School, town, and construction officials gathered at the Tisbury School Saturday morning for a groundbreaking ceremony for a $82 million renovation and addition project that Tisbury voters approved in two separate town meetings. Ahead of the shovel ceremony, a gathering was held under a tent amid the modular classrooms that will be used for the duration of the project. Numerous officials signed a posterboard-mounted rendering of the school, including former Tisbury select board member Larry Gomez and town administrator Jay Grande.
Tisbury School Building Committee chair Michael Watts told those gathered the groundbreaking marked “a really exciting moment” that came after Tisbury had traveled a “very long road.”
Tisbury select board member John Cahill invoked Horace Mann, whom he said described a school as a “‘fortress of democracy.’” Cahill said, “That’s so true, because it upholds our values.” Cahill called the groundbreaking milestone a moment of pride.
Tisbury School Principal John Custer, who said he attended the school, as have his children, said, “I strongly believe there is no more important building in any community than its school, therefore this project is exciting and promising.”
Tisbury School Committee chair Amy Houghton tipped her hat to architect Chris Blessen of Tappé for his work on the project. Overall Houghton described the project as something that “stands for the commitment to our children.” Houghton also said, “The cornerstone of any great community is a great school. The cornerstone of any great democracy is education and compromise. This project represents all of that.”
Houghton gave special thanks to former Tisbury School Building Committee chair Harold Chapdelaine, who passed away during his term. Houghton had warm words for Chapdelaine’s widow, Joan Chapdelaine, who was in the audience. “This project would never be possible without your husband,” Houghton said.
Following the shovel ceremony, a tour of the modular classrooms was given.
Waste, waste, waste.
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