MILFORD, Del. - After more than a decade without a dedicated middle school, the Milford School District is preparing to welcome students to a newly restored building this fall.
Construction is in its final stages on the Milford Middle School, which has sat vacant since it closed in 2012. The district says the building’s restoration comes as growing student populations have strained capacity across the district.
“Having this building open really allowed us to restructure the entire district to allow for growth well into the future,” said Dr. Sara Hale, chief operating officer for Milford School District.
Future principal of the middle school, Dr. Susan Frampton, described the opening as "heaven" for a city long in need of additional space.
The updated school will serve approximately 700 fifth and sixth grade students starting in August. As part of a districtwide realignment, elementary schools will now house pre-K through fourth grade, while Milford Central Academy will serve seventh and eighth grades.
Hale notes that the new middle school building is built for roughly 1,000 students.
Though renovated for modern learning, the school preserves pieces of its past. Original 1929 features, including the auditorium and gymnasium, were carefully salvaged during the rebuild.
Rajene Bowe, a former student of Milford Middle School before its closure, said she’s excited that her niece will be among the first to experience the new space. “She’s going to be excited to have these stories and tell me how nice it is,” said Bowe.
According to Hale, the entire project is being done without raising local property taxes.