In Max Butler's first weeks at school, he will help set up a computer system.

Max, 12, will also join other students of various ages in a writers' workshop. He will take classes called understanding math and algebra, studies in science and problem-solving.

And that's only the first month.

An advisor with the new Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School helped Max design this schedule recently. In coming weeks, they will decide what comes next.

"It's pretty exciting," said Max, of Gay Head. "For the first time ever, I can't really wait to go back to school."

Wanda Emin is happy with her children's school. Still, she was one of dozens of parents who showed up this week at an open house for the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School.

She came, she said, at the urging of Brooke, 13, and Heather, 10.

"We just came with an open mind, and we'll go home and talk about it," Mrs. Emin said, guessing that her daughters are attracted to the school because "what they like is being able to make their own decisions."

Betsy McIsaac, a long-time seasonal resident, heard that the Vineyard was getting a charter school when she read about it in the paper last summer.

Today, she is part of its educational advisory group. Because Mrs. McIsaac worked as a school administrator for 30 years, her expertise has been greatly appreciated by charter school organizers.

When 72 Island students move to the new Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School this fall, they will take with them $370,000 from the budgets of other Island schools.

This figure is higher than expected, mainly because a key factor -- the average cost of education at existing schools -- has turned out to be greater than anticipated. State estimates of the average education costs at each Island school were released last week.