Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Chebeague residents voted to secede from the Cumberland school system nearly 20 years ago. The island school was renovated, but ran at half capacity for some time. Enrollment has since rebounded with 23 kids, including nine from the mainland. That may be in part due to the small class sizes.
Chebeague Superintendent Aaron Townsend says it helps that the school is so close to a number of large southern Maine communities that it can draw from with only a 20-minute ferry commute.
“Having that cohort of like academic and social peers as a way to sustain the island school, and we’re certainly unique, and being able to do it because of the (Chebeague Transportation Co.) ferry connection,” Townsend says. “There aren’t many of the unbridged islands that have that close a ferry connection, even here within Casco Bay.”
And Townsend says the appeal of the program has helped the island maintain enrollments at a consistent level — enough to support its budget and its mission.
Though Chebeague Island is hopeful for its school’s future, it’s a challenging time for other island communities in Casco Bay. There was talk recently of closing Cliff Island School, which serves just two students. The idea was strongly resisted by residents.
Read the full story at mainepublic.org.
✍️: Madi Smith
📸: Tulley Hescock
Chebeague residents voted to secede from the Cumberland school system nearly 20 years ago. The island school was renovated, but ran at half capacity for some time. Enrollment has since rebounded with 23 kids, including nine from the mainland. That may be in part due to the small class sizes.
Chebeague Superintendent Aaron Townsend says it helps that the school is so close to a number of large southern Maine communities that it can draw from with only a 20-minute ferry commute.
“Having that cohort of like academic and social peers as a way to sustain the island school, and we’re certainly unique, and being able to do it because of the (Chebeague Transportation Co.) ferry connection,” Townsend says. “There aren’t many of the unbridged islands that have that close a ferry connection, even here within Casco Bay.”
And Townsend says the appeal of the program has helped the island maintain enrollments at a consistent level — enough to support its budget and its mission.
Though Chebeague Island is hopeful for its school’s future, it’s a challenging time for other island communities in Casco Bay. There was talk recently of closing Cliff Island School, which serves just two students. The idea was strongly resisted by residents.
Read the full story at mainepublic.org.
✍️: Madi Smith
📸: Tulley Hescock
