On July 26th, 2023, Midtown Brandywine News’ Simon Cousins sat down with Madeline “Maddie” Weckel, Head of School, at the Freire Charter School Wilmington. As the new school year approaches, we wanted to learn more about developments at the school and how they intersect with life in Midtown Brandywine. Maddie shares key dates for the upcoming academic year, discusses traffic and parking around the school, updates us on the progress of the gymnasium construction project, and reveals opportunities for collaboration between the neighborhood and the students of Freire .

MBN: Maddie, as the new school year approaches, could you please provide us with a rundown of some key dates and events that families and students should be aware of at Freire Charter School Wilmington?

Maddie Weckel: Certainly! Firstly, I want to emphasize that we are still actively enrolling and eager to welcome new families. To facilitate this, we have arranged various opportunities for interested families to engage with our admissions team. We are hosting virtual open houses during Monday lunch hours leading up to the start of the school year. Additionally, we have scheduled “instant decision dinners” on Thursday evenings on August 3rd, 10th, and 17th, and open houses on Saturday, August 5th, and August 19th; these events are in-person, at the school. Interested families can visit our website to sign up for any of these open house opportunities. Everyone is welcome to join us and learn more about Freire and the educational opportunities we offer to students.

To ensure a smooth start to the school year, we have planned a materials pick-up afternoon on Thursday, August 24th. This allows families to visit the school and collect their technology, materials, and schedules.

For 8th and 9th graders, the first day of school will be Monday, August 28th. Then, on Tuesday, August 29th, all students, including upperclassmen, will begin their academic year.

Please note that our enrollment process is ongoing, and we encourage families to reach out and discover how Friere can make a difference for their children. We appreciate any support in spreading the word about the opportunities we offer to students at Freire .

MBN: As the new school year approaches, we understand that there will be increased traffic around the neighborhood due to drop-offs and pickups at the school. The efforts made by the school in the previous year to encourage caregivers to comply with sensible traffic and parking policies were greatly appreciated by the neighborhood. Could you share with us what you expect regarding traffic and parking for the upcoming school year?

Maddie Weckel: Indeed, we anticipate facing similar challenges as in the past, given the small size of the neighborhood and its streets. However, we are committed to being proactive in communicating our expectations to families, including designated routes and drop-off spots. Our staff will be present and visible to direct traffic away from the school, aiming to minimize congestion as much as possible. We are immensely grateful for the support we received from the neighborhood during the previous year’s initial weeks of school. The ongoing communication and feedback from residents have been invaluable in addressing any issues that arise promptly.

We will ensure that our staff is out there, communicating effectively with families. For those instances where students have specific needs or require door-to-door transportation, we will create individualized plans to avoid creating congestion on streets like Orange and West 14th.

MBN: That’s reassuring to hear. It’s true; we may not always be aware of the unique circumstances some families face, necessitating direct drop-offs. I can see that accommodating these individual needs is important.

Maddie Weckel: Absolutely, there are cases where students may have physical limitations or other individualized needs that require tailored arrangements. Our goal is to ensure that every student’s journey to school is as smooth and efficient as possible.

MBN: Could you update us on the progress of the gymnasium construction project throughout the summer?

Maddie Weckel: The construction is progressing on schedule, and it’s been fascinating to witness the real-time progress from our office windows. While some parts may not be easily visible from the street, I invite any curious neighbors to come by and take a look. The demolition work is now complete, with the second-story walls and roof removed from the back end of the building. Excitingly, we received our first delivery of steel beams yesterday, marking the transition from the demolition phase to the actual construction and building phase. The projected completion date is January 2024, and we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to hold our first event in the new gym after winter break.

MBN: As the construction enters this next phase from August to January, what can neighbors expect in the immediate vicinity?

Maddie Weckel: During this phase, neighbors can expect to see the structure of the gymnasium taking shape. We are working closely with our contractors to ensure that any major deliveries are managed with minimal disruption to the neighborhood. For example, during yesterday’s steel delivery, the truck came down Orange Street and pulled into our lot to avoid obstructing the street. When it departed, there was a brief five-minute closure of Orange Street as the truck had to back up. We’ve been in communication with the neighborhood about such deliveries, and we will continue to provide information in advance to ensure smooth traffic flow for our neighbors.

MBN: Thank you, Maddie. Before we conclude, let’s talk about the potential for deeper collaboration between the residents of Midtown Brandywine and the students of Freire in the upcoming school year.

Maddie Weckel: Absolutely! We are very open and eager to form stronger connections with the neighborhood residents. Midtown Brandywine is filled with wonderful neighbors who possess diverse backgrounds, skills, and interests. We see immense potential in building more bridges between the community and our students. Whenever we have events or opportunities to involve neighbors, we will make sure to extend invitations. For instance, our career fair is a prime occasion to invite neighbors to share about their professions and industries. We’re planning to hold the fair again this year, ideally earlier in the academic year, and we would be thrilled to have professionals from the neighborhood participate.

Moreover, I’ve heard about the fantastic work being done by the neighborhood’s Greenscape Committee to improve our local ecosystem. We would love to collaborate with the neighborhood on projects during the upcoming school year. If any neighbors have ideas or are interested in partnering with us, please reach out to me!

Finally, I simply want to express our deep appreciation for the support we receive from the neighborhood. It means a lot to us, and we are genuinely excited about the opportunities that lie ahead in the new school year and our continued partnership with Midtown Brandywine.

For more information on our neighbors Freire Charter School Wilmington, visit https://freirewilmington.org. Neighbors can phone the school on (302) 407-4800.

This article appeared in Midtown Brandywine News, August 2023.

Thank you to Union Press Printing for their kind partial-sponsorship of print costs for the August edition. We encourage neighbors to consider Union Press, a local family-owned business since 1935, for their printing needs. Contact Union Press at 302-652-0496 or [email protected]