MILFORD, Del. — Delaware Governor Matt Meyer toured the damage at Lulu M. Ross Elementary School in Milford on Tuesday, days after a fire damaged the building, as state and local leaders work to support students and staff and determine next steps.
Meyer was joined by Principal Kimberly Webb, Superintendent Travis Moorman, Milford Mayor Todd Culotta and other state and local officials to assess the damage and discuss the school community’s needs.
Meyer, a former teacher, says the fire’s impact extends beyond the building itself.
“We got to find a way to take that emotional hurt as – as Principal Webb said, turn it into something positive, so that we're not done,” Meyer said. “And we look back and say, hey, we use this to move forward as a community and come together in ways that we never thought we could.”
Meyer also pledged state support for the school community and pointed to efforts already underway to help students and families, including a food program organized with community partners.
Webb says the response from the community has been a source of encouragement following the fire.
“One of the most beautiful things to emerge from this tragedy…has been the extraordinary outpouring of love from our Milford community and across Delaware,” Webb said. “At a time when it would be easy to focus on everything we have lost, you all have reminded us how much we still have.”
Moorman said the district is working to get students back into a learning environment as soon as possible.
“As of right now, we are working on our plan to get our Ross Elementary students back into our learning environments as soon as possible,” Moorman said.
Meanwhile, Milford officials are taking steps to help move the recovery process along. Culotta said the City Council voted Monday night to waive impact permit fees for temporary structures and rebuilding related to the fire.
“We want to move the process along as quickly as possible,” Culotta told WBOC. “And I am committed 100% to cutting red tape. So therefore this type of process is already in place, move things much quicker.”
The school district has not yet announced where students will attend classes while it develops its plan. Officials also have not released details about what caused the fire.
