A former science teacher has taken the helm of Bath’s Brightfield School.

The school hired Melaine Christensen Fletcher as its new head of school last week. According to a press release from Brightfield School, it has also added afterschool programs to its schedule and is considering additional summer programs in 2025.

Melaine Christensen Fletcher is the new head of school for the Brightfield School in Bath. Courtesy of the Brightfield School

Before becoming head of the Brightfield School, Fletcher was a science teacher and head of school at Harpswell Coastal Academy. She also served as a teacher at Cathance River Education Alliance.

“The best education happens when adults and kids learn alongside one another, share a genuine enthusiasm for discovering the world around them and grapple together with complex problems,” Fletcher said.

The school uses a looping curriculum and progression model that goes beyond the one-year student-teacher relationship model, according to a press release.

Brightfield is in its second year, with 30 students enrolled, and 75% of the school’s families receive some tuition assistance from Brightfield. Some Midcoast families also have the opportunity to take advantage of public school funding, which can be used to pay tuition at Brightfield.

“We see a great need within the community for afterschool programming, so this is a natural progression for [Brightfield],” said Cyrus Ahalt, Brightfield co-founder and board chairperson.

Brightfield maintains a class size of around 12 students, with most classes comprising six students from two grade levels. Digital devices are not used until fifth grade for hands-on learning, projects and group activities. The school year is set to begin on Sept. 3.