Bryan Allen Stevenson School, third charter in Sussex, opens

The Bryan Allen Stevenson School Of Excellence celebrated its opening Thursday. (Photo from Denise Snyder/Facebook)

The state’s 24th charter school celebrated the upcoming Sept. 3 with a ceremony Thursday morning.

The Bryan Allen Stevenson School Of Excellence (BASSE) is located in Sussex County’s Georgetown, and after delaying its opening for a year due to low enrollment, the school is all set to operate for the 2024-2025 school year.

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“I’m very excited to welcome our students in the 2024 school year,” said BASSE’s Founding School Leader Chantalle Ashford. “The youth leaders from our summer program built a strong foundation for our school community. We will continue to build on their work throughout the year and next school year.”

BASSE is building a pathway for leadership within Sussex County that starts with students, she said.

Through proximate service-learning experiences and a personalized and rigorous academic curriculum, the school seeks to cultivate students’ commitment to stay engaged and dedicated to Sussex County.

BASSE planted the seeds with students, families, staff and community, said Dr. Teresa Berry, board chair, and Thursday, that seed has blossomed.

“The school will not just create the next Bryan Stevenson, but will usher in the next generation of Bryan Stevensons, fighting for a better tomorrow with the understanding that, in the words of Bryan Stevenson, ‘We all have a responsibility to create a just society’,” said Founder Alonna Berry.

It will serve a little more than 200 students in grades six through eight, and will ultimately become a high school as well by adding a grade level each year with this inaugural group of students.

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Stevenson Charter will join Sussex Academy and Sussex Montessori Public Charter as the three charter schools in Sussex County.

It’s located in rhetorical old Howard T. Ennis building.

Thursday’s ceremony included a ribbon cutting, a tour of the school and more.