Caravel Middle School

Located at 520 Irish Road, in Carmel, Maine, Caravel Middle School is a cozy intermediate school that instructs 204 students (grades 5 through 8), operated by RSU 87/MSAD 23. Enrollment runs roughly 44% below the state mean of about 364.

Caravel Middle School is one of 3 schools operated by RSU 87/MSAD 23, a district that teaches 584 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Caravel Middle School logs that the student body is overwhelmingly White (91%). The remainder is composed of 6% multiracial. Compared to Penobscot County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at school resources, On paper, Caravel Middle School has 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 12.1:1. That figure is higher than the state norm's 11.2:1 average. About 39% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is lower than Penobscot County's rate of about 48%.

Zooming out to the county, ACS estimates for Penobscot County put median household income runs about $66,356, about 30% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 9% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Penobscot County runs 69 public schools (combined enrollment of about 18,646 students), of which Caravel Middle School is one.

Suzanne M Smith Elementary School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 1.8 miles from this campus. Counting just inside five miles, 2 other public schools cluster around Caravel Middle School.

Geographically, the school is in a low-density area.

Trend over the last 7 years. Caravel Middle School's enrollment has edged up 6% since 2018, when it stood at 193 (now 204). Over the same period, the White share contracted from 95% to 91%. Class-load math has narrowed: from 13.5:1 in 2018 to 12.1:1 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, members of the Caravel Middle School community share and discuss science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.