Sports
Journey
Mann resigns as basketball coach
International student shares his story
Page 68
Page 31
AUGUST 25, 2023
THE LOCAL VOICE OF YOUR COMMUNITY.
Volume 20, Issue 34
FREE
IRSD preparing to welcome back students By Mike Smith Staff Reporter It’s back-to-school time, with classes starting Tuesday, Sept. 5, for 10,000 students in the region, some of whom are undergoing orientation at school open houses this week. Indian River School District (IRSD) Superintendent Jay
Brittingham named acting principal at Sussex Central
Owens also welcomed more than 100 new teachers and administrators at a series of team meetings and educational training events this week, called New Educator Week. The first students to return to a classroom this year, on Sept. 5, are those in “transition grades” — those entering kindergarten at the elementary schools,
sixth grade at the middle schools or ninth grade at the high schools. Prekindergarten has a delayed starting date of Sept. 11, after other students have all returned to class. “It is always exciting to have a fresh start with a new school year,” said Owens of the building excitement in the community. “It’s always great to re-
turn to school, and these open houses and orientations give us a chance to have students meet their new teachers before we really get ramped up. They can be in the schools without a mass of other students to start.” The Indian River School District, See SCHOOLS page 2
Sailing paradise
By Mike Smith Staff Reporter Judith A. Brittingham, director of special services for the Indian River School District, and a longtime IRSD employee and special education specialist, has been named acting principal for Sussex Central High School, starting immediately. The IRSD board of education met in a closed-door executive session on Wednesday, Aug. 16, to discuss personnel and human resource matters at the Sussex Central High School — where two administrators were placed on leave following a fight in April in which the senior administrative staff became embroiled. In addition, the district announced on Thursday, Aug. 17, that Tara Thoroughgood had been named the district’s acting director of special education. “These are acting positions of uncertain duration while the district awaits additional information,” IRSD Superintendent Jay F. Owens said on Thursday. See BRITTINGHAM page 5
Special to the Coastal Point • Maryfrances Berger
You just want to kind of exhale while you see this shot on the Indian River Bay, don’t you? Us, too.
Evans Park about to fall into a full slate of events By Kerin Magill Staff Reporter Millville’s Evans Park is set for a full slate of events through the end of the year, starting in just a few weeks with a tribute to some very special people in
the community. On Saturday, Sept. 16, the park will host Millville’s first Heroes & First Responders Day, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Millville Park & Recreation Director Liz Kain-Bolen said the event will offer educational demonstrations and displays
from local and state emergency organizations, including the Millville Volunteer Fire Company, Delaware State Police, Ocean View Police Department, Bethany Beach Patrol, Beebe School of Nursing and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
“We wanted to do something to introduce children to the various first-responder careers,” Kain-Bolen said. Children can talk to first-responders and explore rescue vehicles, such as See PARK page 6