May 21, 2025 – ChaddsFordLive.com

UCF board OKs facility spending

Unionville Chadds Ford School Board directors authorized the spending of more than $375,000 on a group of five facilities projects during the May 19 board meeting.

Projects include replacing the flooring in six classrooms at Unionville High School, upgrading some plumbing at Chadds Ford and Hillendale Elementary schools, painting at HES, Unionville Elementary School and UHS, some concrete and asphalt work at Patton Middle School and at HES, and synthetic turf to be out in for all-day kindergarten at the elementary schools.

The flooring at the high school comes at a cost of $40,830, which will be paid for through the Long-Range Facilities Plan. Director Rashi Akki, who chairs the Facilities Committee, said the work addresses issues that had not been previously addressed, as well as some flooding that occurred a few years ago.

Bathroom plumbing upgrades at CFES and HES, which include new touch-free, low-flow flushometers and faucets, will cost $60,909. Akki said the new systems will make all the toilet rooms touch-free and operate on lithium batteries designed to last 20 years. Akki said the job is coming in at below the price budgeted.

Hillendale and Unionville Elementary schools and Unionville High will get some new paint during the summer, for a combined cost of $27,815. That work, too, is paid through the Long-Range Facilities Plan.

Asphalt and concrete work is planned for Patton and Hillendale at a total cost of $102,858 to make pothole repairs, milling at the district office parking lot, and for some new sidewalks and a curb at Hillendale’s gym entrance. The cost is also covered by the Long-Facilities Plan.

Some synthetic turf is going to be installed at CFES, HES, and Pocopson Elementary. The new surfaces are for play areas in support of the all-day kindergarten program. The total cost is $142,915.36 and is being paid for with a grant from the Longwood Foundation.

The total cost for all the projects comes to $375,327.

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UHS senior gets CFTRA scholarship

Chadds-Ford

DSC_1119-Tucker-Family — Stella Tucker, second from left, is the 2025 winner of the Chadds Ford Township Residents Association Scholarship. She is flanked by her family. Her father Matt is on the left. And to her right is mother Pam, and siblings Lilly and Michael.

Stella Tucker, a senior at Unionville High. School is the 2025 recipient of the Chadds Ford Township Residents’ Association annual scholarship. She received the $1,500 gift at a brief presentation on May 19.

Jody Allen, of the CFTRA, said Tucker was among “an amazingly strong group of applicants for the scholarship and, even with that, [her] application really stood out.”

The areas that stood out were her scholastic achievement and her community involvement. Allen added that he hopes his own daughter can match some of what Tucker has achieved, earning the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Allen noted that Tucker, who will graduate next month, has been awarded a full scholarship to the University of Alabama for both her undergraduate work and for law school at Alabama.

“That’s a testament to all of your hard work,” he said to Tucker before awarding her the check.

“Academics are a part of [the scholarship], but what we really focus on is the community service aspect and what you give back to our community here in Chadds Ford. For that, we are very grateful.”

Among Tucker’s achievements are being a member of both the National and Spanish Honor Societies. She was invited by the U.S. Naval Academy to participate in both their Summer STEM program and Summer Seminar, and she had a grade-point average of 4.7.

Additionally, she created a local chapter of Girls Who Code at Unionville, in which she was a co-president for three years, and she was elected to represent UHS at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference and was editor-in-chief of the Unionville High School Yearbook. She was a Girls on the Run coach for two years and created and taught a creative writing course at the Chadds Ford Elementary School.

UHS senior gets CFTRA scholarship

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Police Log May 21: Thefts, DUI, stabbing

Police, Police Log

Pennsylvania State Police

Media Barracks

• Police are investigating the theft of an electric motorcycle from Hannum’s Harley-Davidson in Chadds Ford on May 13. The police report said someone smashed a window and stole the $5,000 vehicle. There are two suspects, according to the report, with one being a white male, about 5’4” tall, dressed in black, and another individual of unknown gender standing 5’9” wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and sneakers. Police responded to the scene at 12:22 a.m.

• Lululemon in Concord Township was ripped off again, this time on May 10. According to the report, there are four suspects: three black males and one black female. The group got away with $34,000 worth of merchandise. The theft occurred shortly before 3 p.m. police are investigating

Avondale Barracks

Deshawn McKee, 19, of Ardentown, Del., was cited for DUI in Pennsbury Township on May 11, shortly before 2 a.m., police said. The arrest followed a one-car crash on Fairville Road. According to the report, McKee approached a left-hand turn at a high rate of speed and lost control of the Toyota Camry he was driving. The car left the roadway and hit a fence. The driver was not injured, but police said he exhibited signs of impairment.

Kennett Square Police Department

Borough police said a 14-year-old boy was stabbed by another 14-year-old boy who was the victim’s classmate. The incident took place on May 7 in the 400 block of Center Street. The suspect was found to have attacked the victim with a knife on the railroad tracks behind the 300 block of West Cedar Street while continually threatening to kill him. The suspect continued to attack the victim as the victim tried to flee for help. Officers rendered emergency first aid to the victim and turned him over to responding emergency medical staff from Longwood Fire Company, who continued patient care. He was transported to Nemours AI duPont Hospital with serious injuries. On May 16, the juvenile suspect was taken into custody without incident and was turned over the Chester County Youth Center due to the severity of the offense.

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