Maine Coast Semester: A Premier Semester School in Coastal Maine
A Collaborative and Rigorous Approach to High School Education
Since 1988, Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki in Wiscasset, Maine, has empowered high school students to take charge of their education through a collaborative learning environment. Our semester school provides rigorous Honors and AP-level classes, designed specifically for motivated, independent learners who are ready to excel academically and personally. Similar to a gap year or study abroad program, Maine Coast Semester is specifically designed for high school juniors seeking to amplify their education.
Experiential Education on the Coast of Maine
Located on a beautiful peninsula along Maine’s rugged coastline, Maine Coast Semester immerses students in hands-on, experiential learning. Each week, students spend at least four hours conducting scientific fieldwork along Maine’s coast, bringing their science curriculum to life. Classes such as Art and the Natural World and Environmental Issues leverage our unique geographic setting, encouraging students to explore the complex relationship between human and natural systems throughout coastal Maine.
In math classes, students apply their skills to real-world scenarios, such as modeling tidal changes in Montsweag Bay. Our signature English course, Literature & the Land, encourages students to delve into literature and writing that reflect deep connections between people, nature, and place—connections formed firsthand at Chewonki.
Community, Collaboration, and Responsibility
Maine Coast Semester emphasizes community living, responsibility, and joyful engagement with everyday life. Students and teachers live and learn side-by-side, participating in meaningful physical tasks, spirited classroom discussions, and collective activities. Whether harvesting fresh produce for communal meals or organizing weekend events, students actively contribute to the vibrant community life at Chewonki.
Empowering Student Leaders and Environmental Stewards
At Maine Coast Semester, our students develop a lasting sense of responsibility toward their education and the natural world. Graduates leave Chewonki with a profound understanding of their role within local and global communities and the confidence to make positive impacts wherever they go.
Experience the transformative power of semester school education at Maine Coast Semester—where rigorous academics, experiential learning, and community values converge along the stunning Maine coast.
A Phone-Free and Tech-Light Learning Space
At Maine Coast Semester, students experience the freedom and clarity that comes from a campus free of cell phones. Stepping away from constant notifications and social media creates space for meaningful face-to-face conversations, genuine community connections, and deeper immersion in Maine’s stunning natural surroundings. Numerous studies, such as those being conducted by Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab, highlight the physical and mental health benefits of reducing screen time, and our students consistently cite this phone-free, tech-light environment as a standout feature of their semester. At Chewonki, being phone-free isn’t just a rule—it’s a gift.
Spotlight: Sarah Rebick
Our program director, Sarah Rebick, recently had the pleasure to engage in an interview with the staff from the Boston Children’s Digital Wellness Lab, a collaborative research group between Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School Teaching Hospital, dedicated to studying the impact of digital media on the health and well-being of today’s youth.
This has been a fascinating connection for Maine Coast Semester to make. For 35 years, long before the advent of cell phones and social media, we have offered phone-free, tech-light education with an emphasis on personal connection, observation, and the natural world, and it’s something our students often describe as “like waking up to the real world.” Without phones in their pockets, they start noticing the birds circling over the estuary, the expression on a friend’s face during a real conversation, or the clear sweep of the night sky in Maine. Talking with the Digital Wellness Lab reminded us that these experiences aren’t just nice extras—they’re critical for building empathy, focus, and a strong sense of self. In a world where constant connection can sometimes mean less real connection, our campus offers a rare space for young people to slow down, pay attention, and form lasting relationships.
Sending Schools
More than 2,800 students from over 300 sending schools have attended Maine Coast Semester. In a typical semester, students come from 30+ high schools and 12+ states. Forty percent of students come from public schools and 60% come from private schools. Ten percent come from Maine. Some of our most common sending schools include:
Berkeley High School (CA)
Boulder High School (CO)
Cambridge Rindge and Latin School (MA)
Charlotte Country Day School (NC)
Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences (CA)
Crystal Springs Uplands School (CA)
The Dalton School (NY)
Ethical Culture Fieldston School (NY)
Francis W. Parker School (IL)
Greenhill School (TX)
Greensboro Day School (NC)
Harvard-Westlake School (CA)
Lakeside School (WA)
The Lovett School (GA)
Menlo School (CA)
Milton Academy (MA)
The Nightingale-Bamford School (NY)
Noble and Greenough School (MA)
Princeton Day School (NJ)
Santa Fe Preparatory School (NM)
Shady Side Academy (PA)
Sidwell Friends School (DC)
St. John’s School (TX)
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School (CA)
St. Paul Academy & Summit School (MN)
The Thacher School (CA)
Waynflete School (ME)
Webb School of Knoxville (TN)
The Westminster Schools (GA)
YES Prep Public Schools (TX)
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Our Approach & History
Maine Coast Semester: A Premier Semester School in Coastal Maine A Collaborative and Rigorous Approach to High School Education Since 1988, Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki in Wiscasset, Maine, has ...
Place-Based Curriculum
An Integrated Curriculum for College-bound Students The design of Maine Coast Semester’s curriculum is guided by our mission and Goals for Graduates, which encourage students to take ownership of their ...
College Counseling
Fostering Competitive College Applicants We know that the junior year is critical in the college application process, so we work with our students to begin that process through a college ...
Academic Profile
Academic Profile Download our full 2025-2026 Academic Profile Accreditation Maine Coast Semester is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, approved by the State of Maine Department ...
Semester Schedule
Semester Schedule Students attend Maine Coast Semester for one semester. The fall semester is 14 weeks and the spring semester is 15 weeks in length. All academic classes meet for ...
Our Goals for Graduates
Our Vision We choose to approach rigorous academics, physical work, and everyday living with responsibility and joy. Whether engaging in a spirited classroom discussion, harvesting tomatoes for our table or ...
