Each year, our high schools invite middle schoolers and their families to attend High School Preview Night — events that aim to demystify the high school experience for incoming freshmen. These events introduce students to their future teachers, administrators, and peers, and provide a closer look at the pathways offered at our schools. We have full photo galleries from Appoquinimink, Middletown, and Odessa High School on our website, or you can keep scrolling to see a few of our favorite pictures!
The window to apply for 2026-2027 opened on November 3, 2025, and will close on January 14, 2026. For more information, visit our website by clicking here.
Honoring our veterans
Cedar Lane Elementary School is committed to instilling an appreciation for history and the importance of service in its students. The school lived this commitment on November 14 by inviting service men and women to attend a Veterans Day event. Veterans from different branches of the military gave brief speeches about what called them to serve and their experiences in the military. It is events like these that help teach our younger generations about the importance of service and of honoring our veterans.
Celebrating Thanksgiving at Brick Mill and Silver Lake!
These pictures are from Silver Lake Elementary School’s Thanksgiving lunch with students and their families. We want to give a huge shoutout to the Middletown High School students who volunteered to sit and chat with any Silver Lake students whose families might not have been able to attend.
Again this year, Brick Mill Elementary School welcomed families to a special Thanksgiving lunch on November 20. We'd like to thank all of our Brick Mill families who were able to attend and share a meal with their students. Also, kudos to our nutrition teams for preparing such tasty Thanksgiving lunches!
This message was emailed to district families on Monday, October 27, 2025: Dear ASD Families and Staff, As we prepare for the upcoming winter months, we wanted to send a reminder to all families regarding our winter weather procedures. All weather announcements will be shared with families via email, text message, phone call, and will also be posted on our district website and social media platforms. First Snow Event The first snow day of the year will result in a day off for all students. Any Additional Snow Events If we require additional snow days throughout the year, online learning will then begin. This will begin as asynchronous and will move to synchronous if multiple snow days need to occur. Your child’s school will communicate the schedule that will be in effect when a snow day is called. Our preschool programs will also receive communication directly from their schools regarding snow day plans. Students in grades 1 – 12 will utilize their school-issued devices during asynchronous and synchronous learning. All kindergarten and preschool families will receive printed packets. A Note for Families If you feel weather conditions make it unsafe to send your student to school, we will respect your decision to keep your child home that day. Be advised that your student will be responsible for any missed homework or tests and must bring in a signed note from a parent/guardian the next day. Process for Determining Conditions Every winter storm brings its own unique set of challenges. Factors like snow accumulation, road conditions, cold temperatures, and visibility are all important considerations when deciding if we will call for a late start, early dismissal, or closure of our buildings. Behind each decision is a balance of educational and safety priorities, first-hand observations, and weather forecasts. Update Your Contact Information Now To ensure that your family receives important notices, please contact your student’s school with any changes to your home, work, or cell phone numbers and email addresses. If a weather-related announcement is needed, automated calls and emails will be sent to everyone in our system.
Please join us in congratulating Danielle Rash and Brandi Luloff on their recent appointments as assistant principals at Brick Mill Elementary School and Crystal Run Elementary School, respectively.
Danielle Rash has worked her entire professional career in Appoquinimink School District. She has taught second, third, and fifth grades, as well as served on a variety of district and state level committees. Born and raised in California, Mrs. Rash moved to Delaware in 1998 to attend the University of Delaware, where she completed her undergraduate program with a B.A. in European Studies in 2002. She immediately enrolled at Wilmington University and received an M.Ed. in Elementary Studies in 2004. Most recently, she completed the Principal Preparation Program through DASL at the University of Delaware. Mrs. Rash was a NGSS Teacher Leader for the State of Delaware, and also the 2018 recipient of the Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching.
Brandi Luloff has been working in education for 19 years. This is her 11th year in the Appoquinimink School District. Mrs. Luloff was a 5th-grade teacher and Math Lead at Townsend Elementary School. In 2020, Mrs. Luloff represented the Appoquinimink School District as a national awardee of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She spent two years as an Instructional Coach at Townsend Elementary School before the opening of Crystal Run Elementary School in 2023. Mrs. Luloff was the instructional coach at Crystal Run Elementary School before becoming the assistant principal. Mrs. Luloff obtained her bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She attended Wilmington University for her M.A. in elementary and special education, then returned for her second master’s in administration and leadership.
Our three high schools each competed (and won) in the Tournament of Bands' Delaware State Marching Band Championship! The event was held this year at Cavalier Stadium on October 25.
