.

Buildings.

EDiS began our long and successful history with Appoquinimink in 1998 with their $30 million referendum. That program included renovating and updating four schools and the construction of the new 700-student Olive B. Loss Elementary School. The renovation projects had to be completed once school recessed for the summer during an eight-week window over a period of three consecutive years. EDiS began work in May of 2000 and completed construction in May of 2002. The success of the first referendum led to the District choosing to use construction management and EDiS to deliver their 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, and now the 2016 referendums as well.

Community.

Over the last 20 years, EDiS has become more than a builder for Appoquinimink. We are a community partner. For the EDiS team, it is not just about building or renovating school buildings – it is about building the future for students, staff, and the community that we have become a part of. By participating in the annual career fair, we get the opportunity to introduce the students to the world of construction and the many careers that can be found, as well as to reinforce the importance of STEM education. In addition, we use our Appoquinimink project sites as “living classrooms,” giving students a chance to learn about construction on-site firsthand.

Legacy.

EDiS and Appoquinimink are building our legacies together as we bring the vision of the district’s future to life. The projects in the 2016 referendum and referendums to come in Fall 2019 and Fall 2022 represent the 10-year master plan for the district, designed to allow for growth of the community, incorporation of emerging technology, safety and security requirements, and commitment to equity between district facilities. As the plan moves forward, EDiS will bring the district the newest ideas in K-12 school building and construction technology, partnering with Appoquinimink to build an educational legacy for generations to come.

The first three projects in the 2016 referendum are under way. Lorewood Grove Elementary will be a 90,000 SF, 820-student school to serve the growing community of Whitehall, DE and the surrounding neighborhoods. The $32 million school is planned for a July 2019 completion. The second and third projects, being completed concurrently at a combined cost of $147 million, are the Odessa High School and Cantwell’s Bridge Middle Schoollocated on the Fairview Campus. With a combined square footage of 335,000 SF, these two schools will be connected by a shared performing arts theater space.