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This article was supported by a Statehouse coverage grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Students will soon begin classes at Maurice Pritchett Sr. Academy, the first new school in Wilmington in 50 years.
A grand opening and street party drew hundreds of people last week. Christina School District officials, Governor John Carney, U.S. Senator Chris Coons, state legislators and the Pritchett family addressed the crowd.
The $84 million building was named after longtime educator Maurice Pritchett, a student at Bancroft School on the city’s east side who served as principal from 1975 to 2005. Pritchett died last year. Construction of the school, which will accommodate students in grades one through eight, was funded entirely by the state.
Carney said he hopes the new facility will attract children who currently attend schools outside the city.
“I firmly believe that this building will bring many of these families back to this neighborhood and to this beautiful school, and that’s part of what we’re trying to accomplish,” he said.
Friday’s commencement ceremony also honored Pritchett and his life’s work helping students learn. Several of the speakers called out his name in a call-and-response rhythm with the crowd at the event.
Senator Darius Brown was one of several who paid tribute to the former school principal.
“He was not only the principal, he was one of us,” Brown said. “He was from the neighborhood, because he grew up right here on the east side of Wilmington. I see so many of the kids here today who grew up with me on the east side, and that’s a tribute to Mr. Pritchett’s legacy.”
Pritchett’s widow, Juanita Pritchett, said students will succeed if the new school is filled with love.
“Nothing happens unless there is love. If the kids come in and receive love, they will leave. They will take the love they received from Maurice Pritchett Sr. Academy with them. These kids will heal the world when they leave because they have experienced so much love here.”
Bancroft was one of the lowest-performing schools in the state. Data from the Delaware Department of Education from the 2022-2023 school year shows that fewer than 7% of the school’s students were proficient in English and fewer than 4% were proficient in math.
Bob Andrzejewski, interim superintendent of Christina, said the new school has the potential to improve student achievement.
“I encourage all of you, family, friends, community leaders and everyone else, to support the young people here and the staff and leadership to make Maurice Academy the very special place that it is,” he said. “Because we don’t just want the new building. We want to see our students get better and better.”
