Students enrolled in a long established hair styling school are scrambling to determine their options after the school unexpectedly shut down both of its facilities, in Bangor and Lewiston, this week.
At least one rival beauty academy is interested in reaching out to students who suddenly find themselves without a school. But state professional regulators will have to assess the level of education each student has achieved before transfers can be approved.
Students enrolled in classes at Mr. Bernard’s School of Hair Fashion in Bangor and Lewiston were getting ready to return to their studies Monday, after a two-week holiday break, when they learned that both of the school's campuses were closing immediately.
Tiffany Coelho of Bangor was looking forward to beginning an educational path toward a new career in cosmetology. "I was supposed to start going to Bernard's today - nobody even contacted me until last night," Coelho says.
Coelho wasn't alone. Although school officials were not returning media calls today, the school's website contained a message saying, "It is with great regret that we are announcing that Mr. Bernard’s School is closed effective immediately. Students are being contacted individually, and our staff will be working with them during this difficult transition."
What happens to the futures of the students enrolled at the campuses, their outstanding student loans and what is behind the school's sudden closures are open questions at the moment. But some leaders in the beauty industry are stepping in.
"At this point, all we can do is talk to the students, have them come in and take a look at our school and see if they are even interested in attending the Empire Beauty School," says Angela Watson, the media and public relations officer for Empire Beauty School, which has four campuses in Maine. She says Empire is interested in helping out, but unable to act until regulators determine whether students are eligible to transfer.
"We cannot do anything until the state of Maine tells us what is going to happen with the education that they've already received, so the state Board of Cosmetology in Maine will have to tell us how many hours they already achieved at Bernard Hair School and then we can go forward with giving them the rest of their education," Watson says. "But the state really has to take the lead on this and contact Bernard School and find out what exactly needs to be done from here."
The Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation oversees the activities of the Maine Board of Cosmetology. Department spokesman Doug Dunbar says state regulators have been in touch with Bernard school officials and are attempting to obtain as much information as they can to determine what courses the students need to finish their education.
"So we will continue to work with Mr. Bernard and with the other schools and try to match up the students with other programs - or at least make sure they're aware of what opportunities are out there for them," Dunbar says.
School officials told Dunbar they were attempting to notify as many students by telephone or e-mail as possible. But according to social media posts, many of the students learned about the closure from the news media or on Facebook.
But some students, such as Tiffany Coelho of Bangor, are already making arrangements to attend a new beauty school. And although the $17,000 tuition costs for cosmetology training will be higher than Bernard's, she says the expense is secondary to achieving her goal.
"Well, I've waitressed and I've worked as an administrative assistant in New Hampshire for a glass company, and I'm really excited about this because I'm going to be able to make other people happy with my work," Coehlo says.
According to Mr. Bernard's website, the school was one of Maine's oldest and was established in 1960.