Appoquinimink High School won first place in their group. They also earned trophies for Group 3 Open Best Percussion and Group 3 Open Best Auxiliary. Middletown High School brought home a first-place in their group. They also earned Best Auxiliary and Best Percussion! Odessa High School won first place in their class and was awarded Best Auxiliary.
Visit our website to see the full galleries — from Appoquinimink, Middletown, and Odessa, in addition to the awards ceremony.
This year's Middle School Cross Country season concluded on Monday, November 3, at the Black Bird State Forest. Congratulations to Alfred G. Waters Middle School, which earned the title of District Champions for both the girls and boys teams. Open this story to read the top 10 placements for the girls and boys. The 2025 middle school field hockey season came to an exciting conclusion when Everett Meredith Middle School faced off against Cantwell's Bridge Middle School, with the Crusaders bringing home the win! Congratulations to both teams for playing an amazing game! The teams have been trading off the championship title since middle school sports came on the scene a few years ago, so we're excited to see what happens in upcoming seasons! See the full gallery here. Our season of middle school girls' volleyball came to an exciting conclusion when Alfred G. Waters Middle School faced off against Everett Meredith Middle School in our district championship game! We'd like to extend congratulations to both teams for playing a great game, and special congratulations to AGW's team for winning the championship title! See the full gallery here.
House Isibindi for Board Member Tim Higgins!
Appoquinimink Board Member Tim Higgins recently visited a few of our schools with Superintendent Matt Burrows. These pictures were taken at Louis L. Redding Middle School, where he was sorted into a house, which Higgins highlighted in his November board report as one of his favorite aspects of the tour. LLRMS has adopted a house system this school year as a way to cultivate a positive climate and culture for students and staff. Higgins spun the wheel and was sorted into Isibindi, a house known for strategic and creative students! You can learn more about LLRMS’s house system here!
November Board Recognitions
Above, Middletown High School’s Dawn Hunter was recognized at our November 18 Board of Education meeting for earning the secondary M.U.S.E. award from the Delaware Art Association. As a M.U.S.E. award winner, Hunter exemplifies the characteristics of a Masterful, Unique, Strong Educator. Pictured, from left, are MHS Assistant Principal Devin Jacob, Arts Coordinator Laura Sebastiano, Hunter, and Superintendent Matt Burrows.
Aimee Hastings, above pictured center, was recognized at the November 18 Board of Education meeting after her manuscript on improving support for students with diabetes was accepted for publication in School Nurse, a peer-reviewed clinical resource journal from the National Association of School Nurses. Hastings is our district’s high-needs float nurse and diabetes support nurse. She is pictured with Yvonne Camac, senior coordinator of school health and lead nurse, and Superintendent Matt Burrows.
Above, Silver Lake Elementary School was recognized at the November Board of Education meeting for earning the Leader in Me Lighthouse Academic Honor Roll School designation for two consecutive years. Pictured, from left, are SLE Teacher Leader Amy Hoff, Assistant Principal Jasmery Sudler, Principal Christy Boyd, and Superintendent Matt Burrows.
James Skinner, above second from right, is the recipient of a BEATS Maker Award at the November 18 Board of Education meeting. Skinner is a technology specialist with the district, and he was nominated for the award by the team at Silver Lake Elementary School. Principal Christy Boyd shared her motivation for nominating Skinner, saying he was at the school for a technology issue and noticed a student with a broken bike. After repairing the bike, Skinner told her he would buy the student a new bike if the fix didn’t hold. “It was just so moving, (the bike) wasn’t why he was there, but it just speaks to how amazing of a person he is,” Boyd added. Pictured, from right, are Human Resources Executive Director Ed Small, SLE Assistant Principal Jasmery Sudler, Boyd, Skinner, and Superintendent Matt Burrows.
Erin MacFayden, school nurse at Brick Mill Elementary School, is the recipient of a BEATS Maker Award at the November 18 Board of Education meeting. MacFayden, above pictured second from right, is pictured with High-Needs Float Nurse Aimee Hastings, who nominated her for the recognition, Human Resources Executive Director Ed Small, and Superintendent Matt Burrows.
Alex Porte, above pictured second from right, is the recipient of a BEATS Maker Award at the November 18 Board of Education meeting. Porte is a member of the custodial team at Appoquinimink High School and was nominated by AHS Principal Lynn Streets. Porte is a celebrity at his school, with Streets noting, “every student in the school knows Mr. Alex,” and said he is an integral part of the team at AHS. Pictured, from left, are Human Resources Executive Director Ed Small, Streets, Porte, and Superintendent Matt Burrows.
