Milford School District

10/30/2026

October 30, 2026 - Update 8:
We can not wait to welcome back ALL of our students on Monday, November 2, 2026! As a reminder, there will be no school for all students on November 3rd, 4th, and 5th for Election Day, teacher in-service, and Returns Day respectively.

The response to the Lulu Ross fire has been a powerful reminder of what it means to be one Buccaneer family. Across our district, schools and departments stepped up, relocated staff, shared supplies and resources, and did whatever was needed to get our students back together. Through all the changes, our staff never lost sight of what matters most.

We are incredibly proud and grateful for this team and the community that continues to lift one another up. We are beaming with !

🔗Read the full update and access FAQ here:
https://www.milfordschooldistrict.org/our-district/communications/news/~board/news/post/october-30-2026-daily-update-8

10/30/2026

October 29, 2026 - Update 7:
Reminder: There will be no school for MMS and MCA students tomorrow, October 30, 2026.

We have attempted to maintain that same start/end times for the day as much as possible. There have been some adjustments for 6th grade and Ross students. These times can be found on our FAQ document along with other detailed information.

🔗Read the full update and access FAQ here: https://www.milfordschooldistrict.org/our-district/communications/news/~board/news/post/october-29-2026-daily-update-7

10/28/2026

October 28, 2026 - Update 6:

MMS and MCA will be closed on Friday, October 30, to give staff additional time to prepare for our November 2 relocation plan.

As we welcome our Ross students back, let’s also recognize the MMS and MCA staff and students who are navigating difficult changes to make this transition possible. Their flexibility, understanding, and support are an important part of bringing our Buccaneer family together.

Let’s not forget that We Are Still Milford!

🔗Read the full update here: https://www.milfordschooldistrict.org/our-district/communications/news/default-board-post-page/~board/news/post/october-28-2026-update-6

10/27/2026

October 27, 2026 - Update 5:
Relocation Plan: Effective Monday, November 2, 2026, MMS 6th graders will relocate to Milford Central Academy (MCA), opening the space needed at MMS to house all displaced 2nd, 3rd, and 4th-grade students from Lulu Ross Elementary.

🔗Read the full update here: https://www.milfordschooldistrict.org/our-district/communications/news/~board/news/post/october-27-2026-update-5

10/27/2026

Sharing information from the Department of Elections regarding the change of next week’s polling location.

Voting Alert for Sussex County Election District 36-01 Voters: Election Day Polling Place Changed from Lulu Ross Elementary School to Mispillion Elementary School Due to a devasting fire at Lulu Ross Elementary School, the Department of Elections has relocated the polling place for Election District 36-01 voters for the November 3, 2026, General Election to Mispillion Elementary School, 311 Lovers Lane, Milford, DE 19963. Early voting continues through Sunday, November 1. Voters may vote at any early voting site in their county October 26, 2026 – October 27, 2026, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. and October 28, 2026 – November 1, 2026, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sussex County Early Voting Sites are listed below:
• Department of Elections Warehouse - Georgetown, 542 S. Bedford St., Georgetown, DE 19947
• Department of Elections Warehouse - Seaford, 200 Allen St., Seaford, DE 19973 [Access from Stein Hwy onto Dulaney Street]
• Ellendale Fire Hall, 302 Main St., Ellendale, DE 19941
• Indian River Fire Company – Station #2, 25375 Banks Rd., Millsboro, DE 19966
• Laurel Fire Hall, 205 W. 10th St., Laurel, DE 19956
• Margaret Rollins Community Center, 101 Adams Ave., Lewes, DE 19958
• Millville Community Center, 32517 Dukes Dr., Millville, DE 19967
• Nassau Valley Vineyard, 32130 Winery Rd., Lewes, DE 19958
• Roxana Fire Hall, 35943 Zion Church Rd., Frankford, DE 19945
More information is available at https://elections.delaware.gov.

10/26/2026

October 26, 2026 Update #4:

Our crisis team spent the entire day meeting with school administrators and support staff regarding plans to return our Ross students and staff back to school. Our schools are currently working on assessing their schools and determining what type of extra space that can be provided across the district. We have also met with the Ross staff to determine how they can support our Ross students and families through the rest of the week while we work to prepare for their anticipated return. While we have established the goal of returning Ross students next week, there are still additional logistical challenges that we must work through before making a final decision. I plan to personally meet with all staff members across the district who may be impacted by the decisions we have to make before finalizing our plan and sharing with our school community. My goal is to have this information prepared to start sharing with families tomorrow, October 27. In all transparency, we will still have transportation, technology, and food service logistics to work through, so while there will be many questions our community has, the work to provide the answers will continue throughout the week. I also plan to share updates daily this week to keep everyone informed as much as possible.

I am pleased to announce that we have established hub spots for students and families in need from Lulu Ross to pick up meals while school is closed. Meal bags will come with lunch for each day and breakfast for the next morning. We would like to thank the Food Bank of Delaware for their assistance with this much needed support. Food distribution details will be shared with Ross families.

