The Mooreland Hill School in Kensington is closing before the start of the next school year after being open for nearly 90 years.
A local group of parents founded the independent school, which has educated students from kindergarten through ninth grade, in 1930, according to a statement on the school’s website.
The educational institution will close as of Aug. 31 and school leaders cited enrollment and financial challenges as reasons for the closure.
“It makes me sad but it’s just a very special place for us and our sons,” said Pam Zinn, of Berlin, whose sons, Kyle and Nathan, graduated from the middle school. “I know that it’s had a great impact on who they are, who they are today.”
Seth Brewer, president of the board of trustees, posted a statement on the school’s website.
“Our mission at Mooreland has always been to provide a small school setting designed to empower each student with the knowledge, skills, and character to be lifelong learners and leaders. Under Head of School Reed Rathgeber’s inspirational leadership, we have sustained the high quality, values-led educational experience for which Mooreland has long been recognized despite our ongoing financial challenges,” he wrote. “Proof of our success has been the continued acceptance of our graduates to the finest independent secondary schools in our region. However, the demographics of our area and the costly economics of private secondary education have made it increasingly difficult to achieve the level of enrollment necessary to deliver on our mission in a financially responsible manner.”
All deposits on tuition and enrollment payments made to the school for the 2019-2020 school year will be fully refunded to families, according to the school’s website, and the Head of School will work with families to find other options for their children and assist faculty and staff as they seek new positions.
