Local Private School Gets New Name

Alisha Yocum

In 2023, Chesterton Academy of the Annunciation opened in Emmitsburg, offering a private Catholic school option for high school students. Originally operating under the Chesterton Schools Network, this spring, the school became an independent school in order to gain more curricular autonomy.

The school recently selected a new name, Annunciation High School. Kristin Cook, vice president of the Board of Directors and teacher, said, “We chose the name Annunciation because we made the decision to start the school on December 13, 2023, toward the end of a nine-month prayer that runs from Annunciation (March 25) to Christmas. The name also honors the Archangel Gabriel, one of our personal patrons and the messenger of the Annunciation.”

The school currently enrolls 18 full-time and 4 part-time students, and expects to expand to 30 students next year.

Along with the name change, the school has also adopted the nationally known Catholic, classical curriculum of Kolbe Academy.

While there is a tuition fee, the school has been able to offer an affordable price for families, thanks to generous donations from community members and local businesses.

“We are honored to share in Mother Seton’s legacy of bringing affordable education in the Catholic tradition to Emmitsburg,” expressed Cook.

To learn more about the school, you can visit their website at www.annunciationhs.org or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.

Students from Annunciation High School pose for a picture on the first day of school.