Delaware Military Academy

The Delaware Military Academy (DMA) is a publicly-funded charter high school in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware and has a Wilmington postal address.[1] The Academy was founded in 2003 by Charles Baldwin, a retired Master Chief Petty Officer from the United States Navy, and Jack Wintermantel, a retired Colonel from the United States Army.[2][3] All students are required to participate in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, or NJROTC; DMA is the first successful all-JROTC military charter school in the US.[4][3][5] DMA offers grades nine through twelve and has been designated a Blue Ribbon School.[6] Though an application and interview are part of the enrollment process, there are no admissions requirements and its selections are governed by charter school law.[7][4]

Delaware Military Academy
Talley Hall Building
Address
112 Middleboro Road

Wilmington postal address
,
Delaware
19804

United States
Coordinates39.7210°N 75.5851°W / 39.7210; -75.5851
Information
TypeCharter
MottoScholarship, Leadership, Citizenship
Founded2003
FoundersCharles Baldwin
Jack Wintermantel
CEEB code080171
PrincipalAnthony Pullella
Staff26 (FTE) (2019-2020)
Grades9-12
GenderCo-ed
Enrollment578 (2019-2020)
Hours in school day8.5
Campus typeSuburb
Color(s)Navy, gold & white    
AthleticsVarsity
Club
Athletics conferenceDiamond State Conference
MascotSeahawk
AccreditationMiddle States Rated Superior School 2006-2018
YearbookThe Porthole
Communities servedNew Castle County, Delaware
Websitewww.demilacad.org

Organization

All DMA students are referred to as cadets and the school is organized to reflect that of the US military and JROTC standards.[3][7] While there are typical academic teachers and administrators, a number of faculty are retired from the military, and there are seven Naval Science Instructors (NSIs), six of whom teach, who oversee the military aspect of the school.[7] Students are divided into two Regiments (Alpha and Bravo) and each Regiment is divided into two Battalions with four Companies each.[8] Ranks are given based on honor, seniority, and academic excellence, with the highest student rank being the Regimental Commander.[8]

Core values and honor code

DMA takes directly from the Navy in its early indoctrination of its cadets to its core values: honor, discipline, and integrity.[8][9] Cadets are expected to adhere to these values at all times regardless if they are on campus.[8]

Academics

DMA is a college-preparatory school that offers honors, AP, and dual-enrollment classes through Delaware Technical and Community College.[5][4] All cadets must take a year-long Naval Science course each of their four years at DMA, which helps them develop skills in areas applicable to Navymen, such as astronomy, meteorology, and navigation skills.[4]

DMA has been well-recognized as one of the leading JROTC schools in the nation.[4] The State of Delaware gave them a "Superior" ranking for high scores on standardized testing and they were named a Blue Ribbon School in 2019.[6][10] The US Navy has consistently given DMA the ranking of 'Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors,' which allows DMA to nominate nine students to post-secondary service academies: the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Coast Guard Academy.[9]

Athletics

For much of its history, DMA has lacked sufficient athletics facilities and relied on nearby Banning Park and other high schools' facilities.[11] In 2015, DMA purchased just under six additional acres of land with the intention of constructing a third building for this purpose and announced its plans for a gymnasium (called the "drill deck") in 2016.[12][9] The Anthony N. Fusco, Sr. Athletic & Academic Center, a $6 million construction paid for by donors, opened in 2017.[11] Shortly after, in 2019, a $2.5 million turf stadium was erected and named the Fusco Memorial Field.[13]

DMA offers a number of varsity and club sports: baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, field hockey, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, marksmanship, soccer, softball, swimming, track, wrestling, and volleyball.[14] In additional to typical junior varsity and varsity teams, certain sports also have a team for freshmen.[14] DMA is a member of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association and is in the Diamond State Athletic Conference.[14]

In 2010, the ice hockey team became the first DMA team to go undefeated (19-0) and won the school's first championship by defeating Hodgson Vo-Tech High School in the Delaware Scholastic Hockey Association B Division Championship finals.[15] Two years later, they won the school's first varsity championship by defeating Alexis I. duPont High School and solidified their place in the A Division.[15]

References
  1. "Contact Us". Delaware Military Academy. Retrieved 2021-06-22. 112 Middleboro Road Wilmington, DE 19804 - The school is not in the Wilmington city limits, as seen in a comparison with the zoning map as of February 2021.
  2. "The Delaware Military Academy renewal application supplement" (PDF). Red Clay Consolidated School District. 2019-09-30. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-09.
  3. Prado, Antonio (2009-04-10). "Delaware Military Academy co-founder to retire". Hockessin Community News. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  4. "Delaware Military Academy" (PDF). Delaware Military Academy. 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  5. "Delaware Military Academy continues to Raise the Bar". Delaware Online. 2017-10-20. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  6. "Three Delaware schools earn national Blue Ribbon honors". Delaware.gov. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  7. "Delaware Military Academy". Military Schools USA. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  8. "Delaware Military Academy cadet handbook/code of conduct 2020-2021" (PDF). Delaware Military Academy. 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  9. "Delaware Military Academy charter renewal" (PDF). Delaware Military Academy. n.d. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-07-09. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  10. "Delaware Military Academy" (PDF). Delaware Department of Education. 2012-10-25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-06-12. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  11. Greene, Sean (2017-10-24). "VIDEO DMA set to unveil new athletic dome on Thursday". WDEL. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  12. "Delaware Military Academy announces plans for groundbreaking". Delaware Business Times. 2016-07-14. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  13. Neiburg, Jeff (2019-09-21). "Delaware Military Academy debuts new football stadium with a big win over Red Lion". Delaware Online. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  14. "Contact Us". Delaware Military Academy. n.d. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  15. Stevens, Chris. "Seahawks swoop in, take first ever A Division Hockey Title". Hockessin Community News. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
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