Above, the Girls Volleyball team at Alfred G. Waters Middle School was recognized at the November 18 Board of Education meeting after winning the district championship game. The team members are Abigail Bench, Eva Cahill, Adeline Girvin, Rithvika Gottumukkala, Mahika Hiremath, Kylie Imbriale, Harmony Jorge, Peyton Kane, Caroline Keznor, Yashika Koppulakonda, Grace Overby, Ja'Niya Pyatt, Everly Reyes, Kaviyaa Salvaraj, Kaneesha Sharma, Morgan Stewart, and Evangeline Syed with coach Jill Holdren and Superintendent Matt Burrows. Please note, some of the team members were not able to attend the November meeting.
Above, the Everett Meredith Middle School’s Field Hockey team was recognized at the November 18 Board of Education meeting after winning the district championship game. The team members are Lilliana Correa, Giana Draper, Aubrey Giles, Arianna Holl, Brynlee Kelly, Ellie Klerlein, Delaney Mann, Emeline Miller, Keegan O'Neil, Evelyn Orndorff, Juliana Perrucci, Keegan Peters, Peyton Rash, Lily Sappington, Madilyn Scott, Rebecca Stephan, Kendall Talmadge, Colbie Turner, Camryn Vaughn, Mia Washburn, Abella Zicarelli, Jaymee Dicette, Lorelei Hardy, and Amari Poindexter with coach Ryla Wilber and Superintendent Matt Burrows. Please note, some of the team members were not able to attend the November meeting.
Recap: OHS holds We Lead. We Read. Literacy event
Students in Odessa High School’s Education and Leadership Pathway practiced the skills they've been learning in their classrooms at elementary schools during a We Lead. We Read. Literacy Event! Students visited Crystal Run Elementary, Old State Elementary, and Lorewood Grove Elementary School, where they read to younger learners, discussed the book, and answered any questions the students may have.
See more pictures here and here!
OBL’s Pop-Up Farmers Market
Nothing gets students more excited than giving away free lettuce, as it turns out! Olive B. Loss Elementary's garden was quite productive this year, resulting in an abundance of leafy greens to give away. From parents to bus drivers to staff, at OBL's pop-up Farmers Market, many a Wise Owl was offered a free bag of salad to enjoy!
Exciting news from Brick Mill Elementary School — the school now has a new garden! Thank you to the volunteers, staff, and team at Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids for installing the garden beds on November 15. We can't wait to see all the amazing produce the Brick Mill dolphins grow!
Student Leader presentations at LGE
Students in Lorewood Grove Elementary School's Safety Patrol had a special visitor during their luncheon — Constable Kevin Rodgers! LGE has been hosting a luncheon series for its student leaders and safety patrol members, with each lunch featuring a special guest. In late October, Constable Rodgers spoke about his experiences as a detective and provided details about his role as a constable at LGE.
Superintendent Matt Burrows was the guest speaker at the November edition of Lorewood Grove Elementary's Student Leader Lunch! This year, LGE has been inviting community members to share their leadership experiences with fifth-grade student leaders. The presentations are less formal; rather, they encourage a conversation between the presenter and the students. At Dr. Burrows' lunch, topics discussed included improving recruitment for teachers, fostering kindness among students, extending recess times for all ages, incorporating student input into school menus, and motivating students to reach their full potential.
Freddy’s Freeze Dance at SMECC
Spring Meadow Early Childhood Center hosted a family engagement event in the form of a freeze dance — Freddy's Freeze Dance, to be exact! We're not sure who had more fun on the dance floor, the students or their families. We'll let you decide after going through the pictures!
Celebrating our school psychologists
Odessa High School students enrolled in AP psychology were in for a treat when three school psychology interns delivered a presentation full of information on pursuing a career in psychology. Kudos to the interns for giving a thoughtful and engaging presentation that will help our AP Psych students narrow down potential career paths to pursue after high school.
Recap: Principal for a Day
Things have been busy at Appoquinimink High School! The school recently played host to not one, but two Principals for a Day. Cathy Kanefsky, president and CEO of Food Bank of Delaware, and Mark Olazagasti, CEO of YourMoney101.org, recently stepped in as Principal for a Day at Appoquinimink High School! The Principal for a Day program is organized by the Delaware State Chamber and provides local leaders with a closer look at Delaware schools. Kanefsky's day as principal included a school tour, meetings with student ambassadors from our pathways, and a work-based learning focus group. Kanefsky and Olazagasti were treated to tours of the school, classroom visits, and presentations from students.
