Connect with us

Delaware

Proposed biliteracy school in southern Delaware awaits approval

Published

on

Proposed biliteracy school in southern Delaware awaits approval


The dual-language immersion model aims to change that dynamic by helping children maintain their cultural roots while excelling academically.

The school will be housed in Georgetown’s historic ice house on Depot Street, which has seen decades of use and disuse. Once a cornerstone of the town’s industrial and commercial identity, the brick structure has been a warehouse, a home to businesses, and even considered for apartment conversions before falling into neglect.

“Right now, the building’s not looking like much, but we have some great plans,” López Waite said. “We’re working with a great architect to really transform that building into a beautiful school.”

Renovations will begin as soon as the project receives final approval from the State Board of Education. The process will take about 18 months. The first phase will focus on the ground floor to accommodate the initial cohort of students in September 2026.

Advertisement

“We’re going to renovate the first floor first, and so that’s enough space for us to house kindergarten, first and second [grades],” she said. “Then [we] will continue to renovate the other floors and be able to accommodate the growth each year as we add a grade. And so at our full capacity, we’ll have 400 students in kindergarten through fifth grade.”

Through it all, they aim to serve as a bridge that unites the community, fostering connections across cultures, resources and opportunities. By working closely with local nonprofits such as La Esperanza, La Red, La Plaza, the Sussex Health Coalition, and the Georgetown Town Council, they hope to build a foundation of collaboration and shared progress.

Ultimately, the school’s impact is envisioned as going far beyond education.

“We want us to be able to come and basically help our communities come together because we do believe that the majority of our residents have a desire and are hopeful that that can happen,” Waite said. “But there really hasn’t been, I guess, sort of the catalyst, sort of the gel that brings these things together. And they are optimistic that having their children attending a school together could be maybe that catalyst.”

The State Board of Education is expected to rule on the school’s proposal at its meeting on January 16.

Advertisement



Source link

Delaware

From parrandas to Three Kings, Southern Delaware welcomes Puerto Rican traditions

Published

on

From parrandas to Three Kings, Southern Delaware welcomes Puerto Rican traditions


The songs themselves carry history. Albarrán shared one verse: “alegre vengo de la montaña,” meaning “I am happily coming from the mountain to sing to my friends.” In Puerto Rico, many families — especially those living in the mountains — would literally travel down together, singing from home to home.

Puerto Rican music is also having a surge, Albarrán said, with traditional rhythms gaining attention alongside global stars. As artists like Bad Bunny elevate plena and bomba on major stages, she sees new opportunities to reintroduce these sounds to children who may have grown up far from the island.

“These are rhythms that we normally sing, and it’s not just during Christmas, but there’s a whole generation of kids that have either been raised or born here stateside that have not been exposed to these rhythms, these songs,” she noted.

To nurture that connection, The Culture Club PR is hosting a parranda on Dec. 12 at their Milford location. While it won’t include the full house-to-house walk of a traditional parranda, families will learn the music, instruments and customs so they can take part next year.

Advertisement

The celebrations continue Dec. 13 with Splash Around the Town Christmas at Splash Laundromat in Georgetown, where children can dive into crafts, story time and fun with community leaders — all part of the club’s mission to make cultural learning accessible.

“I would love people to get in touch with their roots, with their identity, and celebrate our uniqueness. Whatever culture we’re focusing on, whether it’s Puerto Rican, whether it’s Icelandic, whether it is Brazilian, whatever culture we’re focusing on, I want kids to be open and appreciative of what makes us different and the things that make us the same.”

All events lead toward the organization’s biggest celebration: the Fiesta de Reyes on Jan. 4 in Milford — a Three Kings Day tradition that, for many across Latin America and the Caribbean, represents the original Christmas story.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Delaware

Which Delaware Kirkland’s stores will become Bed Bath & Beyond? What we know

Published

on

Which Delaware Kirkland’s stores will become Bed Bath & Beyond? What we know


Bed Bath & Beyond is officially back in former Kirkland’s locations, which could bring changes for Delaware shoppers.

Bed Bath & Beyond announced Nov. 24 the acquisition of The Brand House Collective, a furniture and decor chain that used to be known as Kirkland’s. The $26.8 million deal is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of next year, according to a Brand House Collection news release.

The Brand House Collective announced in September it had also sold Kirkland’s intellectual property to Bed Bath & Beyond for $10 million.

As part of the merger, The Brand House Collective will convert about 250 of its stores into Bed Bath & Beyond stores over the next two years. In addition, more than 40 underperforming Kirkland’s stores will close in early 2026, the company said.

Advertisement

Bed Bath & Beyond had been bouncing back after it filed for bankruptcy in 2023 and closed all of its physical locations. For the past two years, Bed Bath & Beyond has continued online sales.

The first renewed Bed Bath & Beyond Home opened in Brentwood, Tennessee, on Aug. 8. The addition of “Home” at the end of its new store’s name is a twist on the Bed Bath & Beyond and Kirkland’s Home names.

What will happen to Delaware’s Kirkland’s stores?

The Brand House Collective has not yet announced the full list of locations that will close in 2026, nor which would be converted into Bed Bath & Beyond. A request for those locations from Delaware Online/The News Journal did not receive an immediate response.

Advertisement

Delaware has three Kirkland’s stores that can be found at the following locations:

  • Rehoboth Outlets: 35000 Midway Outlet Drive, Rehoboth Beach
  • North Dover Center: 1033 N. Dupont Highway, Dover
  • Christiana Fashion Center: 3150 Fashion Center Blvd., Christiana

Bed Bath & Beyond closed all Delaware locations following bankruptcy

After the housewares and home decor retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2023, Bed Bath & Beyond closed its two Delaware locations in the Christiana Town Center and on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach.

The town center’s Buy Buy Baby, a chain owned by Bed Bath & Beyond, also closed in 2023.

Sophia Voight is a growth and development reporter. Reach her with feedback and story tips at svoight@delawareonline.com.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Delaware

Driver wanted for allegedly running over man, killing them on Delaware road

Published

on

Driver wanted for allegedly running over man, killing them on Delaware road


A driver is wanted after allegedly hitting and killing a man early Saturday morning in Wilmington, Delaware.

According to Delaware State Police, around 1 a.m., troopers were called to New Linden Hill Road, east of Pike Creek Boulevard, for a reported welfare check after several drivers saw a man in the travel lanes.

Police said callers reported that the man was intermittently lying and sitting in the roadway. The circumstances surrounding why he was in the roadway remain under investigation.

Shortly after the initial 911 calls, police said it was reported that an unknown vehicle traveling eastbound on New Linden Hill Road struck the man and fled the scene.

Advertisement

At this time, there is no available description of the fleeing vehicle, according to police.

The man, a 42-year-old from Bear, Delaware, was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

Police ask anyone who witnessed the crash, has surveillance or dash-camera footage, or has relevant information about the vehicle involved to contact Master Corporal R. Kunicki at (302) 365-8417. 



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending