Delaware Military Academy
Charter school in Wilmington, Delaware, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, or NJROTC; DMA is the first successful all-JROTC military charter school in the US.[3][4] DMA offers grades nine through twelve and has been designated a Blue Ribbon School.[5]
Jack Wintermantel
| Delaware Military Academy | |
|---|---|
Talley Hall Building | |
| Location | |
 | |
112 Middleboro Road , Delaware 19804 United States 39°43′16″N 75°35′06″W | |
| Information | |
| Type | Charter |
| Motto | Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founders | Charles Baldwin Jack Wintermantel |
School district | Red Clay Consolidated School District |
| CEEB code | 080171 |
| Staff | 49 (2023-2024) |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Gender | Co-educational |
| Enrollment | 584 (2023-2024) |
Hours in school day | 8.5 |
Campus type | Suburban |
| Colors | Navy, gold, and white |
Athletics conference | Diamond State Conference |
| Mascot | Seahawk |
| Accreditation | Middle States Rated Superior School 2006-2024 |
| Yearbook | The Porthole |
Communities served | New Castle County, Delaware |
| Website | demilacad |
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] 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.[citation needed] Students are divided into one Regiment and each Regiment is divided into two Battalions(Alpha and Bravo) with four Companies each.[6] Ranks are given based on honor, seniority, and academic excellence, with the highest student rank being the Regimental Commanding Officer.[6]
Academics
DMA is a college-preparatory school that offers honors, AP, and dual-enrollment classes through Delaware Technical and Community College.[4]
The State of Delaware gave DMA a "Superior" ranking for high scores on standardized testing and they were named a Blue Ribbon School in 2019.[5][7]
Athletics
For much of its history, DMA has lacked sufficient athletics facilities and relied on nearby Banning Park and other high schools' facilities.[8] 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.[9] The Anthony N. Fusco, Sr. Athletic & Academic Center, a $6 million construction paid for by donors, opened in 2017.[8] Shortly after, in 2019, a $2.5 million turf stadium was erected and named the Fusco Memorial Field.[10]
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.[11] 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.[11]
Notable alumni
- Patrick Clark, football player