LEWISTON — Leaders behind a private effort to resurrect St. Dominic Regional High School after it was closed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland last year will hold an open house for the school at its new location.

The independent, private high school will be located in the former Peck Building at 184 Main St. in Lewiston. It will open for its first classes in August or early September for the 2026-27 school year.

Claude Berube, a 1984 St. Dom’s graduate, has been appointed the new head of school. Berube, members of the school’s board of directors, and educators will be on hand at two scheduled open houses to welcome potential students, parents and alumni on a tour of the building.

The tours — scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and Monday, Jan. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m. — will take place on the second and third floors of what is now called the Peck Center.

St. Dominic Regional High School was once part of St. Dominic Academy under the Portland Diocese, which was made up of both elementary and high school students. The high school, which was located in Auburn, was closed by diocese officials after the school year last spring, citing a variety of issues, including low enrollment and financial challenges.

Almost immediately, parents, alumni and supporters of the school pushed to have the diocese reconsider. When those efforts failed, supporters began their own effort to maintain the availability of a Catholic education for high-schoolers in the area.

In October, the diocese announced that the remaining K-8 grades of St. Dominic Academy would move from Lewiston to the Auburn campus once occupied by the high school.

The new St. Dominic Regional High School is not associated with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland or any other diocese, said Berube, whose grandfather was in the first class of the first St. Dominic Regional High School in 1941. Berube said he has several family members who graduated from the school.

Target enrollment at the new school for the first year is between 80 and 130 students. After that, leaders are hoping enrollment grows to about 200 students. If more enroll, they will look at expanding the facility, Berube said.

Enrollment is available to Catholics and non-Catholics.

Berube noted that classes at the new school will offer options that prepare students for college, trade schools or the military, among other careers. He said one of the strengths of the school will be a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1.

“Along with the incredibly committed board members with whom I’m privileged to serve, we want to help the families, students, alumni, and others. Our families have been part of the Saint Dominic community since 1941 when the first St. Dom’s opened and our goal is to continue the goal of high school education in the Catholic tradition in this community,” Berube said.

Berube’s mother, Georgette, was a respected and longtime state legislator representing Lewiston who also served for several years on the Finance Council of the Diocese of Portland.

Berube retired recently from the U.S. Naval Academy with 20 years of teaching experience and has served as an adjunct graduate-level professor with the Naval War College and the Institute of World Politics. A retired commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve and former intelligence officer, his military honors include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, and three Navy Commendation Medals.

During his tenure as director of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, Berube received the Navy’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award. He currently serves on the board of the Senator Margaret Chase Smith Foundation and is a member of the Knights of Columbus, according to information supplied by the new St. Dominic high school board.