Delaware Military Academy
Encyclopedia
The Delaware Military Academy is a publicly funded charter high school in Wilmington, Delaware
. It is unique in that all students are required to participate in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, or NJROTC. Because of this, many consider the school to be a "military school," although by most definitions, it is not. 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
. It enrolls about 560 cadets in grades nine through twelve, and enjoys academic recognition from the state of Delaware. As it is a public charter school, there are no admission requirements. The school utilizes an application and interview, but its selections are governed by charter school law.
, but as a charter school
it is not part of the school district itself. The school is on Middleboro Road in Wilmington, Delaware, adjacent to nearby Banning Park, a local housing development, and several light industrial and commercial operations. Due to the lack of athletic facilities on campus, students often walk to Banning Park for sports practices or physical education classes. Other nearby schools have reached agreements with the Academy, allowing it to use their athletic facilities and fields. There are plans to create these facilities on campus in the near-future. Because it is a charter school, it serves students from across the county, and employs faculty from as far away as the city of Dover
, over an hour away in driving distance.
There are currently two buildings on campus: Talley Hall and the unnamed "Naval Science building." The two buildings are separated by a parking lot and sidewalk island. Talley Hall contains strictly academic classrooms, and is where most of the students' academic education will take place. In addition, the school's main office and nurse's office are in Talley Hall. The Naval Science building contains classrooms used for military instruction, as well as classrooms used by the science department. It also contains the school cafeteria, (referred to as a "mess hall"), gymnasium (or "drill deck"), weight room, NJROTC supply office, Naval Science Instructor offices, the cadet staff office, and two dressing rooms (added in 2009). There are plans to add another building in the near-future.
In 2010, the school bought a large sum of land around the campus. There are plans to add athletic facilities, additional classrooms, and more parking in the near-future as funds become available.
The school's student organization resembles that of a United States military organization, as per JROTC standards set forth by the military. However, the school differs slightly from most NJROTC units, as the standards were created with the thought of a small section of students being devoted to JROTC. Considering that every student is a member of NJROTC, the administration tweaked the standard system.
The entire student body is referred to as a "Regiment." Within the Regiment are two "Battalions" within each Battalion there are two "Companies" a student is assigned to a company based on when he or she has Naval Science class each year, and the companies are named the same way. Each company consists of four to five "platoons," named according to the phonetic alphabet
used by the United States military. A student's platoon is simply his or her Naval Science class. The platoon is then further divided into three "squads," each one containing an equal number of students. Squads are randomly assigned to students by the students' instructor.
Another item taken from the military is the concept of an "honor code." Delaware Military Academy's honor code is outlined in its school handbook, which details its purpose and requirements. In the military, there is an inherent sense of trust between superiors and subordinates. Seeking to recreate this trust in an academic setting, the school set up an honor code which all students are required to adhere to.
The code itself is lengthy and is covered at the beginning of each school year in students' Naval Science classes. According to the handbook, however, it can be summed up in one sentence: "A DMA cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do." The code itself defines and expands upon the concepts of lying, cheating, stealing, and toleration, and details the procedure a cadet is to follow when faced with a situation in which the honor code comes into play.
There are other positions unique to each level of staff, as well as additional battalion "support staff." The support staff consists of unique individual positions that do not have levels and may not be strictly related to the military.
Generally, staff is organized in such a way that if a leader (such as the Commanding Officer) is not present, the person directly below him or her in position performs the tasks assigned to that leader until he or she returns. If a leader has continual absence or disciplinary issues, or performs poorly, that person may be stripped of his or her position at the Naval Science Instructors' discretion.
Students apply for staff positions using a variation of another military concept, colloquially called a "dream sheet." Toward the beginning and end of each year, NSIs will ask students to write down any positions they would like to apply for and their reasoning as to why they believe they are the most apt for that position. The NSIs will then confer about each student, often with the input of other students, and make a decision about three weeks into the year.
All students must take Naval Science I through Naval Science IV, one class each year.
