Delaware Military Academy to build $5 million dome

The Delaware Military Academy is planning a 27,000-square-foot dome on its campus to house an athletic complex and classrooms.

The charter school near Newport, which brings military structure into its academic programs, is looking to expand its student population from about 560 students to 750 students in the coming years, according to its most recent annual report to the state Department of Education.

In preparation for its expansion, the school bought about 6 acres of land last June, according to its charter renewal application.

The project is expected to cost about $5 million and won't involve state money, according to Anthony Pullella, head of the school. Charter schools in Delaware are not allowed to use taxpayer funding for building projects.

New Zika case brings total in Delaware to 8

Lewes firefighter killed in helicopter fall remembered

"We have to raise all the capital ourselves," he said, explaining that he expects most of that money to come from foundations and private donors.

The school plans to break ground on July 29 and get the project under way by the first week in August. Ideally, it will be finished by the start of the next school year, in September 2017, but Pullella said that's an "aggressive timeline."

The dome will increase the school's space by about abut 40 percent, Pullella estimated, and will give its sports teams a place to play and practice, since its campus doesn't have a gymnasium.

"In order to enhance the athletics program, you've got to have the facilities to do it," he said.

In addition to the athletics area, the dome will also have classrooms and a new science laboratory, since the school is trying to improve its science and technology curriculum, Pullella said.

Contact Saranac Hale Spencer at (302) 324-2909 or sspencer@delawareonline.com.