For Vineyard-based students, attending Falmouth Academy has always meant a daily ferry commute. But thanks to the private school’s forthcoming boarding program, students from the Island and beyond will have the chance to live just a 10-minute walk from campus.

The school recently announced its purchase of the Captain’s Manor Inn, a historic bed and breakfast nestled on Falmouth’s Main street, which it will use to house 12 to 15 Falmouth Academy students starting in September 2026.

Head of school David Perry told the Gazette that the new program presents a valuable opportunity for families burdened by long commutes, including students from the Island.

“We have a pretty healthy number of Vineyard kids that commute back and forth on a daily basis, probably around 30 of them,” Mr. Perry said. “I think kids enjoy the opportunity to finish up their homework on the [ferry] in the morning and relax with their friends on the way home... but there are some Vineyard families that live where it’s already a commute to get to the ferry, and that’s a pretty long day.”

Mr. Perry said student residents will study together, eat meals together and manage their schedules with the help of adult supervisors. At the end of each school week, they will go home to their families for the weekend.

Mr. Perry said not much work will need to be done on the building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, to adapt it for student living. The major changes will be installing a sprinkler system and swapping in dorm-style furniture.

“It’s just a really cool place to live,” he said. “It’s a beautiful space on the inside.”

While Island families will be able to apply for the program, Mr. Perry said the school is also trying to attract students from communities even farther from Falmouth, including Nantucket, distant parts of the Cape and other states.

“The vision here is to make our school accessible to a broader geography and bring us some kids from different places with different perspectives,” Mr. Perry said.