Committee Thanks Community

The Tisbury School building committee would like to thank the voters who came out to support the Tisbury School building project at both town meeting and the ballot vote. We are proud to be part of a community that invests so much in the lives of Tisbury School students.

In addition, we would like to thank the Vineyard Gazette for their support and coverage of our school building project. The information presented was always credible and well written. They allowed for input from all residents so that we could have different perspectives with which to make decisions.

We are grateful to Cronig’s Market for allowing us to display the school building model for endless days leading up to both the town meeting and vote. It gave residents the opportunity to view the proposal and get facts about the project. Your willingness to support our efforts truly shows your community involvement and commitment to the town of Tisbury.

Thanks to Michelle Vivian, Bob Tankard and Carl Holt of MVTV and Richard Paradise of Martha’s Vineyard Film Center for allowing us to utilize their organizations as a way to reach other members of our community. Without the support of the above mentioned media outlets, we would not have been able to get out the information to the public that they needed to know. In addition, thank you to the League of Women Voters, Tisbury Vision Council and the Vineyard Haven Library for hosting school building project presentations.

A special thank you to Richie Barlett and Ben McMahon, two talented former Tisbury School students and current juniors at MVRHS, for their extraordinary efforts in creating the school building project video. The video would not have been possible without the guidance of MVRHS teacher Kevin McGrath, and narration by school superintendent Matt D’Andrea.

Despite our failed ballot vote, we are optimistic that the town of Tisbury will come together to discuss options that will result in a fiscally responsible project that meets the educational needs of Tisbury students as well as serving as a community resource. For project information and updates, please visit tisbury-school-project.com.

Colleen McAndrews
Vineyard Haven

The writer is chairman of the Tisbury School building committee.

When did the TSBC discuss and vote to send this letter? I was at the meeting of the TSBC Monday night and it did not come up. When did the committee vote to send their letter to the MSBA without the Selectmen's signature? also not discussed Monday night.

As I have mentioned I am kind of a fact person. The vote was 14 to 2 to ask for an extension. Were you really there? Did you think the MSBA was going to read minds? The vote took place in the open. Since there wasn’t yet a position whether the selectman/woman would or would not sign, that wasn’t an option to be voted upon. Do you think the letter went today? With or without selectmen signature?

My etiquette guru would have advised to thank the town---the WHOLE town---and not just a group of their supporters for appropriating the $825,000 so that the School Committee and the TSBC could pursue their agenda of a new school. This continues the polarizing. Tristan Israel stated that the money hasn't been wasted because the town as learned a lot. Yes, it certainly has. Still, many may not agree with him. The least the TSBC could do is thank the town's voters for giving them a majority (although not a large one) at April 2016 Town Meeting to fund their effort, and "own" the results of their process.

The results of this process is that some other town with all the problems and all the issues that we have, and probably with a higher tax rate, will take that money quickly and build a gorgeous new school. When that happens I hope the committee keeps us informed as to what community it was, what their tax rate was, and what kind of school they built. And then I hope some people can own that result too and own the white trailer we have and the part where kids are eating for 13 minutes in an overcrowded lunch room, and trying to learn in hallways. I would suggest maybe the selectmen and planning board should eat their lunches with the kids for the time being.

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Comments (4)

Grace, Tisbury

May 4, 2018 - 9:36am

Really?!, Vineyard Haven

May 8, 2018 - 5:55pm

Islander Too

May 4, 2018 - 11:34am

Also an Islander

May 4, 2018 - 3:36pm

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