Six Island educators are among the nine finalists now vying for the
interim principal jobs in both the West Tisbury and Chilmark schools.
The high-speed search for school leaders comes less than a month
after two principals in the Up-Island district - Elaine Pace and
Carlos Colley - handed in their resignations after each serving
three years on the job.
Armed with the results of an anonymous survey that praised the Chilmark School for it small class sizes and strong sense of community but was critical of its leadership, communication and staff turnover, the chairman of a fledgling school task force unveiled a report last night, urging regional school board members to take action on more than a dozen areas of concern.
Chilmark School Work Nears Completion, But First Days' Classes
Will Be Elsewhere
JULIA WELLS Gazette Senior Writer
Repairs at the Chilmark School will not be completed in time for
opening day, and yesterday school and town leaders were busy with
last-minute arrangements for an alternative site for the children to
attend school.
Opening day is Thursday for all five elementary schools on the
Vineyard.
A bare quorum of Chilmark voters agreed without dissent this week to borrow another $200,000 to pay for a mounting list of problems in the physical plant at the Chilmark School.
"We are a little embarrassed but we are trying to put our best foot forward and fix the problems," said selectman Frank Fenner at a special town meeting held Wednesday night in the Chilmark Community Center.
The meeting saw a light turnout - about 40 voters attended. In Chilmark, 25 makes a quorum. Town moderator Everett Poole presided.
The money request was the sole article on the warrant.
Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss announced on Friday the appointment of Susan Stevens as the new Chilmark head of school.
Currently a guidance counselor and special education coordinator at the Bak Middle School of the Arts in West Palm Beach, Fla., a public magnet school, Mrs. Stevens has been a summer resident of Edgartown for 27 years. Her career in education began in 1976 and includes a wide array of teaching, from gifted to special needs, guidance and some administrative work. She has a sub-specialty in teaching children with autism.
