SEAFORD, Del. – Sussex Montessori School announced on Tuesday that a site has been purchased in Seaford for its new home.

The school is currently operating out of the former Wheaton Farm on Stein Highway.

We’re told the school plans on opening with 260 students in grades K-3 in June 2020, then add one new grade per year. The end goal is to serve 465 elementary-age students from Sussex County by the year 2022.

Any child in the appropriate age category for these grades can apply, and there is no cost to enroll. Officials plan to hold a lottery in January of 2020 if there are more applicants than capacity will allow.

Sussex Montessori Board Chair Linda Zankowsky says the school will be unique among public charter schools nationwide.

“First, there are few charter schools serving rural areas. Sussex County is fortunate to have two- Sussex Academy for grades 6-12, and now Sussex Montessori School for younger children. Additionally, of the dozen or so charter Montessori schools we’ve identified in rural areas, none appears to serve a truly diverse student population, which is our goal for Sussex Montessori School,” said Zankowsky.

We’re also told that architectural plans and engineering work on the new site are almost complete, and that construction of new classrooms and school offices will begin soon.