Voters in Tisbury to consider school funds

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The PTO will be handing out these stickers ahead of special town meeting.

A special town meeting is scheduled Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 pm in the Tisbury School gymnasium to consider two questions involving the school — $1.5 million from the town’s stabilization fund to purchase or lease modular classrooms, and $400,000 to pay for emergency costs associated with the discovery of lead and asbestos at the school.

Town administrator Jay Grande and Superintendent Matt D’Andrea will hold an informational session ahead of town meeting on Thursday at 7 pm at Katharine Cornell Theater. The hope is to address some of the questions that might come up at town meeting ahead of time.

In an email, Grande summarized the two articles. “The source of funding for both appropriation articles is the town’s stabilization fund,” he wrote. “Town meeting annually sets aside funds into the stabilization fund for future capital purchases and for unforeseen situations. No monies will need to be borrowed or bonded. Appropriating monies out of the stabilization fund requires a [two-thirds] vote of town meeting.”

Grande wrote that approving the articles will allow school officials to “finalize plans for school operations at their upcoming public meetings.”

Meanwhile, The Tisbury School PTO is spearheading an awareness campaign that includes stickers with the motto, “I Am The Tisbury School,” with the tiger logo.
Nevette Previd, a member of the PTO who has a third grader at the school, said the idea is to show support for the school for this town meeting and in April, when funding for a renovation/addition is expected to be considered.

“The idea behind it is the school right now is challenged,” Previd said. “It’s about the community we’re building, and having a vibrant school that families want to move here for — people want to stay Tigers for life.”

Tisbury School has a great history, Previd said. She pointed out that all four women working at Shirley’s Hardware are proud graduates of the school. “We definitely have a special community at the Tisbury School. This is a challenging moment for everyone. Well, not the kids so much. They don’t care. They say, ‘Woo-hoo, an adventure.’ But the teachers are strapped.”

The stickers will be handed out beginning Monday. Previd is hopeful everyone at town meeting will wear one to show support. Because parts of the school remain off-limits, the PTO can’t provide childcare for Tuesday’s meeting. Instead, they’re asking parents to bring their kids, Previd said. “We have the ability to go and say, ‘Yes.’ Just show up to vote.”