Mt Desert Elementary School

mdes.mdirss.org/

161 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

Mount Desert Elementary School (MDES), located at 8 Joy Road in Northeast Harbor, Maine, serves as a cornerstone of the local community within the Mount Desert Island Regional School System. Situated in a picturesque coastal environment, the school provides education for students from preschool through eighth grade. Its mission focuses on fostering a supportive, student-centered learning environment that emphasizes academic excellence, personal growth, and the development of responsible, engaged citizens.

Beyond its core curriculum, MDES is known for leveraging its unique geographic location to incorporate place-based learning into its instruction. Students benefit from the school's proximity to Acadia National Park, which serves as a living laboratory for environmental science and outdoor education. With a strong commitment to small class sizes and individualized attention, the school prides itself on maintaining a close-knit community atmosphere where faculty, staff, and families work collaboratively to prepare students for the transition to high school and beyond.

161

Total Students

22.0

Full-Time Teachers

7.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

23.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Mt Desert Elementary School
Demographic	Student Count
White	138
Hispanic	8
Two or More	15

White
138 (85.7%)
Two or More
15 (9.3%)
Hispanic
8 (5.0%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Mount Desert Public Schools
Phone:	(207)276-3348
Website:	http://mdes.mdirss.org/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	161
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	22.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	7.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	37
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	1

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 15

Kindergarten 19

Grade 1 14

Grade 2 14

Grade 3 13

Grade 4 18

Grade 5 15

Grade 6 19

Grade 7 15

Grade 8 19