The Academy has been recognized by both the state of Delaware and the United States Navy for academic achievement. The state has awarded the title of "Superior" to the school for high scores on standardized testing, for five consecutive years. The Navy awarded the title "Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors" to the school the very first year the school was eligible. With that title came nine appointments to three military service academies, three each to the United States Naval Academy
in Annapolis, MD; the United States Air Force Academy
in Colorado Springs, CO; and the United States Military Academy
in West Point, NY. Graduates from the school attend each of these academies, as well as various other military academies and universities throughout the United States. Attending these academies is not mandatory, however. There is no requirement whatsoever for any military service after graduation from the Delaware Military Academy. The DMA is meant to build a solid foundation for the future of all cadets.
and participates in the Diamond State Conference. The following are sports which the school offers.
In 2010, the Seahawks Ice Hockey Team became the first Delaware Military Academy team to go undefeated 19-0 and give the school its first championship by winning the Flight B Conference finals.
with a degree in Music, as well as the composer and writer of the school's alma mater.
In addition to specific performing arts classes, there are co-curricular opportunities for interested students throughout the year. Each year, the school hosts a play performed by students. A jazz band club started in the 2007–2008 school year, again headed by Grant.
The school has not had a play since the 2007-2008 school year. The SNSI who directed the play, moved to another school.
Parental support and participation levels are high and helpful financially and also provide a fuller palette of opportunities for students than might otherwise be available.
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
. It is unique in that all students are required to participate in the Naval Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps, or NJROTC. Because of this, many consider the school to be a "military school," although by most definitions, it is not. The Academy was founded in 2003 by Charles Baldwin, a retired Master Chief Petty Officer
Master Chief Petty Officer
- Master Chief Petty Officer :U.S. Coast GuardMaster ChiefPetty OfficerCap & Collar deviceU.S. Coast GuardMaster ChiefPetty OfficerinsigniaGood conductRating badgeMaster ChiefPetty OfficerCap & Collar Insignia...
from the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, and Jack Wintermantel, a retired Colonel from the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. It enrolls about 560 cadets in grades nine through twelve, and enjoys academic recognition from the state of Delaware. As it is a public charter school, there are no admission requirements. The school utilizes an application and interview, but its selections are governed by charter school law.
Campus
The Delaware Military Academy is a school that lies within the boundaries of the Red Clay Consolidated School DistrictRed Clay Consolidated School District
Red Clay Consolidated School District is a public school district in northern New Castle County, Delaware. Founded in 1981, Red Clay serves a portion of the city of Wilmington, its northern suburbs, and the Brandywine Creek and Pike Creek Valley areas.-High schools:*Alexis I...
, but as a charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
it is not part of the school district itself. The school is on Middleboro Road in Wilmington, Delaware, adjacent to nearby Banning Park, a local housing development, and several light industrial and commercial operations. Due to the lack of athletic facilities on campus, students often walk to Banning Park for sports practices or physical education classes. Other nearby schools have reached agreements with the Academy, allowing it to use their athletic facilities and fields. There are plans to create these facilities on campus in the near-future. Because it is a charter school, it serves students from across the county, and employs faculty from as far away as the city of Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, over an hour away in driving distance.
There are currently two buildings on campus: Talley Hall and the unnamed "Naval Science building." The two buildings are separated by a parking lot and sidewalk island. Talley Hall contains strictly academic classrooms, and is where most of the students' academic education will take place. In addition, the school's main office and nurse's office are in Talley Hall. The Naval Science building contains classrooms used for military instruction, as well as classrooms used by the science department. It also contains the school cafeteria, (referred to as a "mess hall"), gymnasium (or "drill deck"), weight room, NJROTC supply office, Naval Science Instructor offices, the cadet staff office, and two dressing rooms (added in 2009). There are plans to add another building in the near-future.
In 2010, the school bought a large sum of land around the campus. There are plans to add athletic facilities, additional classrooms, and more parking in the near-future as funds become available.