I would also like to share that the fiberoptic repairs at Mispillion Elementary have been completed, and Mispillion will once again operate on its normal schedule for students and staff starting tomorrow, October 27, 2026.
🔗Read the full update here: https://www.milfordschooldistrict.org/our-district/communications/news/default-board-post-page/~board/news/post/october-26-2026-update-4

10/26/2026

The support shown to our Lulu Ross family and the Milford School District today has been truly overwhelming.

From the many first responders who worked tirelessly on the scene, to our fellow school districts across Delaware, state leaders, local businesses, and community members who have reached out with open arms—we are deeply moved by the strength and generosity surrounding us. Our distict-community is second to none!

While we continue developing our short- and long-term plans, we know there are difficult days ahead, and we don't have all the answers just yet. But the outpouring of kindness and willingness to show up has made one thing clear: our Ross family is not alone.

Thank you for wrapping your arms around our students, staff, and families when it matters most. We will continue to provide updates and share specific ways our community can help as plans develop in the coming days.

One Team. One Family. Ross Strong.

10/25/2026

October 25, 2026 Update #3 - 5PM:

Lulu Ross and Mispillion Elementary schools are located on the same campus and share a significant amount of resources and utilities. With the damage that occurred to the school and surrounding infrastructure at Lulu Ross, we have unfortunately lost all fiberoptic connectivity at Mispillion Elementary as well. This leaves Mispillion without internet or working phone systems, creating a safety concern for our students and community. While I recognize this decision will have an impact on our Mispillion families, we must close Mispillion Elementary school for students and staff tomorrow, October 26, 2026.

We have been in contact with state agencies who are sending service crews to the campus to start repair work in hopes that fiber optic service is restored as soon as possible. We anticipate work on this to begin this evening and continue into tomorrow. There will be no in-person or remote learning for Mispillion Elementary students at this time. Mispillion staff will receive instructions from their administrative team regarding work expectations during tomorrow’s school closure. All other schools in the Milford School District will be operating on their regular schedules for students and staff.

The outreach and response from our communities has been incredible. We thank everyone who continues to reach out looking for ways to help contribute to the needs of our school community in the aftermath of this tragedy. Please know that these decisions are not made lightly, and we understand the impact they have on our stakeholders. Our school and district staff are available should any family need support, so please do not hesitate to reach out.

Thank you, and we will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.

10/25/2026

October 25, 2026 Update 2 - 1:00PM:

First responders have cleared the site while investigators remain as they continue their work on determining the cause of the fire. We are extremely thankful that there are no reported injuries and that there were no students or employees in the school at the time of the fire.

As we continue our work to determine the long-term plan in response to the fire, we are formally announcing that there will be no school for the students at Lulu Ross Elementary for the upcoming week, October 26 through October 30, 2026. There will be no in-person or remote instruction for Ross students at this time. The staff from Ross will receive specific information regarding school operations for the coming week. All other schools in the Milford School District will be operating on their regular schedules for students and staff.

We are currently working with other state agencies to build a collection of resources for staff and families who may be dealing with trauma associated with this devastating fire and the realization of such a significant loss and will be sharing this information later. While our school community remains strong, I ask that families and community members refrain from visiting the school as there are still investigative and response crews still on-site assessing damage.

Our District crisis team will be meeting regularly throughout the week and I will provide ongoing updates as decisions are made. I also ask our community to remain patient and provide our staff the time to process this challenge and plan accordingly. If any current or former students of Ross Elementary need any support with the emotional stress such an event can create, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our school counselors, mental health professionals or administrators and we can help provide the necessary trauma informed response.
I want to thank the Milford community for their response and support, as well as our larger Delaware community who have sent out their willingness to support our district during these trying times.

10/25/2026

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: OCTOBER 25, 2026

It is with a heavy heart we share what most of you may have heard by now that Lulu Ross Elementary caught fire early this morning. Here is what we know as of now:
▪️First responders were notified at approximately 4:15 this morning that a fire alarm was going off at Ross.
▪️Upon arrival, several areas on the north end of Kent Hallway were on fire. It took approximately 3 hours to gain control of the fire.
▪️The fire ultimately spread into the lobby and front office areas where significant damage occurred to the library as well...classrooms in both Kent and New Castle hallways were heavily damaged as well.
▪️The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but the state Fire Marshall's office is currently on site assessing the situation and will provide updates as they make this determination.
▪️Our district crisis team will be meeting this morning to begin planning our short-term and long-term responses, including what teaching and learning will look like for the staff and students of Ross.

We know there will be a lot of questions, and we will work diligently to have those answers for everyone, especially those impacted from this tragic event. I ask our community to keep our students, parents, and employees of Lulu Ross in your thoughts and prayers as there will be difficult times ahead as we come to the realization of how significant this truly is. Thank you to those who have already reached out with support and offers for help...the strength of our Milford Community is second to none, and I know we will have the support needed to get through this together.