Camden — It has been a busy few months for students and faculty of The Watershed School. Displaced by the sudden closing of Lincoln Street Center in Rockland, the school was fortunate to utilize the strong support of faculty, staff, parents, students, board and community members to reestablish itself at Knox Mill in Camden upon the onset of the 2012-2013 school year. Tom Weis and members of design team 'Hello. We are _____.' provided design and construction services for the new school space. Weis, also a teacher at Watershed, worked closely with faculty and students to create a space reflective of the school's needs. The remodeled space features light filled rooms and unique classroom features while providing convenient access to downtown Camden. Construction of the new space is expected to complete within the month.

Watershed hopes to use the downtown Camden location to incorporate resources within the greater community; allowing students to conduct research at Camden Public Library, expanding classroom opportunities to the wealth of natural spaces in the area and broadening teaching relationships with businesses, organizations and knowledgeable members of Midcoast area.

Established by teachers, parents and other Midcoast Maine community members, The Watershed School opened in 2003 as an independent nonprofit high school “for students who want to learn more.” Students at Watershed have demonstrated a strong desire to attend the school, and pursue a rigorous course of study enhanced by self-designed projects and personal interests. With 22 students enrolled for the academic year hailing from Damariscotta to Belfast, faculty offers a challenging academic program in sciences, humanities, and the arts. The school places a strong focus on instilling effective intellectual habits, leadership and responsibility while maintaining that strong interpersonal student-faculty relationships invigorate academic achievement. Classes at Watershed are small, usually around 10 students, to allow optimal focus with course material and encourage effective interaction between teachers and students. Based on the school's mission to build a learning community cultivating excellence, creativity, and compassion, The Watershed School strives to not only provide an educational environment which encourages students to be engaged and involved members of their community, but also holds that the community is itself a wise and diverse teacher. As the school year unfolds, Watershed hopes to build relationships within the Midcoast to enrich the strong educational foundation students receive at the school with first hand experiences with area organizations, professionals, artists, and more.

While the school year has just begun, members of The Watershed School have already been busy. A group of students participated in the U-Can food drive event hosted by Camden Area Christian Food Pantry, collecting 1,000 cans of food donations to be used in a sculpture competition. The group took first place with their imaginative rendition of a pirate ship.

Students and faculty marked a new academic year as they embarked on a school-wide canoe and camping trip, paddling a coastal route beginning in Friendship and ending in Port Clyde. The annual trip serves as a way for students to develop and deepen relationships with their peers and teachers while also immersing themselves in the natural classroom of our coastal region. Students began the full schedule of classes Sept. 10.

And with the completion of construction on the horizon, the school will host an open house event to celebrate its new home in early October. Anyone interested in learning more about The Watershed School is invited to attend the evening, which will feature tours of the new school, selections of student work and talents, refreshments, and a chance to meet students and faculty.

The Watershed School is an nonprofit independent high school, accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, and recognized by the Maine Department of Education. Watershed is currently accepting applications for mid-year transfer students for the 2012-2013 academic year. For more information contact Administrative Director Laura McGrath at 230-7341 or laura.mcgrath@watershed-school.org.