FREDERICA, Del. - Dover’s Holy Cross High School is moving forward with plans for a permanent campus near Frederica, with a nearly 100-acre property slated for review by the Kent County Regional Planning Commission in the coming weeks.
Holy Cross Head of School Tom Fertal said a move to a larger campus has been part of the school’s vision since its beginning.
"From the very beginning, the plan was to start a school and to be a full-service school — full campus, athletics, science labs, etcetera," Fertal said. "It was never to be simply a small school like the current building and to stay here."
According to documents filed with Kent County, Holy Cross High School is proposing a private high school on property at the southeast corner of Johnnycake Landing Road and Carpenter Bridge Road, just west of Frederica. The overall property totals close to 95 acres, according to planning and zoning documents, with nearly half of that being located outside town limits.
The property is currently vacant or residential, is zoned Agricultural Conservation, and carries a Low Density Residential designation under the county's comprehensive plan.
Kent County lists the Holy Cross site plan, application S-26-04, on the agenda for a Regional Planning Commission business meeting in September. The county describes the project as a "Private High School totaling 99,600 sq. ft."
The proposed campus comes as Holy Cross launches what it calls "The Founders Campaign," a fundraising effort aimed at establishing a permanent home for the school. Holy Cross says it has secured a roughly 100-acre parcel in Frederica for the full campus.
"We’re not starting a school for 50 students. We want a school for 350 students, 500 students," Fertal said. "As we moved into this temporary location and opened last year, we had been searching for property since the school was actually incorporated."
According to campaign materials, the first phase will require $29 million to establish the permanent campus and provide operational support during the school's early years. The school says that money would cover three years of essential operations while also funding construction of the first major facilities.
"Whether students are going on to robotics and engineering or want to pursue the trades, this is a location that will serve both," Fertal said.
Holy Cross’ long-term vision includes a chapel, Trade, Technology & Innovation Center, Medical Sciences Suite, Black Box Theatre, art and music wing, gymnasium and fitness center, broadcast studio, and athletic fields, according to the Founders Campaign pamphlet.
"Holy Cross High School will be far more than a school campus," the pamphlet reads. "It will be a lasting investment in the future of Catholic education in Delaware and in the lives of generations of young people who will go on to shape their families, communities, professions, and Church."
Frederica Town Manager Dustan Russum said town officials have already met with representatives from Holy Cross to discuss the possibility of supplying water to the proposed campus.
"We sat down and had a conversation about utilizing the town’s water supply to feed the school because we already have the infrastructure in place near that property to provide water for this facility," Russum said.
Holy Cross is seeking major donations to help fund the project, with naming opportunities ranging from $50,000 for individual classrooms to $10 million for the campus. Other opportunities include $5 million for the academic building, $2 million for the gymnasium, and $1 million for the Trade, Technology & Innovation Center. Several spaces, including the chapel and Medical Sciences Suite, are already listed as reserved.
A second naming opportunity phase outlined by the school includes a $2 million Black Box Theatre, $1.5 million cafeteria, $1.25 million turf field, $1 million fitness center, and $750,000 art and music wing.
Holy Cross High School currently operates on DuPont Highway in Dover. The school describes itself as an independent, college-preparatory high school offering a classical curriculum in the Catholic tradition.
"As you know, the population is shifting. Sussex County is exploding, followed by Kent County," Fertal said. "We are meeting the needs of the parents. We’re meeting the needs of our students by providing another educational option for residents in Sussex and Kent counties."
The site plan is scheduled to go before the Kent County Regional Planning Commission on Sept. 10. If approved, school leaders say the Frederica campus would be operational by the fall of 2028.
