The classroom is up the open staircase to the right in room 220 at the Edgartown School. Flags of world nations hang from the ceiling. There is a quote on the door that reads, “No significant learning occurs without a significant relationship.” This is the English Language Learning room, although it is not the only place in the school where English language learning takes place.

The Edgartown School will begin a pilot enrichment program next year aimed at students working at advanced levels in math — a program that, if successful, could be adopted by other Island schools.

The local school committee voted last week in favor of a one-year trial of a fifth through eighth grade enrichment program in response to requests from parents about meeting the needs of high-ability math students.

Much has changed between the time 54-year-old John W. Stevens graduated from the Edgartown School and yesterday, when he welcomed the students and parents on opening day and introduced himself as their new school principal.

But for the veteran educator, who comes from running large schools in Florida, the scene was familiar enough.