COMMUNITY FACILITIES, SERVICES AND SCHOOLS   

Schools 

Public schools in Delaware are administered through a system of school districts in accordance with Delaware Law and the policies, rules, and regulations of the State Board of Education.  School districts are delineated independently from County boundary lines, leaving three of the seven Kent County districts partly in the other two counties.  The Smyrna School District includes areas of Kent and New Castle Counties, and the Milford School District includes areas of Kent and Sussex Counties.  Only a small portion of the Woodbridge School District is in Kent County.  Since there are no schools in the Woodbridge system physically located in Kent County, the State considers Woodbridge a Sussex County school district.   

The Smyrna School District, which occupies the northern section of Kent County, consists of five schools:  two elementary schools, grades K - 4; a lower middle school, grades 5 - 6; a junior high school, grades 7 - 8; and one high school, grades 9 - 12.   

The Capital School District consists of seven elementary schools, grades K-5; one lower middle school; one junior high school; one high school; and the Kent County Community School for mentally and physically challenged students.   

The Caesar Rodney School District consists of eight elementary schools, four middle schools, grades 6-8; one high school, and one school for trainable and severely mentally challenged students.  Two of the elementary schools and the one middle school are located at the Dover Air Force Base and serve only military families who reside in the Base Housing areas.   

The Lake Forest School District consists of two elementary schools; one elementary school grades K-6; one elementary school grades K-4; one middle school; and one high school.   

The Milford School District consists of three elementary schools; one middle school, grades 5 - 8; and one high school.   

The Polytech School District consists of one shared campus between Polytech High School and Polytech Adult Education.  Polytech High School is offering students preparation for college and/or the workplace.  Polytech Adult Education offers extensive adult classes in vocational and personal enrichment programs, as well as academic programs to meet the requirements for a high school diploma.  

In addition to public schools, there are several private schools in Kent County.  Most are affiliated with religious denominations.  In terms of higher education, Kent County is home to institutions and/or programs representing five colleges or universities.  Delaware Technical and Community College offers associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in a variety of specialized areas designed to meet the needs of industry, commerce, public services, and government.  Wesley College, located in the heart of Dover, is a private, fully accredited, coeducational liberal arts institution offering associate and baccalaureate degrees in a variety of disciplines.  A Master of Science in nursing degree is also available.  Wilmington College has two sites in Kent County:  the Scarborough Road and Route 13 site in Dover and at the Dover Air Force Base.  Wilmington College offers baccalaureate and master's degrees in a variety of disciplines.   Centrally positioned Delaware State University is a fully accredited, four-year comprehensive institution that offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master's degrees in a variety of disciplines.  Finally, the University of Delaware’s Dover campus offers a Parallel Program with Delaware Technical and Community College for students to pursue degrees in criminal justice, engineering technology, and technology management.   

Fire   

Fire protection in Kent County is provided by 18 volunteer fire companies, each with its own station, located in the following communities:  Bowers, Camden/Wyoming, Cheswold, Clayton, Dover, Farmington, Felton, Frederica, Harrington, Hartly, Houston, Leipsic, Little Creek, Magnolia, Marydel, Milford, Smyrna, and South Bowers.  Company service areas, or fire districts, are delineated by fire company agreement, and are meant to provide adequate fire protection for all areas.  The fire district boundaries describe general areas of service for each company, but there is mutual aid between and among companies in fighting fires.   

Police   

Police services in Kent County are provided by the Delaware State Police and by local police departments in the following municipalities:  Camden, Wyoming, Clayton, Dover, Felton, Frederica, Harrington, Milford, and Smyrna.  Incorporated municipalities lacking their own police departments as well as the unincorporated areas of the County are patrolled by the Delaware State Police, Troop 3, located on State Route 13A, south of Camden.  Police protection is generally considered to be adequate, although there are some who would like to see the number of State Police patrols increased in the outlying areas of the County.  The Delaware Department of Public Safety has noted that the projected increase in population of 20,000 people by the year 2020 is will require additional police which in turn may require a satellite facility within the County.  The County and the Department of Public Safety should work closely to monitor where growth is occurring within the County to better identify where additional police coverage is needed.  

Emergency Medical Services   

Emergency Medical Services in Kent County are provided by both volunteers and career personnel.  There are 12 ambulance companies based in the following municipalities:  Bowers, Camden/Wyoming, Cheswold, Dover, Felton, Frederica, Harrington, Hartly, Leipsic, Magnolia, Milford, and Smyrna.  Metro Ambulance operates in Dover while the ambulance company in Smyrna is operated by the American Legion.  All other ambulance companies are associated with the volunteer fire companies.  These companies provide emergency ambulance transportation and basic care for minor emergencies.   

In cases of life-threatening injuries and illnesses, county paramedics are also dispatched in conjunction with the ambulance companies to provide advanced life support care.  Kent County maintains three paramedic stations located in Dover, Harrington, and Smyrna.   

Health Care Facilities   

There are 15 health care facilities providing service to Kent County, including two hospitals, ten nursing or rest homes, and three clinics. 

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