<p>A new or renovated Tisbury school building will be located on the existing site on Spring street following a narrow vote by the school building committee Wednesday evening.</p>
The Tisbury elementary school will remain on its existing site follow a narrow vote by the school building committee Wednesday evening.
The committee voted 8-7 to remove an alternate location, the town-owned Manter well property off Holmes Hole Road on the outskirts of town, from consideration. Two voting members of the committee were not present.
Plans for a new or renovated facility will now focus on the site of the existing school building, which was built in 1929 and is located on Spring street in the heart of town. The committee has yet to decide between building a new three-story building or completing a renovation and addition to the existing building.
The town planning board, selectmen, and Tisbury school committee had all endorsed keeping the school building where it is, while the school advisory committee and some teachers endorsed moving the building to the Manter well site.
Superintendent Matthew D’Andrea, a nonvoting member of the school building committee, also threw his support behind the Manter well site. But after the vote, he said the committee should move forward.
“I think the committee has spoken -- we stay unified and move forward,” Mr. D’Andrea said. “This is great opportunity for kids, and a great opportunity for a new school. This is the way it works, you vote and you move forward.”
Teacher Sean DeBettencourt said that though teachers preferred the Manter well site, their second preference was a new three-story construction on the current site.
“No matter what solution we come to, any improvement to our facilities will wholeheartedly be endorsed by our educational faculty,” he said.
In a second vote, the board unanimously voted to remove a proposal for a new two-story building from consideration.
The next building committee meeting is scheduled for June 19 at 7 p.m., when the board plans to vote on the remaining two options, a renovation and addition or a new three-story school.
Comments
I am very disappointed with
Barbara TisburyI am very disappointed with the decision. Would like to know what voting members were not present to vote and why. With such a close vote I think we should know what they would have voted! If the vote stands, I hope they at least go with the new 3-story structure so students' education will be less disrupted.
It is disappointing to see
Islander TooIt is disappointing to see how the process has been repeatedly distorted.
The taxpayers have never been offered an opportunity to "vote" on option 1, namely, a complete renovation of the current school, for which I understand the state would foot the whole bill of ca. $15 million.
This school is an architectural and community treasure that should be renovated sensitively, not destroyed.
Tisbury does not need a new school. It is the teachers who dream of getting a brand-new school, even if it means threatening the town's water supply and destroying decades of time invested to preserve a meaningful conservation area.
They need to attend Environment 101 remedial training.
Sorry for future children,
Arcy VHSorry for future children, staff, and all that might enjoy the benefits of an up to date school/campus.
The small grounds are a dustbowl, playing fields non existent. The classical building has not been enough for
Many years.
Islander Too ( and perhaps many who think the same), has such nostalgia for dear old Tisbury School for what reasons?
Here's a clue: it's for the teachers. Despite the lack of space, oxygen, places to gather, a safe gym, a cafeteria that might
Hold enough students to have multi uses.
The staff has never had a dedicated teachers room...it's a sometimes teachers room.
Run the track, play tennis, soccer field, picnic tables for outdoor classrooms....what a crazy idea!! Only for poor old Tisbury,
Leave those "luxeries" for the other towns, for other peoples kids. Ours should be happy to swing in a dustbowl, and
Share half a basketball court, with two baskets...teams of 30 each.
Nurses office? Wait in the hall, we've already got two coughing in here.
Is the basement still underwater? How's the mold in the classrooms. Ceilings falling..sweep it up, no problem.
Picking up your children, no parking.
Don't knock down too many walls, they're a lot of lead three coats down.
Ever measure the oxygen for 25 in a class?
Any leaking?
Everybody loves Tisbury School, but it's not for the building.
Imagine what great facilities for this amazing community could offer.
The Tisbury School just
Joshua Baker Tuscola, TXThe Tisbury School just celebrated its 88th birthday yesterday (June 8th). I still remember, when I was in kindergarten, we had a big party at the school on June 8, 1979 for the school's 50th birthday. It would break my heart to see the old building demolished. I was proudly there from K-8 and still miss it to this day. I totally understand the arguments against it but maybe something could be worked out to where the school could serve K-5 or 6 instead and build another school elsewhere for 6 or 7-8. From the 1929-1930 school year through the 1958-1959 school year, the Tisbury School served grades K-12. Hey, it's just a thought.
I'm not sorry for the future
Cost to much Martha's VineyardI'm not sorry for the future of the tisbury students, they'll all have a brand new school someday, be it rehab'd or brand spanking new. How can Arcy say that? The old school would see all your problems that you mentioned addressed with the new or rehab'd building. A dustbowl can be landscaped, a teachers lounge can be created, parking made and new means no mold.
Tisbury does need a new school and the current site would be fantastic. New building, new ideas, new fields, new safety and security and no old school to fix up, save for some K-5 program. Down with the old, up with the new.
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