Odessa High School recently hosted Dr. Chuck Hammond, Vice President for Operations and Planning at Goldey-Beacom College, as its Principal for a Day. Dr. Hammond toured the campus, visited classrooms, and had meaningful conversations with our counselors and a fantastic group of Student Pathway Ambassadors, guided by our Work-Based Learning Specialist, Mrs. Terranova. Our Student Pathway Ambassadors shared how their pathways are shaping them into future-ready leaders.
ASD Special Education and Appo Families Connect have partnered for a series of informative workshops aimed at helping families find the support they need and get the most out of their students' education. The latest workshop focused on explaining Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). The next workshop is scheduled for January 15, 2026, and will focus on understanding neurodiversity. You can find more information about this workshop series on our website, using this link.
Recap and reminder: Immersion Information Night
We'd like to extend a huge thank you to all the families who attended our Immersion Information Night! This annual event invites families to learn about our amazing immersion programs by meeting key staff, touring immersion classrooms, and speaking with student ambassadors currently enrolled in the programs. As a reminder, we have three programs for incoming kindergarten students:
- Chinese Immersion at Spring Meadow Early Childhood Center
- Spanish Immersion at Brick Mill Early Childhood Center and Townsend Early Childhood Center
You can find out more information about our immersion programs here! You can find more information about school choice on our website, by clicking here!
Free Breakfast All Appoquinimink School District schools will offer free breakfast this school year! As a result of Delaware HB91, all students in Appoquinimink School District can receive free breakfast at their school! Students who wish to eat breakfast at school will follow their individual school procedures. Students will enter their student ID number in line, the same way they do at lunch, but there will be no charge. PaySchools Central As a reminder, families now use PaySchools Central to manage student meal accounts. Once on the site, you will find our district, then add your student’s ID to create an account. Here’s how to access PaySchools Central: https://www.payschoolscentral.com/ My School Menus We now use My School Menus for our online meal menus. This new site offers a lot of great features, including language translations, extensive nutrition facts, filters for allergens/preferences, printable menus, and much more! Here’s how to access My School Menus: https://menus.healthepro.com/organizations/2514/ Meal Benefit Applications Your student may qualify for free meals. Families can submit applications for meal benefits. As a reminder, families need to apply every year to determine if they qualify. The application can be completed through PaySchools Central. Families can complete the application after they have set up an account. Here’s the link: https://www.payschoolscentral.com/ If you need help or prefer to fill out a paper copy of the application, call the School Nutrition Office 302-378-5032 or stop by to see the team in the Marion E. Proffitt Training Center at 118 S. Sixth Street, Odessa, DE 19730.
Upcoming Events & Meeting Reminders:
4 December - AGW 6th-8th Grade Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at AGW 4 December - CBMS 7th-8th Grade Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at OHS 4 December - EMMS 6th-8th Grade Band Concert - 7 p.m. at EMMS 4 December - LLRMS 6th-8th Grade Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at LLRMS 9 December - Education Showcase - day and evening events at all schools 9 December - CBMS 6th Grade Band and Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at OHS 9 December - MHS Band and Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at MHS 10 December - AGW 6th-8th Grade Band Concert - 7 p.m. at AHS 10 December - BME Choir Concert - 6:30 p.m. at BME 10 December - EMMS 6th-8th Grade Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at EMMS 11 December - AHS Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at AHS 11 December - CBMS 7th-8th Grade Band Concert - 7 p.m. at OHS 11 December - LLRMS 6th-8th Grade Band Concert - 7 p.m. at LLRMS 16 December - School Board meeting, 7 p.m. at the Marion E. Proffitt Training Center, 118 S. Sixth St, Odessa. Tune in virtually here. 16 December - AHS Band and Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at AHS 16 December - CLE Choir Concert - 6:30 p.m. at AGW 16 December - OHS Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at OHS 17 December - MHS Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at MHS 18 December - AGW 6th-8th Grade Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at AGW 18 December - CBMS 6th-8th Grade Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at OHS 18 December - EMMS 6th-8th Grade Choir Concert - 7 p.m. at EMMS 18 December - LLRMS 6th-8th Grade Orchestra Concert - 7 p.m. at LLRMS 22 December - 2 January - Schools/offices closed - Winter Break 5 January - Schools reopen
