The ribbon is officially cut, the halls are full, and the new Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School is open!
After years of planning, construction, coordination, and collaboration, it was incredibly rewarding to celebrate this milestone alongside the New Castle County Vo-Tech community and finally see students filling the new school for the 2026–2027 school year.
EDiS was proud to serve as construction manager for the approximately $217 million project, one of the largest public school construction projects in Delaware’s history. The new 286,000-plus-square-foot facility was designed to support both Hodgson’s academic curriculum and its wide range of career and technical education programs, creating a modern learning environment where students can prepare for college, careers, and the skilled trades.
The new school includes contemporary classrooms and laboratories, specialized CTE spaces, collaborative learning areas, a gymnasium, theater, interior courtyards, and much more, all designed around the needs of Hodgson’s students, educators, and programs.
Thoughtful value management throughout the project also helped the team make the most of the District’s investment. By identifying opportunities to manage costs while protecting the overall vision and quality of the project, the team was able to accommodate additional priorities, including Sean’s Room and space for Hodgson’s new Veterinary Technology program. These additions are a great example of what can happen when owners, designers, builders, and project partners work together toward the best possible end result.
That spirit of collaboration was on full display at Hodgson’s August ribbon-cutting ceremony. The celebration brought together Hodgson and NCCVT leadership, including Superintendent Dr. Joseph Jones, Board President Yvette Santiago, and Principal Dr. Christine Colihan, along with Delaware Secretary of Education Cindy Marten, students, staff, elected officials, project partners, and many others who helped make the project possible.
More than anything, it was a chance to celebrate what this new school will mean for generations of students and for Delaware’s future workforce.
A project of this size doesn’t happen without a tremendous team behind it. Hundreds of craftspeople, subcontractors, trade partners, design professionals, District representatives, school staff, and project team members contributed their time and expertise throughout construction. Getting a project of this scale across the finish line and opening the doors on schedule for the start of the school year is something the entire team should be extremely proud of.
A huge congratulations and thank you goes to our entire Hodgson team, all of our subcontractors and design partners, and everyone across EDiS who had a hand in bringing this project to life.
But we’re not quite done yet!
Phase 2 is now underway as work shifts to the former Hodgson building, which will be demolished to make way for the school’s new athletic fields and associated site improvements. This next phase will complete the transformation of the campus and provide even more opportunities for Hodgson students.
It’s been a long road, and reaching this milestone is something worth celebrating. More than a new building, Hodgson represents an investment in students, educators, workforce development, and the future of the skilled trades in Delaware.
We’re grateful to the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District for trusting EDiS to be part of it, proud of everyone who helped get us here, and excited to keep the momentum going as the final phase of the campus takes shape.