Organization
As a Navy Military High School, the Delaware Military Academy has a unique organizational structure. In terms of faculty, there are typical academic teachers and administrative positions, as one would find at a standard high school, but there is a significant military presence as well. In addition to some academic teachers being retired from the United States armed forces, there are seven "Naval Science Instructors," or NSIs, who oversee the military aspect of the school. Six of these NSIs also teach "Naval Science" classes to the students. There is also a student organizational structure, referred to as a Chain of Command. This chain of command depicts the roles of each student in the school, ranging from "Squad Leader," (no special responsibility), to "Regimental Commander," the student in charge of the entire school's military section. Various positions are available to the students, in various levels of the organization. There are leaders for each subdivision of the Regiment, and for each subdivision of that, etc. Special positions are also available, such as "Public Affairs Officer" and "Web Site Manager." Much of the school's activity is handled by the students themselves, only traveling to the staff for approval and supervision.The school's student organization resembles that of a United States military organization, as per JROTC standards set forth by the military. However, the school differs slightly from most NJROTC units, as the standards were created with the thought of a small section of students being devoted to JROTC. Considering that every student is a member of NJROTC, the administration tweaked the standard system.
The entire student body is referred to as a "Regiment." Within the Regiment are two "Battalions" within each Battalion there are two "Companies" a student is assigned to a company based on when he or she has Naval Science class each year, and the companies are named the same way. Each company consists of four to five "platoons," named according to the phonetic alphabet
NATO phonetic alphabet
The NATO phonetic alphabet, more accurately known as the NATO spelling alphabet and also called the ICAO phonetic or spelling alphabet, the ITU phonetic alphabet, and the international radiotelephony spelling alphabet, is the most widely used spelling alphabet...
used by the United States military. A student's platoon is simply his or her Naval Science class. The platoon is then further divided into three "squads," each one containing an equal number of students. Squads are randomly assigned to students by the students' instructor.
Core values and honor code
In keeping with the military atmosphere of the school, new students are introduced early on to the concept of "core values." Delaware Military Academy takes directly from the Navy in this, and maintains core values of "honor, courage, and commitment." It is expected that all students adhere to these values at all times when representing the school, whether actually in school or not.Another item taken from the military is the concept of an "honor code." Delaware Military Academy's honor code is outlined in its school handbook, which details its purpose and requirements. In the military, there is an inherent sense of trust between superiors and subordinates. Seeking to recreate this trust in an academic setting, the school set up an honor code which all students are required to adhere to.
The code itself is lengthy and is covered at the beginning of each school year in students' Naval Science classes. According to the handbook, however, it can be summed up in one sentence: "A DMA cadet will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do." The code itself defines and expands upon the concepts of lying, cheating, stealing, and toleration, and details the procedure a cadet is to follow when faced with a situation in which the honor code comes into play.
Cadet staff
Students that show exceptional leadership or aptitude are often recognized by Naval Science Instructors by appointment to leadership positions on the "cadet staff." This staff resembles that used by the United States Navy, with some alterations and omissions. The following are common positions that exist at the battalion, company, and platoon levels.- Commanding Officer (CO)
- Oversees the other staff members and takes command of his or her designated unit. The overall leader of the unit. At the platoon level, this position is referred to as the "platoon leader." At the battalion level, the student with this position is recognized as the most able leader in the school.
- Executive Officer (XO)
- Assists the Commanding Officer in carrying out his or her duties. At the platoon level, this position is referred to as "Assistant Platoon Leader."
- Operations Officer (Ops)
- Duties vary based on level. At the battalion level, this person keeps track of all school events and publishes documents relating to the events. At the company and platoon levels, this person oversees the day to day running of the assigned unit.
- Awards Officer (Awards)
- Manages and oversees the awards held by and given to members of the assigned unit. At the battalion level, this person manages the distribution of awards to all students, based on applications given to the awards officers throughout the staff.
- Training (Trng)
- Oversees advancement in rank and promotion for students in the assigned unit. Also administers promotion exams.
- Supply (Supply)
- Oversees uniform requests for the assigned unit. Students often must exchange or purchase uniform items, which this person manages.
- Administration (Admin)
- Manages various paperwork and documentation relating to students in the assigned unit.
- Regimental (CO)
- Regimental (XO)
- Alpha Battalion
- CO
- XO
- Operations Officer
- Admin Officer
- Awards Officer
- Training Officer
- Weapons Officer
- Public Affairs Officer
- Bravo Battalion
- CO
- XO
- Operations Officer
- Admin Officer
- Awards Officer
- Training Officer
- Weapons Officer
- Public Affairs Officer
There are other positions unique to each level of staff, as well as additional battalion "support staff." The support staff consists of unique individual positions that do not have levels and may not be strictly related to the military.
