Independent school in Maine will close in June amid financial woes

Officials of Chewonki Elementary and Middle School in Wiscasset, said they were unable to find a short- or long-term model to financially sustain the program.

Nov. 11, 2022

Chewonki Elementary and middle School Facebook page

Chewonki Elementary and Middle School, an independent school in Wiscasset, Maine, will close in June.

The school was founded eight years ago and followed a place-based education model, reports The Portland Press Herald.

The Chewonki Foundation board said it was unable to find a short- or long-term solution to financially sustain school operations.

Officials said the school faced significant pressures during the Covid-19 pandemic and the board felt closing the school was the best option financially.

Many parents said they were blindsided with the decision and had no idea the program was hurting. Some children at the school come from communities without a public school option and whose tuition is paid by their towns.

The school has about 44 students in first through eighth grades. In addition to the school, Chewonki offers camps, outdoor programs and a semester-long program for high school juniors.