Martha's Vineyard Katie Ruppel

Charter Students Learn Dance as a Unifying Language

Katie Ruppel | Monday, February 23 2015 - 6:26am

For four weeks, Godfrey Muwulya, a native dancer from Uganda, has been teaching traditional dances from his country to fifth and sixth grade social studies students at the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, thanks to The Yard.

Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School

Dance

School Lessons from Civil Rights Pioneer

Katie Ruppel

The lessons at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High school last Friday were centered on 1960s diner sit-ins and dormitory riots. And the teacher was civil rights pioneer, author and journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault.

At a schoolwide multicultural assembly hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative, Ms. Hunter-Gault told stories from her youth and read from her recent book, To the Mountaintop, written for high school-aged students.

At Rest But Alive With Vineyard's History

Katie Ruppel

When John Alley was a kid, his Uncle Fred would pay him to mow the lawn at the West Tisbury cemetery. One day, just as he was leaning over between two headstones, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Young John headed for the hills.

“That was it! I lost the lawnmower and ran,” remembered Mr. Alley, thinking one of his silent friends had come back from the dead. Turns out it was just Prudy Whiting letting young John know that her father’s sheep were on the loose.

Tisbury Unveils Ambitious Plan for Lagoon Pond Park Walkway

Katie Ruppel

The Tisbury department of public works last week unveiled an ambitious plan to build a public walkway along a both sides of a section of Beach Road spanning the town harbor and the Lagoon Pond.

At a joint meeting with the planning board and the DPW, architect James Weisman of Terrain Associates Architects, presented a conceptual draft for a harbor walk.

Special Education Needs Prompt Budget Hike

Katie Ruppel

Increasing demand for special education services in Island public schools has led to a large jump the school superintendent’s budget for the coming fiscal year. Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss presented a $4.4 million operating budget to the all-Island school committee last week, an increase of 8.8 per cent. “I’m going to be candid with you,” Mr. Weiss told the committee. “The budget increase is significantly higher than I would have liked.”

Longtime Teacher Paul Brissette Receives Creative Living Award

Katie Ruppel

Paul Brissette stood in front of the Grange Hall Thursday evening to receive the Permanent Endowment Fund’s 2012 Creative Living Award and pulled from his pocket a small white carton. On it were written the words The Box. “The Box contains all the knowledge and experience human beings have accumulated thus far,” Mr. Brissette told the gathering of friends, family members, colleagues and community members.

New Hire and Retiring Pro, Baton Is Passed in English Class

Katie Ruppel

Keith Dodge walked swiftly and confidently down the halls of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School to his tidy classroom, where he welcomed first-year teacher Emma Mushnick.

The two English teachers — one retiring, one beginning — sat down with the Gazette to talk about the challenges, joys and journey of teaching.