Generally, staff is organized in such a way that if a leader (such as the Commanding Officer) is not present, the person directly below him or her in position performs the tasks assigned to that leader until he or she returns. If a leader has continual absence or disciplinary issues, or performs poorly, that person may be stripped of his or her position at the Naval Science Instructors' discretion.
Students apply for staff positions using a variation of another military concept, colloquially called a "dream sheet." Toward the beginning and end of each year, NSIs will ask students to write down any positions they would like to apply for and their reasoning as to why they believe they are the most apt for that position. The NSIs will then confer about each student, often with the input of other students, and make a decision about three weeks into the year.
Academics
A major facet of the school's identity is the relationship between its academic areas and its military areas. Delaware Military Academy offers an entirely college-preparatory academic curriculum, with "Honors" classes available to students in grades ten through twelve, and two Advanced Placement classes available to those who have completed the prerequisite courses. Class selection is poor in comparison to other high schools in the same area, due to a low number of class periods per day (five) and a large portion of each student's schedule occupied by Naval Science.All students must take Naval Science I through Naval Science IV, one class each year.
The Academy has been recognized by both the state of Delaware and the United States Navy for academic achievement. The state has awarded the title of "Superior" to the school for high scores on standardized testing, for five consecutive years. The Navy awarded the title "Distinguished Unit with Academic Honors" to the school the very first year the school was eligible. With that title came nine appointments to three military service academies, three each to the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in Annapolis, MD; the United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
in Colorado Springs, CO; and the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in West Point, NY. Graduates from the school attend each of these academies, as well as various other military academies and universities throughout the United States. Attending these academies is not mandatory, however. There is no requirement whatsoever for any military service after graduation from the Delaware Military Academy. The DMA is meant to build a solid foundation for the future of all cadets.
Athletics
The Delaware Military Academy offers a variety of both varsity and club sports to students. In addition to the typical junior varsity and varsity teams, certain sports also maintain a "freshmen" team reserved specifically for ninth grade students. The school is a member of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic AssociationDelaware Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association oversees and regulates interscholastic athletics in the US State of Delaware. Membership is voluntary and as of spring 2006 includes 50 high schools and 23 middle schools.The DIAA is headquartered at the John W...
and participates in the Diamond State Conference. The following are sports which the school offers.
- Lacrosse
- Football
- Baseball
- Cross Country
- Softball
- Basketball
- Volleyball
- Winter Track
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Cheerleading
- Golf
- Wrestling
- Crew
- Ice Hockey
In 2010, the Seahawks Ice Hockey Team became the first Delaware Military Academy team to go undefeated 19-0 and give the school its first championship by winning the Flight B Conference finals.
Arts
There are various performing arts opportunities in the school. Those interested in singing may join the school chorus, either the standard mixed chorus or the Advanced Chorus. In addition, there is a marching band that performs at many functions, within and outside the school. All of these performing arts are taught by John Grant, a graduate from the University of DelawareUniversity of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
with a degree in Music, as well as the composer and writer of the school's alma mater.
In addition to specific performing arts classes, there are co-curricular opportunities for interested students throughout the year. Each year, the school hosts a play performed by students. A jazz band club started in the 2007–2008 school year, again headed by Grant.
The school has not had a play since the 2007-2008 school year. The SNSI who directed the play, moved to another school.
Community
Participation in the community is a large focus for the school. During the 2007–2008 school year, students compiled over seven thousand individual hours of community service, and have continued to do so ever since. Events organizers often contact the school asking for students to help set up, administer, or clean up after an event. A member of the school staff maintains a "Community Service Bulletin Board" on the school website, detailing upcoming events which the school has been asked to assist with.Finances
The school receives the limited state funding available to charter schools. It therefore must raise funds for capital improvements and student activities through donations and fees. The school's "Superintendent" (equivalent to a principal) often meets with military groups regarding financial assistance for the school and promotes the school with legislative and administrative agencies. In debt from building construction, funding is not available for all desired technology and conveniences; for example, meal preparation facilities are limited to microwaves spread throughout the cafeteria (known as The Mess Hall). There are also vending machines and a variety of food available daily. For example: pizza one day and hot dogs another.Parental support and participation levels are high and helpful financially and also provide a fuller palette of opportunities for students than might otherwise be available.