By Mike Finney

MAGNOLIA — It has been quite a memorable ride for Dr. David E. Robinson, who began his educational career as a driver’s ed teacher at Caesar Rodney High School in December 1968.

Over the span of the next three-and-a-half decades, Dr. Robinson continued to teach before he became CR’s principal from 1987-98 and served as the Caesar Rodney School District superintendent from 1998 until his retirement in 2004.

Now, with so many relationships and a remarkable number of yellow-and-blue-colored memories behind him, ribbons were cut to signal the dedication of David E. Robinson Elementary School at 1038 Briarbush Road in Magnolia on Wednesday morning.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone who is here and all those thousands of students that I came in contact with,” Dr. Robinson said. “I take great pride in having great academic programs, quality opportunities in the arts and athletics, and we had an atmosphere that was conducive for students and staff.

“Some of us may have had disagreements along the way, but we put those aside, and we worked to the best of our abilities for the good of the kids, … and that to me is the bottom line. I feel very privileged.”

The construction of the $27.9 million facility started in 2018, after being approved by a 2015 referendum, the second one the district needed to build the school. The first was passed in 1999, allowing purchase of the land from the Richardson and Sullivan families in 2003.

The new 63,012-square-foot elementary school is situated on a site of more than 20 acres, provides space for 600 students and is the realization of a multiyear design and construction effort.

“It is a very special moment to be able to have Dave Robinson present for this dedication,” said Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, the current CRSD superintendent. “His career in education and his love for the students of the Caesar Rodney district is legendary, and this school could not be a better representation of his legacy.”

David E. Robinson Elementary is the first new elementary school in the district since Nellie H. Stokes Elementary opened in 2004.

Connie Welde, who was president of the Caesar Rodney school board in 1999 when the idea of a school in Magnolia took off, credited Dr. Robinson with having the vision for the building at its groundbreaking a couple years ago.

“It wasn’t (the school board’s) vision. It was Dave’s vision,” she said. “He comes in and says, ‘Well, we have this opportunity to buy some land,’ and we all looked at him and we went, ‘Land?’ And he started talking and he said, ‘This area (Magnolia) is exploding.’

“(Dr. Robinson) convinced us to put land into the referendum (in 1999). It was really his decision.”

It turned out to be quite a vision, considering the growth of Magnolia since that time two decades ago.

New kind of school

Architects from the Becker Morgan Group developed the school site to allow for separation of buses and vehicular traffic and accommodate student drop-offs. The layout is also designed so the building frames and protects the playground area at the rear of the facility.

The administrative functions at the front of the school are expected to ease public access and provide enhanced security.

The school features a single-story wing of eight classrooms, while another two-story wing is home to 18 classrooms, in addition to breakout collaboration spaces, a special-education suite and teacher resource room.

The facility’s T-shaped configuration also features a centrally located cafeteria, gymnasium, media center and art and music classrooms.

The exterior of the school was built with low-maintenance materials, such as brick and metal roofing, in conjunction with a front pergola and curved emblem wall.

A portrait of Dr. Robinson, painted by retired CR arts and drama teacher Eddy Seger, was unveiled at Wednesday’s ceremony and will be on permanent display in the school library. In the painting, the former superintendent is holding a book and wearing his familiar gold pants.

Michael Marasco, current president of the CR school board, has known Dr. Robinson since he was Mr. Marasco’s high school principal almost 30 years ago.

“Like the man, the David E. Robinson Elementary School, from start to finish, represents the dedication and a commitment to education,” he said. “During his (approximately 35 years) at CR, Dr. Robinson rose through the ranks as teacher to school principal.

“Dr. Robinson had high standards and high expectations. He also had a great vision for the Caesar Rodney School District to help lay the groundwork for his teachers and administrators to build upon to ensure the district would keep moving forward to provide the best education experience.”

He added, “This facility is more than an elementary school. It represents a solid promise to our community that the Caesar Rodney School District will do what it takes to give its children a quality education.”

Kathleen Fitzgerald will serve as principal of David E. Robinson Elementary when it opens its doors to first through fifth graders Tuesday.

“Today, we celebrate the school board, the architect and the construction team who have fulfilled the vision,” Ms. Fitzgerald said. “We celebrate my staff and the good work that they will do within these walls.

“Finally, we celebrate the person for whom this building is named — Dr. David E. Robinson.”

A day of firsts

Dr. Fitzgerald, no relation to the new principal, noted that Wednesday was a day of firsts.

David E. Robinson Elementary is the first new school built in the CR district since Fred Fifer III and Postlethwait middle schools were built to replace Caesar Rodney Junior High in 1999. It joins CR’s six other elementary facilities.

The day also marked the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that the district’s family, both past and present, have been able to gather.

Following his time at CR, Dr. Robinson also served as an interim superintendent of the Cape Henlopen School District.

“This is also the first time I can remember so many people from Cape Henlopen, Lewes and Rehoboth coming north on a beach day,” said Dr. Fitzgerald with a laugh. “Today, you are all honorary members of the Caesar Rodney family.”

Dr. Robinson has spent five years confined to a wheelchair after he was injured in a bicycle accident in 2016. That did not keep him from beaming as he addressed the crowd in front of the school that will forever bear his name.

“I’ve had some time over the last five years when you think about life,” he said. “When you spend a lot of time in a wheelchair, isolated, you have a lot of time to think about life.

“Love is very important in our lives, and another thing that is very important is forgiveness. There were times when I had to deal with types of conflict, but I never held anything for longer than what it was worth.”

And, he said, he is the first to admit that he has always had high standards.

“I did have high expectations — higher for myself than anyone — and that’s why I was there (at a CR facility) every night doing something, and my wife, Linda, gave me that privilege to be a principal and be a father,” Dr. Robinson said.

“I pray that this school is a place that is loving and nurturing and will educate many, many thousands of kids throughout the term of its life.”