To the Editor:
This year marks Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School’s (MVPCS) 30th anniversary, a moment to look back on three decades of outstanding community accomplishments.
It’s also a time of exciting leadership transition. Incoming Director Christopher Nace will take the reins in July, while Peter Steedman, current director, will transition to a teaching role on Cape Cod. We are drafting this letter in partnership to highlight the remarkable growth and community-wide accomplishments MVPCS has achieved since its founding.
MVPCS’s founders, parents, teachers, and community stakeholders came together to develop a vision for an alternative public school that prioritized student voice as a key driver of educational success. After years of planning, the school opened its doors in September 1996 as the Island’s first and only K-12 public charter school.
We have witnessed that having a charter school serving the Cape and Islands is a true asset for students, families, and the community at large, cultivating lifelong learners through a rigorous, project-based curriculum.
In 2021, the school became an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering a robust range of IB classes for all high school students to complete the IB Diploma Program or the career-related program. An IB model focuses on international-mindedness, student-centered education, and inquiry-based learning. Similar to Advanced Placement courses, an IB diploma is highly regarded by colleges and universities, with IB courses often translating into college credit.
Our rigorous, project-based model includes artists in residence, mentorship, and project period. Over three decades, it has grown into our current educational model, thanks to the contributions of our students and families, staff, school founders, and Bob Moore, who served as the school’s director for 20 years.
MVPCS also prides itself on belonging and cultural responsiveness, becoming the first school on the island to offer Brazilian Portuguese as a language of instruction in grades K-8. Additionally, through direct outreach with the Aquinnah Cultural Center, MVPCS has established strong bonds with the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). These efforts are part of a broader commitment to cultivating authentic and meaningful cultural engagement for our students.
What is perhaps most impactful to witness is how the Island has truly become our classroom. We could not be more grateful to work with amazing community pillars such as Island Grown Initiative, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, the African American Heritage Trail, Native Earth Teaching Farm, Slough Farm, and many more, who help students apply their academic skills in real-world settings every day.
It is a privilege to look back on 30 years of success thanks to a model that centers student voice, academic rigor, and community partnership. We look forward to continued success in the years to come.
Peter Steedman and Christopher Nace
Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School