School open houses and tour nights in New Castle County
If you're choosing a school for next year, fall is when you get to walk the hallways. Districts, charters and private schools run open houses, information nights and tours from September through early December — deliberately ahead of the statewide choice application window, which opens in early November. This list fills in as schools post their dates, so it's thin in September and busiest in October. Go to more than you think you need to: the building tells you things the report card can't, and the questions you'll want answered on application night are the ones you only think of after standing in a classroom.
1 event on Oct 29, grouped by area.
Newark & Bear (1)
Monsters in the Archives: Special Collections Halloween Open House
Thu, Oct 29 · 3:00 PM–5:00 PM
University of Delaware - Newark Campus · Newark
Registration required
See everything on the full calendar →
Good to know
- • Delaware's statewide school choice application window for 2027–28 runs Monday, November 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM through Wednesday, January 13, 2027 at 11:59 PM. Those are the official dates posted at SchoolChoiceDE.org. source
- • Delaware families apply through SchoolChoiceDE.org — one application per child, to as many districts and charter schools as they like. Charter schools use the same portal and the same statewide window. source
Questions parents ask
When do New Castle County school open houses happen?
Most land between mid-September and early December, ahead of the statewide choice window. Charters and private schools tend to start earliest — several run October dates — and some hold a second session in January for families who missed the fall.
Do I have to attend an open house to apply?
No. Delaware's choice application is a single online form at SchoolChoiceDE.org and attending a tour isn't a requirement or an advantage in a lottery. Go because you want to see the place, not because you think it counts.
When is the choice application deadline?
For the 2027–28 school year the window opens Monday, November 2, 2026 at 8:00 AM and closes Wednesday, January 13, 2027 at 11:59 PM. Those are the official dates posted at SchoolChoiceDE.org.
What should I actually ask on a tour?
The things nobody publishes: what aftercare really looks like and what it costs, how many kids came in from choice last year, how the school handles a child who is ahead or behind, and what the first two weeks of kindergarten look like day to day.
Why is this list empty or short right now?
Because we only list dates a school has actually posted. We add them as they appear on district, charter and private school sites rather than guessing at last year's pattern — check back through September and October.
Get the good ones before they fill up
One countywide shortlist every Friday morning, with ages, cost and logistics on each pick. Free.
More guides
Dates refresh from each organizer’s listing twice a day.
Event dates come straight from our live calendar and refresh automatically. Last reviewed August 21, 2026. Confirm anything dated on the source before you go.