For an elementary school in small-town Monticello, ME, closing its doors for summer vacation meant closing its doors for good. Wellington School Principal Cindy Peterson and teachers congratulated graduating third-graders, but the event was bittersweet indeed. 

The closure, according to NBCNews.com, did not come as a surprise; the district had been threatening to shut the school down since the early 1980s. 

"It's the heart of the community," said Jennifer Johnston, a Wellington parent. "It's the center. This is going to turn Monticello into a little ghost town."

This has been happening in rural school districts throughout the country, said NBCNews.com. Smaller schools have been folding into larger schools because of shrinking state funding and low enrollment. The students will now attend Houlton Elementary School, a 450-student school--a big difference from the 66-student school at Wellington. 

Peterson said Houlton won't be able to replicate Wellington's culture and climate. 

"We focus not just on academics but also the emotional child...teaching kids how to properly socialize and communicate," she said. "In a big school, it's hard to hone in like that."

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Article by Kassondra Granata, EducationWorld Contributor