Chimes International Announces New Special Education School on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Salisbury, MD – Chimes International, Ltd., one of the nation’s largest providers of support and services for children, youth, and adults with disabilities and mental health challenges, is proud to announce plans to open a new special education school on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, The Chimes School Eastern Shore.

“We have become increasingly aware of the large unmet need on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for specialized education for students with Autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD),” said Steve DaRe, President and CEO of Chimes. “The original Chimes School was opened in 1947 to meet the unmet needs for students with disabilities and we are excited to see this natural extension of our mission taking place nearly 80 years later.”

The Chimes School Eastern Shore will expand educational opportunities for a region of the state with more than 7,000 students with Autism and disabilities who need specialized services in the public-school systems. By providing the tools, supports, and individualized instruction they need at a local level, we are improving the lives of students, parents, and the public school system.

The new school will receive referrals from public-school systems in Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties. Chimes is actively evaluating a location for the school and working through the purchasing and development process. Chimes expects to open the first phase of the school in 2027, welcoming over 30 students between the ages of five and ten years old.

“As part of Healthy Minds for Shore, a community partners initiative focusing on mental and behavioral health, we are thrilled to be a part of this important initiative to expand special education resources to our communities on the Eastern Shore,” said Mike Dunn, President and CEO of the Greater Salisbury Committee. “We are grateful to Chimes for stepping up to bring their established brand of services in the special education and I/DD space to students who need them. The Chimes School Eastern Shore will offer a strong foundation for young people of all abilities as they chart their own course into young adulthood.”

Drawing on nearly eight decades of experience at The Chimes School in Baltimore, Chimes brings a proven, individualized approach to the Eastern Shore that helps students with diverse learning needs build independence and confidence. Chimes track record of success is defined by transformational stories of students who develop meaningful life skills and achieve greater independence at school, at home, and in their communities.
Chimes provides support and services for more than 26,000 people with Autism, I/DD and mental health challenges across the mid-Atlantic region. In addition to the existing Chimes School in Baltimore, the organization operates numerous day programs, community living homes, vocational training, and job opportunities through various contracts and competitive-employment programs, as well as mental health crisis and residential services and substance use disorder treatment programs.
About Chimes
Chimes International, Ltd. offers a wide range of opportunities for people with disabilities, mental health challenges, and other special needs. Chimes International, as the parent organization, leads and supports various affiliates which provide services to 26,000 people in six states and the District of Columbia. To learn more visit www.Chimes.org.
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